The Epic, Volume 61, Issue 2 - November 3, 2025

The problem with performative males TO

BY RACHEL MARTIN AND OLIVIA TU

Scrolling through social media, you’ll quickly fnd him: sipping on an oat milk, 80% sugar matcha latte, reading Sylvia Plath in a cafe while pretending to study, Clairo blasting through his wired earbuds: he’s the “performative male,” an internet archetype that has quickly garnered attention and spilled into real life as students try to emulate similar images in performative male contests.

Although this lighthearted mockery of performativity has an element of fun and even encourages progressive habits like reading feminist literature, it’s arguably counterintuitive: the concept of a performative male actually discourages authenticity and reinforces gender stereotypes by painting specifc habits as desirable. Social media has distorted its message of empowerment.

A performative male typically pretends to enjoy interests such as matcha and Labubus to attract and appeal to women. Although the term is new, it echoes older archetypes such as “gym bros” and “soft boys.” While gym bros are associated with traditional ideas of masculinity through sometimes ostentatious ftness obsessions, soft boys are akin to modern performative males, superfcially embracing emotional expression and artistic interests.

Story continued on page 7.

Editors’ Picks

‘No Kings’ movement takes to San José and Sunnyvale streets pg. 4

The problem with performative males pg. 7

From Andrew Wu, with love and chickens pg. 8 AI codes the future of our military pg. 11

Ethan Chen builds strength from the ground up pg. 14

Graphic illustration

by Amanda Jin and Rohan Kakhandiki

Le er from the Editors Hey Vikings!

We hope you had a wickedly good Halloween. It’s Olivia and Crystal, back again with Issue 2!

In our stories you’ll explore local “No Kings” protests, the superfcial world of the performative male, senior Andrew Wu’s hobbies among nature, intersections between AI and military, and sophomore Ethan Chen’s calisthenics passion.

Check out our web-exclusive content (featuring our twist on school lunch) at lhsepic.com, our YouTube channel and our Instagram @lhs.epic. Send a sub200 word response to a piece from this issue or a sub-500 word opinion on any Viking issues to enc.epic@gmail.com for future publication! Let us know your pitches at bit.ly/Epicstudentinput.

Open our pages, sip on some matcha and enjoy, Olivia Yuan & Crystal Zhu Editors-in-Chief

Campus, community and world events

BY NICOLAS CHENG AND ALEXANDRA WU

School Community

The Legislative Council and ASB Spirit allocated around $80,000 for new gym installations, including LED and UV lighting fxtures and a control console for lights on Sep. 17. This decision may affect where Lynbrook hosts future events. For example, Homecoming dances were previously held exclusively in the quad and cafeteria since the gym lighting was not ideal for school dances. Following the multistage installations, ASB may hold the Homecoming dance in the gym instead.

On Sept. 29, Whole Foods in Cupertino reopened after being shut down from April to September. Santa Clara County health inspectors previously suspended the store’s operating permit after reports of rodent droppings in food preparation areas. Whole Foods hired a pest control company that requested to fght the infestation using recently banned poisons, but their waiver was denied. On Sept. 10, inspectors declared Whole Foods safe to reopen after fnding no signs of rodents.

National International

As of Oct. 28, seven of nine universities have rejected President Donald Trump’s Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education. Sent to nine schools, this program offers access to federal funds in exchange for actions that would align with federal policies, including barring transgender students from gender-aligned sports and restrooms, capping international enrollment and making standardized testing mandatory. Oct. 20 was the deadline for these universities to respond.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica and the Caribbean as a Category 5 hurricane on Oct. 21. Sustained winds of up to 185 mph wiped out local power lines, trapping people on their roofs and resulting in at least 30 deaths as of Oct 29. Melissa instantly became the strongest hurricane on record to strike Jamaica and one of the most powerful hurricane landfalls in the Atlantic Basin. The storm generated a surge of up to 13 feet, fooding the parish of St. Elizabeth and blocking roads in every region in Jamaica.

ASB Social and drama department launch new haunted house

BY JOANNA CHEN

Shrieks and boos flled Studio 74’s hallways as a drama student dressed as a creepy doll jumped out from the darkness as part of the new haunted house event on Oct. 31. The event marked the frst collaboration between ASB Social and the drama department, and was one of two ASB Halloween activities alongside ASB Spirit’s annual trick-or-treating event.

This year, ASB Social commissioners sought to create more events beyond established traditions like Homecoming. To that end, sophomore and ASB Social commissioner Henry Wang pitched his idea for a haunted house.

“I thought a haunted house would be very cool,” Wang said. “One of my favorite holidays

venue, but with feedback from ASB adviser Anna Kirsh, Wang decided to pursue a collaboration with the drama department, using Studio 74 instead.

“Their room has many special lights and a sound system,” Wang said. “It’s pretty unique since it’s big and has a stage area we sectioned off.”

Drama teacher and department lead Larry Wenner was initially hesitant to collaborate, but seeing other schools’ haunted houses, he thought that it would be an enjoyable experience for students.

‘‘“I thought it might be complicated, but the students seemed very energetic to do it,” Wenner said. “It’s a way to get students involved with Halloween, so it seemed like a fun thing to do.”

the drama department flled Studio 74 with black drapes and eerie music, transforming it into a haunting atmosphere that gave students chills.

In years past, students would visit classrooms at lunch in Halloween costumes for ASB Spirit’s annual trick-or-treating event. With the addition of the haunted house, which was open during tutorial, lunch and after school, ASB Spirit moved trick-or-treating to only brunch of the same day.

I thought it might be complicated, but the students seemed very energetic to do it. It’s a way to get students involved with Halloween, so it seemed like a fun thing to do.

ASB Social and the drama department navigated unpredictable challenges when planning the event. Since this was Lynbrook’s frst haunted house, ASB Social didn’t have previous events to take inspiration from and leaned mostly on online research.

Although ASB and the drama department were not used to planning events together, ASB Social commissioners frequently updated Wenner on their progress, allowing a smooth planning and execution

“Between Homecoming, Winter Formal and Halloween, I was hesitant to have them plan another event at frst,” Kirsh said. “But the ASB Social commissioners have handled it beautifully.”

Traditionally, haunted houses include spooky decorations, frightening actors and jump scares. With the goal of replicating these features, ASB Social and

‘‘

“Lunch gave a larger time span to pass out candy,” junior and ASB Spirit commissioner Rohin Saharoy said. “However, we shifted it around to adapt to the inclusion of the haunted house.”

The collaboration between ASB and an external group on campus opens the doors to future possibilities, including additional collaborations with the drama department, all with a goal to increase student engagement.

“We’ve collaborated with cultural clubs before on events like Dia de los Muertos,” Kirsh said. “We haven’t done a ton of collaboration with departments, but it’s a cool idea, and we’re always happy to expand our community beyond ASB.”

ASB Social envisions their new haunted house to be a recurring annual event, hoping to add a fun and spooky element to Lynbrook’s Halloween atmosphere.

“My goal from the start was to let students have fun,” Wang said. “I’ve been in a few haunted houses and I wanted to bring that experience to Lynbrook.”

Photo by Nicolas Cheng Photo used with permission from Wikimedia Commons

Photo used with permission from Wikimedia Commons

Photo used with permission from Wikimedia Commons

Larry Wenner Drama teacher

Public Art Club gi s Principal Chen handcra ed welcome

BY OLIVIA YUAN

Principal Janice Chen joined Public Art Club at their weekly lunch meeting on Oct. 15 to receive a personalized gift. Featuring unique handmade elements from PAC and around 25 other campus clubs, it welcomed Chen into her frst year as principal.

PAC made a clear jar into a pineapple. Green paper sprouted from the lid, and squares of yellow paint and cheery designs — from stripes to “Welcome to Lynbrook” messages — decorated the body. Along with paper stars and candy, the jar contained small plastic capsules with

clubs’ welcome messages.

“We decided to make a pineapple jar because Principal Chen is from Hawaii,” senior and PAC president Yuyao Wen said. “We wanted to also add representation from different clubs at Lynbrook.”

The idea arose during an August offcer meeting, inspired by PAC’s farewell present to former Principal Maria Jackson last year: a painting of a tree with paper leaves from numerous clubs and the message, “Thank you for helping us grow.”

“I thought since we did a farewell gift for Jackson, we should also do a welcome gift for Dr. Chen,” senior and PAC secretary Xiaoya Gao said.

PAC created the gift with materials from club adviser Charlotte Kruk and existing club and offcer supplies. Offcers contacted many clubs on campus, and Wen invited Chen to drop by PAC. At weekly meetings before Chen’s visit, members folded stars for the jar and decorated leaves and squares.

“It was really fun to create something that our new principal would have to remind her that we’re glad that she’s here,” sophomore

and PAC member Catherine Jian said. Offcers did face one obstacle: Homecoming. With Kruk at staff skit practices, they found ways to hold meetings in other classrooms and the quad. Offcers also met separately to add fnishing touches.

“There was a little bit of a time crunch at the end,” Wen said. “But when it all came together, I was really proud of what we accomplished.”

Finally, the pineapple jar changed hands from PAC to Chen. It now resides in Chen’s offce, adorning her desk.

“I love the candy and the little notes inside,” Chen said. “They’re a nice special treat that I open up every now and then when I feel like I need a little pick-me-up.”

PAC hopes to continue brightening Lynbrook through community art projects. They are foating ideas like staff appreciation gifts and campus murals for their next endeavor.

“The gift was a lovely surprise,” Chen said. “It was so special because it was very personalized, and I could tell students put a lot of thought and time into creating it. I felt really welcomed. I felt very cared for.”

Upcoming Viking Events

Veterans Day, Nov. 11

To honor those who served in the U.S. Army, there will be no school.

Lynbrook Thrift Store, Nov. 12-14

The thrift store will be open to students to purchase donated clothing and accessories during lunch on Nov. 12 and Nov. 13, and after school on Nov. 14 in the ASB Den.

IDC Fantastics Rally, Nov. 14

This year’s Intradistrict Council Fantastics Rally will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at Monta Vista High School. Students from all fve FUHSD schools are welcome to attend to participate in games and watch performances!

