Vol. LVII, No. 3

MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL

VOL. 57, NO. 3

November 19, 2021

41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539 41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539

CA Teens Look Forward to a Late Start for the 2022-23 School Year

By Shaily Desai, Anandita Devata, Shelley Li & Steffi Zhou Staff Writers In 2019, CA Gov. Gavin Newsom signed CA Senate Bill 328, which requires middle schools and high schools to start after 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. respecFor the 2022-23 tively by the 2022-23 school year. Because MSJ usually begins the day at 8 a.m., the administrative team will need to propose a new schedule School year, CA high CA is CA is the to be voted on in order to comply with the mandate. The the first state to schools must start at first state Smoke Signal contacted FUSD schools and MSJ pass a bill mandating latto mandate later faculty and students to gain insight into er start times for secondary schools, the bill’s possible implications. mainly due to a concern of sleep deprivastart times tion among students. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), developing adolescents experience a shift in their circadian rhythms, known as “phase delays,” making it biologically harder for them to fall asleep and wake Following up early. In particular, studies done by the AAP indicate According to that teenagers find it difficult to sleep before 11 p.m. the passage of Senate Bill 328 in CA, Ohio introAAP, teenagers and wake up earlier than 8 a.m. Referring to rePossible New Schedules for Next Year search on adolescent sleep, Newsom said, duced a similar bill in 2019 find it difficult to “The science shows that teenage stu- that mandated later start Although the new MSJ schedule for next wake up earlier times for public schools.

In dents who start their day later Former CA Gov. year is still in its planning stages, an 8:30 a.m. addition to sleep deprivation, than 8 a.m. increase their academic start and 64,800 instructional minutes throughout the state also mentioned safeJerry Brown vetoed performance, attenthe school year are mandatory. Based on other schools ty concerns, addressing the numdance, and overa similar bill in the past that have already made the transition, Principal Jeff Evber of accidents that occur as students all health.” due to opposition from ans is planning to create two possible schedules for next wait for their buses in the dark. Other states’ school year. These schedules — a modified block schedule and schedules already comply with the mandate, such teachers and school a six-period schedule — will be presented to the staff as those in Washington, which start no earlier than boards. in the winter and voted on in the spring. The staff will 8:45 a.m. Researchers at the University of WashIn also vote on whether or not to keep Read period and ington found that the later start time allowed the past, advisory for the next academic year. high school students to get on average a similar bill Acknowledging the fact that school may end lat34 more minutes of sleep, improve was presented to Former CA Gov. er, thereby impacting athletes and students who work their grades, and decrease Jerry Brown, but he vetoed it due Other schools in FUSD, like American after school, Evans said, “We want to be mindful of their tardiness to to opposition from teachers and High School (AHS) and Irvington High School starting later but also ending as early as we can so classes.

(IHS), have already implemented the late start school boards. “[School schedules] that we still respect people’s after-school time.” schedule for the 2021-22 school year. AHS made the are the types of decisions best hanchange to an 8:30 a.m. start last year during distance learndled in the local community,” Brown ing, while IHS made the change this year. said in his veto message.

According to AHS Principal Megan Barrington, most students a n d supported the implementation of the late start. “Whatever we more able to can do to help our students feel better is going to make them enjoy their social lives.”

Providing an insight on the do better in school,” Barrington said. Additionally, because AHS is the only school in its area that starts at 8:30 a.m., morning schedule change from the perspective of the traffic is reduced, and parents have an easier time dropping off IHS student body, IHS Associated Student Government President Nosheen Ullah said, “[When] some of my friends students at school.

Later starts have also allowed students who have sports every day get home, it’s [already] super late, more time to socialize. “I see more kids hang- and then they end up not being able to do any homework.”

For schools like MSJ that will implement the mandate next ing out in the courtyard before school, just chatting with friends,” IHS Principal Nathania year, both Barrington and Chaney-Aiello advised reaching Chaney-Aiello said. “It does seem like they out early to the groups most impacted — crossing guards, are more awake breakfast servers, athletes, and bus drivers — and ensure a smooth transition for them.

8:30

Insight From FUSD Schools Post-Transition

STUDENT OPINIONS In a survey conducted by the Smoke Signal of 194 MSJ students, 86.6% of them expressed a desire for school to start after 8:00 a.m., citing a lack of sleep and little time to prepare for school in the morning as main reasons for this desire.

Currently, 95.3% of MSJ students sleep for eight or fewer hours on weeknights, which is lower than the eight to 10 hours of sleep recommended for high school students by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 86.1% of students surveyed

FACULTY MEMBER OPINIONS

think a later start time would help them feel more rested and productive throughout the school day, leading to improved results and test grades.

A majority of those surveyed also mentioned increased transportation time and improved attention span in their classes as immensely important benefits of a late start.

The survey reflected that many students felt an implementation of a later school schedule would boost their mental wellbeing and productivity.

Students aren’t the only ones affected by the late start, as MSJ faculty members are also affected by changes in their schedules.

From a survey of 44 teachers, 65.9% support the bill, saying it would help students become more alert, improve mental wellness, and allow more time for prep in the morning. “Students are not awake and active at 8 a.m. School should [just] start at 9 a.m,” one teacher said.

Teachers also mentioned that the later start time would be beneficial to zero period

Students IMMENSE EFFECT

NO EFFECT

More time for sleep Transportation and preparation Improved attention Mental wellness

ONLINE

THIS MONTH

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194 students and 44 faculty members were asked to rank how they will benefit by a 8:30 a.m. start time on a scale of 1-10, with 1 representing no effect to 10 representing immense effect.

NO EFFECT

classes and help ease the stress of the morning commute.

Other teachers express opposition to the mandate, listing reasons such as additional missed class time for student-athletes, less time for extracurriculars, and heavy afternoon traffic. “I feel like this will bring on more negative impacts,” another teacher said. “With school ending at a later time, all extracurricular activities will also start or end later. In the end, it will only displace the sleep time.”

Faculty

IMMENSE EFFECT

More time for sleep Transportation and preparation More alert students Mental wellness

HOMSJ: HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

SMOKIE PODCAST: CHILDHOOD MEDIA

With the holiday season just around the corner, learn more about the MSJ community’s plans to celebrate with friends and family through the Smoke Signal’s latest HOMSJ episode.

Missing your childhood? Listen to the latest episode of the Smokie Podcast to hear two staff writers reminisce on childhood media and how it shaped their lives.

FOR MORE COVERAGE, VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG

2 News

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, November 19, 2021

CA Ethnic Studies Bill to be Implemented by 2025-26 school year The new mandate requires an ethnic studies credit for high school graduation.

By Karina Han, Vedesh Kodnani, Priyanka Shah & Amelie Wu Staff Writers

In an effort to increase diversity in education, CA Gov. Gavin Newsom signed CA State Assembly Bill 101 (AB 101) on October 8, mandating that all CA high school students take one semester of ethnic studies in order to graduate. The bill will take effect by the 2025-26 school year, making CA the first state in the US to mandate ethnic studies.

CA State Assembly Bill 331 (AB 331), a previous rendition of AB 101 written by CA State Assemblymember Jose Medina, was vetoed by Newsom last year on Sept. 30, 2020 after accusations of political bias and criticism from Jewish politicians and communities. The backlash was largely directed at mentions in the curriculum of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS), which supports boycotts and similar forms of pro-Palestinian protest against Israel. The CA Legislative Jewish Caucus called for a revision of the bill in a letter to the Instructional Quality Commission, saying it reflected “anti-Jewish bias.”

Since then, AB 101 was rewritten and proposed by Medina on Dec. 11, 2020 as a revised version of AB 331. Mentions of BDS were removed from the official Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (ESMC), as well as other forms of “bias and problematic language,” Anti-Defamation League Regional Director Seth Brysk said. The new model curriculum provides a framework for teachers to focus on the diverse histories and cultures of African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latinx in a way that is unbiased, non-offensive, and

“[AB101 contains] a number of safeguards to ensure that courses will be free from bias or bigotry and appropriate for all students. ”

appropriate for students of all backgrounds.

As it encourages discussions about ethnic heritage, the model curriculum emphasizes the four historically marginalized ethnic groups that college-level ethnic studies cover, according to EdSource.

AB 101 is a step towards equality and inclusivity in education, according to Medina.

“Students cannot have a full understanding of the history of our state and nation without the inclusion of the contributions and struggles of Native Americans, African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans.”

— CA STATE ASSEMBLYMEMBER JOSE MEDINA

“Students cannot have a full understanding of the history of our state and nation without the inclusion of the contributions and struggles of Native Americans, African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans,” Medina said in an official statement.

The ESMC was approved by the CA State Board of Education on March 18, but further development is necessary before the curriculum is implemented. Districts will have to tailor the curriculum to the demographics of their schools by evaluating the diversity of the student population, communicating with students and families, and consulting scholars of marginalized communities.

After the veto of AB 331, student advocate groups such as GENup and Bay Area

Wiverses deningof Japanese UniObli Undocumented Ameri c an gation AmeriSalvadoran Immi grationoand Chi n ese Incarcerati o n c an Mi g rati o n Deportati n Ameri c an Experi e nce lroad Through Poetry Rai Anti S emi t i s m and Workers JewisStudi h Ameri es can CA Sikh American Community MiModel nority Myth

Affirtmiynand g Identi Asiacnan Community Ameri Lati ncxanx and and Pacific Chi Islander Studies ArabStudiAmeriescan Studies Student Civic Inter-Ethni c Engagement Bri d ge Democrati Building Parti cipatiocn Youth-led partiActi cipoatory Nati vecan n African Ameri Research Ameri Social Studies Acknowledgement Land Studiceans Movements Us Housintgy and Dominant Inequali ve American Narratives NatiMascots #BlackLi and SocivaesMatter l Change

gratieosn Africcanan MiStori Ameri Innovators

Oral History

— CA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM

Student Activists (BAStA) poured time and effort into AB 101. Students supported the new bill by contacting local and state government officials, attending video conferences and webinars, hosting discussion panels, and collaborating with district administrators to implement ethnic studies. “Fremont BAStA, along with the help of other organizations, managed to bring ethnic studies classes to high schools in FUSD, except MSJ, as there was a low demand for the class,” BAStA Co-President Elaheh Khazi said. Though

“The more we hear stories that are diverse from our own stories, the more we engage with material that’s different than whatever we are, the deeper our perception of others become.”

— SOCIAL SCIENCE TEACHER STEPHANIE KEARNS

AB 101 has been passed, there is still a long way to go before a state-wide ethnic studies curriculum is achieved. Even now, the curriculum has raised concerns about the exclusion of minority groups, such as Palestinians, who were removed from the curriculum after revisions despite their importance in the history of colonialism. “How do we bring in everybody in one semester and make it impactful is going to be the challenge for whoever is deciding the curriculum for that class,” Social Science Department Chair Kim Mathis said.

Despite the challenges, MSJ teachers have expressed their support and optimism for the new program. Social Science Teacher Stephanie Kearns said, “The more we hear stories that are diverse from our own stories, the more we engage with material that’s different than whatever we are, the deeper our perception of others becomes.” ▪

NEWS IN BRIEF

Compiled by Chloe Gao, Christy Huang & Amy Luo Staff Writers

corrections for the OCT. 22, 2021 issue News Pg. 1: Mark Henriques is misspelled.

News Pg. 2: Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. is misspelled.

News Pg. 2: US Census Bureau is misspelled.

News Pg. 3: Marching Band has not performed since December 2019.

News Pg. 3: The Norway killings were by stabbing.

News Pg. 3: Ariel Kim is Assistant Flute Captain.

Opinion Pg. 5: Gabby Petito’s remains were confirmed as hers on September 22.

Opinion Pg. 5: Romona Moore is misspelled.

Opinion Pg. 6: Rudy Perez is Los Angeles School Police Sergeant.

Feature Pg. 8: OneProsper International is misspelled.

Feature Pg. 8: Milan Foundation is a nongovernmental organization.

Centerspread Pg. 9: Bollywood airband danced to “Pinga.”

Centerspread Pg. 12: “Caravan” is written by Duke Ellington.

A&E Pg. 13: Halloween Town is misspelled.

A&E Pg. 13: Mike Johnson co-directed “Corpse Bride.”

A&E Pg. 13: Sanika Vivek is misspelled.

A&E Pg. 14: “Thriller” is misspelled.

A&E Pg. 14: Ben Platt is 28 years old.

A&E Pg. 15: Anupam Pripathi is misspelled.

A&E Pg. 15: Ali Abdul is misspelled.

A&E Pg. 15 Jang Deok-su is misspelled.

Sports Pg. 15: Xenophon Therapeutic Riding Center is misspelled.

Sports Pg. 15: Karina Brez Jewelry is misspelled.

Sports Pg. 16: Himani Malur is misspelled.

Sports Pg. 17: Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics is misspelled.

Sports Pg. 17: Lick-Wilmerding is misspelled.

Sports Pg. 17: MSJ Girls Tennis vs. Irvington was 7-0.

Photo Pg. 19: National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day is misspelled.

Photo Pg. 19: The number of Google searches for dogs and cats was up by 250%.

Local

National

INTERNATIONAL

Photo Courtesy Staff Writer Sarina Li

blackenterprise.com

dw.com

Shown above, Mission San Jose is plastered with red spray paint, displaying messages against the early missionaries.

Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival left eight dead and hundreds injured.

CIvilians are left staring, in freezing conditions, at the barbed border wall between Poland and Belarus.

Historic Mission San Jose vandalized with spray paint.

On Friday, November 5, Fremont’s Mission San Jose was vandalized with anti-colonial messages written in red spray paint. The front walls of the building facing Mission Blvd. were desecrated with phrases such as “Ohlone land” and “Catholicism is a colonizing religion.” Statues of Junipero Serra in the courtyard and Saint Dominic were covered with red spray paint as well. Most of the graffiti in the mission yard was removed by the following Monday; however, church officials report that the historical adobe building now requires special treatment in order to be repainted. This incident emerges from a series of recent scrutinies and criticisms regarding the history of CA missions in relation to Indigenous lands. Now a major historical attraction for the City of Fremont, Mission San Jose was part of the original 21 missions that criss-crossed the state of CA.

Nine dead following crowd surge at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival.

On the evening of November 5, at least nine people were killed and hundreds more injured at the Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas, bringing an early end to the two-day event. The crowd of an estimated 50,000 people suddenly surged forward toward the stage during rapper Travis Scott’s performance, compressing the crowd so tightly together that they could barely breathe or move their arms, causing many people to get trampled or suffocated. A security officer responding to the crowd surge allegedly felt a prick in his neck and lost consciousness until he was revived with Narcan, a prescription drug that can treat narcotic overdose. In the coming weeks, a medical examiner will determine the causes of the deaths and investigators will look at video footage and talk to witnesses and event organizers to piece together what exactly happened at the festival that led to this tragic turn of events.

Thousands of migrants trapped between Polish-Belarusian border.

