The Epic, Volume 60, Issue 8 - May 19, 2025

Catalyst Crew drops knowledge with banger beats pg. 14 Catholicism crosses with America pg. 16

Student athletes persevere through injuries, bad weather and stress pg. 19

Lynbrook High School, 1280 Johnson Ave., San Jose, CA

Page by Vidushi Upadhyay and Eileen Zhu

Le er from the Editors

Hey Vikings,

Welcome to the last issue of the year, the special senior issue!

Celebrate your graduating class on pages 7 - 13 with the Epic’s annual senior map, bequeathals and columns from our very own senior Epic staffers!

Beside the senior pages, in News, celebrate national victories with the Lynbrook Japan Bowl team; in Opinion, navigate immigrant student rights and available resources; in Features, rap your way through Catalyst Crew’s music videos — created by fve high schoolers eager to educate; in In-Depth, explore Catholicism’s infuence on American culture and in Sports, learn about the hardships that student athletes face as they train toward excellence. On Web, take a peek at the behind the scenes of Studio 74’s iconic musical, “Fiddler on the Roof.”

We hope you enjoy this issue! And for the last time…

Signing out, Ashley Huang & Alyssa Wang

Editors-In-Chief

Campus, community and world events

BY AKASH ANAND

School

On April 29, Cardiomed Club hosted its annual heart dissection simulation in collaboration with Surgery Interest Club. Members were invited to partake in the dissection of a sheep heart, working in teams and following the instructions of a projected video.

They identifed key anatomical parts of the heart with guidance from club offcers as well as biology teachers Jason Lee and Isaac Pallone, who helped co-host the event. This is the frst time that Cardiomed has collaborated with another club on their heart dissection.

President Donald Trump announced on April 21 that he would freeze over $2 billion in federal funding grants to Harvard University.

This decision came in response to several campus protests fghting against policies the Trump Administration tried to enforce, including threats to dismantle Harvard’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program and the school’s ability to host international students. In response, Harvard president Alan Garber announced that the school will not surrender its independence and will continue to protest against the policies of the Trump administration.

The Cupertino Whole Foods Market was shut down indefnitely due to a vermin infestation on April 22. Health concerns were frst raised on March 26, which resulted in visits from health inspectors for the past two months. Throughout this time, the deli and bakery section of the store temporarily closed twice in two weeks as a result of the inspections. However, the section was shut down again in late April due to a rat infestation, which was followed by a full-store shutdown two weeks later. There is no set timeline for how long the store will be closed.

Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, the Catholic Church was quick to fnd a successor through Robert Francis Prevost, who took the new name Pope Leo XIV on May 8 after a conclave of two days. He continues the papacy as the frst pope from America. He is also the frst pope from the Augustinian Order, a religious community inspired by Saint Augustine’s teachings. Many believe that Leo’s background in foreign work, having served as a friar in Peru for decades, may pave the way for a more inclusive set of rules to uplift marginalized communities, similar to those advocated for by Francis during his papacy.

New Lynbrook Legends program celebrates distinguished alumni

BY CECILIA WU

As part of an effort to connect students with inspiring alumni, the Lynbrook Legends award program, set to launch later this year, aims to highlight diverse paths to success and recognize graduates who exemplify perseverance, creativity and leadership.

The program was initiated by Principal Maria Jackson as one of her fnal projects before her forthcoming retirement. Rather than emphasizing traditional measures of success like status or popularity, the program seeks to recognize alumni for the positive differences they have made in their communities and careers.

“I felt that students often don’t have perspectives on what their life could be later, and it would be meaningful to have someone from the future come tell them, ‘This is what I was like in high school and this is where I am now,’” Jackson said. “It’s about encouraging the kids who are here and also giving graduates the chance to refect on what they would tell their high school selves.”

Nominations for the frst-ever Lynbrook Legends were released in February of the 2024-25 school year, and was open to input from students, staff, alumni and the broader community. To be eligible for

the award, alumni must have graduated at least 10 years ago and attended Lynbrook for a minimum of two years.

Eighteen alumni were nominated this year, and four will be selected as the frst Lynbrook Legends honorees. The selection process will be carried out by a committee of six to eight members composed of a graduating student, a current student, several teachers who are also alumni and other staff connected to the program’s development.

“There are so many different ways someone can live their legend,” Jackson said. “It really takes a group of people to make that decision because we’re not just looking at one kind of success.”

As part of the program, honorees will also be invited to speak to students to refect on their journeys and share

that transition themselves.”

Beyond speaker events, Jackson envisions making alumni stories accessible through videos on Lynbrook’s website — a convenient option for students who may be unable to attend events or want to explore at their own pace.

“I hope students can see a little bit of themselves in someone. That they can think, ‘Oh, I’m kind of like that and maybe I can do something like that too.’ That will open them up to opportunities they might never have considered before.

Jackson hopes the honorees will participate in

experiences accessible and meaningful to

“I think it’s a really great you’re a freshman or a

a Lynbrook graduate,”

Ramji said. “It’s nice to hear from alumni who are already in the industry

Maria Jackson Principal

While Jackson is spearheading the launch, the longterm legacy of the Lynbrook Legends program will be decided by Lynbrook’s next principal, Dr. Janice Chen, who will take over starting in the 2025-26 school year. Jackson plans to help set up the early logistics, but whether the program will host nominations annually, every other year or continue running at all will be left to Chen.

“I think once something has started and has momentum, it’s easier to keep going,” Jackson said. “The challenge has been defning what it’s going to be and how it’s going to work, but I’m hopeful the committee and future leaders will keep it alive.”

For now, Lynbrook students can look forward to connecting with alumni whose stories are meant to bridge generations and celebrate success.

“It’s all about inspiring today’s students through the stories of past students that have gone to live very interesting lives,” Jackson said. “It’s not about being the wealthiest or most famous person — it’s about living your legend and sharing that with students.”

Photo used with permission from Wikimedia Commons

Photo used with permission from Wikimedia Commons

Photo used with permission from Wikimedia Commons

Photo by Irene Hwang

Graphic illustration by Amanda Jin and Brian Lee

Japan Bowl teams achieve best performance nationally

BY AMANDA JIN

As the 33rd annual National Japan Bowl came to an end on April 5, Lynbrook’s Japan Bowl teams placed frst overall, celebrating their greatest performance to date. All three teams placed exceptionally well, with the Level III and IV teams coming frst, earning them the title of national champions, and the Level II team coming second.

“We were very happy and also very loud,” junior and Level IV team member Isaiah Sit said. “It’s a big thing. We were running up and down the stairs in the building.”

Japan Bowl is an annual Japanese knowledge

competition for high schoolers where contestants compete in teams of three. Different levels range from Level II to Level IV, corresponding to the diffculty levels of high school Japanese language classes. They test their knowledge on language, culture, historical events and society. This year, the Japan-America Society in Washington, D.C. decided to emphasize haiku, Taisho to Heisei eras, demographic trends and the Osaka prefecture.

Japan Bowl’s frst half comprises three preliminary rounds, each with written tests, oral questions or images. The three teams that score the best in each level compete in a fnal buzzer round, where competitors answer questions in front of a live audience.

Because Lynbrook teams ran into obstacles while traveling, they were left with little time on the day of the competition to prepare.

“Our fight was four hours delayed,” junior and Level IV team member Andrew Kao said. “We got less time to prepare and sleep.” Nonetheless, the teams were able to register in time

and began their two-day journey. During the frst day of the competition, all three teams made it through the frst two preliminary rounds with ease. On the second day, the teams fnished their third preliminary round, qualifying for the championship round.

“I’m a senior and I won last year, so this year I was more risky with my buzzing,” senior and Level III team member Seungwoo Kang said. “The results turned out good.”

Lynbrook collected victory after victory, ultimately landing them their record high placement in Lynbrook history. During the championship, Lynbrook’s Level III and IV teams had huge leads as well.

“After the competition, we all gather together,” adviser and Japanese teacher Jeremy Kitchen said. “No matter how things went, people share appreciation and encouragement for each other.”

Each year in October, Kitchen hosts tryouts. When teams were selected this year, Kitchen worked with senior and student coach Claire Okamoto, who competed in previous years, to create a plan for how the teams would prepare for the competition. Okamoto helps host and organize larger weekly meetings with all teams, as well as smaller level-specifc meetings focusing on language topics.

“It’s a lot of responsibility. If we do bad, there’s a good chance that we might’ve taught the other teams the wrong things,” Sit said. “So I felt a lot of pressure on me for the whole year.”

Following this year’s performance, the teams hope to maintain this success in years to come. Current Level IV members, having fnished competing in high school, will help coach next year’s competitors.

“It’s special to see a group of students come together,” Kitchen said. “Students spend half a year working so closely together, and to really see all that work pay off is one of my favorite things.”

Upcoming Viking Events

Pops Concert, May 21-22

Choir’s last performance of the 2024-25 school year is approaching! Don’t miss out on their rendition of popular songs at the Lynbrook auditorium from 7-9 p.m.

Memorial Day, May 26

To honor those who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces, there will be no school on the last Monday of May.

Senior Finals, May 27-30

Heads up to the Class of 2025! Senior fnal exams will take place on the week of May 27-30. Please refer to the special schedules on the Lynbrook website to see when your exams are.

Grades 9-11 Finals, June 2-5

For freshmen, sophomores and juniors, fnal exams will take place on the week of June 2-5. Please refer to the special schedules on the Lynbrook website to see when your exams are.

Class of 2025 Graduation, June 6 Seniors, get ready to start a new chapter of your life at the Lynbrook stadium on June 6 at 9:30 a.m. Gates will open at 8:30 a.m.

Reporting by Anushka

FUHSD to ban phones during class next school year

BY REBECCA CAI

In accordance with the Phone-Free School Act passed by California Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2024, FUHSD will implement a new policy banning student cell phone use during instructional periods starting in the 2025-26 school year. Teachers and administrators across the district will work together to coordinate procedures for enforcing this policy, aiming to cultivate classroom focus and social engagement across California.

We as a staff have to fgure out what we want to do. This is one of those things where you need all teachers to be on board. You really want everybody to have a voice, so you have to discuss it as a whole.

Calvin Wong Executive Assistant to the Principal

FUHSD’s new policy requires students to turn off their moobile device during instructional time including tutorials and passing periods, with access only permitted during brunch and lunch. The rule exempts special circumstances, such as medical reasons and campus emergencies, or when the materials accessed through their phones are part of class educational content. As of May, how the phone ban will be enforced

remains undecided. Some teachers have already implemented “phone jails,” such as hanging pockets that hold student phones during class to prevent students from accessing their device. Some teachers employ other policies in which participation points are deducted for phone use during class. The PTSA is currently assisting with funds to provide all teachers who requested “phone jails” for their classrooms.

“I’ve experienced using a phone jail, where teachers make us put our phones in small pockets at the corner of the classroom,” junior Juno Hong said. “Honestly, it doesn’t work because a lot of people use burner phones and people just do whatever they do on their phones on their laptop. I think it’s not really effective.”

Since students use their phones for a variety of purposes in class, many have mixed feelings about the phone ban, with some indifferent and others against the policy. For some students, phones act as a source of portable entertainment. For others, their phones serve as an educational tool like their computers.

“Next year, I think I’m going to tell students in every class period you have to trade in your phone for a calculator,” science teacher Connie Leung said.

Lynbrook administrators anticipate that the policy might be challenging for students and teachers to get used to at the start of the year, but hope that all parties will adapt to improve student engagement on campus.

“I think a lot of students will be disappointed, but it will be benefcial in the long run,” junior Lisa Jing said. “It’ll take a long time for us students to adjust, though”

The details of the ban are still taking shape as FUHSD administration refnes the policy. The district

Photo by Anushka Deshmukh and Irene Hwang

Deshmukh

Lynbrook students celebrate victory in 2025 Japan Bowl competition. Photos used with permission from Japanese Honors Society Graphic illustrations by Anushka Deshmukh and Brian Lee

Building safety and awareness around student immigrant rights

Amid the quiet shuffe of papers and classroom conversations, a student’s mind drifts to a worrisome thought: what would happen if my parents were deported? With legal immigration pathways narrowing and deportations without due process rising nationwide, some wrestle with a fear that’s rarely discussed at school. For FUHSD schools — home to thousands of students with immigrant backgrounds — it has become more important than ever for communities to be educated on their rights and protections.

“I do feel a bit anxious about how my family would be affected. If my parents were to be deported right now, even though they have a green card, they’d have a hard time coming back.

Wendi Sun Freshman

“Across the United States, the frequency of U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement raids have increased under President Donald Trump’s administration. Recent incidents include roughly 230 undocumented Venezuelan immigrants who were deported without due process despite federal court orders initially blocking the action, and the case of Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University student who was nearly deported without due process. In moments of confrontation, knowing your rights can mean protecting yourself from unlawful detainment.

Recently, college students, especially international students, have been hit hard by revoked visas and increased scrutiny on minor documentation errors, such as typos on immigration forms or accidental discrepancies between course enrollments. These decisions often come with no transparency or warning, threatening pathways to future careers and mental well-being. When such due processes are bypassed with seemingly no explanation, it sets a precedent for unchecked enforcement that may extend to high schools.

“My parents and their friends have been talking about ICE and they’re defnitely on the lookout,” Sun said. “Right now, it hasn’t been affecting this area that much, but I’m pretty sure it’ll reach us soon.”

Local raids, such as the San José ICE raid in January, have caused a infux of calls to the Rapid Response Helpline of Santa Clara County, with much of the public worrying that the raids focus on apprehending not only criminals, but also their law-abiding neighbors. These actions violate constitutional protections outright. Now, even citizenship, long seen as a cornerstone of safety, no longer guarantees the same protection it once did.

“I heard a lot of people talk about how their apartment was blocked off because ICE was raiding their neighbors,” freshman Lexi Barabanova said. “In my father’s apartment complex, the family across the hall was arrested. It’s the fact that they show up to your door that creates an atmosphere of unease.”

Recognizing this, Superintendent Graham Clark released an email statement to FUHSD staff members on Jan. 22 that detailed the district’s stance on immigration enforcement actions and resolved that “all FUHSD programs are considered a safe haven for students and families to the fullest extent allowed by law and in accordance with our Board Policies.” Clark also

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announced that law enforcement agents will not be permitted on campus without a judicial warrant. In the same statement, he referred students to resources they can reach out to for help, like Santa Clara County’s compilation of legal resources and the California Governor’s Offces’ resource webpage on immigration for California families.

Staf Editorial // The voice of the Epic

resources are simple yet powerful steps that can bring together community. Through such actions, one can empower others in the community and provide them with the strength to fght back against the situation.

adviser

— josh miller

“The board put forth a resolution at our frst board meeting on the 14th before Trump’s inauguration,” Associate Superintendent Trudy Gross said. “So our board was already feeling like they wanted to be proactive and say we are here to remind our families and students that all means all, that we care about everybody and that we are behind everybody.”

