MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL
VOL. 57, NO. 8
41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539 41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539
2022
April 29, 2022
Multicultural
Assembly On April 8, Leadership 2 (L2) Homecoming Multicultural Committee (HCMC), along with 16 unique performances wrapped up Multicultural Week with a striking assembly, showcasing dances, music, and martial arts from diverse cultures. View the Smoke Signal’s full coverage and photo gallery at
www.Thesmokesignal.org PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITER CHARLIZE CHIU
Headstart program introduces Hopkins students to DECA MSJ DECA’s Headstart Program aims to give middle schoolers a look at business, economics, and high school competitions.
Organizers and mentors for the MSJ DECA Headstart Program pose for a picture.
By Shaily Desai & Steffi Zhou Staff Writers
Launched on March 13, MSJ DECA Headstart is a 6-week program designed for William Hopkins Junior High School students looking to explore the world of business and entrepreneurship. An estimated 50 participants consistently attend hour-long Zoom meetings every Sunday, during which MSJ DECA officers dive into topics such as business ideation, target marketing, and graphic design. In preparation for the mini conference, also known as the Minicon, at the end of the program, students work to create a business report to present to officers and mentors, who will serve as judges. The overarching goal of this program is to not only allow students to gain exposure to business and high school DECA, but also
to improve students’ public speaking and leadership skills. “The MSJ DECA Headstart program is giving Hopkins students a taste of what the DECA club will be like at MSJ, since I don’t think there’s a business club at Hopkins,” MSJ DECA Adviser Bel-
“The MSJ DECA Headstart program is giving Hopkins students a taste of what the DECA club will be like at MSJ.” —MSJ DECA Adviser Bellamy Liu
lamy Liu said. “There are definitely some students who, even from a younger age, have a passion for business and want to be involved. And I think this is a great way to allow them to have that access.” A key component of the MSJ DECA Headstart program is the role of mentors,
who are current members of MSJ DECA. Mentors are assigned to student groups of 3-4, assisting the students with their business reports and homework assignments. “When the new freshmen come in, they already have an upperclassman that they know who can help them feel more involved in our club,” Vice President of Competitions Senior Tiffany Li said. Since meetings are conducted through Zoom, officers had difficulties kickstarting the program and gauging interest from Hopkins students. “Hopkins has a student bulletin every morning, so we got our program into that. We also contacted the leadership teacher to promote on social media,” Director of Education Junior Ryan Liu said. Engagement has also been an obstacle during virtual meetings, as students can choose to keep their cameras off and micro-
phones muted. To combat this issue, officers require mentors to communicate with their small groups, collecting feedback and suggestions to implement for subsequent meetings. Additionally, students can participate in ice breakers every week to help them feel more comfortable on Zoom. MSJ DECA officers are happy with the program’s achievements thus far and hope to expand the program to more students and mentors, while making the program longer to break up the curriculum and include additional activities for students. “I think a lot of us weren’t really expecting this program to have as much success as it had,” Ryan Liu said. “We hope to grow the program in the upcoming years and keep it going so we can get more students introduced to DECA and hopefully encourage them to join when they PHOTO BY STAFF WRITER STEFFI ZHOU
ONLINE
THIS MONTH
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HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOON LAUCH
FROM SCRATCH TOUR REVIEW
MSJ Youth4Climate launched their first highaltitude weather balloon in Salinas, CA, which flew more than 1000 feet high. Read the Smoke Signal’s coverage on this event!
John Mulaney starts From Scratch in his new tour, his first since splitting up with his wife, leaving drug rehabilitation, and having his first child. Read the full review online!
FOR MORE COVERAGE, VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG
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NEWS IN
BRIEF
A yearly event that raises money for charity, the Peer Benefit Show was streamed on Twitch; all proceeds went to support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. By Ruhani Chhabra, Charlize Chiu & — also shared an outline of their committee You” by Bruno Mars and Junior Siyona Vinaik goals. “[Peer Resource] has a common goal, Darshan Thirumala which is to help further educate the student Track” by Labrinth and Zendaya. Junior AtStaff Writers
Compiled by Ruhani Chhabra, Esther Lau & Amelie Wu Staff Writers
LOCAL Photo Courtesy American High School Twitter
American High School, one of five high schools in FUSD, looks to investigate this case.
concerns A rope shaped into a noose was found in and removed from a tree at American High School on Tuesday, April 5, spurring a police investiga-
CJ Cammack decried the discovery of what he called “a symbol of hate and violence.” Cammack said staff would work with Fremont police to investigate the incident. Cammack added that anyone responsible would face consequences “to the fullest extent of our authority” alongside any criminal charges. Additional campus supervisors and counselors were made available for students and staff in the days following the incident.
NATIONAL al.com For the first time since its formation, there is not a white male majority in the US Supreme Court.
On Thursday, April 7, Judge Ketanji Brown
woman on the bench. Jackson is also the only former public defender to serve in the court. She won with a 53-47 vote. “Judge Jackson’s nation,” President Joe Biden tweeted on April 7. “We’ve taken another step toward makAmerica. She will be an incredible justice, and I was honored to share this moment with her.”
On April 8, MSJ Peer Resource livestreamed their annual Peer Benefit Show on the platform Twitch, with the event revolving around the theme “Small Steps, Big Smiles.” The livestream aired at 5 p.m. and ran for around 40 minutes, featuring musical covers, speeches, and acapella performances. The Peer Benefit Show aims to raise money and awareness for a different teenage mental health organization each year. There was no cost to view the livestream, but voluntary donations were encouraged. “All of the donations collected through the benefit show will be donated to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention,” Peer Resource Officer Junior Saloni Gune said. Participants were required to submit videos of their performances. “I see a willingness [for the performers] to give their time ... and a lot of devotion,” Peer Resource Supervisor and Social Sciences Teacher Rachel Tevlin said. The program began with a foreword about the purpose of the Peer Benefit Show from Peer Resource Members Junior Peter Chen and Sophomore Anushree Marimuthu. The officers from the four Peer Resource committees — Link Crew, Student Wellness, Peer Mentor, and Events
body on what mental health is and how to look after ourselves,” Peer Resource Officer Junior Jackie Wang said. The first performance featured The Clubhouse, a local band composed of Junior Sinchana Nama on vocals, Sophomore Ganeev Singh on electric guitar, and Sophomore Aaryan Suri on drums, performing “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen. MSJ Syncopasians, an acapella group led by Seniors Aditi Morumganti and Rachitha Kumar, then sang a cover of “Reflection” from Mulan. Afterwards, Wang and Freshman Shardul Marathe shared personal anecdotes and their experiences with anxiety and perfectionism through their speeches. The show then featured Senior Tias Ghosh singing “Marry
Peer Resource officers pose for a picture at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church. PHOTO BY JACKIE WANG AND STAFF WRITER JENNIE WANG
MSJ Model United Nations Shines at EBMUN Within three categories at the competition, MSJ had multiple winners. By Rohan Bhagat & Kaitlyn Wang Staff Writers
lower stakes. People are able to go in with less stress, and I think that helps them per- nior Shubham Pruthi said. - ple winners across three different categories.
School and performed exceptionally well. Singh received Best Delegate in Disarma- ment and International Security Committee representing Libya, Senior Rohit Choudhary Bay Area, with more than 150 participants Nations High Commissioner for Refugees coming from across the Bay Area. - Atharv Saxena received Outstanding Del-
INTERNATIONAL ndtv.com As the war in Ukraine stretches into a third month, there is no sign of stopping.
Russian invasion of Ukraine forecasted to
attack [from Russia] in the east.” This region includes Donbas, where analysts have predicted the war would begin to move to — Donbas
ulya Prasad, who helped edit the video performances, concluded the event and thanked everyone who made the show possible. Although the event was initially planned to be in-person this year, rising Omicron coronavirus variant cases pushed the event to be held online, resulting in it having to be relatively small compared to the years it was held in person. For the coming year, virtual or not, the officers remain optimistic about increasing the magnitude and reach of the Peer Benefit Show. “Something I’d do differently next year would be to spend more time publicizing, as many people would benefit from hearing students/teachers speak and watch their classmates perform,” Gune said.
said. without obstacles. Because of COVID-19, the conference was delayed from March to April, which caused confusion among participants and led to several people dropping out of the tournament. Furthermore, the conference was also scaled down from a two-day event to a one-day event, which caused the members to debate for several hours at a time and increased stress. “There were definitely a lot of worries about how [the competition] would be; we had a lot of delegates drop out because of the date change. [The competition] ended up being like seven hours of just debating that day, so it was definitely very stressful,” Singh said. Despite these accomplishments, the team has no intention of stopping soon and has high hopes for the future. They plan on participating in many more competitions throughout CA
representing China, and Sophomore Mishika Agarwal received an Honorable Mention gle member on this team has an amazing amount of courage and talent to walk into their first committee and completely ace it. This has to be one of the strongest teams we’ve had in years … and I could not wish conference in Fremont. “I think it’s only going student-run competition which makes it for a better group of kids to work with,” up from here. We have a lot of really, really beginner-friendly for novices. “It’s a lot hard working and intelligent sophomores and freshmen. I think they’re going to be continuing the legacy of this club in the future and just delegates are given topics that are repregees, human rights, and international law. Addressing real world problems based on their country’s position, delegates work together to write a resolution paper outlining their research and proposed solutions
weapons, including 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems, 50 million rounds of ammunition, and 45,000 sets of body armor and helmets.
corrections for the APRIL 1, 2022 issue News Pg. 1: Clean Air Act is misspelled. News Pg. 1: Elementary Virtual Academy is for grades TK-6. News Pg. 2: The MIP/SDI Task Forces began working on Sept. 14, 2021. News Pg. 2: The task force proposal date is February 9. A&E Pg. 14: Andy Serkis is misspelled. Sports Pg. 17: All races are in yards. Sports Pg. 17: [Class of 2019 Alumna] Maggie [Hsu] is misspelled. Sports Pg. 19: Israel, Azerbaijan, and Puerto Rico made their Winter Paralympics debut.
MSJ MUN competitors show awards that they won from the competition.
