Volume LX, No. 1

OPINION

kamala harris’ campaign

THE

VOL. 60, NO. 1

5 CENTERSPREAD

10-11 FEATURE

new faculty

13 GRAPHICS

Dear diary: olympic gold medal

20

meet the editors

SMOKE SIGNAL MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL

September 20, 2024

41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539

In Loving Memory of Dylan J. Reagan October 13, 2007 - August 28, 2024 “Dylan was genuinely the most inspiring person I've met and had the honor of being friends with. Seeing someone our age pass like this is unbelievable.”

— Sean Sawan, 11

“[Dylan was] a huge goofball. He was genuinely one of the most friendly people ever, genuinely … he was genuinely one of the most confident people I knew … I was [once] a stranger, right? It didn’t matter who it was. He’d go up to you and start talking to you. Find ways to talk to you and connect to you, and I feel like that was one of the most beautiful gifts he had, just his ability to communicate and his confidence in himself and his joy and love was just genuinely one of the most beautiful things [about him].”

— Sofia Acero, 11

“I think what really would make all of us, all Dylan’s friends, happy, is just remembering what a bright person he was. He definitely shed a light of happiness and just overall positivity around the school. I do really hope that positivity can stay, not only just for the good of ourselves, but for the memory of Dylan.”

— Raabia Rehman, 11

“My memories of Dylan were all positive. Energetic, fun, and helpful. Taught Dylan for a semester in Civics his freshman year, but the most memorable for me was when I would sometimes sub in for his PE classes last year. Enjoyed throwing the football around with him and his friends at the gym courtyard.

Most importantly, Dylan helped me get set up and clean up when I didn't know how to operate equipment or where they were.

Thank you Dylan for supporting me so I could get my job done. You will be missed.”

— Social Science Teacher Cyril Macasero More on Dylan’s memorial on News Page 2

ONLINE

THIS MONTH

www.thesmokesignal.org

TAMPER ROOM OPEN MIC NIGHT Teen poet Nitika Sathiya hosted an open mic night at the Tamper Room. Attendees shared short stories, poetry, skits, music, and more.

Read more about the night on our website.

PHOTOS COURTESY MUSTAFA ALMAHDI, SEAN SAWAN, TR. NINA LAROSA. GRAPHICS BY NEWS EDITOR CATHERINE QIN

SMOKE EATS: BOBA Bubble tea is a staple of MSJ and Bay Area Asian culture in general. Smokies will taste and evaluated different bubble tea. Read more on our website to find out the best boba in Fremont.

FOR MORE COVERAGE, VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG

2 News

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The Smoke Signal

Friday, September 20, 2024

Fremont Community Comes Together for the Memorial of Dylan Reagan Parents, students, and staff across FUSD gather to memorialize late student Dylan Reagan

By Padma Balaji & Trisha Parikh Opinion Editor & Feature Editor On the evening of August 28, Junior Dylan Reagan tragically passed away in a motorcycle accident. Dylan was an active student at MSJ and in his community, an avid member of the wrestling and baseball teams, and a server at Carlton Senior Living where he served meals to elderly residents. In the days following Dylan’s passing, the tragedy left MSJ in grief, with friends, teachers, and peers all coming together to mourn and remember Dylan’s life. “[Dylan had] a dedication and passion to absolutely everything, the gym, the wrestling team, the baseball team … if he was passionate about something [and] he put his mind to it, he could achieve that,” Junior Sofia Acero said.

26’s account. On the morning of August 30, students gathered around the benches in front of the library, where Dylan used to eat lunch, and laid down dozens of memorabilia, such as paintings of Dylan and a few of his favorite things to remember Dylan. For more than twenty minutes after the first bell rang, students and teachers gathered around the memorial for a schoolwide moment of silence. “It was very touching and inspiring that people cared so much and [it] really showed how one person can impact everybody and impact a community,” History Teacher Kim Mathis, who previously taught Dylan, said.

The following day, friends and family of Dylan gathered for a second memorial on Loved ones gather for a memorial on Osgood Road.

“[Dylan had] a dedication and passion to absolutely everything, the gym, the wrestling team, the baseball team … if he was passionate about something [and] he put his mind to it, he could achieve that.”

— Junior Sofia Acero Students at MSJ quickly worked hand in hand to plan and organize a vigil for Dylan to be held before school on August 30, spreading the word through social media and asking students to bring flowers, bouquets, cards, and candles. “[We wanted] MSJ to show [Dylan’s] parents that their son wasn’t just a number to our school,” Sean Sawan, Dylan’s cousin, who organized the vigil, wrote in a message that was spread on social media through the MSJ Class of

Students erect a memorial on Mission Peak.

Osgood Road, where the accident occurred.

Similar to the vigil held at MSJ, loved ones laid flowers and lit candles, giving speeches in memory of Dylan. To honor his legacy, friends gathered and raised a toast with Jarritos. “If Dylan was here today, he’d be drinking a Jarrito with us. So let’s [do it] for him, we’ll give a toast to Dylan,” friends at the memorial said.

Students also organized a Dylan Field Day on September 9 at John Gomes Elementary School, hosting a day of celebration in honor of Dylan’s legacy, complete with food, basketball, baseball, and football. “The field day was really fun, [but it was] definitely under the worst circumstances, but it was nice to just have fun and remember [that] Dylan would have wanted us to have fun … and just be happy in honor of him,” Junior Raabia Rehman said.

In order to offer support and comfort to the Reagan family, the Mission Possible Parent & Faculty Association (MPPFA) came together to organize a GoFundMe. The community responded swiftly with an outpouring show of love and support, surpassing the campaign’s original goal of $50,000 with more than 900 donations in just two weeks. MPPFA has also provided support to grieving students, providing snacks and water for students at the vigil at MSJ and working to arrange sessions with licensed

professionals to help families and students work through periods of grief. “I think what really would make all of us, all Dylan’s friends, happy, is just remembering what a bright person he was. You know, he definitely shed a light of happiness and just overall positivity around the school. So I do really hope that that positivity can stay, not only just for the good of ourselves but for the memory of Dylan,” Rehman said.

“I think what would really make all of us, Dylan’s friends, happy, is just remembering what a bright person he was...he definitely shed a light of happiness and overall positivity around the school. So I really do hope that positivity can stay, not only just for the good of ourselves but for the memory of Dylan.”

— Junior Raabia Rehman PHOTOS COURTESY OF MUSTAFA ALMAHDI

NEWS IN BRIEF

Compiled by Howard Lu, Ethan Yan, Brittany Lu, & Naisha Koppurapu Sports Editors, A&E Editor & Centerspread Editor

LOCAL

Courtesy of Robert Sanders, UC Berkeley

NATIONAL

Courtesy of Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Graduate student RJ Conk adjusts a reaction chamber into reusable building blocks of new polymers.

Bulera, a 35-year-old female western lowland gorilla, died of shigella.

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Chemists at UC Berkeley have discovered a groundbreaking chemical process that can break down common plastics found in water bottles and shopping bags into sustainable and reusable materials. This elaborate process, published on August 29 in Science, involves combining waste plastics with sodium, tungsten, and ethylene in a high-pressure reactor. After heating and stirring, the plastic is deconstructed into its base components, which can be recycled. This newfound, published research opens a gateway of possible promising alternatives to traditional recycling methods, having the ability to reduce the amount of plastic waste in landfills and incentivize more recycling efforts.

Over the week of August 29, three apes at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in Florida died of gastrointestinal issues due to shigellosis, a highly infectious bacterial infection. Bulera, a 35-yearold female western lowland gorilla, was first documented as having the disease, which then spread to two brother bonobos, Jumanji and Jenga. Other primates diagnosed with the disease are currently undergoing treatment and receiving fluids, antibiotics, and electrolytes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shigella typically spreads through feces, food, and water and can also affect humans, but symptoms may go away without antibacterial treatment.

INTERNATIONAL

QUIRKY

CNN.com

apnews.com

Heavy rainfall and strong winds leave thousands of homes flooded.

German navy warship plays Darth Vader’s anthem as it enters London blocks of new polymers.

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Nearly 4 million residents in southern Japan have been notified to evacuate as Typhoon Shanshan hit on August 29, bringing hurricane-force winds, torrential rain, and dangerous storms to Kyushu. Thousands of homes are without power, and authorities have issued warnings of life-threatening conditions due to the potential of severe flooding and landslides. The storm has also led to hundreds of flights canceled and the closure of major factories, including those of Toyota and Honda. Some areas have experienced nearly forty inches of rainfall. The storm is expected to move slowly across Japan, bringing heavy downpours to other regions and causing more emergency evacuations.

On August 22, a German navy warship played the well-known Imperial March tune, also known as Darth Vader’s Theme from the Star Wars franchise, as it cruised down the River Thames in London, United Kingdom, delighting onlookers with its playful and unexpected choice of music. The warship originally stopped in London to collect supplies, but was in the area for training and had the brilliant idea. The commander chose the song on a whim and with no further meaning besides the humor of the moment; as a big fan of the films and the score composer John Williams, the commander often plays different compositions by Williams when visiting a new foreign harbor on his ship, adding a personal touch to each visit.

Friday, September 20, 2024

The Smoke Signal

WWW.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG

News 3

2024-25 FUSD District Updates Starting with the new school year, FUSD has implemented several new changes.

By Padma Balaji, Brittany Lu, Ethan Yan & Alice Zhao Opinion Editor, A&E Editor, Sports Editor & Web Editor FUSD has enacted a series of district-wide changes to the 2024-25 school year, including new curriculum, superintendent, digital information systems, mental health resources for the entire community, and more. In this article, the Smoke Signal has compiled five of the most important changes.

new digital information system

new superintendent

In July, FUSD emailed parents with instructions Following the departure of CJ Cammack, the FUSD Board of Education unanimously approved the appointment of Erik Burmeister to activate their Aeries account, the new student as the new superintendent, effective July 1. Before receiving this position, Burmeister worked in public education for more than two information system replacing Infinite Campus. Sodecades, previously serving as Menlo Park City School District’s Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, and Principal. He has frecial Studies Teacher Kim Mathis, who previously quently been recognized for his work and was recently named the 2020 Superintendent of the Year. In 2022, Burmeister departed assisted with the implementation of School Loop his role as Menlo Park City Superintendent to found Solutionary Advisors, a consulting firm that provides design and strategy services and Infinite Campus, is now supporting teachers in to schools. “I am excited to step back into the role of superintendent for FUSD. I look forward to applying my experience and commitadjusting to Aeries by answering questions and proment to human-centered design to my work serving the students and community in Fremont,” Burmeister said in a FUSD news article. viding screen recorded tutorials. “I think the hope As a part of his goals for the 2024-25 school year, Burmeister hopes to implement a series of projects within the Long Range and intent are that [Aeries] is a better product of Facilities Plan (LRFP), a plan that defines the long-term goals for facility planning in FUSD. It would allot $1.6 billion in facilities Infinite Campus. My understanding of why the disneeds, from facility upgrades to acquiring classroom equipment. Currently, the plan focuses on projects that include implementtrict made this change is because Infinite Campus ing solar infrastructure, constructing new high school buildings, and improving athletic learning. On August 5, the Board of Educawouldn’t do elementary report cards, and Aeries tion approved Measure M, placing a bond on the November 2024 ballot that would provide $919 million to allow FUSD to bewould, so they made a change for the whole district gin projects identified in the LRFP, including replacement buildings and facility improvements in all six high schools across FUSD. 9 said.

OPINION CENTERSPREAD 10-11 GRAPHICS 20 3toFEATURE on what’s going work for everyone,” Mathis Additionally, FUSD introduced StudentSquare ethnic studies Community & Student support this school year and ParentSquare during the 2023-24 school year to serve as school-to-home California State Assembly Bill 101 mandates This year, FUSD is partnering with CareSolace, an online coordination sermake scented candles communication systems. However, as of this school that all CA high schoolers graduating in 2030 vice dedicated to making mental health care more accessible to students, year, these communication systems are mainly imand later must complete a one-semester long faculty, and families. CareSolace provides 24/7 live assistance in any lanplemented in elementary schools, as secondary Ethnic Studies course. This year, Ethnic Studies has guage through video chat, email, phone, or text to connect users to local menteachers have yet to be trained on the platforms, replaced Civics as a mandatory freshman year tal health and counseling services that accept different types of insurance. according to Mathis. Although with these new reclass at MSJ. Social Science Department Teachers The service also offers a database of mental healthcare providers, which sources, the initial transition to ParentSquare, StuCyril Macasero and Joseph Usrey are teaching the professionals will search through and contact to determine the best fit for every SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL 2024 VOL. 60, NO.dentSquare, 1 and Aeries may MISSION be difficult, course. “We could have started it next year, but, beindividual. Access to all of theseSeptember resources20, is completely free, confidential, and 41717 PALMFUSD AVENUE,aims FREMONT, CA 94539 for these to serve as a long-term solution that offers cause we’re [MSJ], we’d like to be ahead of things, even anonymized for all FUSD faculty as well as FUSD students and their families. a unified experience for all schools in the district. not behind. We also feel like it’s really important for In order to further support staudents’ mental health on campus, MSJ has also our students to be educated on people’s different made several additions to the Wellness Center this year, which is open throughbackgrounds and cultures and where they come out the school day at C2. Along with the addition of decor and several new from,” Assistant Principal Jeanna Nightengale said. games like cornhole, the school has hired alumna Jennifer Yen as a counLorem ipsum Ethnic Studies examines the culture, history, selor. “[Teacher Nina LaRosa has] added more activities, crafts like our and experiences of different racial and ethnic friendship bracelets, new games, and some plants. It’s a calming place groups in the US, particularly people of color and … there are so many different things [to do],” Yen said. The wellother historically marginalized groups. The course ness center will be hosting monthly sessions with Peer Resource, could also draw attention to current social justice as well as school-wide events such as the Walk and Roll to School issues, such as the Black Lives Matter movement.

