Issue 7 - May 2016

F RI DAY, A P RI L 29, 2016

Different Ollywoods

SPECIAL REPORT pages 6-7

Teachers Before Coming to Cupertino High

VOLUME 56 NO. 7

FLIPSIDE page 12

Benson and Samantha Lin

SPORTS page 11

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT pages 8 & 9

Being a Workaholic

The Prospector Student Newspaper of Cupertino High School

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CHS students help pass changes to state history textbooks

The Dignity for Hinduism advocacy group aims to alter the portrayal of Indians in school textbooks

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF AISHWARYA LADDHA

TEXTBOOK PROTEST | Members of Dignity for Hinduism protest outside of the California Department of Education Headquarters

AISHWARYA LADDHA lifestyles editor

The California Department of Education, located in Sacramento, conducts a rigorous curriculum editing process every ten years in an effort to provide students with up-to-date information. Part of this process scrutinizes textbooks and offers a chance for the public to voice their concerns about the current curriculum.

A group of Asian-Indian individuals across California identified the wide inaccuracy of culture portrayal, specifically Indian traditions and faith, prevalent within the history textbooks that middle school children read as part of state mandated curriculum and have used this editing period as an opportunity to propagate change. Dignity for Hinduism, a movement that challenges the history curriculum offered to middle schools across the nation, brought two Cupertino High students, freshman Shrestha Kand-

pal and junior Nilay Varshney, to the forefront of change.

Said Kandpal, “The purpose of Dignity for Hinduism is to give India and Hinduism, [the predominant faith in India], as well as Indians in America as much importance and respect as other countries and religions receive in the textbooks, to teach factually correct information about our religion. Our goal is to change as many misconceptions there are about Hinduism in the textbooks.”

These student do not agree with the way India, Indians and Hindus are portrayed in middle school textbooks. After hearing the 76 proposed edits by a group of South Asian studies scholars to California public school history books for sixth and seventh graders, many Asian-Indians are worried it will only do further harm to distort their culture and its perception.

The most offensive of proposed changes include referencing India as “South Asia” and Hinduism as simply “a religion of ancient India”.

Said Kandpal, “It is offensive to change the name India to South Asia because it is degrading a land and country of rich culture and religion of millions of people, [and] giving it only the worth of a region. They are not doing that to any other country, so why only [India]?”

Those involved within Dignity of Hinduism criticized these edits.

“The [claims] by the professors that the name India should only be used when referring to tie periods after 1947 [is] because they believe that before that India was always under British rule but the truth is that India has been [named as such] for the longest time [. . .] for example in 1492 Columbus went on the lookout for India and not South Asia,” said Kandpal.

Dignity for Hinduism began drafting plans to change the inaccurate curriculum; every few months for the past year, South Asian students from across California have been giving speeches

History textbooks, continued on page 2

Finals schedule changed ERIN SONG copy editor

JAY SHROFF news assistant

Student groups combat homelessness in the Bay Area the area is on a decline, it remains a prevalent issue in society and affects over 1.5 million people in the US alone. Most survive on meager subsistence and can live off food provided by social services; however, many have no access to hygiene facilities and supplies.

Local nonprofit organizations such as Project WeHOPE are working to expedite this process. Founded by Pastor Paul Bains in 2009, the project launched Dignity on Wheels, an initiative which aims to alleviate the lack of dayto-day resources available for the homeless. By providing trailers equipped with showers and laundry facilities, Project WeHOPE is able to provide the Bay-Area homeless with

For the past years, the school has taken a traditional approach to student finals in which students take two finals at a time in order of their school schedule. However, this year, the school has changed its finals schedule so that students will be taking their finals in reverse order of their classes. Finals will begin with seventh period on Friday, May 27, in contrast to the prior years in which students took their first period finals on that respective Friday before the last week of school.

The shift in the finals schedule stems from a variety of reasons. The fact that Memorial Day lies in the last week of the school year would mean that students would lose one day of their finals week, had the schedule not been rearranged.

Said pre-calculus teacher Anna Tran, “The fact that Memorial Day is on the Monday of finals week arose as an issue of concern for several teachers and school administration. In an attempt to relieve student stress, I collaborated with a variety of teachers in order to help students adjust.”

Despite the fact that the school had posted the new finals schedule weeks ago, only a small percentage of students are aware of the changes. From a student survey consisting of

Students combat homelessness, continued on page 2

Finals schedules, continued on page 2

PHOTO COURTESY OF AISHWARYA LADDHA

HELPING THE HOMELESS | Sophomore Rhea Lamba teaches children as a part of FBLA’s Community Service Project, Project RISE

ETHAN QI copy editor

SAAGAR SANGHAVI sports editor In Silicon Valley, amidst billion-dollar companies and among the most affluent communities in the nation, homeless men and women still beg the streets and live in stark contrast to the average resident. In fact, “The Jungle,” a slum alongside Coyote Creek, ranked as the largest homeless encampment in the United States until late last year. Though homelessness in

2

News

The Prospector

S TA F F 2015-2016

The Prospector

April 29, 2016

Citizens advisory committee created to address FUHSD enrollment issues With populations rapidly increasing in our district’s high schools, a newly formed interdistrict group aims to find a lasting solution ALEX SHIEH opinions assistant

Cupertino High School Established 1958 Vol LVI, No. 7 | 2016 editor-in-chief shalmali patil managing editor peter martin meilinda sun news editor amy zeng opinions editor sudarshan kannan features editor allison lo lifestyles editor aishwayra laddha sports editor saagar sanghavi flip side editor caroline gee online content editor lily marvin josephine robinson copy editors ethan qi erin song jenn zaratan photo editors catherine seok

news assistants

jay shroff brian zhong

opinions assistants

anirudh pai alex shieh

special report assistants

delanie medina jason munoz

lifestyles assistants

daniel fertelmeister isabel lin

sports assistants

mark wang rishi nair

flip side assistant

melissa silva

online assistant

maithilee kanthi michelle pyke

photo crew

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adviser ann peck

Editorial Policy “The Prospector” is an open forum of expression for student editors to inform and educate their readers. It will not be reviewed by or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisors may and should coach and discuss content during the writing process.

The staff of “The Prospector” seeks to recognize individuals, events and ideas and bring news to the Cupertino community in an accurate, professional and unbiased manner. “The Prospector” will not avoid publishing a story solely on the basis of possible dissent or controversy.

If you believe an error has been made or wish to have your opinion expressed in “The Prospector,” please contact us via mail or email. Letters sent become the sole property of “The Prospector” and can be edited for length, clarity or accuracy.

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On Jan. 12, the Fremont Union High School District Board of Trustees made a decision to establish the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC).

As an ad hoc committee, meaning it is only needed for particular purposes, the main purpose of CAC is to develop alternatives and make suggestions to the superintendent and board regarding what should be done with the current enrollment situation in the FUHSD district.

“If the demographic data is to be believed and verified, it does say one of our high school attendance area appears to be experiencing a decline in enrollment,” said Minh Le, the facilitator of the Citizen Advisory Committee. “And because we are an interdependent environment, the actions taken in one attendance area will have an impact on the other four attendance areas.”

The high school district is projecting that the one high school, Lynbrook, will experience a decrease of more than 200 students in regards to student enrollment in the next five years while Cupertino High School will have an increase of an estimated 460 students by 2018.

Some may believe an act of redistributing the school border is a simple solution to the problem. Many, however, do not think that this is the case. Nancy Newton, a member of the Board of Education, experienced the last major boundary change nearby, which occurred in the 1980s with the closure of Sunnyvale High School (SHS). The boundary line was changed and for the most part, SHS students shifted to Fremont High School (FHS) and many FHS students shifted to Homestead High School (HHS).

“Not only did the boundaries change but SHS was closed and it meant that the city of

Sunnyvale no longer had a high school with the Sunnyvale name. All of this became a big issue in Sunnyvale,” Newton said. “As a FHS parent, I worked with other community members to bring the Sunnyvale community together. This was difficult because the community did not, for the most part, believe the process had been fair.”

Thus, to prevent another disastrous situation from occurring, the CAC was established.

The CAC also serves as an experiment to determine the effectiveness of district committees.

