Issue 5, 2013

Davidson bids goodbye

BY SAMUEL CHANG

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rincipal Gail Davidson will retire at the end of the 2012 to 2013 school year after four years as principal of the Viking community.

Davidson has had a visible in�luence on the successes of Lynbrook over the past four years which can be seen in the expansion of STEM programs and the construction of the new stadium. Likewise, she said that Lynbrook has had a similar in�luence on her.

“I really believe in the younger generation and I’m just blown away by our students here at Lynbrook: the way they think, their approach to world problems and the hope

they bring. Moreover, they bring a deep intellect and creativity,” said Davidson.

Davidson’s passion and enthusiasm are the main drive when she is at work, something that those who work closely with her on a daily basis see vividly.

“She lives it,” said Executive Assistant Jan Broman. “Working so close with her I’ve seen her in every situation and it’s a passion for her. You have to enjoy this job in order to survive the stress and the myriad of situations that comes with it, and she de�initely enjoys what she does.”

Davidson has also been an in�luential �igure in the of�ice. Her energetic demeanor and passion for her job livens the people working next to her. “I think she validates all the employees and she values opinions and communication and the of�ice ultimately bene�its from her presence,” said Broman.

With six months left in the school year, Davidson still plans to accomplish several goals before departing.

“There are a number of things that I want to wrap up before I leave, from the installment of the new 3D Art soldering stations to the permanent stage in Studio 74, the Quad Marquee and the audio and visual systems in the auditorium and sound in the gym,” she said. “I also look forward to the major bond building projects being presented to the FUHSD Board once cleared by the state architect.”

Tom Avvakumovits, the director of human resources at FUHSD, is currently working with superintendent Polly Bove, Deputy Superintendent Kate Jamentz and Associate Superintendent Graham Clark to screen principal candidates. The new priniciapl will be announced by the end of March.

The open application process will end Feb. 11. After applicants are screened, interviews will be held before the end of February. The board of superintendents will interview top candidates up to three times.

For more on this topic, see “Davidson leaves big seat to �ill” on page 5.

JOEY LI— EPIC

GRAPHIC BY JACOB ANTONY AND NIKITA DHESIKAN

STAR testing to be modified for 2014-2015 year

BY NIKITA DHESIKAN & JAMES WILHElMI

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reform of the current California standardized testing system was proposed in early January for the 2014 to 2015 school year by State Superintendent Tom Torlakson, to better assess students’ logical thinking and problem solving skills.

The proposed system will abolish the current Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) system, which has been used by California since 1999. Instead, the Scantron tests will be replaced with a computer-based assessment created by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), a multistate organization created to develop the new standardized tests. The new tests have been designed to align with the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The assessment will also contain a combination of in-depth essay writing and projects.

Along with 44 other states, California is slowly transitioning to adopt the CCSS as the state standards for mathematics and English language arts. As stated in Torlakson’s letter to Governor Jerry Brown, the CCSS “provide a practical way to prepare our students for the challenges of a constantly changing world, equipping them with the real-world skills they need for college and career.”

“The idea of the CCSS is that students must know depth rather than breadth. The state wants to see what students can do with their knowledge, not what they can memorize,” said Assistant Principal Sydney Marsh.

“If the tests are changed, the curriculum may have to be changed in order to ensure that students are prepared. I’d like to think that students know the material and have the skills needed, but the new test may require changes in the classroom,” said history teacher Nate Martell.

As of now, STAR test results are released after the school year is completed. This gap between when the test is administered and when the scores are released prevents students from evaluating their progress.

“By the time students receive their test scores, it is impossible for them to improve on their less successful areas. With our current system, teachers bene�it but students don’t,” said Marsh. As part of the changes in the new test, the testing dates are also being reconsidered. see STAR POLICY page 2

Girl’s Basketball • pg. 13

Art students attend National Portfolio Day

BY JESSICA CAO

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tudents presented their work at National Portfolio Day (NPD) on Jan. 19 in hopes of getting portfolio feedback and art career advice from representatives of over 50 art schools.

Among them was senior Carl Hansen, who hopes to major in �ilm in the future. He talked to representatives from Emily Carr University, Ringling College of Art and Design and The University of the Arts at NPD. “They liked my portfolio, but I only had shots set up, instead of a 10-minute �ilm telling a story,” he said. “I thought their advice was extremely helpful, because if I didn’t go and �ind out more about what they want in admissions, I probably wouldn’t make it in.”

According to its website, “[NPD] is an opportunity for those who wish to pursue an education in the visual and related arts to meet with representatives from colleges accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.”

Representatives visit around 40 to 50 cities each year, and hundreds of local students showed up for the four-hour event at the San Francisco Art Institute on Saturday.

“A lot of art teachers don’t know a lot about this and so some students have to do everything on their own,” said art teacher Lee Akamichi. “I have my students do research and prepare questions so meeting with reps is handleable[sic].”

Because the lines for prominent art schools are long, waits can last up to 90 minutes and sometimes students can only visit t h re e to four of the

schools t h e y actually intend to apply to.

“I wanted to talk to Parsons, but I accidentally went to Parsons Paris so that was a waste of time,” said sophomore Katherine Cheng. “When I did get to Parsons during the last �ive minutes, the guy wouldn’t even look at my portfolio before I �illed out the info sheet.”

Some schools give carbon copy evaluations of skills like technical ability, design and composition, creativity and preference for experimentation, while others simply have their representatives offer verbal advice and personalized critique or suggestions.

“Every year I have students put their portfolios into pizza boxes,” Akamichi explained. “We’re basically training the art school reps, letting them know that a pizza box means good academics.”

Students bring photos of their �inished portfolio pieces as well as sketchbooks and images of works-in-progress.

There are over 95 art majors represented by the art schools, so the works that are brought in range from foundational sketches to conceptual sculptural pieces.

In the past, Lynbrook students have had great success at NPD. “Legally, you can’t just accept a student on the spot, but sometimes a rep will like a student’s work so much that the portfolio is accepted as the visual portion of the ap-

INSIDE MINDS | “Riding the Rails”, one of many pieces featured in senior Sabrina Woolhiser’s art portfolio.

Letter from the editors

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s a precursor to Valentine’s Day, we explored a notorious aspect of high school: high school relationships.

There have always been hopeless romantics and hopeless cynics when it comes to high school relationships. We interviewed eight teenage couples and shared how each have grown from their respective relationships.

Turn to “Finding the thread” (pg. 8-9) to read their stories.

Recently, our principal Gail Davidson announced that she would be retiring at the end of the year, and that the rigorous selection process for the new principal has begun. If you haven’t read the story already, �lip back a page to “Davidson bids goodbye” (pg. 1), and in order to hear about the staff’s respect for Davidson’s contributions and recommendations for what type of principal the school needs to continue her legacy, jump to the staff editorial (pg. 5).

Other stories include “Branded by discrimination” (pg. 10) which identi�ies the trend of racially pro�iling minorities. At a school like Lynbrook, the minority are white students, and Epic staffer Kelsey Hurwitz

technique, w h i l e o t h e r s prefer conceptual work with a broader range of unusual mediums. In the past, representatives have strongly criticized certain portfolios that were later accepted to the art school without any changes.

Akamichi gives credit to his interaction with representatives for helping him become the teacher he is today, one who has secured his students millions of dollars in scholarships over the years: “I remade my art program based on what colleges want, not high schools.”

BRANCHING OUT | “Lake District”, a piece from sophomore Julia Wang’s portfolios, in reference to a place in England.

USED WITH PERMISSON OF SABRINA WOOLHISER

shares her personal thoughts and experiences being a Caucasian going to a school dense with an Asian population (pg. 10).

Flip to page 11 to check out the progress of the girls’ basketball team. With a nearly perfect season record, and a team united by �ive seniors, this year’s girls’ basketball team has been the highest scoring winter sport this season. Also read Epic staffer James Wilhelmi’s varied reasons on why the community should get out and support this team (pg 11).

It’s that time of year again, and the Epic congratulates yet another batch of Intel semi-�inalists, seniors Johnny Ho, Eesha Khare, Jack Takahashi and Eric Xu. Look to “Bright ideas from Intel semi-�inalists” (pg. 6) for a closer look into each of their projects and the challenges they overcame to be awarded the prestigious national honor.

We would also like to apologize and make two corrections from last issue. For the feature on the new student apparel brand, senior Thomas Kim is also a cofounder of Mintd Apparel, along with seniors Marshall Chang and Kevin Wu. For the sports feature on boys’ basketball, the previous basketball coach, Tim Kenworthy, was dismissed after a decision by Principal Gail Davidson to “move the team in a different direction.”

We are very sorry for any misunderstandings or inconveniences that may have occurred due to these errors.

Happy reading,

plication,” said Akamichi. “They will contact you after, maybe talk about how you have a strong chance at a scholarship, and at the very least strongly encourage you to apply.”

Unlike academic universities, art schools often have later deadlines, in January and February.

This coincides with when NPD is usually held here in the Bay Area.

Because NPD is a chance to talk faceto-face with representatives of schools about 95 different majors, some students go multiple times in high school.

Sophomore Julia Wang wanted to familiarize herself with the process.

“I just want to get portfolio advice,” said Wang. She also busied herself by decorating her pizza box and making business cards for the representatives.

With such a large number of representatives from all over the country, receiving con�licting advice is common.

Akamichi advises students to “Take notes to show you’re interested, but take any advice with a grain of salt. Putting together the portfolios is what I’m here for.”

Some schools are more traditional, focusing on realistic charcoal drawings and strong

Shannon Chai, Irene Hsu & Sabrina Shie

USED WITH PERMISSION OF JULIA WANG

STAR POLICY| Testing changes continued from STAR page 1 A drawback to Torlakson’s STAR testing proposal is an increase in cost. In contrast, to a multiple-choice test, essays and activities require more time to grade and more money.

Torlakson believes, however, that the bene�its of a deeper, more detailed student examination outweigh the extra costs.

While both the state congress and Governor Jerry Brown must approve the legislation.

Student reaction to the new testing system has been mixed.

“I think that this change is good in that it will require us to put deeper thought into our work,” said sophomore Kevin Chen. “It will be helpful because I’ll be able to pick up some life skills.”

“I think that we should stick to simple math and comprehension,” said freshman Arka Bagchi. “Also, getting computers involved in testing gives more opportunities for cheating and would take out the actual hand-written test that we’re so used to.”

The incoming tests are causing some students to re-evaluate how they will pre-

pare for standardized testing.

The CCSS were created by Common Core, a non-pro�it organization formed in 2007.

According to the group’s website, the goal of Common Core is “working to bring exciting, content-rich instruction to every classroom in America.” Common Core speci�ically advocates for a liberal arts-based curriculum at the K-12 level. The CCSS were adopted by California on Aug. 2, 2010.

California’s division of the SBAC has teachers, education researchers, state of�icials and community organization leaders. The SBAC received a $175 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education in 2010, which it uses to fund the process of new tests.

“Basically everything has to change. When should the test be administered? How should we go about phasing the test into schools? How is the state going to ensure every school has computers and enough money to subsidize the added cost? These are all questions that must be answered before the standardized testing can change,” said Marsh.

For more on this topic, see “Proposed STAR policy pokes holes in budget” on page 5.

Sadie Hawkins Dance This year’s Sadie Hawkins dance will take place on Feb. 8 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. The theme is “Where the Wild Things Are.” As in previous years, the dance will be held in the school gym. Ticket prices are $8 with ASB and $10 without and will be sold at the top of the quad.

Job Shadow Day

Job Shadow Day will take place on March 18.

Students who registered for the program by Jan. 25 can check the registration list on Jan. 29. Registration for job positions will be from Feb. 11 to 15, and vary by class. Job types range from media and communications to health and medicine. Job slots for Job Shadow Day are limited.

