Volume LIX, No. 9

3 FEATURE

OPINION

COLLEGE PROTESTS

THE VOL. 59, NO. 9

7 CENTERSPREAD

CLASS 0F 2024 MAP

FAREWELL TO RETIRING TEACHERS

20

10-11 GRAPHICS

PICNICKING IN THE BAY AREA

SMOKE SIGNAL MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL

May 24, 2024

41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539

2023-24 YEAR IN REVIEW

“One of the highlights of the year for Civics Club was bringing in our first guest speaker, Alameda County Board of Education member Cheryl Cook-Kallio. [...] It was something that all club members found very interesting and something we plan on doing again!” — Civics Club President Vikram Mahajan, 10

By Hannah Bi, Rajorshi Chatterjee, Tanvi Deshmukh & Alice Zhao Staff Writers As the 2023-24 school year draws to a close, the Smoke Signal summarizes a year filled with major events and updates, highlighting club milestones, sports achievements, updated facilities, and more.

Clubs Over the course of the past year, MSJ has seen a drastic increase in new clubs. 20 were established in the past school year, including MSJ Indian Student Association, which aims to celebrate Indian culture through meetings and school events, and MSJ Civics Club, which discusses America’s history and government. Similarly, other clubs on campus have made significant progress, as MSJ DECA performed well at this year’s International Career Development Conference (ICDC), with Juniors Nathan Ko and Anson Lam placing first in the Virtual Business Challenge Restaurant track and four other students placing as Top 10 finalists. MSJ Model United Nations (MUN) members, in which students simulate real UN conferences, received 28 awards over the course of 7 conferences, notably Junior Fiona Hsu earning Best Delegate awards at Bay Area MUN Conference. MSJ Speech and Debate saw high success in recent invitational competitions, with Junior Shardul Marathe placing first in Informative Speaking at the California High School Speech Association State Championship, and a couple other students placing within the top five throughout 5 other invitationals.

School Events

School Updates

Starting the school year on a high note, MSJ’s annual Green and White Assembly, which used to be on the last day of Homecoming Week, took place on the second week of school. The assembly introduced Principal Amy Perez and other faculty and also featured the first-ever student-faculty dance led by MSJ COR officers. As the holiday season approached, Honors Chemistry Teacher Katy Kuei brought a new tradition called Chemmy Carols, an opportunity for her students to perform classic Christmas songs infused with unique chemistry references and jokes to the rest of their class. At Leadership 2 (L2) Community Committee’s annual Charity Fashion Show on February 23, class officers from each grade presented a lip sync to recent hit songs dressed in themes such as the game Subway Surfers. On March 27, the annual Spring Fling included the first-ever Night Market, where student-owned businesses such as Lichalicious Macarons and Candracatures, and clubs, including MSJ Korean Club, sold handmade goods such as stickers.

Sports

This school year, MSJ staff have been preparing to transition from Infinite Campus to Aeries Student Information System, an initiative to introduce a more intuitive and accessible platform.

Concurrently, ParentSquare was launched in the fall as a unified communications platform to increase transparency between MSJ faculty and parents. In addition, due to past phishing emails sent to students and staff and other concerns, MSJ is refreshing networks to increase security to prevent future mishaps and boost its effectiveness. Plans for classes and facilities are also underway. Drama 1 has been established as a seventh period elective class open to all grade levels taught by Social Studies Teacher Keith Kottenbach next year. To enhance students’ athletic experience, the track is being resurfaced and regraded and the gym floor is being refinished. Finally, MSJ administrators have partnered with the MPPFA to implement breathwork activities into the PE curriculum.

This curriculum will start in the next school year and is intended to be taught to all 9th and 10th graders who can carry the relaxation skills into their future years of high school.

STEM

ARts

Throughout the year, MSJ students earned Many MSJ sports teams performed MSJ students have also made phenomenally in the past year, with Girls several awards at regional, state, national, stunning achievements in the various and Boys Tennis, Girls Golf, and Girls Boys and international levels in STEM subjects. arts as well. In the Scholastic Art Awards, Badminton all winning MVALs. Across all sea- Locally, many students presented at the Ala- out of 6,700 submissions, MSJ students Emily Huang, and sons, 15 teams have qualified for NCS: Girls and meda County Science and Engineering Fair Terry Wang both earned a gold key, the highest award. Students Boys Golf, Girls and Boys Tennis, Girls and Boys (ACSEF) and the Fremont Engineering Expo. have excelled in dance as well. MSJ Ishaara performed at Chase Water Polo, Girls and Boys Volleyball, Cross More than 10 MSJ students placed fourth or Center during a Golden State Warriors game in November and Country, Girls and Boys Swim, Boys and Girls higher at ACSEF, and Sophomore Connie Li, later placed Second at the Bay Area’s inaugural high school dance Badminton, and Track & Field and Girls Softball. Junior Monish Jonnadula, and Junior Drishti competition Baazi. “Seeing our hard work pay off by winning Best Numerous athletes also achieved new records or high Sethia all placed second. After getting third Choreography at the first ever high school Bay Area Bollywood placings in the individual rounds, qualifying for or winning at the Bay Area Regional Tournament, MSJ dance competition was amazing,” MSJ Ishaara Co-Captain JuNCS. Boys Tennis performed exceptionally in the individual Science Olympiad advanced to the Northern nior Aneesh Potnis said. In addition, MSJ Universal Performers held MVALs Singles and Doubles tournaments, with athletes advanc- California Science Olympiad State Tourna- multiple performances at MSJ and attended the Lenaea High ing to the finals of each. Co-Captain Senior Krish Gupta defeated ment. At this state-level championship, MSJ School Theatre Festival. MSJ students have received awards in Senior Shreyas Rathi in the Singles tour- Science Olympiad won first in the Wind Pow- music as well. In April, at the California Music Educators Associanament, and advanced to win the NCS er and Disease Detective events, placing 6th tion (CMEA) band festiSingles tournament. Co-Captains Seniors overall. MSJ Science Bowl also qualified for val, the judges awarded Waylon Li and Anay Joshi defeated Se- nationals after placing first at the California MSJ’s Wind Ensemble nior Nikhil Ramani and Junior Jayden Sandia National Lab Science Bowl Regional and Orchestra with a Kim in the finals of the MVALs Boys Ten- Competition, placing within the top 8 schools unanimous Superior. nis Doubles Tournament. Both teams also nationwide. The For Inspiration and Recogni- In addition, MSJ Color advanced to the Boys Tennis NCS Dou- tion in Science and Technology (FIRST) Tech Guard received second bles tournament, and won 3rd and 1st, Challenge team 9614 Hyperion, composed of place at the California respectively. Senior Phoenix Hin made mostly MSJ and Irvington students and led by Color Guard Circuit history as the first MSJ athlete to become Team Captain Junior Patrick Chu, became the competitions in Frean MVAL 100 meter All-League Cham- first Tech Challenge team from MSJ to qualify mont, Oak Grove, and pion. Ten MSJ athletes are also advanc- for the FIRST World Championship, in which Color Guard Circuit ing to play their sport at their respective they became a division finalist.

Championships. universities this fall.

PHOTOS BY THE SMOKE SIGNAL ARCHIVES, COURTESY DEVANG RAINA, DOE NATIONAL SCIENCE BOWL, SHOWSTOPPER PRODUCTIONS. GRAPHICS BY NEWS EDITOR KAYLEE LIU

ONLINE

THIS MONTH

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HIT ME HARD AND SOFT ALBUM REVIEW

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: SHARDUL MARATHE

Teasing fans with billboards across the country, Billie Eilish’s third studio album, the album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT was released on May 17 of this year. View the full review on our website.

Junior Shardul Marathe won 1st at the California High School Speech Association State Championships for Informative Speaking.

View the Smoke Signal’s full student spotlight on our website.

FOR MORE COVERAGE, VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG

2 News

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NEWS in

BRIEF Compiled by Brittany Lu, Fiona Yang & Lucas Zhang Staff Writers

LOCAL Fremont Fire Department Milpitas sent a battalion chief, three engines, and a truck to support Fremont firefighters.

Fremont and Milpitas Fire Departments respond to local blaze.

On May 10, a three-alarm fire blared through a commercial building on Milmont Drive in Fremont. The Fremont Fire Department responded to the blaze shortly after 2 a.m. and shared dramatic photos on social media showing flames and smoke engulfing the roof of the building.

Firefighters from both Fremont and Milpitas worked tirelessly to contain the fire, and by 3:30 a.m., they were able to successfully extinguish the flames within 90 minutes. No one was injured in the incident, but the cause of the fire remains under investigation. While Fremont crews remained on scene throughout the morning to monitor for potential flare-ups, Milpitas firefighters returned to their station after the initial containment.

National Jason Koerner / Getty Images Nealy claimed that he never agreed to license the music and that he was unaware it was being used while he was in prison.

US Supreme Court rules against Warner Chapell Music in copyright infringement case.

On May 9, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Miami music producer against Warner Music over a song by rapper Flo Rida. Authored by Justice Elena Kagan, the court ruled 6-3, supporting the lower court’s decision to favor plaintiff Sherman Nealy. Nealy’s label Music Specialist owns rights to an electronic dance song called “Jam the Box”, which Nealy sued Warner artist Flo Rida for using elements of “Jam the Box” in his song “In the Ayer”.

According to the US statute of limitations for bringing a copyright-infringement, Nealy can recover damages for infringements during the three years prior to his filing the lawsuit.

INTERNATIONAL JFK/APA/AFP via Getty Images This was the largest solar storm to hit Earth in 20 years.

Northern lights seen across the world due to intense solar storm.

Beginning on May 10, the world’s strongest geomagnetic storm in the past 20 years started as waves of X-class solar flares hit Earth. The flares associated with the peak of the current solar cycle originated from Sunspot Region 3664, which is considered a magnetically complex region of the Sun that is larger than Earth. This region was also the site of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that have caused the geomagnetic storm, which started as a G5 storm as classified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The storms have led to power outages and service disruptions, but it also led to the northern lights being visible across all 50 US states and most of the world.

corrections

for the APRIL 26, 2024 issue A&E Pg. 13: TK should be capitalized as such.

A&E Pg. 14: Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of

Kids TV features Aaron Bell.

The Smoke Signal

Friday, May 24, 2024

First-ever Cinco De Mayo Fest celebrates Hispanic heritage The festival was a partnership between Checos Rescue Ranch and West Coast Makers. festival allowed businesses to expand their lombian artist Chika Di, and fusion pop group network and build life-long relationships. SuenaTron. From the stage overlooking the “With the network of people that we have, festivities, loudspeakers blasted music from the From 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on May 5, they’re bouncing ideas off of each other and live performances to all corners of the event, Checos Rescue Ranch and West Coast Mak- that’s where the growth happens,” Aguilar immersing the audience in rich music. Every ers collaborated to host their first Annual said. performer group added their own flair to the Cinco de Mayo Fest at the Ohlone College event. At around 2 p.m, SuenaTron took the Newark Center. Featuring more than 90 stage, weaving its drum, guitar, and accordion vendors, a kid’s zone, and multiple live stage instrumentals into their signature music style. performances, the event celebrated the MexAs they blended pop, cumbia, norteño, and ican festival of Cinco de Mayo and the rich rap into their fusion music, attendees surged Hispanic heritage in the Bay Area, encouragforward, sweeping up vibrant energy emanating people of all backgrounds to join in and ing from the stage. While SuenaTron sang in participate in the festivities.

Spanish and poured their souls into the instruCinco de Mayo, a cultural festival celementals, the audience clapped and sang along brated in parts of Mexico and the US, origi- Attendees had the opportunity to choose from several food to their rhythm. nated in 1862 to commemorate the Mexican trucks and stalls.

