The Epitaph Volume 61, Issue 4, 2023-24 by The Epitaph

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Homestead High School 21370 Homestead Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014

Volume 61, Issue 4

February 9, 2024

District delays enactment of newly finalized bell schedule

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Schedule to undergo further review by a district committee By Amanda Boles, Zeinab Rakhshandehroo and Catherine Yang The new FUHSD bell schedule was finalized on Jan. 12, following a vote by the Fremont Education Association (FEA), English teacher James Aguirre said. The selected schedule addresses criticisms on the current schedule voiced by teachers, Aguirre said, such as tutorials and ending times. “I love the consistency [of the new schedule],” Aguirre said. “Especially that, with one tiny exception on Wednesday, all the periods start times and brunches and lunches are at the same time.”

Following the FEA’s vote, the schedule was passed to FUHSD administration for approval before it can be sent to the school board, associate superintendent Tom Avvakumovits said. Upon receiving the schedule, the district decided to push implementing the schedule back from the 2024-25 school year, Avvakumovits said. FEA president Carley Stavis said this decision came as a surprise to the union, who wanted the schedule implemented for the 2024-25 school year. “We were operating on the understanding that [district administration] were very aware of the timeline since we built it with them to have this decision at this time to be able to move on it for 24-25,” Stavis said. “But in the end, they have their own reasons for not feeling ready to do that, even though

8-Period Bell Schedule Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Period 1: 8:30-9:50

Collab: 8:00-8:50

Period 1: 8:30-9:50

Collab: 8:00-8:50

Period 3: 10:00-10:40

Tutorial: 9:50-10:20

Period 4: 9:00-10:20

Tutorial: 9:50-10:20

Period 4: 9:00-10:20

Brunch: 10:40-10:55

Brunch: 10:20-10:35

Period 2: 10:45-12:05 Period 5: 10:45-12:05 Period 2: 10:45-12:05

Period 5: 10:45-12:05

Lunch: 12:05-12:40

Period 6: 1:15-1:55

Period 3: 12:05-2:10

Period 6: 12:05-2:10

Period 3: 12:05-2:10

Period 6: 12:05-2:10

Period 7: 2:00-2:40

Period 7: 2:15-3:35

Period 8: 2:15-3:35

Period 7: 2:15-3:35

Period 8: 2:15-3:35

Period 2: 9:15-9:55

Period 4: 11:05-11:45 Period 5: 11:50-12:30 Lunch: 12:30-1:05

English teacher

FEA president

Photo courtesy of Carly Stavis

Photo courtesy of Tom Avvakumovits

James Aguirre

Carley Stavis

Associate superintendent

Monday

I love the consistency [of the new schedule]. Especially that, with one exception, all the start times, brunches and lunches are at the same time.”

Our communication as a bargaining unit was really strong. That doesn’t mean everybody agreed, but we had a lot of conversation before we voted.”

Tom Avvakumovits

Period 1: 8:30-9:10

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There’s a lot of great things about the eight-period day, but it’s more beneficial to go a bit slower. [We want to] look into as many of the details as possible before jumping in.”

Period 8: 2:45-3:25

Photo by Zeinab Rakhshandehroo

our membership voted that we were. We knew that this was a possibility, [but] we just didn’t think it was going to happen because of the steps we took to be in communication this whole time.” The district’s decision to delay the adoption of the schedule was chiefly made because the district team wanted to further explore the effects of implementing the schedule, and address potential concerns, Avvakumovits said. “[For example,] how do we account for [and explore] to what extent this loss of instructional time will impact students [since classes are cut short by 10 minutes]?” Avvakumovits said. “In an eight-period day, we spread student schedules around. We’ll have more students with open periods, which means we need to figure out how to manage that.” FUHSD will be taking steps to address these concerns and develop solutions for the challenges brought up by the new schedule, Avvakumovits said. The district team will gather information from the experiences of other districts in California who are under an eight-period bell schedule to be more aware of potential challenges, Avvakumovits said. Additionally, staffing assistant principals of FUHSD schools will create “sandbox” schedules on Schoology to imitate course selection under an eight-period schedule, Avvakumovits said. By obtaining this data, the district will be able to make necessary adjustments to ensure FUHSD schools are prepared to adopt the new schedule, Avvakumovits said. “There’s great things about the eight-period day, but it’s more beneficial to go slow-

er,” Avvakumovits said. “[We want to] look into as many details as possible before jumping into this decision [because] once you dive into something without knowing some of the answers you could discover with time and research, it’s hard to undo. So we’re approaching this from a bit more of a deliberate [mindset].” Avvakumovits said he plans to form a committee of teachers and administrators to complete the research necessary to finalize the schedule. Because the decision to delay the implementation of the schedule is recent, the committee is still in the early stages of development, Avvakumovits said. However, the decision to delay the bell schedule was a letdown for many staff members, English teacher Christina Graham said. Due to the dedication put into designing a new schedule, Graham said she was hopeful the schedule would be implemented in the 24-25 school year. “[Since] we’ve been discussing this possibility [of adopting a new schedule] for a long time,” Graham said. “It was disappointing that further research hadn’t been done a little bit earlier.” Though many factors are still uncertain in regards to when the schedule will be implemented, its selection is a major step forward, math teacher Matthew Guevara, who voted for the new schedule, said. “The [implementation of a] schedule is a long process, and since we got this vote taken care of, we can move forward with adjusting [it],” Guevara said. “I don’t see [the new] schedule changing after this for a few years. You’re never gonna make everybody happy, but at least we get to vote on it.”

Career fair makes a comeback 12-year-old tradition provides opportunity to learn about multiple occupations By Saira Ahmed, Nicole Kim and Rajiv Venkatesh The college and career center is set to host the first Career Fair in four years on Feb. 12. Students will attend three

20-minute presentations of their choice about various occupations from hairstylists to computer engineers, college and career adviser Shay Bellamy said. There will be a special Monday schedule with 40-minute classes to accommodate the fair and online and physical posters will outline presenter careers and locations. “The sessions are for students to travel to three different careers, and listen to our speakers share their experiences, about their

careers, what they enjoy, why they chose it and all the lovely things,” Bellamy said. “It is built into the student’s schedule so it doesn’t interrupt anyone, as far as the students go.” Presenters include community volunteers and parents who will talk about their career journeys and the education and experiences that got them to where they are now, Bellamy said.

See Career fair, page 3

Scan here to see career day schedule

Opinion

Lifestyles

Arts & Culture

Sports

Editorial: Eight-period bell schedule provides flexibility for students, teachers

Closing a chapter: English teacher Gary Yoshida retires after 22 years of teaching Page 7

Let’s face it, manga is sexist: Misogyny goes unnoticed, often portrayed as a joke

Flagging down traditional football’s spotlight: students campaign for flag football Page 14

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February 9, 2024

City of Sunnyvale pilots reusable foodware program 18 restaurants receive alternate foodware By Ella Chan, Helen Tam and Annabelle Yip From November 2023 to March 2024, the city of Sunnyvale is conducting a reusable foodware pilot with 18 participating restaurants. Leading the pilot is Bailey Hall, the environmental programs specialist for Sunnyvale’s solid waste and recycling division. With single-use plastic being a major issue in today’s world, Hall said the city wanted to take action. “One could say plastic pollution is the biggest issue we’re facing,” Hall said. “Sunnyvale really wants to try to tackle the plastic problem through single-use foodware, but that’s really difficult [because] a lot of restaurants and food and drink businesses rely on that.” To initiate the pilot, Hall said the city partnered with consultant firm Environmental Innovations, who surveyed Sunnyvale restaurants about foodware preferences and received around 100 responses. From there, establishments that chose to be a part of the pilot received mini-grants of up to $300 to purchase the foodware they needed. Of the 18 total participating restaurants, 13 are testing reusable foodware and five are testing compostable wares, Hall said.

“What’s cool about [the pilot] is it was tailored to each business,” Hall said. “For example, at a pizza place, we bought them different sizes of plates to serve pizza on, whereas [for a] Korean barbecue chicken [restaurant], we bought them a lot of wire baskets to serve their chicken in.” One restaurant that joined the pilot is Pupusa Time, a local Salvadoran food truck owned by Homestead alumni, Jose Fuentes. Fuentes said he started using reusable foodware mainly to cut costs. “Since we are a big truck, a lot of our stuff was single-use items,” Fuentes said. “Moving over to reusable just cuts down a lot of the cost. It [requires] more labor, but it’s really due to the amount of stuff that we were selling.” This is a big change that customers will have to get used to, but overall, it will have positive effects in terms of cost and environmental friendliness, Fuentes said. “Some people still ask us for single-use items just to be cautious,” Fuentes said. “It’ll affect people in a positive way and push them towards new things, but it’s going to be a pretty big change.” On the other hand, restaurants such as Bambu, a Vietnamese dessert shop, are using the reusable foodware to try something new, owner Oanh Ho said. “It’s popular among the customers because many of them

dine in and use the cups, and it’s nice to be able to keep using items that are normally wasted so often,” Ho said. Not only does this newfound popularity of reusable foodware encourage people to waste less, but Ho said Bambu has been approached by another company with more initiatives. “We’re just a small store, but we’re starting to expand on using more environmentally friendly items,” Ho said. “Okapi Reusables, another company, wanted us to carry their items through our store, and we agreed because our customers also like having reusable cups.” Hall said Bambu’s partnership with Okapi Reusables allows customers to return their reusable cups two weeks after their purchase to any location using Okapi. As it is only a pilot, Hall said the restaurants are testing everything out for a few months and reporting their feedback to the city, but the businesses can keep all the foodware they received forever. Hall said she hopes the success of the pilot will allow the city to do more work helping establishments wean off of plastic foodware. “I’d love to even work on an ordinance about plastic foodware to reduce it,” Hall said. “We’re very hopeful to continue working with restaurants. I’d love to grow this as big as possible.”