Day on October 9, encouraging students to walk or use other active “[The course is] like the decolonization of history. modes of transportation like riding a bike or scooter to get to school.

We examine the system institutions that we have in place, and we learn how we can make it better so that [future generations] don’t end up marginalizing or oppressing certain groups of people,” Macasero said.

DHTH:

THE

SMOKE SIGNAL

PHOTOS BY OPINION EDITOR PADMA BALAJI & WEB EDITOR ALICE ZHAO. GRAPHICS BY NEWS EDITOR CATHERINE QIN

Drama 1 Class Takes Center Stage at MSJ MSJ’s official drama class returns after many years.

By Tanvi Deshmukh & Trisha Parikh Feature Editors

back to his high school days, when he actively participated in school plays and attended state festivals. He later polished his craft at This school year, Social Studies Teach- the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in er Keith Kottenbach introduced Drama 1, Los Angeles, dedicating two years to studying a highly anticipated seventh-period elective acting, which includes vocal techniques and that marks the return of MSJ’s official drama movement. Now, Kottenbach is eager to share class after several years. Previously, students the knowledge he gained through his conserpassionate about theater had to seek oppor- vatory training with his Drama 1 students, tunities outside of school to pursue their in- inspiring a new generation of performers. terests. Now, Drama 1 not only provides a Last year, Kottenbach began advising Unidynamic platform for students to hone their versal Performers, MSJ’s drama and theater acting skills, but also fulfills the art require- club that produces student-run plays and musiment for graduation, serving as both a creative cals. During the club’s trip to the Lenaea High outlet and a valuable academic opportunity. School Theatre Festival in February, several Kottenbach has been teaching social stud- students expressed interest in resurrecting a ies for twelve years, previously at the Quarry drama class at MSJ, sparking the creation of Social Studies Teacher Keith Kottenbach and the 2024-25 Drama 1 class in C-120.

Lane School in Dublin before joining MSJ last Drama 1. Although Universal Performers and begins with improvisation and pantomime ex- “I have written the curriculum, but there’s also year. His passion for theater, however, traces Drama 1 are distinct entities, Kottenbach en- ercises to build physicality and action-based a lot of fluidity, and I really want the students visions them as complementary. “I’m at the skills. “We have been doing theater games and to guide me to ensure that they’re interested GIRLS GOLF NCS DHTH MAKE SCENTED CANDLES crossroads of the two worlds, and I want them improv exercises to get everyone to under- in what they’re learning,” Kottenbach said.

This month, four Smokies compete to creOn October 31, MSJ Girls Golf won the NCS FOR MORE COVERAGE, ate their own scented candles from scratch.

Girls’ Golf Division 1 Championship for the So far, many students have found the class coexist he www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG said. stand that theater isn’t just following a script Check out the Smoke Signal’s full video covfirst time in 10to years.

Find out moreand about theplay nicely together,” VISIT THIS MONTH erage online. team’s performance online. www.thesmokesignal.org or memorizing lines. It’s also about building a interesting and enjoyable, particularly appre“I would absolutely recommend this relationship with the cast … and getting com- ciating the supportive environment it fosters. class to anyone, even if you’re not fortable with using your imagination to carry Looking ahead, Kottenbach anticipates seethat into theater. It’s a great place on the scene,” Sophomore Alisha Arora said. ing what aspects of the course resonate with Once they master the essential skills, stu- students and whether they discover new interto grow with other people and figure yourself out … I feel like drama is just dents will progress to memorizing mono- ests. If Drama 1 proves successful this year, logues and scene work, focusing on objectives Kottenbach hopes to continue teaching the a great escape.” and exploring the performance style of his- class, delving deeper into acting theories and —SOPHOMORE ANVI MISHRA torical Greek theater. In the second semester, producing well-known plays every spring and Kottenbach’s Drama 1 curriculum centers the course will shift to a more student-driven fall. ▪ around the fundamentals of theater, such as act- approach, potentially involving larger producing techniques and script analysis. The course tions, individual scene work, or scriptwriting.

Social Studies Teacher Keith Kottenbach PHOTOS BY FEATURE EDITOR TANVI DESHMUKH

ONLINE

4 Opinion

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THE SMOKE SIGNAL Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 60, No. 1 September 20, 2024 www.thesmokesignal.org 41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 510-657-3600, ext. 37088 MISSION STATEMENT The Smoke Signal ’s mission is to represent the voices of the MSJ community and serve the public by providing accurate, meaningful, and engaging information presented through print and digital mediums.

SCHOOL POPULATION 1822 students EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Kaylee Liu, Callie Yuan NEWS Shuhan Jin, Catherine Qin OPINION Padma Balaji, Keerti Koya FEATURE Tanvi Deshmukh, Trisha Parikh CENTERSPREAD Naisha Koppurapu, Ashley Pang A&E Goonja Basu, Brittany Lu SPORTS Howard Lu, Ethan Yan GRAPHICS Hannah Bi, Ivy Lu WEB Sarah Hu, Alice Zhao TECH Fiona Yang BUSINESS Rajorshi Chatterjee CIRCULATION Novak Chen, Tushara Devapatla ADVERTISING Angelina Chen EVENTS Navya Chitlur WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Angelina Chen, Rajorshi Chatterjee, Novak Chen, Tushara Devapatia, Navya Chitlur, Fiona Yang, Michael Qu, Lucas Zhang, Roshan Annamalai, Dhaeshna Booma, Ariel Duong, Kanupriya Goyal, Janet Guan, Felicity He, Scarlett Huang, Varun Madhavan, Vikram Mahajan, Shin Min, Kaiwei Parks, Michelle Qu, Ekasha Sikka, Kaylin Teo, Luna Venturo, Prisha Virmani, Ariana Yi, Cham Yu, Emily Zhang PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM Gaurasundara Amarnani, Eleanor Chen, Alex Duan, Abigaile Lei, Jennifer Li, Muyang Li, Theenash Sengupta, Rishab Shah, Aarav Vashisht, Megha Vashisht, Matthew Zhang, Aaqib Zishan ADVISER Colin Low 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.

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All policies on distribution, corrections, and bylines can be found at www.thesmokesignal.org/about.

The Smoke Signal

Keerti's Key

Friday, September 20, 2024

Padma's PersPective

Like-minded people unlike me

The importance of third places

By Keerti Koya Opinion Editor

By Padma Balaji Opinion Editor

“There’s 26 kids in my school.” I stared at my friend in disbelief, and he mirrored my expression when I mentioned that my school has 16 times that number in just one grade.

Over this past summer, I participated in an academic summer program, allowing me the opportunity to meet individuals from a broad range of backgrounds so different from my own. As we discussed our daily lives, from school events to city attractions to our hobbies, I found myself in shock by their experiences.

Each person in my summer program came from entirely different geographical, cultural, and socioeconomic contexts. These diverse backgrounds translated into distinct perspectives not only in our program work, but also in our conversations about education, career aspirations, and life in general.

Rather than measuring their success through grades or college admissions, the people I met valued their impact on their community or their ability to properly support their families. These varied perspectives opened my eyes to the many ways people interpret and navigate the world, challenging the more uniform mindset that often prevails at MSJ. At our school, it’s easy to find yourself caught in what we frequently call the “MSJ bubble.” The familiarity of our shared backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives often dominates the environment, creating a sense of comfort and security in our similar views.

However, this homogeneity can also

limit our exposure to diverse ideas and viewpoints. While it might feel reassuring to be surrounded by peers with similar experiences, this insularity also comes with significant drawbacks. By relying on a narrow worldview and engaging in groupthink, we risk spending our formative years confined to a singular, often unchallenged, perspective.

As a result, we must take the time to seek out diverse perspectives in today’s interconnected world.

Meeting people from different backgrounds encourages empathy and a deeper understanding of others’ experiences. As we go on to navigate global challenges or work in diverse teams in the future, it is important to have the fundamental skill of seeing things from another perspective and broadening your own.

By taking part in programs, workshops, or other opportunities that allow us to meet people outside of MSJ or even the Bay Area, we can diversify the way we think. By stepping out of our comfort zones, we open ourselves to new ideas, experiences, and ways of thinking that will serve us well throughout our lives.

As I go off to college next year, I am sure to meet people from across the globe and will certainly be in jaw-dropping disbelief at their lives yet again. However, today, I’m enamored by the beauty of meeting new people and getting to see their point-of-view. Now, I am delighted by the prospect of being surrounded by like-minded individuals in academic settings who lead lives so vastly unlike that of my own. ▪

Ever since school started, I’ve relished in the familiarity of my routine: getting up early to get a headstart on homework, picking a cute outfit for school, coming home to brew a tall cup of coffee to help me power through my many hours of work, and falling asleep exhausted after a long day. Rinse and repeat. Yet, despite the fact that I love my newfound sense of routine, I can’t help but resent how immensely isolating it feels. My tightly packed schedule leaves little room for spending time with my friends without thinking about school — leaving me reminiscing the sheer spontaneity summer offered, of the excitement of exploring new places and meeting new people, and the joy of simply spending time away from school.

This monotony often has me yearning for a place in my routine distinct from school or home: a third place, so to speak. As it turns out, I’m not alone in that. The term “third place” refers to a public space outside of the home, workplace, or school where people can go to connect with the community, socialize with their friends, or simply spend time with themselves. “What suburbia cries for are the means for people to gather easily, inexpensively, regularly, and pleasurably,” sociologist Ray Oldenburg, who coined the term "third place," wrote in his book Celebrating the Third Place.

Within the silos of suburbia, especially in one that encourages a rigorous environment where students are frequently overworked, burnt

out, and deprived of genuine social connection, it’s easy to forget that third places are not only fun and convenient but a genuine psychological necessity. According to a study from ScienceDirect on university students, community spaces are fundamental supporters of our psychological well-being and can even offer mental health benefits. When we find a third place that matches our identity and needs — whether it’s a coffee shop, library, or community center — we develop a sense of psychological ownership, strengthening our sense of identity and belonging.

The rise of the internet, which has replaced much of our social interaction and community interaction, along with the pandemic, which wiped out many small businesses that were previously used as third places, has contributed to the desert of community spaces we currently face. However, it’s important to remember that even as the community spaces available to us start to die out, third places can be forged anywhere we look. It can be a coffee or boba shop where you and your friends grab drinks every weekend, the park where you go to unwind and read on the weekends, or even your own backyard where you can have an evening snack and chat with your parents. What’s most important is not the location, but the opportunity to escape from the seemingly inescapable influence of school and work, to forge a sense of community belonging that seems to be slipping farther and farther away from us. ▪

The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board

Don't get lost in transition Throughout the past five years, FUSD has undergone several educational platform changes. The district has struggled to keep a consistent platform for its student information and grading system, from School Loop to Infinite Campus to the new Aeries.

The district is also implementing StudentSquare, a new communication system, and ClassLink, a platform that allows students to manage their passwords securely. With each new change comes a promise of a more that user-friendly, transparent for educators, students, and parents. Yet, despite the best effort of administration and teachers to quickly adapt to the new systems, each platform has raised its own issues and difficulties. In order to facilitate an effective transition, the district should ensure full transparency and efficiency, establishing proper communication with all students and allocating time to prepare teachers and allow them to transition to the new system.

In early May, all FUSD students were required to change their passwords as a part of the shift to ClassLink. Though the password change directly affected students, communication was exclusively directed to parents, leaving many students in the dark. Parents only received a few emails from the district through the Superintendent’s Newsletter, which many parents were not necessarily subscribed to, along with a few messages from the MSJ administration through ParentSquare. Without adequate context from administration and proper context that the reset was

necessary to complete, the email was easily lost to many parents and dismissed as unnecessary by others.