At its border with Belarus in Sokolka, Poland, around 15,000 Polish troops and guards blocked migrants on November 10 According to Polish Government spokesman Piotr Müller, there were 3,000-4,000 people gathered at the border, many of whom were fleeing war and poverty in Belarus. In recent months, the European Union has accused Belarus of trying to start a new refugee crisis in Europe, arguing that Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko initiated retaliation at the border. Since then, Poland has reported almost 30,000 illegal border crossings this year. Many of the migrants who were trapped between the border by the new fences have died from hypothermia due to freezing conditions and lack of food and water. Addionally, the Kuznica crossing was closed on November 9, further trapping thousands more migrants in these dire conditions.

Friday, November 19, 2021

The Smoke Signal

WWW.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG

News 3

MSJ Social Advisory Day: Promoting reengagement and community While the return of in-person school brought new challenges, Social Advisory Day aimed to strengthen MSJ’s sense of community.

By Andria Luo & Kaitlyn Wang Staff Writers

On November 4, students gathered in fifteen different classrooms across campus to participate in MSJ’s very first Social Advisory Day. Incorporating interactive games, jewelry-making projects, music, sports, and more, student and teacher organizers presented fresh, unique activities for students to try out for the period.

In hopes of cultivating engagement following the return to in-person school and increasing interactions among fellow classmates, Social Science Teacher Nancy Benton organized and coordinated the event alongside MSJ staff and students. Due to the lockdown, there are three classes of students who have yet to spend an entire school year on campus. “They don’t have any opportunities to make friends and sometimes

in the classroom; you don’t really have time to socialize, or you only talk to the people you already know,” Benton said.

As the advisory bell rang, participants signed in to classrooms with activities that sparked their interests, be it buzzer games or jewelry-making. Ultimately, the goal of Social Advisory Day was to create an environment in which students could escape the stresses of their academic responsibilities and spend a period making meaningful interactions with the people around them.

Sophomore Zoha Ahmad, who participated in the fencing activity, said, “I feel like it was necessary, sort of like a break for people who have tests every single day.”

Teachers who participated in the organization of the event also felt the need for a boost in morale. “I believe this activity will be really good to help kids just really engage

While also using classrooms, Benton wanted the event to include outdoor physical exercises as well.

with one another again, especially in person.

It’s great because [although] you can talk over Zoom and everything ... there’s just a different aspect to socializing in person again,” Computer Science Teacher Michael Jan said.

Students of all grade levels were given the opportunity to volunteer as leaders for topics of their choice. They planned their own activities and gathered equipment exclusive to their specific topic with the help of Benton, who helped them find available classrooms and teacher supervisors. For many student volunteers, this event was a valuable chance to share their passions with those around them. Fencing Host Sophomore Darren Watt said, “My goal is to introduce high schoolers to fencing. After this class, maybe they will be interested and ac-

Participants in Social Advisory Day share laughs over an UNO game.

tually go to other professional organizations to do this.”

Others simply wanted to create a fun space for students to relax and enjoy the new sense of community. “I wanted to participate in social advisory because I thought it was a really fun opportunity for people from school to connect,” Temporary Tattoo Host Senior Julia Zhan said. “I hope people will relax and have fun with the activities.”

Benton plans on organizing more events like this one, working towards the goal of creating a more positive and united environment for MSJ students. “If [students] want to have a fun school to be at and a positive environment, they can’t look for other people to solve that for them ... It takes a community to make,” Benton said. ▪

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS ANDRIA LUO & KAITLYN WANG

World Schools Debate Team Takes First Place at Damus Hollywood Invitational The Damus Hollywood Invitational was the team’s first event in this new competition format.

By Rohan Bhagat & Sanah Bhardwaj Staff Writers

On November 7, MSJ Speech and Debate’s newly founded World Schools Debate team took first place overall at the Damus Hollywood Invitational, coming out undefeated in a pool of 21 entries from all over US. This was the club’s first tournament in World Schools Debate, with the team consisting of World Schools Captain Junior Selina Kao, Public Forum Captain Junior Zaid Vellani, Sophomore Rahil Pasha, Sophomore Shameet Sharma, and Sophomore Yuvraj Walia.

World Schools Debate is a dynamic event that combines prepared topics with spontaneous topics. Debaters act like a worldwide governing body and debate about what the government should do. Previous topics have included oil prices, two party systems

and vaccine mandates. World Schools also help increase collaboration between debaters, requiring teamwork and quality argumentation. Unlike Public Forum and Lincoln-Douglas, which tend to be more fact based, World Schools debate is more about morality. “World Schools Debate is an incredibly unique debate format that more people would find interesting, especially because there’s this clash about moral principle and obligations,” Kao said.

Kao received the first speaker award, and

“I’m incredibly proud of how our team did, especially for our first ever World Schools debate tournament. Everything truly came together at the end, and the flow was just flawless in the finals round.”

— WORLD SCHOOLS CAPTAIN JUNIOR SELINA KAO

MSJ Speech and Debate’s World Schools team from left to right: Sophomore Yuvraj Walia, Sophomore Rahil Pasha, Junior Zaid Vellani, Junior Selina Kao, and Sophomore Shameet Sharma.

the team only lost one ballot throughout all rounds. “I’m incredibly proud of how our team did, especially for our first ever World Schools debate tournament. Everything truly came together at the end, and the flow was just flawless in the finals round. Everybody immediately knew what they had to do,” Kao said.

However, MSJ’s victory did not come without obstacles. Since this was MSJ’s first time competing in World Schools Debate, the team faced several challenges including learning a new format, adapting to the time restrictions, and adjusting to online debate. In particular, the World Schools Debate style has three speeches per team, each eight minutes long. This is much longer than Public Forum events which have two to four minute long speeches. “The hardest part of transitioning to World Schools was definitely being able to speak for an entire eight

minutes, which is pretty hard,” Sharma said.

“We did pretty well, so I think we can do well at future tournaments. I think we’re all interested in competing again.”

— JUNIOR SHAMEET SHARMA

The team has no intention of stopping soon and has high hopes for the future. They plan on continuing to compete together and hope to continue their winning streak. “This first experience definitely opened our eyes to how the world works. Because our experience was so positive, our team was really enthusiastic afterwards,” Kao said.

MSJ Speech and Debate’s World Schools team will be competing at Isidore Newman School Invitational from December 10-12 and the John Edie Holiday Debates hosted by the Blake School from December 17-20.▪

Competing in real-time, virtual meetings, the team adjusted quickly to the event’s new format.

PHOTOS COURTESY SELINA KAO

4 Opinion

www.thesmokesignal.org

THE SMOKE SIGNAL Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 57, No. 3 | November 19, 2021 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 1968 students EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Megh Basu, Amanda Pang NEWS Larry Shi, Alina Zeng OPINION Isabella He, Sakshi Umrotkar FEATURE Lily Oh, Nithika Valluri CENTERSPREAD Naveed Shakoor, Jackie Wong A&E Joanne Park, Helen Tian SPORTS Anvi Kalucha, Jerry Yuan GRAPHICS Mingxin Wang WEB Tanisha Srivatsa, Jessica Yu TECH Bryan Xiong BUSINESS Jennie Wang CIRCULATION Angela Xiong ADVERTISING Rohan Bhagat, Steffi Zhou EVENTS Esther Lau WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Sanah Bhardwaj Pratham Bhashyakarla Ruhani Chhabra Charlize Chiu Shaily Desai Anandita Devata Chloe Gao Sahas Goli Jiyun Guo Chahak Gupta Jacob Han Karina Han Daphne He Christy Huang Selina Kao Ayushi Kashyap Elaheh Khazi Vedesh Kodnani Sarina Li Shelley Li Waylon Li Amy Luo Andria Luo Maryam Naseer Aditya Patil Julia Peng Esha Potharaju Daphne Senecal Priyanka Shah Hannah Shen Annika Singh Aaryan Suri Jason Tang Darshan Thirumala Nessa Tong Kaitlyn Wang Kaylee Wei Amelie Wu Annie Xu Elton Yu Aaron Zhou ADVISER Sandra Cohen Send letters to the editor to opinion@ thesmokesignal.org. Letters under 300 words may be considered for publication and must include a full name and school affiliation. The Smoke Signal reserves the right to edit for clarity and length.

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To advertise in the Smoke Signal, email ads@ thesmokesignal.org. Advertising that is included on the pages of, or carried within, the Smoke Signal, is paid advertising, and as such is independent of the news and feature content.

The Smoke Signal’s right to freedom of speech and press is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution.

To stay updated with our online content, see our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ msjsmokesignal.

CORRECTIONS POLICY When factual and spelling mistakes are found or brought to the attention of the staff, corrections will be printed in the next issue’s corrections box.

See the example below for styling.

Centerspread Pg. 10: The California Youth Crisis Line should be the Crisis Text Line.

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BYLINE POLICY All writers who contributed to the article will be listed in the byline in alphabetical order. All photographers or artists will be credited in the text below the photograph or spread.

Friday, November 19, 2021

The Smoke Signal

Isabella's InterpretatIons

sakshI's solIloquy

Don’t fall into the trap of tunnel vision

Finding how to trust your judgement

By Isabella He Opinion Editor

By Sakshi Umrotkar Opinion Editor

Whenever anyone asks me what my favorite saying is, I always reply with a Steve Jobs quote, “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” As I reflected upon why this quote resonated with me, I realized that the principles behind these famous words extend to the classes I take, the open-minded attitude I keep, the unconventional aspirations I follow, and so much more. To me, this quote conveys everything from embracing an entrepreneurial spirit to expanding my horizons beyond my academic interests and career goals.

Working towards goals and setting milestones motivates me — hungry ambition fuels my driven attitude. Whether it’s taking classes that push me to learn new and exciting concepts, pursuing a risky business idea, or engaging in unfamiliar activities that push me out of my comfort zone, staying hungry is the key to continual improvement.

It’s important to pinpoint what your goals in life are and to stay hungry for those goals despite the obstacles that come your way. However, it's also important to see beyond your ambitions. In the midst of a long list of to-dos and the pressure to succeed, it's easy to get sucked into a single-minded pursuit of goals. Here's where the necessity of staying foolish comes into play.

In MSJ's college and career focused atmosphere, I often find myself inadvertently honing in on particular subjects that align with my major or career aspirations. Yet some of my greatest sources of growth came from exploring subjects and activities outside of my academic concentration. For instance, exploring journalism through the Smoke Signal has broadened my understanding of my world from local MSJ, FUSD, and CA levels to national and international levels. By keeping in mind that passions shouldn't turn into restrictions, we can pursue our goals while embracing the unorthodox and keeping our eyes open for opportunities to branch out.

Even as you chase your ambitious goals, don’t fall into the trap of tunnel vision. It's okay to be a little carefree as you work towards your goals, explore your options, and pursue those boundarybreaking ideas that others deem "foolish." Conventions are only limited by our own perceptions of what is possible — through a driven mindset with a touch of foolishness, we can push those boundaries to discover new interests, innovations, and possibilities. ▪

As I recently perused the Internet during a break from college applications, I found a podcast episode that reminded me of a subject I hadn’t revisited in quite a while: media literacy. Seeing as anything would suffice as a welcome pause from staring at application portals, I took some time out to listen to the series. Each twentyminute episode helped me realize that media literacy — loosely defined as the ability to analyze the intent behind different types of media — was much more valuable to our everyday lives than I initially thought.

I was first introduced to the idea of analyzing intent in my sophomore year. As a new student journalist, I was supposed to have a fairly complex understanding of media literacy and its importance. Working with others to write journalistic content meant that I had to have a solid grasp on how journalists tend to think to not only maintain the integrity of the facts but also ensure that we knew which sources to seek out.

At the time, media literacy was important to me mainly because of the weight of this accountability. The fact that our work’s credibility rested on how well I could analyze other writers’ perspectives

pushed me to pursue media literacy further.

I made an active effort to question tone and diction after considering the article’s source.

I researched writers’ backgrounds, questioning what appeals they were making both up front and implicitly. Slowly, this habit seeped into my personal life to affect the media I consumed in my free time too. The sheer amount of media available at our disposal today can be overwhelming, and I realized that media literacy is essentially a toolbox of skills to help make media consumption less manipulative.

Understanding opinionated language and persuasive intent opened my eyes to how the nuances in people’s writing affect our perception. But more importantly, I was able to build confidence in my judgement over time, helping me navigate through the news and other forms of media with much more ease.

Considering how the Internet has provided an open platform through which users shape each others’ understanding of the world, media literacy is a subject we should all seek to learn. Practicing aspects of media literacy will only make it easier to navigate large volumes of media with full awareness of not only the content but also the intent behind it. ▪

The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board

“Basic” is not an insult Phrases like “I did it before it was cool” and “I liked it before it was a trend” pervade our everyday conversations about media and interests as the determination to appear as enthusiasts of exclusively “underground” content rises. With an increasing emphasis on uniqueness in the light of college applications and niche communities emerging on social media, mainstream content such as pop songs on the radio and widely-watched TV shows has lately become the object of contempt and even scorn for being too “basic.”

While these displays of distinctiveness may be something to be celebrated, the obsessive need to appear different from others while looking down at mainstream content inadvertently puts down those

Instead of bombarding others who have “basic” interests with negativity, we need to allow our interests to coexist. who may enjoy popular works.

Attempts to push individuality through sentiments of peer disapproval contribute to a larger issue: while one person may think something mainstream is boring and consider it “basic,” it might be exciting to another. Normalizing the act of shaming them for it creates a culture in which people feel ashamed of their interests. We’re plagued by concerns of being perceived as “basic” or becoming alienated because of our interests rather than being able to openly enjoy what we are enthusiastic about.

This culture can carry over to the college application process as well — oftentimes students feel pressured to stand out amongst their peers in extracurricular activities. Students shouldn’t limit themselves from exploring true passions simply because they are considered too mainstream. Altering interests just to have an edge in college admissions only hurts you in the end, especially if your application isn’t reflective of your true interests.

Showing colleges a false side to you only to end up on a career path that you don’t necessarily enjoy isn’t worth the risk or the trouble.

Having mainstream interests doesn't reflect poorly on personality: it’s not the media that lends itself to anyone’s uniqueness, but rather one’s interpretations of it. A piece of media is only as valuable as we make it. As we come to realize that there’s nothing wrong with enjoying popular pieces of media, we can take away the negative connotation we associate with the term “basic.” And besides, things that are considered “basic” are often popular for a reason, and they are widely celebrated because they appeal to a large audience. Discouraging the consumption of popular interests only ends up restricting people from discovering or trying new things that are generally well-liked and highly regarded.

And so instead, we can enjoy what’s unique about us, whether it’s pursuing that rare, sparsely-known hobby or screaming along to our favorites from the Billboard Hot 100. Having our own critiques about certain types of content doesn’t mean that we need to police the interests of others who do enjoy it. Objectively making commentary on entertainment or interests using uniqueness as a standard is much different than mocking someone for having a popular interest.