Tutorial sign-in further enforced Students found outside classrooms could face repercussions By Andrew Fekete and Adam Orrin After a recent drop in the number of students checking into tutorials, campus administration began to increase tutorial enforcement, principal Greg Giglio said. This action followed an email sent by Dean Trejo on Nov. 27 which states that students who do not sign in to tutorial will receive detention. Trejo said it has always been an expectation for students to sign into tutorials. The expectations for students have not changed, but instead, the consequences for not complying with tutorial rules are harsher, with more enforcements expected to be added in the future, Trejo said. “Unfortunately, if we have more staff supporting the deans,” Trejo said, “then we could do more follow up, but right now it’s based on whenever Mr. Nguyen and I have time.” In a survey of 177 students conducted by The Epitaph, 47% of students claimed they would never check in last year, but now only 12% of students claim they never check into tutorials. While some students still do not sign-in, recent enforcement has helped encourage more students to do so, according to data from the survey. “For some kids, [tutorial] might be a bit of a break,” Giglio said. “But even so, you still need to be in a classroom because you have to be somewhere, and if you’re out wandering around, you’re not supervised, [and] that’s when bad things happen.” Science teacher Chris Nafrada said he sees tutorials as a time to make up work, but does not mind if students are watching movies or

Photo by Andrew Fekete

Nafrada said he allows for a loose tutorial but thinks he is in the minority, with most teachers being strict about students signing in. on their phone. However, Nafrada said he agrees with the recent enforcement and thinks it is good to keep track of students. “There’s some teachers here who have really strict tutorials,” Nafrada said. “For me, having a time to just breathe is very important, and personal devices are [allowed to be] out because sometimes I feel like that’s okay, at some point during the day, to have that mental break.” In contrast, science teacher Natalie Della Santina said tutorial is a time for students to ask questions and catch up on work and that she wants her classroom to be productive, not just relaxing. “I would hope the tutorial [is] used to answer questions students have,” Della Santina said, “but if you’re being distracting then you need to go to another class.” Dean Maria Trejo said she does not think there is an issue with what students are doing during tutorial, but what they are not doing during tutorial. She said the main issue is a result of the students who roam around outside of classrooms and those who do not check-in to tutorials. As of now, only the students who wander around, not the ones

who do not scan the tutorial codes, may receive consequences consisting of detention, parent conference or Saturday school, Trejo said. “It is frustrating for students and teachers who are following the [tutorial] process to be distracted by students who are roaming or whistling in the hallways,” Trejo said. “That’s what triggers us.” Junior Yair Cortez said he did not experience any enforcements or consequences when he was a freshman. However, he said he understands the reasoning for the stricter policies “I think [tutorial is] a good thing because it gives extra support for the people who actually need it,” Cortez said. “But I don’t think [checking in] should be mandatory.” Trejo said she hopes to connect checking in via QR code to student attendance on Infinite Campus. “If you don’t check in, when you get your attendance report or your parents check, if they see an absence, they’re gonna ask, ‘Why weren’t you in the tutorial,” Trejo said. “I think that puts more pressure on students but also on parents [to] make sure that they’re supporting the school.”

Photo Courtesy of Bailey Hall

Environmental programs specialist Bailey Hall (left) and owner of Bambu, Oanh Ho said they are excited for the partnership between Bambu and Okapi Reusables, a reusable cup company.

All FUHSD schools to host SAT in the spring By Danielle Feldsher, Annie Guo and Naaga Senthil After years of FUHSD schools hosting the SAT in rotation, all schools will host the new digital test on March 18. Due to the number of students who will be using the Wi-Fi while taking the digital test, the SAT will take place at multiple schools as opposed to just one, FUHSD coordinator of data and assessments Denae Nurnberg said. Nurnberg said all schools are using March 18, a Monday with no school, as a testing day to maximize support for technology issues. “Our real focus is to help support students,” Nurnberg said. “Our Wi-Fi can’t handle that demand on the guest network, and it’s not set up to take on hundreds of kids at a time.” At HHS, assistant principal Susan Rocha, who organized the PSAT earlier this year, said she is confident the SAT will go smoothly, especially with only a small number of students signed up to take the test so far. “[During the PSAT], there were a couple of kids in some rooms that had connectivity issues but it wasn’t a whole room [of students],” Rocha said. “We had over 550 kids take the PSAT and we had a really small number of issues.” Although discussions on the future of where the SAT will be hosted are still taking place, Nurnberg said she hopes in the future, more than just one FUHSD school can host the SAT at a time.

“We hope that the College Board will give us two or three administrations that are taking the SAT so that students can take it multiple times,” Nurnberg said. “We hope that they open up more availability for testing.” As HHS has not hosted the SAT in a while, senior Krishna Mishra, who took the test in 2023, said she is excited about the temporary change and said she believes this will positively affect students. Mishra said waking up later and relaxing on testing day is beneficial, but added that HHS should have hosted the SAT in previous years as well. “If this were done earlier, more people would have been able to take the SAT because they wouldn’t have to travel as far and that could have opened doors for them,” Mishra said. Previous testing sites felt limiting and affected people’s ability to access them, junior Madhumitha Balaji said. Balaji said she plans on taking the SAT at HHS this March. “I took the SAT at this place about 30 to 40 minutes away. It would have been great to get more sleep,” Balaji said. “If the testing center was closer, I would have been able to relax before the test.” Even with concerns about WiFi, Principal Greg Giglio said hosting the SAT is a way to create an equitable environment at school. “We’re trying to expand the number of opportunities that our students have,” Giglio said, “It’s been difficult for some students to get in at [testing sites] and so [we’re] trying to spread the love a little bit.”

PAGE DESIGN BY PARTH DHAULAKHANDI AND NAAGA SENTHIL

February 9, 2024

Heavy rain fuels ant infestation Campus experiences increase in ants throughout winter

By Anushruti Nagarajan, Mikha Pilar and Mackie Vu The rain and cold from the winter months, combined with food in school buildings, exacerbate the ant infestation problem that has been affecting campus all year long, as the ants look for warmer places to reside during the colder months, PE dance teacher Lisa Nakamatsu said. Nakamatsu said she has been affected by the ant infestation. “[The staff ] doesn't know where [the ants’] access point is, and we’ve been trying to figure that out. This year, it’s been ridiculous as the ants keep coming in to search for food,” Nakamatsu said. Nakamatsu said staff members have to be very careful about what they put out so students do not come in direct contact with the insecticides. They have to use chemicals that are strong enough to keep the ants away, but also not unhealthy for students. “I set out a cup of coffee that I brought from home and it had creamer in it. I set [it] down on my desk and went to go teach class, came back, and my cup was completely infested with ants,” Nakamatsu said. Furthermore, facilities manager Elder Fagundes said the staff is having trouble finding ways to get

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rid of the ants, as they will track down the food and go into trash cans. “If there is a soda can open in the trash can, they will [congregate] there,” Fagundes said. “That’s why as the facilities manager, I try to make sure that all the night custodians are emptying the trash cans of the classroom spaces because that’s the source that they are looking for. If we cut the source out of the picture, we do a better job of preventing them from getting into [these] spaces.” Students face the effects of the ant infestation across campus, especially in the locker rooms, where ants can be found on their backpacks and benches, freshman Vilma Alas said. “Leaving my clothes in the locker room is kind of uncomfortable, [because] it is annoying to have to swat the [ants] away from my stuff,” Alas said. “I just wiped down my locker to keep it clean – and overall, the locker rooms [are] clean. It’s just the food that is left in the lockers that [attracts] the ants.” Nakamatsu said it has been made clear that food, one of the reasons for the ant infestation, should not be brought to the locker room and that there are consequences in place such as a referral to the office. “We’ve got signs saying don’t leave food in the locker room,” Nakamatsu said. “We can warn them and warn them but if they don’t follow [the rule], then that’s a problem.”

Photos by Mikha Pilar

Noto earthquake affects community Japanese earthquake serves as reminder to Californians

how much we use water in our daily life,” Matsui Smola said. “We needed to melt snow for a couple of days because the pipe got stopped, [and] it made a lot of other stuff a pain, like cleaning up. Good thing it was snowing because we could use it for toilet water. We couldn’t wash the plates so we put saran wrap on them so we could eat on them. We also [utilized] the public bathing houses.” Alongside these individual problems, Smola said the entire community experienced severe difficulties as a result of the earthquake. “[The earthquake] restricted a lot of stuff that you could buy and get,” Matsui Smola said. “There was also a fire that was pretty bad in a neighboring town where a couple hundred homes burned and trains were also stopped.” After observing the effects of the earthquake, Birdsong said it is important for students and their families to plan out basic procedures in case an earthquake happens, both in Japan and California. "I experienced a big earthquake in 1995 and my family was okay, but earthquakes [are] no joke,” Birdsong said. “In [the Bay Area], we had a bad earthquake in the

80s, so we have to prepare as much as we can. Maybe have one backpack and put some water, toiletries and warm jackets or something in case it does happen.” Principal Greg Giglio said in the case of an earthquake, the school has precautions to keep students safe. “There have been a lot of improvements in the seismic structural requirements,” Giglio said. “For instance, the A and B buildings, during their remodel, were deemed very safe but we still were required to do extra reinforcements to strengthen the structures. California has done a lot of work to make sure that buildings are properly equipped and can withstand a large earthquake.” Birdsong said that all the families reuniting on New Year's Day made the earthquake especially tragic. “I can only donate, but I hope people find ways to help those affected by everything happening,” Birdsong said. “Watching all the bad news, we feel empathy. I hope everyone protects their health, well-being and finds a way to help.”