GRAPHIC BY JEFFREY YANG

News In Brief

Students selected for honor band

BY PRASANN RANADE

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welve Lynbrook students were selected for the 2013 California All-State Honor Band on Jan. 3. Over 1,600 students in California applied for a position in the band. This year, Lynbrook has the �ifth-highest number of members in the All-State Band. Organized by the California Band Directors Association, the All-State Honor Band will perform at an annual conference at Fresno in February.

The audition required students from across the state to play �ive scales, as well as excerpts from different pieces. The California All-State Honor Band With 12 usually accepts around students 25 percent of the apof the 430 musicians plicants in the state. accepted “All schools across the state, throughout CaliforLynbrook had the fifthnia apply, and then highest number of students acthey choose from all cepted into the All-State Band.

the schools, so then if you’re selected, you’re considered one of the best in the state,” said junior Michelle Chang. This was the �irst year Chang applied for a position in the All-State Honor Band.

“I didn’t get into all-county honor band, and that’s supposed to be easier to get into, and so I really wanted to get into this one,” said Michelle Chang.

The students who were selected acknowledge various people as their motivation to audition for the band. For senior Nicholas Lie and junior Cheryl Chang, their private teachers pushed them on to audition and apply for seats.

Juniors Jesse Chou and Cheryl Chang said that the most memorable part of the entire process is the social aspect of the band.

“It’s a pretty exciting experience because you get to meet kids from all over California in four days and make new friends,” said Cheryl Chang.

“To be honest, I treat it like more of an all-Californian family, where we share a common goal in which we all work hard,” Chou said. “In the end, if we succeed or if we don’t succeed, it’s �ine, because the entire process was a [great] experience.”

Valentine’s Day Concert

The Lynbrook choir will be presenting a Valentine’s Day concert on Feb. 14 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the cafeteria. This concert has been revived after many years. Tickets will be available for pre-sale in the ASB den and at the door as well.

By Eesha Khare and Frina Redoloza

KASTURI PANTVAIDYA—EPIC

ALL-STATE SELECTIONS| Ten of the twelve students accepted to the Californa All-State Honor Band from left to right: freshman Lucy Kim, junior Michelle Chang, senior Nicholas Lie, senior Jack Yu, Senior Eric Xu, junior Mark Lee, senior Mike Zhong, freshman Jeffrey Chang, junior Jesse Chou, junior Cheryl Chang.

Student store opening on campus

BY SARAH TARTER & DHIRAJ NALLAPOTHULA

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cademic and Community Transition Program (ACT) 1 and 2 will launch a new student store Jan. 28 in the janitor’s closet in the cafeteria. FUHSD provided the ACT program with $500 dollars of seed money to start the store. The ACT program also received private donations from anonymous donors as well.

The ACT program, a branch of Lynbrook’s Special Education geared towards helping students develop life skills, aims to provide its students with an opportunity to experience real-world situations. The student store is non-pro�it, primarily operated by the ACT 1 and 2 students and will sell a variety of Lynbrook-themed school supplies, such as pens, pencils, USB drives and bags.

For the past few years, ACT 1 teacher Jim Schussler had been pursuing this opportunity for his students. This year, the project was approved by Lynbrook and the FUHSD. Then, they had to meet with School Facilities Manager Steve Chamberlain to agree on a location for the store, eventually agreeing to run the store out of the janitor closet in the cafeteria. Schussler hopes that support for the store will help expand its domain and size.

“We’re always looking for opportunities for students to learn life skills and have meaningful jobs,” said Assistant Principal Kathleen Sullivan. “The [ACT] students will bene�it from the store by gaining real world experience, and to students as a whole, school supplies will be easily accessible.”

The money that is made will be used to restock products and cover basic operating costs. The overall concept of the store is to create a positive learning experience for ACT 1, consisting of freshmen and sophomores, and ACT 2, consisting of juniors and seniors who usually work at off-campus job sites similar to the student store.

While operating the store, students will be able to expand on the concepts that they have been learning in class, including managing money, interacting with customers, restocking items and accounting for all the

items that have been sold.

“The school store is geared towards building essential skills that are needed for independent adult life and maximizing the student’s potential, enhancing appropriate social behaviors and fostering mutual respect,” Schussler said. “It will provide students hands-on job training and a way of transferring their academic subjects such as math, reading, and writing into a practical, real-life experience.”

To prepare for this new experience, the students will combine the concepts they learned in their vocational classes, money math curriculum and other math classes.

“Students may be challenged by the fast pace of the store, the [customer] students need to be patient with the students working. These are also the �irst time that students will be working and so there are freshman and sophomores that have never had an on or off campus job so it will take some time to get used to,” said ACT 1 teacher Jenn Smith.

The students will also incorporate technology into the management of the store, such as using an iPad application as their cash register.

JOEY LI—EPIC

STORE MERCHANDISE| The various school supplies that are going to be sold.

The reality is our schools are open environments and keeping anybody from being able to come in with a gun is challenging. I think gun control has had limited success, although it’s hard to measure.

Going back to the machine gun ban during the Reagan-era, it’s hard to look at the data and decide how many shootings were reduced in the number of people injured. Regardless, I think the assault weapon ban probably should be renewed. Although it’s very divisive and dif�icult to measure the actual impact of it, I think gun control is an important piece to the discussion of violence in our country. I feel like some of the other issues surrounding violence are systemic poverty and mental health. Also, as a whole Americans are desensitized to violence. I think it’s a shame that we as Americans hear about violence, we see violence, and we look at it and it’s not really a big deal to us. I feel like part of why this most recent shooting was such a big deal is that it happened in a well-to-do community. Another neighborhood gets shot up, 40 bullets sprayed everywhere and it doesn’t become a national event. I think that balance in the media is another thing we need to work on. I’m not a 100% opposed to having an armed guard on campus. The high school I attended had a police of�icer assigned to our campus. However, the idea that seems to be forming around this ideal, “why don’t we just arm our teachers?” I think that’s ludicrous. Adding another gun on campus to individuals not trained where everyone knows doesn’t improve our learning environment or makes us that much safer.

JOEY LI—EPIC JEREMY KITCHEN

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he issue of gun control is obviously extremely controversial, so it is unlikely that we will be able to take any steps drastic enough to reduce the the threat of shootings.

The laws are not going to solve the problem. It may make people feel safer, but guns are prevalent in our culture. Reinstating the Assault Ri�le Ban would probably lead to a decrease in violent acts and restrict the easy access to guns people currently have. We are still led to believe that violence is the answer to our problems, and that people who use guns emerge as heroes. People go to shooting ranges for recreation, so gun use is not seen as a big deal. I remember watching Michael Moore’s documentary “Bowling for Columbine” when I was younger and was terri�ied to learn that in some bank in Texas, they reward customers for creating accounts with them by providing them with a gun. Our society is pretty much gearing people towards committing these acts of murder. I think having an armed guard on campus will negatively impact the dynamic of our campus. It will be doing the opposite of what we really want. It will give people the notion that weapons are empowering and that using them is justi�ied.

SHRITAMA RAY//11

On Dec. 14 2012, Adam Lanza entered Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut and used multiple assault rifles to kill 20 children and six adults.

This event sparked a renewed interest in gun-control debates as organizations across the nation have presented different ideas to prevent these tragedies from happening again. Proposals include a new assault weapons ban, an improvement in mental health care, stricter regulations on gun violence in the media and requiring armed guards on all school campuses.

COMPILED BY ANAND CHUKKA

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KEVIN LIN//10

don’t think gun control is very effective. If we decide to ban all guns, the only people who will have all guns is law enforcement and people who got guns illegally. Buying guns illegally is very easy. After doing a bit of research, I found an underground part of the Internet where if I wanted to, I could have contacted a Rocket-Propelled Grenade seller. Rather than a blanket ban on all �irearms, I lean towards better background checks. There should also be a limit on the number of bullets we allow, some sort of magazine capacity.

There are armed guards at schools in Taiwan and Israel. There was an instance in Israel, where an armed guard on campus stopped a school shooting. Another suggestion I have would be to have guards who carry pistols around, but store semi-automatic weapons in a secure location on campus. Or another radical thought, letting teachers have the option of concealed carry but something akin to policemen where they patrol campus with a pistol.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY THE OPINION SECTION

Proposed STAR changes poke holes in budget

BY HIMA RAJANA

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n response to the new national Common Core State Standards (CCSS), California State Superintendent Tom Torlakson has proposed new standardized testing methods, which will supposedly re�lect the practical applications of the CCSS. These revised methods are �inancially and practically implausible and will divert resources needed for other issues in California.

Torlakson’s proposal introduces new standardized tests designed to measure critical thinking. For example, while questions on the current Mathematics STAR test ask for a simple answer, new questions will ask why that answer is correct. Torlakson’s rationale is that state standards have changed to adapt to the 21st century.

“Both the old standards and CCSS are very traditional curriculums, the same way teachers were taught to teach,” said English teacher Stacey McCown, “The CCSS require closer reading and deeper analysis.” While times have changed, the subjects have not changed much. Therefore, changing the standardized testing on such a large scale is a waste of time and money.

There are minor differences between the old STAR standards and the new CCSS. For example, the ninth and tenth grade standard addressing a student’s ability to extrapolate, analyze and support information from a written sample is consistent across both standard sets. The old standard asks students to “compare and contrast the presentation of a similar theme or topic across genres and explain how the selection of genre shapes the theme or topic,” while the CCSS standard says to “draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis and re�lection.”

Tweaking the existing tests slightly to place a stronger emphasis on technological knowledge for elementary school students is suf�icient to align STAR tests with CCSS. Along with being an unnecessary change to the old standard, changing the testing system to what Torlakson has proposed is not �inancially feasible. “There is no external plan for more money, but we [FUHSD] are going to have to �ind it within current resources,” said Dr. Kate Jamentz, FUHSD Deputy Superintendent. “Torlakson is saying that money from administering STAR

tests will go toward the new tests, but it will not be enough.”

Making the tests computer-based also creates some logistical issues for schools all over California. “Torlakson released technological guidelines for schools, regarding how many computers at each school had to be less than two years old, and such,” said Jamentz. It is no secret that the FUHSD is gifted and receives generous donations and grants, so we have suf�icient resources. Unfortunately, this is not true for other districts in California.

STAR tests have been a part of California state law for over 17 years now, and are becoming routine. After years of administering the tests, testing is now just a part of the year with shortened class periods. Changing an established government system is a lengthy process, and Torlakson’s proposal is only in the preliminary stages. Before Governor Brown approves the proposal, it will inevitably undergo several revisions.

When the tests actually go into effect during the 2014-2015 school year, the exhaustive nature of the tests poses many risks, in terms of proper administration and area for things to go wrong.

While teachers and administrators adjust to the new testing system, there will be a much longer transition period, where results for CA will be hard to interpret. These long-term disadvantages ultimately con�irm that Torlakson’s proposal will do more harm than good.

For the full version of this story, visit www.lhsepic.com.

Davidson leaves big seat to fill

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nderstanding. Ambitious. Balanced.

Diverse. With the impending retirement of principal Gail Davidson, our incoming principal should not only pick up where she left off, but embody all these qualities. Lynbrook’s humanities curriculum and programs must also be further developed to put a larger emphasis on the development of a more wellrounded student.

Over the last four years, Davidson has worked tirelessly with students, staff and the community to reinforce curricula with projects like Studio 74, create new learning spaces such as the Flex Lab, strengthen department teams and promote student leadership. In the years to come, our next principal must continue to build upon these efforts while leaving a legacy of his or her own.

For one, the principal should be sensitive to the high level of academic achievement and the diligent working dynamic of Lynbrook students.

“We have beautifully motivated, dedicated students,” said Davidson. During her time here, Davidson has worked to ensure all students had the opportunity to fully pursue their dreams and ambitions. It is vital for the administration to continue to encourage students to pursue their goals by providing resources, guidance and inspiration rather than chastise students for being over-ambitious. In addition, the new principal should develop and prioritize student activities as Davidson did.

