Volume L, No. 1

MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL

VOL. 50, NO. 1

September 26, 2014

41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539

Lockers Refurbished Mission Possible leads locker repainting, relocation

By Jacinta Chang Web Editor Over the summer, Mission Possible Parent Faculty Association (MPPFA) funded and oversaw the refurbishment of student lockers at MSJ. The project led to the repairing, cleaning, repainting, and relocation of lockers all over campus.

Executive Board Member of MPPFA Monica Melville headed the locker refurbishment project. The goal of the project was to renovate current lockers on campus to ensure functionality and safety against vandalism and theft.

Last year, MSJ students and parents expressed concern over the safety of lockers on campus, as well as the appearance and condition of the lockers. Thus, PFA hoped to serve the main body of MSJ by sponsoring the refurbishment of the lockers, as well as buying locker bumpers to minimize scratching and wear over time.

According to ASB Vice President Mansi Shah, there were several cases of vandalism

and theft which occurred last year, including incidences of lock cutting over weekends and breaks. B-Wing and C-Wing lockers outside of the hallways were heavily targeted due to their accessibility. Many gym quad lockers were prone to vandalism as well. Lockers in these areas were moved to the E-Wing as an initiative to prevent such occurrences in the future.

Shah claimed that there were around 500 nonfunctional lockers on campus prior to the refurbishment project. Now, the school has about 200 more functional lockers this year than before.

In order for students to have refurbished lockers in the fall, 98 percent of the work was done over the summer. Each locker was repainted and renumbered by volunteer students and parents. The total cost of

See LOCKERS NEWS Page 2

news editor tiffany huang

Measure E Passes

New FUSD Board Member MSJ student joins board

New security features added

By Katrina Cherk Centerspread Editor

$650 million to go to FUSD

By Hanson Wang Staff Writer On June 3, voters in FUSD passed Measure E, a bond measure designed to bring in $650 million in an effort to improve the district’s 42 deteriorating school campuses.

This past January, the FUSD Board of Education was presented with an assessment plan of all the long-term and short-term changes needed in each school. The board cut down the plan’s original $1.6 billion cost to $407 million, with the rest of the $650 million set away to adjust for inflation and unexpected costs. Additionally, Measure E calls for a citizens’ oversight committee to ensure that the funds are spent on authorized projects and not taken by the state or used to pay administrators.

Measure E’s full ballot text identifies three main planks that FUSD plans to address with the bond money. The first goal is to update and adapt technology, aging classrooms, and computer labs to accommodate Common Core testing and a modern learning environment. This includes increasing bandwidth, adding electrical outlets, and creating wireless access points for students. As reported in the San Jose Mercury News, FUSD superintendent James Morris underlined these needs, saying, “Five years from now, every textbook will be an electronic textbook. So while we might have the capacity now for 150 kids to be online at

See E NEWS Page 2

ISI System

bers are chosen, officers are then chosen through a speech, discussion, and voting process.

As president, Yi attends the Board of Education’s school board meetings once every two weeks, presents student reports, and votes on agenda items and resolutions. At the planning meetings SURF Board E holds prior to actual board meetings, members meet to review the plan for the upcoming meeting. Because she represents students of FUSD, Yi is responsible for bringing up pertinent issues that SURF Board E wants the board to address.

Yi first became involved in SURF Board E because of her interest in students’ opportunities to take leadership roles in the

This year, FUSD has adopted a new student information system known as Illuminate Student Information (Illuminate). For the past 12 years, FUSD had been using an older system known as SchoolMax, which had limited features and lacked updates or modifications. Illuminate is a relatively new company that boasts a flexible, dynamic student-based system. Prior to the start of the 2014-15 school year, FUSD staff completed training on Illuminate. The new system aims to provide staff with a user-friendly interface, access to live data, and specialized controls to ensure data integrity and security.

FUSD made the switch from SchoolMax to Illuminate to allow for better communication from the school to FUSD administration and families. In addition, Illuminate is a less antiquated system that offers more features and security options. Between August 15-20, all the data from SchoolMax was rolled over to Illuminate, and FUSD is currently using the new system.

Previously, SchoolMax and Schoolloop were linked. Teachers would provide grades and post information on Schoolloop for parents and students to view. However, the old system involved massive data importation between SchoolMax and Schoolloop on a daily basis. Illuminate aims to eliminate the use of multiple systems for the school da-

See FUSD NEWS Page 2

See ISI NEWS Page 2

courtesy cara yi

(From left to right) FUSD Board Members Cara Yi, Larry Sweeney, Lily Mei, Ann Crosbie, Desrie Campbell, Lara CalvertYork, and Superintendent James Morris.

By Andrea Tam A&E Editor Senior Cara Yi, president of Students United for the Representation to the FUSD Board of Education (SURF Board E), will be representing students of FUSD as student board member this year. Her term officially began on June 4, 2014 and will last until June 3, 2015.

According to Yi, SURF Board E consists of 17 student representatives from FUSD’s six high schools, chosen through an interview and application process that happens at the end of each school year.

According to the SURF Board E bylaws, the representatives “serve as a direct liaison between the Board of Education, District Administration, and the students of FUSD.” Once the SURF Board E mem-

ftc kickoff 2014 MSJ students teamed up to enter in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Nor-Cal robotics kickoff at The Play Space on September 6.

editor blog post Find out how the Web Editors feel about beginning a new year at MSJ, and what advice they have for students.

national merit The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recently named 107 MSJ students as semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

msj best foot forward MSJ’s BFF Mentoring Program is looking for students interested in being mentors to midyear transfer students.

FOR MORE COVERAGE,

VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG

2 News

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E| Funding

The Smoke Signal

sessed value of a property per year until 2051.

Including these tax payments, the final cost of the bill is estimated to be about $1.75 billion.

The money gathered will then be distributed to each school in separate waves. MSJ Principal Zack Larsen said, “The estimate [of the first

continued from page 1

the same time, five years from now we’ll need five times that capacity.” Secondly, FUSD plans to remove asbestos, fix leaky roofs, and upgrade heating and air conditioning systems to eliminate mold and germs. Thirdly, FUSD has decided to abandon the junior high school system and transition the district’s five junior highs schools into middle schools containing the sixth through eighth grades.

The money pertaining to Measure E will be paid for, with interest, by property tax increases. The district estimates that the additional tax would calculate to $59 per $100,000 of the as-

“Five years from now, every textbook will be an electronic textbook... five years from now we’ll need five times that capacity.”

-James Morris, FUSD Superintendent

wave], from what I’ve heard, is around $160 million.”

Measure E seeks to limit the infrastructure problems that have plagued MSJ. In the past couple of years, these have included occasional heating failures and numerous internet crashes.

Larsen said, “I’m really looking forward to new heating and air conditioning because there have been so many complaints, especially with that huge failure in December [last year]. I’m just excited about consistent and reliable air conditioning.” Aside from these issues, Larsen also said additional changes could include restroom and pool renovation, library and gym reconfiguration, and an all-weather track. ▪

HVAC & LIGHTING

MEASURE E FUND DISTRIBUTION LONG RANGE FACILITIES PLAN AT MSJ

RECOMMENDED PROJECT COSTS

ROOFS, WALLS, WINDOWS, DOORS, FLOORS, & CEILINGS

$249,000

TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE

SAFETY & SECURITY $793,000

MULTI-USE ROOMS, AUDITORIUMS, GYMS, &LUNCH SHELTERS

$979,000

UTILITIES

21st CENTURY LEARNING FLEXIBILITY

$1,944,000

$1,246,000

$1,112,000

FUSD| Board continued from page 1

district: “I wanted to be a part of this collaborative work and bring students to the forefront of decisions. The student board member represents the students and student-needs. As student board member, I want to make sure that I and the Board of Education do just that.”

She anticipates talking with fellow students about their questions and opinions.

Yi said, “FUSD is one of the privileged few school districts in California that places value on student voice and therefore provides opportunity for a student board member.” With her position, she hopes to

“I want people to know that as the student board member I represent you, so please don’t hestitate to come talk with me if, or when, you have any questions or concerns.”

$2,574,000

$8,897,000

Friday, September 26, 2014

-Senior Cara Yi, FUSD Board Member work with the staff at the district to create a more holistic education system.

The school year has just begun, so MSJ has yet to see the changes Yi may work to address as student concerns arise. As a representative of the district’s student body, her goal is to take the initiative to ensure that the concerns and opinions of students are addressed by the Board. Students may contact Yi at commonplace58@ gmail.com. ▪

graphics from google images, layout by news editor tiffany huang

LOCKERS| MPPFA continued from page 1

the project is $27,000, including the cost of steam cleaning and the moving of lockers.

“This project was an excellent way to kick off Mission’s 50th anniversary and it will leave a great legacy for years to come.”

-ASB Vice President Mansi Shah According to Melville, further repair work will be done this month to finish off the project and leave lockers in an improved condition.

Old lockers in the N-wing before refurbishment.

Melville stated that the job couldn’t have been done without the help and support of the MSJ community. “PFA would like to thank the parents and students who helped with the cleaning of the lockers... We are also grateful to MSJ parents Linda and Mike Medeiros (Professional Painting Co.) for painting the walls from where we had removed lockers,” Melville said.

