The Epitaph Volume 62, Issue 7, 2024-25

Volume 62, Issue 7

Cheating incident prompts reflection amongst community

Parth Dhaulakhandi, Evelyn Wang and Veronica Zhao

While academic dishonesty is not a new problem at HHS or any other high school campus, a recent incident that occurred in AP environmental science on March 6 has prompted teachers, deans and students to take a look at the broader issues surrounding student accountability and the academic culture on campus, science teacher Jessica Wakefield said.

“I think cheating is super under-reported,” Wakefield said. “It’s basically an epidemic in all of the classes, especially as you get up into the AP and honors level courses. We have developed this culture of cheating amongst the student body, and unfortunately, a lot of students don’t value the learning process.”

Reflecting on the issue of academic dishonesty, especially within English classes, English teacher Megan Bridge said the cheating culture on campus primarily stems from academic pressure.

“Students are trying to balance classes, extracurriculars and all of the things to make them look competitive, and there’s just not enough time in the day to do all of those things,” Bridge said. “That’s generally where I see people taking shortcuts. It’s not necessarily that they always want to do it, but they feel like they can’t do anything else to maintain their academic standing.”

Similarly, dean Rahul Sharma said FUHSD is known for its academic rigor. This rigor, paired with external pressure, can culminate in cheating, Sharma said.

“We’re in the heart of Silicon Valley, [and] we serve a lot of immigrant families who are

coming to this country,” Sharma said. “Historically, for immigrant families, it’s always like ‘you’ve got to perform well academically to get a good job.’ Because of where we are, there’s the high cost of living, so there’s much more pressure for you to do well in school, get into a good college and get a six-figure job.”

Due to the rise in cases of academic dishonesty in recent years, some teachers have changed their classroom policies to more effectively address this issue. For example, Wakefield said after the AP environmental science cheating incident, she has made changes such as postponing the review of quiz answers and no longer allowing students to use notes on quizzes.

“Usually, I would read the answers right after a quiz so that students get that immediate feedback, but since [the incident] happened, I don’t have any other choice to prevent further cheating,” Wakefield said. “Prior to [the incident], students were allowed to use notes on quizzes, but that’s another way for students to be able to write down information and pass that on to their friends, so unfortunately, the notes aren’t allowed anymore either.”

With the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT in the last few years, Bridge said English teachers have been grappling with the influence of such tools, which have caused an increase in cheating.

“[Generative AI] makes it significantly easier to cheat in English classes,” Bridge said. “In previous years, when those tools didn’t exist, you could pull ideas from the internet or you could borrow from a friend, but it didn’t create language in a way that comes across as a little bit more authentic.”

In response to such developments, Bridge said she has also adjusted her teach-

ing methods in an attempt to promote academic integrity.

“This year, I’ve relied more on in-class assessments that are done within the scope of a class period and with LockDown Browser or something similar,” Bridge said. “I’m also spending more time going through individual documents for assignments that are larger, which means paying careful attention to [students’] version history, patterns in writing, looking at how their writing compares to other pieces of writing that they’ve done and making sure that there’s a level of consistency to what’s being turned in.”

Beyond teachers adjusting their methods to accommodate the rise of academic dishonesty cases in recent years, dean Maria Trejo said HHS administration has also revised its disciplinary action process by implementing Saturday school.

“We evolved from warnings because we saw they weren’t helping, so we started issuing Saturday school, which can be a great shock to students, especially to those who have never been caught [or] in trouble at school,” Trejo said. “If there’s a way to keep you a little bit more ac countable and keep you from taking the wrong step, then I think that’s beneficial for students.”

Although teachers and administration have made efforts to prevent cheating on campus, the issue is complicated and ultimately has to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, Sharma said. The inconsistency between incidents makes it difficult to make blanket policy changes, Sharma added.

that is going to work for every student.”

Contrastingly, junior Noah Graff, one of Wakefield’s students who was not involved in the cheating incident, said he thinks implementing harsher consequences would minimize academic dishonesty on campus.

“A lot of HHS [students] are really focused on grades. If you go after what these students value, you’re going to see results, and that’s going to be saying, ‘Hey, you cheated. Your grades are going to go down,’” Graff said. “Even if you just do that for AP environmental science, other classes would catch wind of this, [and] it would be a very effective domino effect. The decreasing of cheaters’ grades will be a great way to stop them from cheating in the future.”

Reflecting on cheating culture, Trejo said the ultimate goal of administration is to prepare students for the future.

Teachers, administration discuss cheating culture on campus

“You might not always get caught, but if you do get caught, you’re going to be held account - able,” Trejo said. “That’s an important lesson to teach our students now because if you go to a university, you’re going to get removed from the university if you’re caught cheating. I’d rather we be strict and take away some privileges or issue Saturday ing to teach you a

“It’s human be ings that are cheating, so there’s no policy or reform that’s go ing to be universal for every single student and every individual human,” Sharma said. “Everyone has their own needs, so there’s no single reform

Prom touches down at Levi’s Stadium

ASB discusses event details, planning process

The joint junior and senior prom will take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on May 17 from 7-11 p.m., offering various amenities from desserts and drinks to music and photo booths, leadership teacher Hector Almendarez said. The prom theme will be “Saturday Night Lights,” which matches the ambiance of the venue well, Almendarez said.

“The class decided on ‘Saturday Night Lights’ because it’s at a football stadium, but it’s going to be really straightforward, like nice formal wear,” Almendarez said. “We weren’t too crazy about trying to pick a super stylized theme like last year, as most people already know what they’re going to wear, so we’re keeping it simple.”

Although the venue was costly, ASB prioritized keeping prices affordable, Almendarez said. Tickets were initially $80 with ASB and $90 without, and after spring break, prices increased to $90 with ASB and $100 without, with guest tickets costing $110, Almendarez said. Ticket sales were set to end on April 27 or whenever the tickets sold out, according to ASB.

To plan the event, staff members worked

hand in hand with ASB to organize the finances, location and decorations, IDC commissioner, senior Stephen Heller said.

“It’s a totally collaborative effort,” Heller said, “No one has more or less responsibility. They work together equally as a team to plan an event for both the junior and senior classes.”

Class cabinet members began planning for the event following the announcement of ASB positions at the end of last school year. They started by discussing venue options, junior class cabinet member Sophie Xing said.

“Choosing the venue was a much longer process than [choosing] the theme,” Xing said. “There were other options, such as the Winchester Mystery House, but we liked

Levi’s more because Winchester is too spooky for a prom.”

After choosing Levi’s Stadium as the venue, junior and senior class cabinet members toured the facility, using the floor plan and other schools’ event setups as references, Xing said.

Despite the benefit of its spacious interior, Levi’s Stadium also comes with drawbacks, Xing said. Due to the stadium’s food policy, Xing said ASB cannot bring separate catering to the event and will instead have to purchase the food packages offered by the stadium.

Annie Guo and Vivian Kim

— Dean Rahul Sharma

Photo by Olivia Levesque Ouellette

News in a minute

Local: Goodwill closures lead to major layoffs

The San Francisco Bay Goodwill chapter will close its regional headquarters after merging with the Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona in September 2024, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Due to the merge, 11 stores and donation centers in the Bay Area will close by June 7, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Following the closures, at least 90 employees have been laid off, with more expected in the future, according to KRON4. Many employees have reported not receiving advance notice of layoffs or support from Goodwill career

advisers. However, Goodwill spokesperson Rodney Scearce said laid off team members are given the opportunity to apply to other locations, according to KRON4.

National: Measles spread in largest outbreak since 2019

Three additional states reported their first measles cases on April 20, which were all related to international travel, according to NBC News. There are now a total of 27 states with confirmed measles cases, according to ABC News.

Since the beginning of 2025, there have been over 800 confirmed measles cases, with

Community advocates through art

Students discuss changes to Take Down Tobacco

Peer advocates from across the district planned the second annual Take Down Tobacco multimedia competition to honor Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action, lead organizer and CHS senior Grace Cho said. Student submissions for the event will be accepted from April 1 to 30, Cho said.

The competition was initially created after FUHSD advocates noticed a significant issue with tobacco around campuses last year, Cho said. Advocates from each school came together to raise awareness from the perspective of how tobacco has affected the younger generation

of students, Cho added.

“We felt there wasn’t a lot going on around tobacco prevention education in particular, and [there were] not that many resources,” Cho said. “We wanted to inspire youth to use their voice to spread their stories and also to become part of the conversation around tobacco prevention efforts.”

The competition entries will be judged on structure, difficulty and visual appeal, peer advocate, sophomore Emily Liu said. Entries can come in several forms, such as visual art, writing, app or web development and videos, Liu said.

After last year’s event, the advocates decided to add a video category to the submission types, Cho said.

“We wanted to incorporate a new form of expression,” Cho said. “We saw that beyond art, we could incorporate video [aspects] like making PSAs, moving pictures and animations, which would unfold a lot more options with our submissions.”

In addition to the new category,

Cho said the advocates also introduced a $25 gift card to the original prize of recognition at a district board meeting. Cho said the student representatives began holding meetings to organize the competition

at the start of the semester. The advocates started by brainstorming new ideas and then coordinated everything with FUHSD schools, Cho said.

“The team [had to] plan for the different categories that we have, put together our info sheet, plan when we should get each step done and discuss how we should promote the competition,” Cho said.

In regards to advertising, Liu said advocates have spread the word about the competition around campus through social media and posters.

Freshman Aishani Kundu, who submitted a poem, said she saw the competition as a chance to both contribute to raising awareness for teenage tobacco smoking and share her work with a larger audience.

“It was a good opportunity for me to be creative, find an outlet and publish some things,” Kundu said. “I often write poetry on the side, and sometimes, it’s a struggle to find prompts and topics to write about.”

Cho said she hopes the competition creates change in the community and encourages students to speak out against tobacco usage.

“[The event] empowers other youth voices, and it’s really important to be able to hear all these different stories,” Cho said. “Advocacy isn’t just about fighting against this bigger issue of tobacco addiction, but it actually has to do with listening to each other. Having these kinds of events every year is really important to empower and inspire others.”

597 occurring in Texas alone, according to NBC News. The disease is airborne, with basic symptoms of a cough, high fever and runny nose, typically appears seven to 10 days after exposure, according to the CDC. More severe symptoms appear 10 to 15 days after exposure, including spots in the mouth and a severe rashes, according to the CDC.

International: Pope Francis passes away from stroke Pope Francis died on the morning of April 21, according to CNN. The Pope fought pneumonia and other diseases for many years before succumbing to heart failure prompted by a stroke, according

to USA Today. The Vatican doctor reported that the Pope had fallen into a coma earlier in the day for many hours before the stroke occured, according to USA Today.

In accordance with the Pope’s final wishes, he was buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome and is the first pope in over a century to be buried there, according to CNN. The death of the Pope prompts a centuries-long tradition of nine days of mourning before the conclave of cardinals selects the next pope. The next pope will be selected within two to three weeks, with cardinal Kevin Farrell acting as head of the Vatican until a new pope is chosen, according to CNN.

Prom preparations

Continued from page 1

“We chose the ‘sweet package,’ which is around $30 per person. It [offers] a bunch of different desserts,” Xing said. “We were going to choose the ‘savory package,’ but that’s more expensive. And we didn’t want to raise ticket prices even more.”

Although this year’s ticket prices are higher than in previous years, ASB made an effort to keep them as low as possible, with increases matching inflation, Almendarez said.

“When it comes to planning, I think making sure the price is reasonable is priority number one for me,” Almendarez said. “I know some of the folks want to do more crazy things like hiring a photographer or videographer, but that is an added cost included in the overall budget. Those were things we had to consider.”

Echoing this sentiment, Heller said ASB wanted to keep ticket prices low to reflect their goal of

providing inclusive events for all students.

“Our goal is the same as it has always been: to make a really awesome end-of-year event for junior and senior students,” Heller said. “Our problem is that this year is more expensive than ever. [We are] trying to balance doing awesome things for the students with making [the event] accessible to everyone.”

After months of extensive planning and collaboration between various staff and ASB members, Almendarez said he hopes prom will not only be a success but also positively impact the graduating seniors’ high school experience.

“For a lot of folks, this is going to be their last prom, and I hope the venue looks the part of being this grand finale for the outgoing seniors,” Almendarez said. “I hope students see how we make these events really cool, inclusive and, first and foremost, a lot of fun.”

Poster students selected for academic, interpersonal merit

Seniors recognized for contributions on campus

Parth Dhaulakhandi, Danielle Feldsher and Elena Shim

The administrative team announced two seniors, Edwin Fuentes and Karen Zhang, as this year’s poster students on March 21, principal Denae Nurnberg said. The official announcement was made during a board meeting on April 8, according to FUHSD.

Poster students are selected for their unique contributions to the school and positive impact on campus, principal Denae Nurnberg said.

Edwin Fuentes: Fuentes was nominated for being a well-rounded student and for the connections he has formed, Nurnberg said.

“Edwin really stood out

because he formed a lot of strong relationships across campus,” Nurnberg said. “He’s this year’s AVID standout [student]. He represents the program well, and he’s a football player. He covers a lot of aspects of what it means to be a well-respected HHS student.”

Fuentes said he established lasting links with staff through positive first impressions. Beyond that, Fuentes said he

also developed several character traits from the extracurriculars he participates in.

