Editors’ Picks
Calculus classes adopt new course structure pg. 2 Vote yes on the Bay Area regional transit measure pg. 7 Shanya Gill’s AI camera vision comes into focus pg. 9 The changing path to a paycheck pg. 12
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Zoey Jaquish values brains over brawn in fencing pg. 15 Volume 62 Issue 1 ! October 05, 2026
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Vote yes on the Bay Area regional transit measure
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issing part of the first period because your bus arrived five minutes late might seem like a minor inconvenience. For Bay Area transit agencies, however, those five minutes are part of a much bigger problem: years of financial strain and postpandemic ridership declines are threatening the reliability of the systems thousands of students and residents depend on. To save failing Bay Area transit agencies, Santa Clara County citizens should vote yes on the Public Transit Revenue Measure District on November’s ballot. With a potential $980 million in funding, the measure would revive regional systems like Caltrain and BART, along with local systems like the Valley Transportation Authority and SamTrans. To fund this, Santa Clara County will face a 0.5% increase in sales tax lasting 14 years. Without the funds provided by the measure, transit agencies will experience major cuts, damaging efficiency and accessibility. Bay Area Rapid Transit alone would have to cut 70% of their services and close 15 stations. Other transit agencies would take similar drastic measures to survive, even if thisit means making their services less functional. Story continued on page 5.
NEWS
the Epic | 02
Campus, community and world events BY KATIE SHANG
School
Letter from the Editors
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Nice to meet you, Vikings!
Community Photo by Another Believer/Wikimedia Commons
We’re Anna and Maddy, this year’s Editorsin-Chiefs of the Epic, and we’re thrilled to share with you our first issue of the publication.
UHSD’s school board currently has three of five seats up for election this November, with the candidates appearing on the ballot for Trustee Areas 1, 3 and 4. The areas are separated to make up the whole school district. This election will impact thousands of students across all five schools. Candidate and current board president Stanley Kou is running uncontested in Area 1. In Area 3, current board vice president Rosa Kim is running against future FUHSD parent Jason Lin. In Area 4, Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto, a trustee since 2018, is running against former special education educator Ilanit Eliaz.
In News, learn about the new structure implemented in AP Calculus AB and BC classes, and in Opinion, hear about why we think you should vote “yes” on the Connect Bay Area regional tax measure this November. In Features, familiarize yourself with the Cafeteria worker behind each school-provided meal; in Sports, absorb the journey of fencer Zoey Jaquish; in In-Depth, read about the rise of teen unemployment, and why it’s so hard to find a part-time job these days.
National
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At lhs.epic.com, view our review on Slovenian Artist ADÉLA’s debut album, PRIMA. Finally, these stories wouldn’t be possible without our adviser, Mr. Miller, and our staff.
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ith San José now reportedly losing up to $400,000 in sales tax every year, new self-checkout rules may be enforced across the city. The county regulations being considered state that all pharmacies and grocery stores across the city must have a ratio of one employee to every three self checkout kiosks. Moreover, there would be a 15-item limit for every kiosk, mandatory signage displaying customers rights and additional regulations that will be discussed by San José City Council on Sept. 30. Similar efforts to regulate self-checkouts have been brought to Council, once in 2024 and another time in 2025, but have failed.
International Photo by Hstoops/Wikimedia Commons
n Sept. 28, prosecutors reopened a two-year-old investigation on gang rape allegations at Cornell University. The victim, who is listed under filings as Jane Doe, accused seven members of the fraternity Chi Phi of sexual assault after being forced to ingest drugs in 2024. According to the lawsuit, the woman originally went to police and administration with these claims, leading to the seven men being met with temporary suspension and an opportunity for them to submit essays to “mitigate their conduct.” The decision to reopen the case comes amidst heavy online discourse, with users bashing Cornell and their administration.
Enjoy, Anna Cen & Maddy Chang Editors-in-Chief
Photo by Phillip Pessar/Flickr
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Photo by Serhii Shalaiev/Wikimedia Commons
ncreasing levels of thick smoke have plagued Indonesia’s Borneo and Sumatra regions since the beginning of the year, with more than 170,000 respiratory cases recorded in September. The haze was originally caused by severe forest fires, drought and unusually dry conditions. It has now spread to neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore, with both countries undergoing a significant spike in air pollution. Cities like Sarawak reached air pollution index readings as high as 519. This marks Indonesia’s worst wildfire season in 11 years, with more than 12.5 million people exposed to life-threatening illnesses.
Calculus classes adopt new course structure
BY KATERYNA VOLOSHYNA
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in class,” Tsai said. “With homework, students could use In contrast, senior and current AP Calculus AB student any variety of resources, like ChatGPT, to help them do the Natalia Coke described a more interactive and collaborative homework.” classroom environment. Additionally, students are expected to watch a short video “It kind of feels like tutoring or group work because we’re introducing the next day’s topic all helping each other,” Coke said. before class and can complete Apart from the classroom environment changing, the three optional problems, which traditional assessments also got a are reviewed in class the next day redesign. The new weekly tests each as a warm up. Teachers hope this last about 25 minutes and cover a system will help them efficiently smaller range of material than the We haven’t eliminated identify the exact concepts their unit tests did. students are struggling with. “I think that because the tests so opportunities to practice. We’ve “This year, I teach with the far have been short and test on fewer just reduced the amount of assumption that they’ve watched topics at once, students that would practice that is required for the video, so I just highlight key have struggled are doing better than points. points I want to go through so they normally would,” Kraemer said. Jeremy Dybdahl we can spend more time on the Midterms, the other type of test AP Calculus AB & BC teacher classwork,” Tsai said. introduced to the calculus course, are Despite having only three longer, cumulative exams given twice optional homework problems per semester. Rather than focusing on instead of the previously larger assignments, teachers a single unit, they require students to continue to provide opportunities for additional practice draw on concepts from across the course, testing their ability outside of the classroom. For his classes, Tsai offers to connect and apply material over a longer period. study guides consisting of homework problems The goal of the new structure is for students to encounter from previous years. The other teachers also and review concepts consistently throughout the course, provide optional additional problems through rather than concentrating their studying around occasional platforms such as Delta Math and Schoology. larger unit tests. With weekly assessments, consistent “We haven’t eliminated opportunities to in-class practice and periodical midterms, students have practice,” Dybdahl said. “We’ve just reduced the more frequent opportunities to check their understanding amount of practice that is required for points.” of material and allow for more students to succeed in the Students still receive recommended problems, course without falling behind. but now have more responsibility over deciding how Teachers hope that the smaller, more frequent much practice they need to develop understanding and assessments and increased emphasis on in-class practice mastery. For students aiming for high grades or strong will lead to stronger performances on the AP exams. Rather AP exam scores, Tsai believes the reduced required than relying on reviewing large amounts of material before workload does not necessarily mean less work overall. the exam, the new structure emphasizes consistent practice The emphasis on in-class practice has also changed throughout the year. As the year continues, students and how students experience the classroom. Senior Vishnu teachers will have a clearer picture of its effects. Bhat, who took AP Calculus AB with Kraemer last year, said he often became distracted by his phone during class.
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he AP Calculus AB and BC teachers adopted a new course structure for the 2026-27 school year. Instructional videos students watch at home superseded in-class lectures, allowing teachers to spend more class time on practice problems, concept review and individual support. The new structure also replaces unit tests, which were previously given every three to four weeks, with shorter, weekly tests every Monday. Before this year’s changes, calculus teachers Norman Tsai, Jeremy Dybdahl and Sarah Kraemer used in-class lectures, mandatory homework and unit tests to teach. But as artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT became more widely used by their students, teachers found homework less reliable for measuring students’ individual understanding, causing the shift in curriculum to emphasize in-class practice. “We want to work with students and see their math abilities
October 05, 2026
NEWS | 03
Counselors welcome intern in district-wide effort BY ANN TAO
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he 2026-27 school year marked the first time FUHSD welcomed counselor interns to its school sites. The counselor residency program, funded by a grant from the California Commission of Teaching Credentialing, was modeled after existing teacher and admin residency programs from schools around the county. It aims to give aspiring counselors hands-on experience through assisting experienced staff on-site throughout the academic year. Lynbrook’s front office welcomed intern Rosaicela Yanez-Luis, who is working with counselor Nikki Dang. Yanez-Luis was drawn to the position due to her interest in working face-to-face with students. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in counseling at the University of Massachusetts Global. Yanez-Luis is in the front office on Mondays through Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., helping Dang with activities ranging from transcript checks to district meetings. “Every day is a new adventure for me,” Yanez-Luis said. “There’s definitely a lot to learn, especially because every school has its own system, routines and culture, but that’s
also what makes the experience so meaningful. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the campus, meeting the students and staff and learning how I can contribute to the school community.” Her presence at Lynbrook is a part of a larger statewide effort to educate and retain counselors. Participants of the inaugural counselor residency program make a four-year service commitment to California public schools and gain the practical experience required for their counselor credential. “I started out as a counselor, and one of the first things I had to do was read a transcript,” said Brooke Chan, FUHSD Coordinator of Data and Assessment. “I remember thinking, ‘Wait a minute. They didn’t teach me this in my master’s program leading up to this.’ That’s why it’s the real-world training that I think makes this program so beneficial.” At Lynbrook, these benefits have been reflected in Yanez-Luis’ growing confidence in working with students during her recent presentations at senior government and economics classes. “For the first one, she was a little bit nervous, and then she slowly had more practice and got better with it,” Dang said. “She seemed really confident after doing Yanez-Luis provides counseling advice to students. Photos by Ann Tao
Upcoming Viking Events Homecoming Week, Oct. 9-16 Come out to the quad at tutorial to watch teachers and students put on amazing skits, all in the theme of “A Week In Broadway.” Yanez-Luis poses in front of the office doors.
three or four of them.” The program also benefits the counselors who mentor the interns, as they gain valuable leadership experience by working with graduate students who can bring new academic perspectives. As for students, the implementation of a new counselor intern at Lynbrook could mean getting additional support. Sophomore Kacie Chen recently visited Dang’s office for scheduling help and interacted with Yanez-Luis. “I think having an intern here is a good idea because students can get more one-onone support,” Chen said. “Sometimes you can’t reach your counselor because they’re helping another student, so having another person available is beneficial.” Though the program is currently in its maiden year, early feedback has been positive. With the current grant lasting a little more than three years, the district is already looking toward future cohorts. “I sat in interviews this past week for the 2027-28 applicants, and I’ve seen a lot of great things so far,” Chan said. “If we keep seeing success, I think we’ll work with the county to figure out ways we can continue the program.”