Said Le, “We want communication mechanism so people can say what they mean and feel like it is understood, and a process where facts and information get objectively discussed. It is peaceful, constructive, and produces a solution that people can live with.“ The members of CAC are currently in the process of being chosen. Candidates are required to be passionate for improvement in education, have leadership and affiliations with school groups, and be flexible enough to attend meeting dates. Additionally, candidates should be mentally prepared to deal with a complex problem.

Said Newton, “ [I hope] that bringing the committee together will provide a proposed solution that will satisfy all perspectives and provide the necessary solution to keep Lynbrook High School large enough to provide the courses and class sections that students have come to expect.”

The formation of the CAC not only serves as an attempt to resolve the student enrollment issue involving LHS, but also as a crucial experiment for the Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) to test out district committees.

If this method is proven to solve such complex problems, the Board of Education will gain an additional tool to address and resolve challenging issues in the future.

History Textbooks Continued from page 1

and offering counter-edits and changes to the California Department of Education at open hearings in Sacramento. Peaceful protests, demonstrations, and awareness events pushed forward a revised curriculum hoping to accurately portray Indian traditions and Hinduism.

For each of the five open testimonials that have taken place, students individually proposed an edit or addition to the current textbook that they wish to see changed after extensive research to solidify the accuracy of their proposed edits. Board members would then take a vote to accept the change or not.

Varshney attended the third testimonial in Nov. 2015 and delivered a speech to propose re-categorizing Hinduism as a pantheistic religion versus the current characterization of monism. He specifically critiqued the vaguenes that textbooks use when explaining the fundamentals of Hinduism.

Said Varshney, “Monism is the belief that there is only one kind of ultimate substance but a term that can be used alongside Monism when describ-

Finals schedules changed Continued from page 1

192 students, 33 percent were aware of the revised schedule. Several remain skeptical about whether this new schedule will reduce stress, with 33 percent of students answering that the reversed finals schedule will not alleviate their stress levels. However, the remaining 128 students believe that the schedule will be at some impact in reducing tension from finals.

Responses towards the reversed finals schedule have varied as well, depending on students’ preferences on the ideal time to take their most difficult classes. Sophomore Prajakta Ranade, who has math and chemistry as her first two periods, prefers to immediately complete her more difficult finals so that the remainder of her finals week will be less stressful. “I rather get my difficult finals done sooner rather than later, and [now]I will probably spend most of my finals week studying for chemistry since it is one of my last finals,” Ranade said.

Other students, however, find relief in the new schedule. Said junior Tam Pham, “My third period final is American Literature Honors, so this schedule gives me more time to prepare for my portfolio and debate.”

Several students also note that the removal of the 30-minute period schedule usually on the last day of school takes away a convenient opportunity for students to say their goodbyes to their friends and teachers. Said junior Murial Hsiao, “That last day is usually spent saying goodbye to your friends, signing yearbooks, and thanking teachers, so it is going to be different not having that day this year.”

Despite the varied student opinions regarding the schedule’s ability to reduce stress, the modified schedule certainly takes steps to address the issue of the high stress levels in the school. The overall effectiveness of the schedule change will only be revealed upon the arrival of final’s week itself.

ing Hinduism is Pantheism- or the belief that divinity manifests in everything.

We Hindus believe that divinity exists in everything that there is.”

Kandpal attended the testimonials in late October and March; her speeches tackled having a more accurate meaning of the term “karma”, a word that has begun to lose its original meaning as it is integrated within American vernacular, in history textbooks and the inaccurate depiction of Hindu gods namely the god Shiva as not the “destroyer” but rather as “recycler” within the world.

Her changes were accepted and along with the rest of the accepted changes will enter the publishing house following the final testimonial in May and will hopefully replace the textbooks for the next school year.

Both Kandpal and Varshney, regardless of if the changes passes following the hearing in May, have taken away something from their experiences.

Said Varshney, “Through this experience I learned that is is important to accurately teach about other people’s cultures if we we are going to learn about other cultures the teachers should teach the material accurately so that it does not lead to misconceptions of future and through these misconceptions we make like mistakes that might hurt another person.”

Students combat homelessness Continued from page 1

much-needed facilities. More often than not, hundreds of homeless would have to spend many hours a day just searching for a place to shower and do laundry. However, with trailers in place all across the Bay, many homeless now have access to an easy and reliable way to keep themselves clean and healthy. With each trailer able to provide up to 30 showers and 14 loads of laundry, those in need will be allowed to spend 15 minutes in the shower rooms, seven of which have hot water available and wash one load of clothing.

Said advocate for the homeless Robert Aguirre, “People do not really understand the situation they think that it is, ‘why don’t they just get a job’ or ‘why don’t they just do this.’ But the thing is, they do not understand the situation themselves. For me, the real issue here is to educate the people to the problem as it is, and not how they understand it but how it truly is. Maybe it will not happen tomorrow, next week, or even next year, but eventually, a flicker of flame goes off, and people realize they need to get involved to bring about some social justice.”

Additionally, many Cupertino High School students are taking steps towards helping the impoverished in our community. Two juniors, working in conjunction with FBLA and Family Supportive Housing Shelter, created Project RISE to combat local homelessness. They led high school students to make workshops for children at nearby shelters. They also collected donations of blankets and other necessities, which were then given

to the shelter.

“The most satisfying part of [the project] is was seeing the kids grow and take something away from our lessons. One time, we led a lesson on time management where we had the kids make planners to keep track of their activities,” cofounder Jehannaz Dastoor said. “When we came for the next lesson, we were so happy to see how much the kids had been using their planners and how effective the kids were. They are really brilliant minds, unable to have the same opportunities because of socioeconomic status.”

Furthermore, the Micro-Hygiene Initiative, also initiated by Cupertino High students, allows fellow students to aid the homeless with direct donations of hygiene products Said Junior Shankara Srikantan, “our program operates by fundraising from the local community -- friends, families, and other donors, and we use that money to purchase other a whole bunch of medical and hygiene supplies. We assemble them into kits, and then we send them off to shelters who distribute them to the people.”

Srikantan, having grown up in San Francisco, witnessed homelessness from an early age and felt empowered to help them himself.

“When I go, there are people that I normally would not get to interact with [...] you do not hear the voice of these people, they are extremely marginalized,” Srikantan said. “You hear their voices, their stories, and that is profoundly impactful.”

News

The Prospector

April 29, 2016

3

Paris agreement marks beginning of environmental conservation progress DANIEL FERTELMEISTER lifestyles assistant

On April 22, two young African women, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim and Getrude Clement, stood in front of the United Nations General Assembly and described the effect that global warming has had on their native lands in the past few years. They talked of droughts, floods, famine, and loss of farmland that was to sustain the millions of people living in countries such as their native Chad and Tanzania respectively.

The Assembly listened. On Earth Day, fittingly, representatives from over 175 countries came together to sign the Paris Agreement, a historic climate change resolution that aims to curb the world’s carbon emissions over the following decades.

Although the plan has yet to become law, the signings represent a key milestone toward its implementation.

The agreement, which would go into effect in 2020, would act as an extension of the world’s previous climate law, the Kyoto Protocol. It has a primary goal of “holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels,” and “increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change.” The 2 °C threshold is what a majority of scientists, including those from NASA, view as the point at which the catastrophic effects of global warming – including severe droughts and the disappearing of small islands – would set in.

GOP Presidential candidates Ted Cruz and John Kasich issued statements that they are collaborating to deny frontrunner Donald Trump the Republican Nomination. The candidates have divided their campaign efforts and funds to specific state primaries, hoping to win enough delegates together to stop Trump from winning the Republican nomination.

Unlike most previous intentional environmental laws, the Agreement is built with a “bottom up” structure, rather than one that is “top down.” This means that participating countries would be responsible for planning and designing individual projects to reduce their carbon emissions, rather than following general guidelines established for the whole world. The Agreement mandates that these goals are “ambitious” and “represent a progression over time.”

... Groups across every sector of society will now begin to reduce dangerous carbon pollution through the framework of this agreement.

-Al Gore The 175 diplomats who provided signatures to indicate their intent of complying with the Paris Agreement represented a significant step toward implementation. Accords like this one are only valid if made into international law.

In order for the Paris Agreement to become such a law, it must be ratified by at least 55 countries making up at least 55% of the world’s global greenhouse emissions. With 175 countries pledging their intent to ratify on the 22nd – including China

NEWS BRIEFS

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the coast of Ecuador on April 16th. Casualties include over 650 dead, and over 16,000 injured.