“I’m very thankful that PFA took on the locker refurbishment project this summer; all the lockers look great and are fully functional for the school year! This project was an excellent way to kick off Mission’s 50th anniversary and it will leave a great legacy for years to come,” said Shah. ▪

continued from page 1

tabase and home portal through its built-in parent and student portals.

To ease the transition, FUSD is currently using a combination of Illuminate and Schoolloop, but plans to make the switch from Schoolloop to Illuminate portals by the 2015-16 school year. The Illuminate portals function similarly to Schoolloop, allowing parents and students to view attendance logs and progress reports, but offer a greater range of data to students and parents, including standardized assessment scores, transcripts, graphs of student performance, and other data. Enhanced security measures are designed to protect family data.

Teachers use Illuminate mostly for work related to rosters and student attendance.

However, teachers now also have access to more information, including past grades, pictures, assessment information, reporting based on standards and Common Core, and demographics. With Illuminate, teachers have access to new student data, which allows them to pinpoint areas of strength and areas to focus on. According to Assistant Principal Carli Kim, MSJ administration hopes that these new features will allow for greater knowledge and insight into

students. “In the long run, I think it will be a very good system, but in the next couple of months there definitely will be some kinks we’ll have to work out,” said Kim. MSJ parents and students are unlikely to see many changes during the 2014-15 school year. The noticeable shift from Schoolloop to Illuminate portals is not scheduled to take place until the start of the 2015-16 school year.

As with any large transition, there have been several bugs as data is transferred.

Some teachers have cited multiple appearances of students on their attendance, difficulty marking absences, or incorrect student grade levels. These problems are currently being resolved. “Any new program is going to be difficult. I’ve been through a lot of programs, in both private and public schools. It’s frustrating, but it will take time to understand it and to work out all the glitches,” said Freshman Attendance Clerk Jennifer Schneider. As FUSD staff and families become more acquainted with the new system, Illuminate will likely become a more streamlined, informative, and central database than that of SchoolMax. “It’s good because it gives a lot of information, but it was a little hectic at the beginning of the school year, since a lot of information was thrown at us. Once we master it, it will be great,” said Senior Attendance Clerk Leti Vargas. ▪

courtesy mppfa

news.stanford.edu

Compiled by Staff Writers Monica Tang, Adele Shen, and Harshita Gupta

ISI| Student Info

pando.com

abcnews.com

More than 100 works of art are uncrated at Stanford.

Internet-based company Alibaba launches record IPO.

Scotland votes against leaving the United Kingdom.

World-renowned Anderson Collection comes to Stanford University Stanford University opened a gallery of 121 paintings and sculptures from the Anderson Collection on September 21. Assembled by Harry W. and Mary Margaret Anderson, the Anderson Collection is considered one of the world’s most impressive private collections of 20th century art.

The university’s exhibition features 86 talented artists, including Mark Rothko, Philip Guston, Wayne Thiebaud and Joan Mitchell. Located on the Stanford campus, the Anderson Collection is open to visitors six days a week.

Alibaba debuts with record US IPO Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce hub and tech company, became the largest US-listed initial public offering (IPO) as of September 18, 2014. The IPO deal raised $21.8 billion, and values Alibaba at $167.6 billion, surpassing Amazon and E-bay. Alibaba shares began trading September 19 on the New York Stock Exchange, priced at $92.70 per share, a 36 percent increase from the IPO price.. Alibaba was founded by a Jack Ma, a former English teacher, who is now a billionaire with 8 percent stake in the company and 12.75 million shares.

Scotland to remain part of UK after historic referendum vote After an 84.5 percent turnout in a historic referendum vote, voters in Scotland have declared “no” and decided to remain a part of the United Kingdom.

The verdict was delivered Thursday, September 18, with 55 percent of Scots voting “no” and 45 percent voting “yes”. The independence referendum marks the first time in UK history where voters as young as 16 are eligible to vote. Alex Salmond, head of the Scottish National Party, said on Friday, “This has been a triumph for the democratic process and for participation in politics.”

Friday, September 26, 2014

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Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 50, No. 1 | September 26, 2014 www.thesmokesignal.org

41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 (510) 657-3600 Editors-in-Chief Tingting Bi, Laura Chen News Michael Hsiu, Tiffany Huang Opinion Alice Cheng, Catherine Wang Feature Megan Ren, Katie Sun Centerspread Katrina Cherk, Vivian Liu A&E Melissa Peng, Andrea Tam Sports Arti Patankar, Abigail Wong Graphics Kevin Chen, Lillian Zhao Web Jacinta Chang, Nithya Rajeev Tech Santhosh Paramasivan, Peter Qiu Business Anand Balaji Circulation Hairol Ma Ads Grace Dong, Madeline Zheng Events Tanvi Raja, Apoorva Rajanala Writers & Photographers Andrew Chen, Kylie Cheung, Sarina Chitre, Andrew Choi, Sayan Ghosh, Purvi Goel, Harshita Gupta, Pratham Gupta, Chakshu Hurria, Amrith Krishnan, Ansh Patel, Gelsey Plaza, Iyesha Puri, Deeksha Raina, Rishab Ramapriyan, Shivane Sabharwal, Neha Shah, Adele Shen, Annie Tang, Monica Tang, Brian Tseng, Hanson Wang, Didi Wu, Rebecca Wu

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Age of...Imitation

To be an ABC

AnAliceis

Catalyst

By Catherine Wang Opinion Editor

On a bus at the Boston Logan International Airport, a bubbly woman with a Boston accent started chatting with me about my East Coast college tour. After giving an enthusiastic explanation for why I should go to Boston University, she suddenly asked me, “Where are you from?”

“Fremont, California.”

A confused pause. “No, but – where are you really from?”

No? “Uh, China.” Said the girl who hasn’t even been to China.

My dad tried to clarify – “She and her brother were born here” – but I don’t think the woman was listening. With the same eagerness, she continued, “I love Chinese people! I love Chinese food!”

That wasn’t the last time I felt like an outsider on my trip. At Panera Bread a few days later, an elderly man approached us with a friendly “Ni hao, can I help you?” while waiting in line. He and his wife were more than a little surprised when my parents responded in perfect English.

I’ve become so used to the Mission bubble (to the California bubble, even) that I don’t actively see myself as Chinese; I’m naïve enough to forget that my skin color defines so much of me. I like to think that I’m aware of who I am racially – I understand, for example, why my parents hauled me to Chinese school for so many years. They taught me that I’m in a gray area where I can learn from

Opinion 3

By Alice Cheng Opinion Editor

the best of both worlds. But until I experienced feeling like an outsider first-hand, I wasn’t aware at all.

Yep, I’m trying to answer the same, almost cliché “what does it mean to be a minority in America?” question as the rest of us. But my college trip was the first time I started answering that question with reference to how others perceive me, instead of just wondering how I identify myself. And that’s not a bad thing. It’s ridiculously narrow-minded to assume that everyone can tell I’ve never left North America, or that everyone knows how assimilated I feel. However impolitic the woman on the bus’s comments seemed, she was trying to connect with me, not isolate me. I should at least try to reach out and meet others halfway, instead of getting riled up every time I’m mistaken for someone “fresh off the boat.”

At first, those conversations with strangers last summer annoyed and even angered me. Now, though, I’m thankful for them. I’ve had it easy – never have I been bullied for being Asian, or accused of being anything less than good at math (which I’m not). Maybe because of this, I was sensitive towards any sign that showed I didn’t blend into mainstream white culture. But I remind myself now that I have the privilege to code-switch when I feel like it, to “live life at the interface,” as my dad likes to say. The gray area has never looked better. ▪

Back when I was a kid, I loved the Cookie Monster. I mean, he was a mass of blue hirsuteness with a funky voice and two large, possibly uneven, eyeballs.

He was my role model…until one day when I discovered his fatal flaw – his unhealthy obsession with cookies (who knew?!). Whatever. I moved on to bigger, better things – dinosaurs. My six-yearold self believed that my destiny would involve becoming a massive, powerful, and tree-eating creature. And, at the towering height of five-foot-two-and-aquarter, I can now proudly proclaim that I am one step closer to reaching my goal.

Just kidding. But, much like my sixyear-old self, we tend to set unreachable standards on ourselves by attempting to match our lives to role models or celebrities, promoting a culture of imitation rather than experience. As students, our quest for an identity, a search for distinguishing features that we can take pride in, is a confusing one.

Consequently, we often try to model ourselves after an individual as we imitate the traits of our role model to achieve a similar degree of success. Though motivating ourselves to excel in a similar way is not altogether bad, we need to draw a distinction between imitating a role model and learning from ourselves.

Too often, we try to emulate someone’s path when in fact there are several paths we can take to achieve our goals.

In a study published by the British Journal of Psychology, 372 participants were examined for their health, life

satisfaction, and patterns of personality imitation. Researchers concluded that the excessive use of role models, such as celebrities, to shape our personalities leads to anxiety and, understandably, lower self-esteem. Without the ambition to experience, we lose the satisfaction of discovering ourselves and allow our identities to be shaped by the experiences of other people.

Of course, imitation isn’t completely harmful – we can’t sequester ourselves completely from others. In fact, many claim that imitation builds the foundation for creativity. However, when it comes to building an identity, the inability to distinguish imitation from our personal experiences hinders us from discovering our own abilities and instead leaves us focusing on how to copy the talents of others.