“Football has helped me harness my leadership skills as well as my confidence, to speak to others and take the reins of a situation,” Fuentes said. “AVID has sharpened my academic skills because I wasn’t a very great student in the beginning of my freshman year. AVID helped craft

certain skills when it comes to studying, taking notes [and] taking on rigorous courses.”

Ultimately, Fuentes said he is proud to represent the school community and serve as an inspiration to low-income students like himself.

“Being selected for this poster student means a lot to [show] how far I’ve come, from just a naive freshman to being able to represent a school that I went to for four years,” Fuentes said.

“I’m really proud of myself, and it’s a reflection of my mother’s teachings over the four years, my family’s support and what I’ve done with that support to put me in a better position to succeed.”

Karen Zhang: Nurnberg said Zhang stood out as a candidate for the poster student award because of her sociable personality.

“Karen is a woman in STEM, and she’s this really cool kid who has great qualities all around,” Nurnberg said. “Everybody has [said she’s] caring, kind, hardworking and approachable.”

Zhang said the various activities she is involved with on campus, including art club, robotics and athletics, helped her connect with staff. Additionally, Zhang said these extracurricular activities have fostered personal growth and added to her high school experience.

“In [large] clubs like robotics, having that leadership role gives you a lot of space to grow as a leader, communicator and teammate,” Zhang said. “It helped me build a lot of soft skills, and hard skills.”

One of Zhang’s goals is to inspire students to enjoy high school more, and Zhang said she hopes to spread this message as a poster student.

“High school is a space and time to grow as a person, learn about yourself and learn about your interests,” Zhang said. “It goes by faster than anything, so I hope people can learn to enjoy it. I owe a lot to the community for what it has given me throughout these four years. Being recognized by a community that I value so much was a really big honor.”

Zhang said the award reflects the hard work she put in during high school, and she is grateful for her peers during the process.

Kevin Miao

Madeleine Yee

The competition was an opportunity to present thoughts and art on the topic, Kundu said.

Heller said ASB worked together to plan prom, with each member contributing to the event’s success.

Photo courtesy of Aishani Kundu

Photo by Henry Hu

Photo by Elena Shim

Long-time law teacher to retire

Byron Lee bids farewell after 35 years on campus

Ethan Xue and Alan Zhang

After 35 years of teaching at HHS and 31 years with FBLA, FBLA adviser and law teacher Byron Lee will be retiring this summer, Lee said.

Although he wishes to continue working as a teacher, Lee said he chose to retire so he can travel and spend more time with his family in the coming years.

“I can certainly teach for a few more years, but my wife retired from teaching a year ago, and she really wanted me to retire with her,” Lee said. “[Retiring] will give us the opportunity to travel and take care of family members.

As Lee’s replacement, Ben Pham will be taking over as the teacher of five law classes next year, Lee said.

“Pham is well equipped for this, even though, until this year, he never taught law,” Lee said. “He has 10 years of experience, so he already knows how to teach business. This year, I trained him and helped him learn about law, and he’s a sponge when it comes to taking in knowledge.”

Although he will no longer officially teach, Lee said he hopes to stay involved in the HHS community by filling in for lessons and chaperoning field trips.

“In Norway during the summertime, the sun never sets. I view this as my career and my life after retirement,” Lee said. “I am going to a place where the sun doesn’t set, [and] I will still be a part of things.”

As a former student of Lee, senior Ian Yoon said Lee has a unique

Lee

Ben

said he is retiring to travel and spend time with family.

and engaging teaching style that is irreplaceable, using anecdotes to create a more interesting lesson.

“[Lee] really tries to teach his content through memorable stories and personal events that we can remember because they’re so funny [and] entertaining,” Yoon said. “He doesn’t like to just use a PowerPoint presentation, have us read the textbook or have a test on it right away, but he tries to involve personal aspects.”

Lee also brings a relaxed atmosphere to his classroom, which makes him an even more effective teacher, Yoon said.

“I’m really going to miss his energy,” Yoon said. “Whenever I walk by his classroom, I always hear music playing in the classroom. He is always walking around, smiling and talking to students. He creates a fun atmosphere in his classroom for anyone he talks to.”

As a result of his fun and engaging teaching, Lee makes the seemingly boring law class one of the most interesting classes on campus, junior Jemma Yang, another one of Lee’s students, said.

“Someone asked what my favorite class was, and I said law,” Yang said. “They looked at me funny and said, ‘you must have quite the teacher to make law interesting.’ And I said, ‘I do.’”

Reflecting on his teaching career, Lee said out of everything he has experienced, he will miss working with students the most.

“It’s been so fun to be a part of their journey and to watch a class come [and go]. Sometimes, some classes are shy, and some kids are afraid to do public speaking,” Lee said. “[I love] to see the changes that occur over the year: the learning, the growth [and] the challenges.”

Scharf takes baton to lead band

Assistant band director confirmed as director of bands

Maya Dutt, Aviv Matas and Mackie Vu

Following director of bands John Burn’s footsteps, HHS assistant band director and CHS director of orchestras Ben Scharf was announced as the new head director of bands and orchestra on April 7, Burn said in an email.

After teaching for 34 years,

Burn said he decided to retire after a successful year for the music department. As a result, his spot was open, and Scharf decided to apply in March, Scharf said.

Scharf said he felt a mixed range of emotions when he found out he was confirmed as the next director of bands in late March.

“I was called into the principal’s office, [which is] very nerve-wracking as both a student and a teacher,” Scharf said. “Nurnberg [offered me the role], and afterward, I had a little bit of decision making time. It was a huge mix of many different emotions: happiness, fear, eagerness, a lot of excitement and also nervousness.”

This promotion is the culmination of effort toward a goal Scharf said stemmed from his years at Lawson Middle School. Coincidentally, Scharf’s music teacher was one of Burn’s first students, and Scharf said his teacher helped him feel comfortable and safe in band.

“I found the safe place that I needed [through band],” Scharf said. “In that place, I could be myself and really put my mind toward accomplishing a task.”

Back when he was searching for jobs, Scharf said he saw a posting for his current role at HHS and CHS, and he applied.

“At the time, I was like, ‘I feel like I’m very unqualified,’ but I applied anyway. One thing came after another, and I was offered the job.” Scharf said. “I was very surprised. HHS had an incredibly powerful program that I grew up being inspired by, and it would be foolish to pass that up.”

Burn said he is excited for Scharf to take the reins of the band program. Scharf possesses several unique skills, such as collaboration, that will lead the band to success, Burn said.

“[Scharf] knows the level of excellence we achieve and the fun that we provide for students,” Burn said. “He has excellent professional relationships with the students, and he cares for them. He’s an ex-

FBLA sends record numbers to SLC

Students, teacher discuss event planning, impacts

Henry Hu, Ethan Xue and Alan Zhang

Setting a record high for the club and state, FBLA sent over 160 competitors to the annual FBLA State Leadership Conference, which took place from April 24 to 27 in Anaheim, vice president of written competitions, junior Dorie Lee said.

The record level of participation this year reflected FBLA’s success in the regional conference needed to advance to SLC and made adviser Byron Lee’s last year even more memorable, Lee said.

“I feel really proud of all our competitors and the [officer] team,” Lee said. “We put so much effort into this, and the advisers helped us a lot on the way.”

More notably, the higher member attendance improved FBLA’s chances of winning more sweepstakes points, FBLA president, senior Eric Ko said. Each competitor placement award earns the overall chapter sweepstakes points, and the chapter with the most points gains national recognition, Ko added.

Members’ active participation showcases their dedication and confidence to the FBLA community, Ko said.

While the chapter had an advantage due to higher competitor attendance, officers still wanted to ensure individual success, vice president of speaking, junior Smyan Shanbhag said. To accomplish this goal, officers hosted practice sessions and carefully reviewed performances leading up to the conference, Shanbhag added.

Additionally, the club hosted two in-person mock states testing sessions that mimicked the competitive environment of the actual conference, Lee said. To streamline mock sessions, FBLA converted practice tests to a Google form format instead of using paper or PDF versions, Lee added.

“[Mock state sessions] help competitors study and get used to the timing and amount of questions they have to answer,” Lee said. “In the past, we’ve given out paper tests or PDF versions, and it’s been all over the place.”

With the record participation for SLC, Shanbhag said he hopes competitors will perform well to continue FBLA’s string of success.

“[SLC] is logistically pretty tough, but it feels really good to keep FBLA and the advisers’ legacies going,” Shanbhag said. “Since this is [Mr.] Lee’s last year, we want to make it something memorable and hopefully continue the streak to get 26 consecutive SLC [victories].”

“In terms of our chapter culture, it shows that our members are ambitious,” Ko said. “They get a lot of support from our amazing officers, mentors, alumni and student mentors. They feel motivated and confident to step out of their boundaries to participate and [compete at] SLC.”

cellent musician and knows how to run a rehearsal so that students achieve high levels of success.”

Echoing Burn’s sentiments, senior Mansi Patwardhan, a student in Scharf’s wind ensemble class, said Scharf is an enthusiastic director who leads the class in a uniquely fun and engaging way.

Specifically, Patwardhan said Scharf inspired her when the band had to deal with challenging rhythms in music they were playing.

“He noticed that we were kind of off so he slowed it down and then broke it down measure by measure until each of us got a feel for the rhythm. Then, we [replayed] what we started the day with, and it sounded so much cleaner and

smoother,” Patwardhan said. “In five minutes, he broke up the chunks and made the entire piece sound so much better by making sure every single student [understood] the music.”

Ultimately, Scharf said as director of bands, he wants to emphasize important virtues like hard work, collaboration and teamwork in the community.

“I never expect that all my students are going to become musicians or music teachers, even though it’s awesome when they do,” Scharf said. “But [I want them] to become better people, to become contributing members of society and to see the value and their role in making the world a better place.”

To help members prepare for SLC, officers and advisers reviewed performance through vetting sessions and practice testing, Lee said.

(right)

Scharf (left) said his dream to pursue a career in music was inspired by the faith his teachers put in him while he attended primary.

Photo by Ethan Xue

Photo by Henry Hu

Photo by Mackie Vu

Vincent Wang (11) Evangeline Park (11)

Advait Ghosh (10) Beatrice Lee (9) Supra Malepati (11) Trey Javier (11) Sonia Plewicka (10)

Infographic by Brian Ling and Henry Hu Photos from ASB and by Henry Hu

Hayden Floyd (10)

The Epitaph

withheld upon request. Send via homestead.epitaph@gmail.com, or drop letters in the newsroom or the office mailbox. If The Epitaph has made an error, please send corrections to homestead. epitaph@gmail.com. The corrections will be published in the corrections box for the next issue.

To reach the Epitaph in C102, call (408) 522-2572 or fax (408) 738-8531.

Advertising

One email and you can reach over 2,400 students, teachers, administrators and community members from Northern Sunnyvale to Southern Los Altos. If your target market is between ages 14 to 18, contact The Epitaph at epitaph.ads@gmail.com, and we can make it happen.

Thank You to Our Donors & Supporters

Semele Heller

FUHS Foundation Homestead PTSA

Staff Editorial

Sex education resources need expansion

Sex education is about more than just intercourse. The valuable curriculum provides students with unbiased information on human anatomy, diseases and more. With the sex education unit approaching this May in freshman biology classes, HHS administration must expand student access to safe sex resources, and parents must refrain from opting their children out of sex education.

Providing freely available, safe sex materials in bathrooms through dispensers is essential to protecting the wellbeing of students.

There have been

laws requiring schools to provide access to safe sex materials, like condoms, according to PBS. Although they have failed to pass on the state level, no legislation prevents HHS administration from taking matters into their own hands and providing these materials to students.

Condom Availability Programs are often criticized, as parents believe they will encourage students to have sex. However, multiple studies have found that CAPs not only have no effect on the number of students having sex, but they also decrease the number of students who contract sexually transmitted infections, according to the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Furthermore, 48% of high school students did not use a condom the last time they had sexual intercourse, according to the CDC.

FUHSD cannot combat behavior until it addresses this glaring issue by providing resources that directly protect student safety. Administration must set up a system similar to that of the free menstrual product dispensers in the women’s bathrooms, where condoms are available to students in all bathrooms.

By distributing these resources in a similar free and private way, students will be able to access valuable, protective materials from a nonjudgmental source.

However, there is only so much administration can do, as parents are equally responsible for protecting their children. Parents in California have the legal right to opt their children out of the sex education unit, according to the Pacific Justice Institute. However, they must also

tion teaches that the only way avoid STIs is to not have sex at all and strongly promotes the idea of waiting until marriage to have sex, according to the National Institutes of Health. However, this form of sex education is not only ineffective in properly preparing students, but it also fails to prevent youth pregnancy.

In fact, abstinence-only education has been found to increase youth pregnancies in the states where it is taught, according to the American Journal of Public Health. Parents need to recognize that when they opt their students out of sex education and only teach abstinence, they are not protecting them but instead putting their children in increased danger of teen pregnancy.

When students are forced into abstinence-only education, they receive no knowledge on how to have safe sex or prevent pregnancy, resulting in the inverse affect on students parents hope to achieve when they opt their students out of HHS’s comprehensive curriculum.