Despite the availability of resources, many students still do not feel well-informed. In a survey sent out to Lynbrook students, several shared that they would like to see immigration rights addressed in advisories or webinars where they will have access to visual media like presentations. Others noted that learning what to do in an encounter with ICE could be benefcial as well.

“I don’t necessarily feel unsafe right now, but I wouldn’t say I feel supported,” Sun said. “Nobody’s really talking about these issues at Lynbrook. The only time I hear about Trump’s policies is on the news.”

It is also important to acknowledge the broader context of anti-immigrant rhetoric that has increased in recent years. Growing national hostility, spurred on by hateful comments on social media, has normalized suspicion toward the immigrant community. Examples include Trump falsely claiming that undocumented Haitian immigrants eat pets on a national broadcast and the casual use of the unwelcoming term “aliens,” which heavily stereotypes the immigrant community. While overt discrimination may not be as prominent at Lynbrook, it is still crucial for communities to be aware of misinformation or fearmongering that can spread from such infammatory political statements.

“Being Hispanic makes you almost feel like an outsider because of statements that the current administration is making,” junior Ilan Garcia-Peña said. “Even if you’re a citizen and even if you were born in this country.”

In periods of such uncertainty, students play a crucial role in creating a supportive culture.

A protest by students at Homestead High School and Fremont High School earlier this semester showed this infuence. On Feb. 5, 200 students walked out of their classes holding signs and raising fags in solidarity with the Latino community, protesting the Trump Administration’s deportations of undocumented individuals. Encouraging open conversation and sharing

Now more than ever, it is important for students to know their rights. Even if one is arrested or detained by ICE, due process mandates an objective legal hearing in order to ensure that the deportations have legal basis. Everyone, regardless of their immigration status, has fundamental rights under the U.S. Constitution, including the right to remain silent when approached by law enforcement and the right to legal representation in court. In the case of an ICE stop-and-search, students should look out for real search warrants with an offcial judge signature. Being aware of these rights will allow students to better protect themselves and focus on the fact that knowledge is power, hopefully reducing fear.

One of the eye-opening things for me was how many resources are already available throughout Santa Clara County. I would say that it is more about making sure people know what’s available and what we can share with families. We had already started giving people access to run copies of red cards — cards detailing your legal rights — and so it was doing those things and making sure they were out there.

Trudy Gross

Associate

Superintendent

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Reparation bills address centuries of racial inequality

BY IRENE HWANG AND CRYSTAL ZHU

It is easy to see slavery as a distant chapter of American history.

The legacy, however, of more than 400 years of bondage still shapes the lives of Black communities across the United States in the form of socioeconomic inequalities. Reparations aim to address the lasting effects of historical oppression by compensating descendants of enslaved people. With the promise of monetary payments, diversifcation, education programs and more, these bills are a necessary step to address the ongoing impact of slavery in modern times. While these are a start, America must also address the systemic issues that still plague marginalized communities. Reparations should be implemented after gaining input from the communities affected to obtain their perspective and meet their needs, establishing empathy for all parties involved.

by the state of Virginia. The order was ultimately dropped, but stands as a glaring example of how legal channels have perpetuated centuries of oppression — exactly what reparations hope to eliminate.

“When you talk about restorative justice in fesh-and-blood terms, it means, ‘How do we restore people in terms of land sold?’” Harvard Kennedy School faculty Cornell William Brooks said in a 2022 podcast. “How do we restore a people in terms of dignity robbed? Bodies violated? Liberty taken?”

Although many initiatives for reparations have been taken to the Supreme Court, more action is necessary to ensure that our nation is moving in a direction that provides equal opportunities for historically marginalized communities. One of the earliest measures of reparations dates back to the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War. Unfortunately, southern sharecropping and plantation culture persisted, while those in power institutionalized poll taxes and literacy tests to disenfranchise Black Americans. As a result, these inequalities have remained — even in the 21st century, the median wealth of Black families remains almost one-tenth of that of white families.

Critics argue that reparations are unjust, claiming that they disadvantage historically dominant groups, namely white males. However, these arguments fail to address deep-rooted, generational oppression. Reparations are meant to redress previously unequal opportunities for minorities.

It’s the government stepping in and taking accountability for what they have done in the past.

Benjamin Zhang Sophomore and Equity Task Force Member

“

Modern inequities, linked with historically unaddressed systemic racism, are now being tackled by modern bills. Some 2025 California bills highlight higher education, such as Assembly Bill 7, while others, including Assembly Bill 475, call for the establishment of voluntary work programs for the imprisoned. These bills are an important cornerstone for equitable policy that can be implemented throughout California, making opportunities for education and work more accessible for underprivileged groups.

“Institutions of higher learning should be more than a place for intellectual exercise and discourse, but be a space that is working towards the liberation of all people,” civil rights attorney Timothy Welbeck said in an interview with Insight into Academia in 2022.

These legislative proposals, among others, are based on a 2-year-long study by the California Reparations Task Force. Three bills, Assembly Bill 57, Senate Bill 518 and Senate Bill 437, have recently been considered before the California Senate Assembly, and implementing bills such as these would be a pivotal step in eventually establishing equitable housing for Black communities.

Historically, Black Americans have a lower homeownership percentage than Asian and Americans, recorded at 44.7% compared to 63.4% and 72.4%, respectively, in 2023. Racially discriminatory economic policies, like redlining — withholding services from areas primarily occupied by certain racial groups — and exploitative selling, divide communities, widening the gap in income and living standards. These

measures feed the cycle of inequity, making social mobility incredibly diffcult, and it is critical to address them with lasting legal action.

AB 57 would dedicate at least 10% of California Dream For All funds to frst-time homebuyers who descend from enslaved people. With this bill, Black Americans would receive compensation for years of discriminatory practices that inhibited equal homeownership opportunities and therefore job opportunities for Black Americans, setting them back in their job prospects and chaining them to impoverished areas. These families deserve compensation to rebalance systemic inequities that have taken so much away from them.

$12 million

has been invested in reparations, but their uses have not been specifed, and this would not be enough to address the perpetual systemic racism communities continue to face.

Assembly Bill 62 allows the government to take private property without the owner’s agreement as long as “just compensation” is granted, regardless of whether communities are at risk of being displaced. Referred to as eminent domain, this process contributes to institutionalized racism. Without an effective method of combating such discrimination, Black Americans cannot effciently advocate for their own land.

As recently as 2017, the Johnson family, descendants of the enslaved Black American Livinia Blackburn Johnson, were threatened under eminent domain

This year’s bill is a beacon of hope for communities that the U.S. government has let down for centuries. Its passing, aided by support for the Reparations Task Force, would be a major victory in providing unalienable rights, one of the main causes of stolen land, and one necessary to ensure the founding principles of America. Cash payments are one of the most contentious, yet effective, means of pulling families out of poverty cycles and providing more opportunities. California should increase its investment in reparations by reallocating money from other venues, such as the state’s annual budget or marijuana tax revenues. Unfortunately, budget limitations are a valid concern. A state budget of $12 million has already been invested in reparations, but its use has not been specifed, fueling doubt that it will not be enough to address the systemic racism that communities still face. Currently, California’s debt exceeds $500 billion and continues to increase.

“Cash reparations would be more benefcial to the elderly, who are still facing income inequality and might not be able to make it on welfare programs alone,” junior and president of Cupertino High School’s Black Student Union Holly Harrison said.

Reparations should be addressed through lasting and ongoing reform. While creating opportunities for monetary compensation, systems should also aim to target the root causes of issues, addressing systemic inequities rather than temporary solutions. For such debates, voices of the Black community, especially those from disadvantaged environments, should always come frst.

Reparations are a step forward on the road to recovery and equality. To support these efforts, students can inform themselves about current struggles of marginalized communities through websites like CalMatters and promote legal actions to heal the cycle of socioeconomic disadvantage. These actions range anywhere from raising awareness in the community to supporting reparation bills by contacting state representatives.

“Reparations are a great frst step to really trying to rebuild this relationship with the African American community,” Zhang said.

According to the Washington Post

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With love, Angelina

BY ANGELINA FENG

On a perfect Saturday evening, I’m sitting in my room sifting through a collection of stationery. The fling system is organized into stacks by dimension, I select the top options from each pile. Photo strips, stamped entry tickets, postcards selected from museum gift shops, gold adorned sticker sheets, pressed fowers from my backyard. The most important a note, handwritten. nce I’m satisfed, I slide the components neatly into an envelope and print a name on top. In the last few years, these two hours at my desk have become a frequent ritual as my favorite way to show others how important they are to me.

In a time when technology often dilutes sentiment with convenience, stationery acts as a reminder of the opposite. While defnitely more impractical than sending a text message (a common criticism!), being able to read drafts and notes back makes it well worth it. aving to condense what’s most important to say into one page can be diffcult the note, especially, is the product of considerable late night refection and editing. Typically, it ends up as a collage of best memories, admirable qualities and old references, matching the collage of paper also included beside it. The additional effort that it takes to make something physical requires the same intentionality that’s inherent to building and sustaining relationships. Naturally, this means that the evolution of my relationships are refected in both the content and cause of the mail: fallout, reconciliation, new traditions, milestones or ust because.

On soup and stories

BY EMILY PEDROZA

Just past midnight, my house is deafeningly quiet. In these dark hours, I almost always fnd myself glued to my desk, framed with stacks of thrifted paperbacks, eyes peeled (and criminally dry). Writing. I am a storytelling listener. Heavy emphasis on listening. Beyond keyboard clacks, I listen to the sharp breaths of our broken shower drain, then piece together the soft fabrics of the memories they conjure until they form a whole.

Some nights I play Ocean Vuong poetry readings while I brush my teeth and refect on our shared family histories of intercountry movement — Vuong’s from Vietnam, and mine from Mexico and Taiwan — and how he crystallizes them into monarch butterfy migration patterns. Record how he releases generational trauma stanza by stanza. On other nights, I take mental notes on my mother’s work drama with her boss, whom she calls “Stone Age,” gaining insight into my mother’s life when we have so little time together to ease our age-formed gaps. Maybe you’ll fnd me eavesdropping on customers at my family’s small café, invested in lives that aren’t my own — their stories fueling my sore limbs behind counters more than coffee — getting to know a gray-haired customer named Steve, an ex-veteran who can always be seen nursing a hot honey-sea-salt latte to-go. Catching how mid-sip his eyes close; how his spine softly gives into his wheelchair. Or curled up under blankets, reading novels that I snagged on sale at a recycled bookstore, learning more about cultures of the world: branching from Latin America to Asia and beyond. Uncovering their different forms of connectivity: from warm quilts in “Vacation” by Carmen Maria Machado to fresh, pan-cooked dorayaki in “Sweet Bean Paste” from Tetsuya Akikawa, to the universal feeling of hope.

As after sunset fadeth in the west

BY GARY PAN

Epigraph:

This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,

To love that well which thou must leave ere long.

Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 73,” one out of the 154 the Bard published in 1609, deals with themes of love and aging, yet one word of this sonnet in particular catches my eye. Its defnition twofold, its imagery lucid and its usage poignant, the word has haunted me ever since the sonnet’s lyrics sang out to me.

Twilight.

Twilight, the transition between day and night and night and day, encapsulates the Bard’s ruminations of his fading life — a reminder of impending doom that nevertheless heralds optimism. After all, twilight is but a transition, marking the end of a chapter and the beginning of another. igh school was flled with precious memories, yet as time slips through my fngers, I stand face to face with graduation. What once had seemed to me a distant dream far along in the future has arrived, bringing alongside it a new chapter. And as I approach this new chapter, twilight represents a new beginning, the ending of adolescence and the beginning of adulthood.

Art itself thrives within twilight, within two seemingly incompatible subjects, within paradoxes. Whether it be a running athlete captured within the stillness and unchanging nature of photography, the musicality of a written poem, or even the silence communicated through orchestral music. To create any type of art, ambiguity and clarity are required all at once.

When consuming art, I’ve drawn to contradictions, whether it be Shakespeare’s treatment of death as another night of respite, or Van Gogh’s dreamlike yet authentic depiction of the French countryside in “Starry Nights,” that tension between illusion and reality, chaos and order, or despair and ecstasy defnes the very nature of art not

My hijab and I

BY INAAYA YOUSUF

It’s September 11, 2018. I am sitting in my sixth grade history class, fdgeting with my fngers underneath my desk as a video of 9/11 plays. As the video mentions Muslim names, my classmates, maybe unknowingly, shift their eyes toward me. They stare at my hijab. I spend the rest of the day tugging at my scarf, and by the time I go home, I feel ashamed. That was the frst day I started disliking my hijab.

Ever since I was little, I knew I would wear a hijab. Growing up, I couldn’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want to wear it. It was my statement to the world: “I am Muslim.” I loved it.

What I had failed to realize was alternate perceptions of the hijab. What was pride and love for my religion to me was a symbol of caution for others. The resentment and discomfort that others harbored manifested inside me, making me feel the same way about my hijab. Yet taking it off was out of the question. How could I admit I struggled with the same thing I advocated and supported daily? omen worldwide fght against oppressive forces for the right to wear their hi abs. But I was fghting against myself to wear it.

I tried talking to others to see if I wasn’t alone in these thoughts, which I regarded as traitorous to myself. I was only met with disapproval and shame. In response to this disastrous attempt to console myself, I treated my doubts like poison, ashamed of the conficting ideas swirling in my head. I began confronting these thoughts when I started writing poetry. Inspired by an assignment in 10th grade English class, I detailed my strained relationship with my hijab in a poem I refused to show anyone but my teacher for six months. Expressing myself on paper made me understand that it wasn’t evil not to be fully content with your practices. I found that the journey

Columns

A fresh sheet of square paper

BY ROBERT YU

One thousand. The biblical number of prosperity, the number of years in a millennium, and the number that signifes a remarkable milestone.

With my shoulders slumped against my bed’s backboard, I began my longtime journey to fold a thousand origami cranes. Crane after crane, my fngers ached and creaked like a rusty machine. But every time I felt I was on the verge of quitting, I remembered, I have a thousand different reasons to continue.

As told by generations of Japanese folklore, it is believed that by folding a thousand paper cranes, a person’s deepest wish would be granted. This legend is known as “Senbazuru,” passed down by generations since the early Edo period. Though most would scoff at the absurdity of this myth, I choose to stand by its power.

…1…2…3…When it came to learning how to fold, I had always been a student. Internet strangers who took initiative to make online tutorials gave me wings. Taking inspiration from them, I decided to become a teacher’s assistant for Zoom origami classes during the pandemic. Each class, 15 fashing icons watched as we taught them how to make kusudamas, tessellation fashers and stacking cubes. My favorite lesson was one that I had planned during April Fool’s.

“First, you fold your paper diagonally,” I explained. “The next step will be to crumple the paper and put your fst into it and CRUMPLE!”

