May 8, 2023
NEWS
03
"Magical language" captivates sophmores BY CALVIN ZHOU
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n May 3, San Jose-born poet and author E.J. Koh spoke with Lynbrook World Literature students, who listened intently as they learned of the struggles and triumphs Koh experienced while caught between his two cultures. Based on her experiences as a second-generation Asian American, Koh wrote “The Magical Language of Others,” a memoir filled with raw and emotional storytelling that delves deep into the complexities of family relationships, cultural identity and power of language. The book, newly introduced this year to diversify the World Literature curriculum, gave students a glimpse into a unique, yet relatable story. “The book is a refreshing change from the others we read this year because of how relatable it is,” sophomore Brian Kao said. “Although we aren’t exactly the same, I felt like she told a story that I endured and experienced.” Koh’s memoir takes readers on a journey through her teenage years when she lived in Davis, California with only her older brother after her parents moved to Seoul, Korea for her father’s career. Feeling a deep sense of abandonment,
oh struggled to find her identity and sense with Koh’s memoir. of belonging, unwilling to forgive her mother “It was just great to have what I felt for leaving. The memoir weaves together were both familiar and unfamiliar Asian letters that her mother wrote to her in experiences represented,” Chen said. “I Korean, stories of her ancestors and Koh's appreciate that it helped my students — a own experiences discovering who she is. lot of them being from an Asian American “There are some parts of it that some background — have some really great L y n b r o o k conversations students may about the ways not connect to that we receive at all, like her or don't receive parents living in a love from our different country i m m i g ra n t for a majority parents.” of her life,” The teachers sophomore Arnav loved the book Singhal said. “But and felt it the story of an reflected the Asian protagonist diverse student who has struggled experiences on with her parental campus as it relationships is explores themes very relatable to of cultural identity many of us.” and family Although relationships, this is the first which many year that “The s t u d e n t s PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION FROM E.J.KOH Magical Language grapple with. GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY APURVA KRISHNAMURTHY of Others” is Many students being taught Author E.J. Koh explores themes of cultural identity with e x p r e s s e d in Lynbrook’s Lynbrook students during her virtual author visit. comfort in curriculum, Cupertino High School taught being able to resonate with the memoir’s the book in the 2021-22 school year. In 2020, perspective on these issues. the district’s World Literature teachers “It is one of the only AAPI texts that we were looking to add diversity to the largely would get the chance to read throughout eurocentric English curriculum. When “The our whole high school career,” sophomore Magical Language of Others” was published Sophie Mak said. “It's an important book in January of that year, Cupertino World to me because it shows how life truly is for Literature teacher Lynn Chen, who knew Asian Americans in America.” Koh personally, suggested taking a more modernized approach to AAPI literature Scan QR code to continue reading.
Conquering the 31st Japan Bowl if they don’t know something,” Kitchen said. Immediately after passing the tryouts n the 31st annual National Japan Bowl to create Lynbrook’s teams in October, the Championships on April 13 and 14, competing students immersed themselves in Lynbrook won second place in every Japanese studies for more than six months. competition level, surpassing nearly 200 They met multiple times each week with students from 19 high schools across the their mentor, senior Benjamin Chang, for U.S. After being quizzed on numerous student-led study sessions. As a Japan Bowl topics from Japanese history to manga, competitor for the past three years and ynbrook s teams have placed in the top five part of the first-place level four team last of all three levels for the second year in a row. year, Chang used his experience to help To compete, students must not be native motivate and prepare this year’s teams. Japanese-speakers or speak the language The first year I competed was during at home. Teams of two or three students the COVID-19 quarantine, so there was a are placed in levels two, three or four/ point when we hit rock bottom — where AP in accordance with the course level in everyone’s motivation, including Kitchen which they are Sensei’s, was really enrolled at school. low,” Chang said. In the first “During that point, round, students an upperclassman answer trivia showed a lot of questions and are dedication even tested on accuracy. though everyone The second round was ‘dead.’ That adds the factor motivated me, and of speed, as the PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION FROM JEREMY KITCHEN I wanted to become top three teams Level four champions will go on a "Champions' Trip" a mentor to act as face individual to Japan paid for by the Bowl's organization and the a role model too.” grammar questions Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Kakehashi program. Lynbrook’s and a team teams attribute speed round. Because the questions much of their success to their selfdraw from a broad range of content, they accountability and passion for Japanese can be unpredictable and challenging. learning. Looking forward to the “It’s hard when you repeatedly come Bowl next year, they plan to further across questions you don’t know and feel develop their skills and maintain the like ‘We’re not going to make it, we don’t work ethic of this year’s competitors. know enough,’” Japanese teacher Jeremy “I think the reason we were so successful Kitchen said. “Especially since our team is because we have a lot of passion for the studies throughout the whole year, it’s a culture and we work really hard toward really emotionally taxing competition.” winning,” senior Saahil Gupta said, who But in Kitchen’s experience, if a team competed on the level four/AP team. answers about 80% of the questions correctly, Cupertino High also placed in the top it is likely that they will make it to the second three for all three levels, making the moment round. He advises his teams to trust their event more special as Lynbrook’s teams gut feeling when answering questions. stood on stage with a fellow FUHSD school “The major piece of advice I give them “It’s a wonderful thing to see the top is to just trust the work that they put into places go to Lynbrook and Cupertino,” studying and know that some of it is luck at Kitchen said. “There’s a friendly rivalry the end of the day, in terms of what questions but it was really fun to see both of our are asked, so not to be hard on themselves programs shine on a national stage.” BY CHELSEA LEE
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Upcoming Viking Events 41st Annual FUHSD Art Show, May 1-23 Admire pieces of art created by FUHSD students in the district office lobby. Senior Prom, May 12 Seniors will have their “Happily Ever After” at the Corinthian Grand Ballroom. Senior Athlete Signing Day, May 15 Recruited athletes will be honored before continuing their athletic career in college. Pops Concert, May 18 The music department, Viking Vocalists, and members of the Senior Skit will perform in the auditorium. Indesign Fashion Show, May 19 Peer into “Pandora’s Box” with Lynbrook Indesign at the quad at lunch. Campus Wellness Week, May 22-26 Students can have a furry therapy session with dogs and receive freebies. No School Memorial Day, May 29 By Nicole Ge, Inaaya Yousef and Apurva Krishnamurthy. Photo by Nicole Ge.