“A lot of times, students don’t see the connection between school and life outside,” principal Greg Giglio said. “Part of our goals are to prepare kids for post-high school life, so this is a big way to do that. Chances to get a glimpse of what life is going to be like outside here are important because this is a short time of your life. After this, you’ll be in those careers for 30, 40 years, so it’d be good to pick wisely.” To prepare for the career fair, Bellamy said there was a lot of

community outreach to ensure they had enough presenters and classroom space. There was also a “rushed” feeling of having both the college fair and the career fair in one year, so the organizers had to prioritize completing one over the other. “We have one epidemiologist coming, which I’m kind of excited about. That’s super interesting,” Bellamy said. “We also have our superintendent, which is super cool. He’s coming to talk about the [National] Guard. We [also] have

a bicycle shop owner. So we have a barrage of different careers and I’m just hoping we get a little bit more so we can expand the horizons of all the careers that students can have.” Bellamy said they are also creating gift bags and providing breakfast for presenters to show gratitude for their contributions. “They are taking time out of their day to come and speak to us, so we want to make sure that they are well taken care of,” Bellamy added.

preserve will also act as a link between the paths that wind along the ridge of the Bay Area, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

capture data 16,000 feet below the ocean surface. The data revealed a photo containing a plane-looking object that Romeo believes is Earhart’s twin engine. The picture was taken around 100 miles away from Howland Island, which is halfway between Australia and Hawaii. While it has not been confirmed whether or not it is Earhart’s aircraft, Romeo and his team will return within the next couple years to take better images, according to NBC News.

International: U.K. plans to ban disposable vapes After surveys showed that the percentage of teens vaping has increased in recent years, the U.K. government decided to ban disposable vapes to combat usage by young people, according to BBC News. Despite it being banned to those under 18, 9% of 11 to 15-yearolds vape; the government is concerned about the long-term health effects of nicotine, according to CNBC.

By Nathan Gu and Parth Dhaulakhandi

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Noto peninsula of Japan’s Ishikawa prefecture on New Year’s Day at around 4:10 p.m., according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. As a result of this catastrophe, many people on campus, especially those with families in Japan, have been impacted, Japanese teacher Junko Birdsong said. “On [New Year’s Day,] Ishikawa had severe [earthquakes]. So many people suffered [due to] the earthquake and the tsunami," Birdsong said. "The tsunami sounds okay but people cannot walk if the water gets [too] high, to about knee level. It could be life-threatening.” Furthermore, Birdsong said one of her former students, senior Daniel Matsui Smola, lives on the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa and was present during the earthquake. Smola said he was at home when the first earthquake alarm went off, and it was followed by a second alarm around 30 seconds later. “It was actually kind of scary. I felt like the house was going to collapse because it [is] old,” Matsui Smola said. “Thankfully it didn’t. After that, a couple of tsunami warnings came up, [but] I didn’t evacuate because I thought the tsunamis would not come [near me.]” Smola said the results of the earthquake left him and his family in a difficult living situation, helping him realize how much he took Photos courtesy of Daniel Matsui Smola his life for granted. Senior Daniel Matsui Smola said he was surprised when two consecutive earth“I didn’t realize quake alarms went off. Images are of Matsui Smola's home post-earthquake.

Career fair Continued from page 1

When students leave their food waste in classrooms, it attracts ants, facilities manager Elder Fagundes said.

News in a minute By Evelyn Wang

Local: Bay Area ranch to be new nature preserve The Conservation Fund purchased the Richmond Ranch near San Jose for $16 million from the Chinese corporation Z&L Properties, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The 3,653-acre property will be transformed into a nature preserve with prestine hiking trails in a couple years to protect the area’s wildlife species from infrastructure development. With hiking trails for visitors, the

National: Explorer believes he found Amelia Earhart’s aircraft After an $11 million journey, pilot and explorer Tony Romeo believes he has found Amelia Earheart’s plane, which vanished in 1937, according to NBC News. Romeo used sonar technology to

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4 Opinion

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The Epitaph Editors-in-Chief Nicole Kim Rajiv Venkatesh Managing Editor Saira Ahmed News Editors Brian Ling Evelyn Wang Opinion Editors Anushruti Nagarajan Lindsey Steel Lifestyles Editors Ella Chan Zeinab Rakhshandehroo Arts & Culture Editors Parth Dhaulakhandi Veronica Zhao Sports Editors Nathan Gu Helen Tam Senior Design Editor Mackie Vu Junior Design Editor Maya Dutt Senior Multimedia Editor Veronica Zhao Junior Multimedia Editor Catherine Yang Senior Social Media Editor Annabelle Yip

Junior Social Media Editors Amanda Boles Elena Shim Art Editor Faith Watters Reporters Sanah Arya Andrew Fekete Danielle Feldsher Annie Guo Parker Lin Alicia Liste Alan Ma Aviv Matas Kevin Miao Adam Orrin Mikha Pilar Nicole Pimenta Innecco Malar Raguraman Naaga Senthil Anand Jonathan Xue Adviser Natalie Owsley Mission Statement

The Epitaph is a non-profit publication at Homestead High School, 21370 Homestead Rd., Cupertino, CA 95014. The Epitaph is a forum for student expression and not subject to prior review, in accordance to Education Code 48907. The staff is comprised of HHS Journalism students. Views expressed do not necessarily represent views of the school, its staff or the district. Editorials are opinions of the editorial board. The Epitaph welcomes letters to the editor but reserves the right to edit submissions. Letters should be limited to 300 words. Include contact information. Unsigned letters cannot be published, but names will be 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 staff in C102, call (408) 5222572 or fax (408) 738-8531.

Staff Editorial

Eight-period bell schedule provides flexibility for students, teachers While the current seven-period bell schedule has been in place for years, a proposed eight-period schedule offers several benefits for both students and staff members. Teachers can use the extra period to provide additional support for students, while students have the opportunity to explore a wider variety of courses and have the flexibility to choose a schedule that suits their needs. The proposed schedule was introduced by the Fremont Education Association, the FUHSD teachers union, in the fall of 2023, and would add an extra period on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 55.8% of teachers across the district voted in favor of this schedule, according to an email sent to staff by union president Carley Stavis. Despite a majority of teachers supporting the schedule, the district has rejected its implementation for the 2024-25 school year with

the intent to look into it further, according to an email sent to staff by Superintendent Graham Clark. However, this was not the right decision. With the addition of required semester-long health and ethnic studies classes, as well as the pre-existing P.E. requirement, freshmen will soon be limited in the number of electives they can choose. The eight-period bell schedule guarantees students can take their desired electives, allowing them to explore their interests. Additionally, with this schedule, student athletes can avoid missing school on game days by requesting either a free seventh or eighth period. The flexibility offered by the new schedule reduces the stress of athletes, helping them juggle a sport and academics. This more adaptable schedule isn’t only helpful for athletes. If students want to work after school or have other responsibilities, they

Not just a passing trend Social issues have been reduced to superficial phases By Zeinab Rakhshandehroo When the conflict in Ukraine first began, Americans instantly became enveloped in it. News reports on the conflict were broadcasted regularly, citizens put Ukrainian flags in their yards and social media users posted about it regularly. Even HHS students became involved, with the National English Honor Society and the Red Cross club hosting fundraisers and events in support of Ukraine. Yet, nearly two years following the initiation of the war, America has moved on to the latest breaking news, while the conflict in Ukraine continues to worsen. Flags have been removed, fundraisers are no longer being held and the nation seems to have forgotten about Ukraine. In fact, as public interest has fallen, newly committed aid has reached a new low between August and October 2023, an almost 90% drop compared to the same period in 2022, according to the Kiel Institute for World Economy. This lapse in interest is just the latest example of the shallow nature of American culture. Though acting with empathy and passion for a cause, most Americans quickly become disinterested in the issue, shifting attention to their own lives. This has occurred for many other social movements, one of the most prominent being Black Lives Matter. Protests filled the streets and Instagram blackouts permeated social media,

only for the movement to die off in a few months. BLM was a briefly passionate yet disappointing display of how people only care about issues in short bursts, viewing social justice as a trend to jump on and soon forget. This is an incredibly problematic trend. Such meaningless passion for a social cause greatly hinders the possibility of achieving real change. It is impossible to fight for social justice or other important issues if citizens cannot care long enough to see it through the end. An example of this is the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a bill intended to prevent police brutality and address racial profiling, according to ABC News. Spurred by the Black Lives Matter movement, the act passed in the House of Representatives in 2021, but soon became stalled in the Senate, and has not been passed. Without anyone lobbying to pass the bill, an opportunity at reform and social justice has been lost. If the general public were still passionate about BLM and fought to pass the act, true change could be achieved —- but disinterest in the issue has caused support to flounder. If one is truly passionate about an issue, they should put their effort into fighting for it, rather than simply jumping onto the most recent popular cause. Social justice is not a trend, and treating serious issues with such superficiality only hinders their causes. Whether it is an end to fighting in Ukraine, justice for the Black community or a different social issue, we must ensure that we truly and passionately fight for the things we care about. Unless we remain devoted to our causes, meaningful social reform cannot be achieved.