In that very moment, my students (who were usually muted) reciprocated their

Everything, everywhere, all through a small screen

BY TAEK KIM

Every time I tell someone that I work remotely, they look at me in a confused manner. After all, they assume that I am just a kid who is far, far away from entering the job market. However, what they don’t know is that the remote opportunities that I’ve taken on have led me to my greatest passions and joys.

During my underclassman years, I interned for a local Congressional campaign. Working on neighborhood canvassing, I trekked from one house to the next, knocking on doors to convince residents to support my candidate. Many residents were uninterested in my message; in fact, many were indifferent about voting and elections in general. When I got home, I felt discouraged — not only because those doors were shut, but also because I felt powerless to fnd a solution to voter apathy in my community. Who am I to solve problems in America? I’m an immigrant, I thought. Why do I care so much for this country when I’m not even allowed to vote in elections? Yes, I loved politics. But was that enough?

After spending two years canvassing in the campaign, I grew an emotional attachment to my community members. When someone shared their concerns about the government, those conversations led to relationships. While some people shut their doors on me, I felt welcomed by those who greeted me with open arms. Moving from Singapore to Korea to Taiwan to America, I never had a country to truly call home. As I eventually found a place in San José, I felt more and more passionate about encouraging people to create the country they want to live in through their vote.

Falling back into con dence

BY QIANZI LOO

Air rushing past my ears, my back smacked the ground for the 25th time. Despite knowing that I wouldn’t truly get hurt, my heart raced each time my legs gave way. Somewhere deep inside, I had doubts that I would be able to learn these techniques fashes of hypothetical scenarios emerged where I would freeze like a deer in headlights.

Initially, I looked questioningly at Seike Sensei, our Martial Arts Club instructor, who insisted on teaching us how to fall. From day one, he had made it clear that the club wasn’t going to be a typical blend of martial arts. Unlike the fashiness of wushu or the ferceness of taekwondo, our style was a mix of Japanese aikido and practical street self-defense techniques.

So as I struggled learning the proper way to roll from a height without breaking my bones — starting with wobbly barrel rolls on my side before doing smoother rolls over my shoulder — the image of a stronger, more independent version of myself bloomed in my mind. At my inconvenient height of 5 feet 1 inch, the world can seem scary sometimes. Perhaps martial arts was the shield I needed.

With countless hours of strenuous training on Friday afternoons, I subconsciously found myself anticipating the new techniques he threw at us, challenging my instinctual fear to back out. Physically and mentally exhausted at the end of the week, I braced myself to stand up after each fall, quietly checking if anyone saw. But soon, the imaginary stares faded, and I got up — swifter, stronger, steadier than before. The rush of adrenaline and satisfaction that followed often eased any lingering stress I felt at the end of the week.

Perhaps the art of “falling” that Seike Sensei taught us would be better described as how to recover from falling. Knowing I would fall and feeling prepared to do it all over again sparked a shift in me.

BY VIDUSHI UPADHYAY

Disclaimer: The author takes no responsibility for any consequences that result from following the advice listed below.

If there’s one aspect of my high school life that I consider a complete failure, it’s my love life. Every typical mistake a high schooler could make in a relationship, I’ve made them all, and although I failed to learn my lessons the frst time, maybe I can serve as a warning to other students looking to fulfll their relationship dreams. Four years of romantic misadventures later, I’ve had more than enough experience to write my own version of “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.”

Right off the bat, you assume that going to the same school is practically a necessity. (How many high school rom-coms have you seen where the main characters go to different schools?) But you couldn’t be more wrong. The convenience that comes with seeing each other almost every day is often heavily overshadowed by the rumors and gossip, as well as the complications of taking on each others’ past mistakes and burdens. And eventually, if you end up going your separate ways, every single one of their friends transforms into a hater. (You might even hate yourself if you heard their version of how things went down!) One year into high school, I vowed to never get involved with someone at school again. Of course, I didn’t end up abiding by that, and — surprise! — it only got worse.

Another mistake that I made countless times was trying to be upfront with my feelings. If you think that having the maturity and ability to express your emotions would make it easier to approach a relationship, think again.

Senior Map

California

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Chloe Low

Marie Klassen

Snehil Kakani

Zoey Lim

California Institute of Technology

Harold Wang

Northeastern University, Oakland

Haotian Zhu

Sacramento State University

Paula Martinez Alburja

San Jose State University

Amrit Rihal

Santa Clara University

Robert McLeod

Stanford University

Grace Ker

University of California, Berkeley

Abhiram Bhavaraju

Aidan Phattanaphibul

Anish Bhethanabotla

Arnav Shah

Athreya Iyer

Ayaan Khan

Irene Chung

Joey Wan

Justin Zhang

Matthew Ju

Nathan Ye

Qianzi Loo

Sagar Bhatia

Thomas Wu

William Li

University of California, Davis

Brigitte Au

Charlotte Lucas

Chinmay Nallapothula

Jayden Jeng

University of California, Irvine

Aryan Patnaik

Isabella Chiang

Jack Dang

Medha Nalakonda

Saarang Mallipeddi

Yajat Nagaraj Kiran

University of California, Los Angeles

Hannah Liaw

Hao Gu

James Fan

Johnathan Kao

Kashish Mittal

University of California, Riverside

Anvita Sharma

Naman Athavale

Sean Tat

Zoe Lin

University of California, Santa

Barbara

Jacquelina Tong

Veeral Shrof

University of California, Santa Cruz

Sarah Wei

Tanisha Ashar

University of California, San Diego

Carol Chien

Gary Pan

Hayden Siu

Khadija Raza

Luthien Wang

Param Jain

University of Southern California

AJ Jain

Helena Ho

Natasha Thombre

Sarah Liang

Sia Gupta

University of the Pacifc

Victoria Ma

West Valley College

Benjamin Leder

Colorado

United States Air Force

Academy

Cyrus Cao

Connecticut

Yale University

Emily Pedroza

Florida

University of Miami

Apple Gao

Georgia

Emory University

Ashwin Kamchety

Elvis Hou

Georgia Institute of Technology

Aadharsh Rajkumar

Mahati Ramakrishnan

Sanaa Gada

Hawaii

University of Hawaii, Manoa

Shannon Tai

Illinois

Northwestern University

Angelina Feng

University of Chicago

Preston Kao

University of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign

Alex Chen

Annie Peng

Enzo Huang

Ethan Chen

Neil Nimmala

Riley Gu

Indiana

Indiana University, Bloomington

Lauren Li

Purdue University

Anna Li

Anoushka Chakravarty

Aris Chen

Ashton Yamamoto

Avani Viswanathan

Efe Wang

Gaura Jha

Jefrey Bi

Leo Zhang

Parth Dama

Seth Leung

Tanay Ubale

Massachusetts

Boston Univeristy

Amine Ali Chaouche

Brandeis Univeristy

Dorothy Ko

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Selena Yang

Northeastern University

Austin Liou

Kelly Chu

Monesh Ponduri

Sanjana Kamath

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Aaditya Mahajan

Aadya Khazanchi

Adarsh Vipat

Wellesley College

Qia Zhang

Maryland

University of Maryland

Krithik Mohan

Michigan

University of Michigan

Aanya Mishra

Dishita Aeron

Minnesota

Macalester College

Avani Khanvilkar

North Carolina

Duke University

Daphne Zhu

New Jersey

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Aashna Victoria Balachandran

Princeton University

Franklin Yang

Karen Gao

New York

Colgate University

Layla Olguin

Cornell University

Arnav Singhal

Bryan Shao

Claire Okamoto

Jennifer Chua

Michelle Yang

Olive Li

New York University

Aiden Lin

Colin Chow

Ishani Upadhyaya

Kimaya Pantvaidya

Regis He

Union College

Sandhya Padmanabhan

Ohio

Case Western Reserve

University

Alyssa Wang

Daniel Yeh

Elliot Yang

Nitya Singh

Rhea Soni

Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University

Akshita Dadi

Andrew Luo

Iris Yu

Ziqi Zhou

University of Pennsylvania

Calvin Zhou

Shefali Gokulnatha

Rhode Island

Brown Univeristy

Christopher Guo

Tennessee

Vanderbilt University

Emma Tang

Texas

Rice University

Lilly Wu

Meghana Babu

Sophia Chen

University of Texas, Austin

Chris Liu

Deniz Genc

Gayatri Karthik

Jennifer Yin

Leo Song

Virginia

Virginia Tech

Rhea Lalwani

Computer Science/Engineering - 67

Business/Economics/Finance - 21

Biology/Chemistry/Pre-med/Nursing - 38

Washington

University of Washington, Seattle

Ahana Mangla

Chloe Chan

Nidhi Parthasarathy

Tanya Wang

Yvette Chen

Washington D.C.

George Washington University

Taekyong Kim

Wisconsin

University of WisconsinMadison Galen Han International Canada

McGill University

Sangie Wu

University of British Columbia

Robert Yu

University of Toronto

Emma Liu

Mariam Shihab

Intended feld of study

Data according to a voluntary survey with 162 responddents. Many seniors are pursuing more than one feld of study.

Arts (Music, Film, Design, Visual and Performing Arts, etc.) - 10

Undecided/Other - 8

Political Science/Public Policy/International Relations - 4

Physics/Math - 11

English/Literature - 1

Graphic illustrations by Eileen Zhu

I, Aadharsh Rajkumar, bequeath countless wins to Sreyes Chetput and Bruhath Batla while they lead the Vipers Cricket Team, infnite basketball runs and FRC world championships to Vyaas Baskar, FBLA resources to Naman Maheshwari, a successful year of class offce to Aarit Parekh, a USAPhO qualifcation to Aravindkrishna Arivudainambi, and a TOC win to the Lynbrook Public Forum team.

I, Aaditya Mahajan, bequeath a winning season to the boys golf team, and a great next two years to Akshay Mahajan.

I, Aadya Khazanchi, bequeath the skull of Ethel Barnes Stein to Sophie Krupa, my pencils to Shalaka Dolas, a blessing on my Drama freshmen’s heads, Casa by Ouidad to Diya and Ishana Subrahmanyan, a fun 7th period class to Mr. Howden and Mr. Williams, many in-tune notes to the French Horn section, and a fun-flled 4 years at Lynbrook to all future classes.

I, Aarav Jani, bequeath Sreyes Chetput and Bruhath Batla to take forward the legacy of Lynbrook Vipers, a great ice flled badminton season to Arjun Rana, and a great senior year as class offcer to Aarit Parekh.

I, Aarini Kasturi, bequeath infnite cola and boba tea to Vibhuti, ankle pads to Tony Yuan, and a great next year to Lynbrook (and Monta Vista) Marching Band and Color Guard.

I, Aashna Victoria Balachandran, bequeath more patience and less tears to Jessie Zhu, my presidency to Sanika Vaidya, a few inches of height to Aaditi Sapute, more cute outfts and McDonalds to Alessandra Wong, great curly hair days to Sandhya Kumar, inspiration and excellence to sing many more songs to Saakshi Athreya, less crash outs over AP classes to Andrew Hong, and happy times with Brodie, Brayden, and the husband to Ms. Blazek.

I, Abhiram Bhavaraju, bequeath ASB president to Arnav Kodavati, class offce to Rishi Dommeti, Saratoga water to Rohin Saharoy, LHS Magic Club to Sarayu Bhavaraju, jail time to Susanna Khubchandani, FBLA president to Juno Hong, DECA president to Samay Sikri, success in physics to Ritvik Maiya, a better friend group to Pranav Pothapragada (Aadi’s fg), a better friend group to Aadi Loonawat (Pranav’s fg), RP’s legacy to Vihaan Patel.

I, Ahana Mangla, bequeath comfy blazers and competition wins to Lynbrook Speech! To Rebecca, good luck with these weirdos and I bequeath you a stressless presidency and an amazing summer camp. To Rucha, Anna, Stanley, Sarah, and all my other speechies, I bequeath useful parent speaker comments and all my love for this activity; cherish it! To Chang, I bequeath working p5.js code and an amazing Coding Art offcer team. Finally, I bequeath an unforgettable 4 years to my sister Mihika Mangla, Class of 2031.

I, AJ Jain, bequeath continued legacy to DECA, the funniest club to AISA, attendance to debate, revival to ASB, the duzz to Samay, ASBummery to Shreya and Joyce, FBLA/DECA wins to Juno Hong, prosperous photodumps to Niharika, giddy reunions to Kodavati, volleyball victories to Derrick, smiling to Alicia, GCBs for Angela, ruzz(real huzz) to riddhawk, func invites to Hisham, decreased goonery to Aadi, happy married life to Ojas, frst place to anithra and shresta, and joy to jalwa!

I, Alyssa Wang, bequeath ucla nursing and yummy wings to Naomi Liu; brawl trophies to Naemi Ika; chubby cheeks to Kalea Iwamoto; lightning mcqueen to Jessica Lee; lots of wins to the girls’ water polo team; diffcult riddles to Jason Kim, Arnav Kewalram, Max Chiang, and Andrew Cheng; a warm bench for Kieran Hau; playing time and cool shots for Lucas Yee; potato corner fries to Kevin Shang, Darren Lin, Richard Yu, and Morgan Yuan; a productive staff to Olivia Yuan and Crystal Zhu; and early production nights to Mr. Miller and the Epic.

I, Amine Ali Chaouche, bequeath to my great amazing Samay Sikri, a lifetime free chipotle coupon. To Hiep, Celina and Seena, an awesome rest of their high school experience. For Caleb, all the success in the world for his current boba job and the biggest gains in weight training. To Evan, I bequeath a new wallet to ft the abundant amounts of wealth that Amrit gave to him already. To Mrs. Louie, a disco ball for endless enjoyment of Jazzercise for every class. And fnally, an unlimited supply of baguettes for the French Honor Society.

I, Amrit Rihal, bequeath greatness for the next three years to Hiep, game to Seena, stress free times to Mr. Williams, lots of naps to Mr. Wong, the Catalyst Crew Youtube channel to Mrs. Leung, abundant amounts of wealth to Evan, countless amounts of Jazzercise to Madame Louie, endless Nixon hand gestures to Mr. Pugh, and goofy times to Mr. Lee.

I, Andrew Luo, bequeath a full night of sleep to Brian Lee, a Senioritis vaccine to Aidan Fang, Parli prowess to Ashley Louie, Shannon Zhang, Harshini Viswanathan, and Shashwath Dinesh, downhill runs to Ken Abe and Roy Kim, tricep pushdowns to Evan Liu, Swokowski Classic Edition to Shelby Kim, and chill guys to Max Luu and Andrew Cheung.

I, Angelina Feng, bequeath my Omeej order to Suzanne Das, an umbrella to Kartik Gudapati, apples to the workshop group, an easy lit teacher to Jenny Suh, NYT connection skill to Saavan Saraf, easy t-spin setups to Mr. Pallone, replacement tutorial company to Mr. Howden, and all the luck in the world to Caroline Feng, class of 2029.