PHOTO COURTESY SARANYA SINGH
Friday, April 29, 2022 The Smoke Signal
THE SMOKE SIGNAL Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 57, No. 8 | April 29, 2022 www.thesmokesignal.org 41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 510-657-3600, ext. 37088 MISSION STATEMENT The Smoke Signal’s mission is to represent the voices of the MSJ community and serve the public by providing accurate, meaningful, and engaging information presented through print and digital mediums. SCHOOL POPULATION 1971 students EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Megh Basu, Amanda Pang NEWS Larry Shi, Alina Zeng OPINION Isabella He, Sakshi Umrotkar FEATURE Lily Oh, Nithika Valluri CENTERSPREAD Naveed Shakoor, Jackie Wong A&E Joanne Park, Helen Tian SPORTS Anvi Kalucha, Jerry Yuan GRAPHICS Mingxin Wang WEB Tanisha Srivatsa, Jessica Yu TECH Bryan Xiong BUSINESS Jennie Wang CIRCULATION Angela Xiong ADVERTISING Rohan Bhagat, Steffi Zhou EVENTS Esther Lau WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Sanah Bhardwaj Pratham Bhashyakarla Ruhani Chhabra Charlize Chiu Shaily Desai Anandita Devata Chloe Gao Sahas Goli Jiyun Guo Chahak Gupta Jacob Han Karina Han Daphne He Christy Huang Selina Kao Ayushi Kashyap Elaheh Khazi Vedesh Kodnani Sarina Li Shelley Li Waylon Li Amy Luo Andria Luo Maryam Naseer Aditya Patil Julia Peng Esha Potharaju Daphne Senecal Priyanka Shah Hannah Shen Annika Singh Aaryan Suri Jason Tang Darshan Thirumala Nessa Tong Kaitlyn Wang Kaylee Wei Amelie Wu Annie Xu Elton Yu Aaron Zhou ADVISER Sandra Cohen Send letters to the editor to opinion@ thesmokesignal.org. Letters under 300 words may be considered for publication and must include a full name and school affiliation. The Smoke Signal reserves the right to edit for clarity and length. For a chance for your artwork to be featured in The Smoke Signal, send graphic opinions to the editor to opinion@thesmokesignal.org. The Smoke Signal reserves the right to modify graphics for publication. To advertise in the Smoke Signal, email ads@ thesmokesignal.org. Advertising that is included on the pages of, or carried within, the Smoke Signal, is paid advertising, and as such is independent of the news and feature content. The Smoke Signal’s right to freedom of speech and press is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. To stay updated with our online content, see our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ msjsmokesignal. CORRECTIONS POLICY When factual and spelling mistakes are found or brought to the attention of the staff, corrections will be printed in the next issue’s corrections box. See the example below for styling. Centerspread Pg. 10: The California Youth Crisis Line should be the Crisis Text Line. DISTRIBUTION POLICY The Smoke Signal is distributed to all students during Read period on the publication date for no cost. Subscriptions are $30 for 9 issues (US). To subscribe, email circulation@thesmokesignal.org. BYLINE POLICY All writers who contributed to the article will be listed in the byline in alphabetical order. All photographers or artists will be credited in the text below the photograph or spread.
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Isabella's InterpretatIons
Opinion 3
sakshI's solIloquy
Prioritizing innovation in entrepreneurship
The new aesthetic of self-care
By Isabella He Opinion Editor
By Sakshi Umrotkar Opinion Editor
“Entrepreneurship is all about the hustle — sending emails, posting on social media, and networking.” Attending a conference surrounding innovation in education, I heard such sentiments from numerous founders and consultants. While I agree that gaining press coverage, utilizing social media marketing, and forming connections are important, I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable with the idea that entrepreneurship was boiled down to the hustle, rather than the innovation involved. Entrepreneurship should be focused on moving the world forward in sustainability, equity, and accessibility; we must remind ourselves of the core purpose of entrepreneurship — to solve the problems of our world through ideation. At every single business class or event I’ve attended, I’ve been introduced to frameworks such as “10 things to consider if you want to be a successful entrepreneur” that delve into marketing strategies and productmarket fit, but often lack any mention of the importance of creating social change through entrepreneurship. As new businesses are starting every day and more schools are incorporating entrepreneurship in their curriculums, it’s all the more critical to teach
students how to make innovation the focal point of entrepreneurship. To encourage thinking about entrepreneurship as a vehicle for driving creation and change, students must learn about the necessary steps for assessing whether an idea has potential to make a positive impact on society. Whether you’re a student considering starting a business or club or you’re a teacher instructing on entrepreneurship, remember the importance of learning not just about how to ramp up traction, but also about how to take a problem-solution narrative and turn it into an initiative that impacts the communities you care about. Entrepreneurs are those who take risks, are undaunted in the face of failure, and seek solutions to challenging problems — they hold great responsibility and must remember to focus on solving problems, not the glory of chasing accolades. By teaching students, the future entrepreneurs of our generation, that innovation comes first in entrepreneurship, we can start from the ground up as we push for more innovators to found businesses on the ethical foundations of solving real-world problems.
In the past two years, social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have given rise to a newer outlook towards wellness — having a neat and aesthetically organized breakfast, drinking fruit smoothies, following a skincare routine religiously, and journaling to enhance productivity, among many things. Such tasks are being marketed as the keys to living worthwhile and spirited lives, but it’s easy to overlook the negative consequences of putting them on a pedestal. Distance learning came with enhanced flexibility in terms of our schedules, but one of the biggest drawbacks of not having to be physically present at school was the lack of discipline that took over my days. To some extent, the monotony of going about a morning routine before heading to school helped provide some direction to my day. And while trying to recover some semblance of order this year, I stumbled upon the work of content creators who were aggressively promoting certain lifestyles as if they were panaceas to all kinds of problems — ranging even from general lethargy to more consequential medical issues.
While their methods have worked for some and helped inspire people to introduce more order into their lives, they also box self-care and wellness into a single aesthetic that may not represent health and comfort to a huge proportion of people. With many creators being accused of promoting undereating through their “How to be That Girl” meal montages, this new spectacle of self-care can do long-term harm if you don’t realize that a content creator’s diet, skincare, and exercise choices may not necessarily fit your own body and lifestyle. I found that not all methods promoted online helped me, and that rather than finding order, I was spending unnecessary time and money looking for the changes in my habits and appearance that the Internet sold as false promises. As we interact with or post similar content, we should strive to emphasize that such content creators are not credible sources whose word should be taken as gospel. Instead of using seconds-long clips and possibly inaccurate “How To” videos, we should view self-care as a personalized process that entails different things for different people.
The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board
Addressing sexual misconduct on college campuses Trigger Warning: SA/SH The editorial below contains information on sexual assault and sexual harassment, and because of its sensitive nature, it may trigger strong emotions in some students. Please reach out to MSJ counselors or a trusted adult if you or a student you know needs support. "This is my [freshman] year at Spelman [College] and my last year because I decided to leave after what happened to me," anonymous account @RapedatSpelman tweeted on May 2, 2016. According to the account’s previous tweets, the student in question was sexually assaulted by four students from Morehouse College, an allmale college with strong historical ties to Spelman, a private women’s college. When she went to file a report with the dean and public safety department after she was raped, the school told her that Spelman and Morehouse were “brother & sister so [she] should give them a pass.” According to the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, one in five women and one in sixteen men are sexually assaulted while in college. Furthermore, 90% of sexual assault cases go unreported; thus, statistics on reported cases fail to reflect the true extent of sexual assault on campuses. As a 2010 report by The Center for Public Integrity states, female college students who report cases of rape encounter “mystifying disciplinary proceedings, secretive school administrations, and off-the-record negotiations” and threats of punishment from administrators for disclosing rape complaints — all of which deter many students from coming forward with their stories. Through such attempts to depict cases of sexual assault and harassment as isolated incidents, they are active perpetrators in discouraging students from reporting sexual misconduct. Colleges must be held accountable for failing to respond equitably and appropriately to incidents of sexual assault and harassment. By failing to properly investigate cases of sexual misconduct and even punishing students who pursue disciplinary action against their assailants, colleges exacerbate a cycle of victim blaming, causing victims to feel that their complaints will either be ignored or used against them. Since Title IX mandates that colleges must establish procedures for students to file complaints of sex discrimination, harassment, or violence, universities are in a unique position to make campuses a safe space for victims of sexual assault. However, colleges have repeatedly prioritized protecting their own reputations and prestige over their students’ well-being. For instance, on Feb. 3, 2020, four women who accused
former Harvard Government Professor Jorge Domínguez of sexual misconduct criticized Harvard’s response to complaints like theirs, calling the college’s response over the past 40 years “lackluster and anemic at best, and incompetent and complicit at worst.” Instead of taking action against Domínguez — who had already received various reports of misconduct from multiple women, including a female professor — Harvard promoted Domínguez to Vice Provost, making it clear that the college has an alarmingly permissive culture that suppresses student dissent to protect its reputation. Harvard isn’t alone — as the American Association of University Women’s analysis data found, 89% of 11,000 college campuses failed to disclose even a single reported incident of rape in 2016, which is unlikely given the high prevalence of sexual assault and harassment on campuses. It is unacceptable that colleges conceal sexual assault and harassment cases to prevent staining their reputation. Beyond universities’ inappropriate abandonment of sexual assault and rape protocol on campus, the mistreatment and blatant shaming that many victims have faced point to a deeper cultural fault in how sexual assault is viewed on college campuses. There are stark distinctions between a college committee that is investigating a case and one that is probing for flaws in a victim’s character. Often, victims are met with debasing comments about their lifestyle choices, along with questions like “Why were you out drinking so late?” that examine their supposed role in endangering themselves rather than investigating the perpetrator’s role in actively harming another person. It’s important that we acknowledge universities’ lack of accountability and work to build a healthier attitude towards sexual assault and harassment victims on campuses. With many students looking forward to college as the next step of their educational journeys, being familiar with our rights and protections as students can play a huge role in destigmatizing conversations about sexual assault and harassment. We must work collectively to shift the paradigm on sexual misconduct, moving away from victim blaming and prioritizing student well-being above reputation and prestige.
By Chahak Gupta & Nessa Tong Staff Writers
STAFF WRITER CHAHAK GUPTA
STAFF WRITER NESSA TONG
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Opinion 5
Fremont Homekey Project By Selina Kao, Hannah Shen & Amelie Wu Staff Writers
Program for a $40.2 million grant to purchase the Motel 6 at Research Ave. in Fremont and
motel
Homelessness has been a challenging issue in Fremont and the Bay Area for several decades -
of numerous Fremont community members, who recently drew up a change.org -
For
Against -
-
-
unsheltered, which meant that they lived in places such as vehicles or outdoor tents that -
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nity issues and projects that can prevent people from becoming homeless in the future. will even help alleviate homelessness in Fremont, since it provides only 156 units of afabout $7.2 billion in 2021-22 on homeless services. However, the current scale of services -
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long-term housing, allowing homeless services to assist a larger number of people. Actain permanent homes are the biggest gaps in our current response to homelessness.”
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housing for low-income residents, ensuring people can be brought out of homelessness
vide homeless people with resources to account for that. Aside from mental health and substance abuse, the minimum wage is not enough for
the future.
endangered. However, these stereotypes that the homeless are dangerous individuals hour. However, according to www.livingwage.mit.edu, the minimum wage needed to -
support policies and pushing them out of neighborhoods fail to address the issue, where-
rates to decrease.
budget which was $1.1 billion and more than $130,000 per homeless person. However,
the present, it will actually reduce money spent on public services for homeless people in the long run.
Voices from MSJ -
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cial reasons, the truth is that a lot of these people are mentally ill and struggling
especially when it comes to the safety
have, ensuring that the homeless of Fremont get the
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GRAPHICS BY OPINION EDITOR ISABELLA HE.