Celebrity politicians cloud civic impact Fixating on politicians for their entertainment value impedes progress By Lindsey Steel These days, it’s hard to open social media without seeing outlandish, comical headlines about the state of our country and its leaders. With figures like George Santos and Donald Trump dominating the news, politicians are often mistaken for harmless personalities who accidentally ended up on the Congress floor. But, when we fixate on the entertainment value of our leaders, their actions and responsibilities become overshadowed, obstructing accountability for their damaging, far-right ideologies. In a historic vote, George Santos was expelled from the House of Representatives on Dec. 1, making him the sixth member to have been removed in American history, according to NPR. Santos was expelled for a number of financial misdeeds and is now being faced with 23 federal charges, according to the Department of Justice. Despite being ejected from the House, Santos’ name has become a fixture in pop culture. Internet users have shown support for him in spite of his criminal behavior,

with one Tweet reading, “At this point, every revelation about George Santos just makes me love him more.” In addition, Santos has taken to sites like Cameo, where he’s labeled himself as a “former congressional ‘Icon’” and charges $350 for personalized videos, according to the Los Angeles Times, allowing him to profit off of his misdeeds. On social media, Santos isn’t a corrupt politician; instead, he’s treated as an entertainer. Rather than acknowledge the severity of his actions, the American public is embracing him, and overlooking what he truly is — a liar, a scammer and someone who has no regard for preserving democracy. At his core, Santos is a conspiracy theorist who is not afraid to spread blatantly untrue, harmful pieces of information. A supporter of the Stop the Steal movement, Santos attended pro-Trump rallies just days before the 2021 insurrection, according to The Guardian. Not only that, but Santos has introduced multiple pieces of legislation fueled by the theory that COVID-19 was started in a Chinese lab, according to The Nation. While it’s easy to get lost in the Santos commotion and lose sight of the person beneath the bravado, it is critical that we reprimand our leaders when necessary. If we want lawmakers to reflect our values, then we must recognize Santos for who he truly is — someone who has no place on the steps of the Capitol and doesn’t deserve our attention for their post-political pursuits.

akh eina bR by Z ion trat Illu s

Thank You to Our Donors Lois & Sam Boles Faye Hane

The new schedule would allow freshmen to take electives outside of P.E. and ethnic studies.

with one another and plan lessons, fostering a more enriching learning environment and creating consistency across different sections of the same class. Those opposed to an eight-period schedule have voiced concern about fewer instructional minutes in each period. Although classes will be shorter under this schedule, the difference is relatively minor, with block periods being reduced by ten minutes while Monday’s classes are only five minutes shorter. This time can be made up with greater teacher efficiency. The eight-period bell schedule’s advantages far outweigh any reason to postpone the implementation of this schedule in the upcoming 2024-25 school year. It is imperative that the district reconsider their decision. If we want to n aja gar improve the quality of a iN r ut education for all stuush n A by dents and staff members, ion rat t s then we must adapt and make Illu changes rather than restrict them.

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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.

can choose what works for them. The benefits of the schedule extend to staff as well, by providing teachers additional time to prepare for each class. Currently, teachers only have two prep periods, but under the new schedule, they will have three, while continuing to teach the same number of classes. This will give teachers more opportunities to collaborate

Volume 61 · Issue 4 · February 9, 2024

February 9, 2024

Our fight for social justice must be meaningful and passionate in order to achieve true change.

Illustration by Danielle Feldsher

Politicians like George Santos are being treated like celebrities instead of the criminals they are. PAGE DESIGN BY ALAN MA AND ZEINAB RAKHSHANDEHROO

February 9, 2024

Climate crisis requires action Climate change worsens thunderstorms, heavy rain and wildfires By Parker Lin

bors’ homes or family friends passing from heat stroke. These weather conditions will continue to escalate and cause havoc until we confront the issue as a collective society and make changes to better the environment. If left unchecked, our homes and forests will be annihilated by these severe weather conditions. Action must be taken to mitigate weather extremes from climate change. For example, students can start by biking or carpooling to school. Spreading awareness about the effects of climate change and m a k i n g small environmentally friendly changes in our routines will allow significant improvements to the environment and our lives. trat

ion by Parker Lin

becoming fuel for more powerful tropical storms with increased wind speeds, according to USGS. These powerful storms can be traced back to the effects of climate change due to the record-high amount of greenhouse gasses emitted by human activity, such as the burning of fossil fuels and rapid deforestation. These weather patterns drastically impact not only the Earth, but our families and friends. Several of my family members live in the Midwest, including my grandparents, and I worry for their safety because of these climate ext re m i t i es. Every year, I hear of a snow s t o r m trapping them in their homes for days on end, hurricanes destroying neigh-

s Illu

The accelerating issue of climate change has drastically changed our way of life, leaving many vulnerable, fearful and uncertain of the future. From the destructive wildfires of the West to the winter storm currently raging across the East, the devastating effects of climate change persist, with minimal improvement. Weather extremes have become perniciously violent and more erratic than ever, according to NASA. The wildfires that engulf the West every summer are detrimental to the environment and ecosystems. Forests and wildlife habitats are being wiped out by wildfires caused by humans, pushing many species to the verge of extinction. These warmer temperatures affect the whole country, creating the perfect atmosphere for storms across the East with severe thunderstorms and heavy rain, according to CNN. With higher surface tempuratures, more water vapor evaporates into the atmosphere,

Communities must start changing their environmental impact on the Earth in order to improve climate conditions.

Empower through guest speakers Guest speakers create engagement, enhancing overall student learning

Opinion

The Epitaph

being surrounded by many electrical engineers, her salary was lower than others. She has taught me to face reality and overcome the hardships that are soon to come. By Elena Shim Likewise, the personal narratives of guest speakers can help Often, I find myself struggling give students a more realistic view to see the true purpose of learning. of the subjects they are interested In classes, I am limited to learning in. This can further help individinformation from endless pages uals face their challenges, which of textbooks and handouts. I am can motivate them to continue thrown into doubt, bombarding working to achieve their ambimyself with questions of whether tions. what I am being taught will be On the other hand, in some useful in my future career. cases, students are completely unGuest speakers can easily alaware of their passion. Offering leviate this common concern by several guest speeches helps stubreaking down classroom barridents explore many fields, which ers and offering real-world provides students with additionadvice. They can share al information their personal experito evaluate ences with students, whether ceroffering them a clear tain fields insight into the exof study perience and align with educational their interrequirements ests. that are needed T h i s to achieve their broadens goals. their perAddispective t i o n a l l y, and exposIllustration by Elena Shim guest es them speakto see more e r s than what c a n Students can deepen their knowledge of their areas of study through the they have been g i v e experiences guest speakers share. limited to seeing in advice on the variety of extracurriculars students can participate in, as well as skills that were significant in the success of their careers. Through their interactions with the speakers, students learn more actively and beyond the usual passive learning in a classroom environment, according to Harvard University. These speakers can also help students find their dream career, and just as importantly, the careers they do not want to pursue. Through family connections, I met a biologist who helped me to see the difficulties I will face in pursuing my dream career. She told me her struggles in maintaining her self-esteem knowing that,

Senior Epistaffers Suggest HHS Classes As you choose your classes for next year, consider these course recommendations!

APUSH

(AP US History)

“The class teaches you how our country was formed and issues such as racism, sexism and classism. [APUSH] really showed me where I fit into this narrative. If you want to grow as a writer and a person, I would highly recommend this course.”

- Lindsey Steel (12)

AMSTUD (American Studies)

JOURNALISM

“I joined The Epitaph as a sophomore not knowing it would change me for the better. After three years, I have improved my writing, learned countless new skills and grown as a leader. I recommend this class to anyone who wants to join a community that truly makes an impact on campus.”

- Nicole Kim (12)

“The class dynamic is really fun and you get to know everyone and work collectively as a team. It also broadens your scope on the HHS community because it introduces you to new classmates.”

- Harshitha Vijayakumar (12)

AP CHEM

LAW

“Taking law was such a great break from the intense coursework of AP classes, and was finally a class where I felt the material truly applied to real life. It always had a fun atmosphere, yet was enriching and educational.”

“Mrs. Mrozack, the AP Chemistry teacher, goes in-depth on the content and beyond the AP curriculum, making the AP test feel easier. The labs and activities are pretty fun, and the course gives you an introduction to lab equipment, which is important if you’re going into the STEM area.”

- Nathan Gu (12)

- Saira Ahmed (12)

Infographic by Veronica Zhao

their daily lives. Guest speakers are crucial in helping students to make more informed decisions about their career paths. HHS must accommodate additional opportunities for students to interact with guest speakers, as it can provide students with diverse perspectives on numerous study areas. The student leaders in clubs that correspond to certain career paths can aid in this process by inviting experts in those fields. These speakers can help students

learn about the opportunities within that career and decide whether they would like to pursue it. Events like the upcoming career fair on Feb. 12 can help students expand their knowledge of careers. Students must fully participate in such events, exploring different study fields and seeing where their interest truly lies. With student engagement, guest speakers can be a powerful tool to help students pursue their career goals.

There is power in shifting your perspective By Anushruti Nagarajan COLUMN — In a digital world where word of mouth can easily get twisted, it is important to listen to both sides of a story. Whether it be friendly conversations or current affairs and politics, diverse perspectives are important to broaden our understanding of the world around us. Every conversation is ultimately an exchange of perspective between two individuals. When we take the time to listen to our peers, we strengthen individual relationships and gain insightful perspectives on the world, according to Ethical Perspective Ministries.

In politics, it is crucial to hear the stories of both sides, as propaganda is not exclusive to any particular ideology or region. Political propaganda is information designed to sway public opinion in a certain direction, according to the Cambridge Dictionary. Western propaganda, for example, is often dismissed in the United States. However, it is a real phenomenon that shapes narratives, influences public opinion and impacts our decision making. For example, countries such as China and Russia are often painted as evil and authoritarian countries by the United States. This can pose a threat to both the oth-

er countries as well as the United States, as other countries can stop supplying the United States with their economic necessities, such as oil and machinery, according to Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Additionally, propaganda in the West is often used to justify wars. The enemy country is often dehumanized, as only the negative aspects of a country are portrayed, according to the American Historical Association. Thus, those who are not aware of the political climate surrounding those countries simply believe what they absorb on mass media. To combat the negative in-

fluence of propaganda, we must ourselves to take in diverse perintentionally expose ourselves spectives, we can create a safe ento a variety of perspectives. En- vironment for everyone around us, gaging with news sources that fostering community rather than division. challenge our preconceived notions can aid us to move past our own biases, getting a fresh p e rspective on issues. However, the power of perspective extends beyond mere intellectual exercise, as listening to both sides of a story fosters empathy and understanding. By enabling PAGE DESIGN BY ADAM ORRIN AND HELEN TAM