In seizing the opportunity to offer valuable, comprehensive sex education to students, our community has a chance to protect generations of young students. Administration can do its part to further safeguard students by providing free sex-ed resources, and parents can help by choosing not to opt out students from FUHSD’s comprehensive sexed curriculum. Together, we must all work to create a place where students are given a proper sex education and are supplied with the proper tools to keep themselves safe.

Disabled students deserve protected academics

Students with disabilities face inequitable future

Olivia Levesque Ouellette

Since elementary school, some of my fondest memories have come from volunteering as a buddy for disabled students.

Activities like eating lunch with them, helping with homework or even simply spending time with them have allowed me to gain a greater perspective on how important support systems are.

Yet, on March 20, president Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, jeopardizing the future of students with disabilities by cutting funding from supportive educationial programs.

Trump’s policies are detrimental to disabled students because they strip away critical resources, widening the gap in academic achievement for these students.

For example, the Dep. of Education supplies more than $15 billion

annually to support 7.4 million disabled students through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, according to CNN.

The IDEA is an act that provides free guidance resources, like Individualized Education Programs, which are customized learning plans that outline specific education goals for disabled students, according to the Dep. of Education.

With this valuable resource currently being stripped away, the academic success of disabled stu dents may be impeded, as schools will lose the ability to customize education to individual needs.

Families with disabled stu dents are now worried they will lose the necessary federal funding to educate and protect their chil dren, especially as nearly 95% of students with disabilities receive education through public schools, according to the National Educa tion Association.

To protect the future of stu dents with disabilities, Americans must petition school boards and representatives to funnel more resources into the programs that support students with disabilities, and that are affected by the depart ment’s shutdown. Additionally, we

must attend local district board meetings and write letters to spark momentum and hold leaders accountable.

Unfortunately, when funding is stripped away, it disproportionately harms the most vulnerable students.

All of America must come together to ensure that the Trump administration cannot risk such a vital resource at the expense of

Moreover, it is crucial for Congress to pass laws that reinstate funding for programs, like IEPs, which are threatened due to this discriminatory order. These resources provide their chances of academic independence are diminished.

millions of special needs students in crisis.

To defend the health of students, HHS must provide free safe sex materials in all bathrooms.

Illustration by Kaylin Yi

Securly sows student distrust, mismanages privacy

Extension puts privacy, information at risk

Sachin Chandran

“Looks like this page isn’t allowed.” These words roar across my screen as my heart sinks. The one piece of data I need is barely out of reach, hidden behind the insurmountable wall of “security” in front of me.

This scenario is all too common for students due to the browser security platform, Securly, which FUHSD uses. This extension is designed to shield students from inappropriate content and increase student productivity on all school devices and Wi-Fi, according to the FUHSD website.

However, in attempting to achieve these goals, Securly

adversely harms students by over-censoring searches and weakening student privacy.

For example, if you were to search up something completely harmless, such as the words “grapes” and “trapezium” in certain contexts, the entire web page could be blocked. This is because Google’s artificial intelligence assistant, Gemini, could source that information from one of the many websites blocked by Securly, such as Quora or Reddit.

This wrongful blockage of webpages causes students to struggle with finding basic information, hindering their ability to complete assignments and learn effectively. To remedy these problems, FUHSD must reform Securly’s filters to ensure that harmless webpages are not being blocked for something students have no control over.

Furthermore, the extension also blocks many resources linked to sensitive topics, such as sex education and drug abuse, under its

ban on inappropriate content, according to Securly.

This is detrimental because students must be able to access important information about topics that could be blocked. This happening with innocent words in an academic environment puts the proper development of knowledge at risk. School is supposed to be a safe space for students to broaden their knowledge of serious subjects, and hiding necessary developmental information contradicts this goal.

As if the obstruction of useful information is not harmful enough, Securly also puts students’ privacy in jeopardy by displaying student information like browsing history and screen viewing to teachers and administrators, according to Securly.

This is problematic, as students could be trying to research private topics they might not want to share with a teacher like troubles with family or friends.

VTA strike fought for all unions

Backlash against strikers is selfish criticism

Adam Orrin

I remember riding the bus every morning since freshman year, and as I got off, I would always thank the driver. I knew their job wasn’t easy, as they have to deal with irresponsible drivers, annoying riders and even abusive passengers. These workers will always have my respect.

Yet when Valley Transportation Authority work ers went on strike for better wages and a way to settle work place conflicts through arbitra tion, the response I saw from our local communi ty was composed of judgment and un founded criticism in stead of support.

Instead of viewing the strike as a universal fight for workers’ rights, I found people respond ing with condemnation pulled straight from a union-busting playbook. I heard

everything from claims that VTA workers were already overpaid to statements about how the system couldn’t afford to pay these workers more.

In reality, these claims were made to justify people’s anger with the inconvenience caused by the strike rather than any actual concern over the VTA system.

The workers’ demands were entirely rational. They asked for an 18% wage increase over three years and an arbitration process for workplace conflicts, according to the Mercury News.

The wage increase is a reasonable demand, as full-time drivers only make between $58,489 and $90,001 a year, according to the

nal as well, as it allows workers to handle VTA issues without wasting time and money in court.

However, their demands faced pushback from VTA management, who rebutted with insultingly low offers. This eventually led them to openly berating the strikers. The VTA eventually took the strikers to court and forced them back to work through a judge’s orders, according to CBS News.

The VTA’s offers were not made in good faith. Not only did it offer a much lower wage increase than what the union was looking for, but it also included provisions they knew the union would have to reject.

The disrespect from the VTA didn’t stop at their offer, as VTA assistant general manager Greg Richardson openly called workers “uneducated” during negotiations, according to the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265.

The response from our community should have been one of support and solidarity with VTA workers in the face of these badfaith negotiation tactics. Instead, I heard students arguing against the strike and complaining about the inconvenience it caused them, whether getting to school in the morning or going to work.

It’s important to recognize that the cause of this strike is not greedy workers but is hardworking people who are being taken advantage of by the VTA, which refused to offer them fair work. Unionization is a right, and if we deny it to these workers, what is stopping other corporations from doing the same thing to you?

While the extension gives teachers an outlet to prevent academic dishonesty, it also undermines the privacy of students, which is a right that can not be ignored.

To fix Securly, FUHSD must adjust the sites that are blocked to ensure students are able to view information they need. Additionally, they need to remove teachers’ ability to view student search histories, protecting their privacy.

Alternatively, since browser security is essential, FUHSD could replace Securly with another service like Go Guardian or Cisco Umbrella. It is the district’s responsibility to ensure students can access necessary information and have their privacy secured.

ther the necessary browser security reform.

School should be a safe haven for students, and the grip Securly has on FUHSD devices must be regulated to make sure students are safely learning.

Switching providers could help fur-

Speech breaks records, not ground Booker’s

long sermon falls flat

COLUMN — Speaking about anything for 25 hours straight is remarkable. But speaking to Congress for 25 hours straight is a time waste for all parties involved.

On March 31, Democratic Sen. Cory Booker stood on the Senate floor and began what would become a record-breaking, 25-hourlong account of how Americans have been harmed by president Donald Trump, according to Politico.

Booker decided to perform such a speech to interrupt the Senate for as long as possible, hop ing to draw attention to the damage caused by the Trump ad ministration, such as eliminating the Department of Education and deporting protestors, according to NPR.

Though his rea sons for doing so are admirable, Booker’s speech ultimately achieves very little, as its extreme runtime fails to cause any direct impact.

The speech was an amazing reiteration of known problems, but it was wholly ineffective in attacking any of the damage done by the Trump administration.

At its heart, Booker said his address was focused on realigning the Democratic Party to better focus on the needs of people hurt by the president, according to Politico.

This unfocused condemnation is directed at the wrong target, which causes it to lack any strong impact.

If Booker had instead directed his speech as criticism of the Trump administration, he could have better expressed the disapproval and needs of the constituents mentioned in his speech.

His speech was ineffective because such speeches, formally known as filibusters, are usually employed to oppose the passage of legislation, but Booker was not delaying any bills, according to NPR.

Earth Day needs action, not advertisement

One day of promotion cannot make up for decades of damage

The greenest day of the year is always filled with recycling campaigns, beach cleanups and tree planting.

Earth Day was implemented in the 1970s with the intention of raising awareness on pollution, climate change and other forms of environmental harm, according to EPA History. However, it will take more than one recurring day of awareness to erase generations of damage.

Many large corporations manipulate Earth Day as an opportunity for profit, despite the negative ef -

fects it has on the environment. Oil companies like Shell and Chevron pour millions of dollars into advertising their contributions to solving climate change when in reality, they contribute some of the most in greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2021, these companies spent approximately $750 million on eco-friendly marketing, with only 10% of the output being invested in low-carbon material for environmental benefit, according to Power for All.

Many companies make grand promises about a cleaner future while continuing to play some of the biggest roles in oil spills and fossil fuels, according to Climate Integrity.

The commercialization of Earth Day applies to clothing companies, too. Across many fast fashion brands, 39% of products were assessed to see if they met the Competition and Markets Authority’s guidelines that help avoid greenwashing, which is when brand labels are shown to not be as envi-

ronmentally friendly as they claim. Unfortunately, 59% of products tested did not meet the criteria, according to Edie.

Leading up to Earth Day, these companies temporarily mask their products with eco-friendly material and misleading labels to appeal to consumers, who think they are making a difference. However, in doing so, companies are using Earth Day as a way to mislead consumers and increase corporate profits.

To combat these companies, individuals must be more aware of the businesses they are buying from by researching if the profits they gain from eco-friendly products are truly invested for environmental benefit.

In addition, to instill any change, it is crucial to inform others on which brands are eco-friendly and which are only putting up a facade.

Although Earth Day comes with its flaws, it has still helped bring attention to global environmental issues, leading to positive changes.

Even FUHSD has begun to bring

awareness by hosting an annual Earth Day festival, principal Denae Nurnberg said. However, awareness is needed on a reg ular basis to ensure students and staff under stand the environ mental impli cations of their actions. In stead of only highlight ing one day of the year to celebrate the Earth, FUHSD must be more active in setting clear

In choosing the opposite approach, his speech only acts as a symbolic gesture at a time when Americans are demanding direct action to combat Trump’s policies.

It should be easy for politicians to blame others in speeches. But Booker completely forgot this concept in his record-breaking address, as he simultaneously failed to blame the Trump administration while directing his critique back against his fellow Democrats.

If Democrats decide to launch another drawn out speech, they had better make it worth wasting hours of congressional time.

goals and sending out consistent reminders.

The district can send out a weekly newsletter for upcoming sustainability events and track the trend of waste production on campus. Having milestones throughout the year to reach small goals will be more effective than having a single day of the year that people might forget. Without commitment from companies and people, Earth Day ends up purposeless.

To facilitate positive learning, FUHSD must either regulate Securly or use an alternative.

Earth Day has become a marketing opportunity instead of activism.

Jonathan Xue

VTA strikers represent a larger fight for workers’ rights and they deserve our community’s full support as they take on tram’s Monopoly man.

Illustration by Sachin Chandran

Illustration by Maya Dutt

Isabela Guilardi

IllustrationbyIsabelaGuilardi

Staff must create uniform system for harassment complaints

addressed, president of pride club, junior Shaurya Prayag said.

When students choose to stay silent, perpetrators face fewer consequences for their actions because fewer students report them. To prevent this, administration must standardize the way it handles complaints of harassment.

When students report harassment, they deserve to know on the course of action staff will take to resolve the issue. But in practice, responses are inconsistent and leave students feeling unprotected.

Deans, who receive complaints from students, are usually given the discretion to deal with them, principal Denae Nurnberg said.

Such flexibility can lead to discrepancies in how victims and perpetrators are treated, which can cause students to feel uncertain about how administration will approach their complaint.

students to stray away from bringing up harassment is sues with staff members, as they do not know how their complaints will be

By having a written plan that staff members must follow that details the scale of punishment for perpetrators and provides ways to comfort victims. With this system, students will know exactly how administration will handle their report, which takes away the sense of distrust within the system.

Additionally, a problematic recourse that often occurs is the victim being pressured by administration to have a conversation with the perpetrator in an attempt to educate them about how their ac-

be the ignorance of the perpetrator but should be the student whom they hurt.

However, this act of mediation puts the burden on victims rather than administration, who should be responsible for resolving these issues.

Also, attempting to reason with perpetrators could expose victims to retaliation. This fear of retaliation could lead to victims not reporting their complaints against their harassers.

To help victims, administration should end this practice of pressured mediation and apply harsher consequences for offenders, such as suspension and detention. These concequences are necessary to protect the well-being of victims of harassment and teach the perpetrator that their actions are unacceptable.

If administration truly wants to care for the student body, they must standardize the way they deal with student harassment complaints, end the practice of forced confrontation and implement harsher punish-

Save a life, gain a friend

Adoption gives pets a second chance to find a home

Vivian Kim

When I adopted my dog, Bibi, she was only five months old. Abandoned on a street with her sister, Bibi’s unfortunate state made me immediately feel a pang of sympathy. After rescuing her at Humane Society Silicon Valley, I realized that even a small act of compassion can completely change a life for the better.

Yet, every year, thousands of pets wait in shelters, hoping for someone to give them a home. Fourty-two percent of the pets in the United States are still purchased from pet stores or backyard breeders, according to Humane World for Animals.