Students who missed the emails and failed to complete the password reset process before August 8 found their FUSD Google Accounts disabled with no clear instructions as to how to restore them. Without access to their FUSD accounts, students were completely locked out of Google Classroom, Aeries, Gmail, and StudentSquare, unable to communicate with their teachers, access important documents, or even use applications like Google Docs. Rather than focusing on the beginning of the school year, teachers and administration had to assist students with finding technological support and personally email students important announcements and assignments.

Teachers have also experienced their fair share of difficulty with the newfound changes. Despite the drastic shift from Infinite Campus to Aeries, teachers were only introduced to Aeries a week prior to the first day of school. The lack of ample time for training and adjustment led many teachers to feel ill-prepared to navigate the systems, frequently expressing their frustrations with difficulties logging into the website, taking attendance, or accessing student information, ultimately hindering their ability to do their job as teachers.

Large-scale technological changes like the shifts to Aeries and ClassLink have drastic impacts on students and teachers’ educational experiences and, without proper communication,

lead to widespread confusion among families. As such, when approaching such changes, FUSD must recognize the necessity of diligent preparation and communication, striving to ensure that students and teachers are as prepared as possible. By implementing more consistent communication and ensuring that schools, teachers, and parents are all communicating with their students about what is required for the changes, the district can facilitate stronger transparency for students and educators alike.

As students, we should work to facilitate this transparency as well, doing our part to ensure our peers are aware of teachers’ struggles and supporting our community through the change. It is also imperative that we stay patient and empathetic as the district adapts to new changes, keeping in mind the inevitable adjustment period for new platforms. Although students may not understand the short term benefits of the changes and criticize them as a result, it is vital to remember that such widespread changes are made with the intent to benefit everyone in the long run.

“There are things on our end that you guys don’t see, where things are just a little different and challenging,” MSJ Assistant Principal Jeana Nightengale said. Although it is undoubtedly necessary to be vocal about our concerns for more adequate communication, it can be quick to judge without the full context; we should instead strive to be understanding of the perspectives of our faculty and district, balancing empathy with our advocacy. ▪

By Navya Chitlur & Lucas Zhang

Staff Writers

STAFF WRITER NAVYA CHITLUR

STAFF WRITER LUCAS ZHANG

Friday, September 20, 2024

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

Opinion 5

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By Rajorshi Chatterjee, Ivy Lu & Michael Qu Staff Writers

After Kamala Harris was announced as the new presidential nominee, her presence became viral almost immediately on the internet, with her campaign social media account adopting a more casual and meme-oriented approach. Her official account produced many trends to engage us ers, including the coconut tree monologue — “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you” — from one of Harris’s speeches at the White House in 2023. In addition, much of her social media page is inspired by the Brat aesthetic, a trend inspired by Charli XCX’s album of the same name, promoting party animal antics and cool-girl style. By taking advantage of other social media elements, from edits using Chappell Roan’s music to lower case captions, Harris’s posts aim to campaign herself in a relatable and casual way.

Her unique campaign strategy sparked widespread discussion among voters and called into question the effectiveness and implications of such unconventional methods. In a digital age where social media plays an increasingly pivotal role in shaping public opinion, Harris’s online campaigning presents both benefits and drawbacks in appealing to election voters.

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9:'/";1#4 With youth turnout ranging from as high as 37% in some states to as low as 13% in others during the 2022 presidential elections, encouraging voter participation remains crucial for fostering a more representative democracy. Harris’s digital campaigning appears to be effective in reaching and engaging younger voters, as seen by one of her TikTok reels featuring a song by breakout pop star Chappell Roan and calling for a “femininomenon” garnering more than 54 million views. Her campaign’s use of trending cultural references and direct interaction with users through social media platforms allows her to present her message in a way that resonates with younger audiences, not only helping her connect with voters who might otherwise be less engaged but also encouraging higher youth participation in elections.

Using social media as a bridge to younger generations, Harris challenges traditional politician stereotypes and redefines what it means to campaign in a digital age. By engaging directly with users through popular platforms like TikTok, she taps into the potential for increased interaction and connection, which counteracts the perception of politicians as out of touch with current generations.

the form of jokes or social media trends. One of her official campaign accounts on TikTok, @kamalaharris (the other being @kamalahq), has posted 48 different videos so far. However, in only two does Harris discuss policies that either she or her opponent would implement as president, meaning the viewer watching this short-form content would learn next to nothing about Harris as a politician. The use of social media often prioritizes garnering interest over informing viewers of the full nuances that her policies, plans, or promises come with. Making political decisions based on the humor or relatability of a candidate is dangerous when voters ultimately do not align with the candidate’s vision for a country. To the viewer who only knows a political candidate through social media, politics gets reduced to a shallow puddle of entertaining clips.

Harris also risks inadvertently alienating other key demographics that have a historically high voting group with a campaign so obviously geared toward the younger generation. Additionally, some may perceive Harris’s use of memes and social media trends as pandering and insincere, since social media trends capitalize on the algorithm, depersonalizing the interaction between creator and viewer. Superficial engagement leaves a lack of motivation to learn about her candidacy, with voters swayed by familiarity with current trends rather than a critical evaluation of her stances on key issues, which poses a danger when their “Using social media as a bridge to younger generations, Harris challenges civic opinions and her policies conflict. traditional politician stereotypes and redefines what it means to campaign In addition, superficial entertainment does not necessarily translate to the in a digital age." motivation to learn about Harris’s candidacy. Potential voters run the risk of subAdvancing campaigns through social media worked in the past, with previous stituting current trends for critical thought when picking the political candidate presidential candidates using similar strategies like Harris’s to gain voter support. they feel best represents them. Even then, social media is a poor method for citiIn the 2012 election, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama utilized so- zens to learn about their political candidate. The prevailing format of content on cial media to gain voter support through Project Narwhal, a data analytics strategy social media is short-form, which makes it virtually impossible to even hint at the that streamlined user data to create personalized emails and social media posts full nuance of topics presented. A voter who only watches memes and edits to catering to each of the targeted groups. Like Harris, Obama recognized the power form their political opinions would make their decisions based on the entertainof digital tools to amplify their reach and engage a broad audience. Harris’s use of ment value of 8-15 second videos, trivializing the issues they will vote on. While technology aligns with past candidates’ digital strategies to connect with voters, but this particular method of marketing may reach young voters, it might not help uniquely emphasizes voter relatability over data analytics.Harris’s particular style of them make better civic decisions and may even harm their ability campaigning can become dangerous when her audience is only familiar with her in to do so.

With high school students soon having the right to vote and the power to shape the nation’s future, they must not let flashy social media trends media trends distract from the real issues at stake. While Harris’s use of internet trends and memes might make politics seem more relatable and enjoyable, it is important to dig deeper and understand the policies and ideas each candidate stands for.

By reading and corroborating across a variety of diverse news sources, students can shape a more informed understanding of the current politics and candidates. In addition, platforms such as MSJ Civics Club, Municipal Journal, SURFBoardE, and Fremont Youth Advisory Commission provide students with the opportunity to broaden their views of politics and its implications on their community. In a world where digital engagement shapes political perceptions, Harris’s social media strategy challenges conventional norms, showcasing both opportunities and risks of modern campaigning in influencing voter behavior.

MSJ VOICES| “I think that her background and her experience speaks for itself in terms of her credibility. I think that her social media presence and strategy have actually been an attempt to reach across to all kinds of age groups, and is acknowledging that we communicate in different ways, and it is her attempt, and her campaign's attempt, to reach out to all of the various age groups and backgrounds and diversity that we have in the United States.” — US Government Teacher Stephanie Kearns

“I don't think Kamala Harris has been using social media to talk about her policy, because her policy is not popular … It's possible to use social media to teach policy, but it is less effective when compared to traditional methods like a civics class. I really don't think that [on] social media, where you have to create these extremely compact messages made to go viral you're going to have Kamala Harris explain … the reasoning behind her immigration policy. It's just going to be an echo chamber for people who already like her.” — Vishnnu Rajaram, 12

“I don't know about trend chasing, but there's been a lot of partisanship and anger, so having joy was supposed to be one of the themes of the DNC, the Democratic National Convention. Having joy be really central in your campaign feels a little bit refreshing with people … I think social media is just creating a new way for people to communicate their ideas. It has some extreme possibilities, where it could organize people to make a change and improve society. But unfortunately, I also think it could be used by political actors to further divide us.” — Government/Economics Teacher Katherine Williams

“[Voters] have to educate themselves on what is valuable to them. Do they believe in economic prosperity? Or do they have certain rights that they want to make sure that are protected? Once they figure that out, maybe they can go explore the political parties’ platforms and see which one lines up with their values.” — Civics Teacher Cyril Macasero

“There's a lot of people that will be directly affected by this election that don't live in the United States … and therefore do not have a say in this election. Yet, they are the ones that will ultimately have their lives and families lives at stake. It's important to connect to these people across the world and to understand their perspective, so you have a better understanding what issues could potentially arise outside of America.” — Sophia Lu, 12

GRAPHICS BY OPINION EDITOR KEERTI KOYA, PHOTO COURTESY OF YOUTUBE.COM

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Opinion 7

AI IN NEWS: A DANGEROUS OPPORTUNITY FOR MISINFORMATION

By Trisha Parikh, Novak Chen, Fiona Yang & Lucas Zhang Feature Editor & Staff Writers

Journalist Aaron Pelczar admitted to using artificial intelligence (AI) to generate quotes from the Wyoming governor and other prominent figures for articles published in Wyoming newspaper Cody Enterprise. This incident displays the newfound implications of AI in journalism, marking a slippery slope into the growing presence of AI within the news sphere. AI-generated misinformation could shake the relationship between the public and media, especially for youth and their over-trustful perception of media. In order to prevent the continued decrease in people’s trust in the news due to the increasing usage of AI, people must take proactive and preventative actions in the regulation of AI, including disclosure by companies and media regulation by the government.

The controversy surrounding Aaron Pelczar isn’t the first time an AI-related news incident has shaken the foundations of journalistic standards. In November 2022, the technology-focused media publication CNET began using AI to generate its article introductions. Its new owner, American media company Red Ventures, aimed to publish articles that would be highly favored by Google’s search algorithm, as newer and recently updated web pages were prioritized over those that didn’t see any new changes.

Following immediate public backlash, CNET’s editor-inchief at the time, Connie Guglielmo, claimed the mistakes came about as a failure of their AI detector. However, in a later article by Futurism, one former CNET writer said, “They use AI to rewrite the intros every two weeks or so because Google likes updated content.” These actions, eliciting strong public backlash, severely damaged the reputation of the tech-focused publication and potentially spurred the layoff of a dozen staff members. According to a report from Columbia University’s Tow Center for Digital Journalism, “As platforms prioritize AI-enhanced search experiences, publishers fear a shift where users opt for short answers, impacting audience engagement and highlighting the increasing control exerted by platform companies over the information ecosystem.” CNET’s use of AI in an attempt to adapt to the new age where search engines prioritize engaging, short hooks in content failed drastically as by the widspread public criticism of CNET’s use of AI. CNET’s situation is only one example of AI’s dangerous impact on media institutions. The introduction of AI into journalism marks a drastic shift in the industry, exacerbated by the collapse of local newspapers partly due to the recent technologicalization of the industry.

A 2023 report from the Northwestern Medill School of Journalism concluded that “by the end of 2024, the US will have lost a third of its newspapers and almost twothirds of its newspaper journalists since 2005.” As local newspaper organizations die out, news deserts — communities with limited access to reliable journalism converge or credible news — begin to emerge, leaving communities without trusted sources of information.

Readers who used to read a now-defunct or bankrupt paper may now rely on alternative sources, which readers may not find as reliable as newspapers. Ac-

" I think AI will probably grow to the point where it is indistinguishable from human work and real life events. So I think that research on the part of ourselves, on the part of the people who are reading this information, is paramount, and I think eventually it will come to the point where the media [will have to be some sort of revolution] because the media will no longer be trustable because they’re always pursuing profits and political movements will be able to disinformation with abandon.

So I think it all comes down to stricter legislation.” - Ian Yong, 11

cording to Poynter Institute Editor Mark Caro, “[News deserts present an] opportunity for ill-intentioned players to fill the void with misinformation and disinformation.” For example, CNET’s AI-generated articles exemplify how an organization adapts to a decrease in news engagement and the emergence of news deserts. However, its failure demonstrates how distrust towards journalism contributes further to the existing problem of a lack of trusted sources and further pushes people to unreliable media.

Two days before the Slovakian election, a fabricated audio recording was posted to Facebook revealing a discussion between liberal Progressive Slovakia Party Leader Michal Simecka and reporter Monika Todova about rigging the election. As the political norm in Slovakia is for the media and politicians to stay silent on political matters immediately before the election, it became almost impossible for politicians to speak up and prove the audio’s falsity. Trying to identify the source of AI-generated misinformation spread on social media is difficult, especially after a post goes viral like the aforementioned Facebook post regarding Slovakian politics. Without knowing the actual source of the information, consumers do not know whether or not the information is credible or not, which causes great confusion, especially during a misinformation crisis. People frantically search for the latest updates, a human tendency that is detrimental because people are more susceptible to media they first see and latch onto it as the truth rather than fact-checking. Social media algorithms like YouTube directly fuel the spread of AI-generated information by recommending them alongside traditional sources to present seemingly truthful content.