I, Anish Bhethanabotla, bequeath curry’s shot, cp3’s passing, kyrie’s handles, and ja’s fnishing to Neelesh Soni, an stress-free junior year and 15 on AIME to Sohum Uttamchandani, a growth spurt to Aryan Tiwari, a more-reliable and less-eccentric debate partner to Raghav Shrivastava, golf success to Akshay Mahajan, a comeback to Lynbrook PF, and success in Synopsys and JSHS to Lynbrook Research Club

I, Annie Peng, bequeath more Nike pros, non-navy clothing, PRs, and sleep to Nithya Kanagala, an injury-free season and Japan Trip 2.0 to Diya Shah, a dream-come-true senior year and ISEF qualifcation to Ava Chen, productive library study sessions and

a dream school acceptance to Emily He, cute graphics and easy Lit quizzes to Alicia Tsai, a full cabinet of commission snacks and a smooth junior year to Niharika Ramanatham, good turf laps to Catherine Cruz and Anasuya Pawate, and spot-on guesses in geography games to Ruxi, Varun, and Jacob.

I, Anoushka Chakravarty, bequeath a fun-flled four years to little brother Advay Chakravarty, Class of 2028, cookies to Ms. Dunlap, a broken helmet to Rohan Kakhandiki, Class of 2026, hallway conversations with Sanika Vaidya, Class of 2026, more concerts for Viking Vocalists, exciting events for Octagon, and an exciting year of planning prom to my Link Crew partner and ‘26 class treasurer Dave Elango.

I, Anvita Sharma, bequeath my (better) sense of humor to Aakriti Merwah, my beautiful singing abilities to Mr. Nguyen, and a stress-free senior year without senioritis for the incoming seniors.

I, Apple Gao, bequeath an orange and my amazing sleep schedule to Melanie, rocks and giggles to Katherine, more pokemon card packs to open to Jessica and Cooper, grapes and strawberries to Rohil, immense aura to Catherine, crochet abilities to Angelina, silliness to Ceira, more banters and free time to Mihir, and mallet chops to all my pit kiddos Benjamin, Kevin, Bryan, Erwin, and Evan! Oh and a better instagram fyp to Darren.

I, Aris Chen, bequeath new ankles and dozens of stuffed animals to Esther Kwan, gourmet meals to Kate Nagareda, silly little doodles to Charisse Chao, loads of sweets to Amy Li, fun dances on Valks to Casey Feng, and a million thank you’s to Mr. Tim :D

I, Arnav Singhal, bequeath banquets of food to Samay, funny accounting vlogs to Amie, the best senior playlist to Juno, a unique IDC experience to Kodavati, craziest auntie stories to Riddhi, endless bhangra jumps to Ojas, stunt-flled hoco dance to Lex, delicious snacks to Susanna, a tight ASBO team to Vihaan, ASB fun to Min, tech success to Jiwon, senioritis to Kartik, noncaffeinated drinks to Rohin, fun asb class to Tanush, an exciting board rep time to Amy, a bonded team to Jalwa, TOC bids to speech and debate, international glass to FBLA and DECA, and wild events to ASB.

I, Aryan Patnaik, bequeath to the sweetest and only Sharika Dipu in the entire world all the happiness that she deserves. To Tanishka, I bequeath the entire city of Dubai. To Kate and Vinitha, I bequeath jumongous amounts of food. To Dave, Anithra, and Vidhi, I bequeath the hand-mirror from Beauty and the Beast. I bequeath good dancing skills to Aarit, creature power suits to Maaveer and Rohan, infnite tic-tacs to Naman and Archan, and a trip to nationals for Chaas, Shreya, Amanda, and Jana (Ian). And fnally, I bequeath Rucha Kore absolutely nothing (everything of mine is already yours).

I, Ashwin Kamchetty, bequeath the BTDM legacy to Samay Sikri, “Mock Trial” to Rebecca Cai, 2nd best pretrialer to Ashwath Anoop, AngryChickz to Anya Gupta, confdence at Starbucks to Susanna Khubchandani, the International Business legacy to Juno Hong, ASB President to Henry Wang, patent approval to Arnav Kodavati, obscene amounts of caffeine and SVG’s soul to Rohin Saharoy, some working organs to Ojas Kothari, Silsilay success to Riddhi Maharana, and more TOC bids to Aadi Loonawat.

I, Athreya Iyer, bequeath tasering privileges to Caleb, KDrama binges to Juno, London Thumakda choreo to Sam, window seats at the Cupertino Library to Lisa, chai to Riddhi, papdi chaat to Anya Gupta, South Asian unity to Yumna and Suzanne, magic masala to Jangu/ Koda, the “bulk” to Vairaaj, infnite boxes of Kurkure to Niharika, my lungs to Ojas, the grind to Rong, Tian, Vincent, and Samuel, red solo cups to Sarayu Bhavaraju, testing success to Andrew Lin, ICDC glass to Lynbrook DECA, and all my love and blessings for a stress-free Silsilay to the future AISA and Emcee team.

I, Austin Liou, bequeath a fun flled senior year to Luca Weber, perfect daps to Arnav Kodavati, the best of luck on college apps to Derrick Han, infnite McDonald’s to AJ Nguyen, a new and improved back to Aaron Chuang, a thumbs up senior year to Avril Chin, amazing stunts to Lex Huang, safe fights to Delaney Hong, brand deals to Nicholas Ho, perfect code to Sebastian Hagebris, funny tiktoks to Heip and Timmy, and the torch of the liou family legacy to Andrew Liou.

I, Avani Khanvilkar, bequeath my cutest photographer to Susannah Kubchandani, my favorite friday sixth periods dancing in the quad session with bollywood music to Anika Sinha, the cutest aisa emcee actor to Anya Gupta, spending my jnr year 7th periods doing absolutely nothing in the library to Pranav Pothapragada, and lastly those unfnished 4-piece crumbl packages to Niharika Ramanatham.

I, Ayaan Khan, bequeath Sreyes Chetput and Bruhath Batla the honor and responsibility of carrying forward the legacy of the Vipers Cricket Team, may you lead with spirit, discipline, and passion. To Aarit Parekh, I entrust the mantle of class offce, confdent in your ability to serve with integrity and dedication. And to my brother, Aamir Khan, I leave the next two years at Lynbrook, may you make the most of every moment, build your own path, and leave behind a mark that’s all your own.

I, Benjamin Leder, bequeath Jayden Yang to be a big boy set, Ryan Huang and Sasha Voloshyn to carry on my 500 legacy, and Abigail Leder and Micheal Lee to be the greatest goalies I’ve ever met.

I, Bethanie Lee, bequeath all my love and credit cards to Angela and Riddhi, a lighter for his textbooks to Andrew, a successful Vert year to my superstars Maddy and Emma, cooperation and consistency to Jalwa, and an amazing homecoming & winter rally to Esther.

I, Brian Kao, bequeath college soccer to Ryan Liu and Joshua Pu, better running form to Ethan Zou, lots of green to Jason Wu, haircuts to Aiden Nie, a nice friendly competition to Yves Yamauchi and Rithvik Maiya, fight school to Vishnu Sankaran, and a fun next two years to Lauren Kao.

I, Brigitte Au, bequeath unlimited tiktok screen time to Rebecca Cai, many more meals of buldak to Wesley Chen, feld hockey sunsets and pasta parties to Mahi Shah, Anika Sinha, and Grace Cho, ArtReach corsages to Ishani Chawla, Amolika Sudhir, and Alicia Tsai, NCHS potlucks to Amy Tang, instagram reels during chamber orchestra to Sherlynn Jin, success in family

style to Suzanne Das, and many more lippies to Yumna Azeem.

I, Calvin Zhou, bequeath OG clinky clankers vibes to Ojas, real pre-IDC boba runs and a non-canceled IDC Dance to Samay, Arnav, and Joyce, consistent ASBonding to Vihaan, Lisa, Jiwon, and Amy, delightful ASB volunteering to Riddhi, Amie, Chelsea, Michael, and Susanna, spreadsheets to Ms. Kirsh, endless FBLA wins to Juno and Tani(ee)shka, smooth sailing socials to Amanda and Shripriya, lineup dilemmas to Chang, Mr. Nguyen’s gray hairs to Cinra, pollen-free days to Prajwal, and CCS banners and in-game crashouts to Vignesh.

I, Carol Chien, bequeath UC acceptances (especially UCSD) to Sterling, a better sleep schedule to Eva, a grill or chef certifcate to Ryan, no more cs breakdowns to Jayden, the best PAC meetings to Yuyao, forever 100% in homework categories to Harvy, topics to write about for the epic to Kieran, the dream college to Xiao and Bryant, 130 ft in discus to Chanelle, my game pigeon skills to Charisse, and fnally fulflling future to all underclassmen.

I, Charlotte Lucas, bequeath my brain rot and worryfree college applications to Shwetha Sundar, and good luck on surviving band class without me to Eileen Zhao.

I, Chinmay Nallapothula, bequeath even more private badminton training sessions to Vignesh, better luck at JIT next year to Prajwal, a stress-free senior year to Sebastian, unlimited Taco Bell to Angela, better posture to Vidhat, an undefeated season in V1 to Paul, better knees to Coach Nguyen, no red cards to Luca, more sleep to Brian, and more frst place wins in Science Olympiad to Chaaruhaas.

I, Chloe Chan, bequeath unlimited three steps to the hurdlers, the best remaining seasons to Audrey, Joyce, and Maddy, more sleep to Izzy, more humor to Jason, the best high school experience to Meredith, and more chamoy pickles to Carson.

I, Chloe Low, bequeath many more cats in his backyard and all the baja blasts in the world to Wesley Chen, uninterrupted brawl star sessions with korean street food to Rebecca Cai, energetic birthday songs to Ms. Leung, post-physics therapy to Hannah Guan, peaceful blender sessions to Mia Liu, all the sumikko gurashi stickers at Daiso to Abigail Chen, a slightly more sensible taste in men to Sherlynn Jin, all the seaweed in the ocean to Charisse Chao, diffcult tempos to Benjamin Yang and Stanley Tan, and an amazing memory-flled tour to Chamber Orchestra.

I, Chris Liu, bequeath concrete pucks to Chaaruhaas Kandregula, 3D-printed balls to Nathaniel Na, mysterious instructions to Shreya Somani and Amanda Jin, a sewing machine to Braydon Lu, Expo markers to Esther Kwan, a dominant seventh chord to singers and instrumentalists, and Maxwell’s equations to all science lovers.

I, Christina Zhou, bequeath a lifetime’s supply of injury-free seasons and braids that don’t get loose to the girls’ wrestling team, huge biceps and small waists to the weight room gang, the most unbreakable sanity for my unoffcial sophomore children, W rizz and fabulous hair to my fav junior (freshman) Ishana, and fnally, a library of Italian brainrot, unlimited packs of sour candy, and no more buzz cuts for my baby brother, Astin Zhou, class of 2029.

I, Christopher Guo, bequeath physics carry status to my brother Evan Guo; baguettes, big back outings, and another great year to French Honor Society; Physics Honors TA aura to Jayden Fan; Café des Rêves chaos to Sohum Uttamchandani; non-overpriced oboe reeds to Benjamin Zhang; Super Smash Bros button-spam tactics to Cooper Chung, Sai Kanukollu, and Justin Huang; and W rizz and godly piano skills to Sean Constable, Bryan Tian, and Andrew Lin.

I, Colin Chow, bequeath Tiktok virality and an amazing feelance career to Jiwon, same grade friends to Samay, prestigious (paid) research opportunities to Koda, driving skills to Susanna so she can eat well, a track offer and superb year as treasurer to Ojas, a healthier sleep schedule to Min, and high member participation in FPS to Tanishka

I, Cyrus Cao, bequeath Chaitu a ladder, a few more pounds, and a feezy, Ojas some majik water and a knee, Eva to get on the board, Madeline Chang to stay faster than Chai, Ming some bigger jumps, Luke Whalen a restraining order, Dashenka some less hate for the world, VP some more cool and dangerous spots, Shreyon some bigger muscles, and a speedy season to Drizzy, Joyce, Kushal, and Wethan.

I, Daphne Zhu, bequeath pizookies to Angelina, my seat cushion to Erin, a lighter makeup bag to Aileen, nerd clusters to Crystal, slippers to Lucia, new hoodies to Lisa, senioritis to Andrew, more solos than Ian to Ben, more solos than Ben to Ian, #nationaleeshadays to Eesha, mom duties to Jaahnavi, chaotic sectionmates to Anish, nut-free seasons to Kevin, self-confdence to Keyu; a new garden to Amanda, Nic, and Charlene, on-time corsage orders to Amolika and Ishani, my gym membership to Alicia, my gratitude to Mr. Seike, and a wonderful time at Lynbrook to my sister Hannah, Class of 2030.

I, Deniz Genc, bequeath a fun senior year to Lucas Yee and Stephen Florip, many J-Bowl victories to Kitchen Sensei, hopefully another fun year of teaching seniors for Ms Kirsh, a new batch of memes for Mr Pallone, a fun water polo season for Nathan Zhao as well as great year in J4, a splendid year for Luca Weber and fnally wishing the best of luck to Ryan Liu and Ethan Zou, y’all gonna need it!

I, Dishita Aeron, bequeath endless laughter and more car tea-spilling sessions to Ishani, paint-stained clothes from Homecoming to my Senior Class President Shreya, whispered gossip in broken French to Shriya and Tishneet, a stress-free remaining three years to Hannah, fun-flled chats after CSF meetings to Maddy and Shahana, and an unlimited supply of good snacks (not the leftovers) to all my GWCSJ offcers.

I, Dorothy Ko, bequeath an exciting senior year to Abigail Chen, a survivable junior year to Mengdi Xiong, Lauren Kao, and Stanley Tan, baked potatoes to my valks fam, fre choreo and a good season to Angela Zhang and Caroline Yan, lychee jellies to Amy Yuan and Celina Chen, dance classes with Angelina Zhou, Alo shopping sprees to Andrew Hong, cake pops to Lisa Jing, cute fts to Charlene Yang, good ol’ americanos to

Brian Lee, cute club meetings to her SPS girlies: Audrey Zhu, Tanishi Bhushan, and Alexis Cheng, and the ocean with all its inhabitants to Eunice Leung :)

I, Effe Wang, bequeath the Public Art Club to Yuyao Wen, Amelia Chi, Jessica Liu, Angelina Bu, and Xiaoya Gao, infnite school potato slices to Ms. Schulze, and the best senior year memories to Abigail Chen.

I, Elle Gasper, bequeath a healthy love life and unlimited Taco Bell to Angela. I bequeath a productive and successful dance team to Caroline.

I, Elliot Yang, bequeath photo dubs to Arnav Chandra, respite from her ex to Aisha Taylor, true senioritis to Jessie Zhu, all of the korean skincare money can buy to Ein Jung, at least three god packs within every ten pull to Cooper Chung and Alex Tran, good health to Chancie Chou, a fan meet and greet with FKA Twigs or Charli XCX to Olivia Yuan, the best of luck to the Lynbrook Mellophones, and all my love to the Valhalla Yearbook team including Ms. Robledo.