Backyard breeders value profit over the welfare of animals, as they frequently engage in a practice called pet farming, where animals are bred in overcrowded and un sanitary conditions, according to the Spruce Pet.

As a pet owner, this injustice breaks my heart. My dog gets up set when she misses a single walk, and I cannot imag ine what these animals have to go through and the pressure they

Students must reject colleges complicit in tyranny

University betrays students by bowing to pressure

Government agents burst into the apartment of a graduate student studying at one of the world’s top universities. With his pregnant wife watching, the agents arrested the man, taking him to a detention center over 1,300 miles away.

This incident, reminiscent of a dictatorship, happened at Columbia University to student Khalil Mahmoud on March 8. Mahmoud’s student visa was revoked, and he was detained by Immigrations and Customs Enforce-

ment agents due to his support of Columbia’s student protests last year, according to AP News.

We now live in a country with a government that silences its critics, and educational institutions are complicit to attacks on free speech.

Americans must stand up against this suppression, and as students, we must oppose institutions that put our free speech at risk.

Since his inauguration, president Donald Trump has created a government with a focus on controlling the public and crushing dissent. However, the Democratic Party, which is supposed to resist Trump’s actions, has been rendered powerless.

The Democratic Party should be filibustering every congressional motion, they have allowed Trump to continue trampling on the Constitution.

It’s been left to citizens to stand up against tyranny, and we have delivered.

In April, 1 million Americans across the nation protested Trump’s policies by attending marches and demonstrations at city halls and state capitols, according to the Hill.

Americans must continue our momentum by protesting, voting against and calling out unconstitutional actions. We must ensure that Mahmoud is the last victim of

Trump’s oppressive regime.

In addition to voicing our anger, we must also resist the educational institutions that have cooperated with the Trump administration’s demands.

Before Mahmoud’s arrest, Columbia took punitive action against 22 students who participated in pro-Palestine protests, with punishments ranging from suspensions to revoked degrees, according to Columbia’s Office of Public Affairs. For students whose only crime was exercising their First Amendment rights.

The reason behind these actions is the Trump administration threatening to withhold federal grants to Columbia, causing the university to surrender to his orders, according to the Guardian.

We must not support colleges that allow students to be unlawfully punished. Whether through withholding donations or refusing to apply, these institutions must face consequences for allying with tyranny. Instead, we must look toward those resisting by supporting colleges like Harvard, which has refused to buckle to the Trump administration despite funding cuts, according to USA Today.

America is heading down a slippery slope toward oppression, and Americans must voice their anger through voting and protests to government officials. Additionally, as high school students, we must cease our support for institutions that enforce tyranny on campus and force them to act for the benefit of the people rather than the government.

feel under such inhumane conditions.

Additionally, through adoption, pets are given a second chance at life. Many pets in shelters were abused or traumatized by past owners, according to the Animal Humane Society. By adopting a pet, you are helping them heal from past trauma and giving them a chance to make new memories.

There are many local shelters that have adoption available animals around the Bay Area, such as Humane Society Silicon Valley, San José Animal Care Center and Humane Society Adoption Center are available.

As someone who found my soulmate in an adoption shelter, words cannot describe the comfort and companionship I’ve earned and experienced.

Don’t adopt because it’s cheaper or more humane, but do it to save yet another precious life that would otherwise be lost to a cruel system of abuse.

The sustainability commissioner position, which was introduced two years ago, was discontinued this year, as climate efforts shifted toward the FUHSD Climate Collective. However, next year, there will be two ASB officers with the position, and both will be interviewed for the role, Almendarez said.

By replacing turf with a more eco-friendly material and encouraging student involvement through two Earth Day festivals, HHS has taken many steps to improve its carbon footprint. Following district-wide recognition from the Green Ribbon award, ASB’s recent step of revitalizing the role of sustainability commissioner is yet another step in the right direction. As these commissioners are integrated into the leadership class, their primary role will be to improve sustainability in ASB efforts. This includes saving cardboard for decorations and reducing waste from rallies, leadership teacher Hector Almendarez said.

ASB’s reimplementation of sus tainability commissioners encourages enviornmental policy.

The position was previously removed from ASB because there seemed to be a lack of students interested in the position, Almendarez said. However, as seen from HHS’s involvement in the FUHSD Climate Collective and various sustainability clubs around campus, there is much student passion for improving the climate.

With the reinstated role, the sustainability commissioner’s relationship with ASB gives it more influence and sway than other said groups. By allowing passionate students to have resources and relationships with administrators, they can not only investigate more sources for improvement at HHS but also drive policy and change.

While ASB may provide guidelines for the commissioners’ responsibilities, their efforts primarily rely on each student’s initiative and individual goals, Almendarez said.

With the responsibility of overseeing ASB’s waste shared between the two, there is much more room to be involved at a school-wide level. The sustainability commissioners will be able to plan events and campaign for new policies based on what they have learned from their previous experiences.

While these commissioners will expand ASB’s climate responsibility, they must also work closely with other groups, including the FUHSD Climate Collective and clubs to gain input on important issues. If sustainability commissioners are engaged with climate-conscious students, they will not only gain valuable feedback but also shift climate action to fit student concerns.

The implementation of sustainability into ASB efforts is commendable, but they still have much work ahead to fully realize the vision of a sustainable HHS.

Colleges like Columbia University have surrendered to the Trump administration’s demands.

Henry Hu

Malar Raguraman

Aashka Nagarkar

By pressuring victims to confront their harrassers, administration pushes the responsibility onto victims instead of resolving the issue by themselves.

Support shelters instead of cruel pet breeders by adopting.

Illustration by Aashka Nagarkar

Illustration by Malar Raguraman

IllustrationbyVivianKim

Illustration by Henry Hu

Photo by TKTKKTKTKTKT

Student researchers explore real-world solutions

Students share value of research, experiences

Kevin Miao and Catherine Yang

Research is conducted across countless fields to discover and better understand the world, UC Berkeley scientist Waqas Khalid said. While high school students are young, they can play a big role in such research, Khalid added.

There are many ways high schoolers can find research opportunities, such as reaching out to labs or connecting with peers, Stanford research assistant Ricky Hernandez Marquez said.

“Don’t be afraid of something that you don’t know. It’s often the biggest way you’re able to show people that you can figure things out,” Marquez said. “So if you’re interested in something, just dive into it. Don’t be afraid to learn and pick things up as you go along.”

Two students, senior Armaan Gomes and freshman Advay Ranade, share their research projects and experiences.

Senior Armaan Gomes Gomes said he was first drawn to research because it offered a chance for him to solve real-world

Photo by TKTKKTKTKTKT

problems by discovering new ways to approach them.

“I tried olympiads like math and programming, but the problems always felt manufactured. They were never real-world applications,” Gomes said. “For research, you’re always working toward something that’s real. That has real-world impacts, and I think it really cool.”

Since he began two years ago, Gomes said he has finished two projects, one about containing wildfires and the other about exploring a new type of hearing aid. Gomes said he is also currently working on two projects, one about increasing radio waves speeds used in the hearing aid and the other working toward quicker blood and chemical testing.

“My first research project was

a way to contain wildfires faster, which was right after the big wildfires [in California] and right before the Hawaiian wildfires. Then, my next project was about glasses-based hearing aids,” Gomes said. “A lot of people I knew with hearing aids experienced challenges, so I found a way to make them both cheaper and more efficient.”

While conducting research can be challenging, Gomes said persistence is critical to success.

“I think the most important piece of advice is to not be afraid and to trust in yourself,” Gomes said. “There were so many points when I felt like I should just give up, but it was the fact that I just kept going and kept finding new ways to solve the problems that let me do all this amazing work.”

Student-led nonprofit introduces colorful path to activism

Color for Charity members discuss nonprofit objectives

Ethan Xue and Alan Zhang

After observing a TikTok trend where friends compared different art styles, junior Arcus Foo said they were inspired to found and become co-president of Color for Charity, a studentled nonprofit. Since March 2024, the organization has created and sold hundreds of coloring pages, donating profits and raising awareness for various causes like climate change and rehousing initiatives, Foo said.

“There was this really popular trend of coloring digital coloring pages,” Foo said. “Because coloring pages were trending, [I thought] it would be a great way to spread awareness and raise money for different charities.”

Color for Charity has rapidly expanded in the past year, selling and giving away coloring pages to local youth, promoting causes at larger events and raising hundreds of dollars, Foo said. Last summer, the organization ran booths at Silicon Valley Pride and FUHSD Earth Day, both of which garnered thousands of attendees, Foo added.

“At the beginning, I was just thinking about coloring with two or three friends, designing coloring pages and selling them at small festivals,” Foo said. “It’s

Freshman Advay Ranade Ranade is involved in a field of research called deliberative democracy, which analyzes people’s perspectives on policies, Marquez, Ranade’s supervisor, said.

Ranade said he became involved in the field because he found the topic the lab was researching to be intriguing.

“What inspired me to do research was that the lab had a pretty interesting mission statement,” Ranade said. “[The statement] was ‘to make voters more informed about what’s happening in politics and in foreign policies.’ That was interesting to me, so I decided to join.”

Ranade said having a genuine passion for a research topic is important. Furthermore, understanding lab procedures and other

really cool to see how much awareness we can spread for different charities and how much money we can raise.”

Color for Charity’s creative art starkly contrasts the Bay Area’s focus on technology, and this creative approach to activism turned out to be incredibly effective, co-president, junior Carl Chiu said.

Through their artwork, Color for Charity members present a unique way to create change, Foo said.

logistical processes is essential to success, Ranade added.

“I think a lot of the skills that you need to do research are learned by doing. You have to like what you’re doing,” Ranade said. “You can’t just join a lab and not like what they’re doing because then, you’ll get really bored with the research that you’re conducting.”

While research can provide many learning opportunities, it is also beneficial for developing valuable connections and skills, Ranade said.

“Being part of a research team gives you a lot of connections because everyone who’s there is really passionate about what they’re doing,” Ranade said. “Being able to learn how to research is like a really big learning experience, and everyone should do it.”

“We believe art and youth are the best motivators for change because art and kids are more creative,” Foo said. “As much as science and technology are great solutions, creativity, emotions and youth are super inspiring.”

The artwork created by Color for Charity artists reflects the causes they support through symbolic elements, artist, junior Melanie Ochoa said.

“I’ve made a lot of artwork for women’s rights,” Ochoa said. “A lot of the symbolism lies in things like pomegranates or wine, which represent how fruitful life can be.”

Reflecting on her artwork, Ochoa said Color for Charity offers a new outlet to spread awareness on topics that other media might not.

“With the media these days, things can be very watered down, and you won’t know how bad a subject is until someone else tells you about it,” Ochoa said. “We’re the people who tell other people about it. It’s very impactful when you make art that really matters and sheds light on topics usually not covered in the media. With the current political climate, it’s really good to feel seen through creative art forms.”

“I

founda lot of fun in performing, meetingnew peopleinthe club,and practicing together[with everyone].”

Above all, Ochoa said the most enjoyable aspect of working with Color for Charity is the collaborative environment.

“It feels like we’re one big family, and we’re all supporting each other,” Ochoa said. “We all are very passionate about the same causes.”

“[My favorite moment] was interacting with other schools. Everyone was having fun, dancing and having a good time.”

Color for Charity artists make and sell art to support impactful causes, Foo said.

Photo courtesy of Arcus Foo

Gomes (left) said research gave him a sense of authenticity not pres ent in competitions.

Photo courtesy of Armaan Gomes

Photo courtesy of Advay Ranade

Ganghee Kim (10)

Beni Iinuma (12)

Alana Stillman (12)

Treasurer, junior officer

president

Vice President

Infographic by Isabela Guilardi

Photo by Isabela Guilardi

Photo by Isabela Guilardi

PhotobyIsabelaGuilardi

Mental health Matters Mental health Matters

What is your largest source of stress?

As high schoolers navigate their way to adulthood, they face many obstacles along the way. Sophomore Reva Karri, freshman Austin Loewy and sophomore Sarah Chen reflect on the largest sources of stress they face as students.

They feel it, too

Teachers reflect on stress, mental health management

Sachin Chandran, Annie Guo and Malar Raguraman

In school, stress is a main cause of academic pressure, and teachers are a source of support for students who need help managing their mental health. However, many teachers also face stress from their jobs despite their passion for teaching, which often goes unnoticed, English and leadership teacher Hector Almendarez said.

With teaching being a job that requires ample social interaction and communication, it can be overwhelming for some teachers, Almendarez said. For instance, as an introverted person, Almendarez said his job often conflicts with being slightly wary of constant engagement with others.

“Every day is a bit exhausting because I’m exercising all of my social skills,” Almendarez said. “The workload is always a lot, and trying to manage different kinds of personalities within a classroom [can be difficult]. Teacher burnout is real, [as] there have been times where I feel like I just need to get sleep. I feel like ‘I need to not be here,’ but oftentimes, that’s countered by, ‘I want to be here.’”

For English teacher Mallory Lantz, this constant requirement to be sociable can further her anxiety on certain days, she said.

78.2% Academic stress

“My largest source of stress is definitely my academics, specifically some of my AP classes like AP computer science and AP physics. I feel like, for a lot of these AP classes, there’s a lot of material that’s being covered and not enough time to learn all of it. The tests aren’t indicative of what we’re doing in class, which can stress me out.”