This creates a library of content based on how attention-grabbing and sensational media is rather than the validity of the information, reinforcing the concept that false content is acceptable as long as it is interesting. Social media algorithms serve to engage users to increase a d vertising revenue, rather than to serve as a platform for disseminating trustworthy news and information.

AI’s influence on people’s trust in news institutions and social media is especially problematic for youth, whose trust in news organizations is much lower compared to other age groups. According to a 2022 study by the Pew Research Center, youth ages 18-29 have the lowest trust in local and national news organizations (62% and 56% respectively) of any age group and the highest trust in social media sites (50%). Instead of traditional news organizations, youth tend to turn to social media as their source of information. A 2023 Digital News Report from Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism showed that 20% of 18-24 year olds rely primarily on TikTok for news, a 5% increase from the previous year. Getting news on social media worsens the misinformation loop as much of the con-

"I do hear about [misinformation] because often it’s reported on [in the news], especially with the faked images … I think in general, we should always be deeply skeptical about anything we see online, whether it’s a statement or an image or anything else because even before AI, there were so many ways that you could alter it … you would do a fake tweet and say that somebody said it but they really didn't." - Social Studies Teacher Katherine Williams

tent tends to be falsified. According to a September 2023 research paper posted on SocArXiv, 42% of the editors in 52 news organizations allow their journalists to use AI to directly edit and update their stories, while 6% of these editors do not allow their journalists to do this. As more and more people produce AI-generated articles or posts, it becomes difficult for fact-checking to occur. “The race between fact-checkers and those they are checking on is an unequal one … Fact-checkers are often tiny organizations compared to those producing disinformation. And the scale of what generative AI can produce, and the pace at which it can do so, means that this race is only going to get harder,” Best Practice AI Cofounder Tim Gordon said.

In order to mitigate the effects of AI on news and the spread of misinformation, news institutions and governments must set rules and regulations for AI use in journalism and social media. Currently, no government body or organization regulates AI usage. Though there have been some regulation attempts by Congress such as the AI Disclosure Act of 2023, they have not affected the spread of AI misinformation. A 2024 study by Bynder found that 50% of American consumers could not identify whether or not articles were human or AI-generated. Considering this capability of AI to spread mass disinformation and manipulate the public, government agencies must set standards for AI use in the professional sphere. Because the news can have a large influence on investors’ decisions across the country, the Securities and Exchange Commission can regulate AI use in journalism with the argument that mitigating AI-generated misinformation in the news is part of the agency’s responsibility of maintaining a fair and balanced market in the US. Methods to counteract the spread of AI misinformation are on the way. Researchers at the University of Notre Dame are using AI to develop an early warning system that identifies AI-manipulated images, deep fake videos, and misinformation online.

In another development, researchers from Faktisk.no, a Norwegian fact-checking organization, used generative AI systems like ChatGPT to strengthen fact-checking tools for news articles. However, this system is not perfect, especially with minority languages. Once these tools become more advanced, regulatory government agencies can use them to mitigate the spread of AI-generated journalism and misinformation in news stories before they are published, eliminating the need to fact-check information afterward.

To play their part in the battle against AI-generated misinformation in the news, MSJ students should know how AI technology works so that they can detect and report AI-manipulated news. In order to learn how to recognize AI-generated works, students can visit educational sites such as AI for Education. They can also take advantage of tools like GPTZero to check the validity of news articles by running them through web-based AI detectors. Outside of being more cautious when viewing the news online, MSJ students can also learn more about how AI works and its future in various fields by leading initiatives to educate students about AI-generated misinformation in order to combat the influence of AI in news. ▪

" I start trying think [governments] canion things so ect det AI … p elo to dev things such as that, especially for … erviews. Those int or ns tio lica job app ’t really want are things that you don d I think esAn . for AI ng doi be to ht now, a big pecially for school, rig iter’s Block is Wr in e hav we m ble pro vent AI from that we’re trying to pre stuff. That’s and ays ess for d use ng bei teachers have h glis En of lot a y wh re in class esbeen trying to do mo 12 e, Ch gie An s.” say

“Paraphrasing Hannah Arendt, ‘the purpose of the propagandist isn’t to convince them of the lie, but to create a situation where they can’t tell the difference between fact and lie.’ When talking about the social effects of AI, while the specific incidents [of usage] are important to think about, what I think is also important to look at is the overall effect in aggregate - that it erodes the population’s ability to tell fact from lie in an information environment flooded with AI generated content. This inability to tell fact from fiction creates a feeling of defeatism and apathy in people—hampering the critical thinking skills that every citizen needs. AI is a direct attack on that ability to critically think.” - English Teacher Brian Rath

GRAPHICS BY OPINION EDITOR PADMA BALAJI

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Opinion & News 9

MSJ Academic Challenge Holds its Third Annual Decathlon MSJ Academic Challenge's 2024 Decathlon is a success.

By Tanvi Deshmukh & Trisha Parikh Staff Writers

MSJ Academic Challenge introduced about 50 students to the club and its competitions through their annual Decathlon event from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on August 10 and 11 at Mission San Jose Community Park. The event aimed to introduce students interested in STEM or the humanities to the five Academic Challenge competitions: Science Bowl, Ocean Science Bowl, Science Olympiad, Quiz Bowl, and History Bowl. The event also featured prizes for winners of each mock competition as well as overall winners of the Decathlon.

To prepare for its third ever Decathlon, MSJ Academic Challenge officers coordinated with the captains of the individual competitions over Summer Break. Each captain planned the format of their event, emulating the official competition, and each proposal was then combined into a schedule. Organizers helped write questions and plan event logistics, later revised and finally used during the Decathlon.

The mock competitions were decreased in both difficulty and time duration from their real-life counterparts for the younger participants. Some examples of events featured in the competition included History Bowl, a 40-minute buzzer competition designed to challenge middle school and early high school students. A similar event was held for Science Bowl with science and math-related questions. Yet an-

other event in the Science Olympiad event Forestry focused on trees and tree identification. During this two-day competition, participants rotated between the individual events for 40-60 minute rounds that mimicked the styles of the actual competitions.

The elaborate nature of the Academic Decathlon posed many challenges. For the officers, the greatest challenge in running the event was the low turnout due to the event’s date being set too late. The first day did not run as smoothly as expected, but by the second day, participants were able to improve by better understanding the formatting of the score sheets. Next year, the officers plan to not only start organizing the Decathlon earlier but increase the minimum grade to 6th grade as well due to the unexpected rigor of the event. “If you’re a fourth grader, you get overwhelmed, you get tired, you want to go home,” Quiz Bowl Captain Junior Ashwin Vaidyanathan said. “We’re trying to aim more for the sophomores, freshmen, and even junior [participants], because this year the highest [grade of participants] we have is 10th grade.”

Despite this, Vaidyanathan is pleased.

The primary purpose of the Decathlon was to increase participation in the various competitions during their respective seasons. In that respect, “I think we generated massive interest in … all five competitions. … I've put out an interest for History Bowl and … [I got] 12 responses, and that before [the] Decathlon was un-

Academic Challenge officers Seniors Vedatman Duhoon and Fiona Hsu presenting at the 2024-25 Decathlon.

thinkable,” Vaidyanathan said.

As for the rest of the year, the officers see great potential for the club’s team.

Two members of the William Hopkins Middle School team lost to freshmen entirely new to History Bowl, which shocked the officers. Seeing talent in the incoming members, the officers are happy to see them getting interested in what MSJ Academic Challenge has to offer. MSJ Academic Challenge President Senior Fiona Hsu hopes the officer team can be more active during the year. “We just want to … work together a lot more and probably have more bonding so it feels more like

a community rather than just an academic club,” Hsu said. ▪

“I think the greatest challenge was that we set the date a little bit in August. The turnout was a bit lower because we set it in August. So I think next year, how we would fix that would obviously put it earlier in the year and start planning earlier.”

— ACADEMIC CHALLENGE PRESIDENT SENIOR FIONA HSU

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Although it is true that students using phones in class can distract them from participating or learning, the use of #,'-. & phones at school can be more useful than *6 detrimental when used properly. Due to rising cases in school shootings, many parents often require their children to bring cellphones to school as a way of tracking them. Additionally, in many cases of actual shootings, students’ final messages and texts often serve as the last form of communication a student will have with their loved ones. Banning the use of phones can also cause students to feel more inclined to break the rules as a form of rebellion and use their phones. Many students in multiple of my classes have also only just come from China or another country where their use of English is not as prominent, so translation apps on phones are extremely important to passing their classes. In the case of health issues, advanced technology has allowed for apps on phones to track a student’s heart rate or blood pressure, which when removed can threaten their health.

I guess it would not be beneficial for students at MSJ if this law was implemented. If [teachers] feel that the phone usage is not needed for their class, they'll tell the kids to put it away [or] put it in phone jail, so I don't think it's necessary to have a whole law because there are certain classes that require the phone. For example, I take digital imaging, and we have ! " # $% &%' ( to go out and take pictures almost every day. Without my phone, I wouldn't be able to do that, and we wouldn't be able to do the class, and it's a really fun class.

Implementing that law would be stripping away a lot of opportunities from students, and ... it can have a lot of negative impacts on students that maybe need translations or help with speaking [and] communication.

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On August 29, the California legislature signed the Phone-Free Schools Act, a bill that would require school districts to enact smartphone regulations by July 1, 2026. Gov. Gavin Newsom recently issued a letter to all school districts in early August, urging them to restrict smartphone use in classrooms as the school year begins. Some districts, like Los Angeles Unified, have already adopted the phone restrictions, calling to attention the implications the law has on schools like MSJ. What do you think is the potential implication of this law on students at MSJ? Do you think it will prove beneficial to tackling issues surrounding screen time and phone usage? Are there potential accessibility concerns for classrooms that rely on technology or students that need their phones for translations or health issues?

I think the biggest implication would be restricting students free will. MSJ students are already high schoolers, ,'2 1*& ' one step away from adulthood, and it only 0 " makes sense to grant us access to some privileges we didn't get to have back in middle and elementary school. The law definitely has the right intention to lower screen time, but I think it won't solve the issue at all. If the law is imposed, students will still find ways to sneakily use their phones, which is a loss for everyone.

I can say that I’ve seen excessive phone use by students be a problem during class in Mission a lot, so I see the reasoning behind wanting to restrict usage for that time. The potential implication here is that phone use gets restricted during class, and I can see that happening for Alameda [County]. I think that for some 0,'-; % classes, particularly those that aren’t heavy on 4: online use or research, can potentially benefit from these restrictions. However, restricting phones can also be dangerous, solely because of how much we rely on them now. If there is an emergency or something of the sort, people will be late to know. I also feel like phone restrictions alone won’t be enough to solve the issues surrounding screen time and phone usage, as the teacher’s mindset towards restricting phone usage is arguably more important.

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PHOTO COURTESY FIONA HSU

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS CHLOE GAO, ASHLEY PANG, JASON TANG, ANUSHKA VASUDEV & LUCY YAO PHOTOS BY NEWS EDITOR CATHERINE QIN, CENTERSPREAD EDITORS ASHLEY PENG & NAISHA KOPPURAPU & GRAPHICS EDITOR HANNAH BI

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Jennifer Yen

Sarah Zahid Before accepting her position at MSJ, Special Education Teacher Sarah Zahid taught at Fremont’s Circle of Independent Learning Charter School for five years. “I come from a nontraditional school system, so coming back into the classroom has been great,” Zahid said.

Thanks to the compassionate and helpful teachers and administration, Zahid has experienced a smooth transition to this new position. Now in her sixth year working in education, she looks forward to inspiring the students she works with and helping them achieve personal goals. Outside of teaching, Zahid enjoys volunteering for a parrot rescue, fostering parrots, visiting coffee spots, and going on drives.

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Vimala Mark Having previously taught at Warm Springs Elementary School and John M. Horner Middle School, Paraeducator Vimala Mark enters a new chapter of her teaching career at MSJ. Now working as a one-on-one paraeducator, Mark pursued a career in her field because she enjoys working with kids with special needs and seeing them succeed. So far, her transition as a new teacher at MSJ has been smooth. “[This school year], I’m just looking forward to just whatever adventures might come up,” Mark said. Outside of school, Mark enjoys running and drawing.