With the wide variety of attractions and acvictory against the French in the Battle of To celebrate Mexican cuisine, food stalls tivities at the Cinco de Mayo Foodie Fest, atPuebla. In hopes of honoring this Mexican sold a wide range of traditional Mexican deli- tendee engagement was overwhelmingly positradition, Checos Rescue Ranch and West cacies and unique Mexican fusions, featuring tive. From sampling delicious Mexican cuisine Coast Makers, an organization dedicated to remixed fried rice and a large variety of fla- to browsing local vendor’s unique merchandise, fostering community engagement with local vors of aguas frescas. The festival’s vendors attendees eagerly participated in the festivities businesses, brought the festival to life, offer- also included multiple small crafts businesses and immersed themselves in Mexican culture. ing cultural foods and performances open to that sold items from crocheted bouquets to “[Our aspiration is to see] the public coming the public for free. West Coast Makers has handmade jewelry to candle and sticker busi- out, people enjoying themselves, kids playing, been hosting similar free community events nesses. As parents conversed with vendors, and different communities coming together,” and food fests throughout the Bay Area since their children explored kid-friendly activities Aguilar said. ▪ they first invested in community outreach in like face painting, a bouncy house, and interJune 2023. “Our goal is to continue to have active games. With colorfully decorated food free community events for the public to en- trucks parked in intervals, hand-drawn caljoy and hopefully be at the Alameda County ligraphy wrapping booth signs, and the irreFairgrounds within time,” West Coast Mak- sistible scent of cultural foods lining streets ers Founder Tatiana Aguilar said. of Ohlone College, the event cultivated a busUplifting local community and culture, tling and vibrant festival environment. the event welcomed vendors and small busiIn addition to the engaging booths and nesses from across the Bay Area to showcase cuisine, the festival spotlighted a diverse and promote their businesses. By providing range of performers, including Nigerian small businesses with the opportunity to col- afrobeats artist Big Klef, Pan-American hip Vendors sold jewelery, knitted plants, and craft supplies. laborate and partner with one another, the hop group Los Rakas, DJ Philthy Dronez, CoBy Naisha Koppurapu & Michael Qu Staff Writers

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS NAISHA KOPPURAPU & MICHAEL QU

Berkeley Public Library hosts 10th Annual Bay Area Book Festival The first installment of the Bay Area Book Festival featured booths, activities, guest speakers, and story reading for children and teens.

By Navya Chitlur & Stella Wang Staff Writers On May 4, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., the free event Family Day was held at the Berkeley Public Library. For the first time, the annual Bay Area Book Festival was split into two parts with the second installment set to occur on June 1 and 2. This portion of the festival was geared towards children and teens with a diverse selection of authors and speakers who sold their original books and spoke about the process of creating content for younger generations. The Berkeley Public Library was transformed into a massive indoor venue, where excited crowds of people were treated to five floors worth of books, booths, speakers and authors, such as author-illustrator Sophie Diao and Tunita James, and fun activities. The halls were swarming with families which, paired with a schedule packed with events, created a lively and entertaining atmosphere.

As families stepped through the glass doors and onto the first floor, they witnessed a grand and colorful display of tables lined with books and banners, and walls illuminated with bright and colorful lights. Kids were drawn to stations offering games, coloring books, candy, and contests with prizes, and teenagers were enticed by the teen station in which they could read while waiting for the next speaker’s arrival at the Teen Room Stage, where chairs were arranged in preparation for the scheduled presentations. The first event, Stories for the Littlest Readers, kicked off the festival with authors reading out their stories to the audience. Guests could then explore the venue and experience the rest of the schedule, filled hour-by-hour

In the heart of the library, authors sold and signed their books.

with activities that ranged from storytimes for younger visitors to serious speaker topics, such as book bans and defining home, for more mature audiences.

Each floor in the library accommodated several activities and stages for the speakers, including author-activist Sonya Renee Taylor, author-illustrator C.G. Esperanza, and author-chef Ying Chang Compestine. The speakers, with all their various backgrounds and experience levels, presented the processes and inspirations behind their works throughout the course of the festival. Their combined knowledge in the book writing and illustration industries created the perfect learning experience for visitors, and it was the book festival that tied everyone together. “[The festival] is located right in the heart of Berkeley and it’s a place for all of the Bay Area to come and enjoy. The fact that I get to see other authors, illustrators, librarians, and booksellers all talk to each other in what is a normally very insular, isolated industry [is my favorite part],” Diao said.

Since the timing of the event coincided with annual Star Wars Day, the organizers decided to incorporate the holiday into the Book

Festival as well. At around 1 p.m., organization LudoSport held a lightsaber demonstration, a resounding success that inspired crowds of children to pick up the displayed gear and try lightsaber-combat for themselves. There were maroon banners sectioning off different areas of the floor, beanbags for people to rest in, and long tables with different art supplies laid out for use. On the same floor, organizers held a comic book giveaway event and a comic drawing workshop for children, popular for its appeal to all ages and charm.

At the end of the evening, the speakers and authors began to pack up and reflect on the opportunity and experience they gained from the festival. “These children are so engaged and so in tune with what they like … I’m in awe of it, and I think it’s really important to see the differences in generations and how they react to the stories that we tell,” author Tunita James said. The festival came to a close, marking the end of the first part of the 10th annual Bay Area Book Festival event. The thinning crowd trickled out of the library with the books they bought, crafts they created, and cheerful spirits, all denoting a successful and well-organized festival. ▪ PHOTO BY STAFF WRITER STELLA WANG

Friday, May 24, 2024

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The Smoke Signal

Opinion 3

Pro-Palestinian protests erupt on college campuses, raising concerns of free speech and antisemitism

By Padma Balaji, Rajorshi Chatterjee, Priyanka Shah & Arushi Singh Staff Writers

“[The protests] are detestable, as Columbia has allowed these lawless agitators and radicals to take over. If this is not contained quickly and if these threats and intimidation are not stopped, there is an appropriate time for the National Guard. We have to bring order to these campuses,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said on April 24, in response to pro-Palestinian protests that recently erupted at Columbia University on April 17. The escalating protests have raised concerns about antisemitism, disruption, and freedom of speech violations. University collaboration with the protesters is vital to maintain a peaceful campus atmosphere, uphold freedom of speech, and foster academic discourse.

On Oct. 7, 2023, the militant Palestinian organization Hamas attacked an Israeli settlement in response to the long-standing Israeli occupation of Palestine, killing almost 1200 people and abducting nearly 240 more.

Soon after, Israel invaded a Palestinian territory called the Gaza Strip, which, according to Al Jazeera, a Middle Eastern news network, has led to over 35,000 Palestinian deaths, including the deaths of over 14,000 children as of May 12. Until recently, although the US has supported Israel’s right to defend itself, its vow to dismantle Hamas at all costs has led the country to block the flow of food, water, and medicine into Gaza in what many consider a genocide against the Palestinian people.

Escalation

Initiation

Solutions Work directly with student protestors

As colleges quickly became a hub for both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel activism, many universities came under fire for poorly addressing antisemitism.

A recent study from the ADL Center for Antisemitism Research found that 73% of Jewish college students reported witnessing or experiencing antisemitism on their campus since the start of the 2023-24 year. In response to rising threats of antisemitism, the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy organization, issued a Campus Antisemitism Report card, evaluating schools on their response to antisemitism on campus. Several elite schools, including Harvard, MIT, and Stanford, were among the schools who received an “F” grade.

In order to address concerns of antisemitism on college campuses, Congress held a hearing with the presidents of the colleges of Harvard, MIT, and Columbia. On April 17, Columbia President Minouche Shafik testified in front of Congress, noting that her administration was diligently committed to combatting antisemitism in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict. “Israel was brutally attacked by Hamas terrorists and very soon it became clear that these horrific events would ignite fear and anguish across our campus.

Antisemitism has no place on our campus, and I am personally committed to doing everything I can to confront it directly,” Shafik said. She also strongly criticized her faculty members for their antisemitic remarks, which many considered to be an unfair attack on pro-Palestinian faculty.

Her testimonial further antagonized protesters at Columbia university, who had set up an encampment on the lawn in support of Palestine. The following day, Shafik’s administration deemed the encampment illegal, suspended all students involved, and called the New York Police Department to clear them out. The harsh response to the encampment ignited protests on campuses all across the nation in solidarity with the people in Gaza, as well as students in Columbia, resulting in over 2,900 arrests across 53 universities as of May 17, according to The New York Times live tracking data.

Although the nationwide encampments and demands of the student protesters have been largely peaceful, universities have reacted in vastly different ways, many with brute force. Columbia, in particular, ordered several rounds of police intervention and arrests, from students’ occupations of buildings on campus. In contrast, despite UC Berkeley’s large-scale protests, it has not experienced the level of violence or police response that many other campuses have. Brown University has also successfully negotiated with student protesters.

In exchange for a commitment to vote on the question of divestment from certain companies involved in the Israeli war effort, the protesters at Brown agreed to disband their encampment.

Read student and staff voices at www.thesmokesignal.org

Universities must understand their significance in fostering civil discourse and activism. Ideally, a setting where so many young people from different religious and ethnic backgrounds and lived experiences come together to learn and grow should be the best place to be exposed to new points of view. Therefore universities should encourage free speech by working directly with student protesters to allow demonstrations to continue with minimal disruptions to learning spaces. A good example is Northwestern University, which reached a compromise with student protesters on April 29 that would allow encampments to continue on a minimal scale, provided they refrain from using sound amplifiers or other disruptive materials. The agreement also outlines penalties for students who fail to comply, ensuring precautions should the protests escalate. Northwestern’s approach has proven effective so far, maintaining student dialogue while banning tents and megaphones, which aims to minimize disruption and ensure Jewish students feel safe on campus. “I do take issue with calling our students a mob.They are students. They’re young. They are sometimes naive— and so the best way for us to engage and achieve our educational mission is for us to engage in dialogue with them,” Northwestern President Michael Schill said.

Seek consensus to protect students Beyond working with student protesters, universities have a moral responsibility to protect their students from harm and to curb antisemitism on campus. Universities must differentiate antiJewish hate crimes from criticism of Israel’s policies and discipline actions motivated by genuine antisemitism according to their own codes of conduct, ensuring that hateful slogans and harassment against Jewish students are appropriately responded to. In addition, universities can work with Jewish and Palestinian students in order to come to a consensus on what constitutes hate speech, especially in regards to contentious slogans like “intifada” or “from the river to the sea,” which have various, conflicting interpretations. By including the views of a diverse array of students in their decisions, universities can ensure that a consensus is reached that ensures both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli voices on campus are heard.

Institutions can also work to bridge the substantive gaps between activists on both sides of the conflict. Many experts and professors have suggested fostering environments where students can have robust and academic debate across sides, creating platforms where students can interact with other viewpoints in a civil manner. By encouraging an open environment with respectful discourse, universities can combat polarization, preventing hate speech and actions that are fueled by ignorance and extremism.

What MSJ CAN DO To preserve their right to free speech on their campuses, students must stand up for themselves and communicate with university administration through forums, petition, town hall meetings, or direct methods such as by mail or phone. Additionally, universities can collaborate with student organizations in order to set protest guidelines, support students’ freedom of expression, whilst upholding safety on campus. Beyond that, students can use social media to exercise their freedom of expression by sharing aid organizations or donating directly to the cause. They should also seek to openly discuss the conflict with peers, through clubs like MSJ Speech and Debate, MSJ Model United Nations, and Municipal Journal that offer platforms to do so.

Above all, students must remember to remain respectful and open to hear different opinions. The Israel-Palestine conflict and the campus protests surrounding it are complex, nuanced issues that pose vital questions regarding human rights, oppression, genocide, free speech, and a willingness to listen to opposing views. These are questions that students must continue to grapple with as they continue to engage with political discourse in high school, college, and beyond.