Homecoming Dance: Midnight in the Castle, Oct. 17 Spend the night swaying to music or playing games with friends under the stars. CuperTeens Got Laughs, Oct. 24 Visit the Cupertino Community Hall from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. if you’re looking for some hearty laughs. How to Talk to Teens About the News, Oct. 27 Encourage your parents to attend an informative in-person workshop at Homestead High School’s library strengthen your whole family’s media literacy.
Photo by Alyssa Lin Reporting by Rachel Martin
Literary Circle and Design Innovation Society rebrand to increase membership BY KAITLIN WANG
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best ways to present younger children with s a result of declining membership, mature content in an age-appropriate way. two clubs — Literary Circle and Despite the changes, the club has Design Innovation Society — maintained its identity as a book club rebranded to increase student interest. They through continuing the book match have expanded opportunities for members and reviving reading-related volunteer to explore interests and revamped meetings opportunities where members can read to to be more young children engaging. in libraries. Literary The officers Circle, formerly are contacting known as nearby libraries Students for in hopes of Literature, finding one increased willing to host the types of these activities. literature They also aim they cover to provide and invested members the in more opportunity Literary Circle applauds a member’s shared ideas interactive to work with during a collaboration with History Club. meetings. children at In prior Dilworth years, Literary Circle introduced books, Elementary School, and are currently getting held writing activities and organized a these activities approved by the school. book match, where the club gave book The club got the idea to work with children recommendations to students based from its adviser, librarian Amy Ashworth, as on interest form responses. Due to low she knew the club previously worked with attendance, the club is trying to make the libraries and nearby schools. meetings more engaging by holding in“I hope that it will broaden the sphere person discussions that analyze the themes of students that may want to join the club,” of books and music. The officers spark Ashworth said. “I know that a lot of students discussion through debates that involve here really value the opportunity to do a member taking the role of a “devil’s outreach, especially when it ties into their advocate,” who deliberately takes on an hobby of reading.” unpopular opinion to prompt opposing The club is excited to see if their efforts viewpoints. In one meeting, the club for volunteer opportunities at libraries and discussed different cartoons to debate the Dilworth are successful. They want to attract
students interested in reading and critical At the start of the year, the club thinking to join. officers sought out volunteer and intern “We hope that our club can be a place opportunities for members. For example, to just discuss and analyze literary content the club introduced a hackathon where online, like controversial texts, musical club members could present to industry lyrics or shows like ‘My Little Pony’ and professors from Stanford University. ‘Bluey,’” senior and Literary Circle president However, after their second rebrand, they Nathaniel Na said. decided to offer only online opportunities. Another club, the Design Innovation DIS plans to host interactive gatherings, Society, has explored shifting the focus using methods such as socials and speaker of their club away from art and design. events to teach members. In an effort to be However, they ultimately chose to maintain more engaging to members, the club decided their identity as a product design club. to consider incorporating member feedback Junior by using and DIS methods such as co-president polls, which will Chanel Li decide which originally topics are most proposed popular for the their rebrand socials. last year after Patenting, attributing an important a dramatic part of product decrease in design, will be membership to taught during a lack of interest speaker events in the arts. by people from Design Innovation Society introduces the October Social. Photos by Kaitlin Wang She decided universities or to transition engineering the club toward STEM-related topics like clubs who’ve completed real-life patent engineering. However, in mid-September, work. the club decided to revert back to product The officers look forward to starting design after a conversation with their product design activities and attracting more adviser. members who share interests with the club’s “We had another rebrand when I talked to topics. our adviser because we realized that our first “I hope to have many engaged members rebrand was making us generic, and we lost who feel welcome to come back and want to our club identity,” Li said. come to speaker events and socials,” Li said.
04 | NEWS
October 05, 2026
What California’s latest laws mean for students
SB 1133
SB 1119
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ew requirements governing artificial tarting Jan. 1, 2027, SB 1133 will intelligence chatbot interactions require the Health Education with minors will take effect, after Framework for California Public Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Adam’s Law on Schools to mandate preventative health Sept. 10. The bill is named after California instruction in its curriculum. The bill teenager Adam Raine, whose suicide in 2025 aims to educate students about nutrition, became part of the national debate over AI food literacy, sleep, movement, stresschatbot safety. management and the balance between Developed by Assembly members them. Introduced by Sen. Tony Strickland, it Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, Buffy Wicks and was dubbed the “Ready to Learn, Ready for Sen. Steve Padilla, SB 1119 will require AI Health Act.” chatbots to implement privacy protections “We hear things like ‘sleep at least eight for minors, including mandatory age hours,’ ‘no screens before bedtime,’ ‘eat a verification, risk assessments for the design colorful plate for a healthy diet,’ but they’re and configuration of the chatbots, builtsuper general and thus hard to actually in directions to mental health hotlines put concretely into our lives to build good and more. The bill’s authors say the law is habits,” junior Justin Jung said. intended to address online safety risks for The law was introduced to combat rising children. concerns surrounding children’s wellbeing. The law will take effect on Jan. 1, Studies published by the National 2027, with many of its new requirements Institute of Health becoming obligatory starting July 2027. show that there The AI chatbots must implement these has been an overall features before a increase in chronic primary audit in conditions caused January 2029 to by poor nutrition comply with the We hear super general things among American law. Newsom also like ‘sleep at least 8 hours’ children. signed additional that are hard to actually put Strickland online safety concretely into our lives to partnered with legislation that the nonprofit includes adding build those good habits. If organization End various safety people were to listen to the Chronic Disease features to AI recommendations, I think it to sponsor the bill. chatbots, such would be very important to Kelly McKenna, the as prohibiting AI include them in the law. CEO and co-founder models to train on of the organization, student data and Justin Jung has argued that the giving families Junior epidemic of chronic more control over health issues in school-issued children is as much technology. of an education problem as it is a health Adam’s Law problem because students lack access to builds on preexisting legislation such as resources to learn about their personal SB 243 by expanding on disclosure and health and nutritional needs. self-harm detection rules. It also improves “A school in a wealthy area can throw on other laws such as AB 1064 and AB 1043, money at problems, but the reality is that which address different aspects of child not all schools have access to that,” social safety and age verification. studies teacher Luca Signore said. “I do think there are valid uses for AI, The bill’s impact won’t necessarily be but I think the reality is that it’s very easy immediate. It directs the state to consider to turn the valid use into an improper use,” these topics when the Health Education history teacher Luca Signore said. Framework is next revised, so what edia students ultimately see in their classrooms a/Wikim Cabrer tl a c e will depend on how the framework is by Eh Photo s implemented. m m on
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n Sept. 30, Newsom signed AB 1267, B 1709 will prohibit covered social prohibiting Californians under 18 media platforms from offering from marrying or entering a domestic certain addictive features to users partnership. under 16. The law targets features such as Authored by autoplay and personalized recommendation Assemblymember feeds designed to keep users engaged. This Gail Pellerin, the law law applies to all repeals provisions platforms that that previously operate in the allowed minors to state. Platforms We’re not trying to deny marry with parental will be required to kids of anything. I want to consent and court take reasonable empower the next generation approval. Before the measures to prevent law was enacted, young users from more than anything else. California had no accessing these Josh Lowenthal statutory minimum features. Assembly member marriage age, “Schools making it one of should focus on three states without encouraging kids one. The legislation to not let screens and social media distract follows nearly a decade of attempts to from studying and homework so they will be establish a minimum marriage age. more efficient with their time,” Jung said. Organizations including the American The legislation has prompted debate over Civil Liberties Union and Planned its effect on adolescents. Newsom argued Parenthood faced opposition in 2017 over that restricting features such as autoplay concerns that a ban could limit minors’ and personalized feeds addresses the design legal protections and autonomy. Lawmakers of platforms that encourage prolonged instead passed safeguards requiring engagement. The Electronic Frontier judges and Family Court Services to screen Foundation, however, maintains that the marriages involving minors for coercion and restrictions could limit students’ access to abuse. However, this did not fully address online communities and information. the loophole that many continued to abuse. “We’re not trying to deny kids of Similar bans introduced in 2023 and 2024 anything,” Assembly member and bill author failed to advance. Josh Lowenthal said. “I want to empower the This year, Planned Parenthood did not next generation more than anything else.” take an official position on the bill while the Lawmakers considered both a broader ACLU continued to oppose the legislation, social media ban and restrictions on arguing that marriage can provide minors specific features before settling on the with certain legal protections. latter. Lowenthal added that technology is Supporters of the law argue that judicial constantly evolving, and the law will need safeguards do not eliminate the possibility to be reassessed as technology changes. The of coercion. They point to research linking bill also includes the establishment of an marriage during adolescence with higher e-safety advisory commission to advise the rates of poverty and increased chances of state. He stressed that youth perspectives dropping out during high school. should be included in this effort, but specific For California students, AB 1267 replaces opportunities for the youth to participate a case-by-case system with a clear statewide have not yet been established. mandate. Regardless of parental approval, The law represents a major shift in how Californians must now be 18 to marry. social media platforms can present content “This is a long overdue measure to to teenagers. Its effects will depend how protect young Californians and minors,” platforms plan Newsom said in a press release. “Today, to verify users’ California kids are safer than ever before.” ages and redesign certain services to comply with the Photo b y Brook law. e
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OPINION
the Epic | 05
The Meta ruling sets an example for social media platforms BY NOELLE PAN AND KATIE SHANG
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social media is comparison,” Starnes said. “When n March, U.S. teens were reported to have spent you constantly compare yourself to something that an average of 34 hours weekly on social media. is not real for hours on end, you get a really negative Only recently, on Aug. 26, has a potential solution evaluation of yourself.” emerged. Technology giant Meta responded to Despite the potential negative consequences, continuous teen safety controversies by agreeing social media can still serve as a positive space for to an $17.1 billion settlement with 48 states that students if used responsibly. From videos to photos, includes several mandatory teenagers can gain inspiration for aspects of their safety features. It is only own creativity. when the same restrictions “Social media platforms can, are adapted on every if thoughtfully designed, offer platform, not just Meta, opportunities for self-expression,” that the youth can be said Krithika Jagannath, assistant I think one of the biggest harms promised strong protection professor in child and adolescent of social media is comparison. online. development at San Jose State When you constantly compare From entertainment and University. “These platforms can yourself to something that is not be used to create opportunities to news to communication and self-expression, real for hours on end, you get help adolescents figure out who social media is a constant they might want to be.” a really negative evaluation of in nearly every teen’s However, without time limits yourself. life. However, instead of or protections, the positive effects responsible use, many Jenna Starnes of social media are overshadowed teens’ relationship with School-based therapist by regretful scrolling. The 48 social media has become states that filed lawsuits against more of an obsessive Meta claimed they designed dopamine chase. Students addictive features on Instagram are especially affected, with stressful schedules and and Facebook that encourage users to keep scrolling a need for something relaxing pushing them toward by not implementing pauses or reminders. The online distractions and potential addiction. uninterrupted feeds with no suggested breaks make “It takes effort to figure out what you are in the it easy to consume content without a natural mood for,” school-based therapist Jenna Starnes said. stopping point, creating a never-ending “On social media, you don’t have to do any of that. loop of mindless scrolling. I think it’s because you are so busy and are working “Sometimes I think I’m going to on things all the time, and when you just want to scroll for 15 minutes, and then after rest you think, ‘I want to do something I don’t have 15 minutes I decide to scroll for five to think about’. And social media is like, ‘I’m right more,” senior Aisha Taylor said. “The here.’” time goes by so quickly, and it’s The settlement requires Meta to implement a hard to find the motivation to combined 2-hour time limit across both Facebook stop until you realize hours and Instagram for teens, a “school mode” where have passed.” notifications are muted from 8 a.m to 3 p.m and a Still, system that hides likes on a teen’s profile as well Meta’s as any account the teen interacts with. settlement With time restrictions built into the app, only addresses teens are given more time to do something they the tip of the enjoy. Without notifications, distractions are iceberg. Platforms also less prominent, allowing students to focus like TikTok and on academics. With hidden likes and a feed Youtube follow that isn’t altered by algorithm, teens are less the same trend of likely to compare themselves to unrealistic using streams of expectations online, protecting their mental health. “I think one of the biggest harms of
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uninterrupted videos to keep users watching. In fact, Tiktok was recently found to be even more addictive than both Instagram and Facebook. Restricting Instagram is only a partial solution because teens rarely use only one social media app. Students can easily switch to other platforms to dodge restrictions. A wider scope of change is needed, as one step will not be able to counter the ongoing effects of social media on teenagers. “Getting hooked on these apps can make it hard to finish assignments on time and it really stresses me out,” sophomore Samantha Jiang said. “Your brain gets stuck in a comfortable spot where you get mental validation without doing hard work.” As the settlement takes effect, it sets the precedent for other platforms to follow. It sets the standard for TikTok and Youtube to adopt a version of Instagram and Facebook’s features, including a one hour time limit, night mode and age verification. Despite pushback from these platforms, more and more social media companies are facing pressure from a large number of public complaints. The expansion of these features to apps like Tiktok could further protect teens from the risk of social media addiction. wMeta’s restrictions aim to ensure safety across Instagram and Facebook. As platforms address social media’s relationship with teen mental health, it’s necessary for legal action to be taken across a wider range of media platforms to successfully carry out solutions. The implementation of these features should set an example for other social media platforms. Meta’s settlement is the first step toward making social media a safer space for youth.