Lynbrook Craft Faire, Nov. 22

The annual event will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the quad. Admission is free to the public and handcrafted items will be sold alongside food and baked goods.

Thanksgiving Break, Nov. 26-28

Students and staff will get three days off from school in celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday.

AAPA conference explores AI use in local schools

BY PRISHA PULASTYA

The Asian American Parents Association held a seminar on Oct. 16 to discuss the potential of artifcial intelligence in supporting students’ learning and teachers’ daily tasks and how it may challenge the standards of today’s education system. The association was formed in 1991 to connect local school districts, discuss prevalent topics and develop community awareness.

‘‘The seminar, which gathered district-level staff such as chief technology offcers and assistant superintendents from Cupertino Union School District, FUHSD and Sunnyvale Elementary School District, began by discussing each district’s approach to the rising use of AI among students. One concern brought up was how the use of AI can alter the learning process. To address this, panelists focused on talking about ways to foster a productive relationship with AI and tackling how AI should be used in learning.

“When you have ways to get results immediately, what does that mean for your sense of accomplishment and purpose?” said Jeremy Nisihara, SESD assistant superintendent of human resources and information systems. “There’s lots of things we have to think about, given that we serve students as young as preschool, on the mental side.”

When you have ways to get results immediately, what does that mean for your sense of accomplishment and purpose? There’s lots of things we have to think about, given that we serve students as young as preschool, on the mental side.

Jeremy Nisihara SESD assistant superintendent of human resources and information systems

“We thought about the paradigm of tasks versus learning,” FUHSD Chief Technology Offcer Menko Johnson said. “At work, I might have a task that I need to complete, and no one cares how I get it done. Learning is not the same thing. Learning is an environment where you put challenges in front of students that help them progress through a process.”

Panelists agreed that AI can be useful in reinforcing material taught in class, but fails to create an effective learning environment when not challenging students.

He said that AI’s quick gratifcation may lead students to believe they have profciency in a topic and motivate them to put less effort into school. Finding a compromise, the panelists said they hope that schools will strive to ensure students acquire skills and knowledge, but maintain a healthy relationship with AI to supplement student learning.

Students have found methods to use AI productively to supplement class materials and boost learning.

“The use of technology and AI are defnitely on the rise as they have proven to be useful in a lot of cases,” junior Keyi Xue said. “I think a lot of people use it if they have some problem or question that they need help with as it is an effcient and accessible tool.”

The conference also discussed instances of students utilizing AI with teacher guidance in class. This may include having AI evaluate and give feedback on writing, help with test preparation or create assignments. English teacher

Evyenia Ene, for example, designed an assignment where students discussed the novel they were reading in class with chatbots on Character.AI, which are instructed to emulate the behavior of characters from the novel. Students were graded on their ability to analyze responses and ask high-level questions. Ene said she considers AI a powerful tool that should be used wisely.

“AI crosses the boundary when people stop using it as a tool and use it to do the thinking for them,” Ene said. “If that happens increasingly in our society, then we are at the mercy of others doing the thinking for us.”

Although policies surrounding AI are emerging, districts like SESD are considering a “humanistic” approach, focusing on how AI can be used to supplement rather than replace creativity and critical thinking.

The meeting concluded with a Q&A session with attendees. As the use of AI increases both in and out of the classroom, many districts advocate for the community to stay informed about its uses and impacts.

Photo by Amy Yuan. Reporting by Audrey Cabaltica.

Photos by Olivia Yuan

Graphic illustration by Amy Yuan

‘No Kings’ movement takes to San José and Sunnyvale streets

BY MADDY CHANG AND CLAIRE GUO

Bay Area residents took to the streets as part of the nationwide “No Kings” movement on Oct. 18. In Sunnyvale, protesters gathered from 2 to 4 p.m. on El Camino Real, while San José protesters met at the intersection of N. Second Street and E. St. James Street from 12 to 2 p.m. This marks the second nationwide “No Kings” protest since the frst on June 14.

The event was organized by the 50501 Movement. Founded this February, 50501 aims to organize a nonviolent protest in every state to challenge what organizers described as President Donald Trump’s “executive overreach.” It has since gained considerable support: thousands flled the streets for the San José and Sunnyvale rallies.

“We do this to show we won’t back down against attacks on our democracy,” Sunnyvale protest organizer Idarose Sylvester said. “We know that Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the National Guard are showing up in our cities, but we’re saying, ‘That’s fne. We’re not afraid of that.’ And that’s a really, really powerful statement right now.”

Unlike June’s continuous protest line on El Camino, the Sunnyvale protest had participants gather at intersections in an effort to maximize visibility. Afterward, attendees met at Gateway Park in Santa Clara for voter outreach signups and briefngs on local ballot measures. They were encouraged to bring signs supporting “No Kings,” voter turnout, Proposition 50 and Measure A.

“The ‘No Kings’ brand really works,” Sylvester said. “It’s proven highly effective for motivating people to come to events and to speak out, so we’re really happy to be organizing under that.”

In Sunnyvale, participants adorned in bright yellow

clothing and infatable costumes lined El Camino. Organizers encouraged attendees to “show all the cars some love” by spreading out to both sides of the street, prompting supportive honks from passing drivers. Demonstrators carried creative signs — including one held by a woman in a habit reading “I want nun of this” — and handmade posters. The atmosphere was energetic, with participants offering water to others, waving fags and cheering as vehicles passed by.

“The ‘No Kings’ movement is one of the strongest since the Vietnam War,” social studies teacher and San José protest participant Jeffery Bale said. “It’s big for people to get off the couch — not do slacktivism, not just post on Facebook or Instagram — but to actually put their boots on the ground.”

The protest in San José was similarly peaceful and vibrant as participants marched with colorful signs, bold shirts and funny costumes. Not only humans dressed up: a Pomeranian donned a backpack with the words “Dogs for Democracy.” Nearby restaurants offered free water for protesters, displaying “It’s hard fghting fascists” signs outside.

‘‘beyond the streets.

“Anytime I see people, on any issue — whether I agree with it or not — using the democratic process, I’m pleased, because we have lower voting rates than virtually every other developed nation,” Bale said. “Dissent is an important part of democracy. I fnd it very inspiring that 7 million people hit the streets for a political issue. It shows that democracy is not dead.”

Dissent is an important part of democracy. Protests aren’t anti-American, they’re about trying to do something within it. I fnd it very inspiring that 7 million people hit the streets for a political issue. It shows that democracy is not dead.

Jefery

“If we stood by and passively let all this happen, that would be rather horrifc,” San José protester Sarah Devlin said. “We need to stand up and show our government leaders and show the world that we don’t approve of what’s happening.”

Bale Social studies teacher

Several San José police cars trailed the march and blocked off roads for protesters in a collaboration with the San José Peace Ambassadors. Police and protesters exchanged waves and photos as they passed each other.

The rally concluded where it began, at St. James Park, where speakers urged attendees to push for change

‘‘October’s “No Kings 2” protests were a direct response to months of Trump’s actions, such as the June 2025 ICE raids across Los Angeles that led county offcials to declare a state of emergency after reports of mass detentions.

“I think Trump is abusing his power to the biggest extent that we’ve ever seen, especially with the ICE raids,” senior Ishana Subrahmanyan said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen something more heartbreaking than Trump using the military to fnd innocent, undocumented people who are contributing to the economy and have built lives here, just because they don’t have some documents that claim they are citizens.”

Organizers said they hoped the Oct. 18 protests were a “positive event” for those feeling overwhelmed by current news, allowing citizens to take action on their political views.

“We want to give people hope, to keep fghting, to feel like there’s a community around them that cares so that they don’t give up,” Sylvester said. “We want to keep providing these visuals to the rest of the state, country and even the world, that there are more of us on this side than there are on the side of tyranny.”

“No Kings” protesters held signs and fags as they marched across the street, full of energy.

Photos by Maddy Chang and Claire Guo.

Reforming the club application process

As each school year begins, Lynbrook sees its fair share of prospective club ideas. From a freshman entering high school to a junior preparing for college applications, there’s never a shortage of students aspiring to create new leadership positions. While the current process to establish a club is a result of careful design, it can still be improved with mindful studentteacher communication and other reforms, minimizing challenges for all those involved.

The number of new club applications rose from 16 last year to 29 as of Oct. 29. Though Lynbrook’s vibrant club scene of nearly 70 active clubs offers a fexible ecosystem for students to nurture their interests, clubs are often started for reasons other than passion. At Lynbrook, gaining leadership positions for college applications is a common motivation. While understandable, this can defeat the purpose of club creation: to foster genuine interest.

“For a lot of the people that I met who want to start clubs, it’s more about adding it to their college applications, rather than having a real interest in making something that people can come and enjoy together,” said sophomore Taranjot Gill, who plans to start a philosophy club.

Staf Editorial // The voice of the Epic

The overfow of students eager to fnd a club adviser can put pressure on teachers. As students rush to meet this requirement by mass emailing teachers, clear and respectful conduct with teachers can erode.

“I know that times have changed with the competitive nature of college admission, but sometimes it seems like students are just starting clubs so that they can put that on their college applications,” culinary arts teacher and club adviser Megan Miller said.

was having problems on feld trips, and their adviser dropped them because they just weren’t being respectful of their time,” ASB and Model United Nations adviser Anna Kirsh said.

Teachers are not compensated for advising a club on campus unless they advise larger after-school activities like Model United Nations, Distributive Education Clubs of America and Future Business Leaders of America. As such, ASB encourages staff to take on a maximum of two clubs per year.

‘‘ ‘‘

For a lot of the people that I met who want to start clubs, it’s more about adding it to their college applications, rather than having a real interest in making something.

Taranjot Gill Sophomore

Students should also be upfront about adviser commitments. Some clubs simply need an adviser present during weekly meetings, while others demand offcampus supervision, which is not feasible for teachers who cannot commit hours outside school to monitor students.

“My frst year at Lynbrook, there was a club that didn’t communicate well and

Additionally, clubs take up teachers’ brunches and lunches, which are often crucial times to recharge or prepare lessons.

As a result, students should approach potential advisers with clear outlines of duties and an estimated adviser time commitment.