Therefore, we can use imitation to a certain degree to strike a balance between developing our own experiences and learning from others.

However, we have to realize that as important as it is to learn from others, we must learn from ourselves. In a culture where we surround ourselves with celebrities, athletes, and role models, discovering the traits that make us unique individuals is difficult, but with an understanding of our own experiences versus the traits of our role models, we can form better ideas of who we really are. As for me, I’ll be the funkiness in Cookie Monster, the clumsiness in dinosaurs, and the quirky humor in Alice. ▪

the Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board

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“I think they’re lovely, they’re aesthetically pleasing and seem safer as they’re not blocking the walkway path in the B-Wing; I don’t have any suggestions I like these new lockers.”

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“I really like the new lockers because they are a lot cleaner and nicer than the old ones. In terms, of how they could be improved, I think that the location for some of them could be better. BWing lockers are really convenient, whereas the C-Wing lockers are not.”

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“There is not enough space, especially because you need to share lockers with another person.”

sh S r a

10

and the race to be at the top, being different and pushing past limitations is brave.

High school is our chance to be curious and experiment with our passions. We have the freedom to join a club, play a sport, pick up an instrument, learn a new language, take an art class, and so much more; it’s time we start taking full advantage of all these choices. Who knows how many opportunities we miss because we are too afraid? None of us want to look back and say to ourselves, “I should have.

I would have. I could have. But I didn’t.”

We can’t limit ourselves to such a narrow and limited perspective of the world.

Let’s take classes for the sake of interest, not academic impressiveness. Let’s teach others for the sake of helping, not to fulfill a community service requirement. Let’s introduce ourselves to people we don’t know. Let’s dream big and accept the possibility of failure. Let’s be young, bold, and brave because this time will never come back.

Growing up is about making mistakes and seizing opportunities. This year, let’s challenge ourselves to do just that. Let’s make this a year that we can look back on and say, “I normally wouldn’t have, but I am so glad I did.” ▪

l St

“But I wonder what would happen if you say what you wanna say...” In her hit song “Brave”, Sara Bareilles brings up what it means to be brave – to voice our convictions and overcome the oppression of silence. Later, she sings, “Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live.”

Her words could not be more applicable.

In a world influenced by materialism, we face the danger of isolating ourselves in spheres of self-importance and security.

The simple option is to hide and avoid facing risks. The more difficult solution is to venture from these protective shells and acknowledge that challenge is opportunity.

To be brave is to deliberately step out of our comfort zones and into the new, the different, and the unknown. Being brave is defying the “status quo” and finding “a way out of the cage where we live.”

As students, we walk the line between the protection of our community and exposure to the world beyond high school.

We generally surround ourselves and feel content with a determined group of people we know. We take classes and participate in activities expected of us. In many ways, our lives have become fixed and predictable. It feels safe to follow the MSJ dynamic and not stray too far from our peers.

In such a structured and rigid environment, we often feel pressured to fit a certain mold with x number of weighted classes and y number of extra-curricular activities. It can be tough not to get lost in a scramble of perceived rules and standards that seem to dictate our high school careers. Amidst the chaos to be recognized

Ris

Editorial: Braving a New Year

hah, 11 “My C-Wing locker is really nice because of the repainting and actually feels more spacious. However, I do wish that my locker was located outside because I sometimes forget my books and don’t have the ability to come to school and get them.”

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Opinion 5

flushing away limitations:

gender-neutral bathrooms

By Nithya Rajeev Web Editor

Gender-Neutral Bathrooms In the past few years, the number of gender-neutral bathrooms in public facilities has risen at an astonishing rate. From workplaces to universities, the most common grounds, many places are installing unisex stalls with the goals of saving money, saving space, and providing LGBTQ people with a safer environment. However, the issue is still controversial, as some people are nervous about the decreased comfort levels in bathrooms.

The positives in establishing more gender-neutral bathrooms in public facilities, especially schools, lie in saving money and space. The space that was originally occupied by a girls’ and boys’ restroom can now be cut down to just the space of one. In terms of saving money, only one bathroom has to be maintained, which subsequently means that fewer janitors and plumbers have to be hired. The cost of installing an additional stall is also wiped out, which could be a minimum of $5,000. In gender-neutral public bathrooms, fathers and mothers can also bring their children into the stall with them without any problem. In addition, by removing the gender limitation on bathroom stalls, people who identify themselves as part of the LGBTQ population no longer

55%

More than of transgender students stated that they avoided school restrooms most of the time for fear of abuse from fellow peers. have to bear attacks or harassment from others who believe they have no right to be in a specific gender bathroom. Over the past few years, many LGBTQ people have reported incidences with others in which they were teased, bullied, and tormented for being in the “wrong bathroom.” According to the National School Climate Survey (NSCS) conducted in 2011, more than 55% of transgender students stated that they avoided school restrooms most of the time for fear of abuse from fellow peers. One transgender girl went further to comment, “I’m afraid if I go to the bathroom I’ll get shoved, cornered, anything like that.” The leaders of the study concluded that having unisex restrooms that are safe and accommodating for everyone lowers the risk of bullying and subsequent emotional insecurities.

However, as beneficial as this change may seem to modern society, safety concerns may also arise. According to the NSCS, when both men and women are allowed to enter the same bathroom, their gender comfort levels decrease. However, several college campuses, such as Oberlin College and Illinois State University, have implemented gender-neutral bathrooms. A majority of those school populations has seen this move as beneficial to the community. For example, over the summer, Northwestern University successfully installed gender-neutral bathrooms. So “Sometimes we even offer a more private bathroom [in the office] based on the desires and comfort of the student.” -- Diana Brumbaugh, Assistant Principal far, no violence has occurred in the gender-neutral units, which have, instead, created a secure environment for all students.

As of now, only staff may access the gender-neutral bathrooms on campus. According to assistant principal Diana Brumbaugh, MSJ’s policy regarding transgender and gender-variant facilities is in alignment with Fremont Unified School District’s policy. The policy states, “Transgender and gender-variant students shall not be forced to use the restroom corresponding to their sex at birth.

Ensuring access to restroom facilities that match a student’s gender identity allows transgender and gender variant students to maintain their right to privacy.” Brumbaugh further explained the policy by saying, “Sometimes we even offer a more private bathroom [in the office] based on the desires and comfort of the student.”

There are currently no plans to install more unisex bathrooms for students on the MSJ campus during this school year. Setting up more gender-neutral bathrooms around campus would definitely help accomodate the needs of the MSJ student body and create equitable facilities for all. Not only do we have to consider the majority, but we also have to account for the comfort of the minority. Gender-neutral bathrooms would ultimately create an atmosphere at MSJ that represents each individual’s requirements to succeed in an educational environment they define as safe. ▪ chronicle.com, pinterest.com, layout by opinion editors alice cheng & catherine wang

aking Cultural Literacy

By Tanvi Raja & Apoorva Rajanala

During a Jimmy Kimmel segment that aired last fall, an interviewer asked pedestrians in LA whether they prefer Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act. Most strongly supported one or the other, unaware that the two were different names for the same plan.

We laugh and relate because we could have easily fallen for the same prank, but the segment brings a more serious issue to light: our tendency to feign cultural literacy, or the ability to understand and fit into our society. This need for acceptance has become so embedded into our daily thinking that we now feel the need to fake what we really know. This phrase has recently become more relevant than ever because of the accessibility of short online news articles. Because we are becoming increasingly sensitive to our public images, there is an urge to prove ourselves to those around us, whether or not we truly understand the discussion at hand.

A new trend known as the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Ice Bucket Challenge, created to raise funds and awareness for the disease, involves participants either pouring a bucket of ice water on their heads or donating money to the ALS Association (ALSA). Friends, relatives, and celebrities alike have been participating, and the ALSA has raised a significant amount of money through the challenge.

However, it has caused many to raise concerns over genuine awareness about the disease, versus an online trend that will eventually die out. Technology constantly bombards us with digital information that captures our immediate attention. Since we have become so dependent on technology, we are

Staff Writers

subconsciously changing in parallel to the new innovations by falling into trends without remaining conscious of the reasons they became popular, or why they are important.

Although the road to reform is indistinct, certain steps can be taken to work towards acknowledging and fixing this cultural problem. Rather than exploiting our accessible resources, we need to take advantage of the reliable news sources we have at hand. Reading well-established newspapers and watching news channels that have favorable reputations is a key step in understanding and engaging in the news to create more comprehensive thought processes. Analyzing and researching the different topics presented will create a more informed society as well as help make mindful decisions in the future. Rather than a society that fakes cultural literacy in the face of worldly issues, we will be working towards living in one of genuine awareness by learning about important affairs and forming our own strong opinions. ▪ layout by opinion editors alice cheng & catherine wang

staff writer hairol ma

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Friday, September 26, 2014

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Feature 7

] E D I Morning Edition U G L A V I SURV

[

By Melissa Peng & Andrea Tam A&E Editors

11:00 PM

The Night Before

Your eyelids droop and your movements slow. Every fiber of your being wants nothing more than to wrap yourself up in your bed and quietly become a burrito of coziness and sleep. Do not give in to these primal urges--as a hardened warrior of the wake-up game, you are better than them. Instead of surrendering to the night, fight the fatigue and pack your things for tomorrow. Backpack? Check. Outfit? Fierce and ready to go. Easy. You with your 20/20 foresight realize that, come tomorrow morning, your groggy self will be in no condition for higher-level cognition like remembering which assignments you have yet to retrieve. Lastly, do yourself a favor and don’t go to bed angry at anyone or anything. It’s easier said than done, but try to let go of any resentment you may feel because tension will only make your sleep uneasy. Life’s too short to let a grudge keep you from getting your rest.