MSJ alumni Jennifer Yen worked as a parent educator for the summer school at the Fremont Adult School teaching English as a Second Language before becoming the parent outreach coordinator at the Wellness Center. Looking forward to the upcoming school year, Yen aims to connect with more students and staff members while encouraging more people to utilize resources at the Wellness Center. “I hope to publicize that the space is open for anybody. It’s not [only] for somebody [with] emotional problems, but just any healthy person can come by and check it out,” Yen said. Outside of school, Yen enjoys playing pickleball and spending time with her family at the beach.

Night Fever - From “Saturday Night Fever” Soundtrack

Centerspread 11

Alessandro Valadez Paraeducator Alessandro Valadez worked as a behavior technician in Long Beach, CA before moving to the Bay Area and teaching at MSJ. While Valadez initially doubted his abilities as an educator, he had a positive experience as a behavior technician and felt that seeing the growth of his students over time and building connections with other staff made the role rewarding. Valadez enjoys playing Overwatch, spending time with his friends, and going camping or fishing during his free time. “I’m looking forward to seeing the school year through, making more friends with the faculty, [and] seeing the kids grow and succeed in their goals,” Valadez said. He hopes to eventually shift from paraeducation to history.

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Meghan Trainor

New Faculty

By Kaylee Liu, Catherine Qin & Tanvi Deshmukh Editor-in-Chief, News Editor, Feature Editor

The 2024-25 school year introduces the class of 2028 as well as several faculty changes. The Smoke Signal interviewed eight out of the 16 new staff members, warmly welcoming them into the MSJ community.

Spencer Singh Physical Education Teacher Spencer Singh began his teaching career last year at Cesar Chavez Middle School in Union City, CA before transitioning to MSJ. With a background in basketball coaching as a hobby, Singh quickly discovered his passion for teaching sports and working with enthusiastic students. Although Singh is still navigating the school operations aspect of his new role, his transition to MSJ has been smooth and he feels warmly welcomed by the community. “I feel very supported here. There is a lot of good staff, especially in the [Physical Education] department, and we all collaborate well,” Singh said. Looking ahead, Singh is eager to get involved in student activities as the advisor of MSJ Poverty Patch-Up and to join in on the fun at school events like Homecoming and basketball games.

Hold On, We’re Going Home Drake, Majid Jordan

Roberto “Bobby” Clemente Social Studies and Physical Education Teacher Roberto Clemente brings 20 years of teaching experience to MSJ, having spent his previous 15 years at Dougherty Valley High School and 4 years at Eleanor Murray Fallon Middle School. Clemente began his student teaching at MSJ, where he studied under certified teachers in a classroom before officially teaching, and returning this year felt like a full-circle moment for him. Social studies has always been Clemente’s favorite subject in high school and his mentors inspired him to pursue a career in education. At MSJ, Clemente aims to establish orderly classroom routines and learn from his first year to grow as an educator. “[As] a new teacher, I’m looking for day-to-day structures, and [I’m] just trying to get my feet underneath me,” Clemente said. In the coming year, he hopes to coach during the track season and plans to enjoy the perks of a short, five-minute commute to work. Outside of teaching, Clemente enjoys spending time with his daughters, being a “dance mom” for his eldest, and coaching sports like football.

Under the Bridge Red Hot Chili Peppers

Alexander Monarrez Having worked as a night custodian at MSJ for the past few years, Alexander Monarrez recently shifted into the supply clerk position. During his previous job as a substitute night custodian, it was challenging to adjust to new school layouts every few days. However, “it was an easy transition to [MSJ]. Everybody, all the staff members are nice,” Monarrez said. During his free time, Monarrez enjoys spending time and making memories with his kids during hiking trips and outdoor adventures.

Me Against The World 2Pac, Dramacydal

Noah Sales English Teacher Noah Sales previously taught high schoolers as a student teacher in Irvine, CA, where he discovered his love for teaching and connecting with students. Initially, Sales questioned his decision to follow a teaching path, but found encouragement from his mentor and friends, ultimately deciding to pursue it as a career. After moving to the Bay Area, Sales taught English at Newark Middle School before transitioning back to teaching freshmen and seniors, beginning his journey at MSJ. “My goal is to make English personal for my students. [I want to] create a student-centered environment where the students are the ones investing in their learning, that it’s not just to get a grade but to grow as an individual,” Sales said. During his free time, Sales enjoys drinking coffee, reading, and exploring the outdoors, especially the Redwood National and State Parks.

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e All om c l e W New faculty whom the Smoke Signal was unable to interview include:

Ezra Drogin - Special Education Yulee Kim - English Jung Mok Yoon - Counseling Haley Barnett - Special Education Nefertari Royston - Psychologist Teri Sauber - Speech and Language Pathologist Keith Westra - Paraeducator *We attempted to include all new faculty according to our sources.

PHOTOS BY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF KAYLEE LIU, NEWS EDITOR CATHERINE QIN & FEATURE EDITOR TANVI DESHMUKH. GRAPHICS BY CENTERSPREAD EDITORS NAISHA KOPPURAPU & ASHLEY PANG

12 Feature

Friday, September 20, 2024

The Smoke Signal

www.thesmokesignal.org

DIEHARD TRYHARDS:

PAPER MACHE

By Novak Chen, Navya Chitlur, Howard Lu & Lucas Zhang Staff Writers

Paper mache is a craft that involves using paper and paste, most frequently with materials such as starch, flour, water, adhesive, and glue. Artists use paper mache as an economical building material for projects like carnival floats, boxes, and trays. It was originally used to create warrior helmets during the Han Dynasty. Once it dries, it turns rock hard and can stay that way for lengthy periods of time. This month, four Smokies will battle to see who comes out on top with their paper mache creation.

BEFORE What is the secret behind creating the perfect paper mache creation? To be honest with you, I have no clue. I’m entering this competition with absolutely zero experience whatsoever. Molding, sticking, and sculpting together wet clumps of newspaper sounds about as glamorous as wrestling a soggy burrito. However, this isn’t my first time competing in a DieHard TryHards, so I’m familiar with the severity of this competition. My strategy, you may ask? Wing it with confidence, act like I know what I’m doing, and pray to finish on the podium. I’m really hoping my lackluster artistic skills come in clutch for this one time, fingers crossed.

AFTER Wow. Not to brag (okay, maybe just a little), but I totally wiped the floor with this one. Honestly, the decision should have been apparent the moment I stepped into the classroom with my adorable creation.

Who knew that sticking soggy newspaper together could be so satisfying? The whole crafting process was surprisingly enjoyable. I felt like a third grader lost in the fun of making silly arts and crafts. I’m leaving this competition happy knowing my artistic brilliance was put on full display for everyone to see. Now, my yellow pup sits proudly on my desk like a prized trophy — a daily reminder of my paper mache dominance.

1

BEFORE

My hopes for this contest are paper thin — I don’t think I have a single memory worth of experience in paper-mache. Still, I’m quite excited to add a few pages to my book of knowledge, if you will. The scariest part of this entire challenge is definitely going to be the gluing section. I absolutely hate sticky things since they remind me of spiderwebs, but I’m sure that I’d rather fight to glue layers onto my sculpture than fight the glue gorilla. I can’t wait to make my paper mache statue of greatness that the judges will applaud. I’m sure that this will all be worth it. A first place finish, mayhaps, and a glorious celebration on judging day — hopefully without my creation melting into a pulp under the gaze of the judges.

HOWARD AFTER

Ever heard of the rhyme, first is the worst, second is the best? Yeah, I totally subscribe to that line of thinking (this totally isn’t my way of coping with not placing first, by the way). My hot air balloon must have kept the judge’s expectations sky high, but my sad newspaper boat might have sunk my chances at first place. Now, my expectations are about as high as my grade in sixth grade art class (not very high), but with second place secured, I’m sure museums all around the world will be asking me for thousands of commissioned art pieces. I’m sad to not have kept my win-streak in DieHard TryHards competitions, but hey, at least I’ve only ever placed in the

2

NOVAK NOVAK BEFORE

AFTER

I’m feeling prepared, coming fresh out of a previous DieHard TryHards competition with experience from building a piñata through a process similar to paper mache. For this challenge, I have decided to transform my creation from the trees that paper originates from to the dinosaurs that once roamed our planet. On paper, this sounds like an easy task, but many things can ma(ch)ke this project a disaster. Still, with immense experience under my belt, I am confident that I can repurpose all the paper I put aside during the summer to be a part of a lively sculpture that scares the judges — in my favor, of course.

When I brought in my newly-developed Paper-saur by combining many aspects of different dinosaurs, I thought that it would be the picture-perfect king of MSJ paper mache sculptures. However, the uniquely bumpy texture of my sculpture seemed to have scared some judges away, which is not what I imagined would happen.

It turns out, they just took my construction at face value — after all, it’s just cardboard pieces decorated with a coat of paint on the surface. After all the anxiety I felt while letting the sculpture dry, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief after successfully escorting a miniature dinosaur to school for a well-deserved third place.

3

LUCAS AFTER

BEFORE I won’t lie, I’m absolutely terrified of participating in this challenge. I had originally believed that paper mache was a simple craft, but now it appears that my precious weekend will be spent piecing together a sculpture made out of paper, adhesive, paste, and a whole bunch of other materials listed in the YouTube videos that I’ve watched all day long. By the end of this, I’m going to end up mache-d instead of mache-ing. For now, all I can do is hope that none of my competitors turn out to be prodigal paper mache creators, or anything like that.

Okay, well I kind of knew what my ranking would be while I was making it. After scouring the house to find no balloons for a piñata, resorting to a simple cube instead, and experimenting with corn flour for my second layer instead of the regular all-purpose flour, my creation was nothing short of a poorly crafted disaster covered in thick layers of paint. I have now come fourth place in both DieHard TryHards Sourdough from last year and now this, but hey, consistency is key! Next time a challenge rolls around, I will mache my way to the top.

4

NAVYA PHOTOS BY FEATURE EDITOR TANVI DESHMUKH. GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITOR TRISHA PARIKH

Friday, September 20, 2023

The Smoke Signal

DEAR DIARY: OLYMPIC gold medal

By Naisha Koppurapu Centerspread Editor

After the recent 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic games, several gold medals were distributed to the world’s finest athletes, each embedded with a piece from the renowned Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. From French swimmer Leon Marchand to South Korean archer Lim Si-hyeon, these Olympians have worked day and night for the chance to take a piece of history home. Each medal follows its own unique journey, from the extensive manufacturing process to its final position suspended from reach on a living room wall or tucked away in its velvet blue case.

As this astounding season ends, follow the life of Nicodème, a gold medal soon to be in the hands of a legendary Olympian.

JULY 8, 2024 11 A.M.

Oh my, I couldn’t deal with another botched surgery — the pliers and drills poking and prodding at my glamorous golden skin was my final straw. So, I packed my bags and shipped myself off to Paris, my last chance at avoiding

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a Frankenstein makeover. Surrounded by the most luxurious decor that money could buy, I notice a gigantic sign labeled “Chaumet,” and instantly, I know exactly who I am: simply better than everyone else, duh. However, rolling myself towards a mirror, I can’t help but stare at the gaping hexagonal hole in my chest, troubled by the fact that this dramatically expensive bod felt incomplete.

JULY 16, 2024 8 A.M. Not many can wake up to the sun’s

morning rays shining off their intricately carved golden shell, but then again, not everyone can be me. Today, Chaumet is packed with spectators, so obviously, I’d assume they’re here to admire my dazzling beauty. But no — they gawk as I’m placed in line with a bunch of nearly identical medals! This is outrageous. To think these look-alikes are even close to the real deal would be a fool’s mistake.

Then, in a cruel twist, I’m stuffed perfectly with some shoddy, old piece of metal, shut in a velvet blue box, and — much to my surprise — felt oddly whole with the new addition of this centerpiece.

adjacent to the infamous Seine River. As we travel even further, I feel the metal in my chest draw forward, and a sense of connection surges over me as I look up to face the well-known Eiffel Tower. Its majestic lights blind me, and I’m almost distracted from my original plan: to find my true purpose on this trip.

Reaching our final point, we stopped at the cheerful village of Olympic. I’m not one to judge, but I personally could not be cheerful with the Seine in my backyard.

AUG. 11, 2024 9 A.M.

Days have passed, and I find myself lonelier than ever. With looks that could kill, you’d think I’d have attracted a crowd by now! But the people keep clustering around these gaming events, which seem much less important than the shard I tragically chipped last week. It’s the last day of the games, and I’m eager to finally meet my fate. Am I to be handed off to a ruggedly handsome swimmer? Or maybe a cute wrestler? As I watch the final You wouldn’t believe the day I’ve had. event, one particuFirst rule of haut monde: don’t lar athlete catches my get into unknown cars. Afeye as they ace their router my box was packed and tine, leaving me in shock; wrapped, I was tossed my jaw drops open into the back of a and I’m dumbfoundshady van like loose ed. Still processing, I change and got stuck am scooped up and there for 15 whole miplaced on their shoulnutes. With smells of ders, surprisingly insewage and chemicals different to the amount wafting towards the van, of sweat I am touching I knew we were traveling and feeling a sense of pride.