I, Emily Chen, bequeath lots of candy and another fun year of marching band to Katherine Ye and Gina Low. meow.

I, Emily Pedroza, bequeath Ert fgurines to Vertigo; Fleet Week crewnecks to Maddy Chang, Emma Ha, and Torso Xu; Capri Sun packs and Safeway cookies to the Epic; Oxford comma assassinating to Alex Cotterel, Olivia Yuan, Crystal Zhu, and David Zhu; book talks to Rebecca Cai and Irene Hwang; and warm cups of tea to Mrs. Fill, Mrs. Willson, Mrs. Quindipan, and Mr. Miller.

I, Emma Liu, bequeath all the 85℃ pastries to Abigail Chen, late night pho runs to Chloe Huang, digicam pics to Alyssa Chou, karaoke sessions and 5am sunrise views to Eva Wen and Yuyao Wen, the best PR videos to Tanishka Sharma, nightly debriefs and long naps to Vinitha Nair, the cutest stickers to Amy Yuan, an amazing FBLA chapter for Shannon Zhang and Claire Guo, the best nationals and disney memories for the CSP, AEP, and PWB Chapter Project teams, and an amazing next two years to my brother Ted Liu, Class of 2027. Love you all lots :)

I, Emma Tang, bequeath highly-kudosed one-shots to Jessica Lee, post-practice chicken to Kalea Iwamoto, sub-six 500s to Emma Vincent, 60K brawl stars trophies to Naemi Ika, tasty Main St trips to Crystal Zhu, weekly unproductive and undisturbed sectionals to Apurva Sistla, Erin Chen, and Cassie Wu, 5 dollars from Austyn Chen to the Wind Ensemble fute section, Lamarck’s giraffe graffti to Mr. Pallone, and une incroyable year with SHF to Helen Wu and Mme. Louie.

I, Enzo Huang, bequeath my questionable sense of humor to my marimbudbae Benjamin Zhang, @ lynbrookpit access to Bryan Tian, virtual penguins to Kevin Ho, no LaTeX errors on Overleaf to Evan Liu, a stable Linux OS to Chaaruhaas Kandregula, and to all marching band kids, a successful season with no sunburns.

I, Gary Pan, bequeath Amanda Jin luck in fnding a boyfriend, Brian Lee progress in seeking 25 hours in a day, Claire Guo a better immune system, Chelsea Guo respite within her insane class schedule, Shreya Somani an unforgettable senior homecoming and prom, Irene Hwang a cure to her crippling LeBron brainrot addiction, Rohan Kakhandiki to fnally realize that Batman is better than Superman, my sister Colleen Pan, Class of 2029, scholastic achievements in the future, Ms. Leung success in teaching Thermochemistry and numerous BTS merchandise, and Mr. Seike a restful summer break and my gratitude for his guidance.

I, Grace Ker, bequeath easy DE routes to Alber Wu, great table-tennis matches to Om Narvekar, and many fun spontaneous adventures to Kevin Zhu.

I, Hao Gu, bequeath stats to Avril and Sophie, my job to Kartik, fun LEC meetings to Stephen, coconut water and mango popsicles to Aidan, geography knowledge to Angela, less brainrot to Daniel and Irene, food to Amanda, dimes to Nick Ho, normal literary interests to Aaroosh, election aura to my ASBuddies Arnav and Shreshta, a new year new you to Lucas Li, and a great 4 years to my little sister Lily, class of 2031.

I, Harold Wang, bequeath great Go Club membership to Chancie Chou, sub 2 to Nathan Kato, a haircut to Michael Fan, a better sense of humor to Hisham Mohammed and James McMullin, 1000 pies to Aarav Karasi, stronger knees to Harish Paschapur, PRs to the rest of the XCTF team, and good luck in Go and math comps to Steven Xia.

I, Helena Ho, bequeath sub-90 degree Saturday practices, bus rides flled with age-appropriate jokes, and well-ftting marching shoes to all my kids in the upcoming marching band season and beyond, not to mention everything, most of all my faith, to Catherine Yang--my Drum Major.

I, Inaaya Yousuf, bequeath all the brainrot in the world and therapy for the ptsd from statistics to Irene Hwang to get her through senior year, and an easy year of msa and my hollister dresses to Shifa Bashir.

I, Irene Chung, bequeath bottomless Omee J 2 bowls to Alessandra Wong; the smooth passage of wellness center plans to Shreshta Kondla, Arnav Thota, and Isabella Chiu; candy to my favorite linkie, Brandis Olguin; econ club yap sessions to Arjun Nelabhotla, Kartik Gudapati, and Tanush Agrawal; and a silly last two years to Richard Chen and my little brother, Caleb Chung.

I, Iris Yu, bequeath CCS and a good coach to girls water polo, an NCT concert to Aileen Rong, lucky thrift fnds to Claire Guo, baguettes and croissants to Helen Wu, beyblade backhand shots to Naemi Ika, a couple extra inches of height to Shriya Rao and Misha Ganguly, lots and lots of Snoopy merch to Emma Vincent, crazy tea spilling sessions to Ruxi Ion, a 6 foot boyfriend to Kalea Iwamoto, a stress-free junior year to Myra Kambo and Dylan Liu, a chauffeur to Abby Leder, evenly applied sunscreen to Naomi Liu, and successful college applications to Rebecca Cai.

I, Isabella Chiang, bequeath all of musical knowledge and competence to Rohil Gupta, all of my spicy cheetos and careless whisper to Abhigya Bandugula, and a box of matches to Siri Kadalbal.

I, Jack Dang, bequeath my YouTube channel to Ryan, Vlogging Camera to Sterling, unlimited supply of Saratoga Water to Jayden, good college result to Eva,

Bequeathals

Harvy, Yuyao, Fuad, and Bryant, Soccer Cleats to the Sunday League team, CozyCharm to Paul, Buzzcut to Kang, Paul to Sieun, Crypto Portfolio to Alan Yang, Poker case to Jack Ding, all A’s to Kieran, and a fulflling rest of highschool to all my underclassman friends.

I, Jacquelina Tong, bequeath straight A’s in AP Stats to Zoe Zheng, unlimited Lex and Leo meet-and-greets to Hisham, Dolly Parton tickets to Ms. Goldstein, my phenomenal wit and sarcasm to Mr. Howden, Chainsaw Man manga to Kitchen Sensei, and a successful and adventurous senior year to Alice Yan and Sharon Lu.

I, Jade Korupp, bequeath endless laughter, inside jokes, and unforgettable memories to Mengdi Xiong — my little sister in spirit, the sunshine on even the cloudiest days. Thank you for lighting up every space with your sweet, silly, and lovable self. To Abigail Chen and Lauren Kao, wishing you the best in your upperclassman years. The future is wide open, and I can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll accomplish!!!

I, James Fan, bequeath popcorn chicken to Kartik Gudapati, fried mushroom to Vihaan Patel, better toprock to Aarit Parekh, beautiful fute playing to Samhita Srimath Kandali, awesome band seasons to Catherine Yang, and an exciting two more years at Lynbrook to my little brother Michael Fan, Class of 2027.

I, Jeffrey Bi, bequeath a speedy BTS comeback to Ms. Leung, sturdier wrists to Brian Lee, my chemistry skills to Maximilian Luu, and deranged clarinet sectionals to Ian Chen and Benjamin Oh.

I, Jennifer Chua, bequeath perfect attendance and a stress-free senior year to Nithya, Izumi matcha to Eesha and Diya, six pack abs to Lily Yang, a BIG FOX to Michael Fan, rizz to Hisham, all the snacks I’ve stolen from Justin Jung to Justin Jung, a big butt to Tanishka, endless repeats of That’s So True to Pallavi, CORRECT drills to Amira, a sick-free year to Aafrin, fruit trees + perfect workout pacing to the distance girls, a love for nature to CAA, 7:15AM shifts to student cafeteria workers, and most importantly, endless slaps to those who know.

I, Jennifer Yin, bequeath a reduced video game addiction and a gpa boost to my younger brother Christopher Yin, fun board games and delicious Tuesday lunches to the best teacher Mr. A, wins in Egyptian War, an easy-going college app season to my favorite junior, Shwetha Sundar

I, Joey Wan, bequeath my tennis racket to my glorious king Kosuke Kimura, my intense comeback mentality to David Dai, and my frst chair position to Ceira Motoyama.

I, Justin Zhang, bequeath lots of food-flled work sessions to Kush G, the ability to stop at a stop sign to Ved P, tiki-taka knowledge to Saharsh, Arman, and Krishna, a million tea favors to Vyaas B, the skill to beat me at badminton to Amogh R, clogged toilets to Arnav, rebounding luck to Evan and Porter, grass to Prakhar R, and the best of luck to my favorite robotics team, 846.

I, Kajal Mittal, bequeath Lynbrook Badminton a mountain of snacks; a winning streak to Tanishka and Sadhana; success and hard work to Ananya; relaxation and sleep to Brian; an endless food supply to Cinra; someone to bother Mrs. Bagade and Mrs. Tang; the best food to Mr. Pallone; laughter to Mr. Seike; and endless motivational speeches to Mr. Nyguen.

I, Karen Gao, bequeath infnite goals to Lynbrook water polo, more CCS/states cuts and records to Dylan, Hannah, Katelyn, Katie, Naomi, and Sonia, fun partner swims and yap sessions to Mina and Shelby, epic meet-day mustaches to Rachel, endless Chobani and no cramps to Kevin, 8 hours of sleep to Brian, minesweeper mastery to Aidan, stress-free days to Mr. Williams, and a legacy of “spicy” math problems to Mr. Tsai.

I, Kashish Mittal, bequeath badminton match glory, post-game celebrations, FBLA awards, and last-minute presentation magic to Tanishka and Sadhana; all summer program acceptances (plus the late-night essay meltdowns) and club positions to Ananya; an endless supply of thank-you notes and long conversations to Mrs. Bagade and Mrs. Tang; rec letters and pineapple buns to Mr. Pallone; engaged students and funny stories to Mr. Seike; and Lynbrook Badminton success to Mr. Nyguen.

I, Khadija Raza, bequeath unlimited House of Falafel visits and D1 rishta prospects to Suzanne, secure and non-explosive spray paint cans and a horror movie tolerance to Jessica, baddie scouting and my mission to fnd Vyaas a girlfriend to Arnav and Amogh, a girlfriend to Vyaas, a tutorial on pronouncing ‘vegetarian’ to Jiayi, and some actually baggy jeans to Chen.

I, Kimaya Pantvaidya, bequeath days to Niharika, a stress-free and happy senior year to Sophie and Maulik, an amazing Silsilay to Riddhi, Vairaaj, and Niharika, lots of fun at SPS to Kayla, a future presidency to Henry, lots of cheez-its to Mrs. Salazar, and many more days of watching the Summer I Turned Pretty to Mr. Wong!

I, Lauren Li, bequeath silly stickers to Valerie Au, funny monkey cards to Niharika Ramanatham, 600 ring pops and pop rocks to Amie Wu, an AP Stats inference guide to Rianna Jain, cheap concert tickets to Zenita Yang, my Link Crew PR skills to Andrew Hong, a good night’s rest to Lisa Jing, my melody plushes to Charlene Yang, amazing China photoshoots to Clara Yan, a 10 on rife to Tony Yuan, and the best burger handshake to Arnav Kodavati.

I, Layla Olguin, bequeath clay dust covered hoodies to Lucas Li and a perfect, tardy-free attendance record to Brandis Olguin.

I, Lehem Atsebha, bequeath an unlimited supply of trader joes taki’s to anithra, a normal sleep schedule to dave, a full earring stack + endless angry macs to anya, a job + more lengthy debrief seshs to riddhi and my love to my baby sister carmel.

I, Leo Mu, bequeath a brother who actually does his work to Mr. Williams, “somebody to help you distribute chemicals” to Mr. Leung, not dying in the Coast Guard to Adrian Phillip (bike to SD next time) and more diabolical bike rides and PRs, no more injuries to Kevin Zhu and Noah Hong, our favorite teacher next year to Aarit Parekh, Lynbrook records to Harish Paschapur, a 1000 pound club membership to Ken Abe and Rohan

Verma, an academic comeback to James McMullin, and my best wishes to Luke Mu and his friend group, Class of 2028.

I, Leo Song, bequeath 8 hours of sleep to Ishana, 1 BIG cookie to Aiden Levit, a HEALTHY number of monsters to Sai Kanukollu, my AP chem grade to Sophia Zhang, FUN hypotheticals to Haruto Takaoka, cold breezes each day of band camp to the marching band, and plenty of canopy shade to my beloved trumpet section.

I, Lilly Wu, bequeath county champs to my beloved mock trial team, unforgettable senior year memories to Rebecca Cai, gender bending skills to Ashwath Anoop, Lex Huang to Alden James, a million ABGs to Rohin Saharoy, luck in future romantic endeavors to Juno Hong, peace and quiet to Kartik Raja, $22 worth of Popeyes to Rohan Kakhandiki, suffcient sleep to Brian Lee, Managing Editor duties to Claire Guo, a stress-free junior year to Aileen Rong and my eternal gratitude to Mr. Seike.

I, Luthien Wang, bequeath satisfying cover performances to Ravens, fawless makeup and pictures wherever whenever to Aileen Rong, boynextdoor merch and concert tickets to Grace Guo, model aura to Jaclyn Chiu, never falling on ice and winning every competition to Eileen Zhao, top tier acting and singing for Hannah Wu, coffee and patience magically appearing when needed to Sensei, every speck of happiness in the world to Mrs. Kirsh and Mr. Signore, infnite goals in waterpolo and winning gacha rolls to Naemi Ika, and fnally endless support/motivation for senior year to Amy Tang and Lisa Jing.

I, Mahati Ramakrishnan, bequeath lots of cute thrift fnds to Amanda Jin, many more art awards to Emma Ha, infnite brownie points to Hannah Huang and Quincy Wu, and an amazing year of SPS to Tanishi Bhushan and Alexis Cheng.

I, Mariam Shihab, bequeath to Alicia, Ryan, and Akshat all the endless Duolingo hacks we’ve uncovered; and the promise that one day, we will fnally have our table group mukbang.

I, Marie Klassen, bequeath a 5 on AP chem and insane reel pulls to Clara, a vending machine fully stocked with Coke and fast boba deliveries to Vibhuti, an amazing year as captains to Tony and Charlene, and my best wishes to the Lynbrook (and MV) Colorguard next year.

I, Max Luo, bequeath suffcient sleep, food, and happiness to Charlene Yang.