7AM and you… don’t go back to sleep. In case you’ve become immune to the incessant blaring of your alarm clock, strategic alarm clock placement forces you to pry yourself out of bed to turn off the ungodly blast of sound. Hide your alarm clock somewhere in the depths of your room so you’re forced to rummage around for it. Feeling ambitious? Set 2 or 3 alarms all a couple minutes apart and stationed at various locations outside your door. If all else fails, record yourself hollering something horrific like “HURRY THERE’S ONLY ONE PIECE OF BACON LEFT” ...and you’ll be on your feet in no time.

7:00 AM

Alarm Clock 7:10 AM

Getting Ready

Shake off your drowsiness with a killer morning routine. Splashing cold water in your face is a classic, but if that’s not hardcore enough for you, put your ice bucket challenge experience to good use and try taking a quick cold shower. Kick your morning up twenty notches by preparing and blasting a “Get Pumped” playlist (or reusing a workout playlist, if applicable). There’s nothing like the combination of “Eye of the Tiger”-style oldies and more modern dance-y songs to motivate you to “carpe” each coming “diem”. To get your blood flowing even more, move around a little with a few jumping jacks.

When time’s running out, breakfast seems like the easiest thing to forgo. Giving up your power meal will only backfire, which is why it’s important to eat your breakfast, kids! Feasting on a tasty breakfast could actually become the best part of your morning! If the mundane eggs and toast start to get monotonous, try these 5 ideas: 1. Layer vanilla yogurt, granola, and fresh-cut fruit in a tall glass cup for a light and delicious parfait (For a faster shortcut, just add fruits or almonds to a cup of yogurt!)

2. Spice up your sad-looking scrambled eggs with some smoked salmon or bacon. Then add Swiss cheese, tomatoes, or potatoes for a savory breakfast omelet.

3. Refrain from drenching your waffles in syrup. For a healthier alternative, spread some peanut butter overtop and enjoy!

4. If butter and jam isn’t cutting it for your toast, try adding a few thin slices of avocado instead. Top it off with cheese, pepper, and eggs for a simple, filling breakfast.

5. For a to-go breakfast, warm up a flour tortilla on the pan and spoon eggs, bacon, green onions, and cheese down the middle. Roll it up to munch on while walking to school!

7:30 AM

Breakfast

openclipart.org, classroomclipart.com, graphics by staff writers pratham gupta & adele shen, layout by feature editor megan ren

Trinity Advice

By Peter Qiu & Rebecca Wu Staff Writers

High school can be a pain, especially to those unfamiliar with it, and the new school year has brought a fresh wave of underclassmen to battle the conundrums of being an adolescent student. In this two-issue installment, the Smoke Signal has compiled advice, drawing upon the wisdom of other students, teachers, alumni, and our own experiences in order to help you.

Advice to Students Too Shy to Participate or Ask For Help When They Need It assmen, Lots of students, especially undercl or too s clas in help for are too shy to ask nce sura reas best Our te. afraid to participa , tion ques a e hav ever you to you is that if e sam the e hav ents stud most likely other eciate question, too. The teachers will appr they n whe help for a student who asks s keep who one to sed have trouble as oppo k spea to id afra too are quiet because they nobody up. Teachers want to help, but if ybody ever that me assu asks, they can only that or ady alre l eria mat understands the say. to ing they all have noth

“This is a difficult one to overcome, because you can’t tell a student to just get unshy. There’s a barrier erected between teachers and students that really should not be there. Instead, change your mindset. Teachers want to help you; but before they can, they need to know what to help you with. Students must realize that it will help them to be unique. The more you can accept the risk to be different from everyone else by asking a question or proposing a possible answer, the less you will be just a face in the crowd and you won’t just be another fly on the wall. This can be difficult, I understand. But it’s just a part of the process of learning.”

-John Boegman, Teacher

Keeping, Making, and Losing Friends in High School “Your friends are your friends because they want to be, and if they actively disliked you, you’d be able to tell. You guys might not always hang out or your friends might hang out with other people a lot, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t your best friends. It just means that you guys have a connection where you can always go back to each other, and you know that you’ll always be there for each other.”

-David Hu, Alumnus “People change as high school progresses. You may find yourself becoming distant from people you were once close with. This is completely normal, as people tend to discover themselves in these years. Surround yourself with people who share your beliefs and make you happy. Be yourself: those who are meant to stay in your life will stay there no matter what.”

-Drishti Kaul, Senior

and flow Some friendships may ebb don’t you e with time, but just becaus was it as ong feel the bond is as str re. the t isn’ it before, doesn’t mean y ma y the Paths may separate, but reto t bes meet again later on. It’s ryone, main on good terms with eve each at tre harbor no grudges, and . . friend as best as you can

classroomclipart.com, www.digitalprimes.com, layout by feature editor megan ren

8 Ad

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, September 26, 2014

Friday, September 26, 2014

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Feature 9

TAI CHUNG

Bellamy Liu

Sally Tse

Elvia SepUlveda

SPECIAL ED

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

A former teacher from the River Delta Unified school district, Tai Chung is a special education and intensive instruction teacher joining MSJ this year. Prior to coming to MSJ, Chung served as a substitute teacher at Isleton Elementary School before getting involved with special ed. Chung hopes that he will be able to teach his students academic, social, fitness, and independence skills that they need to be self-reliant. In his spare time, Chung hikes and samples new foods; also among his interests is breaking pullup records on Youtube.

MSJ welcomes back Alumnus Bellamy Liu as a new instructor of Honors Precalculus and Honors Geometry. Prior to working at MSJ, Liu was a student teacher of physics at Logan High School and a science lab teacher at Hirsch Elementary School. What he likes about math is that it’s all about logic and explaining material step by step. Outside of the classroom, he devotes time to the outdoors and traveling. He is looking forward to experiencing what it’s like to be a teacher rather than a student and hopes to expand learning beyond the classroom for applications in the real world. Fun fact: as a student, he was involved in DECA and placed nationally in 2002.

Sally Tse joins the MSJ special education staff this year as a math and social studies teacher. After previously working as a substitute teacher, Tse decided that she wanted her own classroom; her search for one led her to MSJ. Besides surviving her first year as a full-time teacher, Tse also hopes to integrate technology into her classroom and to help students feel a sense of belonging there. Her main goal for this school year is to engage with her students as much as possible while also getting work done. One of Tse’s favorite hobbies is trying out new restaurants.

Elvia Sepulveda joins the Foreign Language Department teaching Spanish 2 and AP Spanish. Previously, Sepulveda has taught at schools like Homestead High School, Los Gatos High School, and Georgina Bruce Kirby Prepatory School. She has also taught adult migrant farmer workers. Her personal belief is that she did not choose teaching, but teaching chose her by presenting her with countless opportunities to teach over the years. She especially looks forward to watching her students learn about linguistics and culture this coming year.

Outside of school, Sepulveda enjoys running, knitting, and skateboarding.

SPECIAL ED

MATH

New Teachers Bryan Farley

Brian Soria

Ronalyn Lumain

Bryan Farley is a new digital photography and 2D animation instructor at MSJ. A previous photography teacher at Pittsburgh High School, Farley joins MSJ with a goal of helping students learn to create memories through photography. Farley is an avid photographer, and actively maintains his own photography blog. He hopes to bring his skills to the classroom and help students find their individual voices through photography. This year, he looks forward most to seeing what his students will create by working not only alone, but also with each other.

When not enlighten ing his students, Farley works as an active advocate for epilepsy awareness.

Brian Soria taught at James Logan High School in Union City and PE at John Sinnott Elementary School for ten years before joining MSJ to teach Government/Economics and World History. After taking his first college history course, Soria discovered his affinity for history. This year, he hopes to become acclimated to the MSJ environment and to settle into a comfortable routine. In addition, Soria will be coaching baseball and is an avid fan of the Giants and the A’s himself. Soria approaches teaching from a very active and energized viewpoint to avoid sleeping students.

Despite his active lifestyle, Soria does not like food except for bacon and ice cream.

Ronalyn Lumain teaches all subjects of special education’s program for students with moderate disabilities. Lumain has eight years of experience teaching across the globe in places such as the Philippines, Los Angeles, New Mexico, and now MSJ. The greatest part about teaching special education for her is that it is a self-fulfilling experience if she can impact her students. Her personal philosophy of teaching is that “Education is continuous learning,” and she aims to learn more as to how to efficiently affect learning this year. For leisure, Lumain plays badminton and explores the comm u n i t y.