“Teachers advise clubs because we care about our students,” Kirsh said.

“All the clubs that are done at lunch are done on our own time. Our lunches are unpaid, so we’re doing it because we like students, not because of the incentives.”

Furthermore, face-to-face correspondence is key. Although mass emailing may seem like an easy shortcut to save time, students should visit

editors-in-chief — olivia yuan, crystal zhu

managing editor

— claire guo

copy editors — alex cotterel, david zhu

design editors

— amanda jin, rohan kakhandiki

adviser

— josh miller

news editor — brian lee

opinion editors — maddy chang, saavan saraf

sports editor

web editors in-depth editor

business/pr manager features editor — isabella chiu

— alexandra wu

— anna cen

— akash anand, cecilia wu

— jenny suh

social media manager — ethan wong

teachers in person to show appreciation for the teacher’s time and have a personalized conversation.

‘‘

“I mostly talked to teachers in person, because I thought going to them in person probably leaves a better impression and they would actually remember who I am and how I asked,” said sophomore Aditi Skandan, who plans to start a nutrition club.

Some students may wish to confrm advisers after receiving club approval rather than before to relieve stress. However, this process was created to ensure all approved clubs will have an adviser.

One solution could involve a selfselection system where teachers indicate their availability to advise, alleviating pressure on advisers who are unwilling to take on more clubs. This year, a spreadsheet that details adviser status was accessible through ASB Community Link’s club resources. However, it did not specify which teachers may be more willing to advise, or whether a teacher wished to be contacted at all — two helpful elements that could be implemented in the future.

“I think some students have found that the resources are not that detailed, because obviously, it’s new,” junior and CLink lead Ojas Kothari said. “We didn’t really know what kind of things they needed. But also, I think it’s been mostly helpful, because when you’re going from nothing to something, you at least have some idea of what’s going on.”

Other commendable changes this year have refned the club application process for both students and teachers. For example, CLink held their frst-ever informational meeting at the beginning of the semester for applicants. The application process was also spread out: in the past, clubs were approved for the same school year. Since advising a club fulflls one of four yearly supervision events required for teachers, some teachers have swapped spots in school supervision events like sports games ticket sales to advise clubs instead. As clubs are now approved for the next school year, teachers have more time to plan ahead.

I think some students have found that the resources are not that detailed, because obviously, it’s new. We didn’t really know what kind of things they needed. But also I think it’s been mostly helpful, because when you’re going from nothing to something, they at least have some idea of what’s going on.

Ojas Kothari Junior and CLink lead

“It would not be fair for me to say, ‘oh, your club’s approved,’ then have you fnd an adviser and say, ‘oh you can’t fnd one, then you can’t have your club,’” said Assistant Principal Tara Grande, who oversees teacher supervision for clubs. “It’s a really hard hurdle, but we have to have an adviser. Students can’t meet together on their own.”

‘‘

stafers

samanvi bandugula

audrey cabaltica

rebecca cai

emily cheah

joanna chen

anushka deshmukh

nicolas cheng david dai

ashley hein

stuti jain eunice leung

“We are trying to streamline that process and make it more consistent and more fair for all of the teachers,” Grande said. “We need to know who’s advising clubs before we do the signups, so that we can make sure that we have all of the events covered.”

In order to further polish club applications, students must take it upon themselves to be more transparent and ASB should continue improving clarity in the process. Taking advantage of the momentum of recent changes, now is the perfect opportunity to implement student and teacher feedback.

the Epic staff voted 34-0 in favor of this stance with 4 abstaining.

alyssa lin tristan lo rachel martin

prisha pulastya

katie shang

olivia tu

sunnie wu

catherine yang

vanessa yap amy yuan

Graphic illustration by Rebecca Cai

BY AUDREY CABALTICA // IN MY OPINION

The silence of being Filipino

Even surrounded by the people I love, I’ve never felt more alone. None of my friends at school are Filipino. During lunches, I fnd myself silent as my Indian friends chatter about plans for upcoming festivals, references to Bollywood movies and debates over their favorite Indian foods. Their cultural bond reminds me of what I lack: Filipino representation.

Here at Lynbrook, where diversity is celebrated, I’m struggling to fnd ways to honor my heritage.

Growing up, I was the only Filipino in school. My culture is a large part of my identity that I’ve always wanted to share, but in elementary school, friendships are often formed over common ethnic backgrounds. One lunch, I sat quietly with my kare-kare, its peanut sauce and juicy meat, an aroma I loved but others found odd. Nearby, two girls had chow mein packed for lunch and instantly bonded over the familiar taste of their culture. Other kids spoke in their shared languages, exchanging jokes I couldn’t understand. I found myself alone as my friends’ effortless connections left me out.

In middle school, the feeling of isolation persisted. Miller Middle School had many Asian students, but none I met were Filipino, leaving me feeling further isolated. My last hope was high school. I heard Lynbrook was largely Asian and had clubs representing different cultures, raising my hopes of fnding a fellow Filipino. But after my frst week of school, I hadn’t met any.

For as long as I could remember, people have never been able to guess my ethnicity. They don’t ask and just assume I’m Chinese. I’ve been spoken to in Mandarin and asked about plans for Chinese festivals. When I correct

them and say I’m Filipino, I’m instantly met with a barrage of questions.

Other cultures at Lynbrook are recognized, making mine feel overlooked. Holi allows Indian students to share their festival with the school. Chinese Culture Night gives Chinese students a chance to teach and represent their culture. Last year, a Dia De Los Muertos event celebrated and taught students about Mexican culture. As one of the few Filipino students at Lynbrook, I wonder what opportunities we have to share our culture in the same way.

Sometimes, I catch myself wishing I wasn’t Filipino. The moments where people around me don’t seem to understand or appreciate my culture can make it hard to embrace it. But I remember our delicious food, the way we treat each other like one big family and the bond we share through Catholic faith. My strong connection to my culture is the foundation of who I am. It teaches me to respect my elders and reminds me of the importance of family. Throughout my years in school, I’ve learned that being Filipino isn’t something to be ashamed of. I’m proud to represent my country, even if it’s not always acknowledged in the world around me.

Residents should say “yes” in our backyard

BY EUNICE LEUNG AND AMY YUAN

“Not in My

Backyard” is a term that refers to people supporting the idea of affordable housing but opposing projects in their own community, not wanting to be affected by potential traffc, lack of space or noise concerns. However, homelessness is a prominent concern in California: in 2024, the state had over 24% of the nation’s total homeless population.

NIMBY attitudes worsen the housing crisis and prevent cities from developing in favor of selfpreservation. Successful housing progress requires fnding a balance between acknowledging community concerns while also prioritizing project completion.

residence per acre of land would decrease property values and increase noise pollution and traffc. Ironically, Marc Andreessen, a resident opposing the proposal, serves on Meta’s board of directors, which pledged in 2019 to commit $1 billion to the housing crisis over the next decade. He exemplifes wealthy elites who abandon promises of social work to prioritize their own interests.

“The bottom line is we can pass any law we want, but the market has the ultimate say,” Cupertino City Council Member Ray Wang wrote in an email. “Builders have to fnd lenders who believe that a project is viable.”

Instead of waiting for voluntary goodwill to combat homelessness, cities must address the issue of self interest preventing progress.

A common NIMBY misconception is that building more housing lowers nearby property values. However, studies in other states point to the opposite effect. Trulia analyzed 3100 low-income housing projects, fnding they had negligible impact on property values in San Francisco.

Some community members are receptive to the idea of housing to support vulnerable populations, but share their honest concerns about overcrowding.

24% of the homeless population in the United States are in California as of 2024

Common NIMBY arguments reveal more about privilege than genuine concern.

According to the Public Policy Institute of California

Atherton, the wealthiest ZIP code in the United States, is a prime example of its harm. In June 2022, the Atherton City Council proposed a design of nine townhouse developments. It was opposed by many residents, who argued that more than one

“Cities should work on constructing in places with less developments,” junior Megan Ramjahn said. “More housing in this area will contribute to our already-bad traffc and cluttered community.”

Nonetheless, a lack of housing will result in population decline, leading to a myriad of consequences. California could lose fve Congressional seats if the population continues to decline from rising costs of living, reducing its voice on the national stage and losing federal funding. However, rejecting NIMBY doesn’t mean that cities shouldn’t approach new housing proposals with resident concerns in mind. Recently, a proposal for one of the frst affordable housing developments along Mary Avenue in Cupertino faced opposition from community members due to lack of city transparency over safety concerns about traffc and toxic waste. In the decade of its planning, neighbors said they were never notifed of other project details that would affect

their daily lives: the narrowing of Mary Avenue and loss of 89 parking spots.

“We are all for affordable housing, but this spot is unsuitable,” local resident Roberta Murai said.

Yet the project, meant for developmental disabilities and low-income residents, is necessary in our community. To minimize alarm, affordable housing developments should be coupled with transparency.

“A lady knocked on my door asking if we knew about the proposal,” Cupertino resident Shaun Fong said. “I was so shocked.”

Although concerns such as these are legitimate, the majority of NIMBY talking points — that new housing will create inconveniences like temporary noise or closed construction areas — are minor compared to housing. People need homes to live in, and inevitably, those houses and apartments will be next to another’s property. No progress will come out of supporting the theory of affordable housing yet opposing its proximity to current communities. To tackle the homelessness problem in California and preserve the benefts of a diverse population, NIMBY attitudes need to be eliminated.

GraphicillustrationbyVanessaYap

Photo by Samanvi Bandugula

THE PROBLEM WITH

BY RACHEL MARTIN AND OLIVIA TU

This type of performativity pervades Lynbrook culture in the form of “nonchalance,” from minimal texting to restrained displays of enthusiasm. This behavior is called performative because of its shallow motivations, acting simply to impress and chase the newest social media trends. In neighboring Cupertino High School, there was even a “Matcha Monday” spirit day, themed after the concept of performative males.

“The performative male trend is an iteration of an old trope, and has evolved into a meme in a way the soft boy was not,” said Andrew Edelblum, assistant professor of marketing at the University of Dayton. “The omnipresence of social media in our lives has made it virally potent.”

about reading bell hooks, they get more comments from women than when they post about going to the gym.”