6 Opinion

College Board targets low-income students

Push for expanded AP testing is rooted in greed By Faith Watters

The College Board has been under scrutiny for many years due to its unethical practices and near monopoly on standardized exams, according to Forbes. Its recent decision to promote AP testing for low-income students is a perfect indication the company is prioritizing revenue over these students’ well-being. As many colleges become test optional, the College Board’s revenue from the SAT dropped drastically, according to its website. Meanwhile, the number of test takers dropped from 2.2 million in 2020 to 1.5 million in 2021, having been on the decline since 2006. In order to recoup the losses from the SAT, the College Board has turned to AP exams. Profit from exams has skyrocketed, totalling $500 million in 2022 — more than triple the profit from 2002. The number of low-income exam takers also jumped from 456,000 in 2013 to 695,000 in 2023, increasing by 52%. While the College Board claims that expanding AP access to low-income students is rooted in equity, the exam results say otherwise. 60% of low-income students fail every year compared to the 40% national average, a statistic that has not budged since 2000, according to Business Insider. AP tests discriminate against low-income students, as the tests historically rely less on in-class learning, and more on expensive private tutoring, according to AP News. Low-income students do not have access to this resource, putting them at an immense disadvantage. In addition to tutoring, AP classes

require hours of grueling studying. Many students work or look after siblings, and do not have extra time to put into AP tests. The College Board also claimed that students who failed had higher college enrollment rates. Since then, this claim has been labeled “junk science” by the American Educational Research Journal. There is no reason for a student to take an AP exam if they do not intend to enroll in a college, so it is unlikely that taking and failing an AP exam causes students to get into college. Furthermore, although the College Board reduces exam fees for low-income students, they still must cover over half the cost, while leaving the majority of these students with no college credit to show for it. Perhaps the most incriminating piece of evidence is the profit College Board rakes in despite its nonprofit status. It pays no taxes, yet through its monopoly on exams, the government paid it nearly $100 million in taxpayer dollars to cover low-income students’ exam fees in 2022 alone, according to The New York Times. Yet, with all this supposed investment, a majority of low-income students continues to fail AP exams. If the College Board wants to truly create equitable exams, it needs to invest in resources and tutoring support for low-income test takers. Without this, the College Board is setting these students up to fail, while it rakes in hundreds of millions of dollars as it consistently puts profit over students’ best interests.

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By pushing low-income students to take AP tests, the College Board is Photo by Kevin Miao reaping millions while students see little benefit.

February 9, 2024

The Epitaph

Letter to the editor This Letter to the Editor was written by Andrea Wald in response to the article titled ‘FUHSD to replace turf fields districtwide’ in Issue 3, published Dec. 15, 2023. To the editor: I appreciate that you looked into the issue of the district’s need to replace the old, worn out athletic fields at many of the district’s high schools, including Homestead, whose fields seem to be in the worst shape of all the schools. Superintendent Clark commented that “for a school district, we have to look at all the factors

involved and try to make the best decision for that.” This statement is correct, which is why it is surprising that the district is evaluating artificial turf and natural grass primarily through the lens of athletic needs. This is just one of many factors. Other factors that must be considered when evaluating natural grass over artificial turf include: (1) AT is bad for the environment, (2) Toxic chemicals used to make AT are making their way into our drinking water, (3) AT is worsening global warming, (4) AT is not recyclable.

SCCMA letter

More Community Perspectives

Scan the QR code to read the Santa Clara County Medical Association’s letter to the FUHSD board about artificial turf.

Read another letter to the editor in response to The Epitaph’s article about FUHSD replacing turf fields districtwide.

Our group, Community for Natural Play Surfaces, has evaluated all of these factors in our review of artificial turf versus natural grass. After that review, we concluded that natural grass is the best choice. The Santa Clara County Medical Association has also done a detailed analysis and similarly opposes the installation of artificial turf. As Superintendent Clark notes, many factors must be considered in this decision. When all of those factors are truly considered, it’s clear that the right choice is natural grass. We can’t wait til society catches up with science. It is our duty, the duty of the FUHSD board, and the duty of all other decision makers to ensure that student health is not treated like a game of roulette. Sincerely, Andrea Wald, parent of three HHS graduates and long time Sunnyvale resident

FAFSA boosts higher education Financial aid application levels the playing field By Jonathan Xue Filling out mindless, unending government paperwork is a constant in adult life, but not all such paperwork is negative. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid serves as a premonition of all the future forms seniors will fill out, but it also illustrates how such paperwork creates a more equitable nation. FAFSA is an application for federal financial aid benefits low-income and first-generation students. In accordance with the 2021-2022 California State Budget Act, all high schools are required to confirm that seniors have completed the form, making completion a graduation requirement, according to the California Student Aid Commission. FAFSA being mandatory will positively impact high school students by increasing awareness, expanding access and boosting utilization of federal financial aid. This new requirement ultimately aims to boost college enrollment, according to the Desert Sun, as more students will utilize available resources to fund their college education. Each year, millions of dollars worth of financial aid go unclaimed, which drastically affects the choices many seniors make for

their future education, according er know if you will qualify for aid, to the California Student Aid Com- even if it’s just a miniscule amount. mission. Greater awareness leads Additionally, many schools require to many more applications and FAFSA completion when applying claimed aid, which significantly in- for financial aid, so students who creases access to a college educa- do not apply may miss out on both tion, especially for first-generation federal and school resources, acand low-income students who may cording to the Federal Student Aid not be able to afford it without Office. Ultimately, FAFSA being manfederal financial aid, according to the California Student Aid Com- datory is a positive for students mission. coming from underprivileged A college education is more backgrounds. More students will important than ever for job pros- receive aid and attend college as a pects, and making FAFSA required result. Whether or not they qualify allows students to pursue better for aid, students should look past jobs, even if they may not be able the annoyance of completing FAFto afford college independently. As SA and understand that the graddegrees become more of uation requirement helps bring an expensive prerequiequal opportunity to all students. site, financial aid plays a pivotal role in maintaining equal economic opportunity for all. Although students with the financial support to pay for college must now complete this form, this mandatory policy is not designed to waste the time of those who will not qualify. Instead, it ensures that anyone who needs financial aid has the opportunity to receive it. ComIllustration by Faith Watters pleting the FAFSA is a Though tedious, FAFSA helps provide equal small task, and you nev- opportunity for all.

Open spaces, open places By Alan Ma A long-standing critique of public school education is that students do not receive sufficient individual attention from teachers. Tutorial periods have addressed this, giving students an opportunity to enjoy such one-on-one support. However, the current tutorial system fails its secondary purpose: providing students with space and time to make progress on schoolwork. Opening the I-Hub and quad to students during tutorial would solve this problem, leading to a healthier, more productive student body. Doing efficient work often requires a space free from distrac-

tions, and a classroom often is not such a space. During tutorial, there is constant chatter in many classrooms, typically from teachers answering questions or from students’ discussions. The I-Hub and quad would give more space for students to do their schoolwork, spreading students out across campus and making tutorials quieter. Opening up the quad for tutorial would especially benefit student wellness. Being in green space has significant positive effects on mental health, such as improved mood and a sense of meaning and purpose, according to the National Library of Medicine. Since lunch and brunch combined is only a little over an hour, students are barely able to spend time outside. The prolonged sedentary behavior students are forced to participate

in prevents them from being active, contributing to unsustainable lifestyles. Beyond the health benefits, even a little exposure to nature leads to higher task performance and enhanced creativity, according to the National Library of Medicine. For students, the day is spent sitting in the classroom, with the sun often going down only an hour or two after school. An open quad during tutorial would give students the chance to be outdoors while the sun is out, ultimately boosting productivity. The student body also supports this proposition, with 89% agreeing the I-Hub should be open and 77.5% agreeing the quad should be open, according to a survey of 148 students by The Epitaph. The survey also affirms classrooms have not been adequate

for doing schoolwork. On a ques- spaces, this is the perfect step to tion regarding how often students take for the sake of students’ acacomplete work during tutorial on a demic success and mental health. scale of one to 10, only 0.7% had a response above a “5”. Additionally, 69.3% and 60.1% of students said they would complete work in the quad and I-Hub, respectively. Opening the quad and I-Hub for tutorial would not be difficult, since a ticket system similar to the one implemented for the library could be easily established. A set amount of tickets would be given out as students entered the I-Hub or quad, and once tickets run out, the remaining students would have to spend tutorial in a classroom. HHS needs better work environments during tutorial, and the I-Hub and quad can minimize distractions and boost productivity. With a majority of students in sup- Being in classrooms for too long report of opening additional tutorial stricts students’ minds and bodies. PAGE DESIGN BY PARKER LIN AND BRIAN LING Illustration by Kevin Miao

I-Hub, quad should be open for tutorial

February 9, 2024

Closing a chapter

Service clubs allow students to impact others

By Amanda Boles

By Aviv Matas

From teacher group hangouts to students passionately advocating for him to stay amidst layoff notices, English teacher Gary Yoshida said he has had many memorable moments during his time on campus. After over 22 years of teaching at HHS, Yoshida said he is retiring to focus on his well-being and family after experiencing congestive heart failure. Though this past semester was his last, Yoshida said he appreciates being part of the amazing staff and is grateful to the school community for making his time teaching memorable. “The students are what kept me here and enjoying my career for all of these years, as well as the teachers I came in with,” Yoshida said. “We had a large group of [teachers] that would hang out all the time and even vacation together.” As someone who sees Gary Yoshida both in and out of the classroom, junior James Yoshida, Gary Yoshida’s son, said his father always creates a welcoming atmosphere. “He’s pretty outgoing with students and just willing to talk to them,” James Yoshida said. “He always has kids talking to him in his classes or in the hallways.” Sophomore Ainsley Ng, a student in Yoshida’s world literature class, said he remains authentic to his personality and always finds ways to incorporate his interests into class activities. “My favorite [activity] was a song analysis,” Ng said. “It was very unique, thinking about a