VISUAL ARTS

SOCIAL STUDIES

SPECIAL ED

By Grace Dong, Michael Hsiu, and Vivian Liu Staff Writer, News Editor, and Centerspread Editor

Lauren ck Ware-Hartbe SCIENCE Lauren Ware-Hartbeck currently teaches four periods of Honors Biology. Previously, she taught CP Biology at Independence High School. As to what she appreciates about biology, Ware-Hartbeck says, “You develop a greater understanding about the connection of everything, the world around us, breaking it down into the smallest parts.” This school year she intends to ready students for careers in the scientific community. In her free time, she hikes, spends time with friends and family, and bingewatches Netflix.

graphics by staff writer grace dong, news editor michael hsiu & centerspread editor vivian liu, layout by feature editor katie sun

10 Centerspread

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Friday, September 26, 2014

Friday, September 26, 2014

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Centerspread 11

MSJ is known for its high profile academics, but with that reputation many often forget the expanse of other facets which also define our school. There are some features that are hidden in plain view, lost within the daily throng of students hurrying from class to class, while others are simply fun facts that most people are unaware of. In this issue, the Smoke Signal seeks to point out and uncover all the elements that make MSJ, MSJ. For more celebration of MSJ culture and history, turn to the back page for the Smoke Signal’s coverage of MSJ’s 50th anniversary.

by Grace Dong, Tiffany Huang, Iyesha Puri, & Megan Ren Staff Writer, News Editor, Staff Writer, and Feature Editor

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ura l

letics h t A

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s

Did you know?

MSJ’s original bell tower was torn down in 1988 due to termite damage. The bell tower that stands in the quad today was restored for approximately $30,000 in the early 1990’s. The Mission Bell, which is rung over the intercom during special occasions and victories, is a 200 pound solid brass bell that was given by the Atcheson, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in January 1965.

ganizations r O

Ho

Homecoming Week is undoubtedly one of the most exciting events of the school year.

The weeks of preparation in the summer all lead to the moment where each class can scream their class chant in the amphitheater as their respective color decorates the campus. However, despite the healthy competition, every class knows how to set down their pom poms to clap their hands together at the Green and White Unity Assembly and Homecoming Dance. After all, nobody does homecoming the way MSJ Warriors do.

Everyone has a very close sense of ownership, and students care about the community. There is a great deal of care for friends and other students. Students come in and tell the faculty if something is wrong. My favorite thing about MSJ] is the level of spirit. It is exceptional. I love to see Homecoming and people participating in the Fun Friday activities. I also identify with the character of the students. I really do believe more in the importance of being a good citizen than being academically or professionally successful. It is encouraging and outstanding that we have students who do the right thing, such as turning in a lost wallet or cell phone.

Gregory Pipp, School Resource Officer

pus Bea m a C uti

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Mission Possible, MSJ’s ongoing campus beautification project can be seen in landscaping of the school. The Thinker statue and the Legacy Bricks between the C and B Wings, both purchased by ASB, are some of the newest additions. Outside the P-Wing, a garden planted by MSJ’s Special Education students brightens up another area.

n

So one thing I really like about MSJ is its diverse community and not by race or culture or anything but the fact that so many people are interested in so many other things including academics and extracurricular activities. We have some of the top badminton players- we have badminton players who play for the US, and we have people that dance and sing at the national and international level. I think that's something that's really cool about MSJ! Pragathi Guruprasad, 11

MSJ is considered a public magnet school for its Japanese program, which allows students from other districts to attend.

The beautiful murals around campus and the garden near the old vandal watch site along Mission Boulevard are some of MSJ’s best features. The murals are special in that they are completely student-created from design to finished painting.

They are themed based on location. Teams of art students continue producing new murals almost every year, and each one takes approximately a month to complete. MSJ Garden was founded by Assistant Principal Jeff Evans and MSJ’s Green club and is maintained by a dedicated group of student volunteers.

”

ampus C en With

Clubs

atio fic

What’s MSJ’s favorite part of Homecoming?

Airbands:36% Dressing up 20% Other: 19% Skit: 11% Homecoming Dance: 6% Decorations: 6% Singing: 2% Football Game: 1%

MSJ truly unique is the population itself. Not many schools can boast the talented mix of students at MSJ. Ranging from traditional Chinese dance to longboarding, MSJ is positively brimming with creativity and ingenuity. 56 percent of survey responses answered that what they liked most about MSJ was the people.

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an open campus, students often drive off campus to enjoy a meal at various local eateries. Other students go home for lunch, and some who do not have cars walk with friends to close lunch restaurants. The open campus provides students with a variety of options and a welcome break during lunch. Out of the survey choices, MSJ students who go out to eat answered that their favorite places to eat were Chipotle, coffee places, Bagel Shop, and milk tea places.

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Three organizations each represent MSJ in a different way. MSJTV is the school’s personal news and sports channel and features campus events along with a multitude of witty jokes in monthly episodes. The Smoke Signal brings campus and local news of interest to students every month. Finally, The Costanoan, named after the Native Americans who originally inhabited the MSJ area, publishes a high quality keepsake that wraps up the school year in an artistic fashion.

A J S

ance and C i b m a

rt

Bell T ow

This is my sixteenth year at Mission, but I’ve been in the classroom for well over 30 years. I’ve taught in five of the seven continents, I’ve taught at all age levels from kindergarten through university instruction. I love teaching high school students, I love their energy, I love their enthusiasm, I love the fact that they’re excited about getting out into the world, and there’s a lot of positive energy. Mission exudes positive energy.

Patricia Weed-Wolnick, English Teacher

sA

Besides academics, MSJ has a tradition of excellence in sports. Track and field holds the record of largest team with 155 members. MSJ’s badminton team has a winning streak of first place at NCS for 11 years.

There have been three Olympians in MSJ history. MSJ’s fastest mile times: 4:45.3 (girls), 4:08.63 (boys).

From my experience, having taught in other schools, students here are much more motivated, and they also seem to be very unified.

Watching the seniors take their class photo today [referring to Senior Panoramic on 9/11], you could see the unity and school spirit.

Matt Lazar, Math Teacher

MSJ has a unique variety of campus landmarks that are original to the school. Unlike other schools with indoor auditoriums, events occur at MSJ’s amphitheater, a lively area painted with murals. Events ranging from Friday lunch activities to Homecoming all occur at the amphitheater. Outside the campus kitchen between the E-Wing and C-Wing, marble benches honor past MSJ students.

er

Every year, MSJ students have the world at their fingertips during Multicultural Week. Lunchtime guest performances and delectable foods sold by clubs highlight this festive week of celebrating cultures. Some past performances include Japanese taiko drumming and African tribal music. The foods bring students on a culinary world tour from European desserts like beignets to Asian classics like samosas and milk tea. Students present their own cultures at the Multicultural Assembly in a near two-hour whirlwind of colorful cultural costumes, martial arts, as well as all types of dancing and music.

There's a tone here that everyone, nearly everyone, is focused on their education, which isn't necessarily true of a lot of other high schools in the area. I would say [my favorite part of MSJ is] "the-can-do" attitude, "sky's-the-limit", sort of view.

Patricia Allen, English Teacher

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Multicult

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I like the fact that MSJ students try to make the campus look a lot better. There are a lot of clean up and recycling projects.

Hershal Bhatia, 12

M

“It's the students that make MSJ MSJ. Students are hardworking, motivated and genuinely interested in their education. The outstanding staff is also dedicated to providinvcg a great education for their students. The reputation and the fact that we have maintained our reputation of being a school that values education is what I like most about MSJ. I dedicate most of my prep time to creating lessons, and don't have to deal with additional discipline issues.

Risha Krishna, Ethnic Studies and World History Teacher

s

“

*Statistics used in this article were taken from the Smoke Signal ’s online survey conducted via Facebook. The survey collected a total of 326 responses from sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

With more than 80 student run clubs on campus, MSJ supports a broad range of interests. Clubs include Career Technical organizations such as HOSA, DECA, and FBLA, national organizations such as American Red Cross and Model United Nations, leisure clubs such as iKnit and Perfect Noise, and clubs for hobbies like Anime Club and Food for Thought. These clubs provide students with a solid foundation of skill development, service, and fun.

”

People think there isn’t much diversity on campus, but you actually do learn a lot about different cultures. You learn that there’s more than one kind of diversity.

Yoon Lee, 12

layout by centerspread editors katrina cherk & vivian liu

12 Art and Entertainment

Under the Radar:

Magic Man

www.thesmokesignal.org

The Smoke Signal

Ed Sheeran: One Man A-Team

Worth a “Listen”

By Vivian Liu Centerspread Editor

Escape the mainstream with Magic Man, a Massachusetts band that blurs the line between the traditional and the modern. They’ve been establishing their own brand of synthrock since 2010 with two albums, Real Life Color and Before the Waves, and their extended play You are Here.

Magic Man marries band acoustics to electronic beats, aiming to create music that their audiences can dance to. Play their single “Paris” for a complex instrumental of overpowering bass and drums, underlying keyboard melody, and supporting guitar. Coupled with soulful vocals and synths, “Paris” is a song that is as catchy as it is powerful. Another single, “Darling”, highlights the electronic side of their music with a chorus of dynamic and infectious synths and autotune.