– Reva Karri (10)

year and predominantly teaches seniors, Lantz said her job can often be overwhelming. Specifically, senior year consists of waves of college application stress and senioritis, all of which can impact teachers, Lantz added.

“With teaching, your job is dictated by the ebbs and flows of the class,” Lantz said. “When seniors are getting overwhelmed at a certain time of the year, I can sponge that, and it can impact me.”

Because it is his first year teaching leadership, Almendarez said his workload has increased since last year, adding to the stress he experiences. While teaching leadership has been incredibly eye-opening, having more work can intrude on his personal life, Almendarez said.

“When it comes to teaching, things are almost never done,” Almendarez said. “You have to grade. You have to plan. You have to prepare. You have to email this kid and get in contact with that parent. A big part of the balance of being a teacher is learning to leave work at work, but that’s a lot easier said than done.”

While teaching comes with some chal-

lenges, science teacher Debbie Curley said the job can also be extremely rewarding.

“Teaching has a great effect on my mental health because it’s my living, and it’s something that I’m passionate about,” Curley said. “I appreciate that HHS is a great place to work because I’ve got great coworkers, and I’ve got students who try.”

To cope with the demands that come with their profession, many teachers have come up with strategies to cope with stress. For instance, Lantz said she takes a few days off to decompress, as having time for herself is crucial to managing her mental health.

Ultimately, Almendarez said the topic of teacher mental health is heavily emphasized, and while student mental health is equally important, opening up the discussion to teachers’ mental health can enable teachers to manage their stress and improve their wellbeing.

“Many of us are aware of how important [mental health] is, but aren’t necessarily willing to act upon it,” Almendarez said. “[We need to] talk about the ways we can make sure mental health is at the forefront and people are taking care of themselves.”

Q:

What are the best ways to reduce academic stress?

“Teaching has definitely impacted my mental health in good ways because I feel fulfilled, and I’m making a difference,” Lantz said. “But when I’m having anxiety, I still always have to be on. I can never just hide in a cubicle and escape. I’m always in front of people.”

Additionally, Lantz said her personal struggles with anxiety and depression can also intensify the stress she experiences from teaching.

Since she has taken on an extra class this

May is mental health awareness month, a month dedicated to addressing stigma and commemorating recovery for the millions of Americans living with mental health conditions, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. In celebration of the month, members of the community share their journeys and discuss mental well-being.

A: It’s okay to be a little bit stressed, but also reach out for support. You have teachers. You have friends in the classroom. You have parents that can help you. If you’re feeling like it’s just too hard, please talk to a grown up that can hopefully help at school. Academic stress can feel like a lot because you’re work ing toward getting into the best college to get the best job. And the best education and these are really good aspirations to have, I think your parents also want you to enjoy today. And if you’re having a hard time enjoying today, talk to them about it. Get some help from them, too.

While teaching imparts Lantz with stress because she is required to be sociable, it is also a fulfilling job, Lantz said.

Photo illustration by Amanda Boles and Malar Raguraman

Matters Matters

commemorating National

Q&A with an expert

Ice Bucket challenge makes a splash

Widespread social media trend raises awareness for mental health

There are many misconceptions when it comes to mental health, and questions often go unanswered. Licensed marriage and family therapist Haesue Jo answers student questions about mental health.

What is some advice you can recommend to help those with mental disorders keep up with their peers, both academically and

: It’s just a way to label some of the things that you’ve been going through. But those things can change our behavior and the way that we think about the world and eventually you’re not going to meet criteria for that diagnosis or the disorder that’s listed in some book. So in order to keep up, just keep trying your best. It doesn’t even actually matter if you keep up and are the same level as everybody else because that’s not what matters. What matters is that you are getting something

Sachin Chandran, Annie Guo and Malar Raguraman

Finding its way from a mental health club called USC Mind at the University of South Carolina, the USC “Ice Bucket Challenge” has recently made splashes within the HHS community.

The growing trend which acts as a way to raise awareness and generate donations toward mental health, challenges nominated individuals to dump ice water on themselves and then nominate others to do the same within 24 hours, senior Humza Dalal said.

“[The challenge] is a way to connect with people by interacting with them in a different way,” Dalal said. “I think a lot more focus should be directed toward the overall gist of the challenge, which was to raise awareness for mental health.”

Inspired by a similar fundraiser for the neurodegenerative disease ALS in 2014, the USC Ice Bucket Challenge has had a similar impact, senior Rebecca Hsu said.

The previous iteration of the challenge gave Hsu an appreciation for the impact of challenges like this, which encouraged her to participate, she said. However, this perspective is not the only reason she participated, Hsu added.

“I did it to support my friend, who was also nominated, so I helped her out,” Hsu said. I think being able to learn a lot more about [mental health] is a step in the right direction to getting more awareness, so that is why I participated in it.”

Junior Kaylee Yoshida, who was nominated for the Ice Bucket Challenge by her friend, said personal connections are what led to the challenge spreading so rapidly and having a large impact.

“Honestly, all I was thinking about was getting ice dumped all over my head, and I remember being super nervous as I was getting ready for it,” Yoshida said. “I remember I touched the water, and I screamed because it was so cold. A lot of people don’t actually know about mental health, which I’m very surprised by, but the challenge is very effective in making sure people are aware.”

While the challenge supports a very beneficial cause, its success also displays the connectivity of all Americans and the power of social media to have a positive impact, Dalal said.

“It started in South Carolina, but now there are so many people, even in the Bay Area, doing it,” Dalal said.

“It also demonstrates the power of social media to raise awareness of certain mental health issues.”

Social media events like the Ice Bucket challenge have a large impact because of their wide reach, Dalal said.

Photo by Malar Raguraman

Fromasurvey of 125 students

Literature teacher pilots ‘The Astonishing Color of After’

Hector Almendarez introduces book, fosters important discussions

Jason Lai and Aashka Nagarkar

In an attempt to increase diversity in the freshman English literature courses, English teacher Hector Almendarez said he has piloted a new novel, “The Astonishing Color of After.”

The book centers around Leigh Chen Sanders, a half-Taiwanese and half-white girl, who navigates life after her mother dies from suicide, Almendarez said. Themes about mental health and two separate identities are prevalent in the story, Almendarez added.

“[Books] like ‘Of Mice and Men,’ ‘Fahrenheit 451,’ ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and all those books have value and merit, and they should be taught,” Almendarez said. “But I also strongly

believe that there should be more options and more literature that a younger demographic should relate to a lot more easily,” Almendarez said.

The idea of implementing the book was first mentioned at a department meeting around two years ago, where staff discussed novels that could be added to the curriculum, Almendarez said. However, he did not formally apply for “The Astonishing Color of After” to be taught in classes until last year, Almendarez said.

Freshman Aubrey Phan, who is currently reading the novel, said the book promotes a variety of experiences that are different from those typically introduced in English courses.

“It teaches lessons about mental health, and it urges students to seek help if needed from families and close ones,” Phan said.

Additionally, the book also covers the importance of family, which freshman Aarush Joglekar said he relates to.

“One thing I identified with is that when people are missing love from those they care about or their family, they’ll feel jealous

or angry toward others who have love,” Joglekar said. “I have not experienced the tragedies that Leigh experiences, but I can relate to family, love and those topics.”

Furthermore, because the book covers topics like mental health and grief, it provides students with an open space to discuss such issues, Almendarez said.

“I feel like discussions are meant to have things like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and other topics,” Almendarez said. “Right now, more people are willing to talk about those things, and I feel like this book allows us to navigate that.”

While Almendarez said he is the only literature teacher currently teaching “The Astonishing Color of After,” he hopes that the novel’s debut inspires other teachers to diversify their curriculum, too.

“I hope that this is the beginning of us really reconsidering what should be a part of our curriculum and what should make up our reading list,” Almendarez said. “I hope we can add more complex, in-depth literature that is more reflective of the student body and the diversity that exists here.”

Student reflects on music journey

Preston Hong shares passion for guitar, clarinet

Brian Ling and Elena Shim

As an avid guitarist and clarinetist, sophomore Preston Hong said his experience with these instruments have contributed to his growth as a musician. He began his musical journey with the guitar at the age of three, inspired by the song “Down By The Bay” by Raffi, Hong said.

“After I heard ‘Down By The Bay,’ I would go around, grab any-

thing, even a broom, [and] pretend to strum,” Hong said. “My parents saw this small music school in the newspaper, and they signed me up for [guitar lessons].”

After he learned guitar, Hong said he developed a growing interest in marching band and then decided to take on the clarinet. Hong said starting the clarinet was a lot easier than learning guitar, as he already had a foundation in music from guitar lessons.

Although he had a strong passion for music, Hong said the endeavor still came with its challenges, allowing him to develop skills like persistence.

“I didn’t want to practice at all, and I felt like quitting,” Hong said. “I kept going, and I realized I wasn’t improving because I wasn’t practicing. Once I started practicing, I started improving.”

Sophomore Kiki Yoshimoto, Hong’s friend, said Hong has a strong work ethic. Particularly, she finds Hong’s ability to constantly improve and his determination to learn to be extremely impressive, Yoshimoto added.

“He sometimes texts me after school and is like, ‘I want to learn this by the end of the day.’ He’ll have it down or have learned it, which I think is really good,”

The most musical place on Earth

Orchestra discusses recent performance at Disneyland

Kaylin Yi

Yoshimoto said. “It’s a good mindset, because a lot of the people I know, including me, start learning something halfway through and then forget about it for a week.”

Similarly, director of bands John Burn said because Hong is constantly practicing, he has improved and grown tremendously.

“He plays when we take breaks in marching band practice,” Burn said. “Usually, everyone’s just finding some shade or drinking water, and he may also be finding shade. But he’s playing his clarinet even during breaks, after we’re playing all day. Because he practices so much, he’s really good.”

As Hong continues to hone his skills, he said music has helped to expand his network, as well.

“Going to guitar competitions has changed my life a lot,” Hong said. “I met so many new professional guitarists and people my age who are playing at the same level, and it’s just really fun to meet them and learn more. At AllState, you meet so many new people. I made so many friends from All-State, and a lot of them are still good friends now.”

Hong said he plans to continue his musical journey in college and through teaching. Currently, he teaches guitar in two programs: Goals and NoteLove.

“I’ll definitely keep playing mu sic for the rest of my life,” Hong said. “I don’t think it’ll be my ca reer, but it will at least be a hobby. Maybe I’ll study a [music] minor in college or a double major. I don’t think I’ll have a music career, but I’ll be sharing it with people.”

After traveling to Anaheim by bus for its biannual trip to Disneyland from April 11-14, orchestra performed at the Hollywood Backlot stage in the California Adventure park, violin player, sophomore Sophia Smola Matsui said. The purpose of the trip was for orchestra members to bond with each other and gain insight into the career of a professional musician, Smola Matsui said.

Performing on different stages under various circumstances is a valuable experience for students, director of bands John Burn said.

“Music is both rigorous and fun, so when you’ve got the pressure of performing in a big place like this, that’s rigor and challenge. And the students rise to meet that,” Burn said. “Also, we got to perform at Disneyland, where there’s a good audience, and they do a good job of setting up the stage lights and everything.”

Additionally, students attended a soundtrack experience, where they were able to sight-read mu-

sic from classic Disney movies like “The Incredibles” and “Tangled,” watching the original clip with newly recorded audio, Smola Matsui added.

“It was fun to watch our music overlap with clips from the movies, since it’s not something you can do often,” Smola Matsui said.

While the performance and soundtrack experiences provided insightful feedback, cello section leader, senior Hayden Chau said he also enjoyed the bonding aspect of the trip, which included spending time with his friends in the theme parks and rooming together.

“You get to spend time and interact with them outside of school in an almost dorm-like setting,” Chau said. “It allows you to connect better with other people in orchestra and makes it feel more like a community.”

After their performance, students roamed around the park and went on rides with fellow orchestra members, Burn said. In light of his upcoming retirement, Burn said the trip allowed him to better connect with his students.

“I’m about to go on a scary ride with 18 students, so if that’s not bonding, I don’t know [what is],” Burn said. “This trip has been emotional because it’s my last one. I’ve done this trip probably 20 times, but it’s really cool to do it one more time.”

Spring Break Recap

Students reflect on break activities and vacations.

“I went to New York. [It was really exciting for me] because I went to Central Park and to the Metropolitan Museum of Art [to see] my favorite artist’s artwork. He specializes in this type of art called luminism and draws landscapes.”

-- Cynthia Li (9)

“My uncle visited from Dubai. I hung out with him, and I also studied for my finals. I really enjoyed spending time with my uncle, since I only see him once or twice a year.”

“I studied for my upcoming AP exams and the FBLA state conference. I also went out with my friends and got dinner.”

Almendarez said the novel covers topics like mental health and parental loss, fostering important discussions.

Photo by TKTKTKTKT

-- Vibha Bengani (11)

-- Amol Agrawal (9)

Infographic by Annika Abraham and Selina Wang

Photo courtesy of Aashka Nagarkar

Alumna takes the stage in Broadway musical

Performer inspires drama students

Adam Orrin and Olivia Levesque Ouellette

After graduating 16 years ago, alumna Danielle Mendoza ‘08 returned to the Bay Area from April 8 to 20, performing as Anne of Cleves in the Broadway musical “Six,” which offers a modern retelling of the classic tale of Henry the VIII’s ex wives, at the Curran Theater, Mendoza said.