“Having someone really passionate about student activities—that’s the number one thing,” said ASB President senior Stephanie Hahm. “We really need that admin support and someone to lead the teachers to support our events.”

“Ms. Davidson was really supportive behind-the-scenes,” said sophomore Gauri Patil, who organized a dance fundraiser last year. “It seemed like she really cared

and was genuinely interested in what we were doing. I really hope the next principal will be able to �ill her shoes.”

If any con�licts arise that may inhibit student activities, our new principal should also work with all involved to create effective solutions. For example, when various visual and performing arts groups continually had con�licts over the usage of the auditorium, Davidson would push to create the new black box theater for the drama department.

“The hardest thing is �inding ways to support everybody without the pots boiling over,” said Davidson. “Part of developing the black box theater was answering ‘how do we create another space?’ Those kinds of solutions are important so all programs can grow and develop fully. This is a school that has a place for everybody.”

However, with Lynbrook’s reputation as one of the top Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) high schools in the nation, the humanities tend to be shut out of the spotlight.

In understanding this imbalance, it would be valuable to bring humanities up to the level of recognition that STEM currently has through programs such as poetry slams, creative writing seminars, �ield trips and giving equal recognition to the humanities competition winners. In such a heavily STEM-oriented community, Lynbrook students often disregard the valuable skills that a thorough study of the humanities can provide.

U.S. History teacher Mike Williams advocated that, “many of the twenty-�irst century skills that students need are grounded in the humanities.” He said he would like to see “critical thinking and the humanities championed more, because they are just as important.”

Only a principal can make such a change because he or she yields the executive in�luence needed to aggressively promote

what staff and students, who see the issue in a similar way, want. The new principal is the main representation for students.

Sophomore Edward Lee said, “The new principal, preferably, should be a person of humanities himself [or herself]. If the new principal has a background in the humanities, he or she will be able to understand how to implement more humanities into the curriculum.” As the school’s �igurehead, our next principal can have enormous in�luence on the way the Lynbrook community approaches the humanities; the principal should voice the concerns about the importance of humanities programs to parents and community members.

“I believe that the principal’s role in the greater emphasis on the humanities is to encourage students who want to do them to actually do them. I know a lot of people who would really wish to take a music or an art class, but were forced out of it by their parents,” said Lee. The new principal “should invite a motivational speaker or writer,” said sophomore Vidya Palepu. In doing so, a principal would be able to better communicate the importance of the humanities for students.

Also, “they should have more mandatory things like Straight Talk About Issues Related to Students (STAIRS), maybe an assembly to talk about teenage challenges,” said Palepu. By fostering more open communication through such programs, the new principal should work to relieve both academic and social stress among students.

Choosing a principal for any school requires an extensive review of the speci�ic needs of a school and deep understanding of the student dynamics within that school.

While Davidson has started in developing a more diverse program ranging from arts to sciences, the new principal should continue to build upon these efforts, placing equal emphasis on all areas of study.

JOEY LI—EPIC

Balancing the weight between speech and debate

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rom the dawn of time, powerful men and women have had the gift of words, enabling them to in�luence millions.

But today, the value of speech is at an alltime low. Many students at Lynbrook have acquired a stereotype against speech, assuming that it is less important than debate. Sorry to burst your bubble, my disdainful debaters, but speech is just as essential as debate in Lynbrook Speech and Debate (LSD). However, not only is participation in the speech side of LSD low, but speech also is not equally represented in the club’s leadership, hindering the improvement of the speech program altogether in LSD. Joining speech was life-changing for me. As the antisocial and uncon�ident little freshman that I was, how else would I have found a voice? Learning speech instilled in me a sense of con�idence and independence.

Speech events are more �lexible, and based on interpretation and imagination than debate. The stage is occupied by only you.

I tried both speech and debate, and while I learned a lot about how to “Villainize your opponent!” in debate, speech helped me �ind myself. Debate con�ined me to particular arguments and de�initions, but the total freedom to explore my creativity and ideas in speech helped me �igure out who I was. Another bonus: I found out that I was very good at presenting a speech about Chinese food for a topic on China’s economy and bewildering my already very confused judge.

In debate, the majority of the focus is on intellect and instinct: structuring and responding to arguments, picking up on your opponent’s small slip of the tongue and using it to your advantage. But due to my utter lack of talent in these technical aspects of debate, my opponents end up having to listen to a load of waf�le.

Speech, on the other hand, is where you �ind diversity, versatility and meaning. From Spontaneous speaking to Interpretive speaking, there is something new to learn in every event. It widens your horizons to a vast store of general knowledge. Feel free to claim boasting privileges (Not in an arrogant manner though. Be subtle, be cool). Speech and debate naturally complement each other; so why are they always at loggerheads in LSD? Politics. It’s the ruin of all good organizations. LSD does very well under current leadership, but there are still problems that need to be addressed. For the past several years, the administration has consisted largely or entirely of students who focus on debate. Fewer students are inclined to join speech because speech doesn’t have a strong voice in leadership. To be a “speech kid” is synonymous to taking yourself out of the running for a leadership position.

It is necessary to introduce more students with a speech background into the LSD leadership to establish speech to be as strong as debate is and to provide role models for other students to follow. LSD must encourage students to join with the knowledge that they will be given an equal chance to be represented in leadership, no matter which public speaking path they choose.

LSD has a very strong and capable debate team and a much smaller—but just as talented—speech team. Debate teaches students invaluable life lessons; but speech, which has as much to offer, goes unnoticed.

Let’s change the status quo. The average student speaks around 17,000 words a day. Why not channel some of this wonderful speaking skill into speech? Let’s be well-rounded (only in an academic respect; say no to fatty foods!) and obtain the best public experience possible. Let’s follow the footsteps of those who have moved millions and �ind our voice through speech.

Bright ideas from Intel semifinalists

BY RANI MAVRAM & VIK WAGHRAY

H

JOEY LI —EPIC

The research done in high school can also play a big role in college. Takahashi explained, “When I get to college and I want to do research, and I won’t be a beginner. In lab classes, I’ll be ahead of the curve.”

In addition to working in a college lab, semi�inalists got the opportunity to meet college students and experience what their life is like. The lab Khare worked in had undergraduates from Mexico and China.

“We talked about religion, politics, culture

and even spoke in Spanish,” she said. “Overall it was a unique experience for me to interact with people that could offer a new perspective. I think I even picked up some Chinese.”

Provided with the inspiration of previous Lynbrook alumni, each semi�inalist was determined to continue the Lynbrook legacy.

On Jan. 23, Takahashi was announced a �inalist and will be advancing to Washington, D.C. to compete with the 40 �inalists for the top positions in the competition.

GRAPHIC BY FEATURES SECTION

olding a box of dry ice from his lab in one hand and a pot of water in the other, senior Jack Takahashi decided to bring some “fun science” back to his house.

“I knew what would happen but as I dumped the dry ice into the bucket of water, it was cool to see how my whole backyard �illed with gas,” he said.

Seniors Johnny Ho, Eesha Khare, Jack Takahashi and Eric Xu were announced Intel Science Talent Search Semi�inalists on Jan. 9, bringing Lynbrook to a new level of achievement in math and science.

The semi�inalists each conducted individual research and wrote comprehensive scienti�ic research papers to enter the competition, which judges the candidates on overall scienti�ic potential and application materials.

Khare, Takahashi and Xu each contacted professors conducting research in areas that interested them and ended up working closely with their professors to develop their individual project ideas.

Takahashi’s project consisted of observing lung cells with pulmonary hypertension and determining the cause by looking at the proteins in the DNA. He worked at Stanford University and came upon his project by contacting the professor whom he worked at Stanford with during the fall of his junior year.

Meanwhile, Xu pursued his interests in material sciences, also at Stanford, by focusing on �inding a way to improve and �ind more crystal scintillators, which are materials that emit a visible light when they absorb radiation.

Khare’s passion for nanochemistry led her to a project about increasing the amount of energy available in supercapacitors or energy-storage devices. She conducted her research at UC Santa Cruz.

Like the others, Ho did most of his

work during the summer at a lab associated with the Harvard Medical School. Once he was accepted to a program called RSI, Ho was placed in the lab. He had applied to it in January of his junior year, and he was later assigned to a speci�ic professor.

Ho spent the summer reading papers and writing code to create algorithms to �ind the relationships between genes.

While he was doing his research, Ho kept �inding different ways to make algorithms.

He said, “By trying out different techniques, I mean that I would read a paper and look at what it had, and try to code it myself—basically, trying to �ind some existing projects that had similar things [to what I was doing] and looking at those and seeing how to use them.”

As a result, Ho had to resort to trial and error, and take note of what worked best.

In the end, Ho realized, “By the time it had ended, I had pretty much reached the threshold where I couldn’t go any further, because in computer science and math research, there’s a certain point where you can’t do any more, since you haven’t learned that much. I was pretty happy with my results then.”

The semi�inalists spent hours pouring over background literature, conducting experiments and writing and rewriting their research papers while balancing school work and activities at the same time. One week, Xu went to the lab every day after school until 8 p.m.

“It was quite stressful of course,” he said.

“But I kept working, knowing the end was in sight and that I was going to see the project through to the end.”

Their projects are also applicable to the real world. Ho said about his project’s applicability, “If a pharmaceutical company wants to determine the impact of a drug, then my project would allow them to model that impact mathematically. If the drug negatively impacts a certain gene, then they can see what gene it affects, and what other genes it also may affect.”

YUNQING CHEN//IN MY HUMBLE OPINION

My end of school bucket list

N

ow that you’ve successfully survived �irst semester, it’s time to celebrate.

But not all at once, you deserve better.

You’ve got all of second semester to properly appreciate the odious amounts of hard work you’ve given to �irst semester, and I’m here

to help. Here are just a few highlights to get your second semester bucket list going.

Take that special someone to Costco and dine on the �inest free samples in the land Nothing says, “You’re worth it” like the unforgettable Costco tour and a delectable meal hand picked by their employees.

There’s something uniquely serene and personal about having a date in the middle of a crowd. The perfect marriage of domestic shopping and the wild experience of navigating through a sea of people. What more could one ask for?

Check out a book from the Lynbrook library for leisure reading When was the last time you read for pleasure? The Lynbrook Library, though often the picture of research and littered with hard working students, offers plenty for enjoyment and relaxation as well. Take the time to

peruse the novels so the library isn’t only associated with required reading.

Spend a whole day speaking in quotes from movies Because colloquialism is only as interesting as you make it.

Marathon something you’ve been meaning to watch for a long time with friends Comfort food, shows that hit you right in the feels, and plenty of Kleenex. It’s the best plan for the best evening with the best people. Popular contenders are The Wire, Lost, the James Bond movies, American Horror Story, Suits, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, New Girl, and many more.

Have a pillow �ight in the bed section of Macy’s What’s that saying? “The whole bed section is your oyster.” It’s like �inding yourself in a Goldilocks situation except not at all be-

cause everything is just right. From the overabundance of pillows to the ridiculous variety of the mattresses, here is a land of excess taken straight out of a bed-phile’s fantasy. Explore to your heart’s content, the memories will be worth it.

Dress like your favorite celebrity Gaga’s meat dress? Check. Kanye’s leather skirt? Go for it. Pink wig and fake tan? More power to you. Channel your inner creative monster and let it de�ine you for a day.

Don’t worry, there’s plenty of room for more.

Part of the excitement is checking off as many things as you can. From the outright strange to the incredibly fun, make your high school bucket list something to remember.

You’re welcome, Yunqing Chen

Handmade by Harriet Sophomore Harriet Cassell gives us the inside scoop on the inspiration behind her pendants and how a necklacemaking hobby became a business .

JOEY LI—EPIC

BY FRINA REDOLOZA

A

n angel statue snarls unceasingly with daggered fangs and vacant ashtinted eyes, dangling from a neck on a bronze chain. The weeping angel head, inspired by an alien monster in BBC’s television program Doctor Who, is just one of the many pendants sophomore Harriet Cassell makes for friends and strangers alike.