Being unique has been reduced to an unhealthy obsession rather than highlighting people with unconventional preferences. Instead of bombarding others who have “basic” interests with negativity, we need to allow our interests to coexist. Keep an open mind and try not to harp on someone simply for their interests. After all, we shouldn’t focus on being unique — rather, we should focus on being ourselves. ▪

By Chahak Gupta & Kaitlyn Wang Staff Writers

STAFF WRITER CHAHAK GUPTA

STAFF WRITER KAITLYN WANG

Friday, November 19, 2021 The Smoke Signal

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CA Education Funding Crisis

US NEWS & WORLD REPORT

By Sanah Bhardwaj, Sahas Goli, Jacob Han & Priyanka Shah Staff Writers

24:1

Ranking 30th in the nation in per-pupil spending, CA’s education system lacks adequate funding despite having the 10th highest tax burden in the country. CA K-12 schools receive $7.68 billion, or $1,224 per pupil, from the federal government, and State funding totals $51.78 billion or $8,254 per pupil.

Due to its scant financial support, CA educational administrations struggle to make ends meet, resulting in substandard experiences for students and teachers alike. Following economic recessions from the coronavirus pandemic, the CA education funding crisis is more urgent than ever as schools undergo extreme financial distress. To educate the MSJ community about the CA educational funding crisis, the Smoke Signal has investigated the issue of the CA tax system and how the crisis affects MSJ and provided the Smoke Signal's take on how to work towards a solution.

CA SCHOOLS HAVE THE MOST OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS IN THE NATION WITH AN AVERAGE STUDENTTO-TEACHER RATIO OF 21:1

MSJ's Studentto-teacher ratio

Impact on fusd

The Smoke Signal's Perspective Whether it is MSJ’s student-to-teacher ratio or our shared nurse, the effects of CA’s flimsy funding system are clear. State officials prioritize institutions like law enforcement and healthcare over education, spending at a higher rate, though education is in a more dire situation. This is represented by the struggle many schools face to afford basic requirements. Additionally, researchers at the Public Policy Institute of California found that the coronavirus pandemic reduced wage gains, making income a more unstable source of funding than ever. According to CA State Controller Betty Yee, CA’s income tax funding system “has created tremendous revenue volatility in California, making annual state budgeting a challenge that is necessarily focused on building resilience by increasing reserves.” This instability is further exacerbated by the coronavirus recession, during which income tax revenue decreased by 30.5% and almost 3 million jobs were lost. While some argue that tax volatility works both ways since high-income workers create progressive gains during recessions, these gains don’t directly benefit schools because of spending disparities.

To alter the government's taxing system, the first step is to reform Proposition 13. According to the Los Angeles Times in July 2020, the passing of Proposition 15, a partial repeal of Proposition 13, could solve school funding crises; unfortunately, the proposition was rejected. Proposition 15 increases funding for K-12 public schools, community colleges, and local governments by requiring that commercial and industrial real property be taxed based on current market value instead of the purchase price. The reform could generate almost $12.4 billion a year in additional revenue, with 40% going to schools. Apart from Proposition 15, the CA state government’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) distributes target per-student base grants, supplemental grants for students with more needs to address, and a concentration grant depending on the number of students in need. Supplemental grants are equal to 20% of the base grant for each low-income student, while concentration grants go to districts where 55% of the students are low-income Since its implementation in 2013, LCFF has allowed local authorities to direct spending based on the greatest local needs and created billions in additional funding for low-income students. Therefore, the LCFF should receive more funding from CA so it can expand its program and solve the crisis.

It’s all too common for politicians to drag their feet when it comes to providing deserved funding for schools, and it is imperative for government officials to stop prioritizing personal interests above concrete change. For example, Former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos withheld nearly $30 billion of funding for schools from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to bring the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, which included $100 billion specifically for K-12 schools, to a vote. In addition, DeVos infamously pushed school voucher programs, which allocated part of public school funding in the form of “vouchers” to parents who can use this funding to send their child to private or charter school. A recent analysis from the Iowa Legislative Services Agency found that if passed, the program would cost public schools nearly $4 million in Iowa alone. Although CA does not currently allow for voucher programs, politicians calling for this shift in funding on a federal level perpetuate bias against public education. The perpetual halt and unwillingness to fund public schools will only exacerbate the CA educational funding crisis. CA’s funding crisis is skating on thin ice, as schools are lacking the supply of basic resources, worsening the quality of teaching. However, if the government improves its flawed tax system and students take the initiative to create change, there might be hope for schools facing the funding crisis, after all.

Potential solutions like Proposition 15 and increased funding in LCFF will only materialize if the government takes steps to pass legislation. CA’s education system has had enough of a substandard learning environment.

Opinion 5

MSJ, along with many other CA schools, faces the effects of insufficient funding. The FUSD budget and audit report show no reserved funds for MSJ building improvements; the effect of this is apparent. In 2013, the Smoke Signal covered MSJ’s substandard heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, which flooded both US History Teacher Tony Belotti and Math Teacher Kevin Mallon’s rooms. Beyond facilities, personnel and students feel the impact of limited funding as well. MSJ has a studentto-counselor ratio of 500:1, twice as much as the American School Counselor Association’s recommended 250:1 ratio. According to US News & World Report, the student-toteacher ratio is 24:1, higher than the CA average of 21:1, which is the highest in the nation. MSJ shares a nurse, Marcia Foley, with Hopkins Junior High and Mission Valley Elementary. The shortage of such essential staff members means that students face difficulties receiving necessary support for their physical, academic, and emotional wellbeing. Additionally, Vista Alternative High School, FUSD’s online learning program, suffers from a lack of resources as well. With only 35 course offerings, it is forced to completely exclude some departments, such as health and performing arts because of their lack of funding.

Reasons behind the crisis Due to the introduction of Proposition 13 in 1978, which limited the local property tax rate to merely 1%, CA pivoted to a less stable fiscal support system: state income tax. Before Proposition 13, CA was in the top 10 for money spent on school funding, receiving almost $40 billion in property tax revenue. Almost four decades later, CA is in the bottom 10, with property tax revenue split in half. Income tax, which makes up 60% of the CA education system’s funding now, has increased by 226% to compensate for property tax losses. As a result, the Pew Research Center ranked the CA revenue system the 6th most volatile in the country in 2018. Unlike property taxes, income taxes depend on the average income of each CA resident: the lower the income, the lower the funding.

Economic fluctuation like the recent coronavirus recession directly impacts how much money is invested in CA schools — income tax revenue decreased by 30.5% and almost 3 million jobs were lost.

However, lack of funding isn’t the only cause of the education crisis. Though education is the second-largest chunk of CA’s funding, K-12 education spending has only increased by 1.5 times compared to three times for police and corrections. CA has been spending less than the national average on K-12 education for decades. According to Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), CA spent $12,498 per student compared with $12,612 nationally. The decrease in funds due to Proposition 13, the inability of income tax to fill the gap created by property tax, and the marginal spending rates collectively contribute to CA’s educational funding crisis.

Moving towards a solution What the state government should do

What students should do Dear State Representative...

Since federal and state governments hold CA schools’ budgets in their hands, we must start by holding them accountable and pressuring them to stop stalling regarding educational funding. Instead, they should follow CA Gov. Gavin Newsom’s example; he promoted his $123.9 billion public education budget on Aug. 6, calling it a part of his “California Comeback Plan.”

Changes like this can slowly bring CA education back to where it was. However, it’s important to remember that an increased budget isn’t enough. State and government officials must make sure these funds are being used efficiently and correctly to ensure well-financed CA education doesn’t remain a dream.

As the group most affected by the funding crisis, it is crucial for students to take action to improve their own educational experiences. For communities to understand the importance of addressing the funding crisis and to work together to alleviate the issue, students can help raise awareness by sharing flyers on social media and discussing these issues with their peers. Initiatives such as SURFBoardE, which helps students speak on a district level, and GENUp, a student-led education advocacy organization, can give students a platform to make a change. Finally, students urge their state and local representatives to enact legislation to address the ongoing educational crisis. Find out who to contact by visiting the United States House of Representatives website and rally fellow classmates to help amplify your voice.

GRAPHICS BY OPINION EDITOR ISABELLA HE.

6 Opinion

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Friday, November 19, 2021

The CA vaccine mandate: a public health imperative

By Selina Kao, Amy Luo & Annie Xu Staff Writers No one is safe until everyone is safe, and CA is falling behind. The state has recently reached a worrying plateau in its COVID-19 vaccination coverage, with just 73.5% of eligible Californian students receiving vaccinations, according to the California Coronavirus Response’s official website.

As the Delta variant surges, weak compliance with risk-mitigation measures, such as refusing to wear masks and receive vaccinations, has accounted for more than 83% of all infections. The state is at an inflection point in the pandemic, which prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom to step up and issue the first statewide COVID-19 vaccine mandate in the US for schoolchildren on October 1, a choice that was met with immense backlash from many Californians.

The mandate is expected to go into effect on July 1, 2022 for grades 7-12. Many find the mandate violates their personal rights and religion, and others view vaccine mandates as unconstitutional. However, decades’ worth of vaccinations have been instrumental in maintaining public welfare, by protecting General George Washington’s army from smallpox and 91.9% of the nation today from measles. Evidently, we have not learned from the past. It’s time for the citizens of CA to roll up their sleeves to get their vaccine shots.

The overarching goal set by the vaccine mandate is herd immunity, which relies on the majority of a population being vaccinated and is vital to halt the spread of any viral disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that hospitals requiring influenza vaccinations have received far fewer positive cases than those with voluntary ones. CA already mandates measles, mumps, and rubella immunizations for school children, a requirement that has prevented school-wide breakouts.

Communities that remove mandates, however, often see resurgences in previously eradicated diseases.

For example, in early 2019, a single measles outbreak

occurred in Clark County, WA, where only 81% of 1-5 year-olds had received vaccinations, contrary to the federal average of 94% for kindergarteners.

The outbreak infected more than 71 people and cost the county $3.4 million. Vaccine mandates have proven their effectiveness in the past, and one for COVID-19 will serve to further protect students and staff.

... the benefits of the statewide COVID-19 vaccination mandate for schoolchildren — a public health imperative — simply outweigh its repercussions Furthermore, as multiple increasingly dangerous variants of COVID-19 arise through mutations in the viral deoxyribose nucleic acid, a mandate is increasingly necessary in order to halt the spread of the virus, especially with greater danger on the horizon.

According to the CDC and Yale Medicine epidemiologists, the Delta variant is twice as contagious as previous COVID-19 strains and is believed to cause more severe symptoms. The variant’s rise makes it more important than ever for students in highly populated schools, like MSJ, to receive vaccinations.

Two days after an unvaccinated elementary school teacher from Marin County, CA, tested positive for the Delta variant, 12 out of 22 of her students, who were tested as they were ineligible for vaccinations at the time, tested positive as well. Schools will be vulnerable to such highly contagious outbreaks until communities fully accept vaccine mandates.

In regards to the community of people sharing anti-vaccination sentiments, many often cite personal and religious beliefs as common justifications for refusing vaccinations. Though individuals have the right to refuse medical intervention, there must be clearly defined regulations for religious accommodations. Public safety must be prioritized over unbounded exercise of religion. According to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,

employers or schools may assess medical-related religious exemption requests on a case-to-case basis.

A study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2019 revealed that states prohibiting philosophical exemption requests for kindergarten immunizations are four times more likely to receive religious exemption requests than states that offer both accommodations, suggesting that many religion-based requests may be ingenuine. In recent years, there has been a drastic rise in religious exemptions for school immunization requirements, with the CDC recording a 57% increase in exemption requests from 2011 to 2020. This statistic is predicted to surge with mandates for the COVID-19 vaccine.

If there are too many exemptions that nullify the effectiveness of the mandate, Newsom announced that state lawmakers could pursue legislation that would close exemptions for the vaccine and make adjustments necessary to strengthen the student vaccination plan. This development is a necessary precaution in order to establish the efficacy and comprehensiveness of the vaccine mandate.

SCHOOL

Though the benefits of the statewide COVID-19 vaccination mandate for schoolchildren — a public health imperative — simply outweigh its repercussions, the enforcement of this mandate requires the cooperation of all Californians. A root cause of the misuse of religious accommodations and anti-

vaccination sentiments stems from an abundance of misinformation regarding vaccinations. Though many powerful religious organizations and leaders, such as the Dalai Lama and Pope Francis of the Catholic Church, have urged followers to get vaccinated, it is rather individual interpretations of scripture that typically lead to anti-vaccination beliefs, as confirmed by a study in the US National Library of Medicine. The media also perpetuates false myths about vaccines. According to an online survey conducted by the Caribbean Public Health Agency between February 17 and June 18, 38% of all participants cited potential side effects of the vaccine as a major concern. However, the CDC states that no serious long-term adverse effects to the COVID-19 vaccine have been recorded, despite the millions that have received their shots. In order to create an environment where people voluntarily get vaccinated for their own safety, the discourse around vaccines must become more science-based, as it will remove the current fallacies rising from media misinterpretation.

Thus, public health advocates should work with religious leaders to promote conversations regarding the risks and benefits of vaccinations and help build confidence in vaccinations by creating discussions centered around scientific reasoning to prevent further protests and debunk misinformation.

The assurance of a safe and healthy learning environment for school children is an essential step in the CA pandemic recovery strategy. As members of the MSJ community, we have a moral responsibility to ensure the well-being of the people around us through compliance with this vaccine mandate.

Mutual collaboration and commitment are essential in order to turn the tide of this pandemic. ▪

As members of the MSJ community, we have a moral responsibility to ensure the well-being of the people around us through compliance with this vaccine mandate.

GRAPHIC BY OPINION EDITOR ISABELLA HE.

WHAT IMPACT DO YOU THINK CA’S HIGH STUDENTTO-TEACHER RATIO HAS ON PUBLIC EDUCATION? HAVE YOU PERSONALLY BEEN AFFECTED BY HIGHER

"I think it reduces the quality of education that the students receive because it’s so hard to connect with teachers when there’s so many other students that the teachers are focusing on ... a couple times, some teachers don’t even know my name. It’s so hard to stand out in front of the rest of your class, especially when teachers have so many students that they’re teaching and when you’re asking for a letter of recommendation or even asking for help."

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"Having a higher student-to-teacher ratio is definitely not beneficial to either students or teachers. It decreases the ability for students to gain greater understanding of the classes’ curriculum, as the teacher’s attention is more spread out and less direct with more students. This causes more students to not understand what their teachers are saying, thus decreasing their academic performance. I have noticed that with more students, there’s a lot less help and communication between students and teachers."

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“While there is an increasing student-to-teacher ratio, this does not significantly impact students learning… because currently, there’s no %%%%%%%%%%%%% /0 really one-to-one interaction between ) the teacher and the student, and so if the teacher’s still lecturing to the whole class, then increasing the number of students, the student-toteacher ratio does not significantly impact each student’s learning. The learning of the student is still mostly in the student’s hands and not in the teacher’s hands. So therefore, I don’t think there’s a major impact whether [or not there's an] increase in the students-to-teacher ratio.”