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4 Opinion

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THE SMOKE SIGNAL Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 59, No. 9 | May 24, 2024 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 1800 students EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Karina Han, Julia Peng NEWS Vedesh Kodnani, Kaylee Liu OPINION Annika Singh, Annie Xu FEATURE Anushka Vasudev, Callie Yuan CENTERSPREAD Chloe Gao, Ashley Pang A&E Goonja Basu, Sanah Bhardwaj SPORTS Aaryan Suri, Aaron Zhou GRAPHICS Jiyun Guo, Hannah Shen WEB Waylon Li, Elton Yu TECH Keerti Koya BUSINESS Sarah Hu CIRCULATION Maryam Naseer, Vidyuth Sridhar ADVERTISING Tushara Devapatla, Lucy Yao EVENTS Anandita Devata, Shuhan Jin WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Padma Balaji, Hannah Bi, Rajorshi Chatterjee, Angelina Chen, Novak Chen, Navya Chitlur, Tanvi Deshmukh, Sahas Goli, Sally Han, Abha Kulkarni, Naisha Koppurapu, Jeffrey Li, Brittany Lu, Howard Lu, Ivy Lu, Trisha Parikh, Catherine Qin, Michael Qu, Daphne Senecal, Priyanka Shah, Arushi Singh, Stella Wang, Ethan Yan, Fiona Yang, Lucas Zhang, Alice Zhao ADVISER Sandra Cohen Send letters to the editor to opinion@thesmokesignal.org.

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The Smoke Signal

AnnikA's Angle

Friday, May 24, 2024

Annie's Anecdotes

Appreciating the endings

Video games in education

By Annika Singh Opinion Editor

By Annie Xu Opinion Editor

This is my 18th, and final, column. For the last two years, I’ve sat myself in front of my computer each month and written about community issues, my personal feelings, and more.

It’s bittersweet to say goodbye to Annika’s Angle — it’s a reminder that three weeks from now, I’ll be graduating high school and leaving MSJ behind. Recently, my life has felt like a series of impending goodbyes. Goodbye to the people I’ve gone to school with for almost twelve years, goodbye to my family, goodbye to my childhood bedroom.

Goodbyes are really, really hard, and really, really painful.

I already miss the people I see everyday, and I’ve almost teared up at every school event this semester. But through each moment and experience, I’ve realized that farewells lead to new beginnings and new memories. And with the start of these new beginnings, comes the reminder that goodbyes teach us to value what we have. As we prepare to graduate, I’ve been taking the time to notice the close relationships I have with people around me.

Honestly, I don’t think I’d notice the love and humor that fills casual conversations in the backroom of M-2 or drives to Chipotle during lunch if it wasn’t for our upcoming goodbye. If it was all guaranteed to stay the same, I wouldn’t realize how much this school, the people, and the experiences

I’ve had here mean to me. I’ve learned not to take late-night conversations with my parents and outings with my friends for granted. Each moment has built me in some way—helped me grow, learn, step outside of my comfort zone, and find my passions. Leaving everything behind is hurtful, but I’m finding ways to appreciate the new opportunities coming my way.

A new school, a new environment, new friends.

Everything will be different, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the past is completely out of our hands. Because goodbyes won’t change what matters to you.

Your best friends today will still be your best friends four months from now, and this momentary goodbye is simply a minor obstacle, not a permanent end.

Dr. Seuss has a quote (a little cheesy, but a little necessary) that I think defines my relationship with goodbyes quite well: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

I still plan on holding onto what’s important to me. I may no longer see my favorite people everyday, but I hope to see them whenever I’m back. I know it’s okay to be sad about things changing—after all, it’s a normal feeling. It’s bittersweet and hard to say goodbye to something that has been close to you for so many years, but it just shows how much you’ve gained and how much you care. ▪

The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board

Lessons learned from Mrs. Cohen A well-loved beige couch. an extracurricular, your voice in the collaborative nature Old newspapers stacked on has the power to invoke change. of journalism, and from top of one another. Students Second, always work to that, we’ve forged bonds that gathered around desks, inform yourself and take a extend beyond the classroom. whispering about their story stake in your community. Our Strangers who were assigned assignments. M-2 has always experiences in the Smoke Signal to the same story years ago been a place of creativity, have pushed us to actively have now become our closest curiosity, and innovation, educate ourselves on local friends. We’ve become united molded by Mrs. Sandra and worldwide issues. From with people we’d never speak Cohen’s steady encouragement the Friday tradition of taking to elsewhere, as we grow from which inspires students to ask The New York Times News refining each other’s arguments questions and learn about the Quiz together to researching in articles to sharing intimate unknown. From designing news talks with other staff life stories. It’s crucial to be graphics to interviewing writers, Mrs. Cohen has always open-minded and willing to faculty, generations of students guided us to engage with our listen to varied viewpoints, have been empowered by Mrs. communities in remarkable and especially as you go out into the Cohen’s anecdotes and advice interactive ways. Her wisdom world and are forced to explore in our journalism classes. Now, directs us as we consider what new settings. as she prepares to leave MSJ, we issues to spotlight, seek nuanced It’s hard to say goodbye to hope to share the many lessons perspectives for each story, and someone who’s inspired so she’s taught us with the rest of contact stakeholders — skills many people and nurtured such our student community. that are highly applicable even a beautiful environment, both First, have the courage to outside of a news organization. as an educator and journalist. take initiative and put yourself For example, staying actively M-2 has helped us navigate out there. Even though many engaged with our community academics, friendships, of us walked into M-2 for the is crucial to fulfilling our civic applications, and more — it’s first time feeling shy, timid, duties, as we go on to become allowed us to grow as curious, and out of place, our time voters and social advocates. aware, and creative individuals. with Mrs. Cohen has allowed Seek out opportunities, on and Mrs. Cohen — thank you us to grow more confident in off campus, such as joining clubs for the commitment and love expressing our voices from her like MSJ Bay Area Student you’ve shared with the Smoke steady example. With Mrs. Activists and interning for your Signal. We will always cherish Cohen’s encouragement that local district representative. your lessons, and we’re excited allowed us to step out of our Finally, surround yourself to share them with the rest of comfort zones, each year’s staff with a diverse community the world and carry on your leaves their unique mark on that will push you to grow. legacy. ▪ the paper, whether it’s through Throughout her time as our new story formats or interactive advisor, Mrs. Cohen has fostered workshops. The next time you a strong and irreplaceable have an idea, suggestion, or sense of community within critique, don’t be afraid to share the organization. She actively it. Be it in the classroom or in encourages all of us to relish

I never got to play video games as a little kid, and I’m only now starting to appreciate them. As I swallow my pride and log in to League of Legends, a multiplayer arena battle game, on select evenings, I’m always amazed and surprised how much of a deep understanding that I can get of an entirely new world after a few hours, when more than four years of US history classes have failed to cement the development of the Constitution for me.

If we move past the concept of unhygienic gamers who never leave their rooms and disregard all their other responsibilities, I think there’s a lot more depth and applicability to games than we’d like to believe. If we take chess as an example, people who’ve played chess for a long time begin to see “lines of force,” mental visualizations of where pieces can go, and are able to deduce how to move strategically in a more physical sense. Understanding transcends something purely mental, and games allow players to engage physically and mentally with concepts, drastically improving how they learn.

For example, Albert Einstein recalls that physically imagining chasing a beam of light was integral to the development of his theory of special relativity.

School, however, often fails to give students this deep understanding of their work. I think a lot of people, including myself, have had the experience of laboriously studying different subjects, only to forget about them immediately after a test. The education system is very militant — we study to pass exams, dutifully working through practice problems without understanding a

thing about the grander purpose of our work. Studying the nuclear model of the atom is framed in terms of our next quiz, under the umbrella of learning to have more information, rather than learning about atoms because they make up our physical reality. I don’t think anyone would find Pokémon as fun if they had to memorize 100 flashcards of attributes, instead of learning about them through time and experience.

I think video games get an unfairly bad rap in education systems and at home. They’re regarded as activities with no genuine value that only take time away from more important responsibilities. However, video games allow players to openly explore a subject, making retention significantly easier.

Recently, a lot of our current learning models seem like they’re starting to lean towards the fundamental models that video games are built upon, a shift that’s proven to be effective. For example, we’ve begun to work with simulations more and more. PhET, a platform with scientific simulations for different concepts, haunts every physics class I’ve ever taken. CPflight and combat simulators train pilots and soldiers because they’ve proven to be more efficient, effective, and safer than older methods of one-on-one instruction with pilots and generals.

So much of our society relies on having an educated body, but our learning systems right now are incredibly dated and ineffective in terms of getting people to enjoy what they do and understand the purpose behind their work. Maybe video games can be a starting point for educators to begin considering how to make the classroom fun and immersive in new ways.▪

By Stella Wang & Lucy Yao

Staff Writers

STAFF WRITER STELLA WANG

STAFF WRITER LUCY YAO

Friday, May 24, 2024

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Opinion 5

Equitable and fair internet access: an overview of net neutrality

“Ever since the Internet was created, it’s been organized around basic principles of openness, fairness, and freedom. [...] This set of principles, the idea of net neutrality, has unleashed the power of the Internet, giving innovators a chance to thrive,” Barack Obama said. On April 25, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) voted 3-2 to implement net neutrality protections. In a win for consumers, the decision marked a blow against Internet Service Providers (ISPs), the organizations that grant customers access to the Internet, who successfully lobbied to repeal net neutrality in 2017.

These net neutrality policies are essential to maintain free speech and protect Internet access, but current efforts have not been enough. The FCC needs more specific regulations to actively enforce net neutrality, especially since conservative lawmakers are intent on removing such regulations in the near future.

Telecommunications corporations and ISPs have ignored net neutrality to maximize profits since the beginning of the Internet boom. From 2007 to 2009, American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) requested Apple to block Skype and Google Voice, two of its large competitors, on iPhones in order to gain a larger market share. In 2012, the FCC fined Verizon $1.25 million for blocking consumers from using free or lower cost tethering apps, services that allow hotspot sharing between phones, that bypassed Verizon’s $20 tethering fee. To regulate ISPs, the FCC passed strong net neutrality protections in 2015, which ensured that ISPs must provide equal access to the Internet

for all users and online content providers.

The regulations required ISPS to deliver all packages of data on the Internet at the same rate to all parties and prevented blocking of legally requested access to a website or service, throttling of data speeds, and paid prioritization of Internet services. In 2017, however, the Trump administration repealed these policies, lifting restrictions and granting more power to ISPs. The recent reinstatement of net neutrality is crucial because without government regulation, companies have no incentive to provide equal Internet access. For example, in 2012 AT&T began blocking calls made on FaceTime. Users who had already paid for AT&T service were told by AT&T to pay for a more expensive unlimited call and text plan in order to use the FaceTime app.

Although AT&T backtracked two months after implementing the ban, the FCC would

Individuals protesting in favor of net neutrality

not issue any rulings or fines on AT&T, setting a dangerous precedent allowing other ISPs to selectively control which services are and aren’t accessible on their networks.

Repealing net neutrality regulations would allow ISPs to freely enforce these kinds of predatory practices on consumers.

A lack of net neutrality would also hurt free speech; in 2007, Verizon blocked abor-

tion rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America from using text messaging for donations. Although Verizon repealed this ban, they did not face any consequences from the FCC. Evidently, the Internet is an integral part of society. Job applications, education, and online resources all require a reliable connection, and lack of access to consistent Internet connection that works across all applications would impact everyone across the board.

ISPs and the Supreme Court will likely challenge the FCC’s authority to make this decision in the coming months. Additionally, even if net neutrality regulations are upheld, the FCC lacks the organizational power to regulate a service as broad and complex as the Internet. Though software publishers, web hosting, computing infrastructure providers, and wireless telecommunication providers were the fastest growing sectors in 2022-23, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a combined $640 billion dollars of growth in that singular year, the Internet sector has never had its own specific regulatory body, unlike other major industries of similar scale.