“I have a few pieces of work that she’s given me for my birthday. I don’t understand how she does it. The sculptures and jewelry she makes are simply stunning,” said sophomore Rebecca Wendler, one of Cassell’s friends.

Starting from a young age, Cassell has been working with polymer clay, a special type of modeling clay, to make pendants. As a child, her parents would keep a bucket of polymer clay for her to play with and fashion into a variety of molds.

“I started making 3D things when I was around 10 years old,” said Cassell. “Apparently, I started using polymer clay for the sole reason of making necklaces. I recall only making these kinds of pendants so I could have something medieval-looking and cool to wear at the Renaissance Fair.”

Her pendants can be seen around school in the form of necklaces and key chains.

BY LAUREN TAI

B

efore its wide release, Zero Dark Thirty generated both quarrel among the political world and praise through a nomination for Best Picture of 2012. The dual nature of the �ilm left audience members wondering what exactly the movie is about.

Zero Dark Thirty is essentially a dramatization of the American government’s efforts to kill Osama bin Laden, unfolding from 9/11 to May 1, 2011, the day of his assassination. The story follows a strong female protagonist who locates bin Laden’s hideout and urges the CIA to take action.

The �ilm pays tribute to the lives lost in the arduous assassination process and marks the many important historical incidences during this period. It successfully remains objective throughout, never using any over-the-top methods to glorify America’s achievement or portray other races in a negative light.

This realistic aspect is also where the main controversy ties in. Because it is so easy for people to believe the �ilm’s content, critics argue it could be seen as “brainwashing” the audience on behalf of the government. The movie is introduced with the statement: “Based on �irst-hand

Generally, Cassell gives away her pendants in festive miniature pouches to friends for celebrations or birthday gifts, but she sometimes hands them out randomly purely for enjoyment of the receiver’s satisfaction.

Cassell’s inspiration mainly comes from ancient Egypt, the Renaissance, nature and her favorite TV shows like Avatar and Doctor Who. She also creates pendants from her imagination that are purely abstract. Cassell also enjoys forming pendants in the shape of domes with designs in acrylic paint, a fastdrying paint often used in art. The other tyep of pendant she regularly makes is a mold of a variation of faces, the technique of which she is in the process of improving.

“The newest project I’ve been working on is creating anatomically correct, realistic faces. As I usually work to mimic animated characters, I’m �irst practicing by sketching likenesses of real-life people and scouring the Internet and books for techniques. I �ind all the facial nuances fascinating, so I’m excited to work more on that,” said Cassell.

Cassell has recently decided to sell her pieces, rather than giving them away for free. Prior to her decision, Cassell was hesitant since creating the pendants takes great patience, time and focus on quality. After an incident with a vendor from last year’s Lynaccounts of actual events,” leaving the audience unsure what to believe. Aside from the fact that the true identities of those involved were replaced with �ictional names, the means of their mission were kept as true as possible. Writers spent many years compiling information.

Since this movie contained scenes of torture, politicians are afraid audience members will walk out of the movie thinking that torture is an effective way of retrieving information. This raises the question of whether or not �ilmmakers should be responsible for what people take away from the movie.

Filmmakers shouldn’t be entirely responsible, as what people walk away from movies with should be at their own discretion. However, they should be responsible for the context in�luential scenes may be in. For example, many action movies show guns and violence as heroic and effective methods of defeating the bad guys. What’s important is that these types of movies are meant to entertain and provide stimuli for the audience, not necessarily convey real-life situations.

In the case of Zero Dark Thirty, �ilmmakers were trying to convey factual information. The movie appropriately dealt with the scenes of torture, as the scenes did relate to the overall story line and had the purpose of establishing the mood that it isn’t something people wanted to do in the �irst place. The topic was presented in a manner of seriousness. Additionally, since torture did happen in real life, not addressing this issue would’ve done real events injustice.

I laud the �ilm’s effort to remind and enlighten the audience of just how large the magnitude of bin Laden’s assassination was. It presents a unique angle that is de�initely worthwhile for everyone to see.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION JOEY GRAPHIC BYBY JOEY LI LI

brook Holiday Craft Faire, Harriet started to consider the prospect of starting a business.

“This vendor from a crystal shop asked if she could see the necklace I was wearing more closely. Then she asked if I considered selling it. I was extremely confused but said sure because I thought she was talking about necklaces in general. Then she offered me $15. In the end I asked for $10 because I felt like I ripped her off because I used a paperclip and other shoddy materials to make it. It wasn’t my idea of quality so I couldn’t ask a lot of money for it,” said Cassell, recounting the experience.

Instead of making the same piece repeatedly from scratch, she plans to mass-produce by creating molds of her original pieces, since it would take far less time than individually recreating heavily detailed pendants.

“The �irst thing I would do would be to make molds of them. When I sell the pendants online, the buyers will get the closest possible likeness to the picture they see, if not the original piece,” said Cassell.

Cassell is receiving a lot of support from those who have witnessed her skill in pendant-making. When Cassell’s Doctor Who related pendants were shared in a popular Facebook site, “Doctor Who and the Tardis” by Craig Hurle, they got a lot of atten-

tion. Cassell regrets not taking advantage of the situation, since she could have started raising money earlier by selling her works.

“If I had been able to post a link to an online store at the time, I think I would have been able to raise funds to replenish a bunch of my cheaper materials,” said Cassell.

“I’m getting more comfortable with selling items because I want to get more supplies and learn about different mediums. Various materials cost a lot of money so some of my ideas have been on standby for a while.”

Cassell’s friends are supportive of her work and are excited for her future business.

“I think it’s great that she’s going to start selling her artwork,” said sophomore Makenzie Larsen, one of Cassell’s friends. “It’s amazing and there’s no reason people wouldn’t buy it!”

Cassell is hopeful to see more happy costumers, whether they pay for their jewelry or not. The joy she gets out of creating her work comes not only from the process ofmaking it, but also from the happiness she is able to witness from giving heartfelt gifts.

“Enjoyment comes from making something to give for others to enjoy. I don’t just create and give, I want quality,” said Cassell.

For steps on how to make a necklace, visit lhsepic.com

High school relationships rarely end i M

yth: High school relationships don’t last “Have you ever considered cutting sheet metal?” asked the then 17-yearold Paul Brunmeier in 1979.

Valerie Brunmeier, mother of senior Adam Brunmeier, was talking to her friends about summer jobs when she heard the question from across the room. At the time, she was 16.

“I thought this was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard,” she said.

And 33 years later, for their 28th wedding anniversary, he presented her with a card made of sheet metal.

It doesn’t happen often, but when a high school relationship lasts, the couple has encountered nearly every obstacle there is— including overcoming prejudices about how adolescent romances don’t last, how they aren’t mature enough and how relationships shouldn’t be a priority at our age.

There are always other priorities: family, school, sports,

Q. What is the sweetest thing Aaron has ever done for you?

A. “On Valentine’s day, we went to where we had our first date. He took out a folder, and it turns out he named a star after me—like in A Walk to Remember.”

BY SHANNON CHAI, IREN clubs. This, coupled with the track record for high school relationships—lasting one to two years on average, according to a 2002 study by Gary Creasey, psychology professor at the University of Illinois—make high school relationships seem trivial.

“Don’t fall in love with the idea of love” This falls under the anxious category of the attachment theory, which divides attachment into three categories: anxious, secure and avoidant.

Anxious adolescents want to seek mature experiences since they are eager to become adults, according to Brett Laursen and W. Andrew Collins, editors of Relationship Pathways: From Adolescence to Young Adulthood.

A relationship “represents the consummate mark of adulthood,” proving their maturity.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, those from the avoidance category dismiss high school relationships—or is it the idea of being in high school relationships?

What both camps of the attachment theory fail to see is this: the learning experience gained from high school relationships.

“Relationships are about learning how the good and bad emotions directly apply to our decisions,” said Psychotherapist Kathleen Farrell from David Klow & Associates.

“High school relationships are a safe place to practice those social skills.”

Senior Paul Kim’s �irst two relationships were “just a crush, no serious feelings” and “more of learning process.” Yet, he was grateful to have had these encounters early on— they taught him to think about relationships more seriously. When he met sophomore Sally Kim from Cupertino High School, he learned to look beyond the physical appearance and to adopt her maturity.

“It’s the fact that you have someone you care for,” he said. “You want the best things for her in life, and it makes you more sel�less.”

How it begins For Valerie Brunmeier, the relationship began when she realized that she shared the same goals with Paul Brunmeier. Both valued family and worked to build a life around family. For Thanksgiving, Paul Brunmeier would eat dinner once with his own family and again with Valerie Brunmeier’s. As a young couple, they had to persuade landlords and creditors of their reliability. They married in 1984, and four boys followed. Today, they own Barron Park Supply and will see their fourth son graduate from Lynbrook this year.

“Sharing common goals and values is the most important aspect in a long-lasting relationship,” Valerie Brunmeier said. “This is what gets you through the hard times.”

But high school is when students are still looking for their goals and values.

“Maturity is about knowing your boundaries and how to share those boundaries,” Farrell said. “The more you know about yourself, goals and personality, the more you know what a good partner is and isn’t for you.”

The four stages Relationships are divided into four stages: infatuation, casual dating, stable relationships and committed relationships. During the �irst two stages, con�licts in the relationship are focused more on the actual viability of the relationship and how well partners know each other.

For instance, Paul Kim and Sally Kim were enjoying their “honeymoon period,” until Sally Kim, a class of�icer, had to spend more time working on Cupertino High School’s Homecoming. Both noticed how their “honeymoon period,” or infatuation stage, ended at that point.

“It made me a little sad—before, it was lovey-dovey. Then it died down to a few words,” Paul Kim said about their texts. “It meant we were more comfortable with each other. We didn’t have to try as much because we knew each others’ feelings.”

If couples work through these stages, the con�licts have little long-term impact and can result in positive feelings, according to Wyndol Furman, psychology professor at the University of Denver, and Lauren Shomaker, human development assistant professor at Colorado State University, in a 2008 paper on adolescent relationships. Indeed, the eight couples we interviewed described their past con�licts as petty, “over stupid things.” Most couldn’t even recall speci�ic instances of con�licts in these stages.

In the later stages, relationships are focused on resolving closeness and individuality. Farrell said what ultimately makes any relationship work is having “a good sense of ‘togetherness’ and ‘separateness.’” Space, she said, is important in renewing the freshness of the relationship.

“You need to do things for yourself, on your own,” she said. “If you get to the point in your relationship where you’re sacri-

Q. What was your first impression of Alex?

A. “He chatted me every day. He would never say hi, and would ask for the homework, even though I knew he knew the homework—he’s Alex.”

Q. What is the sweetest thing you’ve for Sally?

A. “I baked her some cupcakes. I never bake.”

High school relationships rarely end in tying the knot, so what’s the point?

M

yth: High school relationships don’t last “Have you ever considered cutting sheet metal?” asked the then 17-yearold Paul Brunmeier in 1979.

Valerie Brunmeier, mother of senior Adam Brunmeier, was talking to her friends about summer jobs when she heard the question from across the room. At the time, she was 16.

“I thought this was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard,” she said.

And 33 years later, for their 28th wedding anniversary, he presented her with a card made of sheet metal.

It doesn’t happen often, but when a high school relationship lasts, the couple has encountered nearly every obstacle there is— including overcoming prejudices about how adolescent romances don’t last, how they aren’t mature enough and how relationships shouldn’t be a priority at our age.

There are always other priorities: family, school,

BY SHANNON CHAI, IRENE HSU & SABRINA SHIE sports, clubs. This, coupled with the track record for high school relationships—lasting one to two years on average, according to a 2002 study by Gary Creasey, psychology professor at the University of Illinois—make high school relationships seem trivial.