Graphic illustrations by Vanessa Yap
news editor — rachel martin
staffers
opinion editors — audrey cabaltica, sunnie wu
celina chen
colleen pan
caroline feng
noelle pan
features editor — katie shang
olivia ford
chelsea sit
shriya jha
brianna su
anika khanna
ann tao
zihan lyu
rachel tat
editors-in-chief — anna cen, maddy chang
in-depth editor — emily cheah
managing editor — cecilia wu
sports editor — david dai
copy editors — nicolas cheng, saavan saraf
web editors — prisha pulastya, tristan lo
design editors — isabella chiu, eunice leung
business/pr manager — alyssa lin
adviser — josh miller
social media manager — joanna chen
kateryna voloshyna kaitlin wang
amy yuan kristy zhu
kelly wu yuelin xiong vanessa yap rebecca yoon
valued contributors: Patrick Carey small print: the Epic is the official newspaper of Lynbrook High School and is a student-run designated forum not subject to prior review, as protected under the California Education Code. Views expressed in the Epic do not necessarily reflect or represent those of the administration or faculty of this school or district. Letters to the Editor, guest columns and other materials to be considered for publication are welcome. Visit lhsepic.com/submissions for the guidelines and submission form.
06 | OPINION
October 05, 2025
What does Lynbrook think about the 2026 governor race? BY JOANNA CHEN
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nless Becerra murders somebody in the next couple of months, he will be the governor. So, the real interesting part was simply whether a Republican was even going to make it on the ballot from our top two primary systems. That being said, Republicans are going to want to use this race as just an option to get their voices out and try to salvage Jeffrey Bale anything they can at congressional Social studies teacher races, but the governor race is concluded and will not be close.”
Siddarth Sreekanthan Junior
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don’t think Hilton is the best candidate out there, but he’s better than Becerra. Currently, there are policies that require an environmentally-friendly blend of gasoline, but that raised gas prices. Steve Hilton will lower gas prices by getting rid of these policies. He’s also going to reduce the amount of bureaucracy in organizations like the Department of Motor Vehicles. I’ve been to the DMV, it’s not well run. This could help a lot of people.”
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believe that two candidates, Vedansh Dhadwal Xavier Becerra and Steve Junior Hilton, are both kind of bad. I guess the Democratic nominee is slightly better in the fact that he is addressing homelessness, but he’s against trying to tax the 0.1%, unlike Tom Steyer, who lost in the primary. Hilton plans on lowering taxes on car registration, which would be a regressive tax and doesn’t make too much sense because California is a big state with many highways, and those taxes are paying for those highways. I think he’s just not headed in the right direction overall.”
ne Anushka Deshmukh of the biggest issues Senior for California is housing, and each candidate addresses it in a different way. For Becerra, he would declare a state of emergency, and then implement more apartments and condo-style housing, while Hilton would focus more on suburban singlefamily homes. Both of these are the typical approaches that you’d expect from their party.” Photos by Joanna Chen Graphic illustrations by Sunnie Wu
Desmos on the SAT fails to test student math skills
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Gra phic Aud illustra t rey Cab ions by altic aa Van essa nd Yap
or high school students studying for the SAT, opening Khan Academy, jumping onto OnePrep or signing up for a preparation class are typical experiences. However, in 2026, students get ahead by learning how to use another tool: Desmos. The fast, highly interactive tool has completely changed the math SAT by allowing students to solve or simplify many problems without using traditional methods, replacing the once-essential skills needed to score well on the test. In addition, it hurts the SAT by placing more emphasis on graphing calculator skills than actual mathematical problem solving, making it difficult to accurately measure students’ problem solving and arithmetic abilities. Desmos is an online graphing calculator designed to make equations and graphs easy to enter and manipulate. It allows students to type math expressions in natural notation, with graphs updating in real time. Features include color-coded graphs with interactive sliders and easy-to-click buttons for vertices, intersections and intercepts. “Compared to a TI-84 calculator, Desmos is easier to work with for sure,” math teacher Vivian Frazita said. “So, to find where two lines intersect on Desmos, you can just put your cursor on the intersection point, and it will tell you.” Desmos was first integrated into the digital SAT in March 2023. Its addition introduced a problem: Desmos is much faster than a traditional calculator, and includes advanced features that encourage students to skip valuable solving processes to reach an answer. Features
such as sliders and draggable points are not available on While Desmos increases accessibility to resources, handheld graphing calculators. Equations that once required its addition to the SAT still stunts students’ basic math knowledge of algebraic steps now involve simply typing the skills. In the transition to a digital SAT, College Board problem into Desmos and hovering a cursor over the answer. simultaneously removed the non-calculator section of If students can reach answers by bypassing the mathematical math, allowing Desmos for the whole math section. College process, the test is not an accurate evaluation of the same Board reasoned that while “fluency with rational number problem-solving skills. arithmetic was important,” promoting those abilities is “There are a number of questions where obsolete, because it is “at odds you can more or less avoid all with how often students the algebra steps and just use calculators in their use Desmos to locate the schoolwork.” However, answer directly,” SAT tutor the ability to perform at AJ Tutoring Jake Beech basic mental arithmetic said. “On a prior SAT, there without a calculator is an were some cases where important part of math It felt like I was studying how you could use the graphing mastery, and will always to use a graphing calculator functionality, but it was be, regardless of how instead of math. The problems much more limited. The TIwidespread calculators on the SAT don’t feel like 84 was mostly just useful as a are. Being able to do problems that I’ve done in any regular calculator.” math on paper, without The problem is more math class. a calculator, will always apparent when considering be important, in the Aditi Satish the differences between the same way that in an AISenior skills needed for Desmos and dominated world, being the skills students are taught able to write without AI at school. At Lynbrook, even is still important. up to AP Calculus BC, students “If the point of a are not allowed Desmos on question is more of a tests. Instead, students are only allowed computation-based question, then Desmos can do the to use a TI-84 calculator — or no calculator at all.Because of computations for you,” Frazita said. “So there’d be this, though Desmos is free and built directly into the SAT, no point asking that question.” it requires separate practice to know how to use its Most universities have long relied specific features. on the SAT as a valuable indicator “It felt like I was studying how to of student academic ability in use a graphing calculator instead of college admissions. If the SAT is math,” senior Aditi Satish said. “The intended to measure students’ problems on the SAT don’t feel like readiness for college-level problems that I’ve done in any math work, its math section should class.” measure the skills it claims It is true that adding Desmos to the to assess. Rather than SAT solved one issue: it reduced the equity allowing Desmos to replace gap between students, allowing students mathematical understanding who may not have access to expensive with calculator skills, handheld graphing calculators to use the College Board should either same tool during the test. remove it from the test or “Desmos helps close the equity gap between redesign questions so that students,” math teacher Norman Tsai said. its usage cannot replace “Before it was added to the SAT, students who mathematical understanding. didn’t have the resources for extra math classes would be at a disadvantage in arithmetic. Desmos also helps lower the variance in scores due to miscalculations.”