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Opinion 7
Systemic Inequalities Against Women of Color By Esther Lau, Julia Peng & Annika Singh Staff Writers “Do you agree … that babies are racist?”, US Senator Ted Cruz questioned Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. In March, the Senate Judiciary Committee held confirmation hearings in which the US Senate questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson before voting on her appointment as the first African American female US Supreme Court Justice. Jackson was confirmed to the Supreme Court on April 7. However, during the trials, many Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee repeatedly questioned Jackson with racially coded language, disguising implicit and explicit feelings by substituting terms that described racial identity with race neutral terms. Jackson’s experience is only one case of how biases and racism can affect an individuals’ treatment in society. Women of color (WOC) consistently face unwelcoming environments, stereotypes, and microaggressions that are perpetuated by personal prejudices and racial and gender bias. These systemic inequalities must be prevented, whether it be through inclusive language or advocacy for others in instances of unfair treatment. Despite Jackson’s many qualifications and having been vetted and confirmed three times by the Judiciary Committee and the Senate, certain attendees of the hearings continually questioned her about topics completely unrelated to her tobe role as Supreme Court Justice and her past experience as a public defender. When Jackson refused to answer some of their questions, they took her refusal as proof that she was unfit for the position of Justice — an instance of confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is the influence of assumptions on one’s actions and decisions — whether conscious or unconscious, biases are held by all. For example, Sen. Marsha Blackburn asked Jackson to define what a woman was, and when Jackson refused to provide a definition to avoid the controversy currently surrounding transgen-
der women, Blackburn was quick to tweet that ternal expectation that WOC need to work twice Jackson’s response was “a major red flag.” as hard as others to succeed can lead to mental Unfortunately, confirmation bias is just a health issues and burnout, while the self-doubt that accompanies systemic discrimination can According to a 2020 study by McK- downplay professional accomplishments, causing insey & Company, “WOC comprise WOC to feel as if they are inadequate in leaderonly 4 percent of C-level positions ship roles. The Partner Track: A Novel Author, despite representing approximately Speaker, and Diversity and Inclusion Consultant 18 percent of the US population,” Helen Wan wrote about the struggles of an Asian while white men make up 68% of American woman in corporate America. Wan those positions, more than double said, “I have personally had colleagues tell me … their proportion in population. that it is refreshing ... that I, as an Asian American, am willing to speak in meetings and am ‘unusuresult of systemic inequalities WOC have con- ally outgoing — for an Asian.’” WOC are forced stantly experienced under Eurocentric leader- to face the double standard of not being overly ship that puts straight, white men on a pedestal. assertive while also having to prove themselves — Although the solving of racial and gender-based repeatedly — to be capable enough to warrant an biases is long overdue, they continue to plague in- audience for their ideas. To be taken seriously as dividuals in the workplace. From leadership po- professionals or leaders, they have to ‘play down’ sitions to promotions, the metrics for evaluating their race or ethnicity. skill level and potential favor masculinity. When gender bias is coupled with racial bias, this results WOC are too often discredited in soin double jeopardy, a term that describes the si- ciety — not only are they held at highmultaneous forms of sexism and racism WOC er standards than their white, male experience in their professional lives. Crucially, colleagues, but they are also more research conducted in The Journal of Applied Psychology shows that double jeopardy can cause overlooked during promotions. lower pay, less respect, and less influential jobs in comparison to white men. According to a 2020 If criticism is not applied to Republican study by McKinsey & Company, “WOC com- Senators’ excessive and inappropriate questionprise only 4 percent of C-level positions despite ing, similar behavior performed by other pubrepresenting approximately 18 percent of the US lic figures risks becoming a role model for both population,” while white men make up 68% of adults and children, leading to normalization of those positions, more than double their propor- such discriminatory behavior. While some of tion in population. these biases may be unconscious, it’s important In the past, some have argued that this dif- to recognize that everyone carries biases, and ference is caused by a pipeline problem in which their impacts often do not reflect intent. On an limited diversity in leadership is due to the lack of individual level, students must reflect on how talent from those of diverse backgrounds. Howev- their own preconceived notions and manners er, this belief does not take the effect of racism on affect their actions and decisions. For example, careers into account. WOC are too often discred- Project Implicit of Harvard University offers an ited in society — not only are they held at higher array of quizzes to measure personal bias, which standards than their white, male colleagues, but helps shed light on self-understanding regarding they are also more likely to suffer from pay gaps personal attitudes towards groups of people. Stuand be overlooked during promotions. The ex- dents can also advocate for legislation in support
of women and girls of color, such as H.R.8196 which “establish[es] an Interagency Task Force to examine the conditions and experiences of Black women and girls in education…[and] labor and employment…” to “promote community-based methods for mitigating and addressing harm and ensuring accountability.” Additionally, students should urge companies to implement diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices in their hiring and promoting processes such as expanding where the job opening is advertised, offering diversity internship opportunities, and requiring DEI training for employees.
We should aim to use inclusive language to create a safe space for people part of marginalized communities ... Collectively, we should aim to use inclusive language to create a safe space for people part of marginalized communities, while being cognizant of corresponding issues such as tokenization and microaggressions. Most importantly, we must take initiative to advocate for ourselves and others around us when we see unfair effects of bias and be open to criticism from others. Equity, including that of gender and race, can only come when our individual biases are reflected upon and changed, and it’s time we do that.
GRAPHIC BY OPINION EDITOR ISABELLA HE.
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PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS JIYUN GUO, JASON TANG & ANNIKA SINGH.
8 Feature
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Friday, April 29, 2022
DieHard TryHard:
Easter Egg Hunt Anandita Devata, Ayushi Kashyap, Amy Luo & Bryan Xiong Staff Writers
treats in this egg-citing hunt. Which one will be crowned the Easter extraordinaire?
a my
br y
an
ayu
anan
sh
i
di
t
I’m going to be honest — I’m winning it all. Despite not being a hard-boiled egg hunt veteran,
As a seasoned eggs-plorer who prides themself on their ability
second-to-none. Having spent countless hours obsessing over the egg hunt in Stardew Valley senses have been sharpened to the peak of human capabilities, and a sixth is starting to emerge. To make this even remotely a challenge, I’ve learned to blindfold myself and rely solely on eggo-location and the scent of microplastics in the air. I just hope that my competition cracks under the pressure of having to challenge me.
searching skills with my 20/20 vision. While I haven’t had the time to touch grass in a hot minute, I’m sure my prowess in acclimation will serve useful in this battle of the wits. I’ve been preparing all week, practicing
1st place
1st place
2nd place
1st place
A three-way tie for
I have to say, I’m disappointed with my results. Unfortunately, while
Well, unlike my companions, I cannot say that I won, even in the slightest. In fact, I was dead last. Despite running, or rather speed-walking, around the campus thrice while extremely out of breath, I still managed to miss so many eggs. My 20/20 vision did not come in handy as I searched high and low; well, mostly low — my astonishingly short stature surely did not
I have both good news and bad news. The good: I reached my goal — even doubled it. Unfortunately, that means I tied with two other opponents and can’t
4 eggs
decent, given my aversion towards athletic activities. I think all the Easter candy-eating has messed with my stamina; running out of breath two minutes into the game doesn’t really seem healthy. With my nonexistent sense nitely worked some magic behind the scenes for his loyal customer. Now that it’s over, it’s time for my annual post-egg hunt sugar rush! One more Easter treat won’t hurt, right?
4 eggs
It turns out that unlike in Stardew Valley, eggs in real life aren’t placed in predetermined spots that can be found with a quick Google search. Despite my perfect eagle-eye vision (with glasses) and towering physical stature (don’t fact-check that), my hunting skills weren’t all that they were cracked up to be — but I know that next year, the competition won’t be over as easy.
I’m not going to lie — this challenge is pretty intimidating. Frantically scrambling around campus for 15 minutes, searching for miniscule ovoid shapes in every little corner, seems just a bit too demanding. Fortunately, as probably the only competitor to consistently egg-cercise (courtesy of the Physical Education department), I think I can manage to avoid an overly-humiliating defeat. I guess it’s time for me to get those nonexistent competitive
a
Not to brag, but the Easter Bunny and I go way back. He’s been my plug for jelly beans and marshmallow Peeps practically since preschool. With years of eating Easter egg candy, my eggs-perience is sure to make up for any lack of athleticism or mental agility. Besides, every junior at MSJ still gets lost on campus right? It’s not just me? Forget the old proverb, because for this Easter egg hunt, I will be putting all my eggs in one basket, and I won’t be disappointed.
determined to grab all the eggs, no matter where they are. The competition may be tough, but I’m tougher.
3 eggs
will be drowning my sorrows in the abysmal amount of candy I collected, the reassuring part is that at least I only lost by egg-xactly one egg.
meager goal of collecting two eggs.
4 eggs
if that means that we’re equally bad or equally good (probably the former). Although I found an egg in a crevice under a table, I walked right past a bright blue one in a tree, which was pretty unfortunate. On the sunny side, I can technically say I won without lying. Well, it’s time to learn every inch of campus to prepare for next year.
PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITER JENNIE WANG, GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITOR NITHIKA VALLURI.
Friday, April 29, 2022
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Feature 9
SPOTLIGHT
MSJ WINTER GUARD By Jiyun Guo, Karina Han & Daphne He Staff Writers Waving vibrantly colored flags and spinning rifles alongside Marching Band at parades, Color Guard takes pride in enhancing the visual aspect of performances during the fall marching band season. With the arrival of winter season, several members of Color Guard transitioned to Winter Guard, competing independently in a series of indoor Winter Guard competitions. In addition to the prop-centered moves from parade season, Winter Guard places an emphasis on the element of dance, with members diligently rehearsing their choreography in the weeks preceding shows. To spotlight Winter Guard’s work and accomplishments, the Smoke Signal interviewed Winter Guard Captains Junior Rableen Kaleka and Seniors Sydney Bailey, Srishti Gupta, and Jennifer Liong.
Winter Guard recently won first place at the San Mateo Winter Review and Foothill Winter Review, along with second place at the Granada High Winter Review. The team attributes much of its recent success to the dedication and instruction of their new coach, Fou Saelee, who began coaching Guard just before the pandemic. According to Gupta, Saelee places a heavy emphasis on technique. He also never underestimates the capabilities of the team members, encouraging them to perform with more confidence. “He makes you do tosses that you feel like you will never do, or that you haven't reached the ability to do it yet or the potential to do it yet, ” Kaleka said. “He tells you like he already knows you can do it, and that sort of confidence from him brings confidence in us to be able to toss those tosses.” Along with Saelee’s coaching, increases in the numbers of members, new equipment, and new uniforms all contributed to the boost in spirit. Transitioning out of the pandemic, it was exciting for the team to finally rehearse and compete in person with the addition of new members. The upgraded costumes and equipment were also a refreshing sight that effectively showcased the team members’ renewed energy to work together and refine their talents. The changes made Guard members feel more confident, which was reflected in their dynamic improvements and growing list of accomplishments. The accomplishments achieved by the team came after a fair share of difficulties. Because Winter Guard rehearsed outside, the wind made it difficult to practice their tosses. In addition, the lack of in-person performances during the pandemic meant that few members on the team had real experience performing competitively in front of a live audience. “Out of 11 members ... only the captains had performed in a winter show before,” Bailey said. The pressure of performing and the fear of messing up affected some members, especially those who hadn’t had a season before. It also took a while for the members to adjust to Saelee’s new teaching methods. In comparison to Winter Guard’s previous instructor, Saelee focused more on dance and technique, emphasizing small details such as hand position. “Everything was basically new, even if we were returning members,” Liong said. On top of the pressure of transitioning out of the coronavirus pandemic and the change in coaching methods, the team experienced unprecedented struggles due to the hospitalization of Band and Orchestra Director Monica Kraft in December 2021. Kraft handled most of the team’s transportation and equipment organization to shows. In the middle of the season, Winter Guard had to cancel a competition because no one was available to drive the team there. “It's the small things like that that she was always in charge of that have been more difficult, which makes our everyday practices and … shows just a little bit harder,” Bailey said. Nevertheless, MSJ Winter Guard has worked hard to adapt to these new changes and maximize their potential as a team.