JULY 24, 2024 10 A.M.

Feature 13

AUG. 13, 2024 1 P.M.

There is no higher honor than receiving a gold medal — trust me, I know my worth. Finally, on the way home, I start getting to know this athlete and their mannerisms; they remain ever so delicate when handling such priceless items like myself. Well, at least I thought so, until they posed for a selfie with a fan, picked me up by my neck, and took a bite out of me! Ow — this person has the audacity to sink their teeth into my million dollar skin? I didn’t pay nothing to look like this, I think to myself, praying it doesn’t actually scar. When they put me back down, unscathed and still thriving, I think about what I stand for. After seeing the grin on the young fan’s face and theirs, I begin doubting my initial haughty mindset. Was this the true purpose I had been searching for all along?

AUG. 20, 2024 12 P.M.

After spending hours cramped up in a bulky, glorified, metal box on the plane, I can tell why many prefer private jets over this. But surprisingly, I don’t mind; I feel confident in my worth and my possessor, and after the wild journey I have been on, I can’t wait to sit idly yet again. At my new home, they walk me down to a large room, just before I am struck with awe — a bunch of other medals stare back at me, although they look quite dusty yet wise.

Content with my life journey, I embrace my new place on the wall, eager to spend eternity as more than a piece of decor. As I rest at my final destination, hook #41, I know that I do more than make the wall look prettier than it was before; I make this house homier than it was before. ▪

GRAPHICS BY FLATICON.COM & FEATURE EDITOR TANVI DESHMUKH

Teacher Spotlight: YC Low

By Keerti Koya & Ashley Pang Opinion Editor & Centerspread Editor

a newsletter for a national Singaporean publication further highlighted the critical role of public education and the need for a holistic approach to language and communication. After earning a master’s degree in education at Stanford University in 2021, Low began teaching English at MSJ.

English Teacher YC Low in their first year at MSJ.

Since their teenage years, English Teacher Yu Cong Colin (YC) Low gravitated towards English classes, drawn to the way they unlocked new perspectives and understandings. “English teachers were always the ones that challenged me to think and appreciate the world in new ways,” Low said. Low initially looked to pursue a career in creative writing, but their passion for academics and speech writing ultimately led them to shift their focus toward teaching.

In 2008, Low received a full-ride scholarship from the Ministry of Education in Singapore to study English at the University of Chicago, guiding them toward further education in the US. “One of my mentors at [the University of Chicago] taught me that teaching is about supporting your students’ optimism and not necessarily your own,” Low said. Furthermore, working in civil service taught Low the real-world application and significance of language skills beyond the classroom.

Additionally, their involvement in writing

“One of my mentors at [the University of Chicago] taught me that teaching is about supporting your students’ optimism and not necessarily your own.”

— E N G L I S H T E A C H E R YC L O W

At the start of this school year, Low began their new role as adviser for the Smoke Signal. They were particularly impressed to see how well-oiled the organization is, as a full business managed by student editors. Low defines their primary role as being an adviser in legal issues and teaching writers how to maintain the professional standards of journalism, such as objectivity and truthfulness. “I trust the students when it comes to reporting and investigating

English Teacher YC Low graudating with their teaching credential and master’s degree from Stanford University.

topics that are timely, relevant, and compelling for the MSJ community,” Low said.

One of the largest changes Low made to the Smoke Signal this year was the addition of the Professional Development (PD) Team. The team will work on research projects and practice pieces like newsbytes, op-ed columns, and smallscale singles reviews before officially joining the staff writing team in second semester. Through the PD Team, Low aims to give the organization a broader perspective on other avenues journalists can explore and develop their skills further.

Outside of teaching, Low is the adviser of MSJ Speech and Debate, accompanying students at national tournaments.

They enjoy reading about politics and pop culture, playing video games with their spouse, kayaking, and giving visitors tours of the Bay Area. As an avid movie reviewer, Low enjoys keeping up with movies that have been gaining attention. Recently, Low’s favorite movie has been Parasite.

For students passionate about writing, Low advises students to not let min-maxing, or the idea that everything should be targeted towards colleges or jobs, prevent them from writing about something that they enjoy. Low also highly recommends reading often as they have found much of their inspiration from the style of other writers.

“Taking things from writers who inspire you is a really key part of enjoying writing and developing as a writer,” Low said.

English Teacher YC Low traveling with students to the National Speech and Debate Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa.

For students interested in pursuing a career in journalism, Low believes the first step is knowing the laws, not just in terms of liabilities and risks, but also in the ways that they empower journalists.

Low encourages students, whether pursuing careers in English, STEM, business, or any other field, to leverage their voice and make a positive social impact. As the adviser of the Smoke Signal, Low looks forward to broadening perspectives and expanding a v e - nues of exploration within journalism.

“Give a voice to others who need it.

Use your platform for good and even to hold others accountable,” Low said. ▪

“Give a voice to others who need it. Use your platform for good and even to hold others accountable.”

— E N G L I S H T E A C H E R YC L O W

PHOTOS COURTESY YC LOW. GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITORS TANVI DESHMUKH & TRISHA PARIKH

14 Arts & Entertainment

The Smoke Signal

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Friday, September 20, 2024

Annual Summer Concert Series at Pacific Commons

By Tushara Devapatla & Michael Qu Staff Writers

On a warm August evening at Pacific Commons, the sounds of live music and laughter filled the air, promising a night of lively energy and soulful tunes.

At 7-9 p.m. on August 23 at Pacific Commons, the local band East Bay Mudd performed a free concert for the Fremont community. This event is the third of four free concerts in the third annual Pacific Commons Concert Series, which will be held from June 28 to September 27. The series provides Fremont with an opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable evening, while also highlighting local musicians.

The Pacific Commons Concert Series features four live bands that showcase their music at Pacific Commons on their respective perfor-

“It’s always nice with a bigger crowd, and some events are just electric ... There’s just so much energy back and forth ... You’re just surfing and everyones on the same wave.”

— East Bay Mudd musician Bobby Cedro

Classic soul and R&B band East Bay Mudd plays into the night.

Classic soul and R&B band East Bay Mudd captivates the crowd with their dynamic performance.

mance days from June to September, bringing a diverse range of music to attendees.

On June 28, funk and pop band The Cheeseballs made their appearance. Neon Velvet showcased their tribute to 70s, 80s, and 90s contemporary hits and classics on July 26.

Afterwards, on August 23, classic soul and R&B band East Bay Mudd captivated the crowd with their timeless tunes. To end off the concert series with a bang, Foreverland will bring to the stage their larger-thanlife tribute to Michael Jackson on September 27.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and anticipation filled the air, the crowd eagerly awaited the next performance. Overlooking the audience on a portable stage next to

Koja Kitchen, the eight musicians in East Bay Mudd delivered a memorable night of music, wielding instruments from guitars and drums to trombones and horns. As lead vocalist Rico Kemp poured his soul into the mellifluous lyrics, the other band members played with passion and precision, harmonizing effortlessly and building upon each other’s energy. Guitarist Bobby Cedro seamlessly navigated the fretboard as he delivered a series of intricate riffs that captivated the audience, while piano player Cote Reese laid down a melodic foundation that accompanied the other instruments’ compelling sounds. Loudspeakers from either side of the stage amplified the band’s performance, immersing the audience in the rich, vibrant music.

As East Bay Mudd delivered hit after hit, the crowd surged forward, sweeping up the infectious energy emanating from the stage. Many of the participants gathered near the front of the portable stage, dancing together to the flow of the music. As the concert continued, many more individuals began coming and listening in on the music, pulling out their own lawn chairs on the outskirts of the concert area to enjoy the show.

As the show came to a close, the band ended by covering more popular songs like “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars. Under the dark night sky and facing a sea of satisfied smiles and applauding hands, the band said their goodbyes, calling an end to the concert. “When everything comes together and we’re playing as one, that’s the most gratifying. It’s like a wave. You’re just surfing and everybody’s on the same wave,” Cedro said.

The audience grows as passersby set up chairs to enjoy the live music.

PHOTO BY STAFF WRITERS TUSHARA DEVAPATLA & MICHAEL QU

Student Spotlight: Christy Ng

By Catherine Qin & Fiona Yang News Editor & Staff Writer Senior Christy Ng began dancing after attending her cousin’s dance rehearsals.

Ng was captivated by all the performances, including the competition routines.

She joined Lisa Performing Arts when she was eight years old and began her competitive dance journey, now dedicating 10 hours to dance every week and attending four to five classes regularly.

Ng trains competitively in Chinese traditional dance, contemporary, and jazz.

When she first began dancing, she faced challenges with the difference in skill sets compared to other students at her studio, most of whom started lessons at just three years old. However, Ng leveraged this opportunity to reach out to her teachers and practice on her own. “In terms of dance, I

Christy jumping in a photoshoot with flowing fabric swirling all around her.

started pretty late. [However], anytime’s a good time as long as you’re passionate about it and are willing to work for the results, then anything is possible,” Ng said.

“I think for me, the hardest thing was I was starting later than all of the other people in my class … but I think I’ve gotten a lot better and I’ve learned how to utilize my resources, like my teachers.”

— Senior Christy Ng

As Ng advanced to the competition level, she faced many mental obstacles that led to a lack of focus and inhibited improvement. In order to confront those mental blocks, Ng prioritizes herself and takes breaks from dancing, such as skipping a recreational class.

In order to help keep up with classes and rehearsals with a full academic schedule, she uses the organization app Notion to manage her schoolwork and other responsibilities. “Besides the time commitment, it’s not really hard for me to balance [school and dance because] … dance becomes like a release for me.

When I go to the studio, there’s nothing else I’m worrying about; I just have to worry about dancing during that In order to help keep up with classes and rehearsals with a full academic schedule, she uses the organization app Notion to manage her schoolwork and other responsibilities. “Besides the time commitment, it’s not really hard for me to balance [school and dance because]

Christy Ng and her team winning nationals at 2023 Nexstar National Dance Competition in Texas

… dance becomes like a release for me. When I go to the studio, there’s nothing else I’m worrying about; I just have to worry about dancing during that. time,” Ng said.

In the last four years, Ng made the bulk of her proudest achievements, including performing an opening act at the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade and the Golden State Warriors halftime show. Serving as Co-Captain of her senior competition team, she recently led them to victory at a national group in the senior division at the 2024 Starpower Nationals.

However, her success was not without hard work and challenges: attending dance class felt more tedious after a packed junior year. She noticed her team also felt the same way and to

“rally the team in terms of focus, [holding] bonding events that really helped with team chemistry.”

Ng looks forward to all the landmark senior memories, like second semester, Senior Cruise, Senior Assassins, and one last homecoming. As a dancer, Ng wants to cherish her last season and nationals with her team, the same group she’s been with for more than nine years, before having to part ways.

Christy Ng winning nationals at 2024 Starpower National Talent Competition in Las Vegas PHOTOS COURTESY CHRISTY NG

Friday, September 20, 2024

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The Smoke Signal

Arts & Entertainment 15

C R I T I C S’ C O R N E R

Short n’ Sweet and delightfully witty

Beabadoobee comes home with new album This Is How Tomorrow Moves

By Callie Yuan Editor-in-Chief

By Alice Zhao Web Editor Whether you know her from her signature makeup look or her viral indie-pop meets alt-rock songs, there’s no denying that singer-songwriter Beatrice Laus, better known as beabadoobee, has experienced an incredibly quick rise to stardom.

After two years of anticipation, she released her third studio album, This is How Tomorrow Moves, on August 9. The record shows an experimentation with new genres while keeping her ‘90s and ‘00s grunge sound, melodic voice, and relatable romantic themes that are at the core of the artist’s distinctive music style.

One of beabadoobee’s most well known songs is her debut single “Coffee,” which has not only received more than 168 million streams on Spotify but also went viral in the form of a sample on Canadian rapper Powfu’s track “death bed (coffee for your head)” in 2020.

Since then, she has performed as an opener for big-name musicians, most notably for Taylor Swift on her Eras Tour. She has also become famous for the lilting melodies over sulky guitar chords and nostalgic, catchy beats prevalent in her first two albums, Fake It Flowers (2020) and Beatopia (2022) and her hit collaborations with fellow indie artists Laufey and Clairo.

This is How Tomorrow Moves begins with its lead single, “Take A Bite,” an energetic and upbeat acoustic song reflecting on self-destructive behaviors. The opener sets the tone for much of the rest of the album.