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BY SAAVAN SARAF
October 05, 2026
OPINION | 07
Vote yes on the Bay Area regional transit measure Staff Editorial // The voice of the Epic
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e are at a major fiscal cliff,” said Jade Costello, communications manager at Seamless Bay Area. “We’re at this really big moment of desperation, where our transit, without this bill and without the regional transit measure, will be facing extremely devastating cuts.” Without additional funding, student discounts would also be at risk. At Lynbrook, many students use the CalTrain to go to major urban destinations around the peninsula. Accessibility to such services is an essential resource for students. “I think it’s really useful for students because it’s only $1 for students,” senior Anshika Gupta said. “It’s a really low price to be able to go all the way to San Francisco, and it’s useful because sometimes you or your parents aren’t able to drive.” If the measure is passed, the influx of funds would revitalize transit systems. Following the transit measure, BART and other agencies would receive an estimated $310 million yearly for operations starting the fiscal year, significantly improving their efficiency. “We’re hoping to make trips more affordable and faster,” Costello said. “Because there could be the possibility for increases in service, more frequency for
riders and more reliability, we want trips to be affordable, with more funding for n programs like the Clipper START program.” Pa en e l l Most people don’t use public Co by transportation because it’s considered s n tio slow and inconvenient. If this tax measure tra s illu is passed, agencies will be able to expand hic p a their systems and maintain frequency, Gr which would facilitate easier transit connections between different systems. In addition, roughly $45 million would directly go toward improving rider experiences and increasing accessibility for senior citizens and individuals with disabilities, allowing more equitable ridership. “Public transit in our area is nice, but I think the frequency should be updated,” junior Jason Zhang said. “Making more routes that go from suburbs into the city more often would make transit in our area more useful.” Critics like the Committee left is to propose to enact for Affordable Bay Area Transit believe a regional tax measure, the additional taxes are unnecessary, which provides them arguing that transit agencies already with security. receive sufficient funding from the Raising taxes is government and would benefit from the only option spending their money on local projects. to increase CABAT points out a valid issue: transit support for funds are typically spent toward overly struggling ambitious projects, such as the California transit High Speed Rail and the Silicon Valley agencies. BART extension, that have Bay Area made little to no citizens and progress in their commuters development. deserve a However, competent public a solution transit system. We are at a major fiscal cliff. to this is Cutting public addressed We’re at this really big moment transit would leave within the of desperation, where our commuters questioning bill itself. whether they’ll have transit, without this bill and If passed, reliable transit options. without the regional transit transit Even if you aren’t directly measure, will be facing agencies affected by cuts in transit, extremely devastating cuts. will someone in your community is. undergo a Do your part and vote yes for Connect Jade Costello financial Bay Area. Reform of these large transit Communications Manager at efficiency systems starts with this measure Seamless Bay Area report. An being passed. oversight committee will the Epic staff voted 34-0 identify misused in favor of this stance with 3 and reallocated funding, abstaining. ensuring responsible use. Transit systems receive revenue in three ways: customer fares, government subsidies and regional tax measures. Transit agencies suffered steep ridership declines due to the expansion of remote work opportunities. This reduced the fare revenue that funded the majority of transit operations. BART, for example, now covers about only 30% of its operating costs through fares and additional operating revenue, compared to the nearly 70% before the pandemic. Government subsidies are treated as one-time fixes and don’t provide money for day-to-day operational expenses. This means that a large portion of profit comes from customer fares. Transit agencies don’t have control over workers’ habits. Their only option
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I think it’s really useful for students because it’s only $1 for students. It’s a really low price to be able to go all the way to San Francisco, and it’s useful because sometimes you or your parents aren’t able to drive. Anshika Gupta Senior
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Story continued from front page.
FEATURES Saakshi Athreya finds the next note in her song the Epic | 08
BY SUNNIE WU
audition intimidating, but Athreya also saw the competition as an opportunity. As a freshman coming from a different he gym falls quiet as senior Saakshi Athreya is school, she felt that since not many people knew this side handed the microphone to sing the Alma Mater at of her, she could perform without worrying about others’ the Welcome Back Rally. For perceptions of her. someone who once dreaded putting “I went in with the feeling like, herself in front of a crowd, stepping ‘Oh, no one really knows me,’” in front of an audience has since Athreya said. “This is my chance to then become a familiar feeling. put myself out there.” Instead of focusing on the audience, Every time I post, there are She finished as the runnerAthreya turns all her attention to the always people validating my up that year, surpassing her own song. singing. Singing is my one expectations and fueling her Athreya began learning motivation. The following year, she Hindustani classical music at the age passion that I’ve never felt has returned to Lynbrook Idol, this of four4 years old after her parents let me down. time with new nerves. Athreya enrolled her in lessons to help Saakshi Athreya was no longer introducing her maintain a connection to her Senior herself to an unfamiliar culture. While singing was originally audience, and instead felt chosen for her by her parents, as she the pressure of living grew older, Athreya began listening up to the impression to classical music on her own, she had made the year before. Rather than developing her own appreciation for her culture. letting her feelings overwhelm her, she “I think the passion came from myself and not from reminded herself of why she wanted to external influences,” Athreya said. perform in the first place. By the end of elementary school, Athreya had begun “I remembered that it’s not about exploring Western music and performing in small talent them,” Athreya said. “It’s about me and shows, building her confidence on stage. While classical what I’m willing to do for myself when I’m music helped her build a strong foundation in singing, putting myself out there.” Western music introduced her to connecting with songs Athreya won Lynbrook Idol that year through lyrics and stories. During her song selection process, and was invited back as a judge in her junior Athreya looks for songs her audience will recognize while year. Watching other students perform simultaneously including lyrics she resonates with. gave her a new perspective on singing. She “I’m not able to sing a song as well as I can if I haven’t began paying attention to what makes a experienced it,” Athreya said. performance effective from an audience Her first major performance at Lynbrook occurred during member’s perspective, adding to her her freshman year when she auditioned for Lynbrook Idol. awareness as a singer. Athreya was worried about singing in front of her classmates Outside of school, Athreya has also and anxious about what would happen if she made a mistake. built a presence online. She began posting “It took a lot of courage for me to audition the first time, covers on TikTok during the COVID-19 ” Athreya said. “My biggest fear is disappointing those who quarantine in sixth grade. At the time, believe in me.” she was still developing her voice, The possibility of failure was enough to make the
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and the fear of being judged made her hesitant. However, after joining the Lynbrook community, Athreya became more comfortable sharing her music. She now posts covers through her Instagram account, @saakshiscovers, where she receives feedback from friends and other listeners. The positive feedback in response to her videos has helped her build her confidence as she continues to improve. “Every time I post, there are always people validating my singing,” Athreya said. “Singing is my one passion that I’ve never felt has let me down.” In addition to covering songs by other artists, Athreya has started writing her own music. Her songwriting process usually begins with a melody. When an idea comes to her, she plays it on the piano and experiments with chords before writing lyrics. Finding the words that match both the sound and feeling she wants to convey makes writing lyrics the most difficult part of the process. Athreya currently records drafts while learning music production software. Once she becomes more comfortable with the programs, she hopes to release original songs on platforms like SoundCloud and eventually Spotify. She hopes her songs give listeners the same connection she has found in the music of other objects. “There are a lot of people who I listen to that make music that resonates with me on a really deep level,” Athreya said. “I hope I’m able to do that to people too.”
Bingchen Hu turns laughter into community with CuperTeens BY PRISHA PULASTYA
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aughter erupts around sophomore Bingchen Hu in the dimly lit talent club. Hu’s comedy routine is one of the several featured that night at CuperTeens Got Laughs, his annual talent show event used to elevate student gifts and voices. Hu has been surrounded by comedy all his life. As a child, he eagerly joined his parents in watching comedy routines on television and was inspired by comedians such as Ronny Chieng and Jimmy O. Yang. Hu thought comedy had the potential to be an interesting endeavor and scoured the internet for local comedy clubs he could join. In the STEM-oriented bubble of Silicon Valley, Hu takes the road less traveled: Silicomedy. The comedy club eagerly welcomed him for his youthful perspective in a primarily adult group. Hu started performing monthly in eighth grade. In the initial days of his comedic journey, Hu found himself battling stage fright, afraid of being mocked for his inexperience. However, as he performed and practiced more often, he grew comfortable with the stage. Originally, Hu tried to downplay his effort while performing, attempting to demonstrate confidence. Over time, he realized that truly embodying confidence was the opposite: he demonstrated to his audience that he was trying his best
and embraced any natural judgement. He trained his mindset to adapt to constantly being perceived by others. “Once you really get to that point where you don’t care about how people perceive you, you focus more on your own self improvement and having fun,” Hu said. “That’s what really got me to start going.” Comedy blossomed into a form of stress relief for Hu. Brightening others’ day while simply doing what he loves brings him a sense of fulfillment. “In our area, people really need comedy in their lives,” Hu said. “People need a way to release stress and just take a second to enjoy life.” After years of performing on stage, Hu underwent a comedic awakening: he realized that his jokes didn’t need to be conventionally funny to leave a lasting impression. He uncovered the dimensionality of stand-up comedy. Strategically weaving in awkwardness and negativity into his acts brought an element of unpredictability that garnered audience interest. “I think most people laugh at something when they relate to it,” said Hu. “They’re like, ‘It’s not just me who’s experiencing this negative emotion.’” Hu’s fervor for the art deepened as he became more aware of comedy’s multifaceted functionality. He could make lighthearted jokes about daily life but also raise awareness of critical issues upon the same stage. “That’s why I really love stand-up comedy,” said Hu. “It’s a way for me to bring out what opinions I really care about and ones that I want the entire community to know about.” For example, Hu is deeply passionate about local environmental issues, having learned the recent effects of data centers on local communities. He uses his routines to point out these issues, through acts such as drawing attention to ironies surrounding how government leaders handle these data centers. While presenting an upcoming comedy project at the 2025 BobaTeeno event, Hu had the opportunity to meet now Vice Mayor of Cupertino Liang Chao. In a spontaneous discussion regarding rising youth stress levels, Hu pitched
comedy as a solution. After experiencing firsthand the healing traits of comedy, Hu was eager to create something of his own that could make these benefits more accessible and widely-known. “I mentioned that comedy is a great way to voice opinions and relieve stress,” said Hu. “She supported my idea of creating an all-inclusive event where anyone can come and show their opinions and talents and just laugh with no competition.” Hu’s impromptu suggestion manifested as CuperTeens: a youth-led platform driven to showcase student talent. He partnered with Chao to establish the first CuperTeens Got Laughs event, and was invited to the September Monthly Chat with Mayor Chao, where the two recorded a promotional video. Originally, Hu intended for the platform to solely alleviate rising stress levels through comedy. Over time, however, Hu realized the value of self expression to relieve stress. Eventually, Hu expanded CuperTeens to collaborate with local schools. Clubs from schools across FUHSD, such as Lynbrook’s Guitar Club and Homestead High School’s Ballet Club, gather each year for the Got Laughs event. The program showcases local youth talent and provides a platform for youth to voice their opinions. “We hope to reach a more diverse community to convince the Bay Area, and even the world at some point, that all teenagers have a voice and comedy is a great way to make a change,” Hu said.