Previously, most online conversations around masculinity have circulated around the “alpha male” mentality, with infuencers such as Andrew Tate promoting the toxic belief that the ideal male is hypermasculine and shows little emotion. Lately, performative males have overtaken hypermasculinity in popularity, especially in younger communities, and the “ideal” male has changed to become more open-minded. In theory, this archetype is challenging conventional gender norms by allowing men to explore more stereotypically feminine interests.

‘‘ ‘‘

Perhaps young people are often using the phrase ‘performative’ when they actually mean ‘inauthentic.’

Melissa

Brown Assistant professor of communication at Santa Clara University

Indeed, social media encourages performativity. Since algorithms are built around likes, comments and engagement — metrics of attention and validation — many people feel compelled to curate their identity for approval and instant gratifcation. With little to hold them accountable, it’s easy to fake authenticity.

“Perhaps young people are often using the phrase ‘performative’ when they actually mean ‘inauthentic,’” said Melissa Brown, assistant professor of communication at Santa Clara University. “Young men notice that if they post

For example, men feel encouraged to read poetry, or display more vulnerability and empathy.

“According to feminist scholars like Judith Butler, gender is performative and we’re constantly performing what we believe we should be acting like,” Edelblum said. “I think that’s what these guys are doing. It’s fun to laugh at the absurdity of what it means to be a human today, male or female.”

The trend could have served as a gateway for men to genuinely learn more about feminine issues and appreciate traditionally feminine things. Additionally, its lighthearted nature

allows for humor, a way for people to have fun and engage with conversations about masculinity in an accessible way. Instead, it has been twisted to shame men who genuinely enjoy these things.

“This trend is promoting the idea of expressing your own identity, and is linked to things like matcha or reading, which are positive for your growth,” junior Bryan Tian said.

“Being performative can have positive connotations and I think of it as a compliment.”

In an age where personalities are curated for the camera, it’s diffcult to distinguish reality from fction, causing society to automatically jump to conclusions and label people as fake. Although the trend is valuable in calling out inauthenticity, it takes a negative turn. By labeling any man who engages in feminine interests as performative, gender stereotypes are reinforced, suggesting that drinking tea or liking astrology are somehow incompatible with being male.

“The trend is further constraining what it takes to be a male behaving appropriately in the modern world, making it confusing for young men,” Edelblum said. “The discourse has said that the Andrew Tate side of masculinity is no good, but if you embody the performative male, being palatable to the female audience, that isn’t good either.”

People who genuinely enjoy these things are most affected by this trend, as they may be wrongly labeled. Thus, the trend has the opposite effect: pushing people away from these interests even as they try to avoid society’s labels. For instance, satirizing men who simply want

to sit in a public place to read.

In the San Francisco performative male contest in August, hundreds of men were pitted against each other to be as fake as possible in a spectacle that branded any feminine activity an attention-seeking joke. But this is the problem: trying to be attractive, from style to personal interests to music taste, shouldn’t be part of a contest culture — it should be something that stems from genuine interest.

“Although this trend can give men who are more feminine a shield against backlash, it can also harm those who liked these things before,” sophomore Saanvi Kakani said. “They get upset with things they were previously interested in since now they’re being labeled as a meme.”

Students should not contribute to this cycle of cynicism online. It’s important to harness the positive aspects of the trend, such as being open to exploration, but not to twist it by ridiculing vulnerability and self-expression.

If people refrained from shaming others, this trend could illuminate progressive ideas like feminism to help society become better as a whole. Contrary to what social media might show, accepting and encouraging positive actions is how progress will be made, not by humiliating others.

“Social media does not need to be fully authentic since performativity is what we all do,” Brown said. “We should learn to shift our relationships with devices, divesting from parasocial relationships and have more in-person interactions for authenticity.”

Story continued from front page.

Photos by Rachel Martin

Graphic illustrations by Maddy Chang

From Andrew Wu, with love and chickens

BY KATIE SHANG

Senior Andrew Wu’s backyard is a nature lover‘s paradise. Abundant with chickens, plants and shovels, it’s a refection of Wu’s dedication to a life outdoors. It may not be the biggest or cleanest yard, but Wu flls it with chicken feed, gardening tools and hiking shoes — all tokens of his various passions.

Throughout Wu’s childhood, family trips to Canada and frequent outings to Moss Landing State Beach in Monterey, sowed the seeds of his love for the environment. Wu’s most beloved memory was fshing on a dock on Galiano Island in British Columbia, overlooking the vast Strait of Georgia.

“I never had access to electronics,” Wu said. “So at home, I would play outside everyday with my sister, making mud balls, pretending we were explorers of the wilderness and visiting the creek.”

Even as Wu grew up and gained access to the internet, his love for nature continued to fourish. In an increasingly digital age, Wu is grateful that his parents nudged him onto a path forward in nature.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wu’s interest in nature skyrocketed: watching YouTube videos

of chickens or Gordon Ramsey inspired him to garden more, and he successfully begged his parents for chicks that are now feisty hens. Although his chickens cause a ruckus at times, Wu shows them endless affection.

“Sometimes, even now, I go home and the garden is just huge,” Wu’s sister Angela Wu said. “I’ll be like, ‘Wow, how’d this even happen?’ He’s really into it, out with the chickens all the time.”

‘‘The love Wu has for his chickens is akin to the love he carries for his garden. Inside, it displays a selection of vegetables and fowers: crinkled leaves of Napa cabbage, deep green waves of kale and dahlias with rings of purple — the origins of bouquets and handmade dishes for his family. A fenced-off area in the back holds his seven chickens: with rough feathers and proud beaks, they roam around clucking noisily and digging the soil.

defnitely a part of his development as a person.”

Tying all the elements of his love for nature on a platter, Wu turns fresh ingredients into delicious homecooked meals. As Culinary Arts Club president, Wu fnds joy in crafting dishes. However, cooking does not bury his love for visiting restaurants. For Wu and his friends, the atmosphere of elegant outdoor dining brings excitement.

Gardening makes me feel good. When I’m done, I’m always so proud of myself

‘‘

“We’re collecting restaurants like Infnity Stones,” senior and friend Ryan Xue said. “Andrew always has a good idea of what popular restaurant we should visit.”

Whether in restaurants or his own backyard, Wu appreciates the world around him. Details like the fairy lights he loves to dine under and small moments like his chickens following him around are close to his heart.

“I fnd so much peace in nature,” Wu said. “Time slows

“Gardening makes me feel good,” Wu said. “It takes a lot of patience and skill, and when I’m done, I’m always so proud of myself.”

Beyond his backyard, Wu fnds tranquility in the waters of Moss Landing. With the sea rolling in his ears, Wu stands with his fshing rod and treasures the sunrise all the way home. Wu and his sister once spent nearly a whole day — 10 hours — fshing together.

“A lot of the memories with Andrew that I like to look back on are in nature,” Angela Wu said. “Having that interest in nature is

KALIBAY’s clothing mixes creativity with culture

BY CATHERINE YANG

Gathered in their living room, siblings senior Kate Nagareda and junior Tyler Nagareda show off the fnal draft of a new clothing design on their iPad, featuring a turtle with fowers and the word “KALIBAY” forming patterns on its shell. The rest of the team, including juniors Aiden Levit and Kevin Zhang, excitedly point at the design and decide to name it “Kame,” meaning “turtle” in Japanese.

Harboring a love for fashion and design, Kate Nagareda began sketching her work for what would become KALIBAY, their student-run apparel business. Eventually, she formed a team with her brother, Levit and Zhang. The Nagaredas

the design, Levit manages the website, marketing and advertising, and Zhang works with manufacturers to produce their clothing. KALIBAY creates T-shirts with a fusion of Japanese and West Coast styles, encapsulating a uniquely personal approach to their business.

“I kept seeing the same recycled styles and brands that didn’t speak to me,” Levit said. “I wanted something that represented me and my friends, not just trends.”

Their frst design, “Kousai,” set the blueprint for KALIBAY’s signature style: a combination of plain pastel colors with Japanese graphics such as Mount Fuji and a samurai, titled with a Japanese name. In a nod to West Coast artistic style, their logo features a graffti-style font. With most of the team being half-Japanese, they have a great appreciation for Japanese culture and wish to help fellow Asian Americans embrace their heritage.

“There are not a lot of clothing brands that express Asian culture,” Kate Nagareda said. “We’re hoping KALIBAY connects with

people in the Lynbrook community.”

Starting a business with a small group of friends wasn’t easy. Before Zhang found their current manufacturer, they faced many problems. Companies required them to buy shirts in bulk for a high price, and their previous manufacturer stopped communicating with the team, delaying production plans by a few months. Federal tariffs on imported products also slowed the process of creating and shipping their apparel overseas.

“It’s a heavily complicated process,” Zhang said. “The placement and size of the design on the back might change depending on the manufacturer, so it’s very confusing.”

Through KALIBAY, the team has developed and refned their entrepreneurial skills and perspectives toward clothing. Levit’s experiences working on KALIBAY’s professional packaging and advertising has allowed him to see modern clothing in a different light.

“When I go shopping, I’ll notice new things about every brand, like the packaging looking sleek,” Levit said. “I appreciate things that businesses do that I didn’t appreciate before.”

Since KALIBAY is still in its early stages, the team is focusing on building a stronger online presence and customer base. Kate Nagareda plans to continue helping the business even after she graduates, entrusting the team to continue what they worked hard to create.

Furthermore, Levit is currently interning for Bay Areabased entrepreneur Keezy, whose own clothing brand, Havencourt, has inspired Levit and the team to keep pushing through their struggles.

The KALIBAY team wishes to pursue business and continue their work in the future. One day, all four of them hope to establish their unique styles, expand their presence and begin competing with bigger brands.

“It’s not just a yearlong project,” Levit said. “We’re going to keep growing throughout high school, and even though we’re extremely busy, we’re always fguring out ways we can improve.”