From complex dance routines to a deep sense of community, Winter Guard holds a special place in each of its members’ hearts. Despite being a school activity, Winter Guard has allowed members to get their minds off academics and make new friends, bonding over the breaks throughout rehearsal. “We're all tired … we're all on the floor. There's some talking going on, but it’s just all of us sitting and chilling,” Liong said. Throughout their years in Winter Guard, members have developed deep connections with their teammates. “I met [Liong and Kaleka] my freshman year, and now I feel like they're [my] really, really close friends, like these are my ride-or-dies,” Gupta said. Because many members joined the team in freshman year, Winter Guard has become an integral part of their high school routine. “It's my senior year, and this might be my last year competing, so I'm realizing that this thing that's been so constant in my life for the past four years may not continue to be as constant,” Bailey said. For the captains, Winter Guard has not only allowed them to grow as individuals, but also as leaders, and it’s become a standout amongst their high school experiences. “Over time, [Guard has] become a family,” Kaleka said. Winter Guard’s season concluded with the NCBA Winter Championships on April 2, in which Winter Guard placed third in its category and achieved the fourth highest score out of 43 schools with a score of 76.66 — about a six-point increase from their previous high score. Its success marks the first time Guard has placed at the in-person NCBA Winter Championships since 2016. For the coming seasons, Guard’s main goal is to recruit new members. Winter Guard currently has 11 members, while typical guards have around 20-40 members. While acknowledging that Winter Guard may appear intimidating at first, the Captains encourage students to join Guard during the tryouts in May. “It's really intimidating coming into this knowing absolutely nothing, but that's what the rest of the team is there for. It's to help everybody improve and learn so that we can grow to the point that we're at now,” Bailey said.
PHOTOS COURTESY SYDNEY BAILEY. GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITOR LILY OH
10 Centerspread
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Amphitheater
Friday, April 29, 2022
As the 2021-22 school year winds down, seniors are preparing to bid farewell to their home for the past four years. Despite the pandemic casting shadows on much of its high school experience, this class has never ceased to create bright memories to carry with them to future endeavors. In this spread, the Smoke Signal interviewed 15 seniors about their favorite memories made at locations around MSJ.
Friday, April 29, 2022
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S En i "r
“Probably the amphitheater, because of Homecoming. MSJ is a pretty stressful environment sometimes with school, homework, tests, and all the extracurriculars I have, but Homecoming is a time to relieve myself of that stress. It’s a place where everyone comes together — not just your class, but the whole school in general. It’s a fun week where you can destress and really experience what it’s like to be in high school.”
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Bell Tower Quad (BTQ)
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f s o i ! M eM R
Considered by many as the face of MSJ, the amphitheater greets visitors at the front of the campus and hosts the school’s most memorable events. In October 2021, the Class of 2022 performed an Iron Man-themed set at their last Homecoming, rushing onstage after the final bow to celebrate the occasion. The amphitheater has also been home to Winter Ball and Spring Fling.
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With its location at the center of campus, the towering bell tower greets even those far outside the school. Often decorated to match schoolwide occasions, the BTQ is a popular lunch spot for the student population, with both the cafeterias and the Student Store located in its vicinity. Fundraisers for the Class of 2022 and Friday karaokes hosted by Leadership 2 (L2) take place at its base. During Homecoming, the BTQ houses the Senior Lounge, an exclusive space built by the graduating class.
Crystal Chen “Just watching the activities go down on Fridays and watching everyone have fun with each other and being able to talk with all my friends and catch up on our day. That’s probably my best memory. Watching people do karaoke was always very entertaining. I never did it myself, but I feel like it was really entertaining for everyone around.”
By Chloe Gao, Sahas Goli, Christy Huang, Esther Lau, Shelley Li & Annie Xu
Megan Zhang
Laura Ma “[I like] sitting there for Homecoming during extended lunch, [and] just [being able to] watch Homecoming three times; they’re nostalgic memories ... I also like going there after school. I would go there with my friends, and we would just sit there together. It’s pretty calming; it’s a place of quiet but also excitement on campus. It shows the duality of the experience of nostalgia.”
Noah Francisco “My favorite location at MSJ would definitely be the amphitheater because that’s where Homecoming was. Over the past four years, Homecoming was always my favorite event of the entire school year. It’s in the second month of the school year and keeps me going throughout summer and the first part of the school year — it keeps me really motivated. It’s really fun hearing all the screaming and chanting and seeing how much school spirit the students have. I remember freaking out about being late while changing in between airbands, but it’s definitely [been] my favorite place to be on campus over the past four years.”
“My fondest memories are with my friends, especially Caleb and Annemarie, whether it’s day-to-day selling food, taking polaroids, struggling to operate our slushie machine, or opening blind squishmallows packs. I’ll also always look back on creating the Senior Lounge and spray painting our names with the SCOs and countless fundraisers At the edge of campus lies the E-Wing, which houses many of the school’s and activities with L2 fondly.” creative classes in art and music. The school’s seventh period show choir meets in E4, where they prepare for student-choreographed concerts. Also included in the E-Wing is the Yearbook class, The Costanoan, who spend the school year putting together an anthology of memories for students to treasure.
E-Wing
Jessica Yu
Aditi Chhangani “I think that a lot of the things at school are very academically driven, so it can be hard to find a passion or something that you enjoy, [where] you get to forget about the environment that we're in. I feel like Yearbook constantly reminds me that the school is still a school where memories are made. I get to interview and talk to a lot of people and hear more about what they're doing ... This is a class where I get to refresh and forget about [the academic pressure], but [just] report on the ideas for the students because I feel like our school is attached to the students. The thing about publications [is that it] allows you to just forget about what's going on in the school, and it’s an escape in a way.”
Gym
“I think the day before one of our concerts [for show choir], we were rehearsing all the songs, and it's the culmination of around six months of work coming into fruition. We're all dancing, and we're putting our hearts into it because the concert is the next day, and we’ve got to ramp it up. [I saw] how much work we put into it, and we're all joking around between sets. It's just such a lovely feeling to see [that] oh, wow, we've done so much.”
Saborni Kundu “All these airbands, not just the performance, but the practices throughout the summer, have always been super fun — getting to learn from your peers and perform with your peers. I also helped out with [decorations], and definitely, as a part of Tech Committee, I know it kind of went unseen last year because it was virtual and a livestream, but we did work on trying to get [Homecoming] to happen during online school, which was a cool experience to be behind. This year, we finally got the opportunity to actually work on things like audio, and I got to work with all the skit actors across all four classes. It’s just so cool to be able to work with passionate peers, and you’re like, ‘I recorded all the audio for the performances and edited the audio clips together and set up all the microphones and speakers and everything for those.’”
M-Wing Nestled between the P-Wing and the gym, the M-Wing contains M2, the home of MSJ’s student run newspaper, the Smoke Signal, and the small theater, which serves as the classroom for orchestra and band classes. With student journalists bringing articles to life each month and student musicians producing beautiful pieces for concerts and festivals, these seniors have left an indelible artistic legacy behind.
Megh Basu
“I think the classroom [M2] has been such a hallmark of my growth, [and] it means a lot to me on this campus. I think my first distribution day as a J1 was super memorable — just getting to hold the newspaper in your hands and see that it's a product of everyone's work. Then obviously, when we get bagels, it's this big event for us where we get to celebrate every month the work that we do, so I think the memory of doing that for the first time was really big for me.”
Anirudh Srikanth “Band definitely had an amazing impact on me. Mrs. Kraft definitely encouraged me to continue band. As [a] freshman, I was very skeptical about it. She's definitely [been] very nice for years, and I really wish she was still here. She's had a great impact on me. She's definitely helped me [and] ... motivated me to become better at playing trumpet. That's why I'm very successful. I've been playing for seven years now and I probably [won't] stop because it’s become a lifelong hobby.”
Hosting PE classes and most of the sports teams, the gym has brought teams to new heights in MVAL and NCS competitions. Lined with banners around the court, the gym displays all of MSJ’s MVAL wins since 1967. Its large structure and wide bleachers have hosted celebrations and assemblies in previous years, including freshman orientation, Multicultural Week performances, senior nights, and sports assemblies.
Ashton Lee
Riya Bhattacharjee
Reva Srivastava
“I would tell my freshman self to not care so much about what other people are doing or what other people think of you and to get involved in activities that you actually care about and not just activities that would look good on your resume. And just to overall not stress out so much because in the long run one bad grade doesn't affect you as much as you think it does.”
“I'd say, live in the moment. I know, it's very easy to get caught up in [the mindset of] ‘what am I going to be doing my sophomore year, junior year, senior year, [and] what am I going to do after that?’ But I think that [mindset] really takes away [the] appreciation of what is [already] going on like Homecoming or our Friday events, and even everyday going to class and interacting with friends — I feel like it's easy to take that for granted.”
Warren Chang
“There's a bunch of stuff going on in the gym, [and] even though it [wasn’t really] used since quarantine and even this first semester, I liked [the events that occurred there in] ninth grade and twelfth grade with the Multicultural [Assembly]; it's pretty cool. You can do badminton, basketball, all those [sport] meets, [and] all those events that happen at the gym; they're just really cool, and I just think that it’s just a very diverse place.”
Isha Kasanagottu “I think [my favorite location at MSJ] would probably be the track and the amphitheatre because ... I'm on the track team and that's where our practices [are] every day. It's just fun going down there [and] it's something I look forward to.”
Amanda Sy
“Mainly because of MSJ, we try to focus on a lot of STEM things, and I tried being a STEM kid because that's just how it goes. But I did do art, and I did do show choir, and I love those classes, but I feel like I should have prioritized them more just because I felt more joy in them. I realized, now as a senior, these are actually the things I want to pursue because I enjoy them the most, and I'll put all of my time and effort into it, so don't waste your time ... if you actually enjoy something.” PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS CHLOE GAO, SAHAS GOLI, CHRISTY HUANG, ESTHER LAU, SHELLEY LI & ANNIE XU, GRAPHICS BY CENTERSPREAD EDITORS NAVEED SHAKOOR & JACKIE WONG
12 Arts & Entertainment
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Multicultural Week Foods Showcase Cultures By Chahak Gupta, Aditya Patil & Esha Potharaju
From Jarritos to momos, MSJ’s Multicultural (MC) Week offered the student body a world tour for their taste buds through deliciously diverse delicacies. The Smoke Signal explored the cultural significance and fascinating histories behind seven of these foods from different clubs, cultures, and cuisine types.