I, Medha Nalakonda, bequeath an infnite supply of reeds to Jaahnavi, eight bonus REM cycles to Isabella, XL claw clips to Samhita, a chaotic clarinet cult to Anish, forged attendance sheets to Abhigya, a titrationfree eternity to Anika, annoying underclassmen to Aadi, Shakira’s entire discography to Rohil, eternal “Tip of the Weeks” to Charlene, a driver’s license to Anya, personalized iphones to Arnav, peace and quiet for Chancie’s mellos, bus ride gossip to Melanie, a new sense of style to Sourabh, jalwa captain to Karthik, less interviews to Stuti, and 32nd-note madness to Ian and Benjamin.

I, Meghana Babu, bequeath freedom from APUSH notes to Esther Kwan, bon temps en français à Helen Wu, scioly nationals to my favorite nerds Amanda Jin, Abhigya Bandhugula, and Shreya Somani, endless epidermis facts to Isabella Chiu, and, of course, my incessant text notifcations to my ASB Clinkies, Shreshta Ramji, Henry Wang, and Hisham Mohammed.

I, Michelle Yang, bequeath a fulflling senior year full of mintia mints and 4th period walks to joyce, the best lynvista season as captain to charlene, 2 more seasons of showing up to practice with marshmallow jackets and bucket hats to lieutenant tony, more beard papa happiness and less physics pain to valerie, a million warm hugs to shreya, and un año fantástico a varnika y alessandra.

I, Monesh Ponduri, bequeath Unc status to Noah Bowers, HBPs to William Tai, my speed to Cameron Chao, my arm health to Jacob Sit, and gastrointestinal pills to Akira Gok. I would also like to bequeath my employability to Aditya Tickoo, a spot on the baseball team to Chaitanya Taraniganty, my position to Sisir Malasani, and my baldness to Saketh Neeli and Arnav Kodavati.

I, Naman Athavale, bequeath Kush, Ved, and Vyaas for their love for food, Saketh and Mihir for helping me recover in Canada, Tang for always checking up on me during worksessions, blue skinny jeans for Chenxia, chinese food from places that end with ‘Palace’ for Mr. Bale, Vaibhav for an amazing senior year, and blue banners with a scrumptious amount of food for everyone in robotics.

I, Natasha Thombre, bequeath LeBron GIFs, pesto Pizza My Heart, and a reasonable sleep schedule to Shreya Somani, a successful and fulflling Science Olympiad season to Chaas Kandregula, questionable solar system edits and an entire Big Sur pizza to Ian Chen, fewer crashouts and more diabolical GIFs to Amanda Jin, an impactful year of ASAP to Wesley Chen, Amelia Chi, and Amber Lai, and an unlimited buffet to Quincy Wu.

I, Neil Nimmala, bequeath Hiran and Atalik to being fully unemployed, and Aadi, Juno, and Amogh to being as large as possible.

I, Nidhi Parthasarathy, bequeth a spice tolerance and hot cheetos for Helen Wu and Jessica Wang. I, Nitya Singh, bequeath a good sleep schedule to Mahi, my questionable yet beloved Irish accent to Anika, my love for NOT getting concussions to Izzy, my addiction to family style to Maulik, and the best of luck to the Lynbrook hockey team and Indesign!!! (and luscious hair to Mr. Nguyen)

I, Param Jain, bequeath peak Athleticism and Ice to Arjun Rana, Domination in singles to Bruhath Batla, V1 badminton to Pawan, Great Pokemon Pocket pulls to Vidhat Kartik, Ranganathan Srinivasan, and Cooper another great season to Prajwal and Vignesh, a good Brawl Stars ranked season to Ryan Zhou, another league championship to Lynbrook Badminton, A fun high school experience to Arvin Nolkha, 225 bench to Anurag, a touchdown to Deepac Ganesan, a happy family to Aarit Parekh, and a foot of height to Nilesh Soni, and a great high school experience flled with lifelong memories to my little sister Isha Jain, Class of 2033.

I, Preston Kao, bequeath an MLS Next All Star MVP for Ryan Liu, an Arcadia Invitational Title for Jason Wu, and a successful college application cycle for Aiden Nie and Ethan Zou.

I, Qia Zhang, bequeath interruption-free sectional time to Apurva, Erin, Cassie, Michael, and Sachit, -$5 to Austyn; a successful Mardi Gras to the SHF offcers; buttery popcorn to Mme Louie; a thank you to Mr. Hott, my favorite Duplicating Center Technician, for all of the nerf gun shots; and a fun time at Lynbrook to all future students.

I, Qianzi Loo, bequeath speedy productions with crispy photos and no AP style errors to the Epic; full member turnout to Martial Arts Club offcers and injury-free practices to Seike Sensei; literature-loving students to the best APLAC team on campus, along with good health to Mrs. Fill and endless audiobooks to Mr. Miller; and a great year with a normal sleep schedule to my favorite juniors — Joyce Cheung, Brian Lee and Olivia Yuan.

I, Regis He, bequeath a d1 scholarship offer for Lucas badger, better knees for Daniel, diving ability to Aaroosh, and blue hair to Derrick

I, Rhea Lalwani, bequeath all frst place jamz wins and clean poms to my cheer team. I bequeath Michelle and Yuwei a shared room at nationals each year and amazing new bases. Lastly, I bequeath my brother, Advait Lalwani, all of Lynbrook High hoping he’ll have as much fun at it as I did.

I, Rhea Soni, bequeath more interactions with her parasocial relationships to Jessica Lee (slick nick, SD, etc.); the cutest chubbiest cheeks and all the cuddles in the world to Kalea Iwamoto; my favorite Lynbrook parking spot to Misha Ganguly; lots of “yee-haws” and a fun flled season to the girls water polo team; incredible riddles and warm sunny days to the swim team; many record breaking times and delicious post meet meals to the Liu sisters; and all the shooting stars in the sky to Isha Soni, class of 2030.

I, Robert McLeod, bequeath a successful wrestling season to Haruto and Justin Z, lots of great memories to Hiep, and fun times and vibes to Luca.

I, Robert Yu, bequeath a peanut butter sandwich with no jelly to Richard Yu, Rohan Kakhandiki a growth spurt, Mitchell Chen a hairline, Kieran Hau hopes and dreams, Irene Hwang a working red fag radar, Jayden Yang food, Amanda Jin food, Brian Lee a sleep schedule, Claire Guo a comedically large gavel, and (Lucas Lim, Michael Tang, Leo Zhang, Brian Seto, Richard Zeng) an amazing time in Troop 528.

I, Saarang Mallipeddi, bequeath anti-wolf out pills and infnite gavels to Quincy Wu, 10 more gatekept cafe locations to Hannah Huang and Emma Ha, the true Yuri on Ice experience to Sean Kin, Linkies who actually show up to Chloe Chung, the ability to ask for LORS and an Alpine A525 to Evan, infnite Koreatown access to Ein Jung, 10 cat doodles to Amy Tang and Hashim Mahmood, another 40 acres to Mr. Dybdahl, and a mountain of koalas to Mr. Howden.

I, Sagar Bhatia, bequeath peak senior joblessness to Samay, fnally succeeding in life to Juno, more election wins to Kodavati, failed jumps and being AK’s son to Ojas, speaker points and debate wins to Rohin, less chuzz to Riddhawk and Angela, fnding employment to Susanna, glass ICDC Dubs to DECA, testing Demons to FBLA, wondering how you made it onto the team to Jalwa, not having to deal with Parth to Robledo, and endless good luck to the class of 2026.

I, Sanaa Gada, bequeath a backfip to Ojas Kothari, my sense of humor to Niharika Ramanatham, immunity from Jun Lu studio requests to Lex Huang, Jalwa captain to Kartik Gudapati, loyal volunteers to Amy Tang, social awareness to Aadi Loonawat, an education on GIF usage to Tanush Agrawal, unlimited doordashing from 85C Bakery to Alicia Tsai, the power to walk home to Samay Sikri, stamina for a 8 minute performance to Riddhi Maharana, 6,398,323 fne shyts and GCBs to Angela Zhang, and a 100% attendance rate to Lynbrook Jalwa.

I, Sandhya Padmanabhan, bequeath my physics lab skills to Vibhuti Tripathi, Aditya Salkar, Aiden Krishna, buzzfeed quiz parties to Shahana Mohamed and Maddy Chang, a wonderful life and fun times to Melody Zeng and Advait Lalwani, and my badminton racquet to Amanda Jin.

I, Sanjana Kamath, bequeath an unlimited supply of donuts and every favor of gum in existence to Ved, a well-earned Spud Bros feast to Arnav, endless car yap sessions to Suzanne, a lifetime of thinking monkey emojis to Amogh, all the Indian food in the world to Kush, higher Word Bites scores (fnally!) to Tiffany, infnite rounds of nose-goes to Prakhar, the proud title of Electrical Lead to Saketh, and a long-awaited driver’s license (plus thousands of Crumbl trips) to Harita and Shreshta.

I, Sarah Wei, bequeath all the Celsius and Redbulls to the VE group, an injureless season to Meena Yarlagadda and Kate Nagareda, taco bell runs to Aditi Sabari, and a drama free year to Sophie Nguyen.

I, Sean Tat, bequeath plane tickets to Texas and a job to Jason wu, a better paying Job to Bryan Zhao, plenty of 400s to Nathan Kato, a healthy hamstring to Tevin, a full beard and girlfriend to Shreyan, 6 inches and unfathomable rizz to Chaitanya, creatine and protein powder to Ojas, a pair of lungs and a nonchalant junior year to Maddy, a fre spotify playlist to Vihaan, niche brainrot jokes to Audrey and Drake, unlimited bread and the ability to run to Joyce, Fire japanese to Molin, and many more prs to the Lynbrook Track and Field Team!

I, Selena Yang, bequeath no ento to Abhigya, no widi to Shreya and Amanda, lynBRICK dominance to Mr. Nguyen, and sprite to scioly; no-stress deadlines to Keigo, taylor-swift-level writing to Harshini, Gen, and Jasmine, well-behaved cats to Mrs. Robledo, and SD cards to yearbook; nonkahoot tryouts and nats ice cream to Sohil, Evan, Ryan, Ian, and Andrew, title of coolest coach to Mr. Leung, and roofs to scibowl; speedy essay grading and more rest to Mr. Seike; a smooth competition season to sciclub offcers and Mrs. Loia; and all my love to my little sister Stella, class of 2031.

I, Seth Leung, bequeath a TDA Best Dancer title to Jocelyn Chen, many more winning parlays to Ryan Liu, a future boyfriend for Kiki Yoshimoto, extra cookies to Mr. Nguyen, an Arsenal Premiere League Championship to Aarit Parekh, a MVDT victory to Esther Zhang,

successful windmills to Vihaan Patel, and an adventurous next 3 years of high school to my little sister, Eileen Chu.

I, Shannon Shiao, bequeath more silly moments, more food and a smooth 2025 to Alyssa Chou without gou gou, a kachow! to Jessica Lee, no CAN issues to Anish Rao and the right to take food away from Brandis Olguin.

I, Shannon Tai, bequeath more polaroid flms and glass to Tanishka Sharma, lots of free doordash to Dave Elango, and the best stress free junior year flled with laughter and colorguard to my little sister Samantha Tai.

I, Shefali Gokulnatha, bequeath a new warmup and passing buddy to Sandhya, leftover stoles and すごい activity ideas to Sarah, Andrew, and Aristotle, Top Model status to Shripriya, cute singing Valentines to Dolci, no injuries to the girls soccer team, lots of food to GWCSJ, many hat tricks to Aditi, Shahana, and Patty, silly cat videos to Genevieve, one baja blast to Minnie, comfortable fake beards to Emily, head massages to Ishani, berries and cream to Evelyn, aestheticness to Saanvi, and all my gratitude to Kitchen Sensei. And, Trina.

I, Sia Gupta, bequeath Nat titles and WiFi to Lynbrook FBLA, endless F-16 memes and cookies to LHS Aeronautics, a grasp of Chemistry to Ananya, Laila, Tyler and Ray, free Starbucks to Mrs. Robledo and Dr. Agarwal, an unforgettable senior year to Claire, Dave, Ishika, Mahi, Vidhi and Tanishka, my best novels to Mrs. Ashworth, Mrs. Lucas and Mrs. Nimmagadda, and a memorable high school experience to all my expo-marker freshman Linkies!

I, Snehil Kakani, bequeath stress-free days to Saakshi Athreya, cracked gaming sessions to Rowan Sumanaweera, 47 bottles to Aarit Parekh, perfect AP scores to Hashim Mahmood, a new Travis Scott album to Alden James, and an amazing acting career to Saanvi Kakani.

I, Sophia Chen, bequeath lots of double double brisket chipotle bowls to Arnav, a ground intake (and a diffy arm) and thai food and more sleep to Amogh, non-black pants to Ved, a fun and stress-free senior year to Ava along with many science fair W’s and lots of prize money, and many more late-night yap and uno sessions to Tiffany and Jiayi.

I, Suchita Chittharanjan, bequeath random 5th period debriefs and late night rants to Anya Gogia, endless hype and daily compliments to Chanelle Aragones for always gassing me up, and post game laughs and painful practices to Lana Weshahy for making volleyball season bearable and for giving the most amazing senior night speech I’ll never forget.

I, Taekyong Kim, bequeath a blessed time of leading the Agape Christian Club to Jacob Sit, a successful business year for Jenny Suh, and a frst place award at the 2026 ASTA Orchestra Conference to Mr. Pakaluk and the Lynbrook Orchestra.

I, Tanay Ubale, bequeath playing time for Lucas, relationships for Rithvik and Yves, EX’s and immersive to Aiden, Ryan, Ethan, new friends for Izzy, a 6-pack for Prujith, a 7-leg parlay hitting for Jason, and lastly a MVP for Aryan on his water polo season.

I, Thomas Wu, bequeath many marine life plushies and a 1st at nationals(pray it’s in person) to the OSB team, a 40k addiction to Richard, future coral fossils to Aiden Tung, a multitude of rocks and minerals, as well as one single stereonet to Ian and Isaiah, much writing and doing(or CADing) to Amanda and Shreya, a smooth and successful college application to Evan Liu, better batteries to Vyaas, a pound of desiccant et la meilleur année de Français to Chaas, and one very abnormal shrimp to Rohan S.

I, Veeral Shroff, bequeath an amazing fnal badminton season to Pawan, Vidhat, and Rangy, unlimited Ice to Arjun Rana, 30k trophies to Ryan Zhou, another successful season to Vignesh, Prajwal, and the rest of the lynbrook badminton team, good luck for senior year to Arjun N, a good year of cricket to Bruhath Batla and Aarit Parekh, and the best 4 years of high school to my younger brother Vihaan Shroff, Class of 2033.

I, Victoria Ma, bequeath lots of matcha and cute digi cam pics to Charlene Yang, a baking business and a 5 on AP Chem to Claire Hsu, Phil Wickham concerts to Ashley Louie and Kate Lee, a calc-free senior year to Emma Chang, more beautiful valk shows to Crystal Zhu, fair scattegories judging to Jacob Sit, an injury-free junior year to Vinitha Nair, and lots of cinnamon roll successes to Ms. Leung.