FEATURES
the Epic | 09
Shanya Gill’s AI camera vision comes into focus BY ZIHAN LYU
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n the middle of Times Square, a screen behind sophomore Shanya Gill lights up — it’s the billboard that marks the launch of her company Vigil Incorporated, an artificial intelligence camera that first originated from her 12-year-old self’s science fair project. Gill first began working on her product after a fire destroyed a neighboring restaurant, leading her to experiment with various prototypes in an effort to prevent future disasters. She presented her thermal detector camera at her middle school’s Synopsys Science Fair and won an award. “I felt really good getting that award; it advertised my camera to others and I started getting emails from interested people,” Gill said. The idea to turn the project into a company came from U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, who invited Gill to the USFA’s Maryland headquarters. Gill became truly invested in pursuing the idea after attending their 50th Anniversary Summit in October 2024, where firefighters and other attendees wanted to purchase the camera. Gill officially began planning the launch of Vigil Inc. later that year. She later met Daniel Gilchrist, Forbes head of research and design, who helped her with product design and coding. Together, they developed the camera’s firmware and hardware around Gill’s vision. While working to launch her company, Gill began exploring how AI could improve security cameras. She was frustrated by existing cameras that sent constant alerts. With the help of AI and contractors, Gill developed her thermal camera into its current, more affordable version that allows customers to set a simple rule and receive a text or email alert when that condition is met. “Now it’s not just a thermal camera,” Gill said. “It has 360 view, night vision and even responds to commands.” Eventually, organizations began reaching out to Gill, including the Yu-Ai Kai Senior Center, which hopes to use
Vigil Inc.’s cameras to provide residents with an added layer Her supporters motivate her to keep growing Vigil Inc. and of safety. help prevent others from encountering unexpected disasters. “I wanted to make their lives easier and safer,” Gill said. In the future, Gill hopes her company can reach more people “It's nice when people have that kind of peace of mind if and make their lives safer and easier. other options like caretakers won’t work.” “It’s rewarding to create something for other people who Her work has since earned recognition, including the appreciate what you do,” Gill said. “Otherwise, if there’s no 2024 TIME Kid of the Year Honoree title and a feature in one to appreciate it, you feel like there’s no point.” Entrepreneur magazine in 2025. “I didn’t really expect any of these awards,” Gill said. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity the Synopsys Science Fair brought.” Despite the success, Gill has also faced challenges, including issues with camera parts and problems with the Graphic illustrations by Photos used with permission code. Through trial and error, she developed custom molds Caroline Feng and Katie Shang from Shanya Gill and Ria and plastic enclosures, which their manufacturers in Malhotra China used to produce the camera’s final design. Though Gill has remained humble about her accomplishments, those around her have noticed that leading the company has helped her grow more confident. “She's always been a really humble person,” sophomore Nitya Kavuri said. “She’s never too worried and we can tell she’s busy from the way she’s always doing something.” As a student at Lynbrook, balancing schoolwork and running the company required considerable time management and responsibility. “I feel like Shanya really obsesses over one thing, and if she sets her mind to it, she’s gonna get it done,” sophomore Brahmi Gadkari said. Gill hopes to major in business in college to continue helping others.
Sam Chen takes apart, then tinkers again
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whirring sound drones in senior Sam Chen’s workshop. Armed with a screwdriver and a 3D printer, Chen first deconstructs then reassembles parts of his bicycle. He clicks "save" on his model of the newest handlebar, watches it form and screws it on. Finally, he hops on his bike, ready to test it out. Chen first began tinkering with his bike in seventh grade. At the time, mountain biking was his latest obsession, and he was inspired to modify his bike for harsher roads. For front suspension, he swapped the bike fork with a friend, allowing enhanced grip and smoothness on rough terrains. At that age, he lacked knowledge of bike anatomy; thus, he is now focused on working on the maintenance of his bike. While he’s in the middle of deconstructing his bike, he rides a onewheel to get around. “My bike got pretty messed up, and then I fixed it, but the gears and derailer are in rough shape right now,” Chen said. “I still have fun riding it, though.” In freshman year, Chen
Photo used with permission from Sam Chen
decided that he wanted to revert his mountain bike back to a customizations, the printer functions more effortlessly. road bike, as he missed drifting down smooth roads. He has “I think it’s really fun,” Chen said. “However, sometimes since been using 3D printers to make parts, inspired by his it does get annoying, like when the hex keys are all different friend, senior Jason Wang. sizes. Most of the time, though, I find the parts relaxing to Wang helped Chen get set up with the hardware that work with.” he used to print his bike parts. He assisted with software No assembly can be done without disassembling and configuration, a weak spot in Chen’s retrying. For Chen, he cautions those interested in 3D knowledge. When Chen needed printing to plan their projects before beginning. a part, Wang was quick to offer “You actually have to enjoy something from the stockpile he had working with it,” Chen said. “If amassed over the years. you’re just chasing performance Besides printing being cheaper, and quality, it’s not worth it A lot of people do their own Chen loves creation. To him, the money-wise, in my opinion.” modeling, sculpting and effort printing takes is worth the Surrounded by a 3D printing making models or parts. That's community on Discord, Chen feels reward of seeing handmade parts. where I belong. So far, Chen has attempted grateful that he has a supportive making a handlebar. However, network who he can share his Sam Chen he awaits printing more with latest creations with. They discuss Senior impatience until he finishes new technologies and help each fixing his 3D printer. other troubleshoot problems, Afterward, he is eager to try creating an uplifting environment. wheel covers. “A lot of these people do their Chen currently has three 3D printers. His own modeling, sculpting and making models or functional chief printer had begun fully functioning, parts, where I belong,” Chen said. “I like to engage with but had outdated firmware, a bad extruder them, and I just modify printers for the fun of it.” and hot-end setup. In efforts to upgrade Chen’s third printer is currently at Wang’s house. Wang, it, Chen tore it apart and emptied who owns 11 printers, will fix Chen’s printer and also help everything except for the frame, Chen print large new parts for his bike. bed, power supply and motors. “Getting the printer in working order was the biggest He connected a new main challenge,” Wang said. “With my help and some clever board to a raspberry pi that repairs from Sam, we were able to get printing again.” runs Klipper, a firmware Looking at the road ahead, his next moves are accelerating motion reassembling his bike, which is currently in pieces, and precision and completing more upgrades to his printer: a more precise quality. His second motion system calls his name. Wiping his hands on a towel printer: all stripped and plugging his printer back in, Chen sits back to examine but the main board the mechanics of his printer, promising to continue tinkering and metal extrusions. on. He then experimented with customizing the axis to slide along the rail smoothly. With these
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BY EUNICE LEUNG
FEATURES
the Epic | 10
Behind the counter with the cafeteria BY: ALYSSA LIU AND COLLEEN PAN
Yuna Wang enters the cooking scene
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e kitche th ls e fu z e d n a n r Tom Fe
s only see the trays hile most student day, many do not of food served each behind the meals. see the hard work cafeteria kitchen, office behind the Stepping into his ager Tom food service man the first thing that e sure that the ak m is ery morning Fernandez does ev ry students. and ready for hung kitchen is stocked staff have s that all kitchen Fernandez ensure him to order ey need; it is up to everything that th . gredient deliveries and receive all in fferent,” di ng hi ing somet “Everyday I’m do d make sure try to keep busy an Fernandez said. “I production is running correctly, that everything’s ri, to has arrived.” services, Divya Pu d that all the food s manager of food going out right an D’ HS FU nes, as th eli id wi gu ly l rks close ’s nutritiona Fernandez also wo meets the district ed rv se d an ed er food deliv make sure that all to help you learn,” nia state law. or lif e fed healthy food outlined by Ca ar s nt de stu at th ake sure “We’re trying to m art brain.” the Lynbrook althy brain is a sm he “A urants. He joined . id sta re d an ls te ho Fernandez sa ef in before dez worked as a ch special education Previously, Fernan itially working in in d, se clo enges. t all en ch m e of employ big and small staff after his plac , there have been en th ce “If I don’t . Sin id n. sa io z rrent posit g,” Fernande in ar sh of t lo a applying for his cu do ers ally, schools, the manag ve this item?’ Norm “Between the five and say, ‘Do you ha s er ag figure d an m an e r th he I’ll text all with each ot have something, e versa. We work vic d an up it ck so I’ll go pi somebody has it, te ks and communica t.” ou ns p up during setbac those situatio ste to ed rn lea s ha andez From his role, Fern d making sure strict. di e th ss ro coming through an s nt de stu e effectively ac th of ces enjoy your job, eing the happy fa said. “You should z de an rn “It’s rewarding se Fe ,” rk g to wo ppy and like comin d content.” that my staff is ha ybody’s happy an er ev re su e ak m to try I is. whatever it
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hile most students are grabbing lunch, junior and cafeteria student worker Yuna Wang is busy placing sliced strawberries onto yogurt bowls. “Student workers get to choose which dishes they want to make,” Wang said. “My favorite is cutting strawberries, because it’s weirdly relaxing and satisfying.” Wang first found out about the Student Food Service Worker position during the beginning of the year from a notice in Principal Janice Chen’s “The Week Ahead” emails. She decided that it was a good opportunity for her to learn new skills and to earn money. “I’ve mainly learned how to manage my time better,” Wang said. “Working also taught me to be responsible and to get my tasks done without needing someone to remind me.” After arriving at the kitchen, Wang first checks a sheet of paper on a wall beside the freezer that lists the dishes that need to be prepared for the day. She usually chooses to work at lunchtime, when she is most free. Beyond her usual routine of making yogurt bowls, Wang also helps prepare trays that fresh meals will go onto. Wang finishes her shift by tidying up her cooking area as the 10-minute lunch bell rings. Wang initially found it challenging to follow the pace of the cooks as they gave instructions. However, as she got used to the routine, working in the kitchen became easier. “My favorite memories are just little moments when I’m working with everyone,” Wang said. “I like how we can just talk and joke around when we’re getting everything ready. It makes work feel pretty relaxing.”
Shinyan Hu Scoops races the kitchen b m e o y o r r A ty n Sa
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y Arroyo afeteria cook Sant en and arrives in the kitch prepping immediately starts eal of the brunch, the first m kes pre-prepared school day. She ba rking attentively cinnamon rolls, wo is served on time. to ensure the food rking at Arroyo has been wo for more than a FUHSD as a cook she worked at decade. Previously, ol before she was Fremont High Scho rook. transferred to Lynb , ict moved me here str di e th “When h ac “E . id royo sa I was excited,” Ar ew nt people, so I kn re ffe di s at Fremont.” school ha nce from working re rie pe ex nt re ffe di a r job. She makes su be o als it would , Arroyo enjoys he on ns r ru sie e ea sh e le ad du m sche job is also Despite the tight nts and staff. Her de stu e rv se to y . every da the team to arrive on time an overall asset to workers, who are nt de lps a lot to have stu he of lp “It . he with the s,” Arroyo said er rk wo nt de stu have “It’s awesome to them.” ry happy to have ve I’m rving hundreds of d an re them he responsibility of se e th es nt rri ca yo ro , Ar and scanning stude During mealtimes around the kitchen g in stl e hu se n to ee y jo tw r ly. Be ings he students very quick e of students. It br lf watching the lin rse he hard on. ds ed fin rk n te wo of e IDs, she the lunches sh up ck pi royo to by p o sto the cafeteria.” Ar all the students wh dents to come to stu e th of e on y s.” er ev my kid “I’d like to invite here, they are like g for the students in ok co y jo en y all said. “I re
Work Experience
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ophomore Shinyan Hu rushes into the kitch en right after the brunc h bell rings. She ties her ap ron quickly and puts on a hairnet, ready to set up meals. Before Hu applied to work at the school cafeteria, she would often spend her lun chtime scrolling on social me dia or hanging out with he r friends. Determined to be mo re active, Hu saw the perfect op portunity to help out in the ca feteria while making a few extra dollars. “At lunch, I find mysel doom scrolling,” Hu said. “If there were no f just t any clubs going on hanging out with my , I would just be friends. Even then, we honestly wouldn’t be Hu would usually pre doing much.” pare muffins by align ing all the liners int scooping out batter o rows and into each cup. Thou gh the work is pretty Hu finds that it can straight forward, get stressful when stu dents start rushing The chefs are strictly to the brunch line. on time during mealt imes, and student wo follow the same pro rkers have to tocol in order for th e lunch line to run sm “The adults expect stu oothly. dent workers to be on point,” Hu said. “It is understandable thou gh, since it is stressful to have to handle hu students.” ndreds of Hu finds the cafeteri a work fulfilling and enjoys her responsibi allows her to reach lities. The job outside her comfort zo ne and gain cooking ex “I enjoy helping out perience. in the kitchen.” Hu said. “In my opinion kind of fun. Time pa , it is actually sses by really quickly when I am there.”