The earthquake was preceded by another magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck the city of Kumamoto in Japan on the same day as the earthquake in Ecuador that killed approximately 50 and injured 3,000 more.

and the United States, which together make up around 40% of the world’s emissions – it seems quite likely that the Agreement will reach that threshold. 15 nations, mostly small islands at risk of sinking, have already ratified the document, and the events on Earth Day make it likely that over 100 other countries will join in these efforts.

The next step is ratifying the accords, which could prove to be quite difficult in certain places. In Washington, for example, President Obama is likely to run into problems getting approval from a Republican Senate where many members are skeptical about the existence of global warming. The White House, however, insists that this should notn’t be a problem as they intend to ratify via executive power, bypassing the legislative branch as a whole.

Like almost any major initiative, the plan has been met with controversy. Many scientists believe that despite its good intentions, the Agreement can not be effective because it only asks for promises rather than firm and contractual commitments.

In response to this criticism, former Vice President Al Gore stated, “no agreement is perfect, and this one must be strengthened over time, but groups across every sector of society will now begin to reduce dangerous carbon pollution through the framework of this agreement.”

In all likelihood, Gore is right, as the Paris Agreement is well on its way to ratification. If so, then come 2020, the world will finally band together in the fight against global warming.

Music icon Prince passed away in an elevator of Paisley Park recording studio at the age of 57 on April 21. The artist was known for his flamboyant personality and dress while performing, and won seven Grammy awards for various songs he performed, including the world-famous “Purple Rain,” “When Doves Cry,” and “Little Red Corvette.”

Various civil rights leaders will appear on new editions of US currency beginning in 2020. Abolitionist Harriet Tubman will replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, women’s suffragists will appear on the $10 bill, and key historical figures with ties to the Lincoln Memorial such as Martin Luther King Jr. will be seen on the $5 bill.

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Opinions 4 English proficiency should be a requirement for citizenship April 29, 2016

AFFIRMATIVE

NEGATIVE

SUDARSHAN KANNAN opinions editor

MARK WANG sports assistant

English proficiency is a critical skill for day-to-day functions and participating in the political process. That being said, English is one of the fundamental tenets and necessities of being considered American should be proficiency in English. According to the Census Bureau’s 2012 American Community Survey, 19.2 million people between the ages of 16 and 64 are considered having a “limited English proficient.” This means that a significant portion of our population is hindered in its ability to participate in the American political process, as many important facets of American politics are contingent on English proficiency, e.g., watching and understanding political debates.

While the Voting Rights Act facilitates this hurdle by providing voting ballots in foreign languages, the process of thoroughly disseminating political information and truly participating in the electoral process is bound to be hindered by a lack of English proficiency among certain groups of voters. Although foreign language cable channels, such as Univision, are rising in prominence and viewership, English remains and will continue to be the method of political and mass media communication in the United States, given that English is the majority language. Furthermore, the idea of a language requirement for citizenship is not an outlandish one, given that it is common practice among many nations around the world. For instance, to obtain German citizenship, one must take a comprehensive German language proficiency test to measure a candidate’s speaking, writing, and reading skills.

However, the larger issue lies in the ability of these individuals to assimilate into American society and the economic impacts of a lack of English proficiency. A 2014 report published by the Brookings Institution found that English proficiency had a direct correlation with an earnings advantage at all levels of education, concluding that English proficiency is critical for economic advancement. Furthermore, a report published in 2012 by the Lexington Institute found that a lack of English proficiency tends to lead to a loss in real income for non-English speaking families, leading to these workers becoming economically marginalized and limiting their job opportunities to low-income work. In a country as vast and diverse as the United States, English is by default the glue that holds together American society, given the diversity of racial backgrounds and geographic differences unique to this country. That being said, this does not mean that immigrants shouldbe forced to give up their native language for the sake of assimilation, but rather that they simply attain proficiency in English, given that a command of the English language is essential for day-to-day interactions, such as reading signs or purchasing items.

The issue lies not with whether speaking a foreign language is un-American; quite frankly, foreign language proficiency is a valued skill and should be encouraged. The issue at stake is that of, “should English be required for citizenship,” and the answer to that is a clear “yes.” To be an American, one must be able to participate in the fundamentals of our democracy, and without English proficiency, an aspiring citizen cannot truly participate in American society.

What makes America America is not English. Instead, it is its ability to draw millions of immigrants all over the world to live and work here. Making English as a requirement for citizenship diminishes that ability because it pushes away potential immigrants more than it will facilitate unity among Americans, immigrant or not. Like many Americans, immigrants cannot master a language in the span of one day. Regardless of their ability to communicate in English, immigrants must be accommodated for their needs so that they can thrive in the American society. Denying immigrants government services and benefits due to their inability to speak English could invertedly become disastrous towards the effort of helping immigrants integrate successfully in the American society.

Although thousands of immigrants come to America every year not knowing a single word of English, it does not mean they will not try to learn it. Since the inception of the country, no language requirement has ever been needed to compel immigrants to learn the language due to cultural cohesion and the economic advantages of knowing the language. A Pew Research study has shown that immigrants generally have no trouble communicating in English after immigrating to America. For example, English proficiency among a growing population of Hispanics in America who mainly come from Spanish-speaking countries is rising. Among 17-24 year old young Hispanics, those who speak English at home is 88 percent, an all-time high. Whether immigrants have any problem learning English should never be a issue for Americans to worry about.

Finally, let us not forget that America has always been a country of immigrants. From the Irish immigrants of the 1800s to the many diverse groups immigrating to America today, immigrants are the backbone of this country. According to the Migration Policy Institute, the population of foreignborn Americans is about 42.4 million which is 13 percent of the total U.S. population. With such diversity comes access to different ideas, customs, and of course the food they bring.

Today, Americans can dine easily at a nearby Mexican restaurant and obtain some of best authentic Mexican food immigrants have to offer, or shop at the Chinese supermarket for produces.

All that is possible because citizenship is not about being an English speaker, but rather about bringing the best of one’s background to the society. Dangerously, too much emphasis on learning one language such as English will only weaken advantages of living in a 21st century world where globalization has enabled economic growth in many countries and movements across vast distances.

Ultimately, although English is the primary language spoken by many Americans, it does not mean citizenship should be defined by the language one speaks. An English requirement would only divide America to segments of ethnic and language groups rather than uniting the the people.

The idea of “forcing” people to learn English is the antithesis to the principles behind founding of this country. America must remain committed to a vision where all groups of people are welcome to come, stay and thrive.

13.2 percent of the US population is foreign born Source: US Census Bureau

88 percent of Hispanics aged 17-24 speak English at home Source: Pew Research Center

42 percent of adult English learners improved their English after a yearlong program Source: US Department of Education

19.2 million people are considered ` to have“limited English proficient” Source: US Census Bureau

April 29, 2016

Opinions

The Prospector

5

Government is not equppied to handle off-shore accounts ANIRUDH PAI opinions assistant

The most comprehensive leak in history, over 11.5 million documents stolen from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, has unleashed enormous scrutiny the world’s wealthy and powerful; however, the cause of this problem is a significant source of political apathy. Sifting through the documents highlights how these individuals created offshore tax havens to hide their assets, thus escaping paying national taxes. The exposed include relatives of the world’s most powerful politicians: the brother-in-law of Chinese President Xi Jinpeng to the father of British Prime Minister, David Cameron. Reports point to the involvement of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle –– many believe Putin himself has trickled billions of dollars through close friends. While it is certain that momentous reform should take place, instead of heaping blame on the world’s politicians, citizens should remember that a majority these officials were democratically elected, and thus citizens share a certain degree of responsibility for their actions as well.

For years, leaders have stressed that there would be vigorous action taken against individuals who stashed unthinkable sums in offshore accounts. Corporations are allowed to create offshore accounts as investments that are classified as non-taxable; however, because the accounts are held in countries such as Panama that cater heavily to foreigners, the tax penalty is less severe. Currently, the focus is placed on foreign countries, allowing Americans to believe that our government is secure from such corruption. Nevertheless because there are over 2.6 terabytes of data to sort, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists – ICIJ – is working toward releasing the full set of conspirators this May. Regardless of which individuals are utilizing these accounts, nothing will change if strong support from the general populace is not garnered. The world requires its citizens to heavily scrutinize their politicians; otherwise similar atrocities will continue and could even begin to multiply, starting more havoc in the financial system.