Photo by Catherine Yang Graphic illustration by Isabella Chiu and Prisha Pulastya

Photos taken by Katie Shang and used with permission by Andrew Wu Graphic illustrations by Eunice Leung and Prisha Pulastya

Andrew Wu Senior

Teen podcasters spotlight entrepreneurial voices

BY ASHLEY HEIN

She fips through her notes, the product of late night brainstorming sessions and countless hours of research. With a deep breath, she turns on her microphone and gives her interviewee a gracious smile. “Thank you so much for your time!”

Two Lynbrook juniors stepped from their comfort zone into the world of podcasting.

For Rhea Susarla, host of “Rheality Check,” and Mekhla Godbole, host of “Founders Forum,” it was a journey that took courage and refection.

Rhea Susarla advocates for ethical technology

Susarla’s “Rheality Check” came to life in June 2024.

Inspired by podcasts such as “The Burnouts” and “a16z,” she interviews tech entrepreneurs. Her podcast blends discussions of controversial topics in software and science, from period tracking apps to AI ethics, with stories of personal development.

“I noticed there was a lot of fear and concern over technology in dystopian novels and flms,” Susarla said. “That got me into promoting ethical technology. It’s especially important to younger generations, since we’ll be living with the consequences the longest.”

A play on her name, “Rheality Check” refects her commitment to candid and authentic conversations. While Susarla’s self-assured tone may give the impression of being a natural speaker, she describes herself as the opposite.

“I’ve always been a shy person.” Susarla said. “I was always into YouTube and video editing, but I never thought of myself as someone who had the confdence to be on screen like that. Like entrepreneurship, it’s not just about learning the skills, but being brave.”

Mekhla Godbole upli s teen buisness owners

Abusiness enthusiast, Godbole was drawn to the idea of promoting entrepreneurs. She aims to represent students alongside professionals on her podcast, “Future Founders Forum.”

A recent feature of Jia Chen, college senior and co-founder of tech company Sorcerer, was particularly impactful for Susarla. Susarla discovered Chen through her frst start up, DevTools distribution company, and began following her on Twitter.

“When I reached out to her, I thought there was no chance.” Rhea said. “When she responded, I was just by myself in my room crying over this random email. The whole episode was a fever dream for me.”

Though it began as a passion project, “Rheality Check” is now something Susarla plans to continue in college. With a microphone and a dream, each episode of Susarla’s podcast reminds listeners that meaningful conversations can start anywhere.

“I feel like teens are very underestimated in the feld of business.” Godbole said. “People believe that they can’t succeed, but there are businesses out there doing good for the community and supporting real causes.”

Godbole’s experience podcasting for Cyber for Youth, an organization dedicated to promoting cybersecurity, inspired her to launch “Future Founders Forum” in the summer of 2025.

“My very frst Cyber for Youth podcast episode was with a very established cyber security professional,” Godbole said. “I was really nervous about that, but after that initial experience, I built confdence and learned how to communicate effectively with people.”

The debut episode of “Future Founders Forum” welcomed sophomore Noor Ahmed, who owns a jewelry-making business. During the episode, Godbole asked Ahmed to share advice she would give to other young entrepreneurs. Ahmed attests to the importance of platforms like Godbole’s that highlight the effort and commitment it takes to start a business.

“People need to better understand how managing a business is like running a marathon.” Ahmed said.

“During fnals, during tests, there are weeks when it’s just so hard to keep up with it, but you always make time for your business.”

Godbole hopes to expand her audience beyond Lynbrook and implement new marketing and production strategies to promote her work. With meticulous planning for each episode and careful attention to analytics, Godbole has the discipline it takes to actualize goals, serving as a reminder that meaningful storytelling often begins long before the microphone turns on.

“My message for teens is to not fear failure.” Godbole said. “All entrepreneurs start small and have to go through the necessary challenges to grow. In the end, you need to do it out of passion, and you’ll never know where that might lead.”

TableZen connects globally through table tennis

BY ALYSSA LIN

When he picks up a table tennis paddle, senior Yuvraj Gill envisions the sport’s ability to bring players of all skill levels together. Founded in July 2023, Gill’s nonproft, TableZen, works to bring that feeling of community to schools around the world.

“Our goal is to provide greater opportunities through sport, to include and uplift as many people as possible,” Gill said. “For me, table tennis does that the best because of how inclusive it is.”

Gill frequently played table tennis in his childhood, competing with family and friends. Yet after playing against relatives with Parkinson’s disease, a neurological disorder that impacts movement and coordination, he saw the accessibility of table tennis for individuals with limited mobility — the start of his

“It’s great to see the community get together in such a way,” senior and Viking Table Tennis club vice president Akshat Garg said. “Usually you think of Lynbrook as a competitive place, but seeing people having fun and enjoying something that we’ve built is amazing.”

Gill started by reaching out to

equipment, Gill negotiated with different brands and manufacturers, allowing TableZen to secure equipment discounts and sponsorships.

Over the past summer, Gill traveled to Zimbabwe, establishing table tennis clubs in schools across the country. In Zimbabwe, drug abuse is a prevalent issue. According to Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care, more than 53% of women and 28% of men use drugs. Partnering with youth leaders, antidrug activists and the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, Gill promoted table tennis as a method to help students struggling with drug addiction. He visited schools and held a press conference covered by national news outlets like EnterSport News and HealthTimes Zimbabwe.

“Our goal there was to spread more

awareness for the sport,” Gill said. “We wanted to show how very simple solutions like playing a sport can also create a big impact.”

TableZen has also signifcantly impacted Gill’s own life. Traveling internationally and experiencing diverse cultures have all shown him the importance of collaboration and elevated his appreciation for global languages and traditions.

“It’s made me learn more about different cultures through the sport, which I didn’t really expect,” Gill said.

Beyond schools, Gill also aims to share table tennis with a wider community by hosting different events, such as meetups in community halls for people to come together to play, relax and connect. In the future, Gill plans to implement more clubs along the East Coast.

“We’ve used table tennis to help people in more ways than one,” Gill said. “When we expanded overseas, I saw that we could enact real social change, give students purpose and introduce them to sport. Through that, table tennis became more than just a place to have fun.”

Zimbabwe

United States of America

Photos used with permission by Yuvraj Gill Graphic illustration by Eunice Leung

Photo used with permission by Rhea Susarla Graphic illustration by Ashley Hein

A. Gill recieves an award recognizing his table tennis equipment donations to Trinity Sports in Zimbabwe.

B. Gill founds the Viking Table Tennis club and collaborates with the Viking Buddies club. A.

Photo by Ashley Hein

Sharika Dipu brings digital health into bloom with Lotus Focus

BY ANNA CEN

“Stay off technology 30 minutes before going to sleep.” Standing in front of 100 high school students in Sagar, India, senior Sharika Dipu shared this digital wellness tip. As founder of the nonproft Lotus Focus, Dipu served as one of the speakers in a digital health presentation this July, collaborating with Indian youth organization NextGen FC. By promoting longer attention spans and improved focus through psychology-based activities, Dipu aims to teach healthy phone and social media use through her nonproft.

Dipu’s fascination with digital health began when she noticed that her overuse of social media was harming

productivity. As she attended the Startup UCLA: Social Entrepreneurship Summer Institute in the summer of 2024, Dipu’s interest in social entrepreneurship spurred her to fnd a solution for short attention spans and poor digital health.

“So many people are addicted to social media, and it’s become kind of normalized,” Dipu said. “I want to stop that. This is a

Stop doomscrolling. Shortform content is designed to captivate you. One way to log of is to turn of shorts suggestions on YouTube.

Turn of all devices 30 minutes before bed to prevent overstimulation of your brain for improved sleep.

over 10 teenagers, Dipu gathered different perspectives on what solutions would most effectively tackle this problem. Attending the local Business Entrepreneurship Encouragement Program Fair in October 2024, she pitched her idea for a digital health program and received positive feedback from parents and teenagers.

launched many projects promoting digital health, notably a 7-day challenge where Dipu led a group of 30 high school students to develop new digital habits, ranging from staying off social media to trying digital health-related apps. For every day of that week, Lotus Focus recommended three simple digital health tips.

Try reducing technology use a little at a time, for example, try reducing your use of specifc parts of an app rather than deleting it right of the bat.

major issue that I see within my generation, and I want to fx it.”

At frst, Dipu struggled to come up with a tangible solution to tackle the complexity of digital health. Interviewing

Graphic illustration by Anushka Deshmukh

“It was the frst time I’d ever showcased my idea to the world,” Dipu said. “When you’re really anxious about your frst idea, you keep it inside and you don’t tell anyone. When you reveal it and you get the approval of your idea, it is a really special moment.”

“One of the habits that I implemented for myself was turning off Shorts suggestions on YouTube,” senior and challenge participant Jessica Steiger said. “If you’re not the best at staying off social media, starting off small really helps.”

Customizability is at the heart of this platform. It’s really about what the user wants to use their device for.

Aryan Patnaik Chief Technology Ofcer of Lotus Focus

Dipu offcially formed Lotus Focus that same month with the goal of developing a digital health app and building a community to battle social media overuse. She created a Discord server for teenagers and a professional community on LinkedIn for deeper research in digital wellness.

“I wanted it to be an organization, not just an app, because there are so many other apps for focusing,” Dipu said. “We made our project better by introducing this community aspect, by bringing people together and making it research-based.”

Since its formation, Lotus Focus has

‘Moving forward, Lotus Focus hopes to launch its app in November. The app will offer users individualized approaches to manage digital health.

“Our app gives the option to target specifc parts of a distracting app rather than blocking the entire app,” University of California, Irvine freshman and Lotus Focus chief technology offcer Aryan Patnaik said. “Customizability is at the heart of this platform. It’s really about what the user wants to use their device for.”

With Lotus Focus, Dipu aims to expand and develop the community even more to spread an accessible and customizable solution to the digital health issue.

“I want to make this something very revolutionary,” Dipu said. “I want Zuckerberg to be scared of me.”

Photos used with permission from Sharika Dipu

BY STUTI JAIN AND SAAVAN SARAF

In “Tron: Ares,” a futuristic AI-powered soldier enters the physical world to protect the tech company that created it. In some ways, the flm mirrors the real world: Silicon Valley tech companies are receiving billions of dollars through contracts with the United States Department of War to make AI weapons. This technology is proving dominant in conficts abroad, but also raises ethical concerns about AI systems being used in lethal situations.