The majority of the FCC’s current regulatory frameworks revolve around the enforcement of laws regarding radio stations, the construction of antennas, and violations of the Emergency Alert System, none of which can be used

Trump & Immunity

“In February, in regards to his criminal indictments, former president Donald

&

“I believe upholding the Constitution and holding the president accountable is extremely important. The Magna Carta was written hundreds of years ago saying that no one is above the law, and it’s been a precedent for this country since its birth.

Donald Trump should not get to have his case heard in front of the Supreme Court solely because he is a past president, and he should be held to the same standards as every other person undergoing trial. I hope the trial finishes up before the election so Americans can take it into consideration when voting.”

#,!01 $ /

“I don’t believe the Supreme Court is doing due diligence and upholding their role as the primary judiciary ! ! 7 8 '* ) !

9& system of the country. By delaying Trump’s trials, they are essentially finding a loophole for trump because he is a wealthy individual looking to run for and secure the highest office in nation. To be a leader of the us, I believe should be ethical and working for the benefit of the nations citizens rather than for personal gain, which is what I see Trump doing. By postponing the trial, the Supreme Court is using their power to support the wrong person and the wrong cause. additionally, by doing so the court sets a precedent for future cases to follow, effectively allowing for future individuals to do the same.”

“No, I think that the Supreme Court could do a better job of holding these corrupt politicians accountable. Checks and balances are so important when it comes to like difficult cases like this one because Trump was president before, and I personally think that immunity should not be considered 2%3 4 #! 5 #% whatsoever, just because of his political stance. Instead, they should...prevent abuses of power like this [with] strong rules and ways to keep them in check, like holding leaders accountable if they break the law. This includes a complicated framework of checks and balances that can maintain the accountability of these corrupt leaders across all levels like power.”

! !!

!"#$%

PHOTOS FROM CNET.COM AND GRAPHICS BY OPINION EDITOR ANNIKA SINGH

6 , !0

“It is the court’s responsibility to hold corrupt politicians accountable, and they can prevent those in power )*+%,!& ( from abusing their position by just treating ! '& them as normal people. The fact that they were presidents in the past shouldn’t affect or shouldn’t have a say on their sentence in court. I know that [Trump has] done like a lot of bad stuff like the whole attack on the Capitol. I think he was largely responsible for that incident. I think, especially after that, I remember hearing he had a bunch of charges pressed against him. Just because he was a president doesn’t it make it okay for him to receive immunity because of all the things he’s done. If he wasn’t a president, these kinds of crimes would still be punishable. And since he’s not president anymore, he still should be punished.”

to regulate the Internet. A major government organization must take on the management of the Internet to enforce corporations to stay impartial to their customers. Alternatively, more specific net neutrality regulations passed in Congress could link the FCC’s authority to net neutrality violations, providing the FCC with a potent tool to regulate the mostly-unchecked Internet industry.

While the restoration of net neutrality is a step in the right direction, there still needs to be more regulation of the Internet to protect free speech and consumer rights on the web.

MSJ students can pitch in to lobbying movements like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and keep themselves up to date on current policies about net neutrality through organizations like Common Cause. It is critical that we work to protect net neutrality, in order to preserve our rights for equitable Internet access. ▪

,!0 1 8:

Trump argued that he could not be held criminally liable for his official acts as a president, seeking permanent criminal immunity. On April 25, the Supreme Court appeared likely to reject former President Donald Trump’s claim of absolute immunity from prosecution over election interference, but several justices signaled reservations that the charges could cause a lengthy delay of Trump’s trials beyond November’s election. If Trump regains presidency, he could potentially pardon himself if convicted. Although Trump is within his legal right to appeal for immunity, many claim that the court’s postponing of the trial is unjustly preventing the US criminal justice system from holding Trump accountable for his actions. By choosing to weigh in on the immunity decision and potentially delaying Trump’s trials, do you think the Supreme Court is upholding its judiciary role to preserve democracy and hold potentially corrupt politicians accountable? How can the government prevent those in power from abusing their position and place greater consequences on the legality and morality of their actions?”

"#$%&! .#

By Angelina Chen, Novak Chen, Tushara Devapatla & Ethan Yan Staff Writers

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS CHLOE GAO, ASHLEY PANG, JASON TANG, ANUSHKA VASUDEV & LUCY YAO PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS CHLOE GAO, ASHLEY PANG, JASON TANG, ANUSHKA VASUDEV & LUCY YAO PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS HANNAH BI, NAISHA KOPPURAPU, CATHERINE QIN & ARUSHI SINGH PHOTOS BY OPINION EDITOR ANNIKA SINGH STAFF WRITERS RAJORSHI CHATTERJEE, HOWARD LU, DAPHNE SENECAL & LUCY YAO

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Feature 7

By Howard Lu, Fiona Yang & Alice Zhao Staff Writers As the school year comes to an end, MSJ bids farewell to five retiring staff members, English Teacher John Boegman, English Teacher and Yearbook Adviser Jean Dotson, Physical Education Teacher Jack Marden, Supply Clerk Patrick McNamara, as well as Journalism and Expository Reading and Writing Course Teacher Sandra Cohen. The Smoke Signal spotlights three of these retiring teachers in this article, sharing their notable achievements and cherished memories from their time at MSJ. (More information covering Cohen’s journey can be found on page 13.)

English Teacher John Boegman began his teaching career at MSJ in 2006 after working as a swim coach, substitute teacher, and an English teacher at a private English language school in Japan. As a teacher, Boegman aims to show students the power of English and poetry in helping them express themselves, find their place in the world, and establish a sense of identity outside of school. “[I want my students to understand that] their voice is their most valuable asset and their powerful weapon,” Boegman said.

Boegman also served as the teacher adviser for Relay For Life (RFL) for 11 years, working with many students to fundraise for the American Cancer Society. “I’m very proud of working with a group of student leaders … who want to spend some of their very limited time to fight cancer [and] the money … that our school has raised [for the] the American Cancer Society,” Boegman said.

During retirement, Boegman looks forward to traveling, working on home projects, and picking up new hobbies, such as gardening, cycling, or playing the piano. His biggest advice for students and teachers is that they shouldn’t panic when things go wrong. “The sky doesn’t really fall [over] small stuff,” Boegman said. For teachers specifically, Boegman shares that the best thing about teaching is that there will always be a chance to try again. “There’s always another day, week, month, year — there’s always another chance to do better. There’s always a new blank canvas in front of us, waiting for a splash of color,” Boegman said.

John Boegman English Teacher

In 1994, Jean Dotson embarked on her journey both as an English Teacher and Yearbook Adviser at MSJ, shaping young minds with her wisdom and compassion for nearly three decades. While looking back, Dotson reminisced about her favorite memories as the head of Yearbook, including her first edition. “My first yearbook was called “Definition,” and we designed a lot of terms about the school that people didn’t know. For instance, most people don’t know why the yearbook is called the Costanoan, which is the tribe of coastal dwelling Indians who occupied this area before,” Dotson said.

Beyond just the location for her English and Yearbook classes, Dotson’s classroom has also become synonymous with comfort and support, becoming a “soft landing” spot at MSJ. “I’ve never heard it referred to [that] until this year, but my classroom is a place where people can come in and feel comfortable and not stressed, and I hope someone else will take that on when I’m gone,” Dotson said.

With retirement on the horizon, Dotson looks forward to enjoying the simple things in life again, including no longer having to set an alarm clock. “I now wake up automatically at six o’clock and I hope to break that habit. Other than that, I’m just going to live the good life doing what I want,” Dotson said.

Jean Dotson English Teacher

Jack Marden Physical Education Teacher

In 1990, Physical Education Teacher Jack Marden started his career at MSJ. ter the retirement of his father, John Marden II — the first physical education teacher at MSJ — Jack Marden succeeded his teaching position. Inspired by his father, Marden developed a strong running background, frequenting marathons and immersing himself deeply in his fitness journey. His passion for the sport eventually led him to take on the role of track and cross country coach, totaling 46 seasons at MSJ and seven state championships.

Over the course of his career, Marden notes that his favorite memories have been “[seeing] the sweet exchanges that kids have done out of the blue.” As a Physical Education teacher, he strives to inspire his students to embrace their athletic potential, even if they do not have a strong sports background. “[Sharing] that perspective [of taking care of themselves physically] and having it come to fruition for kids … to empower people to take matters into their own hands … that’s the proudest [achievement],” Marden said.

Aside from teaching at MSJ, Marden also participates in other activities such as marathon running and sailing, which he hopes to focus on post-retirement. As Marden prepares for his retirement, he imparts a piece of advice for new teachers: “Do the right thing … It’s a tough job that you can do. You just have to find the silver lining.”

A f -

The Smoke Signal would like to recognize Supply Clerk Patrick McNamara and wish him the best on his retirement.

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS HOWARD LU, FIONA YANG & ALICE ZHAO, COURTESY JOHN BOEGMAN, JEAN DOTSON & JACK MARDEN. GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITOR CALLIE YUAN

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Feature 9

DIEHARD TRYHARDS: PIÑATAS

By Abha Kulkarni, Daphne Senecal, Michael Qu & Lucas Zhang Staff Writers

Amidst the many festivities associated with spring, the Mexican festival of Cinco de Mayo is celebrated yearly on May 5 and honors the Mexican army’s victory in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Often found in Cinco de Mayo celebrations are piñatas, decorated containers filled with toys and candy suspended from a height and broken open with sticks. In this DieHard TryHards competition, four Smokies will showcase their artistic flair and compete to create the ultimate piñata.

Daphne

The last time I tried making a piñata, I was 5 years old, and it immediately collapsed in on itself the moment I popped the balloon.

This, along with the fact that I don’t exactly have a good record when it comes to winning DieHard TryHards competitions, means things aren’t looking too good for me. So with my chances of winning slim, I need to make a loud statement. Smashing piñatas is already a noisy affair, so I’ll just have to make sure I go out with a bang. Or at the very least, a pop, if you will.

1

After three whole years of being a Smokie and many DieHard TryHards competitions, I have finally come out victorious. I would like to thank Hayao Miyazaki for writing and directing the movie Spirited Away, as without the existence of soot sprites I don’t know how I would have successfully completed this challenge. I would also like to thank myself for enduring the arduous task of gluing pieces of crepe paper onto a cardboard cylinder for hours. It was very brave and cool of me. While this ending wasn’t the literal bang I expected, I still believe I was able to blow away the competition.

Michael

For as long as I can remember, my birthdays have always featured a piñata, allowing me to indulge in two of my favorite pastimes: hitting objects with a stick and eating candy. Given my extensive experience a n d expertise in demolishing these paper-mache creations, crafting one seems like the logical next step. With this being the final DieHard TryHards of the school year, the competition will no doubt be fierce. Still, I’m confident that my piñata will be a smash hit and bring home a sweet victory.

2

It seems my starshaped piñata was not the star of this challenge.

Still, I am very satisfied with the result, knowing that all of the trials and tribulations I overcame (getting a paper cut on my pinky) weren’t for naught.

Building a piñata was a first for me, so everything, from laying newspaper strips on the balloon to adding the colored paper, was both exciting and rewarding. Bringing home second place and an over-decorated container packed with candy, I definitely count this as a win in my book.

Abha

I can’t even blow up a balloon, much less make a piñata.

Truth be told, I haven’t even smashed one at someone’s birthday party. I was that kid who always swung the bat around wildly, destroying people’s shins. But how hard can it truly be? All I need to do is blow up a balloon, toss in some candies, and stick a couple of papers on top. Then again, the last time I asked this question, I took third place in that DieHard TryHards competition. However, all I know is that for my final challenge, I’ll make a piñata that completely blows up the competition.

4

Well, that was a bust.

After my 30 minutes of hard work to create a majestic Disney-themed piece, all I have to show for it is fourth place. Now, I’m sure you’re thinking, Abha, if you don’t put in the time, you’ll never get first place. However true that may be, I firmly believe that the magnificence of my piñata can’t be recognized by some mortals, so I’m stuck with this disgraceful standing. Despite this placement, I know that my craft skills will only go up from here.