As the individuals reside in over 200 countries, it is indubitable that shadow corporations – the tax havens– are expanding at unprecedented rates. According to Gabriel Zucman, an economist at the University of California-Berkeley, the offshore accounts possess over $8 trillion. The effects on governments are devastating: $200 billion is lost every year in tax payments. The law firms that create such organizations are supposed to check that the owners are not involved in criminal activities or political corruption. Nevertheless, Mossack Fonseca has admitted to performing lax checks on their members due to their regal status or wealth. While there will always be individuals that seek to escape the burdens of the tax system, it is up to citizens of all countries to take more of a rigorous approach to policing these activities. The problem has occurred because people have been tremendously apathetic about their nation’s delegates. Within the United States, the greatest problem regarding wealth is the complexity of the tax code and the loopholes that have created the offshore account system. These loopholes are exacerbated by lobbyists that convince congress to add one or two rules, but those rules only support the wealthy and disservice the American taxpayer. Hopefully after the papers slowly leak out, citizens throughout the world will understand the amount of reform that has to be accomplished in order to have a more fair system.

Panama Papers: The Numbers

2.6 terrabytes leaked

$8 trillion in offshore accounts

Race-based Affirmative Action still needed

DELANIE MEDINA features assistant

Enrollment of Hispanic and black students in colleges and universities has soared in the last ten years, but both groups continue to be underrepresented at most four-year colleges, and especially those that are more selective. 56 percent of Hispanic college students enroll in a four-year college whereas 72 percent of their white counterparts that do. In an increasingly diverse country, it is crucial that students be educated in diverse environments and, to ensure diversity in more selective universities, race-based affirmative action is essential.

After each legal blow to the fabric of affirmative action, panic and the desperate search for alternatives ensues. A socioeconomic-based affirmative action is now the impending alternative many universities are considering as they brace for the day when they can no longer consider race. To be sure, the most compelling argument for class-based admissions preferences is practicality. Socioeconomic-based approaches to diversity are already making headway at higher education institutions across the country, but even supporters acknowledge that the push for class-based affirmative action began due to a lack of public and legal support for affirmative action– not because it is the best solution. In the current political climate, a sustainable substitute for race-based affirmative action is necessary, but that shouldn’t come at the expense of a system that has allowed disadvantaged minorities find success in higher education in spite of adversity.

Advocates of a socioeconomic alternative make an intriguing case; however, much of the reason African-American and Latino students are socioeconomically disadvantaged is due largely in part to racial bias that has resulted in a history of segregation and discrimination. Race and socioeconomic status themselves are intertwined so it is foolish to rely solely on socioeconomic factors to diversify student populations on college campuses. For example, the net worth of black household is only about 4.5 percent of the median wealth of white households — so it is easy to understand why some believe that tackling class would solve two diversity problems at once.

However, Affirmative Action is still crucial to mitigate the harm of enduring racial discrimination. Class-based approaches do not do enough to level the playing field and should be coupled with race-based affirmative action to ensure that all disadvantaged Americans, especially those from minority groups, have access to equal opportunities.

California has yet to recover from the impact of Proposition 209, the country’s first statewide ban on affirmative action. Despite the implementation of class-based, race-neutral admissions policies, California’s university system has not returned black student enrollment to their pre-1996 levels. Today, the University of California (UC) system is educating an increasingly economically diverse but racially homogeneous group of students. Roughly one-third of UC undergraduate students qualify for federal Pell Grants, but in 2012, black students made up only 2.4 percent of UC

Berkeley’s undergraduates despite making up 6.6 percent of the state’s population.

Racial oppression is built into the very foundations of America; that legacy is embedded in our everyday lives. Despite steady gains made toward equality, significant racial disparities continue to exist, and race-based affirmative action serves as the only justifiable solution. Unemployment, poverty, and homelessness among black and Hispanic families are twice that of whites. Due to rising levels of inequality and consistent threats to affirmative action by legal precedents, we must consider ways in which to incorporate both options, not completely disregard one in favor of another.

Only 56 percent of Hispanic students enroll in a four-year college The UC system has not been able to return black student enrollment to its pre-1996 levels Unemployment and poverty among Hispanics and Blacks are twice that of whites Source: Pew Research Center

Special Report

6

Careers before Tino A glimpse at the pasts of Cupertino teachers

April 29, 2016

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CAROLINE GEE flipside editor

For the last 15 years, Mark St. John has taught Algebra 2/Trigonometry and AP Calculus BC at Cupertino High. But before his teaching years, St. John held various positions in finance and accounting at Intel, the world’s largest semiconductor company, for 17 years.

“Early on, I wanted to be a Latin teacher, and later I thought it would be great to be a math teacher. By the time I graduated from secondary school, I was set on becoming an engineering professor,” St. John said. “During undergraduate engineering studies, I became less interested in being a professor and grew increasingly excited about working in a commercial enterprise.”

For his first three years of working at Intel, St. John worked in the Caribbean as the Manager of Finance and Administration for a Semiconductor Assembly plant and later managed cash investments in Puerto Rico, Curacao, Cayman Islands, and Barbados. In 1986, St.

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COU EOK RTESY OF CATHERINE S

JASON MUÑOZ features assistant

For math teacher Amartya “Marty” De, things seemed to fall into place right after college. Directly after graduation, he landed a job at a small firm in San Francisco offering financial advice for notso-small clients – most worth about $100 million.

Said De, “My major was economics which was a very broad major. I did not know exactly what kind of job I wanted to do [when I was] in college, I just knew that I liked economics. But the business people in San Francisco like Economics majors, so I was able to land a position there.”

At his job, day-to-day operations focused on advising his clients on investments to make along with assisting clients with tasks such as wire transfers and preparation for paying taxes.

Said De, “I left [my first job] because I did not like the hours.

Sometimes I would be in the office from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m., espe-

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MARVIN editor

got into rocket science while I was at Berkeley,” science r Adrian Cheng said. “I was studying chemical engineering group came looking for people to hire. I thought, ‘Wow, sounds cool.’ I interviewed, and they gave me the job, so I ded to try it out.”

Prior to working as a teacher, Cheng worked at a compaalled ATK Thiokol that built reusable solid rocket motors RM) for NASA. “I worked with a group of other engineers oduce the propellant for the rocket,” Cheng said.

However, after only a year working for ATK Thiokol, Cheng d it was time for a change in profession.

As cool as the job sounds, you would be surprised at how y you can get bored. You do the same thing over and over and spend a lot of time reassuring NASA that you will not

explode their next shuttle. The work was interesting in the beginning, but pretty soon it got repetitive,” Cheng said. “When I was deciding career options, I did a lot of tutoring. That is when I fell in love with working with students, and I decided teaching was the way I wanted to go.”

Returning to school, Cheng took his master’s program in education at Stanford. “It was a one-year master’s program, so it was a lot of work. The expectation was that you student teach in the morning. You get a few hours off to do the reading for your classes. You take calls in the evening, go to bed and then repeat it all the next day. It’s very intensive. The engineering world is very different from the educational world. I will say that overall I have been very happy with teaching,” Cheng said. “Not to say that engineering is not rewarding, but for myself, teaching has been far more rewarding. As an engineer, you do not necessarily get to see your end product in terms of how you are helping people, whereas when you are teaching, you get to see that on a daily basis. That is why I love it.”

n moved to Santa Clara to assume senior positions in treasury, auand accounting at Intel’s headquarters.

Despite his success in finance, St. John never abandoned his eardreams of teaching throughout his years at Intel. After earning his ster’s degree in education from Stanford University in 2001, St. n was offered a position at four of the five schools in the Fremont ion High School District, but ultimately chose to teach at Cupero. High Said St. John, “[Cupertino High] is a school with high, but realc standards. The math department chair conveyed the impression t our school celebrated and supported its exceptional students hout making the average student feel unwelcome.”

Despite working in business, the concept of teaching was not irely unfamiliar. St. John can compare the process of collaborating h teachers to working in teams at Intel where each member has extise in a different field.