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“Having additional students for each teacher on campus at MSJ means that the teacher is responsible for more students at a time than previous years. I think this does not have much of an impact on public education if it were just three additional students ... I have not been personally affected by higher student-to-teacher ratios. I have not seen any differences in the equality of education in more crowded classes, but I have heard student complaints of how there are too many students indoors at a time to practice social distancing during this pandemic.”

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“With more students, it’s harder to communicate with teachers ... and it decreases the quality of education because teachers have more work to grade and more students to manage ... I don’t think I’ve really been affected by these student-toteacher ratios because I always find some time outside of class to ask them questions if I have any doubts, but in more crowded classrooms ... it makes it a little bit harder to concentrate.”

Student-toTeacher Ratio

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS SANAH BHARDWAJ & JENNIE WANG.

Friday, November 19, 2021

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Feature 7

SPOTLIGHT: STUDENTS WITH "UNIQUE" COLLEGE MAJORS

By Daphne He, Christy Huang & Darshan Thirumala Staff Writers

Anthropology

Nihar Duvvuri

UX Design

Shenggang Liu

Geology

Gloria Hsieh

With the college application process well underway for the Class of 2022, many underclassmen are left considering what they would like to pursue in the future. Majors such as computer science, business, and engineering have been popular among MSJ students, though they might not be a good fit for everyone. To give insight on the wide variety of majors, the Smoke Signal surveyed students planning to pursue majors in lesser known fields.

Upon telling people that she intends to major in anthropology, Senior Anastasia Wang often finds that they aren’t familiar with the major. To explain anthropology to those unfamiliar with it, Wang describes it as a combination of language, culture, biology, history, diversity, and community. Wang’s passion for anthropology stemmed from her participation at a global health fellowship, where she gained an understanding of cultures and their health systems. In the future, Wang sees herself addressing the public health challenges endemic to culture-rich societies as a public health researcher. For underclassmen still unsure about their intended major, Wang recommends that they “take advantage of the opportunities provided by the school to explore their interests.”

Senior Nihar Duvvuri is MSJ’s very own veteran actor. Having acted in and produced multiple short films and commercials, Duvvuri hopes to major in drama and theater arts. Duvvuri grew up enjoying many forms of arts, ranging from fine arts to literature, and eventually went into acting. Duvvuri’s parents are very supportive of his passion for acting and see his happiness as their own happiness. Today, Duvvuri hopes to contribute to Hollywood’s Asian revolution that now features casts with more diversity. In 10 years, Duvvuri sees himself as a film producer and wants to eventually start a production company that caters to underrepresented artists.

At the start of 2021, Senior Sanika Vivek was introduced to UX Design and immediately found herself captivated by it. On the other hand, Senior Sana Indap already knew she had passions for art and psychology, and realized that UX Design was the best way to combine these interests. UX Design refers to the design techniques used across different materials, dimensions, and elements to enhance the user experience of a product. To explore the field of UX design, Vivek has been participating in graphic design workshops and college-level industrial design programs, while Indap has been earning UX Design certificates from the University of Michigan. Within the coming decade, Indap sees herself having a job where she can incorporate her UX Design skills into app development, while Vivek hopes to be part of a company that focuses on different aspects of design.

After realizing his interest in UX Design, Senior Shenggang Liu decided to pursue cognitive science, the interdisciplinary study of the mind and thought. Liu’s eventual goal is to work for a gaming company, either as a game designer, UX designer, e-sports manager, or community manager. Though people sometimes mistake “CogSci” for “CompSci” when he first announces his major, he is lucky to have been met with an overall positive response from friends and family. For other students wanting to pursue non-traditional career paths, he advises them to just do what they like, and to “put [their] heart and soul into it and don’t look back.”

After Senior Titus Tsai first joined Science Bowl in sixth grade, his fascination in astronomy slowly evolved into a passion for earth science, for which he represented the US at the 14th International Earth Science Olympiad. On the other hand, Junior Ayushi Kashyap first developed an interest in geology after studying about fossils for Science Olympiad and continues to expand upon her passion for earth science through her participation in Science Olympiad and Ocean Science Bowl. In the future, Tsai hopes to share his knowledge with others as a tenured professor, while Kashyap hopes to work in the intersection of climate science research and computational geology. Tsai strongly encourages others to expand upon their own interests. “Do make sure you like it. It would really suck if I ended up not liking earth science ... but I know it is wonderful to me,” Tsai said.

Katherine Lin

Anastasia Wang

Drama/Theatre Arts

Sanika Vivek

Sana Indap

Cognitive Science

Titus Tsai

Ever since Senior Gloria Hsieh and Junior Katherine Lin picked up the violin for the first time at ages 8 and 4, music has been a huge part of their lives. Hsieh is a member of California Youth Symphony's Senior Orchestra and enjoys teaching violin to young children, which aligns with her future goal of owning a private studio.

Lin, on the other hand, joined her first orchestra in fourth grade and has since gone on to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York and the Royal Festival Hall in London. In 10 years, Lin hopes to be part of a professional orchestra or become a soloist to share her music with more people. Both Hsieh and Lin encourage those pursuing untraditional majors to trust themselves. “It can be an extremely challenging and confusing path, but the bravery to undertake it is what makes you stand out,” Lin said.

Ayushi Kashyap

Violin Performance

PHOTOS BY WRITERS DAPHNE HE, CHRISTY HUANG & DARSHAN THIRUMALA, GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITOR NITHIKA VALLURI

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Feature 9

Sahas Goli, Daphne Senecal, Hannah Shen & Aaryan Suri Staff Writers At a school filled with fifth grade graduates, four DieHard TryHards put their brains to the test with the popular game show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? but with some new Smokie twists. Facing off in teams of two — the Red Tornadoes vs. the Blue Hurricanes — players will take turns to answer a total of ten questions with an allotted 30 seconds to answer each. Players will compete to score the most points, with the finale consisting of a final bonus question worth 100 points that could make or break the game.

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AARYAN

SAHAS

DAPHNE

HANNAH

BEFORE:

BEFORE:

BEFORE:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

AFTER:

AFTER:

AFTER:

Going into this, I’m feeling not-so-confident, to say the least. After labeling Africa as Antarctica in my fifth-grade geography test, I must say that I don’t expect too much from myself. My strategy at the start is to take an educated guess, but if I don’t know which answer to pick, my friends have advised me to choose C. Putting my faith into my friends may not be the best bet, however, it’s my only real chance. But hey, even if we don’t win (which we probably won’t), at least the worst we can do is still a strong second place.

If I’m being completely honest, winning was the last thing I expected. Our lucky strategy of picking the highest value questions first definitely aided us in our victory. Not to toot my own horn, but our win was a result of absolute dominance — dominance that led us to close out the match, 230-50. Despite my inability to read a simple question regarding unit conversions that cost us 30 points, my chemistry with Sahas and our knowledge of basic elementary school lessons allowed us to walk home victorious.

Compared to my competition, I have about as much experience as I do Nobel Prizes. That is to say, none. In fact, I don’t even remember what subjects I learned in fifth grade! For what it’s worth though, I do remember how to line up correctly. Not to mention my only strategy is guess and check, which pales in comparison to the sophisticated plans my opponents seem to be concocting.

My only hope is that everyone on my team is an elementary school graduate.

Hooray.

What do you mean I was nervous? I knew we were going to win all along. Despite going second in our choice of question, we managed to gain a strong lead. Not only that, I got all of my questions correct! That last bonus question was a bit too tense for my liking though. Lucky enough for me, I somehow recalled that the Heimlich maneuver is used to assist choking people. If you had asked me a minute before, I probably would have confused it with the German suplex and called it a wrestling move. It looks like I am as smart, if not smarter than, a fifth grader after all!

BLUE HURRICANES: 230 PTS

Fifth grade may have been a long time ago, but the hours that I’ve spent going over past episodes and online guides related to Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? have more than prepared me to take on this challenge. Plus, I specialize in remembering incredibly useless information I learned long ago that is in no way useful to the current me. With elementary genius Hannah by my side, I believe that we will come out of this game as the victors.

My team had a decent start, but it all quickly went downhill when I failed to correctly answer a 50 point social studies question. How was I supposed to know that Franklin D. Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt are, in fact, not the same person? My team managed to answer a couple more questions correctly, but it was no use; the Blue Hurricanes had stormed too far ahead. If my performance today is any indicator, I am most definitely not smarter than a fifth grader.

As someone who passed elementary school with flying colors, getting perfect scores on math tests and acing every spelling test, I can confidently say that Daphne and I are destined for greatness (and victory). I’ll even spend countless back-breaking hours studying for this if it guarantees our triumph. I bet you didn’t know that the dot over the lowercase letter i is called a tittle. And no, I don’t recall learning about this in fifth grade, but I have picked up quite a few things in the years since!

The Red Tornadoes had a tragic fall from grace today, but I still insist that it was the lag which caused the host to call the other team for the bonus question. We were at a 80 point deficit and could’ve easily clutched the victory if we had answered the bonus question correctly. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. We ended up with a measly 50 points compared to the Blue Hurricanes’ 230.

To top it all off I had no idea that the small intestine turned food into liquids (I thought it was the stomach); now that I know this, it will forever haunt my dreams.

RED TORNADOES: 50 PTS

VICTORY DEFEATED PHOTO BY CENTERSPREAD EDITOR JACKIE WONG. GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITOR LILY OH

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Sitting Bull

Sitting Bull, the Hunkpapa Lakota leader in 1869, led the resistance movement against the US government policies that would force Native Americans off their land. The US authorities feared he would join the Ghost Dance movement to resist white expansion and unify the Native American tribes. Therefore, Sitting Bull was killed by Indian agency police on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.

His death led to the Battle of Wounded Knee, the final fight between federal troops and the Sioux, which resulted in the massacre of 150 Sioux. After his death, the Sioux tribe did not continue their resistance efforts like they had with Sitting Bull.

Landmarks

Friday, November 19, 2021

Friday, l November 19, 2021

Key Figures

Wilma Mankiller

Wilma Mankiller became the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1985. She is credited with boosting tribal membership and revenues by nearly 200% during her 10 years in charge. She also established the Federal Office of Tribal Justice and took charge of many health and education initiatives.

She has authored two books: Mankiller: A Chief and Her People and Every Day Is a Good Day: Reflections by Contemporary Indigenous Women.

She also taught at Dartmouth College for several years. Due to her work in activism, in 1998, Mankiller as awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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Centerspread 11

November: Native American Heritage Month

Deb Haaland

Born in 1960, Deb Haaland is the first Native American to serve as a US Cabinet Secretary. Confirmed by the Senate on March 15, she advocates for environmental justice and fair treatment toward missing Native American women. As a member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe in New Mexico, Haaland has served as a tribal administrator and was the first woman elected to serve on the Laguna Ruhani Chhabra, Elaheh Khazi, Esther Lau, Sarina Li & Kaylee Wei Development Corporation Board of Directors, Staff Writers where she helped establish eco-friendly business practices. Along with Sharice November marks the start of Native American Heritage Month, a celebration that is increasingly Davids and Yvette Herrell, Haaland critical to our communities with the ongoing movements for Native American equity and equality. To became one of the first Native American honor the culture, history, and contributions of Native Americans to our society, the Smoke Signal women to serve in Congress as representative highlights some key figures, events, landmarks, and more. of New Mexico’s first congressional district from 2019 to 2021.

Local Native-Owned Businesses

Chitactac-Adams Heritage County Park, Gilroy Debbie’s Hair Place & More The 4.5-acre Chitactac-Adams Heritage County Park, located in Gilroy, is known for its scenic Uvas Creek and rock art left by the Ohlone people of the Chitactac village. Panels installed throughout the park provide visitors information about rock art, bedrock mortars, and wildlife. The park features a visitor center as well, containing displays on Ohlone food, customs, and history, such as Europeans’ initial contact with the tribe in the Rivera-Palou expedition of 1774. Visitors can also learn about the Adams Schoolhouse, part of the park’s namesake, which politician John Hicks Adams donated to the Adams School District in 1859.

Vasco Caves Regional Preserve, Brentwood

Located on the eastern slope of Mount Diablo, this 1600-acre woodland park contains 10,000-year-old Native American rock and cave art; with the different styles, archaeologists believe that many different tribes, including the Ohlone, Yokut, and Bay Miwok, contributed to the art and used to live in the area.

Aside from these ceremonial caves, the park features rock outcroppings and bedrock mortar holes that Native Americans used to grind and prepare food. The park is only publicly available through reserved tours, where visitors can learn more about the park’s wildlife and historical landmarks.

Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont

A 1200-acre marshland and grassland park located in Fremont, Coyote Hills Regional Park was the original home of the Tuibun people, one of the 57 independent Ohlone tribes. The park features their 2,000-year-old village, sweat lodges, and shell mounds, which were all sites of burials and spiritual ceremonies. At the visitor center, visitors can enter replicas of tule houses, sweat lodges, and boats and learn more about the Ohlone people’s way of life. The park is also popular for its views of the bay along its hiking trails, which include the 12-mile Alameda Creek Trail, 3.5-mile Bay View Trail, and 3.2-mile Tuibun Trail.

Tribes Muwekma Ohlones

The Muwekma Ohlones, formerly federally recognized as the Verona Band of Alameda County, are a collective of surviving Native American lineages from the San Francisco Bay Area. Originating from Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and Alameda County, the tribe’s decades-long road to federal recognition is one of historical merit due to the tireless efforts of its people to research their history, write petitions, and pressure the government to act. The most notable of these efforts is the lawsuit filed against Interior Department Secretary Bruce Babbitt and Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs Kevin Gover; it took more than 24 years for the tribe to complete its recognition process.

Chumash

Before Spanish missionaries arrived in CA in 1769, the Chumash occupied land spanning from San Luis Obispo all the way to Malibu. The Chumash’s economic system was just as large as its territory, consisting of a complex trading network that connected hundreds of villages and even expanded overseas. They used shell beads as currency, making the Chumash one of the first societies to use a currency system. Another relic left behind by the Chumash people is their cave art. Using charcoals and various pigments, the Chumash use their art to bond with the environment.

Located at 3166 22nd St., San Francisco, CA, Debbie’s Hair Place & More uses hair products that are “natural things of the earth.” According to an interview with SFGATE, the products, such as remedial mint conditioners, are made from Native American ingredients that have been passed down by her grandmother. Santiago also uses her shop to display creative works by Native American artists.

Indigenous Red Market Located at 3124 International Blvd., Oakland, CA, the Indigenous Red Market features Native American designers, artists, and entrepreneurs from around the country. There is no entry fee and attendees can listen to live music, browse stalls, and learn more about Native American culture. It occurs on the first Sunday of every month.

Urban Native Era Founded in San Francisco, Urban Native Era is a successful online apparel company. With sustainable clothing items such as scarves, flannels, and hats with the slogan "You Are on Native Land," Urban Native Era highlights Native American artists and their designs. In 2021, the business was featured in Cosmopolitan.