Spanning from the jazzy and confident “Real Man” to the sappy, romantic “Everything I Want” to melancholic, self-reflective “Girl Song,” This is How Tomorrow Moves covers a wide range of introspective songs

“I hope [people] find whatever they need to guide them through their life through my mistakes,” singer and actress Sabrina Carpenter said in an interview with Rolling Stone prior to the release of her latest album, Short n’ Sweet, on August 23. Her chart-topping singles, the Italo-disco “Espresso” and ‘80s-reminiscent “Please Please Please” teased her newest work and served as summer anthems for many, but did not clearly represent the sounds of the album. Short n’ Sweet chronicles “a series of unfortunate events I’ve encountered in relationships,” Carpenter said in an interview with Paper Magazine. Featuring a collection of sweet pop tunes paired with sarcastic quips and innuendos, the album tackles all facets of love from crushes and heartbreak to warnings and revenge.

Carpenter first gained fame in 2014 as Maya Hart in the Disney Channel series Girl Meets World. After going viral for her playful “Nonsense” outros from her 2022 album, emails i can’t send, and opening for 26 of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts in 2023, Carpenter further rose to international stardom. The singles off Short n’ Sweet peaked at No. 3 and No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 respectively. Carpenter’s most recent project consists of 12 tracks with a total runtime of around 36 minutes, meshing pop with R&B and country melodies. The five-foot pop star’s sixth album reached 57 million streams on its first day.

The first single in the album,

PITCHFORK

“Taste,” sets the tone with tonguein-cheek one-liners like “Well, I heard you’re back together and if that’s true / You’ll just have to taste me when he’s kissin’ you.” The upbeat song feels like a dance party, but underneath the layers of drums and double-tracked vocals lie feelings of betrayal and vindication. She expresses that even if her partner is cheating or in a new relationship, her influence will still be apparent.

With the underlying feelings of vindication, her lyricism in the song emphasizes growth in songwriting as she combines betrayal with pick-meup tunes.

Recovering from disloyalty, Carpenter skillfully weaves advice with not-so-subtle threats to her boyfriend in “Please Please Please” and “Good Graces,” urging him not to embarrass her and letting him know she won’t hesitate to leave if he breaks her heart. Then in “Bad Chem,” she expresses her desire in almost Shakespearean half-spoken lyrics: “Where art thou? Why not uponeth me?”

While the beats are fun to dance to and the lyrics are catchy to sing to,

the songs start sounding derivative of each other with indistinguishable messages rather than introducing something more novel. Tracks like “Sharpest Tool,” “Coincidence,” and “Slim Pickins” end up sonically blending together with their similar lyricism and production.

After all the comically witty messages, the album ends on a tender note of heartbreak with “Lie to Girls” and “Don’t Smile,” in which Carpenter explores how far some people will go to convince themselves to stay in a relationship. Despite the album’s short runtime, Carpenter takes the listener on a journey through love in her twenties. While Short n’ Sweet lacks the cohesiveness and musical diversity of its experimental predecessor, emails i can’t send, the album is filled with charisma and charm.

With her sixth album, Carpenter has established herself as a multidimensional singer who is capable of humorous retro-tinged tunes and heart-wrenching ballads. ▪ Grade: B+

September 2024 Student Faves

BOOKBYTES

By Sarah Hu Web Editor Student Recommendation Title: The Silent Patient Author: Alex Michaelides Genre: Psychological thriller With five bullets to his face, Alicia Berenson kills her husband when he comes home late from work. Suddenly, her perfect life spirals into the hottest news of local tabloids. Yet she does not speak at all. A criminal psychotherapist, tries to work with her to uncover the truth behind the murder, but ends up discovering more about himself in the process.

“It is easy to read and hooks the reader from the start. The author also builds the story to a twist at the end very nicely.” — Arnav Lingannagari, 12 Staff Recommendation Title: The Biggest Ideas in the Universe: Space, Time, and Motion Author: Sean Carroll Genre: Physics Sean Carroll’s book explains the fundamental theories that make up the subject of physics. Formulas and theories that are usually seen as incomprehensible and abstract are boiled down to their basic ideologies as Carroll carefully walks the reader through them.

“I like the book because I like the universe. It uses quantum mechanics to best explain how the universe works. It uses a lot of mathematical structures to describe life.” — AP Statistics Teacher David Lau Smokie Recommendation Title: Hamnet Author: Maggie O’Farrell Genre: Historical Fiction Despite living in the midst of a deathly plague spreading across the country, Shakespeare marriew a peculiar lady. When Hamnet, one of their twin children, contracts the plague and dies at the age of 11, Shakespeare’s marriage and family dynamic are strained. As they navigate through the life of grief, Shakespeare turns to writing and produces a play titled Hamnet.

“I feel like the emotion in the writer’s work really comes through, the way that she represents grief and family dynamics.” — Hara Devapatla, 12

MOVIE: Rush Hour — Anson Lam, 12 TV SHOW: Shameless — Mia Lam, 12 ALBUM: If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late by Drake — Yash Miryala, 11 BOOK: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir — Michael Liu, 11 GAME: Rivals Roblox — Kevin Liu, 11

SPOTIFY

that revolve around beabadoobee’s romantic and familial relationships, self-image, and personal growth.

Each track has its own distinctive sound and influences even though many of them center around the same concepts, helping the songs stand apart from each other. For example, in “Girl Song,” beabadoobee opens up about trying to grow as a person and her insecurities about her appearance: “Makin’ all the same mistakes / I guess there’s still a lot to prove.” The soft, slow, piano track starkly contrasts the faster, synth-infused song “Ever Seen,” which grapples with many of the same ideas: “It’s been rough, but I’ve felt worse / I’ll pull myself back up, and you know this.” The variety of genres showcased throughout This is How Tomorrow Moves is a large improvement from the tracks of Beatopia, which tended to blend together due to the similarity in production, backings, and vocals.

Since the release of “Coffee” in 2017 and her subsequent rise to fame, beabadoobee has undoubtedly grown, shifting away from her soft-spoken, bedroom pop roots to a more mature, diverse style of music in her new album This is How Tomorrow Moves. ▪ Grade: A-

Didi: Life Encapsulated through Bay Area, Fremont, and the N Wing

NBC NEWS

By Shuhan Jin News Editor Released on July 26, the comedy-drama film Didi explores the coming-of-age journey through the lens of 13-year-old Chris, a Taiwanese-American student navigating the complexity of growing up in the US as a first-generation immigrant in the early 2000s. Directed by Sean Wang, this film’s setting has a large focus on Fremont. In fact, some scenes were filmed at MSJ. With actors and crew members also from the Bay Area, Didi is an incredibly personal and detailed representation of teen life for those living in the Bay. Set in the summer before his freshman year of high school, Chris (Izaac Wang) stumbles through his summer break as he experiences the ups and downs of the 13-year-old’s friendships. Chris spends much of his time hanging out with friends, pursuing his crush Madi (Mahaela Park), and occasionally falling under the wrong influence, leading to

conflicts. Throughout these relationships, the movie emphasizes the way Chris struggles with keeping friendships and making new ones overall. Even though many scenes were excruciatingly uncomfortable for the audience to watch due to second-hand embarrassment, there was a sense of intentionality behind the director’s choices. What made the film incredibly intriguing at the same time was its impressively spoton accuracy in portraying teenage life — everyone has experienced the exact same humiliating feelings that Chris has, which makes the reactions of the audience even more significant.

Another relatable concept Didi highlights is how teenage brooding affects family relationships. As the audience witnesses Chris fighting with his older sister, Vivian (Shirley Chen), helping his ailing grandma, Nainai (Chang Li Hua), or yelling at his mother, Chungsing (Joan Chen), they are able to see parts of themselves and their past familial strug-

gles through Chris and his family. As Chris’s character grows, eventually seeing his mother in a new light, the audience is able to come to terms with their own innerselves, almost as if Chris’s mended relationship with his mother helps heal the audience’s past as well.

The cinematography and soundtrack in Didi were also incredibly in-touch with the setting and time frame of the movie. The background music gave a nostalgic feel throughout the film, and the music Chris listens to was also similar to the song choices that teenagers would enjoy. The film was also shot using a lens that adds a 2000s vintage effect to the movie, as if the audience is seeing their past memories unfold in front of their eyes.

While the movie does a good job of portraying ideas from growing past the awkward stages of puberty to entering high school to finding one’s identity, there were still a few key factors that felt overdone in the movie. One specific detail was the in-

tense use of foul language throughout the entire film. While it is true that teenagers tend to use profanity to seem mature or grown up, the characters in the movie seemed to use profanity any chance they could to an unnecessary degree, even to the point where it seemed as though the actors were forcing the harsh language. Some of the slang used in the film seemed misplaced and thrown into the lines by the scriptwriters, making it seem as though they did not do enough research as to what the slangs they were using really meant.

Overall, Didi was able to near-perfectly capture the idea of coming of age, especially for people living in the Bay Area. The additional touch of filming around Fremont made the story evermore relatable, and is a must-watch for everyone who wants to laugh, cry, and occasionally cringe. ▪ Grade: A-

SMOKIE PLAYLIST: ALICE: “Honey Honey” by ABBA | ASHLEY: “Hotel California” by Eagles | BRITTANY: “Vienna” by Billy Joel | CALLIE: “Atomic” by Blondie | CATHERINE: “Bohemian

Seventies September Rhapsody” by Queen | ETHAN: “Stayin’ Alive” by Bee Gees | GOONJA: “Rhiannon” by Fleetwood Mac | HANNAH: “Cold as Ice” by Foreigner | HOWARD: “Goodbye

Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John | IVY: “Yesterday Once More” by Carpenters | KAYLEE: “Oh! Darling” by The Beatles | KEERTI: “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac | NAISHA: “Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone | PADMA: “Across the Universe” by The Beatles | SARAH: “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash | SHUHAN: “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire | TANVI: “Black Magic Woman” by Santana | TRISHA: “Dreaming Of You” by Selena | TR. LOW: “Lovin’ You” by Minnie Riperton

16 Arts & Entertainment

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Intrigue Meets Inconsistency: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Fails to Find Its Footing

By Angelina Chen Staff Writer Suspenseful and striking, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder offers a fresh lens on a coming-of-age experience amidst murder and intrigue.

Released on July 29, the Netflix adaptation of Holly Jackson’s bestselling novel showcases a riveting plot but mixed performances from the main actors and contradictory soundtracks and cinematography.

Directed by Dolly Wells, the series follows Pip (Emma Myers), a high school student who decides to solve the mystery surrounding Andie Bell’s (India Lillie Davies) disappearance and the subsequent suicide

BOOK COVER OF TITULAR NOVEL.

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of her boyfriend, Sal Singh (Rahul Pattni).

Convinced that Sal was innocent, Pip partners with Sal’s brother, Ravi (Zain Iqbal), to uncover the truth. The central mystery of the true identity of Bell’s murderer keeps viewers hooked; each minute of the show brings new surprises. The pacing also effectively builds suspense, as it is nearly impossible to unravel the resistance Pip and Ravi face from both the local community and an anonymous adversary. Thematically, the show touches on issues regarding privilege, bias, and the hunger for truth, but it does so with a light touch that sometimes feels unsuita b l e considering the gravity of the storyline.

While the mystery aspect of the plot i s engaging, the charact e r development is less compelling.

Characters frequently make deci- sions that defy logic, distancing the audience from any sense of realism. Pip’s interactions with the townsfolk, who conveniently agree to share their deepest secrets with her, strain credibility and undercut the tension the series aims to build. Although Myers delivers a performance that captures Pip’s blend of naivety and stubbornness, the character often comes off as more irritating than endearing because of her one-dimensional persona. Her facial expressions reveal nothing about Pip’s motivations. On the surface, Pip is driven by a vague sense of justice — as unfortunate events befall her, her choice to continue investigating despite the lack of a strong personal motive is questionable.

Meanwhile, Ravi provides a grounded counterpoint to Pip’s impulsiveness, but his role is limited to serving as a sounding board

BBC

for Pip’s theories. While Iqbal adds a layer of depth and relatability to Ravi’s character through his split-second yet natural reactions, his performance is ultimately underdeveloped and fails to depict a full range of emotion. The dynamic between Pip and Ravi has potential, but it is not given enough time to grow amidst the unfolding mystery.

Visually, the series plays with Instagram-worthy aesthetics — colorful, well-composed shots of cozy cafes and quaint townscapes — but this glossy style often feels incongruent with the darker themes of crime and deception. The soundtrack, featuring upbeat pieces

alongside more suspenseful compositions, adds to the tonal confusion. The show’s attempt to balance a playful teen drama with a serious detective narrative results in uneven pacing and a lack of clear direction.