There are many upsides to volunteering, such as trying new things and building up college applications, California Scholarship Federation member, senior Alexa Ochoa said. Most importantly, Ochoa said joining a volunteering club allows her to make a tangible impact on her community. Key Club vice president of service, junior Angelina Cuan said many students join service clubs to earn hours for college applications or graduation cords. However, volunteering organizations provide much more, Cuan said, and it is important to realize the great value in volunteer work. “I enjoy bringing joy to the people I help,” Cuan said. “The fact I’m making a difference in the community gives me personal fulfillment. When people see us helping others as young students, it could inspire little kids and adults to say, ‘Oh, wow, these kids are really making a difference.”’ Red Cross president, senior Aditi Jayanth said she joined the club because it was a way to aid others. Jayanth said she enjoys witnessing the positive results of the volunteering she does as part of the organization. “My favorite aspect of volunteer work is the outcome,” Jayanth said. “After you help someone, whether it’s one on one, like at a blood drive, or helping the community, like cleaning up an area, the results and looking at your work or getting a thanks from a patient is what’s most impactful.” Ochoa said being part of CSF allows her to connect with her community by volunteering at local events. Since she has joined, Ochoa said she has learned about the different places she’s volun-

Photo by Alicia Liste

Teacher Gary Yoshida laughs with students during his last class period. song and breaking it down to figure out what it [meant].” Yoshida said he strives to provide his students with meaningful experiences in his classes. “I grew up in an era of ‘kill and drill’ teaching. It was like an assembly line where you were fed information and everyone was expected to learn and believe the same things,” Yoshida said. “I can only think of three teachers I had in high school that were personable and genuine, and I learned the most from them. I thought I could do better than other teachers. That’s what motivated me.” Yoshida said he has not had time to consider his retirement plans as it came up so suddenly, but is considering returning to old hobbies, such as fishing and playing golf, and has plans to keep attending his son’s basketball games. Though he is retired, Yoshida said he will always remain connected to our school. “My decision was difficult but necessary for me,” Yoshida said. “After my wife and son, my students are the best part of my day. So for all of my World Literature students that are reading this, I already miss you.”

A month of reflection

Shadrack Ayesiga (11)

The black students here, we’re all successful, and we’re human too. We are able to be successful like [students of] any other ethnicity or race at HHS, and hopefully people at least acknowledge that.

BSU celebrates Black History Month to spread awareness By Zeinab Rakhshandehroo As February dawns, Black Student Union prepares to celebrate Black History Month, junior, president Shadrack Ayesiga said. BSU plans to host various activities across campus to spread awareness, Ayesiga said. Including a spirit week, brunch and lunchtime activities and morning loudspeaker announcements, February will be filled with events to commemorate Black History Month, Ayesiga said. Through these, BSU hopes to impact students and connect with the school community, he said. Black History Month is an opportunity for HHS students and

Connecting clubs to community

Gary Yoshida retires after 22 years at HHS

Aiana Young (12)

Lifestyles

The Epitaph teered in, such as local elementary schools. “There is one lady, Denise, that I met at an event, and then I saw her again and she recognized me,” Ochoa said. “I was making connections. I get to meet new people and see new places.” Ochoa said volunteering in a service club is beneficial because she can choose to volunteer by herself or as a fun social activity with friends. Similarly, Jayanth said fun activities are a central part of accomplishing the Red Cross’s mission to encourage students to volunteer. “The Red Cross has had the most impact garnering interest in volunteering,” Jayanth said. “Because our reach each year is wide, we are able to make volunteering a fun activity.” Through this method, the club has acheived a lot, Jayanth said. Many of their efforts have focused on relief, like raising $700 during the Russia-Ukraine war and hosting a fundraiser to support blood banks, Jayanth said. Jayanth said the club’s goal is engaging HHS students in community service and the wellness of others.

Photos by Aviv Matas

Red Cross president, Aditi Jayanth said community service clubs should provide opportunities for members to engage with their community, like dog toy making or charity runs.

Black History Month is a dedicated time to recognize, celebrate, and reflect upon the contributions, achievements, and struggles of Black individuals throughout history, fostering awareness and understanding of their significant impact on society.

staff to learn more about the Black community and Black culture, BSU adviser Shay Bellamy said. “Black History Month is teaching people about Black history as well as American history,” Bellamy said. “Oftentimes, they try to erase it or pretend like it didn’t happen, but it’s a real thing and it’s still happening today. So it’s important to continue to draw attention to it, acknowledge it, and allow African American people to heal in some ways, as well as be acknowledged for the struggles that we’ve been through.” It is essential that people outside the Black community be exposed to and educated on these topics, Bellamy said. Black History Month highlights the issues and struggles the Black community faces, she said. “If these things are not acknowledged, there’s a saying that

history will repeat itself, so it’s imperative that people that are not African Americans still understand the importance of not putting us back in a space where it’s triggering to us or a situation where we feel like we need to be on defense,” Bellamy said. “We are in a school where there are not as many African American students as there are the other general population, and a lot of our students face a lot of racism.” In order to highlight these issues, BSU is working with administration to host an advisory on school expectations in regards to racism, principal Greg Giglio said. However, Black History Month is not only about the struggles the community faces, BSU vice president, senior Aiana Young said. Rather, Young said, it is a time to recognize the Black community and their accomplishments.

“As people go on with life, they tend to prioritize themselves,” Jayanth said. “But our world relies on volunteers to move forward and help people who are suffering, so we try to encourage being a good Samaritan.” Cuan said Key Club offers a variety of events where students can give back, such as making blankets for premature babies. Community service clubs also bring people together by growing the club’s reach using large-scale events, Cuan said. Nursing homes, homeless people and elementary school students are populations volunteer clubs help, Cuan said. “[Volunteering is] giving back to the community through acts of kindness to those who need them” Cuan said. “You gain a lot of experience by joining service clubs. If you get involved, you can make a really large difference in your community.”

Shay Bellamy, BSU adviser

Black culture is just like any other culture. We’re rich in our food, our music, our way of talk, our way of dress, our education and our motivation, just like everyone else. Infographic by

Zei

nab R a khsha “Black Hisndehroo tory Month is more about celebrating our excellence than the past,” Young said. “Of bright. We are talented. We are course, acknowledging what hap- unique. We’re trying to spread pened to us in the past and what this message so people can be happened to our ancestors [is im- aware that we’re more than they portant], but mainly, we’re cele- think we are.” brating Black excellence.” Ultimately, Ayesiga said Black Black History Month is also a History Month is a meaningful chance to break stereotypes and time of reflection and celebration, misperceptions about the Black and hopes it impacts the school community, Ayesiga said. BSU community. plans to utilize the month to “In celebrating Black History share their culture and identity in Month, let’s embrace the oppora meaningful way, Ayesiga said. tunity to recognize the richness “Most people, when they think of the Black community’s contriof Black people, they think of butions, fostering an environment slavery,” Ayesiga said. “[But] I am of understanding, empathy, and more than that. That’s what we’re unity as we reflect on the past, trying to show people, that we’re appreciate the present, and work more than what people think we together for a more inclusive and are. We are excellent. We are equitable future,” Ayesiga said. PAGE DESIGN BY SANAH ARYA AND FAITH WATTERS

Celebrating Lunar New Year

8 In-Depth

The Epitaph

Connecting to culture

Ox :

More than just Jan. 1st Students’ New Years’ celebrations from around the world

Photo courtesy of Cindy Wang

Jan. 14, 2024

“For a lot of Orthodox Christians, they haven’t moved off of the Julian Calendar. So all of the celebrations are still according to that calendar, which includes Christmas, and, in this case, New Year’s, as well. We have Photo by Nicole Kim Serbian doughnuts, and inside there is one coin. [Eating the donut with the coin] is supposed to be good luck, and [this year] I found the coin, so I’m very happy about that.” - Natasha Zivkovic (12)

ou ?

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Traditions from around Asia China:

P ig :

- Nancy Qian (11)

South Korea:

2006

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“There are a bunch of traditions that we follow to have prosperity throughout the new year. The day before Lunar New Year you clean the house, and if after Lunar New Year you’re late to something, it’s bad luck and you are going to be late to all your other future events. For me, my favorite part is throwing the little firecrackers on the ground and hearing them [pop].”

- Thien-Mai Vu (11)

“During breakfast or lunch, we definitely eat a lot more traditional food, such as japchae, which is a side dish that Koreans normally don’t eat unless there is a special occasion. We also eat tteokguk, which is my family’s tradition to always eat because it means that ‘hey, another year has passed, congratulations.’”

Oct. 2 – 4, 2024

“There are definitely cultural foods that you eat, [according to] superstitions. For example, dumplings represent money and wealth, and fish represents prosperity. [One of my favorite memories] was going back to mainland China for New Year’s. All the streets are decorated and everyone goes home, so there’s a sense of community.”

“We celebrate New Year’s Eve on Diwali, where we welcome the goddess Lakshmi into our house and ask her for good fortune. [My family] makes rangolis, which are art forms that you make using powder and beads Photo by Alicia Liste to make different shapes. My grandmother also makes lots of sweets. One of my favorites is magaj, which is made of chickpea flour, sugar, cardamom powder and pistachio and almond on top. We also go to the temple to pray.” - Aaroushi Sheth (9)

Nov. 2, 2024

The NCHS club gathers to celebrate Lunar New Year with a potluck. Celebrating as a community is an important part of the holiday, Wang said.

2007

Lunar New Year is a celebration of the beginning of a new year on the lunar calendar, a 15-day-long holiday that typically falls within the end of January and the beginning of February, according to Wake Forest University. The most popular celebration in Asia, the holiday welcomes good fortune for the upcoming year, according to National Geographic. HHS students share how they celebrate their New Year holidays.