Contributions Mary Golda Ross Jaune Quick-to-See Smith Tori Amos Mary Golda Ross is the first known Native American female engineer. She was a scientist for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and was one of the 40 founding engineers of the renowned and highly secretive Skunk Works project at the Lockheed Corporation, which worked on building jet fighters for the military. She was also one of the authors of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Planetary Flight Handbook Vol. III, which discussed space travel to Mars and Venus.

Tori Amos is a Cherokee singer-songAn abstract and contemporary painter, Jaune writer and a classically trained Quick-to-See Smith makes collages that are known for their gritty depictions of Native American socio-political musician. The youngest person to be issues. Her works present these often overlooked topics admitted into Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute, Amos has in a profoundly beautiful yet haunting manner. A received eight Grammy nominations trademark of her style is her heavy use of red paint, a for her rock vocals and alternative representation of those murdered during the bloody music. Her songs, such as those in her cultural and physical genocide of her people. One of album “Native Invader,” discuss spirituher most well known pieces, “Trade (Gifts for Trading ality, sexuality, politics, climate action, Land with White People)” is a commentary on the and also stories passed down from her deceptive trade tactics used by white settlers when ancestors. acquiring land from Native Americans.

Quannah Rose Chasinghorse-Potts

Quannah Rose Chasinghorse, a model and land protector, began protesting against harmful climate bills at a young age. She is currently signed with IMG Models and was on the cover of Vogue Mexico in May 2021. In an interview for the magazine, she explained how she hopes her role in modeling will help young Indigenous girls looking for representation. Chasinghorse was also heavily praised for the traditional Indigenous outfit she wore at this year’s Met Gala.

Miwok The Miwok were established along the Sierra Nevada’s rivers and streams, Mount Diablo, and present day Yosemite State Park. The tribe’s culture had an emphasis on the preservation of resources and a respect for life, which was found in many aspects of Miwok life. For example, if they hunted a deer, its meat would be consumed, its hide used for clothing, and its antlers, bones, and hooves fashioned into tools and instruments.

The Miwok passed down this understanding of how to make full use of natural resources from generation to generation by word of mouth, as was common for many Native Americans.

Floyd “Red Crow” Westerman

Floyd “Red Crow” Westerman was a sculptor, actor, musician, and activist. He sculpted busts of famous Native American leaders like Sitting Bull, Geronimo, and Chief Joseph to honor their legacies. Through his acting career, he has appeared in The X-Files, Hidalgo, and Dances with Wolves, all of which are considered American classics. He also expressed his advocacy for indigenous and environmental concerns through his music career. Some examples of this are his 1977 Tour Against Nuclear Arms with Harry Belafonte and South American concert tour with Sting to publicize the decimation of rain forests.

Indian Removal Act

After President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act in 1830, Native Americans were forcibly relocated to lands west of the Mississippi River. On the Trail of Tears, Native Americans experienced harsh conditions, exhaustion, disease, and death.

1830

Indian Citizenship Act

Passed by the 68th Congress in 1924, the Indian Citizenship Act granted US citizenship to all Native Americans born on US soil. Previously, citizenship was restricted to those who were of one-half or less Native American descent; however, suffrage was not granted until the 1950s.

Sioux Occupation of Alcatraz

The Sioux Occupation of Alcatraz in 1964 set a precedent for Native American activism, laying the groundwork for the advocacy seen today. People of the Sioux tribe occupied Alcatraz Island for four hours in an act of protest against the government’s violations of treaties, demanding that the government return the island to the Sioux.

1924 1964

Indian Civil Rights Act

Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson amid riots after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 gave Native Americans full access to the US Bill of Rights. This barred tribal governments from enacting laws that violate the rights of an individual and was the first step to levelling the legal playing field for Native Americans.

Founding of the American Indian Movement

Activists Russell Means, Dennis Banks, and Clyde Bellecourt founded the American Indian Movement (AIM) in 1968 to address systemic poverty, discrimination, and police brutality. In 1972, AIM organized the Trail of Broken Treaties, a cross-country caravan to Washington, D.C. with more than 700 activists to demand the government uphold treaties and return 110 million acres of land.

First Native American Heritage Month

1968 1968 1990

The United States first celebrated Native American Heritage Month in November 1990, after President George H. W. Bush approved a resolution expanding American Indian Week from the last week of November to the full month.

PHOTOS COURTESY PAULINA OTYLIE SURYS, OKLAHOMA PUBLISHING COMPANY PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION & DAVID F. BARRY. GRAPHICS BY CENTERSPREAD EDITORS NAVEED SHAKOOR & JACKIE WONG.

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Friday, November 19, 2021

GUIDE TO SECRET MENUS

By Hannah Shen, Jason Tang & Bryan Xiong Staff Writers

With an explosion of hype via social media in the past decade, secret menus — lists of off-menu items at certain restaurants and fast-food chains — are the popular new trend that restaurants are capitalizing on. Secret menus are the result of “menu hacks” initially created by customers, or modifications to existing menu items. Despite not actually being “secret,” the items’ false sense of exclusivity increases their popularity. Today, secret menus are often used as a marketing tactic to capitalize off of restaurant goers’ demands for customization and exclusivity. The Smoke Signal spotlights some classics and hidden gems of the fastfood secret menu world, giving each ratings out of five. Ratings are based on the secretiveness and appeal of each food item, in accordance to the restaurant it is ordered at.

McDonald’s Land, Sea, and Air

$8.49

This burger certainly isn’t for the weak hearted — finishing this triple decker burger would be a daunting task for anybody. The Frankenstein’s monster of McDonald’s classics, the Land, Sea, and Air, is constructed from a Big Mac, a Filet-O-Fish, and a McChicken.

With two beef patties, one chicken patty, and one fish patty, the aptly named burger is a behemoth of protein, revelling in over 1000 calories. Such a high caloric meal comes with an equally high price — $8.49. This burger went viral back in 2015, when the supposed “McDonald’s Secret Menu” was leaked by a Scottish McDonald’s manager. The absurdity of the burger instantly caught the eye of the public, making it on to Business Insider’s review of McDonald’s secret menu in 2015. To enjoy this all encompassing burger, simply ask the stores’ employees to add the extra patties to a Big Mac burger.

$1.89

Taco Bell’s The Incredible Hulk

For those who are looking for a healthier option at Taco Bell or simply love guacamole, the Incredible Hulk, named after the signature green superhero, is perfect. It takes Taco Bell’s signature five-layer burrito — usually filled with refried beans, ground beef, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and nacho cheese — and replaces the nacho cheese with a monstrous helping of guacamole. Not to be confused with the regular Hulk, a classic bean and cheese burrito with extra guacamole, the Incredible Hulk is an inexpensive and delicious way to get a quick guacamole fix. Costing only $1.89, this fan-favorite secret menu item is sure to satisfy even the most insatiable hunger. To order the Incredible Hulk, simply ask for a five-layer burrito with guacamole instead of nacho cheese.

In-N-Out Burger’s Animal Style Fries

$3.40

Topped with In-N-Out Burger’s famous Animal Style Sauce, a slice of melted cheese, and chopped grilled onions, the Animal Style Fries are the most popular secret menu item at the fast food franchise for a good reason. With the option to get them well-done for some extra crispy goodness, it is simply a steal for only $3.40. Although the recipe for the special sauce is a trade secret, many have claimed it is a combination of mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, and ketchup. The melted American cheese combined with the savory sauce encourages consumers to eat it with a fork or engage in a large amount of finger licking. To order this iconic secret menu item, go to any In-N-Out Burger and ask for Animal Style Fries.

-$5.00

Starbucks’ Winnie the Pooh Frappe

Created by viral TikTok user Ryan Gawlik (@coffeefanatics) in February 2020, the Winnie the Pooh frappuccino is a sweet white and gold caramel-striped drink inspired by cartoon character Winnie the Pooh’s signature pot of honey. If the delectable appearance isn’t enough to draw customers in, the taste certainly is. Described by Gawlik as tasting “just like a graham cracker,” the drink never fails to satisfy a sweet tooth. To order this whimsical drink, start with a vanilla bean crème frappuccino and add honey, cinnamon dolce, cinnamon powder, and a dark caramel drizzle after blending. When ordering, be sure to specify the ingredients rather than just stating the name; despite having garnered more than 700,000 views on TikTok, the drink itself isn’t widespread, and baristas will need guidance in making this perfect concoction. Customers can enjoy a delicious Winnie the Pooh frappuccino that they’re sure to love for less than $5.

Jamba Juice’s Strawberry Cheesecake

-$6.00

Despite the name, Jamba Juice’s Strawberry Cheesecake contains none of the ingredients used to make cheesecake. The sweet strawberry flavors mixed with the frozen yogurt create a very sweet, creamy texture that is sure to impress the customer. This drink earned its name from tasting exactly like a slice of cheesecake due to its impeccably smooth consistency and creaminess. Its incredibly high demand makes it a secret menu item by only a small technicality — the fact that it is not on Jamba Juice’s public menu. Its popularity has risen to the point where most stores’ employees know how to make it without customers explaining the recipe. For around $6 — dependent on the size — customers can walk out of their local Jamba Juice with a delicious drink that’s sure to satisfy their cheesecake cravings.

$5.15 / $5.65

Starbucks’ Dirty Chai Latte

The Starbucks Dirty Chai Latte unites the tea and coffee lovers alike. Black tea infused with a hint of cinnamon and other spices is combined with a shot of espresso, turning the established Chai Tea Latte into what is known as the Dirty Chai Tea Latte. Served either hot or iced, the drink is considered one of Starbucks’ more popular secret menu options. With its aromatic combination of herbal spices and steamed milk, the Dirty Chai Tea Latte’s status as a go-to drink is well-deserved. Those especially in need of caffeine can order the Double Dirty Chai Tea Latte, which, as the name suggests, doubles up on the aforementioned espresso shot. The drink costs $5.15 or $5.65, depending on its size and the number of espressos shots added.

Although secret menu items are growing in popularity and losing their secrecy, customers are constantly coming up with new combinations. With these constant additions to fast food chains, secret menus will never grow outdated.

Friday, November 19, 2021

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Feature & Arts & Entertainment 13

Dear Diary: Thanksgiving Turkey

MOO!

By Shelley Li Staff Writer A Hearty Welcome I would love to say I was born amidst the fields of wildflowers, dew droplets, and butterflies at Frying Pan Sanctuary, but ... that’s not my story. When I opened my eyes for the first time, it was my sister Alexandra “The Great’s” toe that greeted me, ominously dangling a mere three centimeters from my beak — its sharp tip a hearty welcome to the new world.

Limbo and Beady Growing up, I never had the biggest breast, the brightest wattle, or the flashiest tail feathers. But if there was an award for introversion, I’d no doubt be the champion. I guess that’s why I’m stuck with the dumb name Humphrey “the Antisocial.” But hey, to be fair — I do have two friends: Limbo and Beady. Limbo is a refugee from the farm factory. He is missing a few toes, his beak is badly seared, and best — I mean worst — of all, he has no snood to attract females, all of which are precisely why he is my friend: to highlight my attractiveness, of course! Beady is also a refugee, and he has a funny habit of tilting his head to the sky for minutes at a time in frozen shock. One time, Beady nearly drowned himself staring at the rain; my siblings say he is dumb, Limbo says it’s a genetic condition from the farm factory, but I think he’s just going through a mid-life crisis.

The Walking Pillows I’m starting to like this season, with the windy weather and the piles of musty leaves.

With each passing day, more walking pillows bundled in woolen cloths visit the sanctuary, serving as comfy headrests and superb napping nooks. I especially like the one with the spaghetti hair; she gives the most satisfying wattle rubs. Oh, that reminds me! Last week, she gave

Beady 30 scratches, and I only got 29. That won’t do; I’ll lock Beady in the chicken coop this week.

MOO!

An Expedition Gone Fowl I probably should have locked Beady in the garden closer to the walking pillows’ visiting area instead — now I have to cross through the bordering forest to get to my wattle rubs in time. WAIT. Is that a blueberry bush? Okay, my wattle rubs will have to wait, gotta fill my stomach first. But, what’s that tickling at my feet? WOAH! Let go of my snood; it’s my only body part that looks charming. Stop shaking me ... I can’t see anything! HIYAH! Take that claw! And that peck ... and that swipe! YEAH! I didn’t learn turkey boxing from Alexandra for nothing. Urg ... I’m seeing stars ...

The Turkey-fying Experience What ... is this place? I know I’m definitely still close to home. Sky? Check. Grass? Check.

House? Check. Window? Check. Limbo? Che ... Wait, that’s not Limbo. It doesn’t have feet, feathers, or a head! AND it’s swimming in a pool of thick gravy? OH NO! Is that what it means to be roasted? I have to escape.

GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITOR LILY OH

Moo? Trust me, escaping that pen was no easy task, especially having to unlock the pen door.

Luckily, weeks of practice with the chicken coop taught me a few tricks to keep up my wattle. Not to mention, the grass here is topnotch and the perfect fuel for my escape; it’s no wonder those bulky black-and-white masses seem so dedicated to their munching. I say I deserve a break from that strenuous lock breaking, and I’ll join them myself. But, why are they all mooing? HOLY SMOKES! The Roast-

ers are coming; I must blend in. MOO! MOO! MOO!

other too! Could it possibly be ... they’re fighting over me? Where’s my bowl of worms?

The Savior It seems like camouflage takes more than just sound. I’m officially back to square one, pre-roasted meat. Two Roasters are coming up the path, one is my captivator, and the other ... is that Wattle Rubber? She sees me; she looks at Roaster Number One; she jabs at him, he jabs at her. Oh my, they’re now gobbling at each

Giving Thanks to the Savior What a relief! In the end, Wattle Rubber won the ultimate gobble battle, and she took me back to the sanctuary to join my siblings, Beady (I wonder who let him out of the chicken coop ... ), and Limbo. From that experience, I think I’d prefer Humphrey “the Antisocial” over Humphrey “the Roasted” any day.

Vi e w in g C l as sic s T h ro u g h a M o d e r n L e n s : A d d r e s sin g H is t o rica l P r e j u dic e s

By Jiyun Guo, Annika Singh & Angela Xiong Staff Writers “I threw away my copy of Gone with the Wind,” wrote Elizabeth Austin for the Washington Monthly in June 2020. “Anybody who champions either book or movie is standing up for the cause of white supremacy and should be judged accordingly.” Austin’s words reflect a pressing issue in the world of classic media: as more people speak out against discrimination and emphasize diversity in today’s media, audiences nationwide are addressing the prejudices of classic f ilms. However, automatically dismissing classics for their troubling perspectives erases the historical background that gave rise to the content of these f ilms. Acknowledging the historical context of old classics can strike a balance between rashly dismissing them and accepting the values they portray, allowing audiences to criticize the f ilms’ perspectives while being aware of the society that promoted these prejudices in the past.