Lucas

Last year, I participated in a DieHard TryHards competition in which I took third place with my cute Macy’s float. I thought that my rendition of a flying elf would be elegant enough to sweep that competition, but this time, my stuffed delight won’t have to fly. This lets me focus more on making a detailed and artistic piñata that, despite facing eventual destruction, will hopefully be received as the star of the party (despite not being a star but a tree that you’d probably see anywhere else).

3

On second thought, maybe designing a tree for a piñata wasn’t the best idea that I’ve thought of this year. After all, piñatas are made to be fun to demolish and should be simple, temporary delights, but I guess I can see some partygoers see how bad destroying a tree is, even if it’s a fake one. Maybe that’s why I got third place this time; I didn’t expect the judges to look at my creation this way.

Next year, I will take this into consideration when designing my next beauty and sweep future DieHard TryHards competitions.

PHOTOS BY FEATURE EDITOR ANUSHKA VASUDEV. GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITOR ANUSHKA VASUDEV, ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

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Centerspread 11

Class of 2024’s Future Aspirations

By Angelina Chen, Anandita Devata & Sarah Hu Staff Writers As the end of the school year approaches, the Class of 2024 seniors have officially decided what the next few years have in store for them and are looking to begin a new chapter of their lives. Whether they choose to stay in CA, move across the country, or even across the globe, these seniors are sure to create a large impact on the world with their future plans.

*Distribution Across States (%) This spread is a representation of students who willingly submitted their forms by May 18, 2024.

In-State

3.1-10%

under 1%

*Percentage was calculated from total number of people who submitted

Tennessee

Massachusetts

 

   

Texas

New Jersey

   

 

              

Southern California                    

1-3%

Out-of-State

Northern California                                 

above 10%

Alabama 

Arizona  

Georgia                

Virginia

New York

     

Illinois           

                    

Indiana      

                

Maryland   

 

               

Washington      

Washington, D.C.  

Ohio   

Pennsylvania          

Out-of-Country   

  

    

GRAPHICS BY CENTERSPREAD EDITOR ASHLEY PANG

12 Arts & Entertainment

WWW.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG

The Smoke Signal

Friday, May 24, 2024

Senior Artists 2024

By Sahas Goli, Catherine Qin & Stella Wang Staff Writers

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At four years old, the first instrument Senior Jazlyn Ho picked up was not the viola, but the violin. Ho began playing the viola during the summer before eighth grade and completely switched to the viola at the beginning of junior year. Currently, Ho is part of the California Youth Symphony and joined the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra this year. For the college application process, Ho went through the pre-screening process, which included an audition video and, once she passed, an in-person audition.

Ho will be attending Northwestern University to pursue a dual degree in viola performance at the Bienen School of Music and Computer Science. In the future, Ho dreams of playing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. “I enjoy playing in an orchestra the most because I get to work with others on something that shows our improvement. More importantly, it’s the community that orchestra gives people,” Ho said.

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Throughout their high school time, Felix Lin has enjoyed watching shows and movies and capturing their favorite moments in short clips.

Lin particularly enjoys making sure their music brings life to their clips, being a stickler for matching beats to the videos.

With a passion for scuba diving and the marine environment, they are pursuing a film degree to use the medium for ocean advocacy.

In the future, Lin plans on making a documentary on the Monterey urchin crisis and the Giant Kelp Restoration Project, with which they have done much conservation work. “Ten years from now, hopefully, I’ll be a loud and proud queer leader in ocean advocacy and conservation with a few documentaries or short films under my belt,” Lin said.

At the beginning of her artistic journey, Senior Natalie Yang was inspired by East Asian media like donghua, manhua, manhwa, and Japanese video games. “Specific artists like Yoshitaka Amano and other character designers that work on Japanese video games like JRPGs and manga artists were my primary inspiration in the beginning until I eventually expanded out and started looking into other forms of design,” she said. Her primary medium is digital art, which she enjoys due to the relative freedom it provides. Yang plans to attend UC Davis for Design, a major she chose for its flexibility in career paths. She hopes that she will one day work as an animator or member of a game design studio. Yang recommends taking serious art classes before considering the arts for college. “You really have to determine whether or not you are willing to do art for other people and on their schedule, not your own,” Yang said.

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With over 10 years of experience in art mediums such as watercolor, charcoal, and oil painting, Senior Si Chen wanted to continue her hobby into college. “I didn’t want to give up on the joy [drawing brought me],” Chen said. She explored different mediums but fell in love with fountain pen art. Applying to art programs is similar to the AP Art and Design programs, where students create art portfolios, typically consisting of 15-20 pieces.

When choosing a major, Chen considered choosing UI/UX, but the applications of Industrial Design made her realize it was the field she wanted to pursue. Now, Chen will be attending the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in the fall and planning on majoring in Industrial Design. She is excited to explore more programs RISD offers, such as the Brown-RISD dual degree program and shared resources.

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In 6th grade, Senior Heidi Chin’s teacher introduced her to the idea of learning instruments that were considered more niche, with the French horn being one of them. Now, Chin plans to enter Johns Hopkins University with a dual degree in French Horn Performance and Business. With a background of playing in the Golden State Youth Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra, she developed valuable experience in professional-level performance that helped in her major selection.

For those interested in following her path, she offers a word of caution. “In terms of music and doing it for the future, I feel like you should kind of have a plan, a backup … even if you are really good, the space is super competitive,” Chin said.

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Art has always been a fun activity for Senior Isabelle Fu, and after looking more into fashion design, Fu found an interest in the field.

During her summers in high school, Fu attended multiple pre-college programs in schools such as the Rhode Island School of Design and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC).

There, she got more in-depth experience in planning and creating pieces. “I like draping a lot because it’s different. I like how different fabrics interact, and it’s really fun to see the outcome from [experimenting with] different types of fabrics,” Fu said.

At SAIC, Fu is excited about the available interdisciplinary courses such as textiles and fashion construction, and she hopes to open her own fashion house in the future. For underclassmen looking to pursue a similar route, Fu encourages students to attend art programs that other schools have or pre-college programs.

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PHOTOS COURTSEY OF SI CHEN, HEIDI CHIN, ISABELLE FU, JAZLYN HO, NATALIE YANG & STAFF WRITER STELLA WANG, GRAPHICS BY A&E EDITOR SANAH BHARDWAJ

Friday, May 24, 2024

The Smoke Signal

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Feature 13

Teacher Spotlight: Sandra Cohen finding their power, getting their voice, and [becoming] leaders. So I would say that each year, that’s the most fun thing: watching the students develop [their English Teacher Sandra Cohen has skills] over the course of a year.

By Hannah Bi & Shuhan Jin Staff Writers

been teaching at MSJ for the last 20 years, guiding generations of students through the Smoke Signal and Expository Reading and Writing Course (ERWC). Following a newspaper career in advertising and marketing, her professional experience has helped her make an immense impact on her students, whom she sets up for success in their future careers. After overseeing newspaper operations and sharing her passion for English and writing with many young students, she plans on retiring at the end of this school year. This teacher spotlight delves into Mrs. Cohen’s journey at MSJ.

just not like how the newspaper was here.” They noticed that it’s a little bit more chaotic, it’s less organized, and fewer people know what everybody’s doing. So that’s a really big compliment to this program, that from the standpoint of organization, we SS: Aside from the Smoke Signal, you’re also a teacher have it together. for ERWC. What has that been like, and have you had any favorite memories or things you learned SS: What will you miss most about MSJ when you from that class? retire?

SC: I think it is one of the favorite things that I’ve taught. I love, love, love literature, and everything about it. But when they introduced this topic, it was a shift to nonfiction, and is one of the paths that seniors could take as their choice for 12th-grade English. I really gravitated towards it because of having worked in newspapers, not as a reporter but in advertising, marketing, product development, and product management. I was familiar with what kind of brilliance comes out of newspaper reporting and reporters. It was a chance to take nonfiction, articles, and case studies — things like that — and make them relevant to the units [in the curriculum].

So I like the focus on writing, reading, and speaking, which are truly three things that I came to do — to improve that for everybody. I also like the idea that although we were given binders with curriculum, at The Smoke Signal (SS): this school, we worked really hard to create our own What are some of your curriculum and create our own kinds of resources most cherished memories that we thought the students would like. over the years working on SS: Over the years, what do you consider to be your the newspaper? greatest accomplishment?

Sandra Cohen (SC): That’s really, really hard to say be- SC: I’ll answer that, but I’ll preface it by saying it’s cause really, truly every single not my direct accomplishment. But I would say that year, it’s a different set of it is the success of this newspaper from all different faces, and it’s different skill definitions of success. How professionally it’s done, sets. It’s always been tru- the engagement level of the students who work on ly amazing just to watch it, and the organization. We have quite a few alumni students go from being who have gone off to college, went to work for their a little bit scared and re- newspapers, and came back and said, you know, “It’s cicent about what they do to fun to write,” but one of their comments was, “It’s

SC: Don’t make me cry. The people, definitely.

That’s what I missed about San Diego, about Chicago, about you know, leaving Horner [Middle School] and coming here. I miss the people, and I will continue to miss the people. I think the work will carry on — it won’t be the same. It will be different and not in any kind of judgy, bad way; it will be different because the dynamic will be different, but I will miss the students most of all.

SS: What is the legacy you want to leave behind at MSJ? SC: Oh gosh, those lessons are really kind of a hard route to me. If there’s a legacy, it’s in M-2. It’s in the people. It’s in the product. So I think number one that’s, you know, that’s important to me, that the paper is what it is. That’s huge. I would also say as far as teaching goes, [it would be creating] a place where students felt like I was fair, that I would challenge them, but at the same time I understood special circumstances that came up. I always used to say, you know, where we come into ERWC because speaking of that, [regardless of if] it’s people who definitely are ready to be an engineer or they’re people who need to improve their writing or for whatever reason, I say, “Whatever your skill level is, I’m going to take it up, you know, to a new benchmark.” So I guess raising the bar for the students that have gone through [ERWC is another check out the full achievement]. ▪ interview here

PHOTOS COURTESY SANDRA COHEN. GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITORS ANUSHKA VASUDEV & CALLIE YUAN

FUNNY STORY:

By Navya Chitlur Staff Writer

Despite its title, Funny Story by author Emily Henry is filled to the brim with deeper undertones of the hardships of life, coming of age, change, love, and personal growth. The story follows librarian Daphne Vincent as she copes with a breakup and begins to find companionship. The book fails to deliver on its promise of humor, but its contents are emotional and racked with harsh realities, portrayed with just enough normalcy to allow the reader to connect with the characters and story.

Henry has been a prominent BookTok figure with her many bestselling rom-com novels, including People We Meet On Vacation, Beach Read, Happy Place, and more.

With the popularity of many of these books and the size of her fanbase, Henry has been dubbed the queen of modern day rom-coms in the book industry. Funny Story marks Hen- ry’s 10th published book, and despite the growing size of her fanbase, Funny Story has not yet reached the level of fame that its predecessor Happy Place has.

ALL HEART, NO HUMOR The novel begins with Daphne encountering Miles, the ex-boyfriend of her ex-fiancée Peter’s new fiancée. Though this situation has the potential for an ironic comedy, Henry’s prose begins with the heart-heavy loss that comes with a breakup. The plot continues as she decides to room with Miles, befriends his sister Julia and her coworker Ashleigh, and falls in love with Miles, changing the trajectory of her future.

Henry crafts the novel with mostly simple prose, allowing the reader to follow the story easily, though she also incorporates flowery lines as needed to prove her writing prowess. Her dialogue captures the essence of real conversation and the overall novel is written so well that the unrealistic storyline seems almost real. However, Due to her simple prose, the story’s potential falls short and she loses the intricacies of more complex writing.

Although Henry indirectly promises humor through the title, comedy is the one element the novel truly lacks. There is close to no humorous dialogue or action at all besides

the ironic situation the two main characters were placed in. Moreover, throughout the novel, Henry overly sexualizes Daphne’s thoughts and relationships.