Their music videos also showcase fun aesthetics, a testament to their originality. Usually rocking to the rhythm of the song and turns ordinary settings into interesting videography, taking watchers on a disjointed visual journey of the US complete with dairy farms, senior homes, and simple diners, et cetera.

The band brings electronic sound to alternative music. A synopsis of Magic Man: a quirky New England band that captivates through visuals, vocals, instrumentals, and identity. ▪

A&E

Updates

By Abigail Wong Sports Editor

Gone Girl R | 10/3/14

Starring Ben Affleck and Rosmund Pike, Gone Girl follows a man’s life in a whirlwind of media attention after he becomes the suspected cause of his wife’s disappearance.

By Tiffany Huang News Editor

By Tingting Bi & Madeline Zheng Editor-in-Chief & Staff Writer

We saw fire. We gave him love.

We were a mess by the end of Ed Sheeran’s X Tour performance.

With lines curving completely around the SAP Center in San Jose, the crowd vibrated with energy hours before the concert and left with uncontrollable smiles, racing hearts, and a hop to their steps.

The nearly-filled venue was packed with females with phenomenal hyper-soprano vocal abilities, who erupted with excitement as soon as the opening band streamed onstage. Rudimental, a popular English band, dominated the entire stage, pumping up the crowd with “Right Here” and “More than Anything.” Though most of their songs reflected a similar rock tone, “Feel the Love” showcased an impressive, unique trumpet solo by Mark Crown, whose jazzy notes transfixed an awed audience.

The energy dipped during the long intermission, as stage crew prepared the stage for the main performance, but when Sheeran, dressed

fashionably in flannel (twinning with half of the audience), finally jumped onstage, the tsunami of ear-busting screams crashed ashore, setting a fitting transition for the singer’s first song, “I’m a Mess.”

Even as a one-man band—with nothing but a guitar, a loop pedal, and an extraordinary voice—Sheeran demonstrated an impressive command of the stage. When he sang, everybody sang. When he clapped, everybody clapped. When he requested the audience’s silence during his typical “quiet song” of the concert (this time “Afire Love”), amazingly, his screaming fans granted him quiet. “Don’t punch them in the face,” he joked, addressing the occasional disruptions. “Just stroke them, hug them, tell them ‘Hey, ginger man’s trying to sing over there.’”

This interactive nature of the performance kept the audience reeled in tighter than the strings on his guitar. During “Give Me Love,” all background music faded away, and Sheeran sang to the crowd, who harmonized with backup vocals. In “Tenerife Sea,” hundreds of waving cellphones teleported the entire sta-

rollingstone.com

dium to space; in the sea of lights, each spectator sat on the edge of the chair, leaning forward and gravitating towards the star of the night.

As he sang his alleged final song “I See Fire” from The Hobbit’s soundtrack, flames blazed across background screens, accompanying an intensified delivery of the original song. He teasingly bade any bored spectators goodbye, but he already knew that the audience wanted more.

An even stronger encore incorporated a raw mix of hits old and new; energetic and mellow. More than ever, the audience radiated excitement brighter than Sheeran’s flaming hair—and he worked to dramatically escalate his fans’ energy up to his very last second on stage. Sheeran concluded the encore powerfully with his biggest hit “The A Team,” followed by his interactive finale “Sing.” “I want you to walk out of the stadium singing, to get into your cars singing,” Sheeran said. “I want you to wake up tomorrow and still be singing.” And here we are—still singing. ▪

Amaze-runner

Fury R | 10/17/14 In the World War II era, an Allied sergeant named Wardaddy leads a five-man team in an attempt strike behind enemy lines despite facing immense obstacles. Fury stars Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, and Shia LaBeouf.

Hans Boepple Jackson Theatre Smith Center, Ohlone College | 10/13/14, 2:00 PM Renowned classical pianist Hans Boepple has performed nationwide, starting from his debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at age ten.

Sweet Talker

Jessie J | 10/14/14 English singer-songwriter Jessie J will be releasing her third studio album.

The album features collaborations with Tricky Stewart and 2 Chainz as well as Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj from her lead single “Bang Bang”.

smokie playlist:

Summertime Nostalgia Missing summer? Us too.

Check out this month’s Smokie Spotify Playlist under A&E at thesmokesignal.org!

win tickets for:

Visit us our Facebook page for a scavenger hunt based on this month’s paper.

Fill it out to win your tickets!

ufvcascade.ca

Friday, September 26, 2014

movies.disney.com

By Kevin Chen Graphics Editor

Sci-fi, suspense, and action merge in Wes Ball’s The Maze Runner, a film adaptation of the book of the same name by James Dashner. The film centers around a group of teenage boys trapped within the mysterious Maze. None of them remember anything about their past lives except for their names. For three years, they have managed to stay alive despite the monstrous “Grievers” that roam the Maze.

But when Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) joins the group and begins questioning the way things are, he sets off a chain of events that completely transforms the rules of the game.

The film starts off quite abruptly, throwing viewers directly into the story with little introduction. At first, it seems as if the film will suffer from the same issues that plague many other adaptations—compressing too much plot into too short an amount of time.

The initial sequences are placed one after another in a manner that seems as if the director was rushing through

hdwallpape.com

the setup of the film. But as the movie progresses and viewers learn more of the story, the fast-paced action seems to fit the overall plot.

Acting is spot on from the very first scene when Thomas is thrown into the Maze. Viewers can see and virtually feel his fear through O’Brien’s excellent portrayal. Will Poulter’s portrayal of Gally, the main human antagonist, allows viewers to see that underneath his aggressive exterior, he fears the Maze just as much as everyone else.

Outstanding visual effects bring life to the Maze itself. The Grievers, hybrids of robotic construction and biological horror, are skillfully designed and rendered into frightening creatures that send audience members reeling in terror. Looming over every scene are the walls of the Maze, impenetrable metal and concrete on a titanic scale.

The oppressive atmosphere almost extends out from the screen and into the theater itself.

Overall, the film’s outstanding cinematography provides for a pleasurable viewing experience. Scenes flow

smoothly from one to another with no awkward pauses. With daylight indicating safety and nighttime meaning death, the contrast between day and night scenes adds to the tension of the film. Clever juxtapositions such as a shot of the Maze walls looming over the boys add to the apparent hopelessness of their situation.

Ball’s command of cinematography and visual effects, combined with exceptional acting and an intriguing plot, results in a thoroughly impressive film.

A handful of classic literary themes such as decision-making and survival exhibited within the film even appeal to the analytical English student within. The ending, which answers many questions but raises even more, is sure to build anticipation for the sequel.

Whether you’ve read Dashner’s original work or not, this film is a must-see for anyone craving something suspenseful rooted in a refreshing science fiction concept.

Although it is uncertain if the British rock band The Kooks found themselves during their three-year hiatus, it is undeniable that they have dramatically altered their musical direction. Once known for their bubbly indie pop, The Kooks are now experimenting with other genres in their newest album, Listen, produced

by British hip hop producer Inflo.

This latest offering is also the first to feature their new drummer, Alexis Nunez.

The album starts off with “Around Town,” a high energy number featuring lead singer Luke Pritchard’s signature croon and back-up choral vocals.

The Kooks’ persistent love for guitar riffs accompanied with a strong drum presence is evident in each of the songs, particularly in “Bad Habit,” the third single released from the album.

“Down,” the first single released from the new album, garnered mixed reviews from fans with its dramatically different style. Its refreshing beat offers a spunky vibe and an irresistibly catchy rhythm. As unexpectedly groovy as the beat was, however, time undeniably did not improve the lyric-writing prowess of Pritchard. Creativity remains a relatively untapped quality when it comes to lyrics in the vast majority of the songs. The infamous phrase “Down down diggy de down down diggy diggy” will be stuck on mental repeat after repeating a whopping total of 20 times in three minutes.

The vast majority of the album fiddles with overdone themes, ranging from lost love to a skin deep attempt at social commentary in “It Was London.” One redeeming track, however, was “See Me Now,” in which Pritchard addresses his late father with vulnerability. “If you could see me now, see your little boy, would you be proud?”

Listen covers a wide range of genres, ranging from pop, to indie, to even electronica in “Are We Electric.”

Despite the familiar-but-not-really vibe from the largely experimental album, longtime fans will be appeased by more slow-moving tracks reminiscent of past albums such as “Melody Maker” and “Sweet Emotion.”

The Kooks have no doubt changed direction with this refreshing break from their usual indie rock. Stimulating and commendable for breaking free from the vanilla pop image painted by previous albums, Listen offers satisfactory foot-bopping entertainment. ▪ Rating: B-

indscene.net

Rating: A deerwaves.com

Friday, September 26, 2013

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Arts & Entertainment 13

Museums around the bay

By Alice Cheng & Katrina Cherk Opinion Editor and Centerspread Editor

De Young Museum Location: 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco Type: Art Museum Entrance Fee: $6 (Student with ID) How do you admire art, experience breathtaking surroundings, and enjoy unique architectural styles? Located in Golden Gate Park, the De Young Museum qualifies as a Fine Art Museum of San Francisco and features interesting and diverse collections of art. The museum attempts to blend architecture, art, and landscape to give viewers an engaging experience. It will be displaying a modernism collection up until October 11 and a Native American art collection through January 2015.