I, William Li, bequeath more homework passes to Evan Liu, 1st place in the 2025 Japan Bowl to Harvy Chang, victory in the Link Crew costume competition to Amy Tang, and glitch free WebCAT to Mr. Fulk and Mr. Kwong.

I, Yajat Kiran, bequeath an extremely fresh track season to James McMullin. A 2:09 800 meter to Arjun Nelabhotla. A very fun time in Anaheim and an NLC victory to Akash and Varun. 12 kilograms of protein to Harish Paschapur. A locked-in squad to Justin Jung, Hisham Mohammed, and Aarav Karasi. And a top 3 CCS fnish to the cross country team this fall.

I, Zoe Lin, bequeath, no more self-inficted allergic reactions to Kevin Shang, an easy clarinet section to lead to Anish Gupta, chill band manager tasks to Jaahnavi Tirumala, a fun year in Wind Ensemble to Keyu Chen, and easy props to push to the clarinet section.

I, Zoey Lim, bequeath the most glamorous fashion show themes to Lynbrook InDesign, endless things to climb to Grace Cho, the strongest legs to Lynbrook Field Hockey, stress-free classes to Ms. Kreamer, lower supply costs to Kruk, and a successful and fun-flled high school experience to my little brother Lucas Lim, Class of 2028.

Catalyst Crew drops knowledge with banger beats

BY OLIVIA TU

The espresso machine bubbles and frothing milk hisses in the back of Philz Coffee. At a table strewn with science papers, seniors William Devanney and Amrit Rihal brainstorm lyrics for their latest project: a music video for their group, the Catalyst Crew. Alongside other members, seniors Colin Chow, Austin Liou and Reagan Markert, this creative pursuit aims to bring academic content to life through memorable raps.

Catalyst Crew formed during the group’s sophomore year, when chemistry teacher Connie Leung offered extra credit for making a poster on chemical bonds. Taking it a step further, Rihal proposed turning the poster into a music video.

When I tutored my friend, I found that making funny analogies allowed the concepts to stick better. So by making an engaging music video, I wanted to help struggling students retain information better.

Amrit Rihal Senior

“

With Leung’s approval, Rihal recruited two of his friends: Devanney and Markert. Inspired by “Mathematical Disrespect” by Lil Mabu, a rap song with math-related

verses, they decided to make their debut video a parody with a chemistry twist. The trio spent 18 hours creating the fnal product, titled “Power of Bonds.”

“I was a bit skeptical at frst, since it requires a lot of work, but I was super impressed with the outcome and effort they put in,” Leung said. “They hit all the learning points and the students loved it.”

Encouraged by the positive impact their videos had on peers, the group continued their work as juniors. For their second project, they produced another video for Leung called “500 Moles,” a parody of “500lbs” by Lil Tecca.

“Because of the enthusiasm, we wanted to keep giving teachers content to show,” Markert said. “This video was my personal favorite since we had no deadline to flm, so we were able to invest our full effort and time into it.”

Entering their senior year, the original 3-member crew expanded to fve. Brought together by a shared physiology class, they invited Chow and Liou to join their team. Each member plays a unique role that refects their talents: Devanney and Rihal write lyrics, Liou supplies vocals, Markert plans the storyboard and Chow flms and edits.

“The Catalyst Crew is a special passion project as it’s not tied to any class, and is one of the most supportive friend groups I’ve seen,” Leung said. “Their ideas have gotten more elaborate, the quality has increased and they coordinate with more people.”

The crew’s most recent major project was their Class of 2025 rap. Chow, tasked with creating a video for the Farewell Rally, decided to feature teachers giving advice to graduating seniors. Using advice collected from participating teachers, the crew freestyled and composed song lyrics. Over one week, they flmed and edited audio and footage of the teachers.

“After the video was played, a lot of underclassmen came up to us and told us they wanted to make their own video for future years,” Devanney said. “We hope the Catalyst Crew will continue inspiring people to go out of their comfort zone and make something cool.”

Though coordinating flming times under tight deadlines proved to be a challenge for the crew, the end product has always made the process worthwhile.

“I fnd a lot of joy in working on these videos,” Chow said. “The best part is realizing all the time we spent together

and seeing it come together is rewarding.” The crew intends to release two more videos: one for their physiology fnal and another on mental health for their Story and Style class.

“I hope we can show people that learning can be fun and creative,” Markert said. “Creativity is a virtue we shouldn’t lose because it’s entertaining and helpful, as many people have different learning styles.”

Galen Han rewrites the dimensions of imagination

BY ERIN FITZPATRICK

he sound of pages quietly shifting under senior Galen Han’s fngers marked the frst moment he opened the fnal printed copy of his debut novel, “The Galaxy Memories.” After three years of sleepless nights and countless storyboards, what was once an unthinkable dream became a complete, published novel. Han, who once grappled with the diffculty of learning English, uses his love for science fction to become a storyteller, writing in both English and Chinese.

Han frst immigrated from China to the United States in 2022, where he initially struggled to communicate with his peers. In class, Han not only struggled with learning concepts but also with speaking up for help.

“Some classes were especially hard because I felt like people would judge me when I spoke with an accent,” Han said. “There were many times when people couldn’t understand what I was trying to say and just stopped talking to me, which made it harder to learn.”

Even before immigrating to the U.S., Han found comfort in the sci-f genre. Although currently disbanded, he led a sci-f club at Lynbrook that

he felt were underappreciated. One sci-f novelist that Han looks up to is Cixin Liu, the author of the “Three Body Problem” series.

“I think his writing is some of the most engaging that I have ever read,” Han said.

Within Han’s novel, the boundaries of time, identity and gravity are tested in a phenomenon he calls “Curse of the Universe,” describing cases where six astronauts have gone missing over the past six centuries. As the story progresses, Luoji, one of the main characters, is forced to mature in order to handle new responsibilities.

“The most interesting thing about Luoji is how he evolves throughout the book and eventually grows into his role,” Han said. “His character represents how someone seemingly normal can handle the weight of an entire civilization’s wellbeing when put under pressure.”

Taking inspiration from Liu’s prose, Han combines cinematic detail with scientifc imagination. In “The Galaxy

remaining until liftoff. Three seconds, two seconds, one second.”

“What Galen’s writing does so well is bring science to life without forcing the characters to lose part of their humanity,” senior Gaura Jha said. “His writing is vivid and sticks with you long after reading.”

When Han writes, he often starts in his native language, Chinese, before translating it into English for other readers. His writing process is unique: he begins by listening to music, which sparks ideas. Publishing was a rather simple process for Han, with formatting only taking a few days before sending it to a publisher for the fnal print.

The process of writing and publishing a book is an experience that will stick with Han forever. His passion for sci-f has shaped how he navigates storytelling, fueling him through his journey to author a book.

“My love of sci-f is what motivated me to publish this novel,” Han said. “I wanted to take the ideas that pushed me through life’s hardest moments and turn it into something meaningful that could help others.”

Austin Liou, Reagan Markert, Colin Chow, Amrit Rihal and William Devanney (top left to bottom right)

Graphic illustrations by Isabella Chiu, Kieran Hau and Jenny Suh

Photo by Erin Fitzpatrick

Graphic illustrations by

Isabella Chiu and Kieran Hau

Filing in the details of student nail art businesses

BY ANNA CEN AND ALEX COTTEREL

Carefully molding delicate gel into a 3D shape, nail artists use intricate paints and craft charms to create personalized, ornate nail designs. Sophomore Kimmy Le, senior Effe Wang and junior Ellie York have set out to share this delicate and creative hobby through their independent businesses.

Kimmy

Le paints expression into coque e nail art

Scrolling on Instagram during the summer of 2023, Le watched reel after reel of small nail artists create elaborate custom nail designs. Soon, she felt inspired to attempt her own creations. “I found nail art very interesting,” Le said. “So I bought all the supplies and tried it myself, and I really liked it.”

After her frst attempt at nail art, Le continued to practice with inspiration from Pinterest. Later that year, Le began taking commissions to create personalized designs. Although she did not originally plan to start a business, Le decided to charge for her nail art after her friends began asking her to design nails for them.

“When she frst started, she mostly did it for herself,” sophomore Lucas Hsu said. “Then as she gained more popularity, she started to get more orders and got really into it.”

Le’s business specifcally features elegant designs that incorporate pastel colors and glitter to create a coquette aesthetic. Using different charms and gel designs, she adds personality and fair to each individual order, placing the set in a clear box to send to her client.

“There was one time where I thought I did pretty bad on the set of nails,” Le said. “It turned out that my customer really loved it, and she told me to do more nail art if I can, so I felt really happy and

“I like being a nail artist because it gives me freedom of choice to make whatever I like and express myself,” Le said.

Wang was frst inspired to create nail art to transition her existing digital art commissions to a more physical medium. In September 2024, she began bringing that dream to fruition.

“I wanted something physical to sell, not just a digital item,” Wang said. “So I experimented with some nail designs and after a year, I fnally got to start my business. It was pretty spontaneous.”

After spending many hours dozens of practice sets to hone challenging techniques, Wang grew more confdent in her skills, offcially opening Entwined Hearts in December 2024.

“After many hours of painful practice, I started to get better. I’m slowly just teaching myself how to work my way through it,” Wang said.

Wang works closely with her clients to design a custom set before translating it to the press-ons. She spices up her designs with charms, beads and glitter, and fnished off each order with a personalized touch, adding stickers and nail care e-tools.

School clients provided an opportunity to expand her business. Wang saw the number of commissions increase as she advertised on her personal Instagram and through word of mouth.

“There were a few moments when I would ask myself, ‘Is this the right path?’” Wang said. “I didn’t know if I would ever get any sales, but I didn’t want to give up after I already spent so much money and time.”

out of 3D gel, while using light colors and glitter.

“I think my nail art style suits how I dress,” York said. “I prefer that type of style over a darker one.” York takes about two weeks to work on each set, taking orders and commissions through her

Photos by Anna Cen and Alex Cotterel Graphic illustrations by Claire Guo and Jenny Suh

Tracking consumer and marketing changes over the recessions

BY ISABELLA CHIU AND CLAIRE GUO

Adisarrayed mess of morning shopping and a rush of shopping carts leave previously stocked shelves vacant of toilet paper. Such panic-buying and other familiar consumer trends — like rising demand for essentials and a decline in luxury purchases — plague the United States during economic downturns, forcing companies to quickly adapt their marketing toward consumers.

Economic stress triggers shifts in consumer behavior. As money becomes tight, brand loyalty and luxury purchases decline, while valuebased purchases become the new norm. These trends reshape both the consumer’s mentality toward purchases and companies’ marketing strategies for proft. Opting to sell at lower prices over not selling the product at all, companies often promote coupons and deals to encourage purchases.

“The frst thing that a recession will do is create instability in an economy,” economics teacher Jeffrey Bale said. “Generally, what happens is that both sides of the economic table — the producers and the consumers — will stop spending. When people aren’t spending money, dollars don’t move around as much and the economy starts to slow down.”

Many historical events show the lasting effects of recession on consumer mindsets, which shift from splurging to saving. For example, during the “stagfation” of the 1970s,

Identity and culture also heavily refect the national economy, with fashion trends proposed to be a subtle indicator of economic change. The hemline index claims that as the economy gets worse, skirt hemlines tend to get longer, and vice versa. It originated after World War II, when women opted for longer styles made out of cheaper, longerlasting fabric. Meanwhile, in the Roaring Twenties, businesses experimented with much shorter skirts, representing a more optimistic and rebellious outlook on society, and were epitomized by the sequined fapper dress. In 2001, Estée Lauder heir Leonard Alan Lauder, noted that lipstick sales increased by 11% after the 2001 terrorist attacks. As such, the lipstick effect hypothesizes that in times of economic downturn, consumers turn to cheaper luxuries to boost their morale and are less likely to splurge on costlier products.

“Every consumer wants to live a certain type of lifestyle,” Bale said. “When an economy makes that lifestyle unattainable, you’ll look for alternative ways to try to replicate that.”

When economic uncertainty erodes consumer confdence and resource availability, demand for essential products grows. Herd mentality pressures consumers to hoard products for fear of a shortage. This behavior was especially prevalent during COVID-19 in 2020, when millions stockpiled necessities like toilet paper and canned foods. However, panic buying itself is what often causes the shortage, and in turn,

1970s

The economy dealt with “stagfation,” when infation and unemployment were both high. These crises caused gas shortages and gas prices skyrocketed.

know,” Bale said. “All that uncertainty creates an environment where businesses and people suddenly become afraid and act like there is a scarcity, even if there isn’t one.”

Recently, rising prices due to recent tariffs have resulted in economic uncertainty, prompting fears of a forthcoming recession. “No-buy” lists have become popular on social media, featuring consumers who collectively try to avoid single-use outfts, branded goods and other less useful purchases to prevent overspending.

“I think what we’re going to see is consumers being a lot more wary about what they buy,” sophomore Raghav Shrivastava said. “They are going to have to do a lot more research.”

Additionally, uncertainty will likely play a substantial role in consumer decision making in the coming years. Under the current administration, tariffs rates have fuctuated greatly over the past few months. As tariffs are controlled solely by the president, the unpredictability of the current administration’s actions further fuels current economic uncertainty.

“Everything is uncertain because it’s all coming from President Donald Trump,” Foothill College economics professor Brian Evans said. “Congress is supposed to set these tariff laws, but they ceded power to him. Tariffs in general tend to be regressive, which means they’re a bigger burden on the poor than the wealthy.”

2001

Following the 2001 terrorist attack, the economy entered a period of uncertainty and fnancial stress. Similar to the 1930s recession, brands opted for value based marketing.

Uncertainty due to monetary constraints and environmental concerns further pressure consumers to buy more sustainably. The rise of minimalism prompted many consumers to purchase less and stick to simplistic clothing, furniture and other products. This anticonsumerism trend advocates for increased mindfulness around spending, such as by purchasing only necessities and small indulgences.

“Recently, people have been doing more ‘do-it-yourself’ activities,” sophomore Anvitha Krishnan said. “Instead of going out for a movie with friends, a lot of people DIY dates. The aesthetic of desiring maximalism is still there, but when you’re spending money, it’s more minimalistic.”

Whether through panic-buying or an uptick in lipstick sales, the American shopping cart can reveal much about the state of our economy during economic hardship. Understanding these economic trends and consumer behavior can help consumers be more conscious and responsible toward their spending habits. They also offer a general overview of our economy and the consumer behaviors that drive our everyday lives.

“People in recessions try to act rational, but we’re only as rational as the information that we have allows us to be,” Bale said. “So when people in any economy have different amounts of information, they’re not going to act the same because they are acting

2020 - Present

During the COVID-19 pandemic, panic buying led to shortages in stores across the country. Consumers stocked up on necessities, leaving shelves empty.

1930

Photos used with permission under Creative Commons license Graphic illustrations by Amanda Jin, Olivia Tu and Alexandra Wu

During the Great Depression, businesses opted for value-based marketing, with large signs to advertise lower prices.