These scenes carry on for lengthy chapters and occur frequently throughout the novel, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere for readers.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, Henry’s characters are immemorable and somewhat dull. Though some characters like Miles and Ashleigh bring life into the book, the rest of the characters seem like duplicates of one another. Henry crafts Daphne’s character arc well, but neglects the other characters.

At the end of the novel, it becomes clear how much Daphne changes through her narration. In Miles’ case, he remains more or less the same person since the beginning of the novel. The same applies to side characters like Julia, who seem to be making strides for improvement at first but end up not changing at all. Still, Henry’s

diverse character arcs and representations of the different responses people develop to the same problems demonstrate the complexity of emotions that underlie every character, making up for the lack of closure for many characters. The closing chapters of the book neatly tie together many aspects of the plot, including the relationships and Daphne’s character arc, creating the perfect conclusion for an uplifting novel.

Funny Story is a novel full of deeper meanings and themes, despite the light-heartedness of its title. Despite the book’s excessive sex scenes, the lack of actual humor, and the poor portrayal of the side characters’ character arcs, Daphne’s personal growth encourages readers to push through the struggles and setbacks in order to find themselves and solidifies it with a well-developed plot and message, making it an overall worthwhile read. ▪

GRAPHICS BY A&E EDITOR SANAH BHARDWAJ & STAFF WRITER BRITTANY LU

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Arts & Entertainment 15

C R I T I C S’ C O R N E R

Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism Challengers: The sweatiest tennis, love-triangle, and manipulation captured is far from revolutionary in a single match

By Lucy Yao Staff Writer If there’s one word to describe director Luca Guadagnino’s latest movie, Challengers, it’s sexy. Released on April 26, the film stars veteran actress Zendaya and actors Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist in a raunchy exploration of a threeway, tennis-centered relationship.

Although a bit too dramatic, racy, and in-your-face at times, the movie hits the marks in every other way. It’s hilarious, it’s creative, and has callbacks that satisfyingly ties the whole film together despite its open-to-interpretation ending.

The movie centers around a singular tennis match: the Challenger event in New York between Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) and Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor). It constantly jumps between the match in present-day and the history of these two competitors and Donaldson’s wife, Tashi Duncan (Zendaya). This format keeps the audience on its toes as Guadagnino reveals more and more about exactly what’s at stake behind this complex love triangle.

These flashbacks, backed by an upbeat EDM score composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, perfectly mirror the tense back-and-forth of the actual tennis match, while also reflecting who is winning the love game at the same time.

Each actor excellently captures their complex characterizations, both in their present and flashback selves. Zendaya especially demonstrates how dynamic she is by perfectly encapsulating the hard heart of someone solely driven by tennis, not love. She’s melancholy and stub-

UNDER THE RADAR

By Sanah Bhardwaj Arts & Entertainment Editor

21-year-old Irish-Malaysian Asha Catherine Nandy, better known by her stage name, yunè pinku, emerged onto the electronic dance music (EDM) scene in early 2020.

Traversing and combining EDM sub-genres such as garage and ambient house, Nandy is young, passionate, and unafraid to forge her own unique sound in the vast EDM world.

Born into a musical family, Nandy was already experienced with the tin whistle and piano when she tried her hand at online music building.

Though she first started with bedroom pop, inspired by artists like Madonna and Billy Joel, she soon fell in love with EDM, modeling her music after the sound of renowned artists Bladee, Drain Gang, and Grimes. By the end of the coronavirus lockdown in 2022, Nandy had produced more than 150 songs, marking the start of her explosive career as she posted the tracks to SoundCloud.

Since then, Nandy has released two EDM EPs — Bluff in 2022 and BABYLON IX in 2023 — both of which boast an experimental blend of techno, house, and ambient soundscaping. The projects impressed artists Charli XCX and Disclosure, who then reached out to Nandy to remix their music — a considerable achievement in the EDM space. “That was really cool,” Nandy told MixMag in January 2023. “I really didn’t expect to be doing a Charli XCX remix this year anyway.”

Nandy’s journey is far from over.

With more than 300,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, yunè pinku reflects a bright, innovative future in the EDM space. ▪

By Vidyuth Sridhar Staff Writer

born, competitive and sex-driven — almost too much at times — but also teasing and coy. One particularly memorable scene involves a young Tashi seducing both Pat and Art so well that she manipulates them into making out with each other thinking it’s her, leaving the audience roaring in laughter. O’Connor and Faist perfectly bounce off each other as well, playing into their impeccable chemistry as best friends (possibly lovers) and also enemies.

Another mark of Guadagnino’s stellar directing is how naturally motifs throughout the film reoccur.

All her life, Tashi’s consistent want has just been “some good f***ing tennis,” while Pat uses Art’s tic to indicate that he’s had sex with Tashi, even decades later. When their story culminates in the final tiebreaker round of the Challenger match, everything slots in — Tashi finally watches a good round of tennis, while the boys realize they’ve been played by her all along.

Guadagnino also keeps the tension building up through his creative cinematography. Especially towards the end, the camera perspective begins switching to each player’s perspective, and then the ball itself,

IMDB.COM

bouncing between the two. These transitions, and other camera work throughout the entire film keep it unpredictable, fresh, and sensual.

However, while the buildup to the last part is set up perfectly, the final few minutes don’t conclude well.

For one, there’s too many slow-mo shots and closeups. There’s a good five minutes where the audience impatiently waits for sweat to drip off the Art and Patrick’s zoomed-in noses. The grunts made when the players hit the ball and music are also amplified to the point where dialogue can barely be heard, just suggestive noises. And when all the exciting, passionate buildup leads into a tame, slightly silly final shot, audiences are left unfulfilled.

Although the movie begins to falter near the finale, it doesn’t overshadow the fun of the messy backstory behind this singular match of tennis. The audience can interpret for themselves how the three resolve their relationship. All that’s clear from Guadagnino is that it really was a good match of tennis. ▪ Grade: B+

May 2024 Student Faves MOVIE: La La Land — Scarlett Xu, 10 TV SHOW: The Blacklist — Minh-Anh Bui, 12 ALBUM: Arabesque by Claude Debussy — Qinxuan Li, 11 BOOK: Fire & Blood by George R. R. Martin — Mia Lam, 11 GAME: Cookie Run: Kingdom — Sophia Shen, 10

Following her ascent to superstardom with her breakout 2017 single “New Rules,” world-renowned pop star and three-time-GRAMMYaward-winner Dua Lipa released Radical Optimism on May 3 — her first album in four years. Captivating audiences with her distinctive disco-pop soundscape, Lipa has amassed more than 30 billion streams on Spotify, with her previous 2020 album Future Nostalgia charting as high as number three on the US Billboard 200. However, Radical Optimism, whilst displaying flashes of pop brilliance, is overall sonically cliche and unfulfilling.

From the get-go, Lipa doubles down on her trademark disco sound, crooning “The sweetest pleasure / I feel like we’re gonna be together” over laid-back dreamy synths, plucky guitars, and a lurking synth-bass line on the album’s intro song “End of An Era.” Lipa continues to embrace these soundscapes on standout lead single “Houdini, enthralling listeners with its irresistible punchy drums, and light-hearted lyrics as Lipa seductively posits, “Maybe you could be the one to make me stay.”

As notable tracks like “Houdini” and “Illusion” showcase, Lipa’s bread and butter clearly is maximalist dancehall anthems, yet her powerful, distinctive voice and ability to write heartfelt lyrics should theoretically be able to translate across genres. Although Lipa’s current success is not based on her songwriting prowess (a-la Taylor Swift), nor is it built off otherworldly vocal talent (like Adele) or Beyonce-esque sonical versatility, Lipa undoubtedly can write and sing vulnerable stories without requiring a roaring background-bassline (for instance “Homesick,” a powerful piano ballad on her self-titled debut album). Lipa’s ability to pen intimate lyrics is even present on Radical Optimism; “These Walls” vividly depicts a stagnant, doomed relationship through lines such as “...when the night ends up in tears / … we blame

WARNER RECORDS UK

it all on bein’ wasted / … So much we’re not sayin.’”

Yet on Radical Optimism, Lipa struggles to escape from the disco sonical-platitudes she explored on her last album. Though she begins to step out of her comfort zone — experimenting with funk-acoustic melodies on “French Exit” and beginning “Anything For Love” as a poignant ballad, she quickly reverts back to her disco-trope of jaunting basslines, bright synths, and driving drums. Additionally, the album’s mixing is shoddy at best, further reducing the amount of noteworthy tracks. Throughout the record, Lipa’s vocals are either frequently overwhelming — such as on the chorus “Falling Forever” — which diminishes the remaining memorability and catchiness her hallmark disco beats posses, or tragically drowned out — such as on the closing track “Happy For You,” —- where domineering 80s synth stabs and guitar licks starkly clash with Lipa’s sensitive, reflective lyrics.

With her immense established popularity and award-winning reputation, exploring new genres has perhaps never been a safer bet for Lipa; numbers-wise, she has nothing left to prove, and will stay relevant regardless in pop culture for years to come.

However, Radical Optimism largely fails to offer a distinct musical experience; its repetitive sonical direction renders the project more dull than daring — leaving listeners pessimistically unsatisfied. ▪ Grade: C+

For the love of stunts

IMDB.COM

By Arushi Singh Staff Writer

Death defying stunts, a little drama, romance, and quite a few laughs round out the summer blockbuster The Fall Guy, which was released on May 3. Not only is the main character Colt Seavers played by a dashing Ryan Gosling, a heroic stuntman, but the whole movie “is a love letter to stuntmen,’’ according to director David Leitch. For fans of mindless action movies full of slick, heartstopping, and over the top stunts, The Fall Guy delivers a wild ride.

Leitch, a former stuntman himself who performed as a stunt double for Brad Pitt in Fight Club and Ocean’s Eleven, among others, wanted to highlight the skills and bravery of stuntmen. He therefore insisted that all the stunts in The Fall Guy are old school, filmed using real people, not AI or CGI. The movie is loosely based on a 1980s television show with the same name. Although the storyline is quite different in that Gosling’s character is not a bounty hunter, Leitch does incorporate

1980s music by legendary bands such as KISS as a nod to the original show.

From the start, audiences are treated to a behind-the-scenes experience, as Seavers prepares for a big stunt on the set where his girlfriend Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) also works. When Seavers suffers a serious injury, his career and relationship screech to a halt, but in time, Seavers makes a comeback as a stuntman on a film Moreno is directing. The plot thickens when the lead actor disappears and Seavers has to figure out how to save Moreno’s movie.

Neither the romance nor the plot take centerstage, since the movie just jumps from one spectacular stunt to the next. Witnessing Seavers step out of a totaled car that rolled off a cliff makes the audience invested in his safety, and gives viewers a real appreciation for what stuntmen must endure. All the falls, car flips, and fight scenes are spectacularly executed, and since the main characters are a director and stuntman, the stunts tie into the storyline seamlessly..

During Moreno’s movie shoot, audiences experience what stunts really entail, how they are shot, and the physical demands on stuntmen who never get any credit. By the time a side character poignantly asks Seavers if there are Oscars for stuntmen, viewers have him fall, flip, burn, get hit, and smash through glass enough times to want to award him an Oscar themselves.

Despite the affectionate portrayal of stuntmen, the movie is not overly sentimental. The plot unfolds at the furiously fast pace of an action movie, with enough surprising twists to keep audiences at the edge of their seats. Unfortunately, Moreno’s character is not explored beyond her role as a love interest for Seavers. Other than one hilarious scene in which Moreno puts Seavers on blast in front of the whole crew and repeatedly has him lit on fire as part of a stunt, her backstory and her motivation for making a movie are completely missing. However, Blunt and Gosling have good chemistry, and Gosling, known for his humorous portrayal of Ken in Barbie, brings

the right amount of playful charisma to his role.