Mango Lassi
India
Originating in Punjab, India, lassi is a yogurt-based drink often seasoned with fruits and spices like cardamom. The drink is traditionally served with a dollop of malai, or clotted cream, in a kulhar, a disposable South Asian clay cup. MSJ Book Club’s sunny MC week stand featured rows of plastic cups of mango lassi, a variation of traditional lassi. “We hope that many would have had [mango lassi] in the past and would encourage their friends ... to try it,” MSJ Book Club Secretary Sophomore Hannah Chacko said. The drinks, generously proportioned, were creamy in texture and sweetly tangy in flavor. Especially in the midst of the hot, bustling atmosphere of the horseshoe during MC Week, the lassi provided a refreshing solace.
Momo
Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan & India
Paired with spicy green or red chutneys, MSJ Awareness Club for Endangered Species (ACES) sold momos bursting with sweet greens and spiced paneer cheese. Momos, which are small steamed or fried dumplings containing meat, tofu, and vegetables and wrapped in unleavened dough, were popularized in Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, and some Indian regions, such as Ladakh and Delhi, in the late 20th century. “I grew up with momos. They’re really close to my heart because my parents and I grew up making them,” MSJ ACES Co-President Senior Dhanya Ram said.
~ Senorita Bread
Philippines
With the smell of caramel, fresh dough, and powdered sugar in the air, MSJ’s drama club — MSJ Universal Performers — sold loaves of Señorita Bread. Despite its name, Señorita Bread is not Spanish in origin, but a native Filipino creation. With sweet swirl bread crumbs rolled into folds of warm & light buttery bread, this delicacy is treasured as a traditional mid-afternoon snack or “merienda” in the Philippines. StarBread Bakery, a 1988 Vallejo-based chain, is credited for popularizing this sweet treat throughout the Bay Area. “Señorita bread is eaten a lot by my family. I’m Indonesian, so [the cuisine] is closely related to Filipino [foods], so it shows up a lot at parties,” MSJ Universal Performers President Junior Faye Widjaja said.
` Banhi Mi`
Vietnam
Packed lines of hungry students waited at MSJ Math Club’s MC Week stand. The club sold a crowd favorite, the bánh mì. During the French occupation of Vietnam, food unique to European diets, such as deli meats and wheat products like baguettes, were only reserved for European officials. When French rule ended in 1954, Vietnamese people defied the rigid constructs placed on European food by imbuing it with their own culinary ingredients, resulting in the genesis of the bánh mì. “I think that [bánh mì] is a good view into Vietnamese culture. It is a really refreshing snack ... We decided on selling barbecue pork and barbecue chicken as well as the vegetarian option to be more inclusive,” MSJ Math Club President Senior Richard Chen said.
Jarritos
Mexico
MSJ Youth Alive, a Christian community service club, sold yellow, orange, green, and other colorful bottles of soda called Jarritos, or “little jars” in Spanish. Initially introduced as a coffee-based soda, Jarritos entered the North American market in 1988, adorning the menus of taco trucks across the US. “My pastor is Mexican and he recommended some [of the] flavors that we tried to get for the club,” MSJ Youth Alive Co-President Senior Alison Bai said. In addition, Bai is continuing the MSJ Youth Alive’s MC week tradition of selling Jarritos, which she took note of her freshman year. These fruit-forward Mexican sodas, available in common flavors like lime and strawberry, as well as exciting variations like jamaica, passion fruit, and tamarind, offer the perfect balance between sweet and tangy.
Melona
South Korea
Students lined up to beat the heat at Peer Resource’s booth selling Melona, a South Korean fruit-flavored ice cream bar. “Melona is easy to sell and buy ... A lot of [the Peer Resource officers like it and regularly buy it, becaise it’s something that we all grew up eating,” Peer Resource Events and Fundraising Head Senior Chloe Tse said. Unique for its natural texture, Melona is offered in refreshing flavors like strawberry, mango, and honeydew melon. Launched in 1992 in South Korea by Binggrae, the product’s popularity skyrocketed instantly, with more than 280 million bars sold in 1994 alone. The brand finally opened a branch in the US in 2017. Today, this fruity gelato-like popsicle can be found in grocery outlets across the US.
Pineapple Fried Rice
Thailand
The MSJ Visual Arts and Music for Society (VAMS) was selling pineapple fried rice. Believed to have originated from Chinese people living in Thailand, who noticed that Thai food often incorporated fruits into their dishes, the jasmine rice, colorful veggies, and sweet juicy pieces of pineapple all tossed in Thai fried rice sauce blend together to create a sweet yet savory dish that became a hit with both the Siamese and Westerners. “We chose this dish because it’s a traditional Thai dish and we wanted to showcase the diversity of Asian cultures at our school through our food,” MSJ VAMS Vice President Senior Jennifer Liong said. PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS CHAHAK GUPTA, ADITYA PATIL & ESHA POTHARAJU. GRAPHICS BY A&E EDITOR HELEN TIAN.
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Arts & Entertainment 13
Is insult comedy all that comedic? By Sanah Bhardwaj & Jacob Han
On March 27, viewers gaped in shock while watching the 94th Academy Awards as actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock for making a distasteful joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Immediately following the incident, surprised viewers took to social media to take sides, deliberating over who was in the wrong while focusing on Smith’s reaction to Rock’s inappropriate joke rather than the harmful attitudes that may have led to it. While insult comedy is funny in moderation, comedians and the general public must learn to draw a line between comedy and disrespect, especially when these jibes are made at the expense of minority groups. What is insult comedy? At its core, insult comedy is a genre of comedy in which the humor consists mostly of offensive insults. Some of the earliest insult comedians include Don Rickles and Lisa Lampanelli, who are extremely famous for their audacious, offensive digs at racial and minority groups. However, since the decades in which insult comedy has existed, audiences have started wondering: is insult comedy just lighthearted humor, or can it come from a place of malice and contempt? In the 21st century, antiquated norms of insult comedy are no longer fit for modern social acceptability. Unfortunately, this has not stopped comedians from making outright racist, homophobic, and sexist jokes under the pretense of comedy. In his 2021 stand-up comedy special The Closer, comedian Dave Chappelle discussed his thoughts on J.K. Rowling and the backlash she received from the transgender community: “I’m Team TERF. I agree. I agree, man. Gender is a fact.” Chappelle’s “joke” is just one of the many offensive lines comedians continue to write under the guise of insult
Will Smith slaps Chris Rock for making a distasteful joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
comedy. While some thought this tweet was “just a joke,” it exploited stereotypes used against Asians for a fleeting moment of humor. Minority groups are often used as the butt of insulting jokes because comedians consider them easy targets: taking digs at race, gender, and sexuality is so normalized in comedy today, so comedians see nothing wrong with insulting minority groups as means to a comedic end. Apart from just being offensive, insult comedy can lead to a decrease in self-confidence and self-worth. These jokes may seem funny at first, but those affected by them may internalize the insults and start to consider jokes as reality. On a personal level, people lose self-esteem and self-worth. On a societal level, this internalization coupled with the trivialization of insult comedy means that people who are offended by
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these jokes will be judged for speaking out. This judgment is already present in society; within the last few years, the term “snowflake” has had a resurgence, which is a word used to describe people who are too “easily offended” or “sensitive.” The stigmatization of being offended is especially detrimental to minority groups who are already forced to swallow their feelings about microaggressions they face in society. Additionally, certain jokes can make light of sensitive situations that shouldn’t be made fun of. For example, Rock made a joke about one of Pinkett Smith’s medical problems, alopecia, something that she can’t control. Pinkett Smith has previously expressed how shaving her head was a very personal experience. Despite this, Rock went on to call her “G.I. Jane,” making fun of her bald head. This is an example of when insult
comedy goes too far. On her show, Red Table Talk, she said: “It was one of those times in my life where I was literally shaking in fear,” when discussing her hair loss. Rock took this vulnerable moment and exploited it for a quick joke in front of millions of Oscar viewers, a clear example of what happens when insult comedy goes a bit too far. However, not everyone believes that insult comedy should be made in moderation. Some say that insults are where the crux of “real comedy” lies, and that by limiting what comedians can and can’t say, their ability to be humorous is heavily limited. Some also say that it’s a comedian’s job to cross the line. While this may seem true, one fundamental truth persists: comedy does not have to be offensive to be funny. The goal isn’t to ban comedians from using insult comedy; it’s to create a paradigm of respect when approaching humor. Demeaning marginalized people and hurting people in sensitive situations over the possibility of a joke landing simply isn’t worth it. Although comedians should not be banned from using insult comedy, they should use it sparingly and be careful of who they may be offending. A good rule of thumb to follow is that a comedian should not joke about something unless it affects them directly, as well as an aspect of someone that they cannot fix. For example, making fun of someone’s medical condition is always off limits. Apart from comedians, viewers should stray away from comedians who often make jokes at the expense of other people. Comedy does not have to be insulting to be funny, and once viewers see this, changes can finally be made. Though comedy-lovers may want comedy to be unfiltered, they must recognize that the long-lasting effects of low self-confidence are much more important than the second-long impact of a fleeting joke.
Season two of Bridgerton shines under South Asian representation By Priyanka Shah
Forbidden romance coupled with family drama shakes up the second season of Bridgerton, the hit Netflix show about siblings of the Bridgerton family and their attempts of finding love during the Regency era. Bridgerton, set in London and touted as a period Gossip Girl, seeks to unmask the anonymous scandalmonger, Lady Whistledown (narrated by Julie Andrews). The plot thickens when Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran), chosen as the diamond of the season by the esteemed Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel), is courted by Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), the viscount of the Bridgerton family. However, unexpected feelings bloom between Anthony and his betrothed’s sister, Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley). Draped behind the facade of entertaining societal conflicts, show producer Shonda Rhimes, deliberately covers up the true reality of the Regency era in 19th century London. Shondaland, the production company behind Bridgerton, is known for its celebration of a diverse cast and crew. The South Asian representation in season two
has been greatly applauded by many; however, the majority of people of color did not hold high-ranking positions in the aristocracy until much later. Associate Professor of South Asian Literature and Women’s Studies at Brandeis University Harleen Singh said, “These relationships existed, but Indians within high society in England — conversing, traversing, moving in the same way, being a part of society, being debutantes — I find that highly unrealistic. They would have faced an upheaval of racist and cultural stereotypes. They would not have been so easily accepted.” The writers eschewed historical facts and took the liberty of creating a more diverse world. This “utopia” makes the series enjoyable for people of Indian culture because they finally get to see suitable representation on screen. Rhimes said in an interview with Netflix that she “wanted to make sure that if you are watching Bridgerton from another country, you’re not thinking to yourself, ‘Well, this has nothing to do with me.’ Well, absolutely it has something to do with you.” Diversity aside, the portrayal of characters like Kate and Anthony’s sister, Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie), reinforces the feminist values that were otherwise not present in that era. Being the two most confident and strong-willed women in the show, they were initially against romantic relationships. However, as the season progressed, both Kate and Eloise sought a significant other. The audience was able to witness how two uptight women were able to open their hearts to love. Anthony began as a man madly in love with a woman he couldn’t have in season one. However, after she broke his heart, the viscount decided to go down a different path and chose duty over love. When the viscount is yet again taken over by his emotions but continues to struggle with family loyalty, that is where his true character emerges. Viewers are kept on the edge of their seats as they follow along with the emotional journey of his buried feelings.