Stereotypes in classic f ilms indirectly reveal the f ilms’ historical background, so rather than refusing to watch or rewriting these f ilms according to modern standards, viewers should acknowledge the social constructs that shaped them. For example, in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), the main character’s landlord, Mr.

Mr. Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

Yunioshi, represents the biases of 20th century society toward Japanese people. Mr. Yunioshi, played by white actor Mickey Rooney, is a grotesque racial caricature. Whenever Holly Golightly, the main character, forgets her keys and buzzes Mr. Yunioshi’s doorbell to be let in, he explodes in hysteria, threatening to call the police in a degrading English accent. Eventually, Mr. Yunioshi follows through with his threat, landing Holly in jail and framing him as the villain of the story. The f ilm portrays Mr. Yunioshi as subhuman and ridiculous for no reason other than his race, and the Wall Street Journal columnist Jeff Yang even said Mr. Yunioshi was the “godfather of the Ching-Chong stereotype,” which for decades promoted cruel caricatures and Asian interchangeability, the notion that all Asian races are indistinguishable.

While viewers should condemn the ills that Mr. Yunioshi’s portrayal has inflicted on Asian communities, it’s vital to recognize that his character was written for a reason — namely, the rampant discrimination against Japanese people in the aftermath of World War II (WWII). During the 1940s, the US government released a torrent of propaganda that depicted Japanese people as the enemy. Indeed,

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Rooney’s unnatural prosthetic mouthpiece bears a striking resemblance to the images on WWII posters, and Mr. Yunioshi’s antagonistic position toward Holly carries undertones of wartime animosity and racial mistrust. On top of all this, Mr. Yunioshi’s hysteria and inability to maintain order in his household illustrate US mass media’s portrayal of Asians in the 1960s, a period when people were reluctantly conceding Asian immigrants’ entry into the US. By making Asian immigrants seem unauthoritative, mass media lessened the element of threat it previously ascribed to them, instead painting them as harmless, malleable model minorities. As shown in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, understanding the historical context of classic movies is just as important as addressing problematic elements of modern cinema. In doing so, viewers gain a broader worldview, enabling them not only to recognize harmful racial stereotypes but also to learn the source of such racism.

Once viewers accept and look past the political correctness of classic f ilms, they can move on to appreciating the aspects that made these f ilms legendary in cinematic history: the ingenious plots, memorable characters, and resonating themes. Released in 1977, Annie the Broadway musical tells the story of little orphan Annie in Depression-era New York City. Adapted from the newspaper strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray, the musical explores themes of hope, resilience, and tenacity while commenting on relevant societal issues and events. The f ilm depicts the initial social class divide during the Great Depression, a primary theme throughout the musical, as Annie experiences f irst-hand the poverty and social discrimination that ran rampant in the 1900s.

Her can-do pluck in the face of adversity illustrates a story of hope and tenacity, imbuing readers with

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the message that the sun will always come out tomorrow. However, despite the heartwarming messages that the musical provides, it does fall short in its portrayal of certain ethnicities. In Annie, racist stereotypes can be seen in the portrayal of Punjab, Annie’s helper and the bodyguard of her adoptive father. Despite being of North Indian origin, Punjab speaks in a stereotypical South Indian accent.

Additionally, Punjab’s name in and of itself is a direct display of cultural insensitivity, as the word “Punjab” is not a typical Indian name but rather a direct reference to the Indian state and its people.

Though these backward stereotypes can take away from Annie’s overall historical narrative and meaningful storyline, the musical brought progressive ideas to the forefront of the media. The overall takeaway from Annie should not be the racism, but the hope and optimism it offers audiences in the darkest of times, which may be more relevant to the current gener-

ations today.

Representing more diverse views in modern f ilms is a reasonable objective, but in classics, this often means that historical voices are shut down or put under a modern-day microscope. Classic media are reviews of evolution, and people need to acknowledge that they are representative of what life was like before signif icant societal progress, activism, growth, and education. For audiences to effectively intervene in stereotypes from the past being used to discriminate today, people need to recess their own prejudices and start asking themselves about the effects that historical background have in the media. It is not necessary to completely condemn classic media, but it is necessary for society to address the insensitive prejudices they display to the public, while keeping their historical relevance in mind.

By separating the negative biases perpetuated from the overall production, viewers can better enjoy these historical works of art.

▪

GRAPHICS BY A&E EDITOR JOANNE PARK

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, November 19, 2021

C R I T I C S’ C O R N E R

Blue BAnisters: Delicately Defiant

Tepid storytelli ng t ru m ps diversity i n Marvel’s Eternals

By Amy Luo Staff Writer

By Julia Peng Staff Writer

Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao and equipped with a slew of Hollywood stars, Eternals was met with high expectations leading up to its release on November 5, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) would have been better off with this latest chapter left unwritten. Though groundbreaking in its own right, Eternals’s strides in diversity and thematic grandiosity are overshadowed by its tepid character development and discordant storytelling.

The film introduces the Eternals, an eclectic species of immortal beings pivotal in the evolution of human civilization. Appointed to Earth by Arishem the Judge (David Kaye) and piloted by the motherly Ajak (Salma Hayek), the superhero team is tasked with defending the human race against the Deviants, a breed of evil alien creatures. After braving this epoch-spanning mission, the present-day Eternals are forced to question their existence and morality as the Deviants reemerge in the advent of a cataclysmic event called the Emergence, testing their abilities once again.

Shifting from archetypal Marvel fashion, the Eternals narrative delves into ethical and philosophical subjects. Sersi (Gemma Chan) and Ikaris (Richard Madden), two star-crossed lovers in the Eternals clan, are faced with the challenge of weighing their devotion to each other over their individual duties and identities. Eternals redefines the meaning of family with its intersectionality and multifaceted explorations of purpose and sacrifice: despite the vastly unique differences between each superhero and various bouts of tension during their reign on Earth, the Eternals’ love for one

Released on October 22, singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey’s highly anticipated album, Blue Banisters, takes the music industry by storm as it strips away the expectations set in her previous works.

To fans, Blue Banisters is an opportunity for Del Rey to redeem herself from her alleged “whitewashing” of American life in Chemtrails Over The Country Club, her album released on March 19. The lighting of the album cover, fans criticized, whitewashed a majority of the diversity in the photo.

Del Rey, in fact, did respond to the widespread disapproval. “I wish you could see to my soul through this black bathing suit / You don’t know me better than they do, baby,” the singer taunts in “Black Bathing Suit.” She emphasizes the notion that she knows herself better than her listeners do, directly calling out the fans who misinterpreted and criticized her music.

Del Rey does not stop there, though; she belts, “Gave you all my money, gave you all my money / I don’t wanna live / I don’t wanna give you nothing” in the peak of her album, “Dealer.”

Although Del Rey puts tremendous amounts of effort into composing her songs, many still misinterpret and criticize her works. She sings this in defiance of her listeners, denying their ability to claim her works as their own.

While Del Rey’s response to the controversy is important to the album, Blue Banisters focuses more on herself and the journey she has taken to get to where she is now. As Del Rey voyages through her past and present, she sings about her memories, friends, and mental health. “So I’m leaving with nothing but laughter, and this town / Arcadia / Findin’ my way to ya,” Del Rey whispers. The lyrics soar past the surface-level themes of love from Del Rey’s past songs and instead delve deep into her genuine emotions of longing toward her past. She emphasizes the importance of prioritizing oneself, us-

ever, this single actress’s achievements fail to make up for the rest of the cast’s blunders. Spanning more than two and a half hours, Eternals is brimming with opportunities for deeply introspective performances, but actors such as Chan and Madden, playing supposed ex-lovers with centuries of history, resort to static charades of pseudo-sadness, longing, and despair. Viewers roll their eyes as, for the fourth scene in a row, the lovers painstakingly step closer toward each other, awkward tears rolling down their cheeks and eyes glossing over. Their interactions are overly manufactured and lack chemistry. Muddled by mediocre acting and copious dialogue, the character development is insufficiently consummated.

Due to inconsistent performances and lacklustre execution, Eternals skimps on the powerful and cohesive storytelling typical of Marvel movies. Despite its admirable lessons and advancements towards greater inclusivity in the MCU, the film irrevocably falls short of its potential.

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Acting: 4.5/10 Cinematography: 7.5/10 Plot: 5/10 Setting: 7/10 Overall: 6/10

November 2021 Student Faves

BOOKBYTES

By Pratham Bhashyakarla Staff Writer Student Recommendation Title: Tesla’s Attic Authors: Eric Elfman, Neal Shusterman Reading Level: Grade 9 Genre: Science Fiction The first book of the Accelerati Trilogy, Tesla’s Attic, follows the life of 14-year-old Nick Slate after a toaster hits him on the head and he is launched into a daunting adventure that will determine the fate of the world.

“The characters all go through events where they are forced to reevaluate who they are, and [Elfman and Shusterman do] an excellent job of delving into each one.” — Akshaj Gupta, 9 Staff Recommendation Title: Wuthering Heights Author: Emily Brontë Reading Level: Grade 12 Genre: Tragedy, Gothic Wuthering Heights, a narrative about the painful side of love, traces the life of Heathcliff, an orphan whose childhood love is not reciprocated. This leads him down a dark path of revenge full of self-reflection and discovery.

“It’s fun to go back and read the love story and what was said in that Victorian timeframe … I think [readers] should go into this story open-minded.” — English Teacher Valerie Carattini Smokie Recommendation Title: Where the Crawdads Sing Author: Delia Owens Reading Level: Grade 11 Genre: Literary Fiction, Mystery Where the Crawdads Sing revolves around Kya Clark, an eccentric girl who chooses to learn from nature instead of a classroom. Her independent life remains stoically the same until she matures to the point where she yearns to be loved. “[Where the Crawdads Sing] talks about how economic disparities affect one’s life path, and also how a teen’s love story unfolds; I think it’s a very intriguing read.” — Amy Luo, 11 ▪

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another remains constant throughout.

The film also acquaints viewers with the first queer couple, the tech-savvy Eternal Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) and his husband, and the first hearing-impaired superhero in the MCU, Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), who is played by a deaf actress.

When asked about her trailblazing casting approach and character choices by National Public Radio, Zhao said, “My job is to treat all these firsts as human beings.” The film does a commendable job of organically incorporating diversity in its story; the highlights of the film are the moments when the shared camaraderie and familial love of the ragtag group of Eternals are exemplified.

Sadly, much of the natural artistic flow ends there. The whiplash-inducing twists and turns of abruptly comedic scenes and excessively dramatic monologues leave viewers confused and unable to follow the emotional journey of the film.

In addition, the acting in Eternals is extremely inconsistent. The standout cast member, Ridloff, is able to convey layers of sophisticated emotions through her poignant expressions, even while communicating through sign language. How-

MOVIE: No Time To Die —Arjan Johal, 9 TV SHOW: The Vampire Diaries — Aashika Vankadari, 10 ALBUM: This Is What It Feels Like by Gracie Abrams — Caitvya Tseng, 11 BOOK: Vicious by V.E. Schwab — Elaina Tu, 11 GAME: Apex Legends — Abhirup Dasgupta, 12

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ing her lyrics to pull the audience in.

Throughout her album, Del Rey’s vocals never cease to amaze. From the astounding high notes in “Dealer” to her typical mezzo-soprano choruses, her singing keeps listeners hooked on the stories she tells. Easily hitting her highest notes, Del Rey’s voice evokes heightened emotion in her listeners, her matured voice far outshining the vocals of her past albums.

While Blue Banisters’s exceptional lyrics emphasize Del Rey’s euphonious vocals, its repetitive nature results in the album losing its appeal. With a mellow piano harmony playing as the background music for nearly every track in the album, Blue Banisters gets tiring. “If You Lie Down With Me” and “Beautiful,” songs that include Del Rey’s monotonous signature style, fail to shine amongst the more prominent songs in the album, such as “Arcadia” and “Black Bathing Suit.”

Although disappointing at times, Del Rey’s haunting voice and melancholy lyrics keep the audience hooked throughout the album, telling the story of her struggles and successes. More musically and lyrically mature compared to her past works, Blue Banisters exceeds expectations, leaving both fans and Del Rey herself satisfied.

▪

Vocals: 8.5/10 Lyrics: 9/10 Production: 7/10 Overall: 8.2/10

Dune Leaves viewers disillusioned i n Desert sands

By Esha Potharaju Staff Writer Despite promising a dazzling sci-fi epic, director Denis Villeneuve fails to craft Dune into the enrapturing film viewers anticipated. Premiered on October 22, the film is the first of a tentative three-part adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi novel of the same name.

Dune follows the young Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as his family of nobles, known as House Atreides, is commanded by the intergalactic emperor to take control of the desert planet of Arrakis. Previously, Arrakis was ruled under the harsh fist of House Harkonnen, who sidelined and exploited the indigenous Fremen people for spice, a space-travel-enabling drug that can only be found in the roiling sands of Arrakis. Controlling the sole output of priceless spice is a political advantage that House Harkonnen would kill for.

The film serves as an exposition

to the larger storyline described in the novel, introducing viewers to the feudal system of nobles and monarchs of the Dune universe.

But rather than fleshing out the characters’ interactions, the movie chooses to set up the plot for the franchise’s second film, which hopefully will include a more detailed examination of how politics and power play out between galaxies, emperors, and the Houses.

However, by no means should the focus on future endeavors be used to cut the movie itself any slack.

From the secretly powerful concubine Lady Jessica Atreides (Rebecca Ferguson) to the burly, battle-hardened Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa), Dune showcases a variety of intriguing personalities but ultimately fails to build the audience’s investment in such characters.

None of Paul’s relationships are particularly memorable, as they are either overly solemn or unnecessarily dramatic, culminating in exchanges almost as dry as the film’s namesake. Witty and vivid dialogue

might have been able to compensate for these boring interactions, but the screenwriters opted to use a tiring monotony of world-building jargon.

The movie drags through heavily-tangled plot points that render the final climax blander than the spiceless House Harkonnen: a character is thrown into what is meant to be a devastating self-sacrifice, but the scene’s dramatic impact is negated by the viewers’ lack of investment in the character.

Outside of the plot itself, Dune uses explicit imagery from Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) cultures, which is evident in the Fremens’ clothing, language, religious pilgrimages, and the film’s heavily SWANA-inspired music. However, not a single actor cast was of SWANA descent or Islamic faith, causing a disconnect in the message of the film. Is it a critique of oppression revolving around who gets to control a commodity like spice, or a perpetuation of such power?

IMDB.COM

While Dune is yawn-inducing and ill-representative, its aesthetic quality is not to be scoffed at.

Costume designers and CGI artists adequately paid homage to the novel’s original vision, which is a marriage of medieval high fantasy and speculative sci-fi. Characters are draped in billowing fabrics that sharply contrast with fashionably chunky high-tech equipment. Massive sandworms are conjured by top-level CGI, their mouths full of bristling spikes that are enough to send chills down viewers’ spines.