Graphic illustrations by Caroline Feng Photos by Colleen Pan and Isabella Chiu
IN-DEPTH
the Epic | 11
Exploring the Dead Internet Theory BY RACHEL TAT AND AMY YUAN
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trust. I find that younger generations rom memes of Shrimp Jesus on my own feed seem to be more to Tung Tung Tung Sahur, skeptical of news stories.” outlandish images have become Deepfakes are digital images, increasingly common on the internet. videos or voices that can be generated Despite their absurdity, these creations or altered to misrepresent someone have one thing in common: they were — a political leader, a celebrity or generated by artificial intelligence. other public figure — doing or saying As of 2026, bot activity has become something that was not actually done so widespread that 57.3% of internet or said. requests are now “There is more synthetic content in produced by media because AI has become faster bots. The growth and higher of automated quality,” activity has University of helped fuel what I think that a dead internet California, creates strong relationships is known as the Berkeley law “Dead Internet between people that you know, professor Theory,” the idea but also limits your trust in Colleen Chien that the internet people on the internetFeroritat said. “People is now dominated perceive Benjamin Yang by bots and misinformation Junior AI-generated they find online content. with emotion, The Dead which is the Internet Theory gained goal.” attention through a 2021 Agora Road An example of this occurred in forum post titled “Dead Internet 2024, when a finance employee at Theory: Most of the Internet is Fake.” Arup’s Hong Kong office received a The post’s anonymous author argued phishing email that appeared to come that beginning in 2016, the digital from a UK-based chief financial officer. space has become mostly bot activity Although the employee was initially and automated content. As generative skeptical, they later joined a video call AI tools such as ChatGPT became in which several familiar colleagues more widespread, the theory gained appeared on the call. However, all increased attention online. of the apparent participants were One concern surrounding AI-generated deepfakes. Before the the growth of bots and AI is scheme was discovered, the employee misinformation. A 2018 study by issued a series of wire transfers Nature Communications analyzing 14 amounting to $25 million before it was million tweets found that bots were exposed as fraud. involved in disseminating articles from In addition, AI agents browse unreliable sources. Additionally, highly thousands of pages, filling followed accounts were legitimizing out forms, comparing misinformation and causing prices and completing widespread fear. This is especially transactions — the relevant to older generations, who are driving factor for more susceptible to false news, as they the influx of bot are more accustomed to traditional activity. Many news sources, such as newspapers and large language television news. models “In my own social media, it seems dispatch web that older generations tend to repost scrapers to news stories without fact checking them most often,” computer science teacher Brad Fulk said. “I think the news was something they could always
Graphic illustrations by Emily Cheah and Yuelin Xiong
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continuously harvest content and train new models. AI crawlers collect information from websites and other online sources, creating even more web of internet requests traffic. The increase in are now made by bots automated traffic has led companies to introduce According to cloudfare.com measures that verify whether a bot is making the search. CAPTCHAs are a common tool that ask users to complete challenges designed to distinguish 10,000 humans from automated systems. UK AI is also being used on social creators found media to create AI influencers, who that generative AI is “already compete with human creators for displacing entry-level and ‘breadengagement and brand deals, leading and-butter’ work that sustains to more robotic autonomy. One creative careers.” Google also now example is Lu do Magulu, who was provides AI summaries that present created by Brazilian retail company information from web pages following Magazine Luiza. Originally created a search, making users less likely to as a shopping assistant for their visit the original pages, resulting in e-commerce website, Magazine Luiza less revenue for actual creators even now has 9.6 million followers on though it is their information being Instagram and has collaborated with shown. Vogue and McDonald’s. This “dead internet” can create “If someone wants to push an an environment where superficial agenda, they could get a myriad of AI interactions end up replacing genuine bots and they can manipulate public connections with people, as it can perception,” senior Evan Li said. “That manipulation can turn into real action become harder to trust that the accounts you interact with are real or toward nefarious ideas.” artificial people. Even if social media content is not “I think that a dead internet creates artificially generated, algorithms are stronger relationships between people largely run by AI. Online popularity is that you know, but also limits your often associated with public opinion, trust in people on the internet,” junior however a video with 10 million Benjamin Yang said. “You have a views may not reflect the opinions reduction in trust and honesty within of 10 million people. Attention online communities.” could be artificially inflated by Although AI is unlikely to recommendation algorithms pushing disappear from the internet, actions that video out based on predicted like fact-checking news and building engagement. connections offline can lessen the Outsider social media, many consequences of misinformation and businesses now use AI to human disconnection. promote business content, leading to human creatives being given less work. Research cited by the Creators Rights Alliance that analyzed
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12 | IN-DEPTH
October 05, 2026 Photo by Shriya Jha and Ann Tao
The changing path to a paycheck for teenagers BY EMILY CHEAH AND CAROLINE FENG
summer by 1.7%, it still remains well below he search starts with a few keywords: the historic average. jobs hiring, part-time and no The decline in teen employment means experience required. In just a few that fewer teenagers are getting access to clicks, resumes and applications are sent the early work experience that traditionally to multiple employers, only to be ignored comes with summer and part-time jobs. or rejected. Getting a job is a teenager’s Minimum wage jobs can teach students life introduction to the workforce, but for skills like time management and financial today’s youth, earning their first paycheck is literacy by providing responsibilities beyond a process limited by employer requirements, the classroom. expanding automated services and students’ “Work experience is really important, competing priorities, leaving many teens especially because Lynbrook is kind of in a scrolling through endless cycles of job bubble,” senior Rucha Kore said. “I feel like applications. when you have a job, you get to interact with In the late 1970s, employment was a so many different kinds of people, and you common feature of teen life, with 58% of learn a lot more.” teenagers aged 16-19 employed in the late According to market equilibrium, which 1970s compared represents the balance point where the to 35.5% today. number of jobs employers are willing to Although the current offer matches the decline cannot hours that workers be attributed to a want to work, lower single change in the teen employment Workers aren’t just competing economy, low teen rates are also with each other but also, more employment rates related to a higher now than ever, with technology minimum wage. are often correlated with major economic The competitive Don Uy-Barreta disruptions. In labor market model West Valley College 1949, post-war explains that economics professor demobilization when minimum brought the number wage increases, of employed teens employers will to only 932,000 teen jobs, and the next low hire fewer workers at a higher rate, and came in the 2010 Great Recession, when employees want to work more hours because the numbers fell to 960,000. Declining labor they are paid higher wages. Because of this, due to economic vulnerability was recently employers can be much more strategic and illustrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, selective about the workers they recruit. with teen jobs dropping more than 50% Employers often favor hiring adults over from two to one million. The hospitality teens because a student’s academic schedule and leisure sectors, which employed may limit their available work hours, and 41% of young workers, were hit hardest many are only able to work in the summer. in 2020 because of forced closures and In contrast, an adult’s experience and operations like contactless service becoming ability to work full-time may give them the widespread. While the national average of upper-hand in the hiring process. Adults teens working has slightly rebounded this and teenagers being subjected to the same
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minimum wage in California, combined with summer programs over work experience. the state’s relatively high minimum wage of The internet has also impacted the way $16.90, means businesses lack an incentive teenagers search for jobs today. Instead of to hire teens. directly approaching a manager in person, “A company that is concerned with students now spend hours scrolling through profit will be looking at many metrics, Indeed, LinkedIn and company websites, including keeping costs repeatedly submitting as low as possible,” West the same information. Valley College professor The convenience of of economics Don Uyonline applications Barreta said. “Looking means that resumes at a workers’ output, the can get lost in a of teenagers aged 16-19 much larger pool of high productive workers will be preferred to low applicants. are employed today productive workers.” “Going in person According to pewresearch.org Additionally, helps you stand out,” traditional entry level jobs like food service business teacher Leslie Robledo said. “We’re and retail have quickly been taken over by in the age where everything’s done on a automation. Automation can assist with computer and everybody’s on their phone, daily operations such as taking orders, but if it’s a job where you have to face the inventory and scheduling. Self-checkout public, you need to be able to show them services have begun to replace cashiers, by how you interview if you have those while self-processing food kiosks have abilities.” replaced employees taking customers’ Although securing employment comes orders. The San Jose City Council Rule with challenges, access to job guidance Committee has discussed implementing and connections can help strengthen a standards like keeping at least one student’s chances. Bay Area Youth Careers employee-staffed checkout lane open at all Opportunities is a student-led organization times and limiting the number of items per that connects teens with employment and self check out kiosk. internship opportunities through annual job “The labor market is composed of fairs and workshops. workers with different sets of skills and “At our Career Kickstart event, people are different levels of productivity. Therefore, able to network because the panelists are workers aren’t just competing with each professionals and know other people in their other but also, more now than ever, with field,” junior and BAYCO program director technology,” Uy-Barreta said. “For some Samanvi Bandugula said. “One-on-one workers, using technology could increase resume review or mock interview workshops their value to the company as they are left can also be very helpful because they are to other more valuable tasks, or, in other personalized.” situations, workers are sadly let go.” Today’s youth faces barriers in the However, reasons for the decline in teen modern teen job market. High schoolers employment are not solely due to economic are approaching the workforce with more changes. Today, many high schoolers choose strategy as securing a job is no longer not to apply for jobs because they prioritize a given, but an early exercise in career coursework, extracurricular activities and resourcefulness.