The Walt Disney Family Museum Location: 104 Montgomery St., The Presidio of San Francisco Type: Historical Museum Entrance Fee: $15 (Students with ID); $12 (Ages 6-17) You know all the lines to The Lion King, you can sing every song in Frozen, you can name every single Disney princess...but do you really know Disney? Visit the Walt Disney Family Museum to find out more about the mastermind behind your favorite films. The museum boasts ten permanent galleries which follow the life of Walt Disney and his rise to success. The museum features historic materials and artifacts from Disney’s life, including the 248 awards he won during his career, original art from Snow White, and the earliest known drawings of Mickey Mouse.

Aside from the permanent exhibitions, the museum offers several special exhibitions. Featuring 70 original animation drawings of Marc Davis’ female characters in film, the temporary exhibition Leading Ladies and Femme Fatales: The Art of Marc

SF Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum Location: 145 Jefferson St, San Francisco Type: Wax Museum Entrance Fee: $22 Take a selfie with Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio, or Jennifer Aniston.

Founded in London by a famous wax sculptor named Madame Tussaud, this museum has made its way to major cities such as San Francisco. Featuring wax

Davis will be open until November 3.

sculptures of Mark Zuckerberg, Stephen Hawking, and Jeremy Lin, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum attracts an audience from all walks of life.

Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum Location: 37417 Niles Blvd, Fremont Type: Historical Museum Entrance Fee: $5 (for a 2-hour silent film screening) If you’re looking for a unique experience far from your everyday movie theater trip, an exciting evening may only be

Angel Island State Park

a 15-minute drive away. Situated on the former site of the

Location: San Francisco Bay

Niles Essanay Studios where Charlie Chaplin and Broncho

Type: Culture/Historic Museum

Billy made films in the 1910s, the Niles Essanay Silent Film

Entrance Fee: $10-$25 (For entire trip, depending on ferry prices)

Museum is dedicated to preserving and showcasing silent

Often referred to as “The Ellis Island of the West,” this California Historical Landmark is best known

films and their history. The museum contains photo-

for its Immigration Station, which was used by officials of the US Bureau of Immigration to detain,

graphs, posters, books, and artifacts from the age of silent

inspect, and examine primarily Asian immigrants from 1910 to 1940. Surrounded by expansive views

films. Weekly film screenings bring to life their planning,

of the San Francisco Bay Area, the island allows visitors to tour the barracks and view poetry carved

production, and presentation. Visit www.nilesfilmmuseum.

by immigrants in detention. The museum is widely regarded as an important cultural landmark related

org/movies.htm to view the museum’s film schedule.

to Asian-American history.

chichomedesignz.com, e-architect.co.uk, enjoynewyears.com, famouswonders.com, livesv.com, simpleart.co, ww1.hdnux.com, layout by a&e editor andrea tam

14 Arts & Entertainment

www.thesmokesignal.org

“POP” QUIZ

The Smoke Signal

Friday, September 26, 2014

By Megan Ren & Katie Sun Feature Editors

Some of you may have been given pop quizzes in your classes already, but just think about it for a moment - could they really claim to be “pop” quizzes? Thankfully, the Smoke Signal is here to provide you with your very first true pop quiz. To submit your answers, check our Facebook page later, where we’ll upload a form you can fill out for a chance to win a prize.

I. NAME THAT...

MUSIC PLATFORM:

II. SIDEKICK CROSSWORD Name the side to each of the following mains.

1. The first mortal woman on earth 2. Follow your friends’ accounts and connect with Facebook! We see (spot) you!

3. Single cloud against an orange sky

4. Chirp.

5. Hipsters of the world, unite!

6. (y)

7. The ultimate Japanese-Mexican fusion 8. You’ll never run out of milk tea herethere’s - - - - - - - to go around!

9. Pizzas made next to instead of on the counter

1. “Run - - - - - - - run!”

2. ““It means no worries for the rest of your days.

It’s our problem free philosophy: - - - - - - - - - - - - !“ 3.: “Infiltrate the - - - - - - -, find the - - - - - - - -.”

IV. ANAGRAMS

SOCIAL MEDIA:

BAY AREA FOOD:

III. FILL IN THE MOVIE QUOTE

Name the song title by solving the anagrams! (Hint: Have you seen this month’s Smokie Playlist yet?)

ACROSS: 2. Marius Pontmercy 5. “I wouldn’t want to see a world without Augustus Waters” 6. Tina Fey 7. Iron Man 8. Sherlock Holmes

DOWN: 1. Ross’s most sarcastic buddy 3. James Potter 4. Katniss’s original hunting partner 8. Scout Finch 9. Frodo

1. “Cause you’re all I need. But this ain’t love, it’s clear to see.”

AHEM TWIST 2. “We’re a thousand miles from comfort, we have traveled land and sea.”

BREATHER 3. “But put me - - - - - - - - and I’ll be a . . happy snowman!”

RINSE MUM 4. “Done my hair up real big beauty queen style”

A MIDSUMMERS TENSES

THE PRIZE

Once you’re done, check our Facebook page for a Google form to enter your answers in. The first to finish correctly will receive a prepaid admission ticket for any movie, redeemable at Pacific Commons’ Century theater and several other Cinemark locations,

graphics from hdw.eweb4.com, layout by a&e editor melissa peng

Friday, September 26, 2014

The Smoke Signal

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16 Sports

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, September 26, 2014

Matt ImHof: MSJ Alumnus

His Journey to the Philadelphia Phillies

By Anand Balaji & Hanson Wang Staff Writers The Smoke Signal interviewed Matt Imhof who is currently a professional baseball player in the Philadelphia Phillies organization, where he plays on their single-A affiliate. Imhof graduated from MSJ in 2011, and in his senior year he compiled a 6-4 record and 2.97 ERA with 86 strikeouts, earning second team All-Mission Valley League honors for two straight years.

Imhof then attended Cal Poly, where, as a junior, he was a member of the Big West Conference first team as well as a second team, All American. In the 2014 MLB draft, the Philles selected Imhof with the 47th overall pick.

Smoke Signal: How long have you played baseball and how did you get started?

Matt Imhof: I’ve been playing since I was four, so about 15 or 16 years. I started in little league, here at Mission San Jose Little League, playing tee ball.

SS: What were you doing when you heard that you were drafted by the Phillies, and what did that feel like?

MI: My family drove down to San Luis Obispo, since I was still in school taking classes. We went to a sports bar to watch the draft. Before the pick, I got a phone call from my agent, and he told me, “Hey, the Phillies are gonna take you at [pick number] 47, just letting you know.”

After the call, I just stayed quiet and watched fansmanship.com the draft on TV. When my name showed up on Matt Imhof strikes out 14 batters in seven innings against the screen, the whole table erupted, and it was Kansas State Wildcats in Febraury 2014. a very surreal and ecstatic moment. Later, I got MI: Making NCS in my senior year under a call from the Phillies’ general manager and a Coach Griggs was definitely a highlight. [We couple of scouts, too. It took a couple of days played] De La Salle in the first round, and even to set in, and when it did it felt almost unreal. though we lost, it was a really cool opportunity.

SS: Who are your baseball heroes?

SS: What’s it been like transitioning from the MI: Randy Johnson because he’s a big lefthigh school level to the college level, and from handed pitcher like me. In recent years, I’ve the college level to the pros? Which one was also become a fan of Madison Bumgarner and more difficult for you?

Andy Pettitte for their mentality and the way MI: I was kind of scared going from high they pitch on the mound. school to college, and it was more challenging because I didn’t know what to expect, but with baseball in my life every day I just eventually settled in. From the college level to professional wasn’t as difficult, even though, obviously, there’s a talent jump, but I guess I was more mature and used to the grind so I fit in and adjusted pretty well.

SS: What was the most difficult challenge you had to overcome?

MI: It was definitely keeping in a grind sanluisobispo.com throughout the year. When I was in college, I Matt Imhof struck out 124 batters his 2014 season with had to go through a couple of rough patches.

Cal Poly, ranking fifth nationally.

I had a tough time in summer ball after freshman year, but I worked through it and ended SS: What is your favorite memory from playing having a pretty solid sophomore year. baseball at MSJ?

Fall

Cheer

Teams: V Quirk: When a football player gets injured during a game, the members of the cheer team take a knee along with the other CROSS COUNTRY members of the football team.

Teams: Freshmen, Sophomore, JV, V Tryouts: Y Quirk: Varsity boys do the Spartan cheer from the FootBall movie 300 before each race.

Teams: JV, V Tryouts: N (only for varsity) Quirk: Every week, the coach selects a player of the week who gets to carry a hammer down the ramp and lead the team out of the tunnel.

GIRLS GOLF Tryouts: N Teams: one team Quirk: Coach Cain tells the top six to “give him some chicken” before players head out to holes at big tournaments. Team members pretend their hands are beaks and peck the coach’s hand.

Tryouts: N (only for top six for NCS)

espn.go.com

SS: In three words, how would you describe yourself as a baseball player?

MI: Competitive, definitely focused, and lighthearted. I’m not a big fan of taking everything really seriously; I’m more laid-back as a player.

gopoly.com

Matt Imhof pitches for his third Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week award.

gopoly.com

Imhof strikes out 14 batters in eight innings in a win versus Wagner.

SS: What advice do you have for any MSJ athletes aspiring to become a professional athlete?