In fact, the movie works well because nothing is taken too seriously, and this lighthearted approach fits with Seavers’ character who performs dangerous stunts while telling silly jokes. Other comedic highlights include fights with fake film props, and a ferocious attack dog who obeys French commands. Though some of the humor falls a bit flat, such as when Seavers is drugged and keeps seeing unicorns, the movie is generally funnier than expected from a cliche action film.

Ultimately, the premise that the skills of stuntmen, who perform under tightly controlled and choreographed conditions, translate into real life fighting prowess and heroics is funny in and of itself. Although The Fall Guy does not achieve the level of suspense of the best action movies, or the originality of better rom-coms, it is certainly a heartfelt and surprisingly entertaining tribute to stuntmen. ▪ Grade: B+

SMOKIE PLAYLIST: AARON: “MAFIA” by Travis Scott | AARYAN: “meet the grahams” by Kendrick Lamar | ANNIE: “Karma” by JoJo Siwa | ANNIKA: “Bandit” by Don Toliver Machiavellian May | ANUSHKA: “Kill Bill” by SZA | ASHLEY: “Sun Bleached Flies” by Ethel Cain | CALLIE: “Teen Idle” by MARINA | CHLOE: “Low” by SZA | ELTON: “Love Galore

(feat. Travis Scott)” by SZA | GOONJA: “My Lady of Mercy” by The Last Dinner Party | HANNAH: “Bernadette” by IAMX | JULIA: “Impurities by Le Sserafim | KARINA: “Homewrecker” by MARINA | KAYLEE: “Toxic” by Britney Spears | JIYUN: “Doctor Funk Beat” by nyanyannya | SANAH: “Loading” by James Blake | VEDESH: “Heart-Shaped Box” by Nirvana | WAYLON: “From Florida With Love” by Drake | MRS. COHEN: “Night on Bald Mountain” by London Symphony Orchestra

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Sports 17

College Athletes

By Tushara Devapatla, Abha Kulkarni, Jeffrey Li, & Trisha Parikh Staff Writers

As the 2023-24 school year comes to a close, many seniors are moving on to college. For a select group of students, this also means being able to play a sport in their respective school and becoming a student-athlete, allowing them to further their athletic aspirations and take a major step closer to playing professionally. In this article, the Smoke Signal interviewed five college athletes, exploring their journeys in their sports and their goals in college.

Meghan Ly

Senior Meghan Ly has been swimming for 13 years and competed in the sport for ten. She first started swimming because her parents wanted her to learn how to stay safe in water, but she stuck to the sport for far longer. From then, Ly has managed to make incredible achievements in swimming. Last year, she qualified for NCS, and this year she competed in the final round of the state championship. While she has tried to keep herself from getting major injuries, Ly has always competed with weaker knee muscles that occasionally hinders her performance. However, she tries to keep her morale high by remembering how important the sport itself is to her. “Even when things are tough, don’t give up. You don’t have to completely sacrifice swimming to do well in school,” Ly said. While her high school swimming career is coming to an end, Ly will miss her teammates the most when she goes to college in the fall. After graduating this year from MSJ, Ly will attend Cornell University where she hopes to have fun meeting new people as well as further her swimming career.

Amanda deng

Kira Clark

Senior Kira Clark has been playing water polo for 11 years after looking for an alternative to swimming. She has been a four-year Most Valuable Player in Girls Water Polo and has placed ninth in the nation with her club team. Clark loves every practice as she believes it reignites her love for the sport, but her journey also witnessed a handful of hardships. For example, Clark suffered a shoulder injury early on during her most recent season with Varsity Girls Water Polo. “It was really hard to understand that I needed to take time off for my body to heal. Water polo is what I love, so it was difficult to accept that it was hurting me,” Clark said. After taking much needed rest in the middle of the season, she began competing in matches once again while performing even better than before. In the fall, Clark will play Division II water polo at California State University, Monterey Bay. “My advice is to always have fun playing water polo. Water polo is something great to be enjoyed,” Clark said.

“Don’t dwell on mistakes because overthinking the little things can be worse in the long run. Just make sure to turn the page and learn from those mistakes,” –– SENIOR AMANDA DENG

Senior Amanda Deng has been playing softball forten years, beginning her journey with her neighborhood’s little league baseball team.

She has participated in many softball competitions since then and earned accomplishments such as winning Triple Crown National Championships with her team and being ranked Top 90 in the country for the past few years. Although Deng has also been named MVAL first-team all-league and an all-state nominee, her softball experience did not come without its obstacles. The college recruitment process became a major source of mental and physical hardship for Deng and a struggle while balancing her schoolwork. However, she was able to strive through it and encouraged others in her position to avoid letting difficulties get the best of them. “Don’t dwell on mistakes because overthinking the little things can be worse in the long run. Just make sure to turn the page and learn from those mistakes,” Deng said. After graduation, Deng will play Division I softball at Brown University, where she hopes to fulfill her many aspirations for college. “I’m excited to hopefully get an Ivy League championship for Brown and also appear in the NCAA tournament,” Deng said.

“Life is like a marathon, the training is hard and it is painful to run, but it is all worth it in the end,” –– SENIOR ANIA WONG

ania wong

Senior Ania Wong began her running career at the Mini Mermaid running club that was offered at her elementary school. Wong’s interest in the sport was sparked by her dad’s running stories. At age 11, she ran the 5k race, thus kicking off her journey as a distance runner. Wong’s illustrious high school career was complemented with her earning the Most Valuable Runner award in all 4 seasons of running for Mission San Jose’s Girls Cross Country team. As a junior, she had the fastest 1600m time in MVAL and soon after, attained the All-American honor as a racewalker in the 2023 Junior Olympics, where she was also a 1500m national finalist. Wong’s perseverance through this tough sport has allowed her to mentor other runners. “Life is like a marathon, the training is hard and it is painful to run, but it is all worth it in the end,” Wong said. As a college athlete for Swarthmore College, she will be competing in Division III Outdoor Track & Field, Indoor Track & Field, and Cross Country.

krish gupta

“Keeping my head up, telling myself I have many more tournaments ahead of me and that one match here and there doesn’t define who I am has allowed me to continue to play with high spirits and at a high level,”

–– SENIOR KRISH GUPTA

Senior Krish Gupta started playing tennis at 7 years old after being introduced to the sport by his older brother. Within school, he led the varsity team to extraordinary heights at NCS where he placed first in the individual competition during multiple seasons. Outside of school, Gupta plays at the very top level of the sport, winning two individual level 1 tournaments, one of the biggest junior tournaments in the country, and three team level 1 tournaments as well. Throughout his years in tennis, Gupta has faced many obstacles, including a neck injury that continues to affect him. However, he keeps himself motivated by looking forward toward his future goals. “Keeping my head up, telling myself I have many more tournaments ahead of me and that one match here and there doesn’t define who I am has allowed me to continue to play with high spirits and at a high level,” Gupta said. After graduating from MSJ, Gupta will continue to play Division I tennis at Yale University where he looks forward to new opportunities to further his tennis career. “I am excited to spend my next journey with a bunch of great guys and incredible coaches … and give ourselves a chance to win the Ivy league and make the NCAA tournament,” Gupta said.

PHOTOS COURTESY DEVANG RAINA, ANIA WONG, AMANDA DENG, MEGHAN LY & KIRA CLARK.

18 Sports

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Boys Volleyball soared to new heights this season, qualifying for NCS with a season record of 20-8 and a third place finish in MVAL. With the addition of new key players to the team, like Freshman Outside Hitter Roman Suleman and Co-Captain Senior Caleb Bai, the team had a stronger offense that worked well with last year’s varsity players. “This would normally affect team chemistry, because they haven’t played together before, but surprisingly, this season, there was no disconnect. They worked really well together,” Boys Volleyball Coach Thien Nguyen said. Beyond individual talent, the team worked well together as a unit, this was evident in their dominant performance at the East County Varsity Invitational, claiming their well-deserved spot in first place.

volleyball

Baseball

Ending off the season with first place overall in MVALs, the Boys and Girls Swim teams have shown exemplary improvement compared to expectations.With Junior Varsity Boys and Girls Swim both placing first, Varsity Boys placing third, and Varsity Girls placing fourth, the team as a whole has shown great success, while also welcoming and teaching newer team members.“The new people come in and don’t really know what to do, but it’s up to us older upperclassmen to show them what to do, and I think we overcame it by the end,” Boys Swim Captain Senior Nicholas Zhang said. At first, the team struggled with accountability and attendance, as students struggled to commit to practices. Yet as the end of the season neared, the team built amazing chemistry between Junior Varsity and Varsity teams.

swim

Despite facing a challenging season with zero wins, the baseball team showed team spirit and determination that set the stage for their future seasons. Overcoming injuries and a younger roster compared to previous years, standout performances from Senior Captain Vinhson Nguyen and newcomer Nicholas Campbell highlighted the team’s perseverance. “My favorite part of the season was probably the team camaraderie. We had a lot of team bonding this year and our relationship has grown over the season.” Captain Senior Vinhson Nguyen said. Despite the losses, the team f o cused on building relationships and supporting each other, bringing together the veterans and new players.

The team maintained a competitive mindset approaching each game with determination and commitment. “Every game is a new game. Whether we were at 21 and zero or zero and 21, it doesn’t change. We got to play hard and compete,” Coach Bobby Kanno said.

Friday, May 24, 2024

SPRING SPORTS RECAP

tennis

With an impressive season, the track team has exceeded past expectations, breaking multiple records.Their performance, most notably in sprint and distance events, showcased their strength with Captain Senior Phoenix Hin breaking three records, including the 100-meter dash (from 11.14s in 2010 to 10.90s), the 200-meter dash (from 22.64 in 1993 to 22.46s), and the 4x100 relay from (44.04s in 2010 to 43.27). With many new faces, the core experiences of the upperclassmen co-captains provided mentorship as the team spent the first half of the season learning the athlete’s strengths and weaknesses. “I definitely saw a lot of new interest in the team, thanks to a lot of our veterans who brought in many of the underclassmen which grew our team as a whole.” Captain Senior Phoenix Hin said.

While facing major challenges such as the rainy weather and headwinds the team’s guidance from coaches and veteran athletes kept them on track. With a large team of over a hundred athletes, the Track and Field team looks forward to seeing the future of the juniors and young players as they continue to grow and excel.

With a strong streak this season, Softball exceeded expectations all season. With outstanding coaching, leadership, and perseverance all throughout the team, the team improved in both offense and defense.

“At the start of the season, I had hoped this team could achieve a 500 or better record, and they’ve actually exceeded even those expectations. I kind of didn’t expect them to beat Newark, and they did. They also beat Morocco. To the best of my knowledge that hasn’t happened in 20 years,” Softball Coach Joe Iwamiya. One of the biggest assets to this team was their perseverance through each game. “Our team was great at showing fight, competing until the last out of every game,” Softball Captain Senior Amanda Deng said. As for the near future, the team hopes to end their season strong. “In the last games of the season, I hope the team can win and finish 10-4 in league play while having a successful senior night celebration!” Deng said.

Thriving with their 13-1 MVALs record this year, the Badminton team has successfully sustained their MVALs winning streak, moving onwards to their 18th consecutive NCS win. Coming close to a three-way tie with American and Irvington this season, the team was able to recover and hold onto ther first place title in the league. After a large portion of the varsity team graduated last year, this year’s relatively newer team has worked towards learning as much as possible from the current graduating seniors. “Last year, we lost maybe 20 seniors, so we’ve had a lot of new faces come in. In the beginning… everyone kind of felt out of place,” said Co-Captain Senior Wenlu She.With a large team of around 70-80 varsity and junior varsity players, the Badminton team has used team bonding exercises to maintain team spirit.

badminton

With yet another impressive showing, Boys Tennis had an extremely impressive season with a league record of 14-0, winning MVALs for the sixth year in a row, and achieving first place in Doubles and Singles at NCS. One of the greatest assets to the team that has led them to victory after victory is the high level of experience and talent amongst its players, especially its seniors.With eleven graduating seniors including D1 players, the team has thrived from the veterans’ leadership. “The seniors gave the team a lot of cohesion, culture, and chemistry. They’re our MVPs for that reason,” Boys Tennis Coach Michael Jan said. Under the seniors’ guidance, the underclassmen also made a strong showing this year, proving that the team has no weak spots. “Our freshmen played higher up in the lineup, and overall everyone took more responsibility and leadership to help run the team,” Boys Tennis Captain Senior Krish Gupta said.