“Don’t fall in love with the idea of love” This falls under the anxious category of the attachment theory, which divides attachment into three categories: anxious, secure and avoidant.

Anxious adolescents want to seek mature experiences since they are eager to become adults, according to Brett Laursen and W. Andrew Collins, editors of Relationship Pathways: From Adolescence to Young Adulthood.

A relationship “represents the consummate mark of adulthood,” proving their maturity.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, those from the avoidance category dismiss high school relationships—or is it the idea of being in high school relationships?

What both camps of the attachment theory fail to see is this: the learning experience gained from high school relationships.

“Relationships are about learning how the good and bad emotions directly apply to our decisions,” said Psychotherapist Kathleen Farrell from David Klow & Associates.

“High school relationships are a safe place to practice those social skills.”

Senior Paul Kim’s first two relationships were “just a crush, no serious feelings” and “more of learning process.” Yet, he was grateful to have had these encounters early on— they taught him to think about relationships more seriously. When he met sophomore Sally Kim from Cupertino High School, he learned to look beyond the physical appearance and to adopt her maturity.

“It’s the fact that you have someone you care for,” he said. “You want the best things for her in life, and it makes you more selfless.”

How it begins For Valerie Brunmeier, the relationship began when she realized that she shared the same goals with Paul Brunmeier. Both valued family and worked to build a life around family. For Thanksgiving, Paul Brunmeier would eat dinner once with his own family and again with Valerie Brunmeier’s. As a young couple, they had to persuade landlords and creditors of their reliability. They married in 1984, and four boys followed. Today, they own Barron Park Supply and will see their fourth son graduate from Lynbrook this year.

“Sharing common goals and values is the most important aspect in a long-lasting relationship,” Valerie Brunmeier said. “This is what gets you through the hard times.”

But high school is when students are still looking for their goals and values.

“Maturity is about knowing your boundaries and how to share those boundaries,” Farrell said. “The more you know about yourself, goals and personality, the more you know what a good partner is and isn’t for you.”

The four stages Relationships are divided into four stages: infatuation, casual dating, stable relationships and committed relationships. During the first two stages, conflicts in the relationship are focused more on the actual viability of the relationship and how well partners know each other.

For instance, Paul Kim and Sally Kim were enjoying their “honeymoon period,” until Sally Kim, a class officer, had to spend more time working on Cupertino High School’s Homecoming. Both noticed how their “honeymoon period,” or infatuation stage, ended at that point.

“It made me a little sad—before, it was lovey-dovey. Then it died down to a few words,” Paul Kim said about their texts. “It meant we were more comfortable with each other. We didn’t have to try as much because we knew each others’ feelings.”

If couples work through these stages, the conflicts have little long-term impact and can result in positive feelings, according to Wyndol Furman, psychology professor at the University of Denver, and Lauren Shomaker, human development assistant professor at Colorado State University, in a 2008 paper on adolescent relationships. Indeed, the eight couples we interviewed described their past conflicts as petty, “over stupid things.” Most couldn’t even recall specific instances of conflicts in these stages.

In the later stages, relationships are focused on resolving closeness and individuality. Farrell said what ultimately makes any relationship work is having “a good sense of ‘togetherness’ and ‘separateness.’” Space, she said, is important in renewing the freshness of the relationship.

“You need to do things for yourself, on your own,” she said. “If you get to the point in your relationship where you’re sacri-

ficing everything for the other person, it can even lead to resentment.”

Leaving space Senior Natalie Popescu and her boyfriend of over a year, University of Southern California freshman Aaron Lim, have always maintained a balance of personal space. Especially when their relationship began to interfere with schoolwork, they took breaks lasting up to two weeks. Distance due to schools also helped the balance.

“I’m actually a little thankful for that because I wonder if we would’ve gotten sick of each other really quick,” Popescu said.

Farrell said that this separateness helps in maintaining the excitement in a relationship.

Though the point of relationships is to know one’s partner well, the familiarity “can get boring.” A sense of space maintains the excitement in a relationship is what keeps the relationship going.

For seniors Alex Lin and Michelle Shieh, space came from a three-month hiatus in December 2010. Even during this hiatus, Shieh continued to ask for Lin’s advice and find comfort in his support. Meanwhile, Lin never lost hope in the relationship.

“You have to live with the absence of someone who has been supporting you, and you lose that comfort and understanding,” Shieh said. “I realized I just don’t feel that kind of happiness without Alex.”

In February, they agreed to resume the relationship.

The sacrifice of “together” “In high school, everything moves really fast,” Lin said. “But for us, since it started in middle school, our relationship developed more slowly. In high school relationships, you

start thinking too much—about college, about distance relationships.”

Shieh and Lin said that their relationship had been grounded in “a naïve, ‘love-lastsforever’ mentality.” They had been together for so long that the mentality lost its naivety and took on a reality of its own. Resuming the relationship with Lin and absolving her own guilt was a major step in her commitment.

“There’s something about relationships that’s sacrificial,” Shieh said. “You give up part of your pain, or time, or effort. There’s some emotional and mental sacrifice you can only learn going through a relationship.”

Senior Eileen Chien and Lynbrook Class of 2011 alumnus and Santa Clara University sophomore Jonathan Chang sacrificed family relations. While they never doubted their devotion to one another, they repeatedly met disapproval from Chien’s parents “They’re very traditional,” Chien said.

“They grew up in a different culture.”

The first two years were cycles of hiding the relationship, getting caught and fighting parents. Chien’s parents felt as though she chose Chang over them. Her mother put up an inscription: “Family is a gift that lasts forever.” Her parents continually lost trust in her. She continually pushed for acceptance.

The consequences were disastrous.

“When you’re up fighting with your parents until 3 a.m., you don’t do so well,” she said. “It’s draining to have to go through that again and again.”

By the end of summer 2012, the frustrations were building up. Both were tired of hiding the relationship and of the seemingly

hopeless situation. But breaking up didn’t help either—they continued to talk every day. A month later, both admitted that they could still see themselves in each other’s futures. Since then, they’ve been mending relations with Chien’s parents. It isn’t easy, but now, the obstacles remind them of the strength of their relationship.

“We’re not saying we’re going to get married, but we want this to work out,” Chien said. “He’s really important to me, but my family is also really important to me—they clash a lot.”

Seniors Jia Gao and Alex Lee’s “togetherness” comes from something more unique.

They said that they “weren’t really on the romantic side.”

“It’s just not in our personalities to be mushy,” Gao said. But they feel that the platonic aspect of their relationship is, ironically, what made has kept them together.

“Instead of expecting things from each other, we have higher expectations from ourselves so we can benefit each other,” Lee said.

They’ve integrated their time—there is no hierarchy of priorities. They hang out while washing Gao’s dog, finishing homework and practicing for volleyball.

“I don’t have to separate parts of my day,” Lee

said. “We combine our hang out times with very ordinary things, and the fact that we can do it together makes it more fun.”

Myth: High school relationships don’t last Summer 1983: Paul Brunmeier, 22, was hit by a car. And at the moment of impact, just as the car hit, so did a realization.

November 1983: Valerie Brunmeier’s 21st birthday. Paul Brunmeier took her out to dinner. They placed their orders and the waiter arrived with a small plate.

On the plate was a box. And in the box was a ring.

Fact: But—with a little bit of luck—sometimes they can.

For the full version of this story, please visit lhsepic.com

Q. What was Paul’s first gift to you?

Q. What is the sweetest thing Aaron has ever done for you?

A. “On Valentine’s day, we went to where we had our first date. He took out a folder, and it turns out he named a star after me—like in A Walk to Remember.”

Q. What was your first impression of Michelle?

Q. What was your first impression of Alex?

A. “He chatted me every day. He would never say hi, and would ask for the homework, even though I knew he knew the homework—he’s Alex.”

Q. What is the sweetest thing you’ve done for Sally?

A. “I baked her some cupcakes. I never bake.”

Q. What is the sweetest thing you’ve done for Jon? A. “I wrapped Starcraft in a popcorn box and another box. He was so confused. And then his face lit up.”

A. “During sixth grade, I always saw her running around everywhere and on the basketball courts.

She was always wearing a yellow sweater. Always really bubbly.”

A. “When I raised the shade on my bedroom window that morning [of my 17th birthday], I saw a single rose with a small ring around the stem taped to the outside of my window. He had come by in the middle of the night and left it there.”

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JESSICA CAO, SHANNON CHAI, & LAUREN TAI

Life of the standard white chocolate is not so sweet

I PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOEY LI

Branded by discrimination

In a reversal of roles, Caucasian students are the targets of racism

BY KATHY JANG

A

t the beginning of her freshman year, junior Barbara Jackson transferred to Lynbrook with little idea of what to expect. Her �irst impression wasn’t entirely positive. Jackson is three-quarters European and a quarter Mexican, qualifying her as a member of Lynbrook’s minority culture.

Lynbrook’s Asian Americans represent about 81 percent of the school while Caucasians make up less than 15 percent. California, one of the more diverse states in the U.S., contains 40 percent whites compared to 13 percent Asians, with the majority ruled by Hispanics, according to the 2010 U.S. Census.

In this highly Asian community, Caucasians are often victims of racial prejudice, ranging from casual remarks to more candid confrontations about stereotypical white behavior. Direct, vocal instances of racism, according to Jackson, are in fact less common.

“Most of the racism I get is more of an unspoken thing, “Jackson said, “It’s a feeling I get that others think, ‘You’re less than me because you’re white.’ In class, for example, sometimes my tablemates ask of everyone’s opinion except for mine.”

Many Asians don’t consider it very offensive when propagating white stereotypes.

Freshman Kenny Yuan attributes the racism at Lynbrook to lack of understanding.

“There are so many Asians here that stereotypes aimed at non-Asians simply become a widely accepted norm. I think it’s just because Asians aren’t the target of racism, so we don’t understand the harmful effects.”

The better-known racial situation where Asians are the victims can come as a shock to those raised in the Bay Area. Yuan’s sister, a seventh grader from Miller, attended a choir trip to Washington, D.C. last week.

There, she and her choir group were on the receiving end of dirty looks from the black and white citizens who are the majority of Washington, D.C. The experience with racism was unsettling; however, Yuan said, “As

the minority, they just had to ‘deal with it.’”

In Jackson’s freshman year someone made a derogatory remark about her being stupid. Her friend said, “Of course they’d say that—you’re white.” Freshman year was a battle for Jackson. The taunts led to selfconsciousness, and she began to wonder if what was being said about her was true.

Junior Kelly Masterson, too, began to doubt herself at times. “Once you start hearing it from friends, family, and strangers it becomes truth in your head,” she said. As an active drama student, Masterson would sometimes be intimidated by the thought of auditioning for a role if the majority of her competitors were visibly different from her.

Though she has now stopped because of its sickening smell, Masterson began using

tanning lotion in middle school due to classmates’ responses to her white skin. “I did it partly to escape insult when people would compare skin tones to see who’s darker,” she said, “It made being white an insult.”

This victimization of whites, intentional or not, hasn’t passed without consequence.

Jackson said that during the beginning of freshman year, she may have developed a negative perception of Asians, due to their over-competitiveness and treatment of her.

“At �irst I was really upset about this rigorous competitive mentality,“ she said. “But then I saw another side of Asian people—a lot of these people don’t want it, and they’re

actually pressured into it by their parents.”

With this newfound understanding of culture, Jackson gradually grew to ignore racist remarks, hone her con�idence and gain a greater understanding of stereotypes.

Although she has grown to deal with stereotyping maturely, the sting of the spoken and unspoken never completely dissipates.

“It does affect me, but I’m my own person and that’s what matters,” Jackson said about racist comments. “Also, I don’t think other people realize when they’re being offensive.

They just think that’s the way it is, which is why it’s so important to be exposed to as many cultures as possible.” The origin of the stereotypes remains obscure, but students have their own theories.