The spotlight shines on Bailey as he takes on stardom through his outstanding acting in season two. Bailey accepts the challenge of playing a 19th century viscount, and does a superb job of portraying his great dilemma of choosing between love and family duty, leaving the audience in complete awe. Aside from the Bridgerton family, the overall acting remains relatively consistent in the Featheringtons’, as the mother attempts to keep up their family name, and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) tries to keep her secret identity as Lady Whistledown a secret. It may be difficult for a modern teenage audience to connect to a period drama, but Bridgerton achieves that connection through music. Famous for turning pop hits into instrumental adaptations, the show includes melodies like “Material Girl” by Madonna, “Diamonds” by Rihanna, and “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus. Alongside these Western hits also stands a Bollywood classic track “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham” playing in the background as the Sharmas apply turmeric on each others’ faces as an Indian tradition before marriage. Taking on a fresh perspective of music, the soundtrack forges a bridge between the 19th and 21st centuries, making the audience feel more immersed in the journey they are embarking upon. Attention to Indian heritage regarding costumes is another way that the show connects to people of color. The sundry colors and patterns amongst the costumes certainly make a lasting mark on the audience as well. Elegantly embroidered and sequined gowns that are pleasing to the eye fill up the ballrooms of London. Throughout the show, each family has a specific color scheme attached to their name: The Featheringtons with vibrant pinks, greens, and yellows, the Bridgertons with regal whites, and pastels, and now the Sharmas with majestic jewel tones. The gowns of the characters also reflect their personality. Kate Sharma is dressed in rich jewel tones and heavy weighted taffetas to align with her strong, witty,
and protective personality. However, not only were the costumes for the Sharma family meant to depict the characteristics of the family, costume designer, Sophie Canale, wanted to add a glimpse of Indian heritage to the dresses. In an interview with The A.V. Club, Canale pointed to the keyhole cuts in tulip dresses and the center-front splits in skirts that brought to light British and Indian culture in the Regency era. She said, “When possible, we moved [the splits] a little to the side to give it a sari-like influence.” The representation of clothing specific to the culture, allows Indians from all around the world to witness people that look and dress alike to them, emphasizing the importance of culture. All expectations for the second season of Bridgerton were surpassed through a heart-aching love story and the addition of much-needed Indian representation. Although it was a long-wait, it was definitely worth it. Plot/Storyline: 9/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Soundtrack: 10/10 Acting: 7/10 Overall: 8.5/10
GRAPHICS BY A&E EDITOR HELEN TIAN.
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Arts & Entertainment 15
C R I T I C S’ C O R N E R
ATTENTION: MILEY LIVE Gets our Attent ion By Ruhani Chhabra
Glitch Mode - The 2nd Album Moves Our Hearts By Daphne Senecal
For the past 14 years, singer and actress Miley Cyrus has remained an indomitable force in pop culture. Her evolution from child star to shining soloist has been widely discussed; through her groundbreaking album Bangerz (Deluxe Version), released in 2013, she famously shattered her restrictive family-friendly image that had been carefully curated by Disney Channel. Her subsequent releases — Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz in 2015, Younger Now in 2017, and Plastic Hearts in 2020 — feature her range and willingness to experiment with different sounds. Listen to the introspective lyrics in pop singles such as “Malibu,” or her collaboration with the legendary rock and roll singer, Stevie Nicks, and it is obvious she has mastered diverse territories throughout her career. Now, Cyrus combines those critically acclaimed eras in her dazzling new album, ATTENTION: MILEY LIVE. A record that has been requested from devoted Cyrus fans and many casual listeners for ages, ATTENTION: MILEY LIVE consists of excellent live performances of hit singles throughout her career, recorded at the Bud Light Superbowl Music Fest in February 2022, as well as several new tracks and covers. Fans chose the setlist Cyrus performed. Track one, “ATTENTION,” and track 15, “You - Live,” are the only songs that had not been released prior to the album.
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Though “You - Live” is an electrifying, catchy tune, the opening track falls short. “ATTENTION” features one and a half minutes of sped-up, extremely loud instrumentals and Cyrus screaming, not singing, “Wrong answers only / I need attention,” which feels out of place compared to the sing-along vibe of the rest of the album. One might be tempted to skip through this track. Besides that one minor flaw, Cyrus thrives on stage, and ATTENTION: MILEY LIVE solidifies that. She demonstrates top-notch vocal abilities for different genres — from her gritty rock edge in “Plastic Hearts - Live” to her gospel-like belting in “The Climb - Live,” listeners can go from bobbing their head to tearing up in a matter of minutes. Best of all, the performances are laced with addicting nostalgia. Track two, “We Can’t Stop X Where Is My Mind? - Live,” is a lovely mash-up of her early 2010 bangers. Track 11, “7 Things - Live,” is straight from her Hannah Montana heydays, and there
is no forgetting the perfect closer, Track 20, “Party In The USA - Live.” Although the song has probably been played at hundreds of festivities, the line “So I put my hands up / They’re playin’ my song / And the butterflies fly away” never gets old: the crowd always goes absolutely wild at this. In fact, another golden addition to the album is the cheers and harmonies from the eager live audience. They do not interfere with Cyrus’ voice at all, rather being an excellent production choice — the listener feels like they are actually attending the concert. If we are lucky enough, each of us will witness Cyrus’ dynamic stardom on stage one day. For now, ATTENTION: MILEY LIVE is more than enough — this album is a gorgeous, intimate tribute to Cyrus’ immeasurable contributions to the music industry. Production: 9/10 Lyrics: 10/10 Vocals: 10/10 Overall: 9.7/10
April 2022 Student Faves
under the radar
MOVIE:
KiNG MALA
ALBUM: BOOK: GAME:
By Hannah Shen
With a moniker that directly translates to “bad b*tch” in Spanish, Areli Castro, known as KiNG MALA in the music industry, is an alternative soul artist who writes music that touches on lust, recklessness, and femininity. Born in El Paso, TX, she is a Hispanic singer-songwriter currently based in Los Angeles. After moving to Los Angeles at 18 to participate in the Independent Artist Program at the Musicians Institute, Castro met producer Rob Auerbach. Together, they released KiNG MALA’s first six-song EP, GEMiNi, which discusses themes such as anxiety, self-destruction, and confidence. Inspired by modern alternative pop and old-school soul and blues artists such as Donna Missal, MOTHICA, and Sam Cooke, she mixed the genres together to create her hit debut EP. GEMiNi’s most popular track, “If I Try to Find You,” garnered more than 1 million listens, and Castro gained more than 25,000 listeners in the following month. Four months after her debut EP, Castro released her hit single “she calls me daddy,” her most popular song with more than 11 million streams. This track narrates her experience with men while having a girlfriend. Frequently bringing LGBTQ+ themes into her music, Castro said to The Hype Magazine, “I really just want to normalize queer relationships and empower womxn and non-binary folks.” With similar vocals, themes, and pulsating bass rhythms, KiNG MALA’s music has been compared to popular alternative pop artists like Billie Eilish. For any listeners who want music to girlboss to, KiNG MALA’s music is perfect.
TV SHOW:
Less than a year since their first album release, South Korean boy group NCT DREAM returned with Glitch Mode - The 2nd Album on March 28, consisting of 11 songs with “Glitch Mode” as the title track. The album features NCT DREAM’s usual pop music with the addition of more hiphop sounds, revealing the group’s growth from the sweet-sounding music produced in their teenage years to the present. Pre-order sales surpassed more than 2.03 million as of the day of its release, indicating the group’s worldwide popularity. The title track “Glitch Mode,” written by group leader MARK, begins its chorus with “Glitch mode / My entire body is faulty, reload / I’m dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, headache,” alluding to how having a crush can make a person feel as if they are glitching. Although it is difficult to understand the nuance of the song’s lyrics through the English translation of the original Korean lyrics, a clearer picture is painted through the love story told in the music video that accompanies the title track. The music video features the song’s distinctive choreography where the boys created a glitching effect by dancing to the song twice as fast. Slower, and more gentle songs can also be found in this album. “Better Than Gold,” for example, sends the message that the time people have now is a gift worth more than gold with all the members singing, “The pouring light will give you a gift / The tomorrow that will meet you shines brighter than gold.” “Rewind” reveals a more personal wish of the NCT DREAM members with the lines “I want that old vibe, that feeling / I’ll sing it again, that song that moved you / Just like when it was 8.25,” referencing the date they all debuted as teenagers. Through a combination of songs
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with addictive beats and others with slower and more meaningful lines, Glitch Mode - The 2nd Album provides a beautiful variety of songs to match different kinds of moods. Songs such as “Saturday Drip” and “Never Goodbye” largely contrast one another with the former exclusively featuring the group’s rappers MARK, JENO, JAEMIN, and JISUNG, while the latter is a ballad that focuses on the sweet vocals sung by RENJUN, HAECHAN, and CHENLE. The diversity in their sound allows for a more exciting listening experience including something for those who prefer different genres. The departure from upbeat bubblegum pop to a more modern and hip-hop style in this album shows the growth the members have gone through since the beginning of their careers. The youngest member JISUNG said, “We were really young and cute during [our debut single] ‘Chewing Gum’ promotions ... When we listen to ‘Glitch Mode,’ we feel that we’ve grown and matured. I felt like I was growing up with the album.” With Glitch Mode - The 2nd Album, NCT DREAM displays their growth as artists to the world with their new sound. Production: 9/10 Lyrics: 8.5/10 Vocals: 9.5/10 Overall: 9/10
Sonic the hedgehog 2 : Heroism and friendship
IMDB.COM
By Elaheh Khazi Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the highly anticipated sequel to director Jeff Fowler’s Sonic the Hedgehog, was released in theaters on April 8 after a year-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though its acting is suboptimal, the movie incorporates a combination of humor, adventure, and a heartwarming message targeting younger audiences about friendship and growing up. The movie picks up shortly after where the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie ended: Sonic (Ben Schwartz) now lives in Green Hills with Tom Wachowski (James Marsden), the sheriff, and Tom’s wife, Maddie (Tika Sumpter), and aims to become a hero to save people by interfering with police activity. His skills and dedication to achieving this goal are put to the test when Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey),
the main antagonist of the first film, returns with Knuckles (Idris Elba), his new partner in crime, in search of an emerald that has the power to destroy society. Sonic teams up with Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), a fan of his, to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands. Through their journey, Sonic learns the truth about being a hero and the importance of friendship. Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s plot is its true strength. Knitted with funny jokes that humor the intended young audience, the movie’s storytelling produces a heartwarming message for the audience. Sonic begins with only a few friends and yearns to be a beloved hero. But by the end of the movie, Sonic learns that true friendship is the real gift in life, and he must be patient for his time as a hero to come. This realization comes to him after reuniting with Tom and Maddie at the end of the film. Sonic, at last, realizes
why Tom and Maddie tell him to wait for the right time to become a beloved hero, which communicates to the audience the importance of patience and waiting to grow up. Aside from communicating a meaningful message, the movie also has a star-studded cast that boosts its fame. Many actors returned from the first movie to reprise their roles, and additional actors were also introduced to play new characters, such as Randall (Shemar Moore), Knuckles, and Tails. But despite this well-rounded cast, the acting is subpar. Throughout the film, the live-action actors act unnaturally and sometimes even in a cringe-worthy manner. For example, Dr. Robotnik speaks strangely with his minion, and in some scenes, Dr. Robotnik cracks grotesque jokes. However, the film’s cinematography, as well as its camerawork, make up for the poor acting by creating an otherwise immersive experience. The
dual presence of animated characters, such as Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, and live-action actors, such as Tom, Maddie, and Dr. Robotnik, contribute to adding new angles to the movie. Furthermore, the integration of the animated characters in the setting of the real world feels natural, thanks to the film’s stellar editing. Although Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has its shortcomings in its acting, it creates a story that teaches its audience a powerful message about who a true hero is and why friendship is important. The stellar cinematography only adds to its fame. Fowler’s new film is worth a watch, especially for younger audiences because of its strong message. Acting: 7/10 Cinematography: 9/10 Plot: 9/10 Setting: 8/10 Overall: 8.3/10
SMOKIE PLAYLIST: MEGH: “Perfect Places” by Lorde | AMANDA: “One Last Time” by Ariana Grande | LARRY: “Feels Like” by Gracie Abrams | ALINA: “As the World Caves In” by Matt Maltese
April Apocalypse
ISABELLA: “Exhale” by Sabrina Carpenter | SAKSHI: “S.T.A.Y.” by Hans Zimmer | LILY: “Ah puh” by IU | NITHIKA: “Beauty And A Beat” by Justin Beiber, Nicki Minaj JACKIE: “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles | NAVEED: “needy” by Ariana Grande | HELEN: “Unlearn (with Gracie Abrams)” by benny blanco, Gracie Abrams | JOANNE: “Hand Covers Bruise” by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross | ANVI: “Real Thing” by Ruel | JERRY: “The Crown” by SUPER JUNIOR | MINGXIN: “Elliot’s Song” by Dominic Fike | JESSICA: “Pluto Projector” by Rex Orange County | TANISHA: “Castaways” by The Backyardigans | MRS. COHEN: “Stairway to Heaven - Remaster” by Led Zeppelin
16 Sports
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Friday, April 29, 2022
Varsity Softball Take Tough 4-17 Loss to Kennedy By Waylon Li & Angela Xiong Staff Writers On April 5, Varsity Softball went head-to-
batting, and spirit, both teams played aggresfought hard but unfortunately lost to the Tiwith a record of 3-2. Coming off previous seasons with zero wins due to several new players, MSJ transformed their previous losing streak into a solid start, welcoming several experienced underclassmen travel ball players — league players that compete in local and national tournaments. Freshman Anjali Singh played third baseman.