Mendoza said returning to the Bay Area allowed her to reconnect with friends and family, improving her confidence as a performer.

“It [was] really nice to see people I love, who supported me [and] who have seen me go through this journey,” Mendoza said. “My college friends came to visit me, and I was reflecting on how it is special to be a part of such a positive, empowering show [that] everybody can see.”

Starting her musical journey in high school, Mendoza said her marching band experience helped her learn about the effort that goes into creating a show.

“The biggest thing I learned from being in marching band that helped me be successful in theater was discipline,” Mendoza said. “It takes hours to create this magical show, and you do it together as a community for people to enjoy.”

A key facet of the show is that it was women-led, making it a unique experience, Mendoza said.

“The whole show is by women [including] music, directing and choreography,” Mendoza said. “This production is made for us women, so it’s only appropriate that we have leaders that reflect [this goal]. Overall, it’s just a really supportive and inclusive company,

and we feel very well taken care of.”

Although the show was rewarding, Mendoza said she encountered many challenges along the way, such as having to quickly adapt to new surroundings.

“I think the hard thing about our job is that we have to be consistent,” Mendoza said. “We’re doing the same show over and over again, so it’s really important for us to take care of ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally. [This way], we can be good to our co-workers, as well as the show.”

Inspired by Mendoza’s success and skill, drama club president, senior Jackson Reavis said Mendoza’s accomplishments are moving for students like him.

“Seeing somebody that doesn’t come from a performing arts high school or a rich background is great to see,” Reavis said. “It shows her talent, skill and dedication to the [craft].”

Drama club officer, sophomore Marie Suzano, who wants to pursue theater after high school, said she aspires to find the same kind of success on Broadway that Mendoza has.

“I’ve always wanted to do theater, and it has been a dream for me to go on Broadway,” Suzano said. “Seeing someone from HHS doing the types of things I want to do with my life is really inspirational.”

Looking back on her performance, Mendoza said putting on a show in the Bay Area was special because of its large Asian theater community, which she does not get to see on the East Coast.

“I’m definitely going to feel emotional knowing this is a Bay Area theater crowd because I get to see people that look like me,” Mendoza said. “It’s an amazing feeling to be the reason people come together to experience joy and laughter in a theater.”

Thoughts on advisory

When success is beating an average

Comparison distracts from personal progress

Amanda Boles

COLUMN — After almost every test, a familiar flurry of discussion erupts, with students discussing who got what score. Some students sheepishly admit they “failed,” while others parade their joy at receiving a respectable grade.

As people compare scores, I find myself categorizing my academic performance into one of two groups: “better than most” or “worse than most,” and how I performed in relation to others becomes my benchmark for success.

However, over time, I realized that measuring myself against others is unproductive, as it prevents me from reflecting on my results in a meaningful way.

Truthfully, it feels good to do well and beat the average because I can confidently share my scores. I do not have to worry about being labeled as dumb or inferior because of perceived failure.

But rather than acknowledging the work that went into my success, I always looked to see if I outperformed other students. Consequently, my academic success

became tied to external validation instead of my personal efforts.

Whenever tests were handed out in classes, my eyes fleeted to others’ papers, and I ignored anything on my own except the number written on top. Two months into junior year, I was exhausted after constantly measuring myself against others and feeling inadequate when I underperformed.

This moment was when I realized comparison is unsustainable. Even when I tried to focus on my own performance, I always found myself in a competition against the aver age.

To counteract my fixation on comparison, I first tried to ignore others’ results entirely, but I quickly found that to be impossible.

sults to my personal progress, reducing my tendency to compare.

Now, when I receive exam results, I check to see if I met my goal, whether that be scoring a certain percentage or improving a specific skill set. Doing so forces me to look through my paper thoroughly and avoid making assumptions based purely on comparison.

Despite my attempts to avoid asking any questions to others, scores and averages would spread around the classroom, affecting my perception of my performance.

While it was hard to completely filter out external comments, setting goals prior to a test has helped me shift my focus from others’ re-

Drama leaps into music

Event aims to fundraise, support

Annika Abraham

Isabela Guilardi

and

As the audience erupts in cheers and applause, a lively vibe fills the air as the feeling of success envelops the cast, director, sophomore Marie Suzano said. After weeks of extensive preparation, musical exploration and heartwarming experiences, the cabaret finally came to an end, Suzano said.

The drama department presented its cabaret on April 3 and 4 in the auditorium. The cabaret consisted of 12 individual musical performances from different musicals, auction manager, junior Archit Gunhal said.

The cabaret differed from other productions, as it was a combination of theatrical and musical elements, and it was the first one since the pandemic, drama teacher Alana Caires said.

The inspiration for the cabaret came from a leadership conference that the thespian troupe attended, Caires said. After hearing about the role musicals can play in fundraising, Caires said the troupe proposed the idea to their team and reached a compromise.

“[A musical] was a little too

Staff and students share their opinions on advisory and its effectiveness.

“I assume the whole purpose of advisory is to educate people on important topics, but a lot of the ways it’s executed are really poor, especially [the] unengaging videos. Some- times, it can kind of dilute the message.”

- Chloe Dahl (10)

much for me to take on my first [or second] year, but we still wanted to bring it back,” Caires said. “[A cabaret] was a good middle ground to get the chance to do a musical.”

The cabaret also included a fundraising aspect, which was held before the cabaret itself, Gunhal said. It featured many opportunities, including a wine tasting experience and a trip to Yosemite.

“The auction was for a new technology pretorium,” Gunhal said. “Money is going into the groups because the musical costs, especially the licensing, add up, so the auction was to help build sets for drama and boost the department.”

Unfortunately, with a production that includes music, issues with licensing and nerves arose, as the cabaret was a new experience and challenge for many students who are not as experienced, Caires said.

“For some people, this was their first time doing a musical performance on stage, so they were overcoming the nervousness that comes with that,” Caires said. “Some people have never danced before, and there was

“They have good intentions and message, but I think the way that they explain it and do the videos is not going to be listened to. They should have a different tactic on how to approach teaching advisories.”

- Chelsea Lau (9)

Additionally, focusing on a personal goal makes it easier to recognize where I improved and encourages me to understand mistakes regardless of my relative score. When scoring above average was my sole focus, I did not internalize mistakes when I did well because I was already satisfied with my performance based on one metric.

In a school environment characterized by academic competition, it may be tempting to determine success as beating an average. However, success is multifaceted, so rather than making arbitrary comparisons, it is much more meaningful to set expectations on personal terms.

a dance number. So it was a lot of new territory.”

Despite such obstacles, the team prevailed in putting on the first cabaret in years and pushing themselves into new experiences, Suzano said.

“I’m proud of what everyone was able to achieve, especially the last number that we did together,” Suzano said. “It was cool to see what a group of people can do together.”

Pioneering the way for future musical performances, Caires said the drama department put on a memorable play that reminded her of her own passion for drama.

“It sparked [my] love for [acting] again,” Caires said. “I want to continue that even further, and [the cabaret] reignited [my] desire to put on a musical.”

“Before we had advisory in our scheduling, we really struggled with talking to students about a number of different topics that we em- bedded in advisory. I know it’s not necessarily a perfect system, but it does allow us to systematically share information that we wouldn’t usually get to share.

- Prinicipal Denae Nurnberg

Mendoza said she was eager to return to the Bay Area and perform in front of a supportive community.

Drama hosts a unique cabaret performance and fundraiser event.

Photo by Aviv Matas

Infographic by Annika Abraham and Selina Wang

Photo from Marin Independent Journal

Nintendo switches to snatching cash

Overpriced console has underwhelming features

Parth Dhaulakhandi

COLUMN – The Nintendo Switch always stood out to me as an interesting console. Its portability meant I could use it anywhere, and I could connect it to a larger interface. I have considered switching from Xbox to Nintendo, but the announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2 on April 2 erased all my prior fascination with the console.

The major problem with the Nintendo Switch 2 is its unreasonably high price. It is going on

sale for $450, which is significantly more expensive than the $300 price for the original Nintendo Switch from 2017, according to the NYT. Additionally, the Nintendo Switch stands out for its portability and multifunctional ity in the gaming market, not for its gameplay quality. The price of the new Switch is similar to consoles like Xbox and Playstation, but it is dismally behind either of those two consoles in

quality, which makes me question why Nintendo increased the price so much for its new console. Beyond the price rise, the lackluster changes to the Nintendo Switch 2 also do not help its case. Though they display notable improvement from the original Nintendo Switch, the performance statistics of the Nintendo Switch 2 will likely align with the PS4, according to Push Square, which is dismal quality for such a high price.

Additionally, several new games, such as

Minecraft enters the film world

Movie reflects lighthearted spirit of game

Isabela Guilardi

Inspired by the beloved 2011 sandbox game, “A Minecraft Movie” brings viewers back into a world of creativity, comicality and nostalgia. At first, I was skeptical about the film because I was afraid it would be shallow and childish. However, I somehow found comfort and amusement in all the gags the film built on.

Released on April 4, the movie centers on a boy named Steve, who discovers a mine that leads to the Overworld, a realm where anything he creates becomes reality. Eventually, a group of peculiar individuals escape their realities and work together to save the Overworld from the evil piglins and ghasts.

I found the plot itself to be simple and direct, and with a dynamic duo like Steve, played by Jack Black, and Garret Garrison, played by Jason Momoa, it was bound to be filled with witty jokes

and amusing moments. It was an invigorating mix of sarcasm and cliches made to form a simple, joyful atmosphere.

One of the main features of the film was that it was completely unserious and purely built on comedic relief. I found this refreshing, as it leaves room for viewers to laugh and enjoy themselves without having to constantly pay attention to every detail of the plot.

Aside from the carefree atmosphere and comicality, the aspect that stood out most was that even though the film was modernized, it still stayed true to the visuals and purpose of the original game,

which brought a comforting sense of nostalgia.

From the anticipation of stepping into Survival Mode for the first time to the fun bonding with teammates, the film fully embodies the spirit of Minecraft in a lighthearted way.

As the characters developed and were paired with accurate visuals and aesthetics of the game, the film truly emphasizes fun, friendship and creativity, one block at a time.

Movie: “A Minecraft Movie.” Grade: B. Rated PG. Watch in theaters.

Good casting needs a comeback

Hollywood must prioritize merit over fame

Aashka Nagarkar

Casting unique actors to star in films used to be a way for the directors to heighten the atmosphere of the movie. However, in recent years, casting is no longer thought of as a tool for creativity but as a way to use famous celebrities for promotion.

Released on March 31, the cast list for the new “Beatles” biopic series, directed by Sam Mendes, is subject to much controversy. The cast of A-list actors, such as Paul Mescal and Barry Keoghan, look nothing like the original Beatles.

This discrepancy is significant because if actors, especially for a biopic movie, do not look like the people they are supposed to portray, viewers will not be able to look past these celebrities and recognize who the true subjects of the movie are.

This takes viewers out of the story and ruins the artistic merit of the movie by prioritizing marketing opportunities associated with big-name celebrities over actors that would fit better overall feel of the movie.

Additionally, simply casting well-known actors leads to a lack of diversity in movies.

For example, the “Wuthering Heights” adaptation, set to release in 2026, stars Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff. In the original book by Emily Brontë, Heathcliff is hinted to be a man of color, which adds to the alienation he faces from the other characters.

The choice of direc tor Emerald Fen nell to cast Elor di, an actor she has worked with before, over an actor of color removes the crucial aspect of Heathcliff’s judgment as a presumed person of color.

This is especially saddening consid ering fewer A-list actors are people of color, and less than 20% of actors of color get speaking roles, according to Time.

Furthermore, the casting of fa-

the new “Mario Kart World,” push the industry-standard price of a game from $70 to $80 on the Nintendo Switch 2.

It is not possible to know what “Mario Kart World” may have in store for consumers, but this new addition to the Mario Kart franchise is certainly not novel enough to demand an extreme pricing change.

Nintendo’s ridiculous new console and game prices are anticipated to cause the price of all games to rise, according to GamesIndustry.biz.

Nintendo is handing every console company a guide on how to rip their customers off with their ridiculous price hikes. By buying the Nintendo Switch 2, consumers are showing these companies that they can get away with charging ridiculous prices for lackluster new products.

If the quality of the console is still mediocre, which is expected since it is not Nintendo’s specialty, performance does not justify the outrageous price Nintendo claims is fair.

Even the new GameChat button that allows players to enter a chat room to communicate with each other does not enhance the value

of the Nintendo Switch 2. However, this feature lacks cross-platform compatibility, and the $55 webcam is not even sold with the console, which makes me even less likely to purchase it.

I often play video games with friends across different gaming platforms. It is unreasonable for Nintendo to expect everyone in a friend group to purchase the Nintendo Switch 2 to use their GameChat feature.

Nintendo overinvested in this idea, even adding a whole new button for their chatting feature, failing to realize that chat options like Discord are far more convenient and reasonable.

The only redeeming new feature of the Nintendo Switch 2 is the creation of a controller and mouse hybrid. This could make for some interesting gameplay mechanics when games are designed specifically for Nintendo Switch 2, or it could serve as a new way for people to use the console.

Overall, the Nintendo Switch 2 does not present enough novelty to be released, yet Nintendo has the audacity to overcharge for it. I will be content enjoying other companies’ products while Nintendo fans rush to feed corporate greed.