“Creating stereotypes helps [people] feel more secure about their own �laws. People seem to seek ‘revenge’ when they are judged,” said sophomore Ben Liang.

Yuan, on the other hand, disagrees. “We aren’t hateful, racist people, really. It does not seem like vengeful racism simply because it doesn’t seem intentionally hurtful.”

Having a larger concentration of AsianAmericans compared to that of whites provides the ideal setting for ignorant behavior.

The diluted white population causes a seemingly higher ratio of white people who partake in “bad” behavior to those who do not.

“We see one white student get a C on a science test once or twice, and think all are like that, even though there are Asians who do too. Since there are so few white people at Lynbrook, it is easy to associate stereotypes with all white people,” said Yuan.

Where the prevalence of Asians helped Caucasians like Jackson and Masterson, it also exacerbates racism toward Asians for some. Jackson remembers a football game in which a Caucasian male from Monta Vista complained adamantly about Cupertino’s dense Asian population.

“It made me sad,” she said. “He’s probably experienced racism before, and hasn’t been able to �ind a way around it.”

t seems like in every history class I’ve ever been in we’ve discussed racism.

There’s conversation of how the white people did (and do) this and that, and how since they’re the majority, they’re the racists. Well, I’ve found myself often on the opposite side of that assumption. Around here, white people aren’t the majority.

Here, we’re the minority in the same way that Asians would be anywhere else in the country. And even though racism against white people isn’t something that’s talked about, it’s something that I see everyday, �irsthand. Here are some of the off-hand, racist comments that I get all the time: “You don’t have to work hard, because your white parents don’t care.”

I don’t have an Asian mother. However, my mother can be “Asian” in all the same ways that you use that word to describe yours.

She does pester me about studying for the SAT, and she sure as hell does care that I get good grades. There are no free passes involved in being a white kid; I have to work just as hard as the rest of you. So the disillusioned idea that for some reason being a white girl means that I spend all my time shopping, going to parties and slacking off in school is more than a little misconstrued.

The idea that any kid at Lynbrook wouldn’t be feeling the pressure seems foreign to me, so despite racial differences, we’re all stressed out, white kids and Asians alike.

“You’re stupid.” I can’t count how many times I’ve been in class, gotten a B on something and had all the surrounding Asians chuckle and say, “Why do you care anyway?

You’re white,” as if I’ve reached my full potential with a measly B. Just because I’m white does not mean that I’m stupid. I’m as okay with doing poorly in school as China would be with their Great Wall falling down.

Despite constant assumptions, failing is not A-OK with me. Like the rest of you, I’ve even had my freakout moments over (dare I say it?) a B. I have standards too, I set goals. I work my ass off. Don’t assume that I don’t care because I’m white, and don’t assume that I’m not smart. It’ll hurt you in the end when I wow you with my genius.

“You’re so white.” I get this one at least once a week. I guess I’m a pretty pale white kid, but generally, people aren’t referencing my skin tone. They’re referencing my musical taste, the meals I eat and other stereotypical things I do. Yes, I may have PB&J for lunch and listen to country music, but I’m not a hillbilly who trades out her cowboy boots for her camou�lage crocs. I’m sure that everyone occasionally goes to the mall and eats burgers. I don’t say, “Oh, you’re so Japanese!” when I see you eating sushi.

So why say, “Ha! What a whitey!” when I chow down on some spaghetti? I don’t do it ‘cause I’m white, I do it ‘cause it’s delicious.

So cut it out guys. Enough with the “who cares/I’m just joking” racism. It’s tough being the minority when people are always taking digs at your race. They justify it saying it’s okay if everyone else is racist, but alternatively, we could all just stop. Stop picking on the Asian kids that don’t have a 4.0, and stop telling the white kids that it’s okay to be stupid. We as individuals are in charge of breaking stereotypes—stop trying to push us into our molds.

Opening the door to suspension

BY NIKITA DHESIKAN & SHOUVIK MANI

A

ccording to the district’s zero tolerance policy, nine types of behavior can get a student suspended. While these behaviors, ranging from robbery to hate violence, may not be in the minds of most students, the resulting consequence of a suspension is a reality for students like senior Denis Nakelchik, who was suspended last semester.

At Lynbrook, suspensions are not a common occurrence. In last year’s fall semester, 21 students were suspended. Statewide, the suspension rate was around 11.4 percent for the 2010 to 2011 school year according to the California Department of Education. If Lynbrook were to be on par with the state average, there would be around 200 students suspended each year.

According to Assistant Principal Sydney Marsh, suspensions usually last between one to �ive days depending on the severity of the offense.

Five-day suspensions are fairly rare at Lynbrook, and usually mean the student is being put up for expulsion.

Nakelchik, who received a three-day suspension and two counts of misdemeanors, has been suspended twice before. He claims that the most recent suspension was an accident. In addition to his suspension, Nakelchik faces legal action and must arrive in court on an upcoming date.

“My life kind of changed after that point. My car got taken away.

And it has also affected my grades. Things just got really bad from there,” said Nakelchik, re�lecting back on his suspension.

Sophomore Gabriella Thompson* was suspended for possession of alcohol during last year’s Welcome Back Dance. After being sent to the of�ice in the �irst half of the dance, she was told that she would be suspended for two days.

Thompson said, “I wasn’t scared; I was more like, ‘Whatever.’ I had already been caught and at that point, I couldn’t really do anything about it. I was mostly worried about my parents’ reactions and if there would be anything permanent on my record.”

Suspensions are typically only kept on the school record for the purpose of statewide data collection. While UCs and CSUs do not view the suspensions on a student’s high school record, many private colleges do. The School Report section of the Common Application allows guidance counselors to alert colleges about a student’s disciplinary violations.

During their suspensions, Thompson and Nakelchik did nothing out of the ordinary. Thompson went out for some time and studied for the rest of the day.

“I did not gain or learn anything from my suspension. It was a free day. I didn’t exactly do things that I enjoyed; I just chilled,” said Thompson.

While Nakelchik spent most of his day playing video games and doing homework, he also re�lected on the experience and treated the suspension as an opportunity for self-discovery.

“To be honest, it affects my future because it has helped me become smarter. In a sense, it taught me to think before I act,” said Nakelchik. “You get an opportunity to think back on the situation. You get time to re�lect, and really think about where things are going.”

As per state law, the decision of whether to offer credit for the day’s work is completely up each individual teacher. Spanish teacher Michael Esquivel allows students to receive credit for work done on days that students miss because of suspensions. “I let students get credit.

The suspension is already their punishment. Not giving student credit is almost like doublepunishment,” said Esquivel.

On the other hand, AP Language and Composition teacher Rick Hanford said, “I probably wouldn’t give credit for the work that students missed, but suspensions happen so infrequently that I can’t think of when I have had to deal with it.”

Meanwhile, Nakelchik believes the suspension was detrimental to his academic performance. Moreover, because he was suspended during the basketball season, he was not allowed to play on the varsity basketball team.

“I couldn’t make up a lot of things that I missed during my suspension. So my grades went down substantially,” said Nakelchik.

“But it all depends on your attitude with the teachers. If you show that you want to get better, they will give you the chance.”

To avoid administering suspensions for minor infractions, Marsh has implemented creative alternatives such as a Tardy Club and in-house suspensions. The Tardy Club allows Marsh to meet up with students who are frequently tardy and enforce positive behavioral traits such as timeliness. Additionally, inhouse suspensions are teacher-enforced and held at school, which means that students do not have the freedom that they would in an out-of-school suspension at home.

Another common alternative to suspensions is the use of detention; however, Marsh does not believe that it is a valuable use of school resources. In addition, students say detentions are not always effective as students often become rowdy and do not get anything productive done.

Although suspensions can be seen as counterintuitive, as students are given a day off for transgressing school policy, Nakelchik believes that overall, suspensions can be effective.

“Suspensions are �ine the way they are. If people are going to do bad things, there should always be consequences,” said Nakelchik.

Marsh shares a similar view. She said, “I don’t know if it’s always the best policy, but it’s one of the only forms of disciplinary action that is made available to us by the state. I hope it provides the student some time to re�lect, but that is not something we can enforce. Being at school is both a privilege as well as a right, but it’s up to the student to value it.”

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY JANE JUN AND JOEY LI

*Name has been changed

Discovering a personal path of belief

BY LAUREN TAI & KASTURI PANTVAIDYA

R

eligion can play a signi�icant role in forming one’s personal values. This is especially true when it is shared as a family experience rather than simply one individual’s practice,” says Reverend Patrick Jackson, a priest in the Eastern Orthodox Church. But what happens when students start to doubt the very beliefs they have grown up with?

Senior Aaron Yuan broke away from his Christian beliefs around seventh grade, when he learned about evolution. It was his �irst year at a public school after spending kindergarten to sixth grade at a private Christian elementary school.

He recalls the transition from private to public school as “pretty disorienting,” as he was suddenly introduced to different ideas and dogmas. “I didn’t know how to respond to these notions,” Yuan said, “I knew I believed in God and Jesus Christ but my faith started growing more nebulous as I was exposed to more ideas.”

Evolution forced him to confront choices. “I had to choose whether I would continue believing my parents and thechurch, or the books and factual evidence,” he said, “I decided to choose the facts. I was in a constant battle between rational thinking and spirituality.”

According to a 2009 Pew Research Center poll, 44 percent of the U.S. adult population do not belong to their childhood faith. “Teens are in a process of selfdiscovery. They are learning

to form opinions about all aspects of life. Religion must also be a part of this formation,” said Jackson, “For every teen raised in a religious family, there will come a time when they must choose that religion for themselves.”

Yuan is now a self-declared atheist, having told his family formally this past November. His decision was fueled by his continuous question of: “Do I need to go to church to be a Christian?” As his interest in the sciences grew, he realized he did not have to stick so rigidly to the traditional teachings, that “beliefs aren’t justi�ications for anything, they should only apply to the believer.” As an atheist, Yuan feels more in control of his own identity. Though his parents accept his atheism, they believe that he will ultimately return to God. Junior John An has a different story. An grew up in a Christian family that placed emphasis on God. At �irst, he did not know if God existed but recalls, however, having his prayers answered as support to believe in God. His most signi�icant experience occurred at a young age.

“I moved to California in fourth grade and was worried I couldn’t �it in,” An said, “I prayed to God to help me improve my English and within a year, I advanced into the regular grade I was supposed to be in from the ELD program.”

He attributes the change to God’s guidance. Though sometimes his faith wavers if his prayers aren’t answered, he feels that God doesn’t put people in situations they can’t handle.

An sees his religion as a vital part of his identity. “Christianity has taught me to count my blessings, rather than to dwell on the negative things in my life,” An said.

To sophomore Numair Baseer, religion is seen as more of a communal experience. His parents took him to the mosque, where found the Sheikhs very accepting. He attended classes and lectures, however began practicing less around ninth grade, wondering, “People who don’t believe seem to be doing �ine, so why should I?” Though he strayed from his religion, he reverted back. He realized that whenever he encountered obstacles, his entire community was there to help him through it. He now teaches at Sunday school.

“Questioning one’s religious beliefs is a normal part of growing up,” Jackson said, “In the process, individuals may deviate from that religion. Still others, will �ind a great deal that is meaningful to them. They will hold on to those things and strengthen those beliefs.”

Cutting the strings of parent puppetry

BY EESHA KHARE & PRIYA RAVURU

I

n order to ful�ill his parents’ wishes, Lynbrook alumni Brian Qin from the Class of 2008 graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in biochemistry and molecular biology; but could not see himself pursuing a career in science any further. Four years since his parents’ initial decision, Qin has decided to do something he has always wanted to do—apply to art school.

Qin has always been passionate about art, but during his senior year, his parents told him they would only pay for his tuition if he went into the sciences. They refused to support him if he chose a career in art. They believed that the arts and humanities could not provide a secure job.

“Even after getting a degree, I couldn’t ignore my desire to go to art college,” Qin said. “My experience in college science tige classes further helped me realize that and comthe coursework and materials were not fort of living. something I wished to do in the future.”