“We often teach the other members of a team about some cont that we employ in our profession that other members are unfamil-

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AP Physics and Algebra 2 teacher Charles Wilupertino High, he served as a professor of elecg and computer science at Standford and held ons at multiple Silicon Valley startups. ng his doctorate from Stanford for electrical enams choose to stay and teach as professor. “The ghly motivated, so most of my job was just introa lot of interesting stuff,” Williams said. to teaching, Williams enjoyed the research ops given at Stanford. With a background in signal erached two areas: biomedical, primarily fetal h a team of nurses, doctors and engineering gradtogether to research how blood flowed between lical cord, and electrocardiograms, in which his

Special Report

The Prospector

April 29, 2016

adrian cheng

iar with,” St. John said.

For St. John, even some seemingly insignificant aspects of teaching came as a sharp wake-up call to the different standards of his new job. “Until I started to teach, I had never had a job where I could not go to the bathroom whenever I wanted,” St. John said. “That fact was a stark reminder that teaching requires sacrifices that are not expected in other professions.”

Said St. John, “The surprise is that I have been able to enjoy doing the same job for almost 15 years. I suspect that the fact I get a new set of students each year prevents the job from becoming stale.”

Mark St. John

team created technology that could save newborn babies’ lives.

“We developed technology to measure fetus’ electrocardiogram by attaching electrodes to the mother’s abdomen,” Williams said.

Apart from his tenure at Stanford, Williams also spent many years working with a variety of Silicon Valley startups in the mid-80’s. He worked with a total of four startups, with purposes ranging from carbon-monoxide monitoring to web server protection. “It was fun. There were a lot of neat things happening where you could do a lot of good work,” Williams said. “[I was drawn to] the innovative ways of solving problems.”

Following retirement, Williams expressed a desire to return to teaching. “I was told that the best place to teach was at middle schools.

So I went to a middle school classroom and it looked like Lord of the Flies. So I decided to try high school,” Williams said.

While earning his teaching credentials, Williams was placed at Cupertino High as a student teacher for math teacher Mark St. John, a colleague who remains a close friend to Williams. Following his time as a student teacher, Williams was asked to stay at Cupertino High, where

during the busy seasons. I would rather work in a more colive environment where people are trying to help each other than step on each other.” issatisfied with his job in San Francisco, De chose to instead p a new job as a financial adviser for Merrill Lynch. Unfortuthis change was not ideal either.

Merrill Lynch was actually worse,” De said. “At big firms, it is o build relationships with clients because you just have a lot of them. At big companies you are just a statistic. They will ou to the ground and it is a dog-eat-dog kind of environment, either produce results or they find someone else.” ustrated with a boring lifestyle, a lack of passion for his line k, and hoping to connect more with people, De chose to reschool and study to become a teacher and found his calling. really like working with the students. It is a lot more rewardwork with students than to make rich people richer. [At fil advising companies], no one is passionate about their work. ust do it for the money. But here, everyone around you is pas-

After nearly three years of teaching, Cheng still enjoys the job. Even after the sixth period bell has rung, Cheng’s classroom is overflowing with students performing their chemistry demonstrations, cleaning up lab stations and asking last minute questions about the upcoming Tech Challenge. Cheng greets each one with a smile, happy to help in any way he can. It is clear that this is just where he belongs.

INE COURTESY OF CATHER

K SEO

he has remained for the past 12 years.

One of the most defining aspects of Williams’ time at Cupertino High is his experience as the advisor for Tino Robotics. While Williams originally felt that he was too busy to take on the role of advisor, as time went on, Williams found that working with the students was one of the best parts of his job. “It is really neat to work with people who have not been told ‘no’ enough, so they really think that they can do the impossible,” Williams said. “And every once in awhile, they pull it off.”

Charles Williams

sionate about what they do, and it really keeps me motivated. Here, people really want you to succeed, and it is not about, ‘Hey, how much can we get out of them?’ It is about, ‘How much can we promote in our students?’” De said.

Through several jobs and a big career change, De was able to find the job that was right for him. This time, De does not have any big changes in mind for the future.

Said De, “My home is in the classroom. This is where I am at my best. I guess you cannot say for sure where you are going to end 30 years from now, but I want to spend my time here with the students.”

MARTY DE E SE COURT ESY OF CATHERIN

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Arts & Entertainment

COURTESY OF SONIC ENTERTAINMENT

Lollywood, whose name originates from the Pakistani city of Lahore, has an output of nearly 60 feature films in the Urdu language every year, putting Pakistan in the top 20 film-producing countries on the globe. The two most influential and prevalent representations of South Asian culture, Bollywood and Lollywood cinema, have been in a long-term competition with each other. Ten years ago, tensions between the two countries, Pakistan and India, became so intense to the point at which the screening of Bollywood films in Pakistan was legally prohibited. However, present day, the lifting of this ban has helped the two film industries collaborate with each other more closely. Despite facing a collapse in the 1970’s through the 1990’s due to former President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq Islamizing the nation, in which the film industry only produced forty films per year, all of which were created by a single production agency, Lollywood has since experienced a revival and found wide-spread sucess.

min 5 breakfast FIXES

ISABEL LIN

OLLYWOODS Around The World

Based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, formerly known as Bombay during the period of British colonization, Bollywood, not Hollywood, is the world’s movie capital in terms of output. Bollywood refers primarily to the Hindi-language movie industry and does not fully encompass the entirety of Indian cinema, which is actually composed of multiple and much smaller regional industries which produce films in different languages common to those regions. The Bollywood industry produces over a thousand films per year and has an audience of about 3.6 billion people, with almost fourteen million Indians watching Bollywood movies daily.

A vast majority of films generating from the Bollywood industries follow the the typical “masala” format, which includes an individual subplot with songs and dances, violence, melodrama, and happy endings. Often unrealistic, Bollywood films cater to the escapist desires of its audience, resulting in outlandish adventures and swoon-worthy romances. In recent years, Bollywood films have gained an international following as well, with audiences appreciating the colorful culture portrayed on screen.

Initially introduced to foreign theaters to cater to South Asian communities outside of their native region, Bollywood films are becoming more frequently shown in theaters in countires such as the United States, Great Britain, and other Western countries while further expanding and shaping the rest of the world’s view on South Asian culture and traditions.

pudding

flipside assistant

The Colombian cinema, popularly known as Collywood, originated in 1897 only two years after the invention of cinematography. Civil War in Columbia disrupted the initial stages of Collywood. When Collywood finally did resume production, films mainly covered everyday aspects of life and nature. The first fictional film, Maria, directed by Maximo Calvo Olmedo, was made in 1922, and many more followed in the next decade. For some time, very few Collywood films were shown in Colombian theaters, with Hollywood productions being much more popular among citizens. However, Collywood quickly gained popularity again, especially with the arrival of “Pornomiseria” films, which address more contemporary and relevant issues such as human misery and poverty.

This new genre became popular not only in Colombia but also in other nearby countries such as Venezuela and Brazil. Soon, the FOCINE, or Cinematographic Fomenting Company, was instituted to handle Collywood funds and support film-making; unfortunately, this administration ended a mere ten years later due to corruption.

Today, Collywood is not very present internationally but has grown considerably in Colombia since its inception.

COURTESY OF SANTABANTA

Unbeknownst to many, chia seeds actually have more calcium than milk and more antioxidants than blueberries; they are also high in omega-3 fatty acids and quality proteins. For a delicious breakfast that one can prepare the night before, mix ¼ cup of chia seeds with one cup of almond milk or coconut milk. For added sweetness, one can also stir in maple syrup, honey, jam, or peanut butter. Leave the mixture in the fridge overnight. By morning, the mixture will have thickened to a pudding-like consistency. Top with fresh fruits, nuts, or cinnamon powder and enjoy!

CEREAL

MELISSA SILVA

Nollywood, the third largest film producer in the world, emerged in Nigeria in the 1990’s with the film Living in Bondage, during a time when violence and crime made it difficult to go to movie theaters. Portraying stories relevant to the average Nigerian, Nollywood is much more popular than Hollywood and Bollywood films, not only to the Nigerian people but also to those of other English-speaking African countries. The movies, which are affordable for most Nigerians, tend to sell between 50,000 to hundreds of thousands of copies each. The actual production of Nollywood does, however, encounter many obstacles. Shooting often gets delayed and disturbed due to pollution, traffic, power shortages, and poor infrastructure. Leading actors also often fail to show up to shootings, as they are usually working on multiple films at a time. Unlike Hollywood and Bollywood films, Nollywood productions are made quickly and on a tighter budget. Despite the struggles this film industry is forced to face, Nollywood continues to grow in popularity, reaching audiences even in Europe and America.