Early tech defense partnerships date back to the 1950s, when the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency funded projects that later became everyday uses, like GPS, the internet, and voice recognition. Today, DARPA invests in drones, AI and electronic chips for the military.

“If the military wants something, they’ll pay for it,” computer science teacher Mark Kwong said. “They will always fnd a company that will give them what they want.”

Historically, tech companies were more resistant to projects that directly caused death on the battlefeld. In June 2018, Google stated that they would not renew their contract with the DoW on Project Maven, a plan to use AI to identify battlefeld targets. Ultimately, Google adopted stricter AI ethical policies, pledging to not build technology for military or surveillance purposes.

“It’s a question of how much infuence they have,” senior and Model United Nations co-president Tanush Agrawal said. “The military is now running on a lot of technology and without their processors, the U.S. can’t really be at the top of its defense systems. That’s something that we should recognize and look into more: making sure that there’s a separation between the companies and the defense.”

going to cede ground to international competitors anymore.”

One of these startups is Anduril, which is teaming up with Meta to build military helmets with AI-enhanced visual systems.

Anduril also launched the Anvil, a military quadcopter drone using AI to target and intercept other unmanned aerial vehicles.

‘‘If I could wave a wand to prevent AI weaponry from ever existing, I would do that. But because we don’t live in that world, it’s our job to make it as humane as possible.

In July 2025, the company Palantir signed a $10 billion contract with the Department of War to develop AI targeting systems that can scan and identify enemies on the battlefeld.

Ryan Jenkins California Polytechnic State University philosophy professor

in the Russia-Ukraine war for years. In June, Ukraine destroyed aircraft in a Russian air base with Operation Spider Web, which used over 100 drones to strike specifc locations. However, Russia has taken the lead in drone production, building an industry that powered an 800-drone assault earlier this year. Opportunities to gain an upper hand in the war are dwindling, making AI drones increasingly central to the war.

‘‘“I think these weapons are a preview of the future,” Banafa said.

“It’s about not risking soldiers’ lives, it’s about competition with China, but it’s going to happen.”

Although the Pentagon has long

“Whether or not there are consequences of countries making AI weapons, they have to,” said Ahmed Banafa, San José State University professor of interdisciplinary engineering.

“If they don’t, somebody else will, and then they’re going to be on the lower end.”

Many critics are concerned that these partnerships could drag tech workers into being involved in military actions, or make it diffcult to attach responsibility to civilian deaths if they are caused by a robot instead of a human.

On August

Recently, the U.S.-China technology rivalry has intensifed, with China investing over $100 billion on AI research this year. The DoW is developing its own innovative products in tandem, favoring AI investments over traditional commercial and research partnerships. In hopes of competing with China’s domestic defense, the DoW has also funded startups in Silicon Valley.

“There’s been a signifcant shift in Silicon Valley,” California Polytechnic State University philosophy professor Ryan Jenkins said. “They’re not

6, youth-led climate justice group Planet Over Proft held a protest in the Bay Area against Scale AI’s Thunderforge project, which would integrate AI into military planning operations.

“These companies are working to harm people for their own proft,” a Planet Over Proft representative said. “What this AI does is effectively make it more effcient to kill people.”

AI systems also frequently make mistakes, with hallucination rates as high as 79%. In war, this could mean hitting the wrong target, or killing an innocent civilian.

“In my frst Model UN conference about the Cuban Missile Crisis, there was a lot of discussion over how technology can easily miscalculate,” Agrawal said. “The increase in technology and AI systems makes it so much easier for war to begin, with pretty much just the push of a

The EagleEye, launched by Andruil, is an AI-powered helmet and digitally-enhanced eyewear system for the Army.

Military AI supporters envision a future where the role of humans and battlefeld casualties are reduced by automated systems. In late 2024, the United States joined 57 countries to declare ethical AI in defense a global priority. The DoW claims AI can “provide answers that are well beyond the computational abilities of the human brain,” and that may be safer but more cost-effective than traditional weapons such as missiles.

“AI can get things wrong, which in war could end disastrously,” Jenkins said. “But there are less worrisome uses of AI, such as identifying tanks and vehicles rather than human combatants.”

With increased funding for AI use in the military, the Pentagon seems committed to expanding with technology frms — President Donald Trump increased the military budget by $156 billion in July, with $13.5 billion devoted to funding tech defense startups.

“If I could wave a wand to prevent AI weaponry from ever existing, I would do that,” Jenkins said. “But because we don’t live in that world, it’s our job to make it as humane as possible.”

Graphic illustrations by Joanna Chen and Alexandra Wu

Investigating government shutdowns and their impact

BY SAMANVI BANDUGULA AND DAVID ZHU

Over the last four weeks, 750,000 federal workers across the nation have received notices barring them from work and pay, federal museums and national landmarks have closed their doors to the public and thousands of fights have been delayed. A government shutdown that began at midnight on Oct. 1 is to blame. With Democrats and Republicans in a political deadlock, Congress failed to pass legislation funding a number of government services, from decreasing food assistance for low-income families to delayed passport applications.

Each year, Congress passes appropriation bills to allocate funding for specifc federal agencies and programs ahead of the fscal year, which begins on Oct. 1. If Congress does not pass these bills before that date, nonessential federal agencies suspend operations until appropriations are passed.

During a shutdown, all federal employees deemed nonessential — including national park staff, researchers and administrative workers — are furloughed, or temporarily placed on unpaid leave. Federal employees

and basic necessities.

“It’s a very diffcult time to be a federal employee,” said John McMeel, a furloughed Oakland Internal Revenue Service employee, in a San Francisco Chronicle interview. “The uncertainty and just the mismash of information is just all over the place. That doesn’t make any sense.”

In the past fve decades, the United States has experienced 21 government shutdowns, most of which lasted only a few days. In 2018, the longest shutdown to date extended for 35 days over a funding dispute to build a wall at the southern border. As of Oct. 29, the current shutdown is the second longest in U.S. history.

The current shutdown emerged from a partisan standoff over federal healthcare spending priorities. A major contention surrounded

proposals so far.

seats. Democrats have stated that they won’t support any resolution that does not include their proposals for healthcare

provisions like ACA tax credits. Oct. 20 marked the 11th time that Democrats have blocked a GOP-led continuing resolution since the shutdown began.

Norm: Although indirectly, the normalization of using shutdowns as a political tactic is a risk because as shutdowns become more common, the ultimatum of negotiations loses its impact.

“Congress and the president must agree on how to fund the government, and when partisan divisions become too rigid, that process breaks down,” said James Nguyen, professor of political science and Asian American studies at De Anza College.

During the shutdown, Congress attempted multiple times to pass a continuing resolution — a temporary spending bill — but failed. The Senate requires 60 votes to approve a bill, and Republicans currently hold a majority in the Senate with 53

In an effort to pressure Democrats to accept congressional funding proposals, the Trump Administration has issued reduction-in-force notices, or decisions to cut employee positions, during the shutdown. On Oct. 10, the administration laid off more than 4,000 federal employees across agencies like the Treasury, as well as Health and Human Services. The administration also announced suspensions of infrastructure projects in Democrat-led states, including freezing $10 billion allocated for transportation programs in New York.

“In the long run, there’s going to be questions about whether agencies with reduced staff are able to do their job properly,” said Jeremy Abrams, professor of American politics at San José State University. “For example, if there are enough inspectors to manage all of the food coming into the country.”

government shutdowns are usually shortlived, they can have a signifcant impact on individuals and the economy. Reduced staffng often disrupts services and increases travel delays — during the monthlong shutdown from 2018 to 2019, airlines faced major issue when around 10% of airport staff chose not to go to work without pay. The growing pressure from transportation disruptions pushed Congress to speed up negotiations, and the government reopened soon after to avoid mass fight cancellations.

“As the shutdown continues, we are going to see a greater impact as these delays snowball into economic issues that put pressure on both the Democrats and Republicans,” said Tim Kelly, professor of history and political science at West Valley College.

Beyond the current shutdown, a broader concern is the normalization of government shutdowns as a political tactic. Both parties have used shutdowns as an ultimatum for their opposition to agree to certain legislation, but as shutdowns become more common, their wide-ranging consequences may become commonplace — only exacerbating the

Although the effects of

“Democracies depend not only on laws but on habits of cooperation and restraint — once those erode, they’re diffcult to rebuild,” Nguyen said.

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Federal Workers: All nonessential federal employees are put on unpaid leave. This slows down processes like airport transportation, signifcantly increasing air traffc.

National Parks: While national parks stay open, many attractions have been closed, including visitor centers, museums and websites.

Graphic illustrations by Joanna Chen, Alexandra Wu, Sunnie Wu and Catherine Yang

Tracing the path to the Nobel Peace Prize

BY NICOLAS CHENG AND ETHAN WONG

Alfred Nobel woke up to his own obituary in 1888.

A French newspaper had mistakenly reported the Swedish chemist’s death, branding him the “merchant of death” for inventing dynamite. Fearing how history would remember him, Nobel promised to rewrite his legacy. Seven years later, he signed a will establishing the Nobel Peace Prize to honor those who advance humanity. Today, that decision lives on in Oslo, where fve committee members from the Norwegian Nobel Committee meet each October to select a peace laureate from hundreds of secret nominations, sticking to the same criteria Nobel wrote 130 years ago. Nobel, whose invention of dynamite transformed warfare but also revolutionized construction, wanted to counterbalance his creation’s destructive military applications by promoting international cooperation and disarmament. The Peace Prize refected his belief that scientifc progress should advance, not endanger, humanity. In its frst year, 1901, the Peace Prize was awarded to Henri Dunant, founder of the Red Cross, and Frédéric Passy, a French pacifst and economist. The inaugural ceremony established a precedent for honoring individuals and organizations working in humanitarian aid, confict resolution and diplomacy.

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laureate. These members are appointed by Norway’s national legislature and typically serve six-year terms. Their deliberations remain confdential for 50 years after each Peace Prize is awarded.