Lacking quality in script but vibrant in visuals, Dune sets up the premises for its sequel, though viewers have yet to see if it will be yet another hair-tearing, boring film or one that will expand on the brilliant world established in the novel.

▪

Acting: 5.5/10 Cinematography: 8.5/10 Plot: 4/10 Setting: 7.5/10 Overall: 5.7/10

SMOKIE PLAYLIST: MEGH: “State Of Grace” by Taylor Swift | AMANDA: “Clarity” by Zedd ft. Foxes | LARRY: “Classic” by MKTO | ALINA: “Riptide” by Vance Joy | ISABELLA:

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Adam Levine | JACKIE: “Replay” by Iyaz | NAVEED: “It’s Alright, It’s OK” by Ashley Tisdale | HELEN: “Marry Me” by Jason Derulo | JOANNE: “Dancing Queen” by ABBA | ANVI: “Payphone” by Maroon 5 | JERRY: “Into the New World” by Girls’ Generation | MINGXIN: “Kilby Girl” by The Backseat Lovers | JESSICA: “You & I” by One Direction | TANISHA: “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz | MRS. COHEN: “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley & His Comets

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Sports 15

Fall Sports Recap

By Rohan Bhagat, Chloe Gao, Jason Tang & Nessa Tong Staff Writers

Cross Country

The ComGirls i n g Girls and Boys Cross Country went into the season with high expectations, and met them with flying colors. Despite being forced to cut runners the previous year due to the b a c k Volleyfrom an ball team coronavirus pandemic, the Cross Country team had an amazing turnout this season, with 120 active runners at the end of the season. The Girls Cross Country team had a unenthustarted off dominant performance, attributing their success to their summer preparations and the encouraging atmosphere the team had with its high spirited practices packed with siastic panthe season runners. Expecting to be undefeated this season, the Varsity Girls Cross Country team met their own tough expectations, placing first at each of the four meets. The demic year, with uncertain Varsity Girls Cross Country team’s success continued into the postseason, where Girls Varsity Cross Country placed first at the MVAL Championship and had five the Girls Golf expectations, runners receive all-league awards. Girls Junior Varsity Cross Country also performed exceptionally well, placing second at the MVAL Championship and losing team had a rocky after two of their start to the new only to Newark Memorial High School. “Being able to have a bigger community for this season, as well as more time to train, more time to develop our starting players left season. Due to many running skills, we’ve been able to see much better improvement of people’s times,” Girls Cross Country Co-Captain Senior Aneri Sheth said. Similarly, the lineup last year and forfeits the team had the Varsity Boys Cross Country team had success in their own races and finished second in the league in both the regular season and at the MVAL needed to be replaced by to make because of abChampionship.

Both the Junior Varsity and Frosh/Soph teams had a strong regular season with three and seven first place finishes, respectively, underclassmen.

In addisent players, Girls Golf tion to the new roster, muland both teams took home first place at the MVAL Championship. Although initially they had not placed as well as they had hoped due lost quite a few matches in tiple injuries from across the to injuries, the team continued working hard and improved all the way to second place due to their mental fortitude and camaraderie. the league season, ending with team caused many players to sit a 5-8 record. However, with “Humans are amazingly resilient. In cases where people on the team were initially sidelined with the injuries and personal out parts of the season. Although more practice and experience, stuff that they're going through, they came together and were able to demonstrate not only a lot of maturity in hanthe team started off slow, they the team took first place in the dling those situations, but also resilience in coming back year after year,” Cross Country Coach Edward Njoo said. managed to go on a six-game win MVAL Championship and qualified for NCS. With a final team score of streak that carried the energy for the 404, they took fifth place at NCS and rest of the season. With an outstanding finished only three strokes away from performance overall, they made their qualifying for the Northern California first NCS appearance in four years after Regional Championship (NorCals). their second place league finish. The This year’s team ranged from expehighlight of their season was the carienced players to those new to the maraderie between players. “We were team who have shown exceptional the definition of a team,” Girls Volpotential; Freshman Michelle Woo leyball Co-Captain Junior Julie Wu individually qualified for NorCals, said. “Everyone was able to trust being one of the only two players each other and make decisions and that qualified during Girls Golf adjustments on the court by ourCoach Tai Chung’s years of selves.” To Girls Volleyball Coach coaching at MSJ. The teamwork Thien Nguyen, having good chemand the bonds the players creatistry was the key to success. By the ed throughout their season uniend of the season, Nguyen said fied the team and helped them he hoped the seniors were able grow and improve together.

“We’re so dominant. We won to do a “transfer of knowledge 22 matches in a row, and these of the program to younger playgirls have been empowered ers, so that we can continue the by success,” Chung said. culture for upcoming seasons.”

Girls Golf Girls Water Polo

With the fall sports season coming to an end, the Smoke Signal recaps the performances of the teams in the first post-social distancing sports season.

Girls Volleyball Girls Tennis

Girls Tennis continued their 2.5year long undefeated streak, finThe Girls Water Polo ishing at the top of the league this team started the season with season with a 15-0 record and taking many fresh faces, including newfirst place in NCS, their first since 2009. ly-joined Varsity Girls Water Polo Although the Warriors fought hard at Coach Martin Munoz. Despite every meet, American High School put its limited time together, the team up the most challenging games, but MSJ had high expectations: making the was able to push through and triumph in MVAL Championship. Although they both of their games against them. Their fell short of their goal, they managed hard-earned successes earned them a spot to end the season in fourth place. After in NCS after Co-Captain Senior Lindsey Wen their loss to Washington High School, the and Co-Captain Senior Ria Kolala won second third place school, “a lot of the girls were place in doubles, and Co-Captain Senior Sanddisappointed by it, and that’s a good sign. hya Balaji and Sophomore Himani Malur won I think to have that level of disappointment third in doubles in the MVAL Championship. against a program that’s been very good, and The players were excited to represent MSJ at both you narrowly lose and you’re still mad, that’s a the MVAL Championship and NCS, after its abgood sign,” Munoz said. Though the team sence last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Boys Water Polo team optimistically entered the season with a largehad difficulties adapting to a new coaching Despite the lack of motivation last year, much style and new players, by the end of the ly senior lineup. Their previous years had been especially rocky, between pool of the team’s success can be attributed to season, the future of the water polo the hard work of the six co-captains, shutdowns and the coronavirus pandemic, and they believed this would be the year team looked bright. “I have really who hosted extra practices on Fridays high hopes for them,” Girls Wawhen their performance would improve. The team won six games and lost 13, ending with for players to improve their skills ter Polo Captain Senior Jessica and bond with the team. “They 6th place in the MVAL Championship season standings.

Boys Water Polo Co-Captain Junior Lu said. “There are a lot of helped to run a team; they own Justin Gore put on an especially dominating performance, averaging four assists per game, one of players that are going to be the team, and the camarareturning for the next few the most assists in the league. Throughout the games, the team struggled with their teamwork; howevderie that they built the seasons that are really team really ... pushed us er, they overcame that challenge through team bondings and playing more together.

Although the team has good, and I can’t wait over the edge,” Girls to see how they will a lot of graduating players, the captains are optimistic for the team’s future, as there are a lot of strong juniors on Tennis Coach Mido in the next chael Jan said. the varsity team and their Junior Varsity team performance was exceptional, winning seven games and only losing three.

couple years.”

“I think next year, when the JV team moves up … they’ll be really strong,” Boys Water Polo Co-Captain Rupin Kumar said.

Boys Water Polo PHOTOS BY THE SMOKE SIGNAL ARCHIVES, COURTESY COSTANOAN V57. GRAPHICS BY SPORTS EDITOR ANVI KALUCHA

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2022 www.asdrp.org WHO WE ARE The Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program (ASDRP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, private research institution in Fremont, California.

ASDRP is the Bay Area's premier precollegiate research & development institution, run by a consortium of highly skilled scientists, engineers, and researchers with years of academic and industry experience who collectively seek to push forward the current frontiers in biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, cognitive science, medicine, engineering, and more.

We mentor high school students - budding scientists in 9th through 12th grade - who come from every corner of the greater Bay Area, California, and across the United States. We seek student researchers who are passionate, who are unafraid of a steep learning curve, and who want to be involved in real science that has real impact on society.

WHAT WE DO Quite simply, we do research. Our investigators and student researchers strive to make impact in fields ranging from cancer biology, drug discovery, and computer-guided drug design to radioastronomy, machine learning, and urban sustainability.

As in any other R&D establishment, we publish papers, present work at conferences, and generate intellectual property. Our scientists are involved in developing novel therapies against cancer, using data science to understand the impact of climate change on society, synthesizing the next generation of antibiotics, developing machine learning platforms for drug discovery, understanding mechanisms of memory acquisition, probing the universe for ultrafast radioburst signals, and much, much more.

Why should students apply to ASDRP? Researchers at ASDRP are exposed to genuine scientific research while they are still in high school. They get direct, hands-on experience running experiments, designing research, reading and writing scientific papers, presenting their work, and working in a research team.

Importantly, students are not doing research in science experiments, like in school, where the results are known a priori. Rather, students embark on an intellectual journey in which they pursue new knowledge in their particular field of research.

Interested in joining us? Apply online at www.asdrp.org/apply.

Application Details Spring 2022 Priority Deadline: December 15, 2021 Applications Due: January 15, 2022

Summer 2022 Priority Deadline 1: February 1, 2022 Priority Deadline 2: March 1, 2022 Applications Due: April 15, 2022 11:59 PM PST Admissions are competitive, and each term, ASDRP receives far more applicants than there are open research positions. Apply online at www.asdrp.org/apply.

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Sports 17

Hounding Trans Athletes Doesn’t Level the Playing Field

By Chahak Gupta & Maryam Naseer Staff Writers While the return to in-person sports is good news for most student-athletes, the same cannot be said for transgender athletes. On October 25, Texas Gov. Gregory Abbott signed House Bill 25 into law, limiting transgender athletes’ participation in school sports to their biological sex. Besides this law, nearly 35 bills across the country forcing transgender athletes to compete in sports according to their biological sex have been introduced this year alone.

This discriminatory legislation not only rejects athletes’ identities but also exposes them to public harassment, ultimately discouraging their participation in competitive sports.

According to a 2017 study published in the journal Springer, the primary barrier to transgender women’s sports participation is the absence of an inclusive and comfortable environment. Being forced to participate according to the sex listed on their birth certificate serves as a stigmatizing reminder to transgender athletes of society’s refusal to accept their authentic selves. The National Collegiate Athletic Association Champion CeCé Telfer, a transgender woman competing in track, told sports news “The logic most people use to justify [House Bill 25] is that biologically masculine traits give competitors an inherent advantage in sports … there are more physiological [differences] within biological sexes than between them … [Hormone therapy] would reduce testosterone levels and the supposed advantage it gives trans women athletes. I think the Texas bill rests on faulty assumptions and transphobia and I don’t agree with it — why call it a men’s soccer team if trans men are barred from joining it? … I understand that biological sex (male and female) does give people advantages in certain cases — but personally, as a non-binary person thinking about doing sports, I definitely wouldn’t mind competing against anyone regardless of gender.” — Yawen Xue, 12

website Outsports, “I was so uncomfortable in my skin … When I was leaning up on the lane with the male athletes, I was just like … this is not me.” Unsurprisingly, the pervasive dread of having their identity doubted and scrutinized also keeps transgender women from engaging in the strongly gender-segregated field of sports. A transgender female athlete, Andraya Yearwood, who competed on girls’ high school track teams in Connecticut, shared her feelings about her participation in the sport. “I feel like I have to play my sport and then fight for the right to stay there,” Yearwood said to ESPN. Policies that limit transgender athletes’ participation to their biological sex are a cruel and distressing reminder of society’s disapproval of their identity, deterring them from participating in sports at all. The presence of transgender athletes is indispensable to normalize gender diversity on the field and protect transgender youth athletes in the long run.

Restrictive policies also reinforce a condescending attitude towards transgender athletes and allow sports agencies to crassly police gender boundaries. Caster Semenya, a track athlete at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, was forced to undergo tests measuring her blood testosterone levels because of her “surprising” agility. Concerning the controversy, TIME ran an article audaciously titled “Could This Women’s World Champ Be a Man?” Semenya’s competitors publicly disapproved of her participation, while the media relentlessly analyzed her allegedly leaked gender verification test results, performed by the International Association of Athletics Federations. And she’s not alone: Telfer was constantly misgen-

dered on social media and belittled by her competitors, who claimed that she only competes in women’s sports to win. Telfer’s coaches had to monitor her social media to protect her from the ceaseless wave of hate which Telfer admits landed her “in a really dark place.” Society’s obvious obsession with trans athletes’ body and identity, instead of their athletic abilities, reveals the deep-rooted transphobia that drives trans athletes’ blatant dehumanization by the media, sports agencies, and competitors.

Restrictive policies like House Bill 25 validate this unseemly fixation upon transgender and intersex athletes’ bodies and the legitimacy of their identity, giving sports authorities a legal pretext to continue their unethical gender policing.

Supporters of restrictive policies like House Bill 25 claim that transgender inclusivity undermines competitive fairness in women’s sports.

However, transgender women dominating women’s sports are the exception, not the rule.

The Olympics have had trans-inclusive policies since 2004, yet the first transgender Olympic athlete, New Zealand weight lifter Laurel Hubbard, did not compete until the Tokyo Olympics this year; even then, she did not secure any medals. In the California Interscholastic Federation’s 8-year-long history of transgender-inclusive sports policies, there have been no issues. Studies published in the Journal of Sports Sciences indicate that the relationship between testosterone and athletic performance is inconsistent. Besides, transgender women who have taken puberty blockers also have negligible testosterone levels. Anti-trans legislation is built on the flawed myth of transgender athletes dominating women’s sports and should be withdrawn to reflect our current scientific understanding of transgender athletes.

Progressive legislation is laborious, but it’s the bare minimum sports agencies can do to support transgender athletes. In 2004, only transgender athletes who had undergone sex reassignment surgery and hormone therapy, and showed legal recognition of their gender, were allowed to compete in the Olympics. Since gender transition is not legal in all countries, the policy was modified to include

“I think [House Bill 25 is] an unnecessary suppression of transgender rights and equality. I think the argument for the other side is that hormone levels will cause people an unfair advantage or disadvantage in sports, but even in professional athletics, there are female athletes with high levels of testosterone, and some of them have to take drugs that suppress that testosterone, even though it’s natural. They’re doing the same thing to these transgender athletes by restricting them to the sex listed on their birth certificate. Personally, I think that they should be allowed to participate as whatever gender they identify as.” — Subhikshaa Ramachandran, 11 all transgender women below the International Olympic Committee’s testosterone threshold and all transgender men. Likewise, nationwide policies should draw inspiration from inclusive legislation like the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network’s (GLSEN) 2020 “Model Local Education Agency Policy on Transgender and Nonbinary Students” which permits students to participate in all athletics according to their gender identity.