COURTESY OF JAMAICA GLEANER

This classic breakfast staple rarely contains pure ingredients due to its packaged form. However, Nature’s Path Heritage Flakes is an exception because its primary ingredient is millet. Millets are small-seeded grasses that are growing across the globe and are filled with essential nutrients and minerals, such as magnesium and phosphorous. Fooducate is a free app that scans the list of ingredients and grades how healthy a product is. It is very common to find breakfast cereals with high amounts of sugar or little to no fiber, which result in scores on the lower end (usually C’s and D’s). Therefore, it is not surprising to find that Fooducate gave this product a B+, so if you are looking for a cereal that will actually taste acceptable and provide some health benefits, this is the one.

YOGURT

editor-in-chief

COURTESY OF AIMEE CORRIGAN

BOLLYWOOD

Greek yogurt contains protein, calcium, and probiotics — good bacteria that aids the digestive system. It has a rich and creamy texture despite it actually being nonfat or low-fat. Mix with honey or agave nectar and top with fruits, granola, nuts, or chocolate for an easy, fast breakfast. Alternatively, simply buy serving-size yogurt cups for a grab-and-go breakfast.

OUTMEAL

SHALMALI PATIL

COLLYWOOD

NOLLYWOOD

LOLLYWOOD

April 29, 2016

Oatmeal has beta-glucan fiber, which helps consumers feel fuller longer; this fiber has also been proven to lower “bad cholesterol,” decrease the risk of high blood pressure, and reduce the risk of coronary artery disease.

For a fast, healthy breakfast that can be prepared the night before, simply soak raw rolled oats in a liquid of one’s choice, for example, milk, almond milk, or yogurt. Make sure the oats are fully immersed in the liquid. Then, add toppings, and leave in the fridge overnight. Toppings suggestions include almonds, chia seeds, raisins, chocolate, fruit, vanilla, and cocoa powder. Do not be afraid to experiment!

lifestyles assistant

MICHELLE PYKE

To some, a traditional breakfast may consist of a stack of warm buttermilk pancakes complemented with a modest pile of scrambled eggs and thin bacon strips on the side and topped off with a cold glass of O.J. Others may prefer a simple cup of piping-hot coffee and a piece of toast while struggling to force their ink-stained notes into their backpacks. 7 A.M., 6 A.M., even 5 A.M. for the organized few - the beginning of yet another day of mindfully listening to lectures or watching the oh-so-entertaining clock on the wall (something we are all guilty of at some point in our lives). But rest assured, breakfast does not have to contribute to the woes of student life. The fact is that we cannot afford 15 minutes to prepare meals in the morning - the looming threat of Finch Avenue morning traffic is begging for us to leave on time. However, all hope is not lost. While cooking a traditional hot breakfast may be time-consuming, there are many simple breakfast alternatives that are equally as nutritious and scrumptious. Indeed, breakfast should never be a hassle — these healthy, fiveminute breakfast ideas will surely start your day off right, granting you more energy and focus all day long.

SMOOTHIE

online assistant

For a refreshing, drinkable breakfast, prepare baggies of sliced frozen fruits or vegetables that one can blend in the morning. Choose from a wide selection of ingredients such as banana, strawberries, blueberries, spinach, apple — whatever will make one’s inner foodie content! Before blending, add in a liquid of choice, such as yogurt, almond milk, or apple juice. Alternatively, pre-blend the smoothie and freeze it in ice cube trays. In the morning, place the smoothie cubes in a cup and bring to school. By brunch, the cubes will have thawed, leaving one with a cold smoothie!

April 29, 2016

The Prospector

Staff picks: -APPSCATHERINE SEOK photo editor

JENN ZARATAN copy editor

1 2

PRODUCTIVITY Price: FREE Compatiblity: APPLE

google photos Price: FREE Compatiblity: ANY

3 4

1password

Price: FREE Compatiblity: APPLE

plant nanny Price: FREE Compatiblity: APPLE

5

elevate Price: FREE Compatiblity: APPLE

6

Day One 2

Price: $4.99 Compatiblity: APPLE

7

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Price: $4.99 Compatiblity: APPLE

Ever wanted to start doing something on a regular basis but never could? Productive helps users build and work towards building beneficial habits, such as journaling, meditating, or getting a good night’s rest. After customizing a list of goals and the desired frequency of one’s selected activities, Productive provides reminders, visuals to track one’s progress, and statistics on streaks and success.

Having a phone with limited storage often forces photographers to delete hundreds of prized photos, videos or apps.

Instead of deleting or limiting photo taking, users can keep them in Google Photos where they are safe and easily accessible. Instead of taking away storage like any other app, Google Photos is one of few that by downloading, one can actually free up storage.

As our lives are filled with loads of information to remember, it is easy to forget passwords or important codes for each separate accounts. 1password is a secure and easy way to store confidential information. It works by creating complex and therefore more secure passwords and storing them all in one place for user convenience. Users must enter a password to unlock the app itself, so there is no need to worry about nosy friends gaining access to any information. With 1Password, users truly only need to remember one password to be able to use all of their online accounts.

Plant Nanny lets users know if they are actually getting a healthy amount of water each day, with a fun and interactive format. Pick a cute cartoon plant that acts more as a virtual pet and choose an appropriate name. Each time users take a drink, their plant friend gets one too! Watch him or her grow while keeping up with proper hydration, and later start a garden. If users are not getting enough water, neither does their plant, and it will soon show signs of illness and eventually die.

Users can keep themselves entertained, but without completely wasting their time with this fun and intellectual game app. Elevate gives users a variety of brain-training games that target memory, retention, focus, math, reading and writing skills, and more. It also provides users with scores and statistics to show growth, and weak or strong areas. Elevate alters the program according to each user’s personal ability, and changes the difficulty based on performance. An honestly engaging app that is also educational, Elevate offers a whole package deal.

Day One 2 takes journaling a step further than words; pictures, location, weather and other features add a unique touch on this app, allowing users to easily capture and look back on moments. Sort and organize entries as users please, and quickly pull them up again based on date using the calendar, or by location using the map.

Lightroom is a professional photo editing app created by Adobe. This powerful yet free application features tools that allow users to seamlessly edit photos to their liking. Take photos directly in the app, or import from a phone. Adjust color, tone, vignettes, and more precisely as users choose, while always having the option to undo changes or revert back to the original.

Arts & Entertainment

9

MAKE-UP, Man Up JOSEPHINE ROBINSON online editor

Although it may seem otherwise due to mass advertisement and commercialization, makeup is not a product exclusively constrained to women. Many men are starting to use makeup and incorporate it into their daily lives. Makeup companies that have traditionally targeted women, such as Covergirl and Mac, are now expanding their makeup lines to cater towards men as well and cosmetic companies that make quality makeup exclusively for men are also emerging.

Men have many different makeup brands to choose from. Phillip Picardi, Teen/Digital editorial director at Teen Vogue, considers Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation and Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation essentials for male makeup. He recommends these products because they only have a hint of glitter and leave a dewy finish. A dewy finish is what many makeup artists believe suits men best due to its subtlety and blending ability Picardi also recommends using grey or brown eyeliner as to black eyeliner to create a look that is not as harsh and noticeable. The goal of men’s makeup is not to create a pronounced look but rather to accentuate the features already there.

In other countries, the use of men’s makeup has already become widespread and popularized, with South Korea as the leading country in its purchase. In a report conducted by the Associated Press, South Korean men spent nearly $495.5 million dollars on skincare and makeup products in 2011, with the figure nearly doubling in 2012. Although men in South Korea have embraced the use of makeup, men in other countries have not quite caught on. In a study conducted by JWT, a marketing communications company, men in the United States and United Kingdom tend to buy skin care products more than makeup products.

Even though the number of men who use makeup in US and UK is lower compared to that of other countries, there are many male makeup companies established in the US and the UK: Taxi man, 4V400, and Recipe for Men. Men also have the option to buy makeup from companies that traditionally cater to women, although it might not be the best choice as some men have very sensitive skin compared to that of females as a result of shaving. Male makeup and skincare companies create formulas with that detail in mind.