The nomination process follows strict rules and a precise timeline. An online form opens in mid-October annually, and all nominations must be submitted by Jan. 31. Only members of national assemblies and governments, heads of state, international court judges, university professors in specifc felds, past laureates and current or former Norwegian Nobel Committee members can nominate candidates.

I’m guessing that it would be so that they can discuss things freely without being infuenced by outside opinions. They don’t want to be seen as partial to one particular person or one particular side. I would imagine it’s probably just so they can, at least in their minds, go about trying to do things in as neutral a fashion as possible.

Jeremy Abrams Political science professor San José State University

Over a century later, the committee still adheres to Nobel’s original guidelines. Nobel specifed that the Peace Prize should recognize “the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and

“I’m guessing that it would be so that they can discuss things freely without being infuenced by outside opinions,” San José State University political science professor Jeremy Abrams said. “They don’t want to be seen as partial to one particular person or one particular side. I would imagine it’s probably just so they can, at least in their minds, go about trying to do things in as neutral a fashion as possible.”

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The numbers refect growing global interest in peace work. In 2025, 338 candidates were nominated — 244 individuals and 94 organizations — a signifcant increase from 286 in 2024. On average, the committee receives several hundred different nominations annually. The

years, critics have questioned some choices made by the Nobel committee and whether certain awards refected political symbolism over merit-based achievements.

One such case is U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger’s nomination. The Vietnam War, spanning from 1955-1975, was a long and divisive confict between communist North Vietnam and United States-backed South Vietnam. In 1973, Kissinger received the prize for helping negotiate the Paris Peace Accords, a ceasefre in the Vietnam War, despite authorizing continued U.S. bombing of neighboring Laos and Cambodia. His co-recipient, Le Duc Tho, chief negotiator for North Vietnam, declined the award, believing that the ceasefre had been violated. Upon hearing Kissinger’s selection, two Norwegian committee members resigned in protest, citing the war continued even after Kissinger had won, with North Vietnam invading South Vietnam in 1975.

In 2009, President Barack Obama received the prize less than a year into his presidency. At the time, he did not have many concrete accomplishments, prompting discussion over whether the prize recognized intention or completion. This sparked debate on whether world leaders should be awarded the prize because of their current actions or future impact.

“It has been somewhat opaque in how it makes its decisions about who should be awarded the prize,” Abrams said. “A number of people who were awarded it, we don’t consider them to be candidates for a peace prize.”

After the Jan. 31 deadline, the prepare detailed reports on each Annually, nominators have until Jan. 31 to nominate. Government offcials, heads of state, professors in select felds, past winners and committee members hold the exclusive power to nominate. Self-nominations are prohibited.

These disputes also persist in present day selections. Venezuelan politician and opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the 2025 Peace Prize for her resistance to authoritarian rule and her advocacy for representative government in Venezuela. In announcing the award, the Norwegian Nobel Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes praised Machado as a champion of peace. Some argued that the prize refected a geopolitical choice rather than peaceful work. The chair emphasized that defending the foundations of democracy, even amid disagreement, lies at the heart of democratic values and defnes the core principles of the Peace Prize itself.

“I think there is a moderate impact of political factors, like the crisis in Venezuela, which closed embassies in Oslo,” junior Ian Chen said. “So there’s defnitely some sort of political message it’s sending.”

These examples underscore the challenge of distinguishing between symbolic recognition and measurable accomplishment. Since its conception, the prize has evolved to refect society’s changing idea of peace. As challenges change, so does the debate over what qualifes as peacebuilding.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee’s secretariat reviews all detailed reports of nominations and creates a list of the most promising candidates. They weigh each nominee against Alfred Nobel’s original criteria.

and approximately

Graphic illustrations by Alexandra Wu and Sunnie Wu

The committee votes by simple majority in early October. The winner is announced on the frst Friday of October. The laureate receives a gold medal, a diploma

$1 million at Oslo City Hall at a later ceremony in December.

Velocity training program introduced for PE and athletes

BY SUNNIE WU

With the start of the 202526 school year, campus PE and athletic programs are entering a new era of high-tech training. The new velocity training program, funded by Lynbrook Excellence in Education, helps students track their strength and speed to allow for optimized training. Adapted from St. Francis High School, this program was introduced to the weight training PE class in August. The athletics department hopes to eventually make it available to all student athletes as part of Lynbrook’s push to modernize athletic performance. Velocity-based training is a workout method that measures how fast an athlete moves a weight, rather than how heavy the weight is. Using a system called Output Capture, students can view their movement velocity, peak wattage and power output through a wearable sensor and app which tracks their performance. The data is displayed on iPads, allowing students to adjust their workouts based on real-time feedback. These adjustments ensure safety, minimal fatigue and

effcient exercise.

“We noticed other schools like St. Francis using Output Capture and saw how benefcial it was for their students,” weight training teacher and JV football coach Joseph Luo said. “Being able to get real-time data and make adjustments off of that was really benefcial for keeping kids safe, learning about fatigue, learning about effort and keeping them accountable.”

Everybody’s excited about it. In this area, we have the best weight room and the best performance training system available to student athletes, which means to me that if somebody’s not doing it, they’re missing an opportunity that they may never get back.

Ray Wright PE teacher

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The PE department began setting up the system in August after receiving new Output Capture sensors, iPads and mounting hardware with funding from LEXE. The program monitors the athletic progress of individual students throughout their time in high school. Currently, the weight training class is the frst to use the system, though the PE department hopes to expand it to afterschool sports teams.

Output Capture also helps reduce the risk of injury by monitoring fatigue and helping students improve technique. As they receive precise, individualized feedback from the system, students can identify where they are overexerting themselves and adjust workouts to prevent injuries. For example, if a student’s barbell velocity slows down

signifcantly, it is a sign to lower reps or weight. By tracking these patterns, students can identify which training loads, rest periods and techniques help them perform best, allowing them to tailor their workouts to their needs.

“It records your speed and requires you to give 100 percent on every rep,” sophomore and JV football player Nathan Kim said. “It helps me understand my workouts better.”

As Lynbrook continues to integrate data-based training into its athletic curriculum, staff see it as more than just a tool for building physical strength, but a way to encourage motivation and discipline beyond the gym.

“Studies have shown that the better the ftness and the better the overall health, the better the academic performance,” Wright said. “This is an opportunity for everybody.”

Ethan Chen builds strength from the ground up

BY EMILY CHEAH

Fingers splayed wide, sophomore Ethan Chen steadies himself upside down as his arms extend beneath him. 57 seconds, 58, 59 — it’s his longest handstand yet. For Chen, it’s more than just a new record; it’s proof of the strength he’s built through months of calisthenics training, unlocking a sense of control and pride.

“Before that, my best was 22 seconds,” Chen said. “That’s when I knew I got this.”

Chen frst discovered calisthenics, a form of gymnastic exercise that requires only body weight, through social media and anime. The sport caught his eye for its creativity and control. With its skillful movements, including onearm handstands and muscle-ups, Chen developed an interest in calisthenics as an art form that requires nothing but personal strength.

“I thought if I could do that, then I’d probably be one of the only ones in school who could, and that’d be cool,”

Chen said.

Chen began strength training in February, but progress came slowly. His naturally fast metabolism made building muscle diffcult. Fortunately, he soon found calisthenics to be a better alternative to weightlifting. His lean frame made balancing easier.

Finding techniques learned online to be inconsistent, Chen taught himself through hours of experimenting what worked best for his body. Developing new skills was demanding, but Chen persisted, fueled by the promise of measurable success.

After two months of practicing, Chen nailed his frst elbow lever, a move that holds the body parallel to the ground, supported only by the elbows at a 90-degree angle. In the moment of stillness, he felt truly free.

“It gave me my frst feel for how it felt to be completely on my hands,” Chen said.

them to practice anywhere, turning any space into a tool to build their skills.

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When you frst hold any skill for less than a second, it takes a lot of time to get even that one second down. It’s a really big accomplishment for me.

Ethan Chen Sophomore

Chen found satisfaction in the incremental progress, pushing toward more challenging hand-balancing moves like the L-sit and handstand pushups. From there, Chen developed a daily routine of calisthenics training.

As Chen grew more invested in the sport, he began practicing it with his friends after school in the weight room, which allowed him to teach them and watch them improve.

“Whenever he makes progress, it motivates me to work harder, too,” sophomore Advay Chakravarty said.

Since freshman year, Chen and Chakravarty have shared their calisthenics journey together. In training, they were able to motivate and support each other through the rigorous practice.

The sport’s fexibility allowed

“When the weight room was open an hour late, Ethan jumped onto the hanging of the stairs and started spamming pullups,” Chakravarty said. “It’s crazy to think that in eighth grade he could barely do a pullup, and now he can rep out 20 like it’s nothing.” In the months ahead, Chen aims to achieve the 90-degree handstand pushup, a move that combines the strength of a handstand pushup with the planche position. His longterm goals are marked by the onearm pullup and a full planche, skills that could take years to perfect. Yet, the handstand remains Chen’s favorite skill, the centerpiece of his training.

“Being able to hold it feels like freedom on another level,” Chen said. “It’s not something you’d be able to explain until you’ve felt it yourself.”

Through calisthenics, Chen’s consistency has extended beyond his physical training into academics, encouraging him to focus on one goal at a time.

“The more time you spend on it, the more fun it gets,” Chen said. “It’s like a video game — you just progress.”

Photos by Sunnie Wu

Photos used with permission by Ethan Chen

Student athletes use the new velocity training program to optimize workouts.

Trevor Tsoi breaks boundaries through breakdancing

BY CECILIA WU

The music starts. Freshman Trevor Tsoi adjusts his shirt, takes a breath and lets the rhythm guide him. When the beat drops, his movements shift from precise footwork into a blur of spins, freezes and foorwork — a result of the countless hours he has spent perfecting his craft. In recent years, Tsoi has also begun sharing his passion for breakdancing through teaching younger students, hoping to inspire the same joy he found in the dance form.

Tsoi frst discovered breakdancing, or “breaking,” when he was seven years old while watching TV and YouTube videos

with his father. He was immediately drawn to the elaborate footwork.