Running at six episodes, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder attempts to tackle themes of justice, morality, and personal growth but lacks the nuance to handle these subjects effectively. The series leaves viewers pondering its thematic inconsistencies rather than its narrative twists. While the show attempts to balance the tension of a murder mystery with the lightness of a teen drama, it struggles to find a cohesive tone, leaving viewers with a series that is binge-worthy but ultimately skewed. ▪ Grade: B GRAPHICS BY A&E EDITOR GOONJA BASU

Friday, September 20, 2024

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Sports 17

Athlete Spotlight: Maya Dao

By Hannah Bi & Sarah Hu Graphics Editor & Web Editor After joining The Peak of Fremont climbing gym in 2017, Junior Maya Dao has quickly risen to become one of the most talented high school rock climbers in the state. Fresh out of five years of competitive gymnastics, she was ready for a new experience. Although Dao was only tentatively trying out the activity to join her friend, Dao says that “[she] was immediately drawn in as it felt very natural.”

Early in her climbing career, Dao initially fell one spot short of qualifying for the USA Climbing Youth Series Division 2 Championship, placing 11th three years in a row. Motivated to overcome these obstacles, she honed her technique and stamina through intensive training periods, finally qualifying for esteemed national competitions. “Being able to train and get back up after failing time after time has been a great life lesson that I can apply to many things outside of rock climbing,” Dao said.

DAO POWERS UP AT THE 2023 PEAK OF FREMONT BOULDERING LEAGUE

Shimomura. Together, they shared a passion for rock climbing and she was inspired to create a club that would allow more students in the MSJ community to explore and enjoy the sport. Since the club started in 2023, they’ve held multiple climbing events at The Peak of Fremont and introduced the crimp block challenge — a schoolwide competition to see who can pinch a weighted brick the longest.

“It’s been amazing meeting new people and spreading my love for the sport.”

— MAYA DAO, 11

DAO STRETCHES FOR A HOLD AT THE 2024 MOVEMENT FRICTION SERIES IN SANTA CLARA

ed against internationally ranked climbers, gaining invaluable friendships and experiences that she has learned to cherish. “I met tons of new people and found my true passion for the sport,” Dao said.

Beyond her own successful rock climbing journey, Dao is also the founder and president of MSJ Climbing Club. The workings of the To qualify for divisional competitions, Dao had club began in Dao’s freshman year when to place within the top 10 of regional or state she met students from the Class of 2023 incompetitions. From there, she had to rank in cluding Caleb Lu, Riley Cheung, and Reina the top six against competitors from Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming to advance to the national championships. Dao competed in six divisional championships in the past three years, excelling in the bouldering and sport climbing categories. Her extreme dedication paid off at the 2021 USA Climbing Youth Series National Championship, where Dao placed 21st in the nation for sport climbing.

Traveling across the country, Dao compet-

“Being able to train and get back up after failing time after time has been a great life lesson that I can apply to many things outside of rock climbing.”

— MAYA DAO, 11

Through hosting all these events, Dao said “it’s been amazing meeting new people and spreading my love of the sport.”

For the future of MSJ Climbing, she hopes to gain more members and install a climbing wall on campus. As for her own future, “my personal goals for this season in rock climbing include qualifying for another national championship and doing a V10 boulder, ” Dao said. ▪

DAO HANGS ON AT THE 2024 FRICTION SERIES IN SANTA CLARA

PHOTOS COURTESY MAYA DAO

Imane Khelif: How anti-transness hurts everybody ngside Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting by the In- The narrative that Khelif is transgender is bra- ve naturally occurring testosterone, but high levBy Padma Balaji, Ivy Lu & Tushara ternational Boxing Association (IBA), which zenly unfounded and false, as Khelif was born a els of testosterone do not automatically equate Devapatla Opinion Editor, Graphics Editor & Staff Writer claimed she had high levels of testosterone in woman and has competed for years in women’s have naturally occurring testosterone, but high her systems in an ambiguous biochemical test. boxing. The country from which Khelif hails, levels of testosterone do not automatically Algerian boxer Imane Khelif’s match against In response to the controversy around Khelif, Algeria, is a deeply conservative country where equate to an advantage in athletic performance.

Italian boxer Angela Carini at the 2024 Sum- the IBA president said she was disqualified for transitioning is illegal and gender-affirming care is The rise of the anti-transgender movement folmer Olympics quickly became an overnight high testosterone levels while the IBA told Re- entirely banned. lows from the rise of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments controversy. Khelif delivered a brutal blow that uters that it was the result of a sex chromosome, Khelif’s treatment by prominent figures, politi- in America. In 2023 alone, politicians attempted caused Carini to pull out of the match just sec- presenting two different accounts of the story. cians, and the general public is representative of to pass nearly 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in state onds in, who commented that “[she had] nev- Although Khelif had previously competed for a larger anti-transgender movement that has em- legislatures, claiming that transgender people er been hit so hard in [her] life.” The weight of 5 years without issues, she was immediately dis- bedded itself into right-wing dogma, claiming — especially transgender kids — are a danger Khelif’s blow caused many anti-transgender qualified. that the biggest threat — not only to sports but to women and society as a whole. The attack on influencers, politicians, and sports fans to lev- The International Olympic Committee (IOC), to women in general — is transgender women. transgender athletes seems to be an excuse for anel that Khelif was transgender, arguing she had which does not recognize the IBA’s legitimacy, Today, 23 states have passed laws excluding trans- ti-transgender figures and politicians to justify a an unfair biological advantage. After receiving defended Khelif and dismissed her failed gender gender athletes from joining teams that align with bigoted agenda targeting transgender people unvigorous attacks from key figures on X, Khelif eligibility tests as “illegitimate.” The IBA had its their gender identities. However, research shows der the guise of keeping sports fair and protecting filed cyberbullying lawsuits. This outcry online Olympics credentials rescinded in 2019 after a that transgender athletes do not inherently pose women. These claims of protecting women in highlights an ongoing controversy in sports sur- history of “judging scandals, bizarre leadership risks to other athletes, contrary to the fear-mon- sports ignore that the biggest danger to women rounding transgender athletes and whether or decisions, and innumerable financial misdeeds,” gering on social media. Additionally, the notion in sports is not transgender women, but white, not it is unfair and unethical to sports athletes. according to the Associated Press. Additionally, that gender testing can determine sex is a gross heterosexual, cisgender men. A study from TayFollowing Khelif’s match against Carini, crit- according to KGAN, the organization has also simplification of the idea of sex, which is not bi- lor & Francis that surveyed elite and club athletes ics were quick to latch onto Carini’s resignation come under fire for being controlled by IBA nary but rather a complex interaction between found that more than 96% of the perpetrators as evidence of Khelif’s biological advantage, call- President Umar Kremlev, who has stakes in Rus- chromosomes, genes, hormones, and sex charac- of abuse were men. White, cisgender men also ing out Khelif for being transgender. Well-known sian state-owned energy and moved much of the teristics in reality. The role of testosterone is spe- hold nearly all levels of power in sports leading anti-transgender vocalists such as author J.K. IBA’s governing body’s operations to Russia. cifically over-exaggerated; not only do women ha- international and national sports organizations.

Rowling, former president Donald Trump, for85.3% of national Olympic governing bodies are mer swimmer Riley Gaines, and Tesla CEO Elon composed of all male leadership teams, accordMusk, alleged that Khelif was a man who should ing to the Sport Journal, meaning that men are be kept out of women’s sports on X, leading disproportionately the ones making decisions Khelif to file cyberbullying lawsuits against them about women’s bodies. in France. In just a few days, Khelif was mischarWhile Khelif’s harassment was one example of acterized as “a violent man who gained pleasure hate and transphobia, many individuals face it from beating up women” and Carini as a helpless every day. In order to better understand the convictim whose Olympic dreams had been shatcepts of gender and equality in sports, MSJ stutered by an opponent with an unfair advantage. dents should involve themselves in organizations The misinformation continued like wildfire, such as MSJ Gender-Sexuality Alliance or MSJ with former YouTube vlogger Logan Paul tweetGeneration She. As the misinformation-fueled ing that the match was “the purest form of evil controversy was largely based online, students unfolding right before your eyes.” He later reshould remember to take precautions when gettracted his statement and deleted the post, apolting their facts from social media, choosing inogizing with “I might be guilty of spreading misstead to do their own research and trust credible information along with the entirety of this app.” sources. ▪ This was not the first time Khelif and her genetic advantage have been called into question.

In 2023, Khelif was disqualified from the final round of the boxing World Championships alo- IMANE KHELIF BOXING AGAINST ANNA LUCA HAMORI IN THE WOMEN’S 66KG QUARTERFINAL AT THE 2024 SUMMER OLYMPICS PHOTO BY SKYNEWS.COM

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Sports 19

Fall Sports Preview

By Naisha Koppurapu & Brittany Lu Centerspread Editor & A&E Editor

Girls Volleyball

Boys Water Polo

With a blend of new and experienced players, MSJ Girls Volleyball is excited to see their team chemistry and hard work unfold this season. “I think we have a really solid team set up this year compared to last year; we definitely have a couple of new people, but we have a lot of potential this year,” Varsity Co-Captain Junior Claribel Chen said. With a promising preseason, including a victory at the 2024 Varsity Pre-Season Stockton Classic, the team is excited to improve their performance from last year with new plays. Recently, they upgraded their gym equipment with a color-coded net to increase hitting accuracy, along with resistance bands to boost their verticals while blocking. Practicing hard every day, they want to ensure that their hard work does not go to waste this season.

“Win the league title and go further than we did last year in NCS. That’s my goal for the team this year,” Coach Matthew Walker said.

After reaching NCS Division I last year, Boys Water Polo hopes to build off of their past success. Aiming to win against longtime rival American High School and advance to the last round of MVALs, the team has been working on new skills and drills throughout preseason, utilizing new weight belts during practices to improve endurance underwater. With only two seniors on Varsity, a majority of the team is relatively new, but their raw talent and skills can strengthen the team as a whole. “The whole team could get better because we have a lot of young talent on the team,” three-year Varsity Starter Senior Baylis Hin said.

Beyond new members, returning players offer wisdom and potential, perfecting their teamwork and preparing the team for years to come.

Girls Tennis

Girls Water Polo

Girls Tennis returns this fall for another exciting season with four new freshmen players joining varsity. After an impressive MVAL win last season, Girls Tennis hopes to keep the MVAL streak that they have maintained since 2008. Although last season, injuries like twisted ankles and sprained wrists prevented the team from performing to their true potential, they still persevered and made it to the NCS semifinals.

While the new year came with the absence of a few key senior players, Girls Tennis remains optimistic and eager to start off their season. “We lost a lot of seniors last year, so with the freshmen incoming, we’re playing to fill in the gaps in our doubles and singles lineup,” Girls Tennis Co-Captain Senior Samhita Bathina said.

Eager to carry on where they left off last season, with second place at MVALs and setting a record for most wins in one season at 19-6, Girls Water Polo plans to build an even stronger team after the departure of 13 seniors.

Hoping to utilize their strengths, Girls Water Polo Coach Ryan Tang plans to implement stronger offense through fast-paced drills and additional conditioning. “We have a great new squad this year that will really surprise the other teams … I think our new team built around speed and shooting will catch our opponents off guard,” Tang said. This year’s team has shown promising performance in their first scrimmage of the season, foreshadowing a successful season.

Girls Golf

Cross Country

Girls Golf returns in high spirits for their upcoming season, hoping to defend their first-place MVALs title streak for the fifth consecutive season. This upcoming season marks Coach Matthew Quintana’s first year leading the team, having introduced new drills and techniques to enhance backswing and chipping. These improvements were evident in their first game at Mission Hills Golf Club. Girls Golf secured a victory over American High School with a score of 167-237 and improved accuracy and more powerful swings. However, with their top three starters having graduated and a wave of younger players joining the team, the team faces a new challenge of less experience this year. Despite this, Girls Golf remains optimistic and excited for the upcoming season. “Everyone is fairly new, but I hope our team will be able to get a lot closer and have more team chemistry, which I think will help us win more,” Girls Golf Co-Captain Senior Michelle Woo said.

Cross Country has an impressive record, placing second in the league last season. After having three different coaches in the past three years, the team has experienced a variety of training methods, from extensive running to their daily compilation of lunges and leg stretches. Although last year’s team struggled with overtraining on the track, Coach Brian Singleton plans to minimize unnecessary miles and include more focused drills this year, as many athletes returned with off-season practice and increased stamina. “We have a good group of young returning athletes that I want to get better, and to be more competitive,” Singleton said.

Additionally, the team has adopted a new home course for meets due to safety regulations regarding the road beside the creek path, navigating around it to be safer and meet cross-country requirements.

GRAPHICS BY SPORTS EDITOR ETHAN YAN

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EICs: Kaylee Liu, Callie Yuan News: Catherine Qin, Shuhan Jin Opinion: Keerti Koya, Padma Balaji Feature: Trisha Parikh, Tanvi Deshmukh Centerspread: Ashley Pang, Naisha Kopparapu Arts & Entertainment: Brittany Lu, Goonja Basu Sports: Ethan Yan, Howard Lu Graphics: Ivy Lu, Hannah Bi Web: Alice Zhao, Sarah Hu

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