Track & field

Boys Golf capped off an undefeated season, boasting an impressive record of 11-0. Their dominance extended beyond league play, as they secured victories in four 18-hole tournaments and emerged as the champions of the MVAL Championship tournament. Their impressive performance has earned them a spot in NCS Championships, where a top-three finish could propel them to CIF State Championships. The Boys Golf team’s incredible season wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership of Co-Captains Seniors Matthew Almajano and Arnold He, along with key contributions from Juniors. “The team’s overall performance was outstanding. We will be losing 2 seniors this year but I will still expect the team to play as well as this year’s team,” Boys Golf Coach Terry Dalziel said.

softball

golf

By Shuhan Jin, Naisha Koppurapu, Brittany Lu, & Maryam Naseer Staff Writers

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS NOVAK CHEN, NAISHA KOPPURAPU & KEERTI KOYA, COURTESY MATTHEW ALMAJANO, DEVANG RAINA, TODD TOKUBO & AGNES WHITE

Friday, May 24, 2024

The Smoke Signal

WWW.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG

Sports & Photo 19

Cheer by Anya Kapoor and Megha Hegde

By Sahas Goli & Vidyuth Sridhar Staff Writers As the demand for enhanced digital communication platforms recently soared within sports teams as athletes and coaches realized the convenience of conveying workouts, team messages, and casual conversations online. As a result, Seniors Megha Hegde and Anya Kapoor were inspired to start Cheer in their sophomore year after receiving a project assignment in an entrepreneurship course.

“We had to do a business plan project, and it was also a competition in DECA, and we built on it afterwards,” —Senior Megha hegde Originally called Cheer At Home, the app was initially designed to serve as a live-streaming service to be used as a means of entertaiment. However, after beginning the development process and hearing feedback from peers, the pair decided to focus the now-rebranded Cheer on improving a variety of behind-thescenes team functions to work as a multidi-

mensionl app, appealing to all audiences.

“It’s an all around sports management app. It has a communication interface, Google Calendar, and payment features,” —Senior Megha hegde However, Cheer’s defining feature is its integrated AI chatbot, which enables users to streamline and efficiently complete tasks such as looking up game schedules, taking attendance, organizing carpools, and messaging coaches.

“Our main selling point is that [Cheer reduces] work for coaches and captains … [With Cheer] … they can focus more on just playing the game,” —Senior Megha hegde Hegde and Kapoor spent a significant amount of time developing Cheer’s direction and product in a process that included surveying coaches, incorporating AI tools into the app, and refining the user interface. “It was a

Seniors Megha Hegde and Anya Kapoor pose for a picture.

lot of work to see, one, what do people want, and two, how are we going to implement it cost and time-efficiently,” Hegde said.In the future, the two plan to add more features into the app that they believe the community would find useful, including a marketplace system for selling equipment and a system for team supporters to donate to their teams.

The duo inevitably found challenges in building the app that reflected its origins as an entrepreneurship product. The pair had to learn how to manage the time and costs effectively while also connecting to their customer base to validate their features within the community. In addition to the experience gained from the challenges of development, the duo also benefited from their dedication and longterm commitment towards the project, just

like the commitment athletes put into their sports. Despite not winning any awards in the first year of development, the two continued to build from their original business plan. Over time, the app built itself from a proposal into a full-fledged product, and the duo encourages others to do the same with their ideas.

“It’s hard. Make sure you have the time for it, but it can be very rewarding,” —Senior Megha hegde Cheer can be downloaded from the Google Play and Apple app stores on Android and iOS under the name Cheer: Team Management.

The app’s website can be found at www.cheerapp.io.

PHOTOS BY MEGHA HEGDE & ANYA KAPOOR, COURTESY CHEERAPP.IO

Asian Heritage Festival 2024

By Padma Balaji & Ivy Lu Staff Writers

On May 4 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fremont Downtown Center & Plaza, the Asian Heritage Festival brought a vibrant celebration of Asian American culture to the Fremont community. Hosted by the Bay Area HongKonger Community Center and Festival of Globe Silicon Valley in conjunction with the City of Fremont, the annual festival was established in 2023 in order to commemorate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The festival featured an array of booths, performances, and activities representing a diverse set of identities from all across Asia.

At the forefront of the event were the captivating dances and riveting music performances on the stage in the main room.

Performances from Newark Taiko, playing an ensemble of Japanese drums, lit up the room with their dynamic rhythms.

Other music performances blended traditionally Asian and American elements, showcasing the unique cultural fusion of Asian American culture. Several MSJ students, including Freshman Felicity He, Sophomore Yiwen Gong, and Junior Shardul Marathe also participated in the performances, most notably during the performance by Dragon Rhythm Shaolin Kung Fu. As attendees enjoyed the performances, many walked around to check out the cultural booths that sprawled through the community center. One booth featured Korean streetgames, offering iconic Korean snacks like cream carbonara buldak ramen and banana milk in exchange for winning games like Red Light, Green Light, Jegichagi, and Ddakji. The Taiwan booth, in exchange for writing two postcards to the World Health Organization to advocate for Taiwan’s joining, handed out Taiwan-style canned milk tea.

At the heart of the event was a desire to not only celebrate Asian culture, but to support and give back to the community. “I think as a community, [it’s] really important we get together and help each other out and support each other,” Christina Chow, a reporter for KTSF, the Bay Area’s first Chinese news channel said. “Especially as an ethnic minority, a lot of people find it difficult to get their voice out there.

There’s a lot of Chinese people who don’t speak English… so they don’t have a channel or venue to speak up.” ▪ PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS PADMA BALAJI & IVY LU. GRAPHICS BY GRAPHICS EDITOR JIYUN GUO

20 Photo

The Smoke Signal

WWW.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG

Friday, May 24, 2024

Tree House picnic center

As the weather gets Located inmore Niles, the California Nursery Historical Park features the Rose Garden, located Located in the heart of Fremont, Lake Elizabeth on Paseo warmer, at 36550 Niles Blvd featuring Padre Pkwy offers a variety of recreational activities and scenery. Picnic people are rediscovering a a variety of roses, well-maintained paths, and shaded benchesoutdoor making itactivity, an idealpicniclocation for a picnic. Aside from the Rose Garden, the tables are scattered throughout Central Park, all within walking distance classic park features shade garden, a succulent garden, and other aesthetic of nearby playground structures and the lake itself. Sprawling green fields king.

Whethera Japanese it’s vintage-inspiattractions as a miniature windmill and fountains. It also offers a grassy area intersected by well-traversed paths provide ample space frequented by red setupssuch or themed picnics, covered with trees overhead, the gaggles of Canadian geese that roam Lake Elizabeth. The lake itself everyone adds their uniqueproviding ample shade for picnickers to enjoy their activities comfortably. park’sare serene is wrapped by comfortable trails with benches every quarter mile, provtouch.

WhileThe picnics oftenatmosphere and well-maintained grounds make it an

By Novak Chen, Ivy Lu & Maryam Naseer inviting and perfect spot gatherings for a leisurely picnic. iding a picturesque walking path for picnickers. The location is popassociated with group Staff Writers ular with both locals and tourists alike, with its hustle and bustle with family and friends, picnics can also be

Picnicking in the Bay Area

evident to those who visit during the weekend.

an enjoyable solo experience, allowing one to connect with nature and wildlife.

“[One picnic memory was when] I hiked up to this church on small island in Greece. I brought some traditional Greek food and snacks from the market below.”

— Vanya Jain, 12

Tree House picnic Area

Located in the heart of Fremont, Lake Elizabeth on Paseo Padre Pkwy offers a variety of recreational activities and scenery. Picnic tables are scattered throughout Central Park, all within walking distance of nearby playground structures and the lake itself. Sprawling green fields intersected by well-traversed paths provide ample space frequented by the gaggles of Canadian geese that roam Lake Elizabeth. The lake itself is wrapped by comfortable trails with benches every quarter mile, providing a picturesque walking path for picnickers. The location is popular with both locals and tourists alike, with its hustle and bustle evident to those who visit during the weekend.

Niles Rose Garden Located in Niles, the California Nursery Historical Park features the Rose Garden, located at 36550 Niles Blvd featuring a variety of roses, well-maintained paths, and shaded benches making it an ideal location for a picnic. Aside from the Rose Garden, the park features a Japanese shade garden, a succulent garden, and other aesthetic attractions such as a miniature windmill and fountains. It also offers a grassy area covered with trees overhead, providing ample shade for picnickers to enjoy their activities comfortably. The park’s serene atmosphere and well-maintained grounds make it an inviting and perfect spot for a leisurely picnic.

“My dream picnic would ideally be in a sandy beach with good weather [that is also] dog-friendly.”

— Tara Roy, 11

As the weather gets warmer, more people are rediscovering a classic outdoor activity, picnicking.

Whether it’s vintage-inspired setups or themed picnics, everyone adds their unique touch.

While picnics are often associated with group gatherings with family and friends, picnics can also be an enjoyable solo experience, allowing one to connect with nature and wildlife.

Lakeshore Park

“Last time I went [to a picnic] was in April for my friends’ birthdays. We went to a Japanese friendship garden in San Jose, and each of us brought a small food item like a potluck. I brought egg salad sandwiches. They brought fruits, kebab, crepes, and little cupcakes and cakes ... I think the most memorable thing from that picnic was probably taking photos with each other with digital cameras.” — Siran Wang, 12

Tucked away in a residential neighborhood at 5119 Ipswich Ct in Newark, Lakeshore Park features a vast lake surrounded by a mile-long loop trail. The park offers not only an expansive lake but also an array of wildlife and natural scenery. With abundant bird species filling the air with chirps, one can watch ducks and swans peacefully swimming across the water.

The well-maintained trail, dotted with benches and shaded by towering trees, offers a pleasant path for walking. The reserved park offers a quieter experience for those looking to enjoy a picnic in a more serene setting by the lake.

“If I were [to picnic,] I would probably go to my local park because I know it well, lots of people picnic there, and it’s a nice calm quiet area ... [it would be] at my local park probably on the grass with lots of towels and paper and no food but probably a book or something. I’d treat it more like a hangout rather than eat a meal.”

— Angie Che, 11

“I have picnicked before at different places including Lake Elizabeth, community parks, tailgated at baseball and football games, Mission Peak, other hiking spots ... Some [of my most] memorable moments [of my trips] included the good food, warm sun, and the tickly grass as I lay down and listen to the sounds of nature — disconnecting from technology.”

— Science Teacher Lauren Ware-Hartbeck

Gamble Garden Located at 1431 Waverley St. in Palo Alto, Elizabeth F. Gam-ble Garden is a public space for all, only a 30 minute drive. It hosts spring tours that feature private gardens, shopping opportunities, fine dining, and more, and the Garden Fresh Luncheons spotlights fresh seasonal produce in beautiful and light lunches, many of which use the vegetables grown in Gamble Garden. Interspersed with towering trees, the flower beds burst with color, and shrubs section off pockets of serenity in the middle of a bustling city. The garden beds are labeled and organized, but brimming with blooms, making Gamble Garden a prime spot to visit for beautiful blossoms.

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS NOVAK CHEN, IVY LU & MARYAM NASEER. GRAPHICS BY STAFF WRITERS HANNAH BI & IVY LU