MI: Keep the dream in mind, always. It sounds a little cliché, you know, saying “Don’t give up,” or “Work hard.” There’s always going to be people who are saying “You can’t do it; you’re not good enough,” but only you know what you’re capable of. So yeah, I’d just say, keep your goals in mind. ▪

Matt Imhof starts for Cal Poly, helping the Mustangs reach number two on ESPN’s weekly power baseball rankings.

Winter

Boys Basketball

Teams: Freshmen, JV, V Quirk: The rookies on the varsity team carry the senior players’ bags out to the bench before every game starts.

Tryouts: Y

badminton

Teams: JV, V Quirk: Last year, Varsity tied Newark Memorials’ record for most consecutive NCS championships in a row.

Tryouts: N (besides JV/V decisions)

baseball

GIRls Basketball

Teams: JV, V Quirk: Each year at their banquet, the seniors give the other players gifts that represent the person or are related to an inside joke within the team.

Tryouts: Y

Spring

Boys Golf

Teams: JV, V Quirk: Nine seniors graduated last year.

Tryouts: Y

Teams: V Quirk: Previous year’s top six was composed of freshmen and sophomores.

Tryouts: N (only for top six)

GUIDE TO MSJ SPORTS

GYMNASTICS Tryouts: N

Teams: JV, V, Varsity Elite Quirk: They jam out to each other’s floor music behind their backs at practice and when they compete; the condition is that they’re allowed to unless they laugh while they’re working.

Tryouts: Y

By Kevin Chen &

Michael Hsiu Graphics Editor & News Editor

Girls Tennis

Teams: JV, V Quirk: Many members of the team belong to different self-declared groups, such as the H2O group and the cheer squad.

GIRLs volleyball Tryouts: Y Teams: Freshman, JV, V Tryouts: N Quirk: They name the different liners they run. “One thing” is ten foot line run, “long 8” is from endline to endline, and “a 360” equates to a lot of running.

Tryouts: Y

boys water polo

Teams: JV, V Quirk: Players bury stingrays at the beach and build them monoliths for graves.

Tryouts: N (besides JV/V decisions)

girls water polo

Teams: JV, V Quirk: Coaches Allison Lucarelli and Shelley Wenzel. are both MSJ water polo alumni.

Tryouts: Y

With a new year, MSJ's athletic season begins again. Take a look at a compilation of the year's sports, where you can find information for each team such as team divisions and quirks.

softball

Teams: V Quirk: When someone is up to bat, the team yells their number and something that rhymes with it.

Tryouts: Y

swimming

boys soccer

Teams: JV, V Quirk: During the 2013-14 season, current junior Alex Thomas was the youngest Varsity Keeper in the entire league.

Tryouts: Y

GIRLs Soccer

Teams: JV, V Quirk: The team has pasta feeds before their games against Irvington High School.

Tryouts: Y

Wrestling

sportslogos.net

Teams: JV, V Quirk: No official tryouts - instead, the practices make or break the true wrestlers that tough it out through the whole season.

Tryouts: N

Teams: JV, V (4 in all) Quirk: Last year, the girls broke the school records for 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle relay, 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke, and the 400 freestyle relay. The boys broke the school records for 200 medley relay and 100 breaststroke as well as the league record for the 500 freestyle. boys tennis Tryouts: Y Teams: JV, V Quirk: Instead of the traditional “Warriors on three, one two three” cheer, they yell “Warriors on four, one two three four.”

Tryouts: Y track and field Teams: JV (girls’/boys’), V (girls’/boys’) Quirk: At the last league meet, the throwing coach brings a large amount of pizza for the throwers.

Tryouts: N

Boys volleyball

Teams: JV, V Quirk: They were in the top five teams in NCS in 2012 and 2013.

Tryouts: Y layout and graphics by sports editiors arti patankar

& abigail wong

Friday, September 26, 2014

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Sports 17

bringing you our ‘a’ game wong

By Abigail Wong Sports Editor

versus

nO. When philanthropy is just a favor...

I’ll admit it. The only time my eyeballs left the screen to sit on my palms was when Messi’s free kick late in the game went straight over the goal’s crossbar. Other than that my corneas were glued to the World Cup final. Props to you FIFA, you did it – just for the wrong reasons.

International football is undoubtedly entertaining. Its unrivaled ability to bring people together is both undeniable and breathtaking, but the question is for what purpose? Statistics would prove for the money rather than world peace or social welfare.

Every four years, the amount of money generated from television rights, merchandise, ticket sales etc. increases by a multiplier. According to Mike Ozanian of Forbes, FIFA reaped four billion dollars in revenue from Brazil, a 66% increase in comparison to the two and a half billion from South Africa in 2010.

Fox Sports beat ESPN and NBC’s bids on U.S. English Language rights for 2018 and 2022 for a possible $400 to $500 billion according to John Ourand of Sports Business Journal.

abcnews.go.com

ABC News’ leading photo in their report on FIFA’s final World Cup match. Mario Goetze of Germany scores the game winning goal.

Obviously, money grows on turf not trees.

FIFA’s definition of accepting “social responsibility” is expanding football to drive economic and social development in participant countries. A statement released from FIFA’s president, Joseph S. Blatter, said that every member association is given one million dollars to be invested for “the long-term good of the game itself ”.

The concern was no, not the 21.4% of 198.7 million people of Brazil under the poverty line and the 4.2% below the “extreme” poverty line, according to the CIA. Rather it was the difficulty in telling “semi-professional players in a lower national league” and “the treasurer of a humdrum club trying to make ends meet” that football is bathing in financial resources.

Life is tough Blatter, I am sure the 42.5 million people in poverty will understand.

I am not saying that FIFA should be responsible for a host country’s problems. Much of the turmoil that eats into Brazil’s infrastructure, such as meager reduction of rural poverty due to unequal and expensive prices for land, is not to be blamed on FIFA. What I am criticizing is the missed opportunity. FIFA, as well as sports organizations such as the NBA and Badminton World Federation, have the ability to pioneer direct help with its international audience and monetary resources. Disagreement may stem from the fact that our society praises philanthropy as a gift and kindness as a favor, not as a requisite. My question is, to the many affluent international and national athletic associations, why shouldn’t it be mandatory, especially when the cause for giving is pure? ▪

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ARTS

patankar

By Arti Patankar Sports Editor

yes. the world cup is more than money...

Nothing could possibly make me wake up before 9 am on a summer morning except for the FIFA World Cup. My parents would probably agree that 15 billion dollars is a small price to pay to make me willingly get out of bed so early.

All jokes aside, most people who heard this figure immediately recoil, wondering how FIFA could blow through such an exorbitant sum of in less than a month. However, what skeptics fail to recognize is that this tournament creates memories and experiences that are invaluable for many.

The FIFA World Cup was an event where the people of nations like Bosnia-Herzegovina, who were the victims of a devastating flood, could watch with pride and hope as their team fought for them. It was a place where a player like Edin Dzeko, formerly a child growing up in war-torn Sarajevo, could play on the ultimate stage and convince children across the world that their dreams are valid.

That is one of the wonders of sports – it is not a pastime only enjoyed by the wealthy or privileged. For centuries, people from all walks of life have come together to enjoy the spectacle of sport. During the television broadcast of the recent World Cup, shots of audience in Brazil provided a glimpse into the diversity of soccer fans. Local children wearing yellow jerseys were shown sitting in the stands during matches and playing in outdoor courts when the matches ended. Men and women of all ages were shown clutching the flags of their beloved homeland. In this way, the World Cup was a melting pot of different ethnic, cultural,

and social backgrounds.

For those who are still uneasy about the money spent at the World Cup, it may be difficult to remember that players are people. A video taken in the streets of Brazil shows Ghanaian midfielder Sulley Muntari holding a huge wad of bills and handing out money to locals.

German midfielder Mesut Ozil announced that his World Cup money would be used to pay for 23 Brazilian children’s surgeries. Earlier in the year, the Croatian team donated to and visited victims of the flooding in southeastern Europe. The list of good deeds goes on and on, proving that there are famous athletes who are giving back in more ways than one. The World Cup provided a spotlight and opportunity for these humanitarian acts.

In general, soccer is more than “just a game.” It is one of the few international sports that can draw such a rich and diverse following. The FIFA World Cup was a stage of unity, hope, and awe for fans all over the world. It was a tournament that could not – and definitely should not – be summed up in dollars. ▪

zimbio.com

Bosnia-Herzegovinian forward Edin Dzeko made his World Cup debut with his team in Brazil in 2014.

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Friday, September 26, 2014

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Photo 19

PHOTOS BY GRAPHICS EDITOR KEVIN CHEN & SPORTS EDITOR ARTI PATANKAR, GRAPHICS BY WWW.BRICKHOUSECINEMA.COM, LAYOUT BY GRAPHICS EDITOR KEVIN CHEN & LILLIAN ZHAO

20 Photo

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, September 26, 2014

PHOTOS BY WEB EDITOR NITHYA RAJEEV, STAFF WRITERS GRACE DONG & HAIROL MA, COURTESY COSTANOAN V1 (1964) & V44 (2008), LAYOUT BY GRAPHICS EDITOR KEVIN CHEN & LILLIAN ZHAO