Many students Qin felt some initial animosity can understand towards his parents for forcing why their parents would want him into a career he had them to pursue a career that would no interest in pursing. ensure their �inancial stability in the fuWhile Qin felt slightly ture. But too much parental pressure often bitter for two to three results in a strained relationship and lack of unmonths, he eventually derstanding between parents and teenagers. realized that he could see At one point, sophomore Sonia Raghuram resented her himself pursuing a scimom for forcing her to pursue a certain career path. Raence career if needed. ghuram wanted to study medicine, but her parents pushed her He could also transtowards the engineering �ield and forced her to accept comfer to art school if he puter science internships as opposed to medical ones. Her wanted to in the fuparents considered engineering to be a safer option because ture. This understandmedical schools generally have lower acceptance rates, but ing allowed him to accept Raghuram was unhappy about studying a subject she was his parents’ decision. not passionate about.

“In retrospect, I feel After many bitter disagreements, she began to underlike there was a point I stand her parents’ concern and found a middle ground— realized that my future is bioengineering. Her parents saw that she had a well-retotally up to me, but from searched career plan and believed it was more practical. the parents’ point of For Raghuram, this con�lict resolution not only played an view, I understand why important role in her pursuit of her dreams, but also helped they push their kids— to ameliorate her relationship with her mom. they feel like they’ve “I can’t think of what I would do in the future if she hadn’t turned done their jobs if they around and started supporting my decision,” she said. can guarantee their kids’ Similarly, junior Eric Wu strongly values his relationship with his �inancial security in the fumother, who was unable to study medicine in China and wants him to do ture,” he said. what she couldn’t. As a result, Wu abandoned his initial desire to pursue This time around, Qin’s parlaw. ents have put up less of a resis“I’ve come to terms with the fact that I am going to have to be the one to tance to his passion for the arts, do that in order to not put that responsibility on my sister and give her that knowing that he has a science defreedom,” he said. gree to fall back on as a backup.

Although Wu had had his disagreements with his mother and felt disapMost parental concerns are in pointed with his circumstance, he decided to momentarily put his desires aside regards to career practicality, pres-

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and try to understand his mother.

Wu realized that his mother had never given him any calculated reasons as to why she was forcing him to study medicine; he began to understand how personal this issue was to her and how much ful�illing this dream meant to her.

When he was unable to �ind middle ground and solve the problem, the many arguments in his household forced him to realize that he was willing to sacri�ice to keep his family together.

“I value that relationship more than I am against doing medicine,” he said.

Guidance Counselor Malissa Goldstein also met disapproval from her parents when she decided to change her major to psychology.

“Mainly, my mom emphasized, ‘We are not paying for your enjoyment,’” said Goldstein. “She asked, ‘How are you going to support yourself?’”

Goldstein did not have any answers, but understood that her mom was concerned about her education and �inancial well-being. A year after transferring majors, her mom eventually accepted her wishes.

For current students undergoing a similar situation, Goldstein suggested that they “present [their] parents with a concrete plan” outlining job options and graduate programs rather than argue on mere interests.

Most students often act on a whim when telling their parents about their career plans. Because of this, many parents are concerned about the feasibility of what their children plan to do.

Therefore, they should brainstorm possible programs, internships, career choices and job opportunities related to what they want to study in order to show a true passion for the subject, but also consideration for one’s well-being and job security.

Goldstein acknowledged that many immigrant parents who grew up with certain expectations “can’t let go of those.”

As a counselor, she often tries to inform parents about alternative career options that may not have been highlighted in their native countries.

Although Lynbrook does not formally address the issue of parental pressure, counselors do take personal responsibility in informing parents of all the various options available to their children at times such as evening appointments with parents and junior appointments.

Goldstein recommends MyMajor.com as a resource to any student who would like to learn about different majors and take a quiz that recommends college majors. If students or parents have a hard time coming to an agreement, they can also arrange an appointment with one of the counselors at school and explore the available options.

Girls’ basketball: this is how they do it With a near-perfect record, the team is looking to make a deep run in postseason play

BY IZABELLA KIPNIS

T

he girls’ basketball team’s winning streak continues for yet another year.

During the past few years, the girls have consistently demonstrated their passion for basketball through impressive feats on the court, namely, their currently perfect season record, among other triumphs.

The girls’ basketball team credits their success to their practice style. Many of them believe that a key factor in a team’s success is the way they practice together.

“During preseason we had focus practices dedicated to one thing at a time that really helped us perfect the basics,” said junior Sara Dyslin. “The team also has had team talks instead of practices sometimes. Once we know that we have the same goals and visions, we can hold each other accountable and count on one another.” During these talks, ordinarily tabooed subjects such as each girl’s playing time in games are addressed. “If there is something going on that needs to be talked about, we talk about it and do not let it just sit,” said new varsity coach, Cynthia Ting.

“Everyone has a chance to be honest.”

Though Ting is a new coach, she is relatable because “she was a player for Lynbrook and understands the game from a playing standpoint and not just a coaching standpoint,” said senior Emily Fong. Considering the team only lost two players from last year, her knowledge from being the assistant coach last season also helps her understand the team and address their weaknesses.

Additionally, Ting has chosen to not have speci�ic team captains this season and rather rotates through the starters to act as captains for every game. “I feel like everyone’s voice should be heard and valued,” she said. “This gives us a mutual respect for one another.”

Ting has been most impressed with the team’s work ethic. “They do not play to impress the coaches or fans,” she said. “They play because they know that these are the

Emily Fong

“It’s been an honor to be part of the team and watch it grow to become a talented, competitive, and team-oriented program with caring coaches and supportive fans.”

memories they will keep when they leave this program, and they make the most of it.”

These memories and their dedication come partially from the seniors. Over the past four years, the seniors have gotten closer than they could have imagined, especially because most of them have been on varsity together since sophomore year. Their deep friendships with one another are portrayed through their playing on the court. “Everyone has improved because we know each others’ playing styles,” said Fong. “We have Saturday practices and have dinners after games.”

This year, the seniors have been teaching the younger players skills both on and off the court. Many of them stress the importance of not fooling around during practice as well as always sticking up for one another and having each others’ backs. “We have a lot of team leadership from our seniors,” said Dyslin.

The team has been having a fantastic season, but they have had trouble with overcon�idence. “We play down to other teams’ levels,” said Fong. “We match up to the best teams, but also the worst,” she said. “It is disappointing to beat a team by a few points when we know we are capable of more.”

Despite playing vigorous games, the varsity girls have an excellent league record. “The games where we play high level are exciting to see,” said Dyslin. “When we play the high ranked schools you know we will be �ighting for every point.”

With the team’s success in mind, the NorCal championships in March seem within the reach of the team. This competition is the next level after the Central Coast Section Championships and this is the biggest chance that girls’ basketball has had in making it to such a tough competition. “The teams who can adapt to all kinds of playing make it.,” said Ting. “We are a team to contend with.”

Early on, the team decided to do everything to make it there. Dyslin said, “We have the potential to do so much, but need to slow down and take it one game at a time.”

Jacqueline Hudepohl

“We’ve had a lot of adversity, but it’s made us stronger. I’ll always remember our biggest wins, but more importantly the friendships and the memories that I’ve made.”

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SPORTS SECTION

So long, farewell: Seniors sum up their four years in two sentences

Jasmine Chou

Joy Shen

“The craziest, most competetive girls I have ever played with have made the three years that I have played on varsity more than just an experience about basketball.”

Lakshana Senthilkumar

“It’s been an amazing experience filled with ups and downs, but I’ll never forget the memories I’ve made with these crazy girls. All I have left to say is: ‘yeah blue’.”

“The team has made the entire journey worth while. Our experiences on and off the court help us become more like a family.”

PHOTOS BY JOEY LI

Why you should watch them

A

Lynbrook girls’ basketball game used to be an event. The gym would be �illed, the chants would be passionate,

and the crowd would go crazy during close games. It was always loud.

We’ve let this tradition fall by the wayside for the last few years, and now is a better time than ever to start it back up.

I know, I know, you’re probably still on the fence about it. So here are a few reasons why all of you, from those that have espn.com bookmarked on your computer to those that get golf and football confused, should come out and support the team: 1. The team wins. I mean, have you seen their record? The team is sitting at 16-3 overall, with a 6-1 mark in league play.

2. It’s not like this time is a one-year wonder, either. The girls’ basketball team has had a winning record for the last eight seasons,

not counting this one. There is a history of winning with this team.

3. The gym is nice and cozy. Now, this may seem like an odd reason to come, but if your parents are sticklers about turning up the heater like mine are, this is key. You’ll be able to stay warm as the temperature outside drops to Siberian levels.

4. Going to a Lynbrook game when we’re good just feels…different. I know that at Lynbrook, we’re used to seasons with empty stands and emptier results. That’s not what this team is like, though. It’s a sort of energy that �ills the gym. The team expects to win, and at Lynbrook, seeing that quality in a team is really refreshing.

5. You can hang out with your friends.

The Lynbrook gym makes for a great place to meet up with your friends and catch the game.

6. Watch this class of seniors while they’re still around. Just about all of them have spent all four years in the program, and they’re the cornerstones of this year’s team.

7. Go to the games and you can get a Vikes shirt. It’s a deal you don’t want to miss.

Teams like this one don’t come around very often, especially here at Lynbrook. According to the high school sports website MaxPreps, the team is second best among public schools and 7th overall in CCS, as well as 20th in California among Division II schools. Not supporting such a remarkable team as much as we can would be a mistake.

More than just a number

Athletes share the stories behind their respective jersey numbers

BY SABRINA JEN

W

hen looking at the million dollar house of former basketball player Michael Jordan, it is dif�icult to miss the eye-catching number incorporated onto his front gate: 23.

After being retired for more than 10 years, Michael Jordan’s famous uniform number is still well known to the world.

S

M

any athletes choose their numbers in order to remember a special person and to carry on their legacy. For senior Emily Fong, wearing the numbers of star players who she looks up to is very important.

Fong started playing basketball in the San Jose Ninja Organization because her cousin had previously played for it.

“I looked up to my cousin,” said Fong. “She went to John’s Hopkins University and played on their D3 basketball team. Naturally, I wanted to be like her.”

Because Fong’s cousin was number 14 on her teams throughout high school, Fong decided to be 14 for her Ninja team to be like her cousin.

Fong picked her Lynbrook basketball number in a similar way. Since sophomore year, Fong has chosen �ive to carry on the legacy of a graduated Lynbrook athlete.

ophomore Anshul Shah believes in always performing the same rituals when he steps onto the �ield.

“Just like a machine, everything has to be the same all the time otherwise it won’t work,” said Shah. “It’s the same thing with having the same number on your back.”

Ever since he began playing baseball at a very young age, Shah has stuck with the number three, which he claims to be his lucky number.

“It has nothing to do with a professional athlete’s number, neither is it a family number,” he said. Instead, it represents Shah’s strong support for three Bay Area teams: the Giants, Niners and Sharks. Though there is no speci�ic reason to why three is so lucky, Shah said, “Even though it is just a superstition, it works perfectly for me.”

Despite his beliefs that the number helps him, Shah

PHOTOS BY JOEY LI —EPIC

Although they were originally meant to be used as simple tools of identi�ication, such numbers in sports have grown to represent much more than what they were meant to be for.

Today, the number on the back of one’s uniform is not only substantial to their identity, but also carries a special signi�icance for many athletes.

Even at Lynbrook, a number of athletes have unique reasons and stories behind the numbers which they sport.

“Sharon Hao, a senior when I was a freshman, was a great player at Lynbrook,” said Fong. “She was someone who I also looked up to, so to carry on her legacy, I chose her number after she graduated.”