With all the makeup products available to men today, men should never feel embarrassed or ashamed to experiment with makeup. As more men wear makeup, they begin to break societal norms and eliminate the taboo around men wearing makeup. After all, it can come in handy, whether it be covering up a pimple for prom or accentuating a jawline for a first date.

54%

of men use sKincare products (mositurizer)

9%

of men use skin makeup (Foundation)

Sports

10

April 29, 2016

Geoffrey Tourette Wins fencing world championship By the Numbers

National Chamionship Titles

5

Compettive

723 18 International Tournaments

Bouts Fenced

7 14

Participated in

International Medals

Hours Spent

Practicing per Week

PETER MARTIN managing editor

Junior Geoffrey Tourette placed 1st at the Fencing World Championships on April 1st through April 10th in Bourgeois, France for America’s Under 17 and Under 20 teams.

Even World Champions have to start somewhere though.

“I was born in France, and I lived there for five years,” Tourette said.

“I was taking theater classes when I was four and if I walked a little further past the theater class there was a fencing club and on the outside, it read ‘You have to be eight years old to start.’ And I was a five-year-old kid and I thought to myself ‘What? Three years?’ Then my dad made us move to America when I was six, and there was a club that started taking people when they were six. And I was like ‘Alright, this is my shot.’ And I walked in there and I lost every single bout I fenced for the first two weeks. My coaches thought I was going to quit but eventually I caught on.”

It was not long until Tourette was competing in fencing competitions across the country and eventually around the world.

Said Tourette, “I have four national competitions per year located in various states throughout the country and you take your top results from those competitions and those go in as points. I had pretty good results domestically but what really put me over the top were my international results. We have five designated international world cups to go to, and those also bring a lot of points, almost double the points you get in the U.S. So those results gave me the points to qualify for both the cadet team in Under 17 and the junior team in Under 20.”

Competition to get onto these teams is fierce; only the top

How College Sports Recruitment Works RISHI NAIR

athletes are selected to represent their countries at World Championships. The top three point holders are selected for the Under 17 Team, and the top four for the Under 20 Team.

150 countries are represented at World Championships, and Tourette has traveled the globe to attend fencing competitions.

“Fencing for some reason always chooses the most obscure towns.”

Said Tourette. “I have been to Győr in Hungary, which is an hour from Budapest.

Ever y body knows Budapest; nobody knows Győr.

I have been to Montecatini in Italy, which is an hour f r o m Pisa. Everybody knows Pisa, but n o body knows Montecatini.”

This year’s World Championship took place in Bourgeois, France, which is two hours away from Paris. Tourette said, “When you fence on a stage at World Championships, it is unreal. As soon as you step on the piece, you go ‘Oh my god, I am at World Championships.’ And there is so much pressure, but at the same time just being there in enough of a reward.”

Said Tourette, “I do not know how to describe the road. It is hard for me to comprehend how it happened. It just came so naturally and I got so much support and it just seems like it was meant to be. I know it sounds cheesy, and I know it sounds kind of cocky too.

But I started this sport, I loved it, I kept going, and all of a sudden, I am on top of the world.”

Women’s National Soccer Team

facees Wage Discrimintion

sports assistant

AMY ZENG news editor

High school athletes of a special caliber get the chance to compete at the college level after undergoing the lengthy, sometimes frustrating, but overall rewarding process of sports recruiting.

Colleges value sports as a way to earn both publicity and profit, so much so that many institutions begin monitoring potential recruits as early as the seventh grade. Here at Cupertino High, a small number of students have been identified to play for such collegiate programs.

The process of college sports recruiting varies widely depending on the sport, the high school, the college, and the athlete. Sports programs differ tremendously in terms of division, scholarship, and funding. After the athlete has determined which type of school is best suited for him or her, the process begins with establishing contact between the coach and the athlete. The talent of some athletes is so noteworthy that colleges hear about them very early on.

Said senior Solin Piearcy, “Menlo looked into me my freshman year along with some other schools. There is this rule when you are a freshman that they cannot talk to you or your coach, but then sophomore year we could email them, and communication increased as it went.”

College coaches often come to watch games in-person. Other lesser well-known athletes must take the initiative when to be recruited by emailing or calling various coaches and colleges themselves. For Kaitlyn Oh, a sophomore who plays for the varsity volleyball team, the news that a college was interested in recruiting her came through the director of her volleyball club outside of school.

Said Oh, “The coach from Columbia University came to our practice and watched us play, which made us all really nervous. Afterwards, my coach emailed me that the college coach talked to her and said I was good.”

The next step of the college recruiting journey lies in college visits. There are two types of college visits: official and unofficial. Official college visits must be initiated by a college coach, and typically the entire trip is paid for by the college. Unofficial college visits are not sponsored, and are typically less formal. These visits serve as a way for athletes to show their interest in the college and schools to show off the benefits of playing a sport for that school in particular.

The final part of the college sports recruiting journey has to do with actually choosing and signing on to a college. One of these steps is a verbal commitment, which is a non-binding, oral agreement that declares an athlete’s intention to attend a college and play a sport for them. Colleges can promise scholarships and benefits to athletes, and athletes can “commit” to a college through a verbal commitment, but oftentimes, these unofficial contracts are broken. According to a study conducted by Sports Illustrated on football recruits, of the 500 players ranked in the Rivals100 for the classes of 2007 through 2011, 73 (14.6 percent) decommitted at some point during their recruitment. Of those, 62 (12.4 percent) ultimately signed with a school other than the one to which they originally committed. The National Letter of Intent is the official document signed by a student athlete that officially commits him or her to play a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sport at a college. After the NLI has been signed, colleges are forbidden to contact the athlete.

College sports recruiting involves a whirlwind of phone calls, emails, scholarship offers, college visits, and hours of effort put in by both athletes and the coaches. In the end, the work is all worth it for the athletes who graduate knowing that a college is waiting for them to come and play.

MEILINDA SUN managing editor

Protesting against wage discrimination, five members of the United States women’s national soccer team have filed a federal complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on grounds that the women’s team has not been compensated fairly for its commercial and athletic victories. The women’s team has achieved a string of successes, winning three world championships and four Olympic gold medals; its victory in the 2015 World Cup brought the US Soccer Federation $20 million more in revenue than in the previous year. Contrastingly, the men’s team has yet to win a world championship and still makes higher wages. The women’s soccer team contends that it is making less than 40 percent of the income of their male counterparts, even when they are more successful on the field.

Goalkeeper Hope Solo, along with co-captains Carli Lloyd and Becky Sauerbrunn, are leading the complaint.Invoking smaller World Cup bonuses, the complaint contends that the women’s team earned $2 million for winning the World Cup while the men’s team received $9 million –– even when the men had lost the preliminary round. On an individual level, men representing their country in the World Cup make $68,000 for while women make a mere $30,000. The complaint maintains that women are paid $3,000, and men are paid $3,750 for each sponsor appearance –– a disparity which must be corrected.

Such a report does not occur without precedent: this year’s women’s World Cup, to be hosted in Canada, will occur on artificial turf––international uproar ensued because many claimed that men’s soccer would not be subject to the same facilities. Protesting what they perceived as genderbased discrimination, 84 women’s soccer players accused FIFA of gender discrimination and filed a lawsuit. Among those who filed the suit was national team forward Alex Morgan, who claimed that artificial turf causes more injuries and makes aches last longer because it causes more stress on ligaments and tendons.

The women’s team makes a compelling case, but must undergo an uphill battle due to a “legal wrinkle”: both the men’s and women’s teams are unionized and engage in collective bargaining with the US Soccer Federation. Thus, some argue, the women’s team “agreed” to the lower wages since they were technically “collectively bargained”; thus, the women’s team is not necessarily subject to the Equal Pay Act. Detractors tell the women that they demand too much for the US Soccer Federation connects the women’s team with opportunities such as sponsorships and even offers day care and maternity leave. They argue, the women should not expect even more than what they have already been offered. The women’s team perceives the complaint differently: the women are primarily concerned not with their individual wages, but with what each receives relative to the men.