Samara Joy swings into modern jazz Joy breaks age and talent barriers in gatekept genre

Maya Dutt

COLUMN – Despite its popularity in the early 20th century, jazz has been relegated to the sidelines in modern music. While artists like Laufey have started to make it more popular among younger generations, they end up straying toward mid-century pop. However, a young musician is making waves in the jazz scene while staying true to its roots. Her name is Samara Joy.

mous actors when they do not fit the part takes away opportunities from lesser-known actors. When more obscure actors are cast, it helps bring talent into the film industry. If casting is solely focused on merit and how much an actor suits a role, there will be more talented actors who add to the atmosphere of the movies they act in. Hollywood’s obsession with casting celebrities creates a lack of diversity and cohesiveness in many films. This lack of harmony negatively affects viewers and takes away from the integrity of films.

Choosing actors based on their fit for the role, not their fame, will not only create good media but also diversify Hollywood. Viewers should stop supporting biased casting and embrace talent.

Joy started off her music career singing in a gospel choir at her church. However, she did not dive into jazz until she attended the State University of New York at Purchase. She won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2019 and even won five Grammy Awards, according to Spotify. Despite these stellar achievements, she is largely unrecognized outside of the jazz community.

The first thing that drew me into Joy’s music was her voice. Her rich soprano is unmistakable, and the huskiness in her voice echoes legendary jazz crooners like Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone. Her favored style of small jazz ensembles, especially quartets with a heavy emphasis on improvisation, also allows her to showcase her stunning craft. Her take on “You Stepped Out Of A Dream” features rich improvisations from both Joy and the instrumentalists on the album. The emphasis on the quarter note triplets when she sings “out of a dream” adds a brilliant rhythmic suspension and is one of the many techniques Joy uses to make her songs complex and interesting to listen to.

Although her style

draws inspiration from age-old traditions, Joy adapts her lyrics to reflect life in the 21st century. She weaves poetry with subtle humor to sing about love and the everyday struggles of a 25-year-old.

In “Everything Happens to Me,” she complains about how life’s troubles always befall her, especially when she falls in love with someone who does not care about her. She sings, “I have telegraphed and phoned, sent an air mail special too/ Your answer was ‘goodbye’ and there was even postage due,” delivering a humorous quip about her love interest. The entire song is a long list of complaints that make me laugh along because of how relateable they are.

Though Joy’s music can seem daunting to the casual listener who may not have a background in jazz, she still has music that eases listeners into the genre. Songs like “Nostalgia (The Day I Knew)” and “Warm in December” stay true to Joy’s style while still being easy to digest.

It’s important to remember the history of music, and Joy is helping one of its most important genres become recognized again by the new generation. Although her music can seem daunting at first, it is easy to get into, and once it starts playing, you will have “No More Blues.”

Joy’s unique voice and rich musicality help her impact jazz.

The casting of A-list actors for roles for which they are unfit for takes away from the artistic merit of films.

Filled with gags, the nostalgic film showcases fun and creativity.

Photo from Minecraft Wiki

IllustrationbyAashkaNagarkar

Listen? ‘I’d Rather Die’

‘Obsession’ is nothing more than a superficial mess

Malar Raguraman

The Driver Era isn’t known for much. With an ex-Disney star, one too many shirtless cameos and a concerningly female fanbase, the alt-rock duo has never seemed to be particularly recognizable for its music. However, the charismatic, beachy feel of albums such as “Summer Mixtape” and “Girlfriend” has made their enthusiastic popfunk my guilty pleasure.

On April 11, The Driver Era, consisting of brothers Ross and Rocky Lynch, released their newest album “Obsession.” While it features the catchy musicality I have always enjoyed, the album misses on everything else.

Much of “Obsession” is reminiscent of a watered-down version of 2010s mainstream indie rock and funk. While their groovy baselines, starry synths and bright guitar solos make songs like “You Keep Me Up At Night” feel catchy and nostalgic, these elements often lack originality and feel overdone.

For example, in the third track, “Touch,” the song is heavily reverbed, especially in its low, sultry bass. While the hi-hat of its drums and its

fun guitar cuts through the song in an interesting way, the track’s vocals completely ruin what small potential “Touch” may have had.

Its monotone drone of words, backed by only low reverb, attempts at being moody by creating the same sound as stereotypical emo pop. By taking a predictable and exhausted avenue, “Touch” is only a microcosm of the lack of experimentation in subsequent tracks.

Lyrically, every song feels hollow and lacks nuance. With accentuated instrumentation that washes out Ross Lynch’s unimpressionable voice, crafting a story and evoking emotions takes a backseat to establishing soundscapes. Its surface-level and repetitive lyricism lacks maturity, and without captivating lyrics, the fun of the album’s musicality isn’t bolstered by anything remotely smart or thoughtful.

In “Better,” for example, Ross Lynch sings, “Bada, bing, bada, boom, bada, bop/Babe, got a thing, what it do, shit is hot.” The album’s bluntly uninspiring lines make each song feel incomplete.

“Obsession” cycles through the same emotions of desire, recklessness and loss in relationships. Because each song is swanky and brashly upbeat, the album leaves no room for introspection.

“I’d Rather Die,” which starts off reflecting on the blurred

lines between obsession and love, was closest to feeling somewhat confessional and honest. However, after this much-needed thoughtful hook, the song sharply angles away into a literal whirlpool of a bland, droning chorus that sucks out any sentimental value.

“Obsession” fixates on making repetitive attempts at recreating the virality of The Driver Era’s previous music. However, not only does it fail to do so, but it also lacks novelty and diversity.

After this album, The Driver Era has got nothing going for them but their bass guitar and Ross Lynch’s washboard abs.

Album: “Obsession.”

Grade: C-.

Artist: The Driver Era.

AI art sheds light on ethics concerns

OpenAI sparks debate over Studio Ghibli art

From a young age, I have always been captivated by the magical worlds created by Studio Ghibli. As a world-renowned Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli is notable

for its whimsical storytelling and breathtaking hand-drawn visuals.

My favorite film from the studio, “Princess Mononoke,” has powerful themes and beautiful animation, and since then, I have found myself rewatching it repeatedly.

However, with the release of OpenAI’s new image generation feature on March 25, users quickly noticed that its illustrations were reminiscent of Studio Ghibli’s iconic hand-drawn animations. Because of this, the tool rapidly gained popularity with millions sharing their artificial intelligence-created “Ghibli style” images on social media.

The replication of this art reduces the elegance and soul of Studio Ghibli art to mere algorithms and lines. While these images may look like the real deal, they lack the love and care that defines Studio Ghibli’s nostalgic style. AI images, no matter

how advanced, can never replicate the emotional nuance embedded in each of Studio Ghibli’s frames.

The most disconcerting part of this situation is that some users have begun exploiting this tool, furthering the disrespect directed at the legacy of Studio Ghibli. People have generated “Ghibli style” images that insert copyrighted characters into inappropriate scenarios that completely disregard the studio’s values.

Whether reinventing meme culture in Ghibli style or recreating disturbing images, these distorted interpretations not only misrepresent Studio Ghibli’s ethics but also erode the artistic hard work behind Studio Ghibli’s animations.

The use of AI to replicate styles that artists have spent a lifetime perfecting is completely wrong. It reduces the years of effort that animators at Studio Ghibli have worked to preserve and reducing it to merely pattern recognition. As the artistic industry continues to navigate the use of AI, we must remember that each frame of animation from Studio Ghibli and every other artist is made with love and care, which can never be replicated by a machine.

“I really liked how it talked about topics like racism and police brutality in a way that made you think about different perspectives. I [also] enjoyed the story and emotion that came with all the characters.”

— Owen Ouyang (9)

“The Hate You Give” by Angie Thomas.

Grade: A-.

“The book is about a Bengali family that immigrated to America. I think it’s really difficult to accurately capture the immigrant experience, and a lot of books about that are very cliche, but [“The Namesake”] was a very accurate portrayal.”

— Manya Girivasan (12)

“The Namesake” by Juhmpa Lahiri.

Grade: A.

‘Sinners’ is a genre-blending gem

Film uses vampires to show African American oppression

My nerves tingle as a transcendental scene and blues music vibrate through the theater. My eyes widen in awe as the silver screen displays generations of artists dancing while bloodcurdling vampires lurk in the background.

Released on April 18, the movie “Sinners” follows twins, both played by Michael B. Jordan, as they move back to Mississippi in 1932 to start a juke joint. Set in the Jim Crow era, the film opens as a historical film due to its accuracy in racial politics, but soon progresses into supernatural horror.

Coming into the movie, I was skeptical, as the “Sinners” director Ryan Coogler, most known for “Black Panther” and “Creed,” had never dived into the horror genre. However, my expectations were blown away, as Coogler crafts a fascinating story that provides insight and commentary on the marginalization of African Americans through the fictional element of vampires.

“Sinners” balances many different ideas, including the legacy of slavery and the power of music to link generations, and weaving them together with articulate craft. The movie celebrates the power of music through the character Sammie Moore, played by Miles Caton, a young man who plays blues music to conjure spirits. Blues music was developed by African Americans during the period of slavery as a form of innovation and freedom. Ironically, this is what attracts evil and persecution, personified through the vampire that

preys on the oppressed.

Unlike other modern blockbuster horror films, “Sinners” takes its time to build its pace. The first half introduces its main cast, and we learn about their motives and build an emotional connection with each of the characters. As characters begin to intertwine and their fates are threatened by bloodsucking vampires, I felt invested in these characters and rooted for their survival.

The supernatural element of the film lured me in, and it did not disappoint. From “Dracula” to “Twilight,” vampires are one of the most popular mythical creatures in pop culture. Setting vampires in the American South is an innovative and ambitious idea, but Coolger’s execution paid off.

While the vampires could be utilized in many ways, Coogler uses them to represent the oppression of African Americans. The destruction of the juke joint by vampires shows how Black culture has been abused and exploited throughout history.

Although “Sinners” is great, it does have its flaws. Coogler attempts to provide insight into a variety of different genres and themes, but he never fully combines them to create a complete story. If he had focused more on the horror instead of establishing a historical feel, the film could have felt more polished. Additionally, the intersection of music and mythology did not feel smooth or cleanly executed.

Despite its shortcomings, “Sinners” is an important film, as it allows Black artists to showcase their excellence and create blockbusters in Hollywood, which is historically dominated by white Americans. It is refreshing to see Coogler have full creative freedom, and the ambitious tale “Sinners” is what a modern blockbuster should be.

Movie: “Sinners.”

Grade: A-. Rated R. Watch in theaters.

“[Although], at the end of the day, Javier does get into the United States, but he has to struggle and be alone. I feel like there are more books out there that can be read in class that have a more positive outlook.”

— Advait Ghosh (10)

“Solito” by Javier Zamora.

Grade: F.

“Overall, the book was kind of [mediocre]. I thought the writing style was not bad, but I really didn’t like the ending. The personalities of all the characters that you see at the end are all really terrible.”

— Johanna Lee (11)

“The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Grade: D.

With predictable themes, “Obsession” is reluctant to express vulnerability.

“Sinners” sets the bar high for other modern blockbusters.

Jason Lai

AI art imitates the photo but not the emotional nuances within.

Catherine Yang

Photo from Warner Bros

Photo by Catherine Yang

Illustration is AI generated

Photo from The Driver Era

Leaving a like on social media

Track and field establishes social media presence

Danielle Feldsher and Malar Raguraman

While most sports at HHS have a social media presence, the track and field team’s Instagram account is especially unique, social media manager and long-distance runner, sophomore Maya Power said. With over 500 followers, the track and field Instagram account, under the username “homestead_trackandfield,” uses athlete spotlights and advertisements to cultivate an audience and appreciation toward its athletes, Power said.

“It’s really important for the team to have an account so that everyone else in the school or those who follow the account can see what’s going on [in] track and field, especially since [the team isn’t] talked about as much compared to bigger sports like football or soccer,” Power said.

Alongside running the cross country account, Power said she volunteered to take on the track and field account. She created athlete spotlights and triweekly

Instagram stories to highlight the team’s runners, Power said.

“It’s a fun way to be able to highlight everyone on the team, aside from just the normal senior and captain spotlight posts,” Power said. “We have a really big team, so it’s important that everybody is [included].”

When followers see posts, Power said they are inclined to attend the meets to show support. Additionally, photos of the team at meets prompts interest for future seasons, Power added.

“It advertises the community, in a sense,” Power said. “I try to take a lot of digital camera pictures at meets to show that it’s a fun, supportive team. Everyone’s doing it together.”

On a similar note, thrower and captain Sarah Cijin, who runs a different Instagram account for the track and field team’s throwers, said posting on Instagram has allowed throwers to gain more recognition in the sport.

“The throwers are less involved in a lot of track things as a whole, so it brings more

awareness to the rest of the track team,” Cijin, a junior, said. Unlike the track team’s main account, Cijin said the throwers’ account, “homestead_throwers,” includes more silly content.

“I was looking at other track teams, and they all have a throwers’ account for their teams,” Cijin said. “It was really cute, and I liked how it wasn’t as formal as the actual track account.”

By regularly posting online, the track and field community is able to become more tight-knit, junior, long-distance runner and captain Julia Bouron said.