overall team talent is a little bit higher [because] we have some very seasoned players that have played a lot of travel ball,” Junior Varsity Softball Coach Ray Scherer said. quickly established a swift rhythm, with Pan executing a strike out and ground out against ley is one of our main players. Our team couldn’t function without her,” Co-Captain well-matched and fast-paced, with both teams’ exceptional pitches leading to multiple strikeouts. As the game progressed into the second struggled greatly with batting in the second intheir fourth batter striking out, the second inning came to an end. Despite MSJ’s initial setbacks in the second
Freshman Hailey Pan pitches the ball.
inning, the team refused to abandon hope and remained consistent with their offense and de-
about what we could work on and looking into quite a few more wins,” Bhima said.
bottom of the third inning during which Bhima’s hit allowed for two runs batted in. At the omore Amanda Deng hit a home run, allowing for an additional run. Despite the team’s run-rule style, a rule that states a game ends afonce a team is ahead by ten runs. Despite the loss, the team feels optimistic about their upcoming games, hoping to apply lessons and improvements from this game, Co-Captain Junior Trisha Bhima gets ready to bat.
tremendous growth in not only technical skill level, but also in the team’s collaborative spirit. MVAL schools), the team credits their success to their team chemistry and inclusive leaderbelievably good to their teammates, uplifting, teaching them without any kind of arrogant attitude. To me, when that happens, all the players [are] willing to put out 150%. A huge piece of the success of the team is the leadership of PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS WAYLON LI & ANGELA XIONG.
Track and Field Outrace Logan in Their Last Seasonal Meet By Aaryan Suri & Aaron Zhou Staff Writers
the Varsity Boys 1600 Meter Race with a new personal best time of 4:59:15. For the Varsity Girls 1600 Meter Race, Girls Long Distance think Aneri really stood out today,” Girls Long Distance Co-Captain Senior Cheryl Chuang our top runners.” The Varsity Boys and Girls 3200 Meter Race ever, Junior Siddhant Chakraborty and Boys Long Distance Co-Captain Senior Nikhil Menon successfully turned the tables during the
The Boys Varsity 1600-meter race begins.
On April 6, MSJ Track and Field competed against the James Logan Colts in their last league meet of the season. The meet saw some
Varsity and Frosh/Soph divisions respectively. ry with a decisive overall scoring of 275-210. As the meet kicked off with the Varsity
10:52.67. Going into the meet with many roster changes due to injuries, Track and Field Head Coach Brian Singleton nonetheless stresses the ture of the team. “[This is] the last chance that [the team] will get to see all the other runners before the upcoming championship games,” Singleton said. This meet indeed impacts the competition prior to the MVAL Championships matches. Moving forward, the team anticipates more breakthroughs in the upcoming invitationals be afraid of their opponents, and as much as [personal records], strive for the best, and be
Leonard Chiu was especially happy with the team’s performance, and expects to see even more improvement from the athletes in the
second with respective times of 10:42.90 and
on increasing the team’s endurance and persistence during the 200 [Meter Dash] and 100 [Meter Dash],” Chiu said. in the hurdles, jumps, and throwing events. the Varsity Girls 100 Meter Hurdles, Sopho-
ishing the race just shy of 53 seconds. Similarfor every race in the 100 Meter Dash and 200 Meter Dash events. One athlete that particularly stood out in these events was Sophomore Phoenix Hin, who placed second in the Varsity Boys 200 Meter Dash. Boys Short Distance Co-Captain Junior
Varsity Girls 300 Meter Hurdles. The Varsity Boys also put up a valiant effort in the 300 Meter Hurdles, with Junior Brian Loh claiming seconds. put up similarly impressive times, notably in The MSJ Track and Field Team PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS AARYAN SURI & AARON ZHOU.
Friday, April 29, 2022
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Sports 17
Farewell Coach Doug Sakamoto “I would like to thank my coaching staff, especially Coach Tan [Tran], who has been with me as my assistant coach for multiple years. He has been a driving force of the success we have had because he developed the JV players and over time made them contribute to the varsity team. Also, [I would like to thank] my assistant Coach [Chris] Joo, he has been with me most of the time, especially in the last couple of years, he has made things easier by planning basketball practices and editing the scouting video. I would like to thank Coach [Thomas] Thomsen, who has been with me from the beginning. It is sort of ironic that we are retiring at the same time. He has been extremely supportive of me, and I cannot thank him enough for first hiring me and then mentoring me and guiding me, and helping me along the way. I would like to thank the administration for supporting me. I have been lucky to have gone through three principals, with Mr. Evans being the last one. They have shown nothing but support, and they have come to games, home or away, and playoff games. I also wanted to add [that] I’m so proud that the players have succeeded in life after high school. Many have gone onto college, graduated, and have found successful careers. Others have traveled around the world and experienced different cultures. While others have become dedicated and loving wives and mothers. All of the success in the program does not fall in my lap, it is a combination of myself, the coaches, the athletic director, the parents, the administration, and the players. It is just a great place to coach, it is a coaching utopia. Any coach in my position would have had a great time if not more because of all the people who surrounded my program.” — VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH DOUG SAKAMOTO they are adversaries on the court but friends of mine off the court, sort of a coaching fraternity.
SS: your return to MSJ as a coach?
By Elaheh Khazi Staff Writer
SS: Do you have any prior experience in basketball or other sports?
DS:
Recently, the Varsity Girls Basketball coach, Doug Sakamoto announced his retirement, having coached girls basketball for 21 years and been the varsity head coach for 14 years at MSJ. In his interview with the Smoke Signal as a coach and his favorite parts of his experience at MSJ.
DS: My dad was the high school boys coach at
years at MSJ. A lot of it was due to classmates
grew up in a basketball family. My two younger
a great group of core friends, and the teachers and sports were great four-year experiences for me. Because of that, it did play a part in my
four years at MSJ, the last two on the varsity team.
SS: As a coach, what has your ultimate goal been for the team, and have they achieved it? DS: The goal year in and year out is to be competitive and to get the most out of the talent -
SS: here as a coach?
The Smoke Signal: a high school sports coach?
-
DS: On the court, it had to be the year that we Doug Sakamoto:
coach who got [the position] hired me as his JV
enough out of the team. Year in and year out
DS: that the players that come through our program are coachable. They are highly motivated
teaching there, and they were pretty good. it would be fun to coach them, but that didn’t draw me to coaching. Then, one day, Coach Thomsen saw me in the hallway at Chadbourne and told me there was a varsity coach -
SS: about coaching at MSJ?
why the decision [to retire] is easier to make. [as a coach] because they enjoyed being with
crowded it was in the gym [and how] everyone grades. They are just good people and the success is catered to their willingness to play The crowd left the stands and came onto the court, and it was crazy. That win got us into cals.
only made a successful year on the court but nothing but good memories of the girls in the program.
PHOTOS COURTESY DOUG SAKAMOTO. GRAPHICS BY STAFF WRITER KARINA HAN.
Athlete Spotlight: Troy Holcomb By Nessa Tong & Elton Yu Staff Writers as possible to leave time for his extracurricuery week throughout the year. He admits that although he sometimes prioritizes his responsibilities to his teammates over schoolwork, he Although the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the school sports seasons and closed many gyms and clubs, Holcomb continued to prospect of not having a sports season and lack of interaction with teammates was ex-
wasn’t so alone anymore.” This year, Holcomb earned the titles of Year for Boys Soccer, and was a captain of both Cross Country and Boys Volleyball. He is currently looking to get recruited for volleyball, with cross country as a second option for athletic trainer. For others wanting to start a new sport, Holcomb recommends just going for it. “There’s nothing to lose,” he said. “Even if you don’t like it, you can just quit or not try out the next year. But if you love it, it’s something
said. However, he reached out to friends and family to exercise together. Eventually, when
fying for NCS in both Cross Country and Boys Soccer, the sports career of three-season varwith success. Holcomb’s passion and dedication on the varsity teams of MSJ Boys Soccer, Boys Volleyball, and Cross Country have made him indispensable to MSJ’s sports success. After his mother introduced him to soccer in fourth grade, he gradually picked up volleyand competitive person.” Because of his parents’ support in pushing him to try new things and improve himself, he quickly gained a passion for sports. to meet new people, many of whom have
become some of Holcomb’s closest friends. Through long car rides to volleyball tournaments and Spicy Ramen Challenges with his Cross Country teammates, he has formed bonds that carried on throughout his high school career and kept him motivated. On top of fostering meaningful relationships, sports have also allowed Holcomb to experience carrying the weight of responsibility. Volleyball team, he is tasked with leading the team’s offense and executing plays. Although he faces pressure to make and carry out decisions for the team, he enjoys the challenge and Holcomb said. comb has learned to streamline his homework routine. Focusing on getting work done as fast PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS NESSA TONG & ELTON YU, COURTESY TROY HOLCOMB. GRAPHICS BY STAFF WRITER AYUSHI KASHYAP.