35.5%
Graphic illustrations by Emily Cheah
Vanessa Yang Sophomore
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his summer, Yang worked at Hippo Swim, leading classes for children. Yang explains that connections contribute to job-search success. “Recommendations help a lot,” Yang said. “Talk to your friends, see if they have any jobs because then you’ll get recommended and you’ll probably get the job.”
Aashvi Gireesh Junior
Nathan Gan Junior
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an used InDeed and ZipRecruiter during his job search. Out of 30 applications, half were rejected and half had no response at all. “Next time, I would try to be more face to face with people when asking if they’re hiring,” Gan said.
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hile interviewing with four other applicants at an ice cream shop, Gireesh noted that they were more experienced than her. “Some had already worked at Chipotle or Target,” Gireesh said. The interview encouraged Gireesh to build her skill set wherever she can.
October 05, 2026
IN-DEPTH | 13
Clarifying the mystery of AI water use BY YUELIN XIONG AND VANESSA YAP
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keep up with local water demand. Conversely, data centers in industrial districts with existing high water consumption may not have as severe effects. “In some cases the water concerns are legitimate, and in other cases they are overemphasized,” said Brent Haddad, University of California, Santa Cruz emeritus professor of environmental studies. “What’s the situation where that data center is proposed, and what are the details? How large is it? Is it replacing industry? What’s the source of the water? All of those things play a role, and it’s hard to generalize.” Furthermore, their environmental determinants have gone unacknowledged by companies. Data centers often drain water from local sources like aquifers or watersheds. Water used in cooling systems contains dissolved brine, discharged into the surrounding land. Increased chemical
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rom a supposed 1,000-fold spike in local water use at a Chilean data center to claims that every artificial intelligence query consumes a bottle of water, the discussion surrounding AI’s water footprint has become a breeding ground for misinformation. Despite claims about excessive water use, the actual water consumption of large language models such as ChatGPT is only 2-150 milliliters — the same amount of water used to brush your teeth for one second. “People conflate their hatred or rejection of AI with the idea that AI uses too much water,” sophomore Raina Wang said. “Other industries use water as well, like the meat industry or lawn irrigation. But this is specifically talked about because maybe people think that AI will take their jobs, or they live next to a data center and they feel bothered.” Much of AI’s water consumption occurs at data centers, which process and store data. Centers can draw up to five million gallons of water daily to cool systems. Costing up to $1,000 per square foot to build and $20 million per year to maintain, data centers profit by renting space and storing data for tech companies. Since designs are structured around anticipated water use, modifying a data center to be more water efficient can be costly in the short term and a difficult investment to consider. Estimates for 2026 show that U.S. data centers use about 17 billion gallons of water on-site compared to golf courses’ 531 billion gallons of water used on-site. Factoring the amount of water needed to generate electricity, data centers used 228 billion gallons of water annually. Despite these numbers, the impact of hyperscale data centers cannot be judged by water use alone, but also the local economy, agriculture and existing water demand. If a data center draws on water reservoirs that originally supplied an agrarian region, it would become difficult to
concentrations from brine prevent marine life from absorbing oxygen. Yet, as the data center industry is still newly burgeoning, major scientific concerns have largely been unobserved thus far. “The community is rightfully concerned that the data center might harm the local ecological systems,” Haddad said. “But we don’t know what those effects are locally unless we study it.” Even so, AI companies have faced backlash from the public about unregulated water consumption and the proximity of data centers to cities. High AI demand in Silicon Valley has spurred mass construction in cities like San Jose. Anger about water use has led local governments to issue district-wide regulations to mitigate concerns. In June and August 2026, Monterey and Coachella were the first two Californian cities to ban data centers. In May 2025, Santa Clara County, encompassing Santa Clara and San Jose, issued an ordinance mandating recycled water usage at regional data centers, instead of freshwater. “In a world where it’s easy not to realize the impact you’re having when you’re using AI, it’s hard to know if what you’re seeing is accurate or not,” computer science teacher Brad Fulk said. “If there are people educating with the correct facts, it can be a powerful way to shine light on issues that people might not be thinking of.” On Sept. 21, California Gov. Gavin Newsom passed seven regulations improving construction transparency and containing expenses of data centers. The Data Center Energy Accountability Act requires centers to report operation data to the California Energy Commission, which would publish the data. Even as legislation addressing the industry begins to emerge, AI use is expected to continue accelerating into a wide range of economic sectors. To fuel that computing demand, data center construction is projected to triple by 2030.
14 |SPORTS
October 05, 2026
Inside the new economics of team ownership BY KRISTY ZHU
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eas of fans dressed in team jerseys roar for their favorite players, buzzing with excitement and holding their breath through the suspense. Yet, fans rarely stop to consider that every team is also a company — behind every beloved player and team stands an owner, often one who has owned the team for decades as a remnant of family legacy or an integral piece of the city’s identity. Recently, however, with the influx of private investors and financial loopholes, sports team ownership is changing. Familyowned teams give way to corporate owners and private investors, while a few teams stay under fan ownership. As franchise valuations climb to record highs, private investors have begun buying into sports at every level. Companies are often being traded and flipped for profit, but sports teams can be a more complex matter. “People who bought their sports franchises when they were worth millions of dollars are now owning franchises with face value of more than a billion dollars,” Santa Clara University marketing professor Charles Byers said. “So if you have the money, it is likely that sports seem like a great place to invest in.”
One of the most prominent examples of this shift is with the Los Angeles Lakers. Previously owned by the Buss family, the team was sold to businessman Mark Walter in 2025 at a valuation of around $10 billion, ending the family’s nearly half-century long ownership. Ten months later, Walter sold his majority stake in a deal valuing the team at $12.5 billion. For most of their history, sports teams were treated less as investments and more as family heirlooms and civic landmarks. For example, Tim Mara paid $500 — roughly $8,500 to $9,000 today — to found the New York Giants in 1925. His family still owns at least half of the team up until now. Today, ownership is increasingly structured as a financial position, rather than a longterm commitment. Multistage deals have become increasingly common in American sports, specifically with option contracts, which are financial tools that allow investors flexibility on buying and selling their
stake. In the Boston Celtics’ 2025 sale at a $6.1 billion valuation, the buyers are scheduled to purchase the remaining shares in 2028 at $7.3 billion. In addition, leagues have also opened these doors themselves. The NFL began allowing private equity firms to buy up to 10% of a team in 2024, and Major League Baseball raised the limit for a single fund from 15% to 20% of a club with total private equity ownership capped at 30%. “Unfortunately, in sports like baseball, really rich ownership can translate to a huge imbalance in equity in the league,” computer science teacher Bradley Fulk said. “You have one team whose payroll is 10 times more than other teams, and smaller market teams can’t compete. It takes the fun out of the sport.” Still, it remains uncertain whether or not the shift toward a capitalist market for sports teams is accountable to fans. Money buys stadiums, players and training facilities, yet spending is only feasible when fans purchase tickets to games and merchandise — which depends on the actions and likability of the team owner and the players themselves. “If the Golden State Warriors decide to trade Stephen Curry for someone else, I’d spend a lot less time watching the team,” senior and Warriors fan Tyler Li said. Private investment in sports leagues can also take the form of direct team equity. For example, in Germany, the “50+1” rule requires club members to keep a voting majority,
which limits how much control an investor can purchase. Similarly, in England, the Football Governance Act of 2025 legally requires licensed clubs to consult elected fan representatives on business priorities, such as the club name and ticket prices, to protect club heritage. “The wealth of the ownership and how freely they are willing to spend money trickles down into the way that organizations are run, which trickles down to the fans,” Fulk said. “The more present and visible an owner makes themselves, the more it impacts me as a fan, good or bad.” Pure fan ownership is an alternative to large business corporations. For example, the Green Bay Packers are owned entirely by fans, even though the Packers shares pay no dividend and no market value, unlike traditional stocks. In the end, every ownership model has its drawbacks: family ownership ups continuity but can lack competence; corporate owners who buy teams may have pre-planned strategies, but lack a close connection to the city; fan ownership promotes a sense of accountability, but they receive no financial benefit and the team cannot issue valuable equity. “The market sports teams serve is a local market. I think there’s room in this for a number of different equity ownership structures, and I’m not sure that there’s one way that’s superior to the other,” Byers said. “I think that really becomes a choice for the teams and shareholders themselves.” Graphic illustration by Rebecca Yoon
Laila McHenry finds her stride in the stable
Graphic illustration by Olivia Ford
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ooves pound against the dirt as sophomore Laila McHenry settles into her saddle. Her hands stay firm on the reins as she guides her horse toward the final obstacle at Woodside Horse Park — a slow trot transitioning into a faster gallop as they clear the verticals ahead. When COVID-19 shut down outdoor Photos used with permission from Laila McHenry
activities, equestrianism was one of the few sports that continued. McHenry, looking to stay active, took up equestrianism as a short-term hobby. As she progressed from learning the basics to mastering challenging courses, she decided to take horseback riding more seriously. As she spent more time around horses, she grew connected to the sport and eventually got her own horse, Dexter. “Ever since I started horseback riding, I don’t know what I would do without it,” McHenry said. “I really enjoy the therapeuticness of being around a horse.” McHenry started at Garred Farms where she began riding Western, a discipline of equestrian that traces its roots to ranch traditions from the Old West. A year later, she transitioned to Mount Eden Vaulting Club, where she trained in vaulting, a discipline of equestrian that combines gymnastics and horseback riding. She now rides at Webb Ranch, where she trains and competes in show jumping, a test of speed and precision through obstacles, and equitation, an evaluation of a rider’s form, accuracy and control. While it takes immense athleticism and poise to compete, the most challenging part for McHenry is the mental game. Her horse, Dexter, often takes control and tries to navigate on his own. McHenry has learned that horses are able to pick up on their rider’s emotion, so she has to always stay calm and trust Dexter, even when things do not go as planned. “You have to always be confident because your horse will respond to your emotions,” McHenry said. “If you’re nervous about something, then it really makes an impact on how you ride.” The bond between McHenry and her horse ultimately determined her success in
competition. When McHenry first started working with Dexter, she was nervous about riding independently, since he wouldn’t respond to her cues. Yet, with every training session, their growing trust and strong bond allowed her to compete with more confidence. “We built a really strong relationship on the ground,” McHenry said. “Before he would get a little nippy, or kick out at me, but now he trusts me.” In 2023, McHenry secured second place with her club at the Equestrian Vaulting USA National Vaulting Championships. In 2024, she received first place in a vaulting show with Equestrian Vaulting USA. Months of perseverance and countless hours in the barn had finally paid off, leaving McHenry with a sense of accomplishment and relief. “She’s always tried really hard to improve,” McHenry’s coach Alice Bizri said. “She ends up a better rider at the end of every lesson.” Beyond competition, her time in the barn has helped her develop patience that has carried into her everyday life. When facing conflicts, she tries to see where others are coming from and recognizes that it’s always something that can be worked past. “You can’t directly speak with the horse, but you have to speak their language, “McHenry said. “That’s given me a lot of insight on handling people better. Just give things time and it’ll work out.” Looking ahead, McHenry is working towards moving up in fence heights and competing in harder courses. Away from competing, she enjoys going on rides and spending time grooming and bathing her horse. “I have rides where I just hang out with Dexter,” McHenry said. “They are less putting in reps and more of just spending time with Dexter.”