Catholicism intersects with American culture

BY ROHAN KAKHANDIKI AND JENNY SUH

On April 25, the passing of Pope Francis marked a major shift in the Catholic world.

The Church’s transition to new leadership — the frst Pope born in the United States — has created the opportunity for a refection on the legacy of Catholicism in America. From its introduction to the continent by early missionary work to its lasting impact on schools, healthcare, policies and national traditions, Catholicism has played a crucial part in shaping the identity of America.

Catholicism, one of the largest branches of Christianity, remains one of the most infuential religions in the U.S. today. The religion is governed by the Vatican in Rome, with the pope serving as the global head of the Catholic Church to over 1.1 billion global followers.

In the early 15th century, Catholicism became deeply rooted in European powers like Spain and France. Missionaries from these Catholic countries traveled to the New World and began founding missions in California and Florida throughout the 17th century, working to forcibly convert America’s indigenous populations and integrate them into colonial Spanish communities.

These indigenous groups practiced diverse spiritual beliefs, which missionaries aimed to replace with Catholic teachings.

Immigration became a massive factor in the spread of Catholicism in the country, as the American Catholic population rose greatly with the arrival of Catholic groups from Ireland, Germany, Poland and Italy. For many of these groups, especially Irish and Italian Americans, Catholicism became deeply intertwined with ethnic identity, prompting communities centered around parish life.

was the highest it’s ever been, causing backlash,” said Meaghan O’Keefe, religious studies professor at the University of California, Davis. “The Ku Klux Klan initially had a primary objective to terrorize African Americans, but they started to expand out of the South to spread an anti-Catholic and anti-immigration message to people in Michigan, Ohio and other states.”

Catholic immigrants, particularly Irish Catholics, continued to face widespread discrimination in the early 1830s, especially within public schools. Many schools promoted only Protestant teachings, such as readings from the King James Bible and Protestant prayers, while dismissing Catholic beliefs. Catholic students were frequently punished with physical and psychological humiliation for practicing their faith, forcing them to conform in order to receive an education.

19% of Americans selfidentify as Catholic

According to the Pew Research Center

As America saw a massive boom in Catholic residents, Catholicism grew to be the largest denomination in the country.

Catholicism has become a part of American life through several widespread religious holidays. St. Patrick’s Day celebrates Irish Catholicism and remains a nationally celebrated holiday. Catholic Christmas traditions, such as nativity scenes and midnight mass, have been made iconic through nationwide celebrations. Easter celebrates Jesus rising from the dead after his crucifxion.

Despite its deep roots in American culture today, the growing number of American Catholics in the mid1800s resulted in widespread anti-Catholic sentiment.

The Know-Nothing movement was a growing group of anti-Catholics who believed in an alleged conspiracy by Catholics to destroy civil and religious freedom, while racist groups like the Ku Klux Klan held a deep animosity toward many races and religions, including Catholics.

“By the 1920s, the number of Catholic Americans

In response, Catholic leaders like Bishop John Hughes and the Council of Baltimore began privately running parochial schools as an alternative to the public system. These schools were a way to not only avoid anti-Catholic discrimination but also provide education that aligned with and preserved their religious values, including sacraments and Catholic Bible study. Over time, this school system expanded across the country to include major universities, like Georgetown University and Boston College, which retain many of their Catholic infuences today.

many American Catholics.

“Francis’s emphasis on welcoming immigrants into the U.S. was a really strong counterbalance to the anti-immigrant feeling,” O’Keefe said. “He sent a welcoming message to LGBTQ+ Catholics and was somewhat more open about the role of women in the church.”

“Catholic school classes are a lot smaller,” freshman and Catholic school student Alicia Yoon said. “We learn topics like sexual education there, but religiously, and we learn about God’s teaching. Instead of textbooks, we use the Bible.”

Acceptance of Catholicism began to increase in the late-19th century due to the growing presence of Catholic immigrants and their infuence on American culture. A marker of decreasing negative sentiment was the election of John F. Kennedy, the frst Catholic president. During his election, he faced scrutiny from those who felt that his religion would infuence his political choices and feared he would prioritize his Catholic teachings over following the Constitution.

As Catholicism became more integrated into American public life, its leaders also began to take a larger role in global conversations. The progressive stances taken by Pope Francis, whose papacy lasted from 2013 until his death in 2025, resonated strongly with

Despite Francis’s efforts to modernize the Church, according to the Pew Research Center, the number of self-identifying American Catholics has shrunk since 2007 from 24% to 19%. Many Americans from Catholic families identify themselves as agnostic or atheist, a growing ideal that refects a broad cultural shift away from organized religion. Younger generations have begun to prioritize personal fulfllment over traditional practices.

“I think as long as Catholicism stays traditional, there’s still going to be very devoted people,” Catholic freshman Madison Chan said. “But a lot of other branches take a more modern approach.”

The late Francis’s messages sparked broader discussions about the Catholic Church’s role in modern society. Moving forward, many expect the newly-anointed Pope Leo XIV to navigate the conservative divide within the Church, particularly in the U.S., while also continuing previous advocacy for the poor and the environment.

Graphic illustrations by Alexandra Wu

18||the Epic SPORTS

Anika Khanna, Michael Myers and Michele Myers find their target

BY STUTI JAIN

Arrow nocked. Path visualized. Shoulders set. Freshman Anika Khanna breathes in and releases, feeling the arrow fy true at the 2025 United States Open in Florida against the 12th seed.

“It was incredible,” Khanna said. “It was really close between me and my competitor. Then I just shot my shot. It was a perfect ten, and that was the shot that I ended and won with.”

Khanna joined archery on a whim in 2018 at her father’s suggestion, a spontaneous decision that solidifed as she learned more about the different shooting styles and pieces of equipment.

“When I started out, I didn’t really imagine that I would get this far,” Khanna said. “It was just a fun thing to do for an afternoon during summer break. But once I started archery, I just continued down this path of doing it, eventually advancing to a higher level of competitive shooting.”

From constantly pursuing a better score to receiving support from coaches and friends, archery has taught her consistency and growth.

“Every single piece of archery knowledge I have comes from talking to someone else,” Khanna said. “I’ve grown in the technical aspect of shooting, but also have the confdence to shoot my shot and talk to other people to gain insight.”

Despite her passion for the sport, Khanna has faced various mental challenges. In January 2025 she questioned whether she should quit, feeling frustrated at her low scores and poor form despite her dedication and time commitment to archery. She ultimately resolved to continue.

“For a long period of time, I genuinely believed that I was not a good shooter and that caused me to shoot shots that were aligned with that belief,” Khanna said. “But this year, I’ve been really surprising

Michael and Michele Myers hit a mark

Amid the buzz of the Cal Sports Club, junior and Middle College student Michael Myers and freshman Michele Myers picked up bows for the frst time in 2021. They quickly grew to enjoy the unique sport.

“I’d seen archery before, and I just thought it would be fun to try out,” Michael Myers said.

At their indoor range, the siblings regularly attended group classes to learn the basics of archery, which eventually led them to enroll in private classes. The siblings later joined the Junior Archers Association and began participating in local competitions. Both enjoyed the excitement and the opportunity to meet other archers, but most of all appreciated

simply seeing improvement as they practiced.

“My brother once got a Robin Hood, which is when you shoot an arrow, then when you shoot another arrow, it actually goes right into the frst arrow,” Michele Myers said. “It split the arrow, which was really memorable for me since it was cool to see, even though I didn’t do it.”

As they enter new chapters of life, the siblings have found it harder to balance archery and schoolwork. Conficting schedules, work and a lack of time mean that they have slowed in their archery lessons. Now, they believe their improvement simply depends on practice.

“We’d learned all the basics from our coaches,” Michael Myers said. “We

myself and defying expectations. Now, I’m learning the value of having a growth mindset.”

Khanna has various short and long-term goals in mind, from receiving her own coaching certifcation once she turns 15 and getting a job at her local range, to competing at the collegiate level.

“Even though sometimes the stress of competitions and all has clouded my love for archery, I know I’m never going to quit,” Khanna said.

“I’m going to be shooting arrows till the day I die.”

just need to practice, but the issue is that there’s not many places to practice here.”

Michael Myers aims to join an archery club after high school, while Michele Myers wants to return to the range.

“I’m looking forward to doing more competitions because when I used to do them, they were really fun and I got to meet new people,” Michele Myers said.

Zone 6 coaches confidence one drill at a time

BY ALEXANDRA WU

As a student dribbles the ball around the court, sophomores Aarav Anand, Rishi Dommeti and Daniel Yu stand at

the sidelines, focused and ready to provide constructive feedback. Every weekend, Anand, Dommeti and Yu coach students at the Calabazas park for their student-run business, Zone 6 Basketball. Each Zone 6 coach brings their own style to the court, but they share a common goal of helping students nurture their skills and passion for basketball. Together, they’re more than just coaches, they’re mentors.

The idea to start coaching began from a shared passion for basketball and the desire to give back to their community. Once they decided to run this business, they named it Zone 6 Basketball, which came from an inside joke between the three — in their terms, Zone 6 symbolizes no boundaries for potential.

“We wanted to fnd a way to share what we’ve learned with younger kids and give them the same opportunities that we had growing up,” Dommeti said. “Basketball has done so much for me in terms of discipline and character, and I want to pass that on.”

Sessions are offered to students between the ages of 7 and 13 years old. Lessons range from small group lessons to one-on-one coaching, offering tailored support for a variety of skill levels and creating an environment where players feel comfortable making mistakes in order to learn. By blending patience, creativity and experience, the trio fosters both skill and confdence.

“The players’ smiles are always priceless when they realize they can do it,” Anand said. “Seeing that moment of realization in their eyes — that’s what makes all the hard work worth it.”

Some practices begin with a fun, fast-paced drill to get the students moving, while others focus on specifc skills, like shooting form. From there, the trio ensures that each student gets the individualized attention they need, even in group settings.

“I try to approach every player individually,” Yu said. “Everyone has different strengths, and they all need different things. It’s all about adapting the training to what the player needs and helping them improve in those areas. You can’t treat every player the same way. I make sure to meet them where they are and build from there.”

The coaches quickly learned that player development requires more than just basketball experience. From managing short attention spans to navigating different learning styles, they have each developed communication skills and different coaching strategies.

“If a student is struggling, I try to remind myself that it’s not about me. It’s about them learning at their own pace. I don’t get frustrated because I know that with time and consistent practice, they’ll improve. It’s important to be patient and provide them with the support they need to keep moving forward.

Daniel Yu Sophomore

“As the coaches juggle practices and schoolwork with coaching, they want to branch out to underprivileged areas. Whether it’s perfecting a 3-pointer shot or a breakthrough in confdence, small moments remain in Anand, Dommeti and Yu’s memory long after the last shot of the day swishes through the net.

“I hope the students realize that if they want something, they can work toward it,” Dommeti said.

Anika Khanna’s aspirations

Anika Khanna at the 2025 Gator Cup. Photo used with permission from USA Archery

Graphic illustration by Anna Cen

Michael and Michele Myers practicing. Photos used with permission

Photos used with permission from Zone 6

Graphic illustration by Anna Cen

Coaches and students play basketball with Zone 6.

Spring sports score recap: “My favorite moment from this season was...”

“...after showing up late because of an AP exam, we beat them in a one-score game,” junior Akira Gok said.

“...competing in Orlando with our team and bonding at Universal,” junior Caroline Yan said.

“...we did karaoke as a team; I think it was a great time for bonding and there were a lot of laughs,” junior Aidan Fang said.

Scores are reported as wins-losses-draws when applicable.

“...senior night because it’s fun with all the seniors, after marching together for four years,” senior James Fan said.

“...helping the younger team members and competing in my fnal year of golf,” senior Adithya Venkataraghavan said.

“...breaking 11 seconds in the 100-meter race and securing the third-fastest ever Lynbrook time,” senior Sean Tat said.

BY SAAVAN SARAF

A“...meeting all the new people who joined the team and getting to know them,” junior Sarah Martin said.

“...cheering for my teammates, as well as sitting and talking in the hot tub after practice,” junior Ishika Shah said.

“... our last competition because the vibes are immaculate and full of laughter,” senior Michelle Yang said.

“...seeing my teammates watching me and cheering me on to win during a hard game,” junior Yvonne Wang said.

“...when we got wins, it felt as if we were solidifying our position as one of the top teams,” junior Keigo Kamata said.

“...we won rst place at a competition, and I was super proud of our team,” junior Olivia Hu said.

Student athletes persevere through injuries, weather and stress

s sophomore Srinikash Venkatasalapathi hurtled toward the ground while playing basketball, a searing pain shot up his leg. At frst, he brushed it off, but the injury has since come to defne his athletic journey. Being a student athlete is more than just fun; it also means adjusting to bad weather, mental stress and season-ending injuries. Students face these challenges at practices, persevering through diffcult circumstances on a weekly basis by pushing their limits and leaning on their teammates for support.

Venkatasalapathi, who was previously a member of the cross country team, was devastated when an MRI revealed he had a torn meniscus. The initial recovery process was long and demanding, including surgery and one-and-a-half months on crutches. Despite this, Venkatasalapathi is determined to return to sports even stronger than before.

“My injury has taught me a lot about the importance of taking care of my body,” Venkatasalapathi said. “With proper physical therapy, I hope I can get back to cross country and track in the future.”

Aside from injuries, many outdoor athletes regularly

face adverse weather at practices, which can disrupt training and increase injury risk. For example, practicing outdoors often leaves students vulnerable to cold weather, potentially affecting their health and performance. In the rain, baseball batting averages go down as the ball slips out of players’ hands, while soccer players may trip on the feld.

“The turf gets really slippery,” sophomore and soccer player Aditi Satish said. “At frst it’s cold and annoying, but you get used to it.”

In football, the scorching heat of August training sessions can be dangerous to athletes’ health. The sport already has a high risk of concussion, but wearing up to 12 pounds of suffocating gear in hot weather can also cause players to feel nauseated or even vomit.

Injuries, bad weather or simply the daily grind of a sport have also been known to affect students’ mental health. With 22% of student athletes in the United States reporting feelings of stress and anxiety, the mental challenges that come with playing a sport, including balancing athletics and academics, can lead to frustration and burnout.

“When you come home from a sport, all you want to

do is relax,” freshman and baseball player Savya Churi said. “But you have to keep working and working. It gets exhausting.”

The challenges student athletes face go far beyond the scoreboard. From weather-related disruptions to physical and mental health, they face obstacles that deeply impact them both physically and emotionally. But through personal growth, perseverance and prioritizing their overall health, students have built stronger teams and become stronger individuals.

“At the end of the day, I know we can get through this,” Churi said. “As long as we win the games, our team is happy.”

Graphic illustrations by Anna Cen

Photo used with permission from Raymond Mao

Photo used with permission from Yihang Lu

Graphic illlustration by Anna Cen

Photos by the Epic staf