18 Sports
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The Smoke Signal
Friday, April 29, 2022
Compiled by Esther Lau, Jason Tang & Kaitlyn Wang Staff Writers
national
LOCAL MERCURYNEWS.COM
Santa Clara County announces construction plans for a massive public soccer complex
international NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Legendary Basketball Coach K retires after 47 years
On April 5, the San Jose Earthquakes entered a year-long Exclusive Negotiating Agreement with Santa Clara County the opportunity to have more places for children and families to play and be outside in such a healthy way,” Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez said. The complex will also
REUTERS.COM
Russians banned from 2022 World Figure Skating Championships -
the most wins in college basketball history at 1202 wins, the second most national championship wins at 5, three Olympic gold medals, and a spot in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. After announcing that he would retire at the end of the
Skating Championships took place from March 21-27 in MontValieva’s doping scandal, Russian skaters were absent from all
el Hill in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Final Four
all Russian and Belarusian skaters from its events due to the tionally Russian-dominated competition, leading to athletes like
eventually lost to the North Carolina Tar Heels 77-81, conclud-
gold and 16-year-old Bay Area native Alysa Liu winning bronze.
region to not require rents or permits from players, promot-
GRAPHICS BY STAFF WRITER CHRISTY HUANG.
Boys Golf
By Ruhani Chhabra, Charlize Chiu, Anandita Devata, Christy Huang, Aditya Patil, Aaryan Suri & Aaron Zhou Staff Writers
Boys Tennis Record: 14-0 3/8 vs. Newark Memorial: 7-0 (W) 3/10 vs. American: 6-1 (W) 3/15 vs. Kennedy: Default (W) 3/17 vs. Moreau Catholic: 7-0 (W) 3/21 vs. James Logan: 6-1 (W) 3/23 vs. Washington: 7-0 (W) 3/25 vs. Irvington: 6-1 (W) 3/29 vs. Newark Memorial: 7-0 (W) 3/31 vs. American: 7-0 (W) 4/4 vs. Kennedy: Default (W) 4/6 vs. Moreau Catholic: 7-0 (W) 4/8 vs. James Logan: 6-1 (W) 4/12 vs. Washington: 4-3 (W) 4/14 vs. Irvington: 6-1 (W)
Check out the remaining spring sports results:
Record: 8-0 3/1 vs. American: 202-265 (W) 3/10 vs. Washington: 199-273 (W) 3/10 vs. American: 199-243 (W) 3/15 vs. Washington: 187-278 (W) 3/17 vs. Moreau Catholic: 196-268 (W) 3/17 vs. Irvington: 196-225 (W) 3/22 vs. Newark Memorial: 200-282 (W) 3/30 vs. Moreau Catholic: 201-251 (W) 4/7 vs. Newark Memorial: 197-270 (W) 4/7 vs. Irvington: 197-222 (W)
Baseball Record: 5-3 as of 4/14 3/23 vs. Washington: 5-4 (W) 3/25 vs. Washington: 6-7 (L) 3/30 vs. Irvington: 5-18 (L) 4/1 vs. Irvington: 10-5 (W) 4/6 vs. Newark Memorial: 12-6 (W) 4/8 vs. Newark Memorial: 1-2 (L) 4/12 vs. American: 7-6 (W) 4/14 vs. American: 4-1 (W)
Swimming Record: 7-0 3/4 vs. Irvington: 235-102 (W) 3/11 vs. Newark Memorial: 147-89 (W) 3/18 vs. American: 163-138 (W) 3/25 vs. Kennedy: 270-52 (W) 3/30 vs. James Logan: 198-142 (W) 4/1 vs Moreau Catholic: 177-54 (W) 4/14 vs. Washington: 192-147 (W) GRAPHICS BY STAFF WRITER HANNAH SHEN.
GRAPHICS BY OPINION EDITOR SAKSHI UMROTKAR.
Friday, April 29, 2022
The Smoke Signal
WWW.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG
Photo 19
Embracing Neurodiversity:
Special Education Department By Shaily Desai, Jennie Wang & Kaitlyn Wang
Staff Writers Neurodiversity refers to variations of the human brain, encompassing a viewpoint that atypical behavioral and mental traits are all within the range of human diversity. To promote a greater understanding of neurodiversity within the MSJ community, the Smoke Signal has spotlighted the MSJ Special Education Department’s programs, teachers, and classroom activities.
MSJ Special Education Department Overview
The Special Education Department is dedicated to providing educational and community support to students with special needs, adopting a curriculum that emphasizes academic, functional, and vocational skills. The goal of the department is to prepare students for functional independence by teaching independent living, social skills and communication, personal management, and functional mathematics and English. Depending on whether their needs are mild, moderate, or severe, students are divided into three department sectors, each having their own teachers and curriculum.
TEACHERS
Students with moderate to severe disabilities are taught by Special Education Department Teacher Sujata Singh, who began teaching at MSJ in 2013 and has been working to hone her students’ functional and vocational skills ever since. Teaching alongside Singh are Special Education Department Paraprofessionals Rashida Patel, Lindzay Cosper, and Sherry Zhou, who aid Singh with class instruction, assist the students during activities, ensure all students are being included during class, and help with classroom management.
Classroom ACTIVITIES
Within the Special Education Department, fun and interactive classroom activities are important to build communication skills and keep students engaged. Projects such as ceramics give students an avenue to explore their creativity and motor skills, whereas relaxing activities like gardening can make for an engaging lesson on recycling. An Easter project in which students create miniature Easter egg farms out of cardboard, construction paper, and styrofoam cutouts is just one example of the seasonal arts and crafts activities that the class participates in. “It’s really fun seeing them be able to be proud of their own artwork, because there’s no wrong way to do art. So it’s really good to see, you know, just having that calming time and see them express themselves,” Singh said.
Classroom Instruction
With each student having their own way of learning, the Individualized Education Plan incorporates their respective, unique goals into their daily classroom instruction. Additionally, the district plan prioritizes community-based instruction, in which students visit organizations outside of MSJ to explore job and volunteering opportunities. “I have taken them to the library, animal shelters, [and] retirement homes and they interacted with the adults [and] played games with them for a good two hours or so,” Singh said. Singh and the paraeducators hope to see greater understanding and respect towards neurodiversity circulating in this community at large. “These kids need to learn their style. Don’t try to change the child,” Singh said. “Try to change your attitude and the world around them.”
Around 80% of neurodiverse individuals are unemployed.
1 in 54 people are on the spectrum.
19.4% of undergraduate students are considered neurodiverse.
GRAPHICS BY GRAPHICS EDITOR MINGXIN WANG, PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS SHAILY DESAI, JENNIE WANG & KAITLYN WANG.
20 Photo
The Smoke Signal
WWW.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG
Friday, April 29, 2022
Guide to
LOCAL
BOTANICAL
GARDENS By Rohan Bhagat, Sarina Li & Maryam Naseer
Staff Writers
NECTAR GARDEN INTRO The Bay Area is home to several beautiful botanical gardens, all of which have stunning flora and other attractions. With the arrival of spring, these gardens are in full bloom, making it the perfect time to explore them.
Dating back to 1967, Coyote Hills Regional Park is one of the most preserved historical parks located at 8000 Patterson Ranch Road in Fremont. As part of the park, the visitor center has a bird and butterfly nectar garden adjacent to it and is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. A stone path winds through the garden, lined with different types of wildflowers and plants. Hidden in the upper portion of the garden surrounded by tall trees lies a table where visitors can enjoy time alone. A conserved centerpiece of the park is the Butterfly Vivarium, created in April 2000, which displays live butterflies among other plants. The benches found throughout the garden make a great stopping place to sit and enjoy the view of nature at work.
MEYERS COTTAGE AND DRY CREEK GARDEN Settled into the lush mountains of Union City at 550 May Road, the Dry Creek Garden offers an expansive garden experience. In the early and mid 1900s, the Meyer sisters owned the 1600-acre plot of land, which was opened as Dry Creek Regional Park, and used it to host various charity and fundraising events. In 1979, the sisters gifted the land to the East Bay Regional Park District, which still maintains it today. Upon walking through the impressive stone gates, visitors are greeted with countless nooks and crannies stocked full of succulents, flowers, and greenery. The open layout allows for unrestricted exploration of the largely untouched land. Towering trees dominate the area, keeping most of the garden comfortably shaded. Some visitors may even discover a tuckedaway vegetable garden and chicken coop after exploring far enough.
Niles ROSE GARDEN Tucked away in Niles, the California Nursery Historical Park features a bountiful amount of beautiful roses and other attractions. Although the park itself is currently undergoing renovations, the Rose Garden, located at 36550 Niles Blvd., is still open to the public, making it an ideal location for a peaceful walk. The garden is cared for by volunteers and features a variety of roses, well-maintained paths, and shaded benches. Aside from the Rose Garden, it also features a Japanese shade garden, a succulent garden, and other cute attractions such as a miniature windmill and fountains, which create the perfect place to relax and smell the roses.
C.R. STONE GARDEN Founded in 2008, LEAF is the creation of Fremont residents who had a vision of instituting a community garden within Fremont’s historic Niles district. With the support of dozens of volunteers and Fremont businesses, LEAF Center opened in October 2014. The C.R. Stone Garden, LEAF’s second site, is located on 55 Mowry Ave. in Fremont. It is open on Thursdays for volunteers to come in from 9 a.m.-12 p.m and will be open in the summertime on Mondays and Thursdays. The C.R. Stone Garden is an educational and philanthropic garden that includes an apiary, greenhouse, and lath house. Throughout the year, vegetables are grown, harvested, and donated to local food banks to feed people in need. The C.R. Stone Garden has a layout that is conducive to growing produce and offers a variety of opportunities for gardening enthusiasts.
Kato MEMORIAL Garden Only a short walk into the Shinn Historical Park and Arboretum at 1251 Peralta Blvd., Kato Memorial Garden is a hidden wonder in every sense. This cozy one-eighth acre garden was dedicated in 1983 to honor George Kato, a known businessman and civic leader, and the Japanese-American community’s contributions to South Alameda. Mai Kitazawa Arbegast, a notable landscape architect, designed the garden, while volunteers from the Kato family, community, and the City of Fremont built it. Upon walking through the rustic wooden gates, visitors can walk down the stone-laid path to the azumaya, taking in the delicate red maple trees and cherry blossoms along the way. The peaceful atmosphere is completed by sitting beneath the shade and observing the harmony of the man-made architectural elements against the natural background. GRAPHICS BY GRAPHICS EDITOR MINGXIN WANG, PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS ROHAN BHAGAT, SARINA LI & MARYAM NASEER.