Hao now plays basketball for MIT, and Fong continues to strive to achieve what Hao did in high school. “In sophomore year, we beat St. Francis High School in a very important game and moved on to CCS semi�inals,” said Fong, “I scored a decent amount of points that day and I was really excited, so I called Sharon to tell her about it afterwards.”

Fong said that the feeling of carrying legacies of these athletes inspires her to work harder in practices and games.

“When I play well during a game while wearing their numbers, it’s always very rewarding,” said Fong. She explains that it gives her the feeling of pride and con�idence.

said, “The game really isn’t about winning or losing, since wearing my lucky number is more about the self-con�idence and the comfort it provides.”

The comfort which he describes is always present while wearing his number. “I’ve been playing good baseball for 10 years with three on my back,” said Shah. “Why not just feel comfortable and have the same number on my back while playing good baseball for the rest of forever?”

Shah also acknowledges that he plays baseball with much more mental toughness when he wears his number.

“Even if I don’t perform as well as I would hope to, I always know that I have my number there to support me mentally,” he said. “When I play with the number three on my back, I de�initely have more con�idence and pride. I feel much more comfortable doing what I love.”

T

he number seven has been retired in more than 20 North American sports teams in the past, making it a very popular number in high school athletics. But since she was young, junior Kat Tatley detested the number seven in sports. She said that there was never a reason behind her distaste for it, but that she just disliked it.

“Maybe it was because it was such a popular number, and so many thought that it was ‘lucky,’” said Tatley.

But when Tatley was in �ifth grade, she was forced to decide between the two numbers seven and eleven. She ended up with the number seven, and to her surprise, Tatley began to improve during the game.

“I started to do really well by scoring goals, and my team won the �irst game that I played my new number in,” said Tatley. “That’s why I’ve stuck with seven ever since.”

Tatley explained that although she knows that her improvement was based more on her and growing as an athlete, she likes to believe that the number also helped her.

She adds that many sports are based more on positive mentalities rather than only pure skill. “If you are afraid of losing, you may not do so well,” said Tatley. “It’s the same thing when I’m not wearing the number seven.”

Tatley recalls a Lynbrook soccer game, in which she forgot her game jersey. Unwillingly, her only option was to borrow one from a teammate. Playing with a different number, Tatley felt that she did not perform as well as she could have. To add to the superstition, the team also lost.

“It was uncomfortable playing in a different number other than seven,” said Tatley. “In a way; my number gives me a lot of con�idence and hope.”

Team dynamics improve as boys’ soccer steps up game

BY KASTURI PANTVAIDYA

G

et in position! Mark number 16,” yells varsity goalie sophomore Daniel Vahabi to his teammate. Defensive player sophomore Albert Kim then commands freshman Lucas Nelson to get into a better position, as they motivate each other to block Wilcox from scoring. After three games, it is visible that the underclassmen understand what it is like to play at the speed of a varsity game, gaining the skill and the teamwork that is essential in building a strong team.

“We continue to work better as a team, and the growth of our team bonding has really showed, starting in the Wilcox game,” said varsity captain junior Andrew Bae. The Wilcox game, on Jan. 11, was the team’s �irst win of the season, and it was where prominent changes �irst began to be noticed.

At �irst, the returning players took most

of the responsibility in terms of properly carrying out the play, or positioning during a game. Due to the many underclassmen on the roster, the team experienced a rocky start at the beginning of the season, only winning one of three games. Now, the underclassmen have found their places in the team, frequently voicing their opinions and ideas.

“We were disconnected as a team at the very beginning, but we’re slowly molding together into one complete unit,” said Bae. At �irst, most underclassmen seemed shy to voice their opinions or pump up the team.

“We’re not as shy anymore, we all joke around and act like brothers,” said Vahabi.

“Now that we’ve had time to learn each other’s playing styles, we only get better every week,” he adds. Each team member also takes it upon himself to get everyone focused.

“An apparent change is that we de�initely have better team chemistry, and we want to

use that to our advantage to �ix our placement in the league right now,” said Kim. Because the team is young this season, the upperclassmen have also stepped up in order to meet their goal: going to CCS. “The returners have been setting good examples for us, which we can follow to turn this season around. We know that if we work hard and communicate better, we will win future games,” said freshman Zach Faris. The returning players have also introduced previously used techniques to the underclassmen.

“Besides telling the team what to do, the upperclassmen have taught us tactics and plays that they used last year,” said Kim. The team hopes that they will prove useful in the long run, ultimately helping them get to CCS. These new changes in communication play a large role in the success of the team.

They believe that if they can perfect their teamwork skills, they will be closer to CCS.

KASTURI PANTVAIDYA —EPIC

MAKING A MOVE| Varsity captain junior Alex Wong deftly dribbles the ball against Monta Vista.

Back to basics for the Lynbrook wrestling squad Complaints of an angered fan

KASTURI PANTVAIDYA—EPIC

MAINTAINING LEVERAGE| Freshman varsity wrestler Brian Glasper tries to do a half nelson out of referee’s position against a Cupertino opponent on Jan. 24.

BY YUNQING CHEN

I

t’s hard to imagine a Lynbrook sports team representing Lynbrook any more than it already does. But, with many coaches who have graduated, attended or have children who graduated from Lynbrook, the wrestling team sets the bar for having the most history at this school. Their experiences—as a student, teacher, parent, what have you—have helped shape their approaches to coaching wrestling, offering wrestlers ways to enrich skill sets despite the different environments of then and now.

Assistant coach Sid Ferrari, a wrestler during his time as a Lynbrook student of the Class of 1991, compares the differences.

“There’s a 180 degree difference. Back then, you hardly ever missed practice because to do wrestling was to dedicate all your time to it,” said Ferrari, “Now, because there are so many opportunities for students to pursue different extracurriculars, there’s a change of attitude.” But the demographic remains largely similar. “There were 14 wrestlers on the team in my year—12 seniors, one junior, one sophomore. 3/4 of the team was Asian.”

Rather, it’s a change of circumstance and mindset that encourages a return to basics.

Head coach Alan Vinciguerra said, “We’ve always done basics. The best wrestling teams

are the best because they teach basics, over and over.” In the 20 years that he’s coached, Vinciguerra’s emphasis on basics becomes even more important. The reason is simple, said Vinciguerra, “Because it shows.”

In order for it to show—as the cliché goes—practice makes perfect. With a line of prospective CCS quali�iers, not to mention CCS champion Anna Naylor as a top contender for California State Champ and strong underclassmen, the team aims to excel. Junior Anna Naylor said, “There’s more discipline at practices, more conditioning, focus on the basic techniques.” When asked why it helps, team captain senior James Otani said, “The coaches say every minute you’re on the mat is a minute your opponent could be sitting on the couch. At the end of the day, the guy in better shape has the advantage.”

And it’s not just the coaches who coach.

Naylor and Otani, experienced high school wrestlers, take on responsibilities like helping the new wrestlers. Naylor, whose rap sheet is often the subject of much attention, helps them get their bearings. “If I see someone practice a move that looks like they’re having dif�iculty with, I’ll go and help them out,” said Naylor. “We’ve been focusing on things like the leg vine, which [Coach Alan] used a lot when he wrestled, as well as sit

series and roll series, which [assistant coach Bill Fatjo] used when he wrestled, and they’re a big part of how we wrestle now.”

The process of handing down techniques that were part of the coach’s wrestling repertoire is a resource the team has a-plenty.

Fatjo, part of Lynbrook’s Class of 2002, was coached by Vinciguerra as a student. He said, “As a former wrestler, seeing the kids replicate something that’s worked for you, seeing them use something that’s ‘mine’ is essentially handing down past skills. There’s something in taking what [Coach Alan] taught me and passing it down to another wrestler that’s so powerful because it’s like, ‘Here’s your inheritance.’” The resource of past experience is one that helps wrestlers strengthen the foundations of their skill set.

At the end of the day, wrestling meets needs addressed outside the classroom.

“Realistically, I want them to get a good education, and that’s not just about good grades.” What wrestling offers is another dimension to experience. When asked why he coaches, Vinciguerra responded, “Here’s where you learn to be an individual, to �ight for what you want. Wrestling shows you the truth about what you have to do or give up to get where you want to be, and you don’t get that anywhere else.

quickly because of the Matadors’ strong offense and bigger players.

Head coach Miguel Alderete explained that a recurring issue with the team is a lack of physical size and players.

“We don’t have the depth nor the size of other teams,” Alderete said. “Those things have a tendency to catch up to you no matter what you do. We need to work on the technical aspects of basketball such as rebound positioning.”

The team is looking to solve these issues by using practice to evaluate mistakes and make the necessary adjustments.

Despite a disappointing preseason, the team knows that they can improve their record and at the same time, bounce back from their dif�icult start.

“We may not be the fastest or biggest team, but we have heart and we are still trying our hardest to secure at least one win,” said junior Haoliang Cai.

Boys’ basketball looking to rebound from difficult season

BY JEFFREY YANG

C

oming off from a week of illness and injury, the boys’ basketball team suffered a 24-45 loss in their game of the season against Monta Vista on Jan. 11, adding another loss to its 0-7 season record.

The game of the season against Monta Vista exposed the problems that the team has faced throughout the season. Though the Vikings were leading 5-4 in the �irst quarter, they saw this slim lead disappear

T

here are only three sports I truly enjoy watching: basketball, football and hockey, in that order. In the past two years, I have suffered through the most dreaded of sports terms: the lockout. A lockout is a depressing period of time for sports fans, as the league in which the lockout occurs suspends play for a period of time.

Many types of lockouts exist. However, they’re all a result of a disagreement between the owners and the players, leaving the fans wondering: are they here to play?

The NBA and NHL have had lockouts in the past two years. Though lockouts can destroy an entire season, only parts of their respective seasons were lost, the NBA losing 16 games and the NHL 34. This past year the NFL had a lockout of its own, though not such a severe one, and not as a result of a disagreement between the owners and players. The NFL couldn’t reach a deal with the referees, leaving incompetent referees to of�iciate the games. The replacement refs really did try their hardest, but they weren’t made for the job. They were missing calls left and right, including some which made me cringe (go search up ‘Fail Mary’ on YouTube). It was terrible. Luckily that play sealed the refs’ fates, and the real refs were back the next week.

For me, the most disappointing aspect of lockouts in general is why they happen in the �irst place. Unfortunately, it always comes down to money. Professional athletes aren’t exactly pressed for cash: virtually all of them are millionaires. Owners must already have signi�icant fortunes, in the nine-digit range, in order to purchase a team. The average athlete plays about ten years in his or her career, and averaging out the money they earn, that’s over 30 million dollars! While no man would ever want to leave any money on the table, arguing over such an insigni�icant amount is ludicrous. The owners and players consistently play the, “If I can’t have it, neither can you” game, and I am disappointed.

On the other hand, there is an upside to lockouts: it’s learning to appreciate sports while we have them. In the midst of the recent cancellations, I wasn’t complaining about how my favorite NBA team is having a disastrous season, nor did I complain about terrible refereeing during football games.

I can now watch sports and be eternally thankful that the game is actually on, and the league still exists.

A jump in time

BY JOEY LI

A

s we enter 2013, the beginning of a new year means taking time to look back into the past as well. With a little help from our friends in Valhalla Yearbook, we took a trip through Lynbrook time.

Above, the junior class of 1986 gathers on the quad steps for a class activity. The quad has remained a central spot for students and school activities.

Left, the 1969 Lynbrook cheer team poses for their group photo in the front of the school. Since then, the cheer squad has undergone a number of transformations including a decrease in size as students vary their interests, but their original Viking spirit remains the same.

Bottom left, a pair of students in 1981 enjoy their free time during lunch in the courtyard containing the Tree of Life. The tree has been replanted several times over the years, but the spot has endured through decades.

Bottom right, the “Executive Staff” from 1965-1966, now known as the Associated Student Body, poses for a photo on the steps of the quad in front of the ASB Den. The ASB Den now serves as ASB’s multiuse room for storage and various schoolsanctioned activities.