While Lunar New Year is often referred to as Chinese New Year, the holiday is celebrated by many countries, each with their own unique traditions, KSA president senior Seoyoon Hwang said. “All cultures celebrate the holiday really differently,” Hwang said. “Knowing that each Asian culture celebrates it differently is pretty important because stories between each culture are so different.” In Korean culture, specifically, Hwang said, people spend a lot of time with their relatives during Lunar New Year, emphasizing the importance of family. “We eat good food during Lunar New Year and share good fortune,” Hwang said. “The food part is pretty important because the whole family makes the food together and eats it.” Similarly, sophomore Franklin Nguyen said his family typically gathers at his grandparents’ house to eat dinner together and celebrate the holiday. In Vietnamese culture Lunar New Year is celebrated by playing games with family, Nguyen said. “After we eat dinner, we get red envelopes, which contain money,” Nguyen said. “We give $5 each [to the game], and then whoever wins gets all the money.” In Chinese culture, people are supposed to go home to see their relatives during Lunar New Year, senior, NCHS cultural director Cindy Wang said. “A lot of times people live in bigger cities rather than where they’re from, so it’s an opportunity to have everyone come back because sometimes it’s really difficult to,” Wang said. “[Lunar New Year] is an excuse to [spend] more time together.” Additionally, elders often give children red envelopes with money inside for Lunar New Year, Wang said. The holiday marks the start of a new zodiac year, which is represented with a different animal, Wang said. Her family often decorates the house with banners of the year’s zodiac animal, Wang said. “Last year was the year of the rabbit, so we had banners with fluffy rabbits on them that I put on my door for the whole year,” Wang said. “We also put more of the color red around the house.” Food is also a big facet in celebrating the holiday, Hwang said. In terms of food, eating dduk guk, rice cake soup, is a

By Alicia Liste, Harshitha Vijayakumar and Evelyn Wang

common tradition in Korean culture and has a story attached to it, Hwang said. “Depending on how many bowls of rice cake soup you eat, it represents how old you’re getting,” Hwang said. “When you eat rice cake soup, it shows you are getting a year older. So as a kid, I would eat more than my sister and say ‘I’m older than you’ and I would brag about it to her.” Nguyen said his grandparents make sticky rice for him and his family during Lunar New Year—a food commonly eaten during the holiday in Vietnamese culture. Although Wang said people tend to celebrate Lunar New Year less in the United States than they do in China, experiencing the holiday still helps her connect with her culture. Similarly, Hwang said celebrating Lunar New Year fosters her relationship with her cultural identity. “It definitely makes me feel more connected to my culture since I’m spending the whole time with family, talking, playing traditional games or eating good foods,” Hwang said.

Students share diverse customs of Lunar New Year

2024: The year of the dragon

In-Depth

“Rosh Hashanah is a big holiday in [Judaism]. We go to shul and pray. We eat certain foods like apples and honey to represent a sweet new year. We [also eat] round bread to represent the roundness of the new year and how it’s full circle. Traditionally, animal heads are used to represent the head of the new year, but we eat the heads off of gummy bears [instead].” - David Brill (9)

Photo by Alicia Liste

- Anna Chong (10)

PAGE DESIGN BY ALICIA LISTE, HARSHI VIJAYAKUMAR AND EVELYN WANG ILLUSTRATIONS BY MAYA DUTT, ALICIA LISTE AND FAITH WATTERS

Celebrating Lunar New Year

8 In-Depth

The Epitaph

Connecting to culture

Ox :

More than just Jan. 1st Students’ New Years’ celebrations from around the world

Photo courtesy of Cindy Wang

Jan. 14, 2024

ou ?

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Traditions from around Asia China:

P ig :

- Nancy Qian (11)

South Korea:

2006

Vietnam:

ter: 20

o D

- Thien-Mai Vu (11)

Oct. 2 – 4, 2024

Nov. 2, 2024

The NCHS club gathers to celebrate Lunar New Year with a potluck. Celebrating as a community is an important part of the holiday, Wang said.

2007

By Alicia Liste, Harshitha Vijayakumar and Evelyn Wang

Students share diverse customs of Lunar New Year

2024: The year of the dragon

In-Depth

Photo by Alicia Liste

- Anna Chong (10)

PAGE DESIGN BY ALICIA LISTE, HARSHI VIJAYAKUMAR AND EVELYN WANG ILLUSTRATIONS BY MAYA DUTT, ALICIA LISTE AND FAITH WATTERS

Lifestyles

The Epitaph

February 9, 2024

Celebrating diversity with samosas and spaghetti

A scientist in the making

MBSA provides community support for multiracial students

By Parth Dhaulakhandi and Kevin Miao

represents diverse backgrounds, makes it a community for anyone, Steel said. “It’s awkward to be biracial and join stuBy Malar Raguraman and dent associations, because you’re not 100% Catherine Yang included in everything,” Steel said. “It’s hard to relate to things that they say.” Despite this, MBSA is a community for As one enters a Multiracial and Biracial Student Association meeting, they are greet- all students, and also welcomes those who ed by a small, comfortable group of kids do not identify as multiracial, sophomore laughing at an image of a samosa stuffed member Abigail Jean Walden said. “Personally, I’m not multiracial,” Walden with spaghetti. From the moment one steps in, this is a place hard to leave, from the peo- said. “But being a part of MBSA has helped ple giggling over rice crackers dipped in hot me gain perspective because I’ve never sauce to the officers presenting imaginative thought about what being multiracial is like.” Though MBSA is still in the process of food combinations. The MBSA is a safe place for students determining logistics and future plans, Steel to express their struggles concerning race, said she has learned so much as an officer. “It showed me how many people at HHS co-president, sophomore Iona Sangrujee said. With a low percentage of students are biracial and how we are not alone in being multiracial, according to our school feeling left out from certain communities,” profile, Sangrujee and her co-president, Steel said. “It’s a community that everyone sophomore Ainsley Ng said they wanted to can relate to in a way.” MBSA officers hope to make the club a create a place where people felt comfortable platform to emotionally support the multirasharing their multiracial identities. “The club wants to create a community cial community, Sangrujee said. To do this, for multiracial students and discuss topics they encourage open discussion on reprethat are uncomfortable to talk about other- sentation in media, Sangrujee said. The club balances serious topics with wise,” Sangrujee said. “It’s like the Taiwanese more light-hearted activities, Walden said. Student Association or other racial clubs.” “At first, officers introduce a positive take In MBSA, students learn about other cultures and races while also raising awareness on the issue they’re presenting, and give us examples of multiracial pioneers,” Walden to these cultures’ coexistence, Ng said. Similarly, MBSA brings awareness to the said. “Later, we have snacks from different challenges that come with being multira- cultures that pertain to what was presented.” The welcoming atmosphere of the club cial, MBSA secretary, sophomore Nora Steel said. The unique nature of the club, which encourages students to discuss personal experiences concerning Photo by Catherine Yang race, Ng said. The club’s practice of sharing food at each meeting encourages them to plan socials for interested students, Ng said. Ultimately, MBSA is a place for students to feel safe, Ng said, and she hopes the club will positively impact students and the community. “In our meetings we give students an opportunity to open up and get those things off their chests,” Ng said. “I don’t Officers hand out snacks during their mini-potlucks at the end of think people realize how much that helps.” each meeting, sophomore member Abigail Jean Walden said.

Senior places in top 40 of national science competition

project across several labs,” Chakravarthy said. “There were multiple professors advising [me,] and I thought it was a cool project that would certainly have impacts on the development of neurodegenerative disease therapeutics.” Leena Vakil, Chakravarthy’s mother, said that though she does not understand the technical aspects of her son’s project, she tries to provide motivation and support. “I’ve always told Arnav, and not just for [this competition,] to give his best shot at whatever he does,” Vakil said. “However cliché it sounds, sometimes we all attempt things half-heartedly. We are tired, we give up, but for things like this, which matter to him, I have told him to give his full focus and do his best.” Chakravarthy said he hopes to continue expanding on this project to help understand certain degenerative brain diseases that are not well known. This recognition from such a prestigious group has given him a sign that he is on the right path with his career and has fueled his motivation to keep going, Chakravarthy said. “[Before, only] you think your research means something, but now esteemed scientists also believe that your research means something,” Chakravarthy said. “It gives you the message that you are doing a good job and to keep going. It was an encouragement to keep pushing onwards in the boundaries of whatever biology I know.”

After researching neurodegenerative disease therapeutics for almost two years, senior Arnav Chakravarthy was named a finalist in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science competition, on Jan. 24. He received recognition as one of the top 40 students in America for his commendable research, Chakravarthy said. “[Getting this recognition validates] my research in terms of making it come to a point where I’m proud of what I’ve done,” Chakravarthy said. “I have never been happier in my life. It [validates] my research in a way where people believe in what I’m doing and believe in me as a future scientist.” Chakravarthy said his research will help with macrophage-targeted therapies and fight against neurodegenerative diseases, which include Alzheimer’s and liver degenerative diseases. He said he will be awarded at least $25,000 for qualifying as a finalist in the competition, and that he could earn up to $250,000 if he placed first. Chakravarthy’s achievement was recognized by science department lead Dara Alleyene-Levy, his AP biology teacher, who Chakravarthy said supported his journey in biology. Levy said reaching such a high level of accomplishment showcases Chakravarthy’s curiosity and passion for science, especially given how involved he is with STEM. “I’m always really impressed by his initiative,” Levy said. “[I’m also impressed by] how much time he spends on things that are interesting to him. He does a lot of research outside of school to make things happen.” Besides being proud of his accomplishment, Chakravarthy said it is rewarding to know his research could have real-world implications and practicality. In addition, Chakravarthy said Regeneron is a great way to display his professional research skills and receive recognition his pasPhoto courtesy of Arnav Chakravarthy sions. Senior Arnav Chakravarthy said the award helped him realize “I just love research, and I have been working on the his talent for research can benefit the world.