“I always thought it looked really cool,” Tsoi said. “My dad was really intrigued by it, so I decided to give it a try.”

Before breakdancing, Tsoi had trained in hip-hop dance from six to eight years old. After immigrating from Hong Kong to the United States in the summer of 2019, he took a break from dance for several years.

“Seeing all my friends in Hong Kong improving and still dancing motivated me to hop back into it,” Tsoi said.

Learning to break, however, was not easy. Breaking requires coordination in ways that can feel unnatural. Still, he approached each new skill with patience and persistence.

“It defnitely starts off hard in the beginning,” Tsoi said. “You need to move your arms and legs at the same time, and it takes a lot of coordination, but with practice, you just get better at it.”

Breaking is unique in its emphasis on individuality and creativity. Rather than memorizing fxed choreography, Tsoi learned a variety of foundational moves and combined them in his own way. By experimenting with transitions and fow, Tsoi creates something different every time he dances.

“Breakdancing is really just a style of hip-hop, but it’s given me a way to express myself more uniquely,” Tsoi said. “Instead of writing or drawing, I can perform physically.”

Practicing alongside fellow

breakdancers at his studio, Dance Academy USA, Tsoi found motivation in their skill and dedication.

Inspired, he began sharing his passion for dance with others. As a teaching assistant, he volunteers to help instructors guide younger dancers.

“I just wanted to inspire other kids to enjoy the same thing that I do,” Tsoi said. “The more people who can enjoy it, the better.”

Working with children as young as six years old, Tsoi learned that teaching demanded a different kind of patience, communication and composure.

“Trevor’s really calm and social, so he knows how to manage different situations,”

freshman Walker Kim said. “If people start saying or doing something unexpected, he knows how to settle things down and keep everyone focused. He’s also really good at listening and helping others when they need it.”

Beyond just technical skills, Tsoi also strives to help his students appreciate the culture behind breakdancing,

including the etiquette, creativity and respect that defne the art form.

“We tell them not to strictly follow anything we give them,” Tsoi said. “We want them to understand the moves and fnd their own ways to make them unique.”

Through breakdancing, Tsoi has fostered new connections with a community that shares his love for breaking, both at his studio and Lynbrook’s Breakdance Club. Watching others express themselves has been a rewarding part of his journey.

“It’s refreshing to see how everyone has their own way in how they learn and how they teach,” Tsoi said.

“It’s also fun to see my friends struggle and grow, too.”

Stanley Tan leads in skates on the ice

BY REBECCA CAI

In the cold underground rink, a sharp fick of his skate blade sends junior Stanley Tan skillfully gliding across ice. The rink rings with the scrape of his takeoff and landing. A group of his students watches his demonstration of a salchow jump, then takes to the ice themselves. As Tan watches them skate, he calls out corrections and delivers compliments, passing his love and experience in fgure skating on to his students.

Tan’s journey on ice began at 8 years old when his father took him to the Cupertino Ice

Center, the same rink where he now works.

Although he originally struggled with maintaining his balance without falling, he improved after just a few laps around the rink and was soon gliding smoothly on the ice. The support he received from his father as he improved sparked Tan’s further interest in the sport. Soon after, Tan began to fgure skate regularly, transforming it into a new passion.

“Something that always motivated me to skate was having a tight community of friends that would always motivate me,” Tan said. “Sometimes they would even give me tips on how to better execute a maneuver.”

Over time, Tan has found a community of fellow skaters that he spends time with on and off the ice, making the activity feel bigger than just a sport. From supporting each other through diffcult skills and

spending nights at Cupertino Main Street, the great moments they experience together are some of Tan’s favorite aspects of skating.

Being a fgure skater hasn’t been without challenges. Tan faces constant injuries, including many falls and bruises. Despite the challenges, he never lets them deter him from trying new skills. As the level of diffculty of his skating increased, he grew more committed to the sport, making it an integral part of his life. One of Tan’s fondest memories was the night when he fnally landed his axel jump, a skill that took him two months to learn.

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instructor at the Cupertino Ice Center. However, his experiences in teaching had begun much earlier. At 12 years old, Tan had already been volunteering during freestyle sessions to teach skaters.

Coaching has taught Tan to envision skating from his students’ perspectives. While improvement in his own skating is usually intuitive, coaching students challenges Tan to break down moves and catch mistakes. His supervisor, Nancy Poon, has watched Tan develop confdence as a coach.

I really thought I wanted to share some of my skills with the other students. I really like it when my teachings work out for them.

moment, my brain fnally clicked and I suddenly knew how to rotate in the air,” Tan said. “It was super scary yet exciting, feeling so much adrenaline rush through me, but also achieving another milestone in skating.” In order to share his skills and passion with others, 16-year-old Tan became a skating

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“He’s patient, and he explains the maneuvers and moves really well because he breaks them down into smaller parts,” Poon said.

Tan started as an assistant coach before advancing to lead lessons of his own. Now, he teaches students of all levels, from toddlers to adults. Through coaching, Tan has improved not only his students’ abilities, but also his own understanding of skating maneuvers and working through mental blocks on the ice.

“I learned a lot of empathy,” Tan said. “I never really knew how much people struggle with some of the new elements that I teach them.”

Despite the challenges of injuries and coaching, Tan looks forward to continuing his journey on the ice after high school. For now, he’ll continue to split his time between school, personal training and striving to be the best fgure skating coach that he can be.

Photos used with permission by Trevor Tsoi Graphic illustration by Olivia Tu

Stanley Tan Junior

Trevor Tsoi sharing his passion for breakdancing through teaching students.

Stanley Tan pushes through the challenges of injuries and coaching, pursing his love of fgure skating.

Photos used with permission by Stanley Tan

BY DAVID DAI AND TRISTAN LO

As sports leagues around the world trend toward globalization, the NFL has begun to follow suit. Their plan seems straightforward: globalize American football, increase diversity and expand the league’s popularity. Yet while globalization seems ideal, it is an unrealistic approach to gaining an international fanbase, as cultural differences and the complex nature of American football will likely hinder its growth.

In recent years, the NFL has scheduled numerous overseas games throughout the regular season and granted overseas marketing rights to many teams. On the surface, expanding the league’s world stage would seem to create greater interest in the sport, increasing profts and the pool of international players.

“Globalizing football is a smart move, because you can get more people to enjoy it,” sophomore Arvin Tao said. “You can attract audiences to let them understand the game more.”

However, football can be diffcult for prospective fans to understand. Many aspects of the sport are counterintuitive, such as pass interference and fair catches. These rules can be unclear because they rely on subjective calls from offcials and specifc signals and timings, making foreign audiences less inclined to connect with the sport. In contrast, many sports that currently dominate the global market have a fast-paced and continuous line of action that is much easier for casual fans to follow.

“When you watch a soccer game, you watch for two 45-minute halves, and there are no ads,” French teacher Denise Schang said. “Whereas in football, you constantly have interruptions, so it’s a very different pace.”

A game of football operates with less fuidity. In a single down, 22 players are simultaneously thrown into play, each with their own task. These multiple moving parts lead to an initial viewer experience that is far more confusing than most sports.

“The learning process in football in some ways is greater than most sports, especially when it comes to understanding exactly what’s happening with the starting, stopping and the penalties,”

Japanese teacher

Jeremy Kitchen said. “If you compare football to rugby’s takeoff in Japan, rugby is a very fuid game that’s always moving.”

In addition to following a league, a sport’s popularity is also impacted by how accessible it is.

‘‘the risks of playing football are too high for so many domestic sports fans, the same would be true among global fans.

Although it could lead to small NFL fanbases across the globe, the NFL’s attempts at globalization will be a continuous uphill struggle, as football will always take less priority over already popular and well-established global sports. The 2022 FIFA World Cup fnal was the most-watched FIFA World Cup in history, showing that many dominant forces already occupy the global sports scene. Viewers tend to form deep connections with sports they already follow, making it harder for new sports to ft into their watch schedule.

Globalization could be a negative thing for fans in America as some may have diffculty watching games in different timezones. It could also be risky for the NFL and its revenue.

Nathan Kim Sophomore

If the audience can’t actually play a sport, they may be less incentivized to watch it. Football, which requires full-body protective gear, is often more inaccessible for the general public to play than other sports. On the other hand, soccer, the world’s most popular sport, requires minimal equipment so that anyone can play.

Additionally, the risk of injury in tackle football and the expenses of potential healthcare bills are often regarded as too high to make playing worthwhile. According to a YouGov survey, 80% of Americans believe that concussions are very or somewhat common in football. If

‘‘“I don’t think they’ll take to football as much as we have here, because we grew up with it.,” PE teacher Ray Wright said.

“People who grow up playing soccer or rugby get used to it. It has become the sport they love the most, so I don’t think football will be as popular overseas.”

Having local superstars to rally behind is another major incentive for many to watch sports, one that the NFL lacks outside of the United States. In contrast to the NFL, the NBA, which has been growing in global popularity, has 125 international players — over six times the NFL’s mere 19.

Even if globalization is positive in theory, it may actually end up shrinking the overall fanbase instead of expanding

it. The NFL should still prioritize the American fanbase to maintain its domestic audience.

For generations, football has held a cultural signifcance in the U.S. as a major piece of American cultural identity. Every year, millions of Americans tune in to the Super Bowl, the most-watched sports game in the U.S. The Super Bowl is regarded as a true American experience, with the electrifying crowd, massive buildup and an entertaining halftime show.

But having more international games would automatically create a time zone problem, preventing many American fans from watching their favorite teams live. For example, the Steelers-Vikings game in Dublin, Ireland on Sep. 28, commenced at 6:30 a.m. PST, leading many West Coast fans to miss the game. If the NFL continues this trend, domestic engagement levels may decline as games become less convenient for Americans. In prioritizing globalization, the NFL risks losing its main audience.

Spreading American football isn’t inherently a terrible idea, but its current execution is fawed. The NFL has been rushing to build a global fanbase without properly considering both domestic and foreign audiences. If they truly want to globalize, the NFL should instead focus more on organically building a sustainable foundation by increasing the number of international football players and funding

Photos used with permission by Creative Commons License Graphic illustration by Anna Cen