“[Social media] is another way to get people to really know who else is on the team,” Bouron said. “It allows everyone to shine.”

Swimmers absent at championships

Top swimmers miss out due to FBLA conference

Ella Chan, Henry Hu and Jason Lai

As the swim season ends, 10 swimmers missed the De Anza League Championships on April 24 to 25 due to the FBLA State Conference from April 24 to 27, coach Antonio Jen said.

“I know how important extracurriculars are to a lot of people, and I know FBLA is really big at HHS,” Jen said. “As a coach, I definitely despise FBLA, but as a teacher and educator, I totally understand when people have different priorities.”

The league championships are an end-of-season tournament that determines which schools move up and down divisions, impacting CCS rankings, junior Justin Kim said.

The decision to attend either league championships or FBLA is something Kim said swimmers like himself have to consider every year due to the recurring overlap.

“There’s a lot more you can achieve academically through FBLA on college [applications],” Kim said. “Sports sounds good because of the dedication and time, but realistically, there are few chances to go to college because of swimming.”

Due to the sudden drop in swimmers, junior Andrew Yip said the attending swimmers are competing in more events than usual.

“Some of our best swimmers are gone, and without them, our team is very small. So we’re not going to place very well,” Yip said.

To mitigate the negative effects of missing players, Kim said Jen worked to improve players before league championships.

“[Jen] has made sure to consistently reach out to our team to make sure everyone shows up to practice,” Kim said. “He has given special pointers and technique tips to improve each swimmer.”

To combat this potential decrease in skill, Jen said he is trying to prepare the rest of the team as best he can to ensure his swimmers perform at their maximum potential.

“I’m trying not to think about the results,” Jen said. “I just want our boys to be able to hit their personal bests and improve. I want to make sure that their hard work throughout the season doesn’t go to waste.”

More than just the muscle

Students, teacher find strength with weights

Alicia Liste, Helen Tam and Jonathan Xue

For many, weightlifting begins as a physical challenge but grows into a powerful routine that builds strength and resilience. Strength training gives gym goers a community, daily structure and health benefits, science teacher Jessica Wakefield said.

In particular, Wakefield said she lifts through CrossFit as she enjoys the regimen’s emphasis on functional movement, which can be applied in everyday life.

“I started CrossFit to see what it was about, and I ended up loving it after my first class,” Wakefield said. “When I started, I had

just gotten pregnant, and CrossFit kept me healthy, moving and strong throughout my pregnancy.

I felt really good about the process, so I’ve stuck with it since.”

The friendships forged at her gym and a love for physical activity have helped to create sustainable, healthy habits, Wakefield said.

“Fitness is important for me because I never want to tell my kids ‘no’ when they want to do physical activities. I want to stay active and strong so that I can participate in everything,” Wakefield said. “[Weight training] is especially important for women because as we age, that skeletal muscle mass is so important in keeping your body moving, healthy and able to support you through the rest of your life.”

The weight training community extends beyond just adults, sophomore Nev Baccash said she goes to the gym about four times a week. After becoming a cheer-

leader, she transitioned to weight training to perform better at the tossing, tumbling and lifting aspects of cheerleading, Baccash said.

In addition to its physical benefits, Baccash said strength training has also helped bolster her self-esteem and taught her how to set achievable goals.

“After lifting weights, I feel stronger, more confident and more in control of my physique and strength,” Baccash said. “It’s such an ego boost when you’re able to go up in weight in any exercise.”

Aside from weight training outside campus, students also participate in the sport through the health and fitness club. The club, which opens the weight room to students during certain lunches, provides a supportive environment for new lifters to find community and advice, health and fitness club social media manager, sophomore Preston

Community college commitments

Seniors discuss why they decided to continue their athletic journeys at a community college

Edwin Fuentes

De Anza College, football

“When I first started playing my sophomore year, as I progressively got better and knew my way around with football, I realized that I wanted to continue to play football wherever I could. So when I got the offer to play at De Anza, I took it because it was something I loved.”

Logan Christianson

Ohlone College, baseball

“It was my last year [in] Little League in sixth grade when I decided I wanted [to play baseball in college]. Everyone knew I was good and said I could go really far, so I started taking it very seriously. I just loved the game a lot, so I think I decided then I wanted to take it far.”

Brian Chou

De Anza College, basketball

“When I first started playing [basketball] in middle school, I liked how competitive it was and the chemistry I was able to build with my teammates. I want to get better at the sport and use the skills I learned to succeed in life by working with others and learning how to work my way up the hierarchy.”

Hong said. In particular, Hong said he began to lift weights seven months ago.

“I originally started [lifting] so I could get more fit for JV volleyball but once all my friends started going with me, I started to really enjoy weightlifting,” Hong said. “Everyone’s here to support each other, and there’s no competition. It’s all for improving yourself.”

Similarly, Wakefield said building confidence at the gym is more than just raising the weight. Those new to lifting should not feel pressured to compare themselves to others and instead focus on their individual progress, Wakefield said.

“As long as I get in the gym, do my

best and lift heavier weights, I feel accomplished and good about myself,” Wakefield said. “There are different goals that work for everybody, and weightlifting doesn’t need to feel intimidating. There are different ways to lift based on skill, strength and experience. Just get in there and start.”

Through his weight training journey, Hong said he has gained strength and confidence.

Jen said he hopes the two events can be on different dates in the future.

Athlete spotlights are a useful way to appreciate members of the team, Power said.

Infographic and photos by Vivian Kim and Mackie Vu

Photo by Malar Raguraman

Photo by Alicia Liste

Photo by Henry Hu

VincentWang(11)

“Vincentistheheartofthe team.Heplaysdoublesthe rightway,alwaystryingto comeuptothenetandvolley. Hehasgreatcommunication withhispartner,andheworks hardtokeeptheteamorga nized.Youcouldn’taskfora bettercaptain.”

Sports careers snapshots

Rome was not built in a day, and neither were the athletic careers of these student-athletes. Five coaches reflect on how their players have grown, both physically and mentally.

Ido Saban (12)

“He came over and showed his willingness to try a brand new sport, which can be intimidating. He had the courage to try it, and he managed to put together a varsity dive list of 11 dives.”

– Coach Dirk Leone

– CoachSundar Parthasarathy

KatieNg(10)

“Shebringsalotof

Sheworkshard,andyoucan seeitwhenyou’rewatching herpractice.Youcanseeitin theskills,asshebringswhat sheworksontothe

Owen Ouyang (9)

Noah Sato (12)

“Ithinkhismovementhasimproved. In doubles, you have to move well when the ball is not coming to you, and he positions himself very nicely. His touch around the net has [also] improved.” – Parthasarathy

“Owen brings intense energy to the team. In practice, he gives 120%. There was a time when he was injured, and he still wanted to play and practice. We had to almost haul him off the court. I love that passion he brings to the game.”

Coach Steve Lee

Iinuma (12)

“She pushed herself to learn harder dives.

To the newer divers, she’s led by example [by] not being afraid to learn a new dive.”

Maggie Leon (10)

Jack Netzel (10)

“Typically, [middles] just block and rarely hit but Jack is an all-around type of guy. He can serve, hit, block and set. I’m sure he will have good success on varsity.” – Lee

“She has gotten a lot more con fident in her overall abilities. I think her bar has improved a lot. She’s gained a lot of upper body strength.”

Coach Tiffany Zheng

Vivek Athavale makes history as Athlete of the Month

Junior breaks school 100-meter record

Sachin Chandran

In an impressive performance against Los Altos HS, junior, sprinter Vivek Athavale paved his own story on the varsity track team by breaking the 100-meter school record at a meet with a time of 10.94 seconds on March 25, Athavale said. This time beat the record marginal-

ly by 0.11 seconds, Athavale added.

“It felt great knowing that I had reached what I worked so hard to achieve,” Athavale said. “[However], I knew it was not my best race, and that I still had improvements to make to become even faster.”

His success story is not a surprise, as Athavale has been working this year to reach such heights during his track tenure, sprinting coach Curtis Liang said.

“He comes to practice every single day, and that’s really what matters to me,” Liang said. “I think [this record is] a huge accomplishment, especially at the high school level. You have to be really talented.”

Initially inspired by his PE teacher, Athavale said he started running track in eighth grade, which resulted in a win at league finals that year. However, Athavale said his real strength stems from the interactions with his teammates.

Echoing this sentiment, sprinter Prasmit Kondawar said Athavale has always been a self-reflective and humble athlete.

“He’s a good person, and it reflects through his [running],” Kondawar, a senior, said. “He’s extremely fast but never brags. He talks about [ways] to get better.”

Throughout his time on track, Kondawar said Athavale has been

an active member of the track community.

“Vivek and I got a lot closer when we were the only two sprinters at [CCS’s] four by 400-meter race,” Kondawar said. “One time we just got some Slurpees and chilled at a softball game. At that point, he showed me he’s willing to be there and help people out.”

Although Athavale has reached unforeseen heights at HHS, he said there are more goals he aims to accomplish.

“I want to qualify for states, [and] I want to break the 200-meter school record,”

Athavale said. “I have to work hard in practice and in speed workouts to get faster and have that chance.”

Athavale’s reliability and responsibility contributed to his success, Liang said.

Photo by Sachin Chandran

Photo by Ella Chan

Photo by Jonathan Xue

Photo by Catherine Yang

Photo by Aviv Matas

Photo by Vivian Kim

Photo by Catherine Yang

Photo by Ella Chan

Although technology has advanced in recent years, physical games have remained a staple in everyday life by providing entertainment and relaxation. From the community to the classroom, students and staff share how they use games for learning and leisure.

Scholar city

To avoid the mundane nature of assignments, educators are turning to games in the high school environment to help students stay engaged and excited.

“I like to implement games or activities [in lessons] because I feel like it changes it up for the students. Any game where I can get students to get up, move around and add movement helps to reenergize the brain. It gives the brain a little brain break and helps it to refocus.”

— Math teacher Alice Rick

Culture is more than authentic food or language — games also serve an integral role in connecting people with their heritage. Students discuss cultural games to engage them with their commu nities.

Backgammon, or Shesh Besh, is a tabletop game involving strategy and luck, where players move their pieces around the board and hope to win by returning all checkers to their “home board.” Originating in Europe, Shesh Besh is now commonly played in the Eastern Mediterranean region, according to the American Craft Council.

“I associate [Shesh Besh] with my visits in Israel,” junior Libby Dover said. “Whenever I’m with my friends at the beach, we play it. I really enjoy it because it connects me to my friends and family, and it’s just a way to connect more with Israel.”

Carrom is a tabletop game of Indian origin, where players flick discs in an attempt to knock them into the board’s corners. In South Asia, many cafes, clubs and social events host Carrom tournaments, where community members can participate in the game, according to the International Carrom Federation.

“[Games] help students to relax. They’re still learning. They’re still using their minds, but it gives them a different outlet. I like having puzzles in the library, and students really enjoyed it. They seemed excited to just take it to their tables. Some of them would work individually and some of them would work in groups. It gives them something else to do besides worrying about school work.”

— Library media teacher Verna Grant

Cultural cascade

Lotería, similar to bingo, is a card game based on chance. Although originating in Italy, the game is popular in Mexico of pastime and education, according to Teresa Hill. “[Lotería] is a Mexican-based game that you play with your family,” sophomore Adriana Islas Ramirez said. “Whenever you’re at home, eating or having a full family gathering, Lotería is brought to play. [Lotería] is used to get everybody to [connect]. It’s usually a game where everybody interacts and starts to engage, and they feel more comfortable around other people [at the end].”

“My family would play it during gatherings, but it would be closed off to kids. Then, as we started getting older, my parents started to teach me how to play Carrom,” senior Shrinidhi Sundarrajan said. “I started playing during COVID, and I would spend time playing it with my dad and sister, who I didn’t really connect with before. But as I started playing with them more, we became more competitive, and we bonded more over the game.”

14.2% of students said chess was their favorite game

31.3% of students said Uno was their favorite game

22.2%

Whether through storytelling or friendly competition, games have always brought communities together in a light-hearted way. Students share how games have allowed them to find a sense of belonging.

Magic the Gathering

Magic the Gathering club co-president, junior Athan Kong said he chose to create the club because he wanted to have a more accessible group to play the game with regularly.

“Before the club, I played Magic the Gathering with some family friends. But they [did not] live close by, so there needed to be a planned event to actually play,” Kong said. “You can’t have spontaneous play like you do here at school.”

Through the club, Kong said he has formed tight-knit connections with other students because talking about the game opens up different avenues of conversation.

“There’s always stuff to talk about with Magic the Gathering,” Kong said. “You can complain about what the company is doing, but beyond the game, there’s a story to talk about.”

Dungeons & Dragons

Before discovering Dungeons & Dragons seven years ago, senior Diego Thomas said he struggled with finding a community of friends at school. Yet, after delving into the game, Thomas said he has formed a tight-knit community with other D&D players.

“[D&D] made me meet my group of friends, which is actually one of my best D&D groups, and we’re still going strong to this day, Thomas said.

Along with the connections he has made, Thomas said the game allows him to explore fantastical planes with friends through shared imaginative worlds.

“[D&D is] a beautiful hobby,” Thomas said. “It’s filled with imagination. D&D allows you to escape to a different world, and it allows me to connect to friends.”

Shrinidhi Sundarrajan

Adriana Islas

Athan Kong