The legal battle is to ensue in the coming months, and the decision the Employment Equal Opportunity Commission makes will set a precedent for wage equality not only in women’s sports but also in the country. White women still make 79 cents to every dollar a man makes, and for women of color, the numbers are often far lower –– the actions the women’s soccer team makes may inspire, even if the legal results do not.

April 29, 2016

The Prospector

Sports

11

Tai Chi Samantha Lin

Benson and

BRIAN ZHONG news assistant

He stepped onto the mat, nervously gazing at the massive audience that crowded into the stands in front of him. Donning a silk uniform, he ran through the routine in his head again. The music then began to play, and he instinctively began his routine.

During the International Tai Chi Competition from Oct. 1 to 7, 2014 in China, senior Benson Lin, who was then a sophomore, underwent this exact sequence of events; only this time, he performed in front of spectators from around the world. One of the youngest competitors, Lin represented the U.S. Tai Chi National Team, placing sixth in the weapons category among his fellow teammates.

Said Lin, “Placing during the competition was merely a bonus. I became a lot more open-minded about the wide variety of styles that different people use.

The opportunity to learn from others felt more like another Tai Chi class, just without the coach.”

T h e competition was unlike any that Lin had ever attended. “It was very intense,” Lin said. “Not just because I was one of the youngest people there, but also because Asian countries definitely have an advantage in Tai Chi.” While the origin of Tai Chi can be traced back to several beginnings, the martial art represents one of among several hundred fighting styles that emerged from China. Tai Chi embodies the fusion of yin and yang, as evidenced by the taijitu symbol that most recognize as the yin and yang.

Indeed, Tai Chi’s rich history and deeply ingrained values differentiate it from any modern sport. “Tai Chi exercises the mind

just as much as the body,” Lin said. “I learned how to be calm in any think before I do.”

Sophomore Samantha Lin, Benson Lin’s younger sister, has also been involved in Tai Chi and recognizes its benefits. “Tai Chi is an individual sport that is non-aggressive, which definitely makes it unique. I gained the ability to have self-control over my mind and body.”

In fact, the warm-ups that Lin performs every time he practices involve fully working out his entire body. “It initially does hurt a lot, since I have never really used those muscles before,” Samantha Lin said. “Howevhave grown accustomed to fully using my body.”

Tai Chi instills values of resilience improvement in its students. “I view my my successes,” Benson Lin said. “Each I learn from my failures rather than them. Just look at the yin-yang represents Tai Chi—the yin anced with the yang.”

Said Benson Lin, “Tai cool in that you get to wear niceclothes that are made out of silk. form can be personalized with a perfor example, I put a tiger claw on my uniform.”

Though it attracts much popularity in ChiAsian countries, Tai Chi is not as widely practiced in the U.S. Lin, “Part of my future goal is to influence others to learn Tai Chi is not a slow sport as many of my friends would strong cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, and

Said Benson Lin, “Tai Chi is not just a sport that people. It has so many benefits and carries with it so much

situation and

to

er, I and selferrors as time I fail, sulk about symbol that must be balChi is also looking Every unisonal design; na and other Said Samantha Tai Chi as well. think. It requires flexibility.” is only for older history.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BENSON LIN

Flip Side

April 29, 2016

12

APRIL IN PHOTOS CATHERINE SEOK

CATHERINE SEOK

VARSITY BASEBALL | Sophomore Ben Townsend pitches the ball at the game against Homestead High

CATHERINE SEOK

CATHERINE SEOK

JEREMY XUE

GOLD AWARDS | Sophomore Samantha Lin accepts the Outstanding Student Gold award for PE 10-12

BLOOD DRIVE | Senior Dino Hadziosmanovic donates blood at the spring blood drive organized by ASB

SPRINGTIME FESTIVALS

TINO SPRINGFEST | Korean Club dances at the first ever Spring Fest on April 22

GYMNASTICS | Junior Tasha Wang performs on the balancing beam against Half Moon Bay High School CATHERINE SEOK

Around the World

People from different countries celebrate the arrival of spring in multiple ways. While the U.S. has no major holidays during this time, other countries around the world have many rich traditions that are unique to their cultures.

Cherry Blossom Festival

Taking place between March and early May, the Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan invites sightseers from all around the world to view the cherry blossom trees in full bloom. Also referred to as Hanami, the festival is a yearly tradition for people across Japan to gather in parks and picnic under the trees with friends and family. People hold parties and celebrate with traditional Japanese foods and sake. The short period of Hanami is a time for celebration, but it also represents transitions in nature and the fleetingness of life.

Nowruz

Meaning “New Day” in Farsi, the Iranian festival of Nowruz celebrates the beginning of the astrological New Year, which also lies on the spring equinox. The festival lasts for thirteen days and usually takes place near the end of March. People typically celebrate Nowruz by cleaning their houses, buying new clothes and spending time with friends and family.

The festival represents overcoming evil, which the people of Iran celebrate with symbolic meals of traditional foods.

Holi

The festival of Holi, which is also referred to as the Festival of Colors, is an old tradition of Hindu origin.

Similar to Nowruz, which celebrates the beginning of spring, Ho l i is celebrated during the spring equinox.

Festival traditions include throwing parties in which people throw water and colored powder, hence the name “Festival of Colors.”

Holi represents the triumph of good over evil based on ancient Hindu legends.

Songkran

Workaholics Anonymous

Every April, the people of Thailand celebrate the New Year with the Songkran Water is a three-day period of for good luck, and wa-

Festival. The festival parades, blessings ter fights. People of all ages engage in intense water wars on the streets, armed with ammunition ranging from water balloons to buckets. The water fights represent the cleansing of bad luck and sins. During Songkran, it is a Buddhist tradition to sprinkle water onto others to show respect and give blessings.

Maslenitsa

Anyone can appreciate good pancakes, and Russia clearly had this figured out thousands of years ago. Maslenitsa is a ritual with both pagan and Christian origin and signifies the return of spring. It is considered by some to be the “Mardi Gras” of Russia; people celebrate with organized fistfights, performances with bears, and of course, pancakes. The tradition of making pancakes is especially meaningful because the pancakes symbolize the warmth of the sun as winter comes to an end.

COMPILED BY ALLISON LO

Next Month: May AP Testing

May 2 - May 13

Choir Spring Shows

May 19 - May 21

Senior Ball

Saturday, May 21

Sports Awards Night

Tuesday, May 24

Senior Awards

Thursday, May 26

Baccalaureate

Tuesday, May 31

STEPHANIE SHI features assistant

In case you don’t know, I am a bit of a workaholic.

Don’t get me wrong—I like to have fun. (And I do!) It is just that I get really antsy on days that I don’t have work to do. I am that one friend who brings her homework to hangouts and studies while talking to my friends.

It is not a lifestyle that I condemn, but not one that I recommend either.

Thanks to my newfound free time following the end of the college application process, I have learned this past semester that: 1) Senioritis is a myth (warning: the work never actually ends), and 2) I did not have a social life my first seven semesters of high school. Thus, this week, I put down my work for a few hours every day for a week to live for a bit.

Day 1: I caught up with some of my friends who I had not seen at all over break (or hung out with much during most of the school year, for that matter).

Day 2: I grabbed froyo with two fellow staffers and later reconnected with a few friends who I had lost contact with over the years. I was surprised to find how much people had changed, including myself.

Day 3: I took a friend’s advice and snuck out of the house (fortunately, without waking up my parents) to go for a walk at 4 a.m. Cupertino still looks the same in the middle of the night, just quieter and colder.

Day 4: My mom and I tried poke for the first time together, and we had a heart-to-heart conversation about life after high school.

Day 5: I drove some of my Lynbrook friends around Cupertino, and we managed not to get into a car accident.

These experiences probably are not out of the ordinary for most of you. But as someone who spent the past threeand-a-half years mainly going to school and back, I felt out of touch with some of my friends.

After taking a step back from the mountain of work that I still manage to have as a second semester senior, I have come to realize that my time with my friends and family is no longer as unlimited as I once thought it was. Soon, it will be the last time that I will see some of these people who I had taken for granted in the past. If this “social” experiment was intended to change my mentality of always needing to feel productive, then it failed. I will still likely be found in my room trying to make a dent in my to-do list, and I definitely will not suddenly be out at all hours, breaking my non-existent curfew. Maybe college will be different, and maybe it won’t. But for now, the work can wait.