October 05, 2026
SPORTS | 15
Zoey Jaquish values brains over brawn in fencing BY AUDREY CABALTICA
Graphic illustration by Rebecca Yoon
11 years old when her mom signed her up for her first a pair of lucky socks,” Jaquish said. “It’s funny, but having fencing class after noticing her play fighting with her dad those little things helps me stay consistent and gives me and thinking her enthusiasm could translate to fencing. something familiar to rely on.” At first, Jaquish didn’t understand the sport, but she A major setback in Jaquish’s fencing journey is her found it interesting and wanted to improve. height of 5 feet 1 inch. Fencing favors taller competitors “I liked the fact that fencing requires a lot of thought,” with longer wingspans, as they’re able to reach further Jaquish said. “It’s like chess, but more active and a lot and cover more distance with fewer steps. Because of faster.” this, Jaquish spends time working on lunges to increase Jaquish practices four times a week with her her striking distance and parries to deflect aggressive club, Academy of Fencing attacks. Masters. In addition Jaquish began fencing competitively in 2022. In to technique addition to numerous local tournaments, she competed in and strength the 2025 Junior Olympics and the 2026 Fencing Summer exercises, Nationals, where she placed second in the Division Two Jaquish focuses Women’s Épée and won the National Silver Medal. on building her “It felt surreal because I’ve never placed so high in mindset, which such a difficult tournament before,” Jaquish said. “I’m she views as the most really proud of myself and extremely thankful for the important part of fencing. support of my coaches, family and clubmates.” “We’ve taught Zoey to win Though fencing is not a team sport, Jaquish considers with honor and lose with grace,” the members of her fencing club as her teammates Jaquish’s mom Annie Chen said. because of how supportive they are. “Her positive attitude and her ability to “Her fencing is very disciplined and dynamic, making bounce back and learn from her experiences it extremely interesting to watch,” club member Audrey have helped her grow throughout Sung said. “I really enjoy her support at competitions and her fencing journey.” company at practice.” During tournaments, Jaquish Jaquish plans to make the pays close attention to her most out of fencing while in mental state. When her opponent high school. In college, she is fencing aggressively, she wants to continue to fence I’m a person who likes to solve maintains her composure by recreationally. puzzles and things like that, taking a second to regain her “I’m a person who likes which translates to fencing. focus. Jaquish prevents herself to solve puzzles and things from feeling sluggish by following like that, which translates to Zoey Jaquish a routine that includes eating a fencing,” Jaquish said. “At the Junior high protein meal before bouts. same time, I love doing sports “I have a warm up routine and and being active.”
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ith the score tied 9-9 and the tournament on the line, junior Zoey Jaquish shuffles across the fencing strip, flourishing her sword at her opponent. Despite the high stakes situation, Jaquish stays calm and lunges past her opponent, strategically landing a hit on their shoulder and winning the match. Through her five years of fencing, Jaquish has developed a love for the psychological and physical elements of fencing. A fast-paced individual sport, fencing features two competitors fighting with lightweight swords flattened at the tips. Jaquish was
BY RACHEL MARTIN
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ater parts around senior Dylan Liu’s hands as she glides toward the wall. Her fingers slam into the touchpad. She has just placed second in the 100-yard breastroke at the 2026 California Interscholastic Federation State Swimming and Diving Championships, solidifying her place at Nationals. Next fall, Liu plans to continue her swimming journey at Princeton University. Liu first dived into swimming by taking lessons during elementary school. Her swim instructor recognized her potential for competitive swimming and urged her to join a swim club, but an unpleasant near-vomitting experience made her hesitate. However, when her swim instructor suggested joining again a year later, she agreed, starting her competitive swimming journey in fourth grade. Liu swam with multiple clubs before settling on De Anza Cupertino Aquatics, where she’s been since her freshmen year. In her freshman year, Liu injured the front of her shoulder while sculling, which is a back-and-forth arm exercise. The injury limited her to kicking or modified sets. While the injury drove Liu close to quitting, she still chose to join Lynbrook’s water polo team in her sophomore year. From there, she rediscovered her love for swimming and decided to return to the sport, this time
with a whole new mindset. Now, she shows up for herself rather than because a coach is forcing her. “You have to be able to wake up early every morning and go to practice,” Liu said. “It’s such a big time commitment that if you don’t enjoy doing it, you’re going to have no success at all.” At Lynbrook, Liu serves as team captain of the swim team. She finds time for both club and school practice by missing some club practices for school ones. “It’s fun to swim with someone so fast,” junior and Liu’s sister Naomi Liu said. “It motivates me to go faster.” Liu did not initially consider college recruiting an option. However, her rapid improvement in her sophomore and junior years convinced her that college swimming could be a possibility. “After a couple of weeks of watching her swim, I got pretty excited because I saw that there was a lot of potential,” Liu’s coach Christian Bonner said. During the recruiting process, Liu initially committed to the Naval Academy. Their Division 1 swim program gave her a path toward competing at the National Collegiate Athletic Association championships. However, she realized that joining the Naval Academy would not guarantee her a path in her intended field of medicine. Liu began to reach out to more schools. When
Princeton University responded, she was especially surprised because it was late in the recruiting season, and most athletes had already committed. “When they responded, I was super happy because it’s an amazing opportunity,” Liu said. After speaking with coaches there, Liu made the decision to commit. At Princeton, Liu plans to major in molecular biology and possibly minor in bioengineering. For swimming, she aims to qualify for the NCAA and place in Ivy League college swimming. Liu’s family and coaches wholly support her goals in swimming and academics. “I want her to have fun swimming in college and study something that not only helps her financially, but is also something she enjoys doing,” Bonner said. “If you enjoy what you do for work, you never work a day in your life.”
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Dylan Liu swims toward her dreams at Princeton University
Photo used with permission from Dylan Liu
16 | SPORTS
October 05, 2026
Sports need stronger oversight to retain fan trust BY NICOLAS CHENG AND DAVID DAI
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physical education teacher Ray Wright said. investigation through a secure portal. Betting operators ecent sports scandals have exposed weaknesses The NBA should establish a standing financial currently flag suspicious wagers, but players should have in the systems meant to protect competition. compliance board that reviews deals over $25 million the ability to report attempted cheating. Giving them a Scandals involving the Los Angeles Clippers, the dollars before they are finalized by the board of direct channel would target the fixing scheme. National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Turkish governors. Before a team or a company enters a deal that “When some games are rigged, fans will think that the Football Federation have exposed important gaps. To could affect salary cap compliance, the contract should entire NBA, or any other sport, is rigged,” junior Sanshray protect competitive integrity, sports organizations should go through an independent financial review as a second Jaiswal said. “If you rig a game, there’s no originality to create an independent financial board, build a central layer of oversight before an arrangement takes effect. The it.” system for detecting suspicious activity and place officials board should have access to payment records and related In October 2025, the Turkish Football Federation under independent review outside their own federations. communications before issuing a written compliance said 371 of 571 active professional referees had sports On Sept. 2, the NBA announced that the Clippers decision. The goal is to create a checkpoint to identify gambling accounts, with 152 actively placing bets. The violated salary cap circumvention rules involving potentially improper financial federation suspended 149 referees and assistant referees. star forward Kawhi Leonard. The league said the arrangements before The investigation later expanded to players, with 1,024 team arranged off-court income they are announced players suspended in November. opportunities for Leonard to the public. Federations must establish an independent bettingthrough multiple businesses, Another compliance audit conducted outside the Professional paid personal expenses example Referee Organization. Every official should disclose for Leonard and his of how betting accounts connected to regulated sportsbooks, and representatives and money can an outside auditor hired by the federation should conduct failed to report be used to influence the competition is the NCAA. periodic checks. Potential violations should go directly to improper On Jan. 15, federal prosecutors announced charges a third-party investigator that should publish confirmed requests against 26 people, including players, trainers and violations and enforce suspension. This will separate the for high-stakes gamblers across people who manage referees from those responsible for additional several universities, who investigating their betting activity, reducing the conflict income. The were allegedly involved of interest. Clippers in a scheme to fix NCAA These safeguards should were fined men’s basketball games be established before another $30 million, and Chinese Basketball scandal exposes the same When some games are rigged, lost five first-round Association games. weaknesses. Fans shouldn’t be in fans will think that the entire draft picks and owner Between the 2023-24 a position to doubt the roster, the Steve Ballmer was and 2024-25 seasons, NBA, or any other sport, is score, the call or the identity of a issued a one year players were paid team itself. rigged. If you rig a game, suspension. anywhere between “Fans are paying a lot of there’s no originality to it. “When you $10,000 and $30,000 money to see games,” Wright said, Graphic illustrations by Sanshray Jaiswal start punishing per match to rig 29 “So, scandals and what’s going on Joanna Chen and Olivia Ford Junior teams massively, games across 17 should be public.” it becomes Division I teams. Sports are built on a faith really hard The NCAA that keeps fans invested. Fans for them to should accept a team’s highs and lows get back,” create a protected reporting because they believe the outcomes are determined by system tied directly to an the competition in front of them. The sports world needs independent investigative to screen players and officials, keep track of all financial unit. A player, coach or records and, most importantly, inform the fans when official who receives an something is amiss. offer to manipulate a game “Sports lose their meaning when people start breaking EXPERT TEST PREP AND COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CONSULTING should be able to submit the rules,” senior and Cleveland Cavaliers fan Srinikash evidence directly for Venkatasalapathi said. “If you can’t play fair and follow the rules, then it’s not really competition anymore; it’s just taking shortcuts to win.”
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Personal statements, UC PIQs & supplemental essays
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30+ years of college admissions experience The UCs never see test scores — your PIQs do the talking. UC applications are due November 30. Start now.
“My GPA and SAT scores were barely average for the schools that accepted me — my personal statements were one of the strongest areas in my application.” — Tiffany B.
“You encouraged me to apply to a wider range of schools, even when I doubted whether I would get in. I was accepted to Emory University and decided to commit there.” — Emily K.
Also offering: SAT/ACT Individual Tutoring • Comprehensive SAT Courses Please refer to the website for detailed schedules and fees.
408-712-5274 www.jaykooacademy.com • info@jaykooacademy.com 12280 Saratoga-Sunnyvale Rd., Suite 201, Saratoga, CA 95070
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