The current House Bill 25, amongst other bills limiting transgender athletes’ participation, should be withdrawn as it legitimizes the intrusive and unjust preoccupation around transgender athletes’ gender identity. Instead, legislative bodies should follow inclusive models like GLSEN’s policy to make interscholastic sports safe and gender-affirming for transgender students. ▪ “I think that trans women should still be able to participate in school sports that align with their gender identity, but I do feel that they would have an unfair advantage if they played in that specific gender division professionally. Thus, I don’t agree with Texas’s House Bill 25 because it specifically targets transgender kids that struggle to feel integrated with the rest of society, but limiting transgender adults would make more sense to me.” — Jayden Kim, 9

Girls Golf Takes Fifth at NCS

By Kaitlyn Wang & Annie Xu Staff Writers On November 1, Varsity Girls Golf competed at NCS at Diablo Country Club, placing fifth with a score of 404 points. Although they fell short of qualifying for the Northern California Regional Championships by a mere three strokes, the team is proud of the outcome and anticipates its future performances.

This year’s NCS marked the first regional tournament in which Girls Golf has competed since the start of the pandemic. “It was a sense of uncertainty because we actually weren’t do-

ing too well in the regular season. So we actually didn’t know if [we were] going to qualify, but in the end it worked out,” Junior Audrey Wang said. Nonetheless, Girls Golf Coach Tai Chung was optimistic going into the tournament after recently triumphing over the Amador Valley High School Dons, who had finished second in this year’s NCS with a score of 400 points.

“We were really excited … I thought we were going to win [NCS],” Chung said.

At the tournament, the Warriors faced unexpected obstacles due to the rainy weather. Players’ shots became shorter and many rounds were extended due to the wet terrain.

However, they were able to adapt well to the change by maintaining their concentration and keeping a positive mindset throughout the day.

“It was raining, so the condition was kind of tough for us, but overall I think we did a pretty good job,” Co-Captain Senior Emily Han said.

Despite the Warriors’ perseverance, the team’s score closely trailed behind the Dougherty Valley High School Wildcats’ third-place score of 401 points, missing the qualifier cutoff for the regional championships by a small margin. Nevertheless, the six participating players from MSJ performed well at the tournament overall, winning four of the six matches — a result the team is proud of.

“We tried our best, and we’re pretty happy with the outcome, even though we lost by a little bit,” — CO-CAPTAIN SENIOR EMILY HAN

Junior Erika Gosti chips the ball.

The team’s high performance, however, did not come smoothly. Due to last year’s social distancing guidelines, many younger players

The Girls Golf team competes at the MVAL Championship.

(Left to Right): Senior Emily Han, Senior Haylie Wakayama, Junior Erika Gosti, Freshman Michelle Woo, Junior Audrey Wang, Sophomore Akshaya Ramakrishnan, Girls Golf Coach Tai Chung

of the team lacked prior experience with the sport. With consistent practices, each designated for specific techniques, the Warriors showed drastic improvement within the first three months of the school year. “By the end of the season, they were playing really well at matches,” Co-Captain Senior Sonali Pandey said. Among the new faces also rose star players, a sign of the team’s bright future. Notably, Freshman Michelle Woo placed in the top four at NCS with a score of 71, advancing individually to the Northern California Regional Championships, in which she finished as one

of the nine State Individual Qualifiers out of 96 players. “In my five years [of coaching], she’ll be my second player that’s ever qualified for NorCals,” Chung said.

With the fall season coming to a close, the team hopes that they will continue to surpass their goals in the coming year. Despite the setbacks from the transition out of distance learning, the Warriors are confident in their abilities to overcome challenges and have high hopes for the future of the team. ▪ PHOTOS COURTESY TAI CHUNG, COSTANOAN V57

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Sports & Photo 19

Winter Sports Preview

By Aditya Patil, Aaryan Suri, Elton Yu & Aaron Zhou Staff Writers

Boys Wrestling

Boys Basketball Coming from a 5-5 finish last season, Boys Basketball is ready to roll this winter. With plenty of new athletes across all grades trying out, the team expects a prominent Varsity roster going into the season.

“I always look forward to playing the Fremont teams, just because it’s Fremont, [which is a] tight community,” Boys Basketball Coach Mike Kenney said. During recent years, the team had played tough matches with league opponents including Irvington, Washington, Kennedy, and American. To take on the upcoming challenges this season, the team will focus on sharpening each athlete on both offense and defense. “We want to be a real hard playing defensive team and a fun playing offensive team,” Kenney said. “Win when we’re supposed to win, [and] be a fun offensive team to watch. Good for the fans. Good for the players.” The team also hopes to boost its win rate and qualify for NCS this season.

Girls Basketball

Girls Basketball is expecting a successful season this year with many new players joining the team. After a 5-4 finish last season, the team is expecting to see a more solid roster this winter. “[Last year], we didn’t have any preseason games or tournaments like we do in a normal year,” Girls Basketball Coach Doug Sakamoto said. “And because players were playing other sports, we weren’t a full squad team, like we probably would have been.” With new Varsity athletes joining the returning players, Sakamoto seeks to work on team chemistry both on and off the court. The team anticipates a demanding season with plenty of individual development as well as games against challenging opponents. “Our main goal is always to win the MVALs. But along with that, we’re looking to make NCS, which we’ve qualified for the last 13 years, so we’re hoping to do that again,” Sakamoto said.

Boys Wrestling is ready to get back on the mats and take on the upcoming winter season.

After having to reduce their numbers and face training limitations due to safety protocols in the previous season, the wrestlers are ready to knock it out this winter.

With several experienced players making up the roster, the team is hoping to take on rivals such as James Logan, American, and Newark. Since many of the players have been out of the gym for a year and a half, Boys Wrestling Coach Thomas Thomsen plans to devote time to develop the team’s consistency and technique to get the team ready for the upcoming tournaments. He also hopes to see a greater interest from the underclassmen this season and find students who want to learn more and devote themselves to this sport. “I’m hoping that the freshmen coming in learn to like it and stay with us for the next three, four years,” Thomsen said.

Girls Wrestling

After many veteran players were unable to return to the team last season, Girls Wrestling is finally ready to get back on track. “The COVID-19 season was different because we only had about 12 or 13 wrestlers in the room,” Girls Wrestling Coach Thomas Thomsen said. This season the team expects a complete roster for JV and Varsity. However, the team is also anticipating difficult matchups, as competing with other schools that offer wrestling leagues at an elementary and junior high level will prove to be a challenge. During the upcoming season, Thomsen hopes to focus on conditioning and consistency training for the athletes, as well as setting ambitious goals for the team. “The goal is always to win the league, [and] take as many [players] as we can in NCS and get some placers,” Thomsen said.

Boys Soccer After their most successful season in seven years, the Boys Soccer team is looking forward to an exciting year, filled with great improvement, as they hope to place high in the MVAL rankings. With many talented underclassmen on the roster and experienced upperclassmen, the team is looking stronger than ever with their tightly-knitted defense and powerful offense. Going into the season this year, the Warriors primarily want to work on their consistency as a team, which they have struggled with in the past. “We will have games where we play at a high level and have the performance that we want, and then we will have games where our performance is not at the level that it was before,” Boys Soccer Coach Seena Sajadieh said. With the seasonal kickoff game approaching, the team is expected to play with high energy and put in all their efforts into the games they play.

Girls Soccer Following many tough losses last season, Girls Soccer is seeking to hone their skills this year to dominate the field.

Even though the team was still new and forming last year, they were able to push forward with a couple wins near the end of the season. Fortunately, the current roster is looking strong with many returning players possessing crucial game experience. “We have a lot of young players that came last year that are returning this year to help make the team better,” Girls Soccer Coach Terry Dalziel said. With many tough matchups in the tournaments ahead, the team is ready for a demanding and grueling season. Coach Dalziel is looking for motivated players who are willing to learn and practice hard to build a strong team constantly striving to improve. “If we win, we win. [If] we don’t, we don’t.

We learn from our games. Practice is their classroom and games are their test,” Dalziel said. The team has made it to NCS in previous years and is looking to qualify again this season.

GRAPHICS BY SPORTS EDITORS ANVI KALUCHA & JERRY YUAN, CLIPART-LIBRARY.COM

Interact’s Fall Leadership Conference Sparks FlamES

By Julia Peng & Bryan Xiong Staff Writers

On the morning of November 7, Interact’s District 5170 held their annual Fall Leadership Conference (FLC) at Independence High School.

This is Interact's most highly anticipated event of the year, with over 1,200 Interact members in attendance to hear about Interact’s community-wide and international projects, and take part in leadership workshops. The air buzzed with excitement as Interactors rallied in front of Independence High's auditorium and filled the atmosphere with their respective area chants.

Starting the event off on a high note, District 5170’s board made up of 27 members, otherwise known as District Council (DC), filled the auditorium with cheers as they introduced themselves. DC also introduced this year’s theme: “Spark Your Flame,” encouraging students to reignite their passion for service in the aftermath of the pandemic. Additionally, the Project Coordinators of this year’s DC unveiled this year’s community and international projects.

District 5170’s goal this year is to provide aid to survivors of abuse and human trafficking in the Bay Area, and give survivors of child abuse opportunities to pursue their futures by constructing a computer lab at a research center in India respectively. “They’re very relevant issues and I think it’s really great that they’re looking for solutions to these issues,” Freshman Sarah Hu said.

Interactors also took part in four different workshops centered around learning about domestic abuse, working in teams, making connections, and helping survivors in India by creating bracelets. One such workshop, titled the Phoenix Puzzle, put students from different areas into groups to solve trivia and accurately complete a puzzle, testing their abilities to collaborate with strangers they’d met only a few minutes prior. Attendees also took part in activities such as solving puzzles and speed dating games in order to build bonds with others. “I’ve learned that people are usually a lot nicer than you would expect. I’ve met multiple different people across the district and we were all able to come together to have some fun,” Interact Area 5 Events Chair Sophomore Anushree Marimuthu said.

As the event came to a close, members from all 13 areas competed in the exhilarating Area Games, which included a jump rope relay race, “Red Light, Green Light”, and human horseshoe. Finally, DC ended the event after one last roaring area chant and a bittersweet promise to see attendees at the FLC next year.

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS JULIA PENG & BRYAN XIONG. GRAPHICS BY GRAPHIC EDITOR MINGXIN WANG, GOOGLE.COM

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Friday, November 19, 2021

A Handy Guide to Local Coffee Shops

By Charlize Chiu, Ayushi Kashyap, Esther Lau & Waylon Li Staff Writers

mission coffee roasting company Located on 151 Washington Blvd., Mission Coffee Roasting Company is a family-owned coffee shop established in 1993 with an old-fashioned, rustic aesthetic.

Upon entering the screen doors, customers smell bitter, roasted coffee and the sight of numerous lined pastries create the classic aura of a relaxed coffee shop.

Specializing in 15 variaties around the world with 10 custom blends, the skilled baristas offer numerous signature coffees and eateries such as white mochas, cafe borgias, grilled paninis, and classic avocado toast. Beyond the indoor seating area, decorative furnace, and sacks of coffee beans, Mission Coffee Roasting Company also has an outdoor patio allowing customers to sit down for a peaceful cup of coffee while enjoying the view of Mission Hills and Mission San José.

hopping bean’s cafe After several changes in owners and a reworked interior design, Hopping Bean’s Cafe is back in business, located in the Irvington District on 4000 Bay St. Immediately after entering the shop’s modernized rustic front door, the warm scent of ground beans wafts over as an enthusiastic barista welcomes customers into the spacious shop. The extensive menu features classic drinks such as an espresso macchiato, but also includes unique drinks such as the Black Forest Mocha. For a quick bite, the store has a baked goods section and a breakfast menu with classic breakfast options. The quiet and warm-toned ambiance of the shop is a perfect place to grab a bite while studying. The shop has multiple areas to sit, with spacious indoor seating, a cozy corner with couches, and airy outdoor seating in the back.

devout coffee

Started by brothers Jon Fisher and Steven Pape as a garage experiment in 2011, Devout Coffee is now a beloved local coffee shop located in the Niles District on 37323 Niles Blvd. Upon stepping foot into the shop, customers are immediately welcomed by its warm atmosphere and decadent aromas. Although there is often a line to place an order, the wait is almost unnoticeable thanks to the hospitality of the baristas. Devout Coffee is known for their unique coffee beans that are roasted in-house, lending to smooth pour-overs and espresso-based drinks such as the TCHO Chocolate and Los Alpes, a handbrew with notes of milk chocolate and spice. Due to the pandemic, Devout no longer offers indoor seating; however, the outdoor patio remains open to public access and free Wi-Fi is still offered.

bun appétit donuts Situated in Fremont’s Centerville district on 37120 Fremont Blvd. Suite A, Bun Appétit Donuts is perhaps the East Bay Area’s most famed specialty donut shop. Beyond their mouth-watering donuts, Bun Appétit serves Verve Coffee Roasters, with popular drinks such as matcha lattes, chai lattes, and cappuccinos. Owner Lydia Choi opened the modern storefront in September 2018; the shop is now known for its handcrafted brioche donuts that are made from scratch daily. Though popular flavors like tiramisu and guava cheesecake often sell out by noon, early customers can expect to be greeted by a full case of more than 30 types of beautifully decorated donuts and pastries. The shop’s previous indoor seating arrangement has been re-

suju’s coffee & tea Opening his second location in 2012, Suju’s Coffee owner Mahesh Patel continues the legacy of the original coffee house in the Sundale Shopping Center on 4949 Stevenson Blvd. As customers step into the shop, they can see baristas hard at work making chai tea lattes and white mocha frappes. The independently owned coffee shop also provides a unique selection of teas, pastries, and sandwiches. As an energy boost, students can also buy a wide variety of grab-andgo treats at the snack bar. With its clean and cozy atmosphere, this spacious coffee house is the perfect spot for studying, catching up with friends, or grabbing a warm cup of joe. If it’s a bit too crowded inside during rush hour, the outside seating area is an alternative place to enjoy Suju’s Coffee’s tasty beverages.

philz coffee

A favorite morning pit-stop for many students, Philz Coffee is a coffeehouse chain that was founded in 1978 by Phil Jaber and is located on 39000 Paseo Padre Parkway. Upon entry into their colorful shop, the eye-catching, aesthetic decorations and chalkboards offer a warm atmosphere with cozy areas to sit. The store offers contactless ordering through its app as well as at the counter. Featuring an extensive blend of creative coffees from Mint Mojito to Philtered Soul, Philz also offers specialty teas, bagels, toast, and baked goods.

While Philz has limited indoor seating, there is plenty of space on the outdoor patio under the vivid umbrellas. Whether it is for an on-the-go caffeine fill or even a concentrated study session, Philz Coffee is a perfect choice for all.

PHOTOS BY GRAPHICS EDITOR MINGXIN WANG. STAFF WRITERS CHARLIZE CHIU, AYUSHI KASHYAP, ESTHER LAU, & WAYLON LI