Music affects lives across continents K-pop connects students to Korean culture By Elena Shim and Mackie Vu Just as K-pop is popular among Koreans, non-Koreans can also take part in listening to the genre, Korean Student Association and KREW officer, sophomore Vivian Kim said. In fact, despite the potential language barrier, about 90% of all K-pop listeners live outside South Korea, according to The New York Times. K-pop enthusiast, junior Robin Fischer, a member of the K-pop dance club KREW, said K-pop is a form of music that is impactful to all communities and transcends the language barrier. Being unable to understand Korean does not take away from the experience of the music, Fischer said. “I like it when I don’t understand the music because I mainly focus on the melody and the beat,” Fischer said. “The overall vibe of the music is more important to me than [the] lyrics.” Unlike Western pop, Fischer said K-pop incorporates choreography into their songs. The cho-

reographies allow fanbases to be more involved with the music, creating a strong community, Fischer said. “Going home and learning your favorite dance from your favorite song is something you can participate in as a fanbase,” Fischer said. “Also, you can record videos of you dancing and you can make a little community out of it like KREW.” Kim said one of KREW’s central goals is to spread K-pop to non-listeners through school performances. “Before I joined KREW, I heard there was a K-pop dance group but I wasn’t thinking about joining them,” Kim said. “When I watched their performances, there were a lot of different vibes from what I expected. Those different vibes give people [motivation] to join [because they think] ‘Oh I think I can do that too.’” Fischer said KREW performances, such as those held in the quad, allow students to expand their perspectives of K-pop. The music genre has a lot of depth and diversity, which many people don’t know about, Fischer said. “There is generally a negative view on K-pop, especially because of big bands like BTS and BLACKPINK,” Fischer said. “[There are]

“I have a lot of friends who other cool, smaller bands that impact on Kim, as the music helps are non-Korean, and seeing them people thoroughly enjoy and listen her destress, she said. “K-pop is like a friend to me or listening to K-pop and singing to daily. Being able to dance [to songs] in the quad can give every- a teacher, because it taught me the lyrics was surprising because one a performance that is like ‘Oh many life lessons — not physically Korean is not an easy language wow, [K-pop] is a lot more than but through lyrics and melodies,” to speak,” Kim said. “I’m very atKim said. “K-pop taught me how tached to my Korean culture, so just widely known groups.’” KREW member, junior Ayako to move on, solve problems and when they speak Korean or when Matsuda said that although she is just [helped me] to be comforted.” we sing together, it makes me feel Kim said she sees the impact of more familiar and close with them. not Korean, K-pop inspired her to begin learning Korean two years K-pop in her day-to-day life, espe- I’m happy that Korean culture is ago to understand what idols were cially in a school as diverse as ours. spreading.” saying in more depth Photo by Mackie Vu than what subtitles give. Her passion for the language and K-pop eventually expanded and led her to explore the Korean culture itself. “I used to be mostly just into the K-pop industry, but going [to Korea] has opened my eyes to their interesting culture and people,” Matsuda said. “I had a good time communicating with the people there, and it has made me more motivated to continue learning the language.” KREW practices for their upcoming Valentine’s day quad performance. Sophomore K-pop also has a Vivian Kim said one of KREW’s goals is to spread K-pop through school performances. significant emotional PAGE DESIGN BY NATHAN GU

February 9, 2024

The Epitaph

Lifestyles

Managing stress on the job

Selecting student leaders

Staff discuss mitigating stressful workdays

Leadership adviser, students discuss ways to join ASB

By Nathan Gu and Catherine Yang

By Annie Guo, Naaga Senthil and Veronica Zhao

Teaching is undoubtedly a rewarding job; however, it is often accompanied by its silent companion — stress, principal Greg Giglio said. “Everybody [deals with] stress,” Giglio said. “There’s no job or person in the world who doesn’t have any stress. It’s just what kind of stress you’re willing to live with and can manage.” Like Giglio, Matthew Guevara, a math teacher who teaches six total geometry and precalculus honors classes, said he chose to give two of his precalculus honors classes to his student teacher, Axel Amzallag, due to the excessive pressure. “No one became a teacher and said, ‘It’s going to be the easiest job in the world.’ It’s a stressful job by nature,” Guevara said. “The most stressful thing is planning [the curriculum] at the beginning of the year. The dayto-day rigor and the grind of it all adds to [my] stress levels.” On top of students, Giglio said he also faces stress from dealing with other members of the HHS community. “I manage 2200 kids and 200 adults, plus the 5000 parents and that’s a variety of people [who] can bring in issues,” Giglio said. “It could be a complaint, it could be something not functioning well and [it’s also] stressful to deal with a person’s anger.” Outside of his typical responsibilities as a principal, Giglio said the increased number of sick teachers and staff, especially during the winter time, adds to some of his stress. “[When] there are staff members who are out sick or not around, we [have to] cover classes [and] run around doing things [while] fire alarms go off [or other similar situations],” Giglio said. To mitigate his stress, Guevara said he likes to keep his work at HHS to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

From hosting rallies to helping the school run smoothly, students in the leadership class work to implement positive changes on campus, ASB Treasurer, junior Sophie Park said. The leadership elective is known by most of the student body and yet, little know how the class is run or how students are elected or interviewed, Park said. To obtain certain competitive positions within leadership, students must go through the process of campaigning and promoting their ideas and visions for the school to others, leadership adviser Jessica Kirby said. During the campaigning process, candidates typically walk around campus and talk to voters about their campaign ideas and goals as a candidate, Park said. Though the process of campaigning is nerve-wracking, Park said each time she did it, the experience got better and she was able to step more out of her comfort zone. “It’s always a bit scary to put yourself out there, but you can still find a lot of unexpectedly beautiful things about the experience and meet a lot of amazing new people,” Park said. “I connected with people I wouldn’t have met otherwise and Photo by Mikha Pilar spoke with students about their visions for the school.” Moreover, another way students are accepted into the class is through interviewing the remaining students who didn’t get elected, Kirby said. This year, Kirby said a goal of hers is to hold elections earlier and interview all students who applied. “[Interviewing all students] is a good way to make sure that everyone Adviser Jessica Kirby presents during class. Kirby said stuhas an opportunity [and dents must be willing and excited to be a part of leadership.

Photo by Nathan Gu

English teacher Adrian McMahon said he focuses on teaching the class as a whole and hopes to have enough time to help individual students. “I have a rule [that] as soon as I leave that [classroom] door, I don’t think about work unless I have to,” Guevara said. “I try to keep a good balance between work and home life.” To keep his balance between a rigorous work schedule and a healthy life of walking, teaching and playing music, McMahon said he emphasizes time management. “I think time management is really hard since it’s like being a student again,” McMahon said. “There are times when you’re free and overloaded. [Working with students] takes up a lot of time, so [it’s a] problem especially when you get a big class, like British Literature and Writing, which is over 30 students.” “I found that when I make time for myself, the rest took care of itself,” McMahon said, “but I had to give myself permission to walk and play music.”

that] all students have access and that they are not the same every year,” Kirby said. “It gives students who don’t feel very popular an opportunity to have a voice in a place that doesn’t always allow for that kind of access.” English Learning Commissioner, junior Thien-Mai Vu said her interviewing process was different because she was picked by the people who lead the EL program instead of the leadership teacher selecting her. “The difference between being interviewed [into] positions and campaigning is that [with] campaigning, you have to put yourself out there and talk to more people because you’re trying to convince a whole population,” Vu said. “In an interview, you tell them your ideas and they ask you why you think you’re fit for the position and what experiences you have.” The final way students can enter the class is through selection by Kirby, she said. Kirby said there have been situations where she has selected students for an additional position she had open; however, this is extremely rare. “If I think a student is unique and they would bring something different to our class, I consider them because I feel like it’s important to make space for all voices and backgrounds,” Kirby said. “I want my class to represent the demographic of Homestead and I want every voice to be heard.”

Climate change and homelessness are some pressing issues seniors want candidates to address.

PAGE DESIGN BY ANDREW FEKETE

Arts & Culture

First Date Red Flags Don’t make these mistakes on the first date, or it may be your last.

1) Showing up late

Infographic -w:h is 1:2

Punctuality is the key to a good first date — a one-sided wait is no way to start a conversation! In fact, maybe even arrive a few minutes early.

2) On your phone

Nobody likes a narcissist, especially one who won’t even listen to what you have to say. A two-sided conversation is key to a good first date!

4) Being rude to staff

Whether it’s dinner or a movie, a date who is not polite to workers is an immediate red flag. It’s not that hard to have manners and treat employees with respect.

5) Having bad breath Taking care of how you come across isn’t that complicated. Bad breath is a clear indication of improper self-care and cleanliness.

6) Moving too fast

Rushing into intimacy or making significant commitments too soon can potentially hinder the development of a genuine connection. Move at a gradual pace. Infographic by Ella Chan, Helen Tam and Annabelle Yip

Let’s face it, manga is sexist Manga, anime promote misogynistic stereotypes By Maya Dutt I used to be a huge fan of manga and anime. In middle school, I would binge “HunterxHunter,” speed-read “Demon Slayer” and discover obscure titles like “Gunjou” and “Rainbow.” While I got accustomed to the quirks of the genre, there was one thing I never got used to: the misogyny. Many are familiar with anime girls. Most have huge eyes, curvy figures and no personality. These characters are used for fan service, where they are sexualized to attract viewers. The character Lucy from “Fairy Tail” is a well-known example of fan service. She is a minor, but wears revealing clothes which get torn off in fights for straight male viewers’ enjoyment. This encourages the objectification of women and minors, which is especially dangerous in the United States, where sexual harassment is already a significant issue. Meanwhile, in “Death Note,” the female lead, Misa, is more powerful than the male lead. However, she falls in love with him despite his callous behavior and makes him powerful at her own expense. Women do not act like this, but Misa’s behavior is shown as normal and ideal. As a result, men come to expect this behavior from women and lash out when they don’t meet these expectations. While female character design in manga is frustrating, male char-

Another chance at glory “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” masterfully retells a preteen favorite By Malar Raguraman When the movie adaptations of the first two books in the “Percy Jackson” series were released, I was appalled by the huge differences in plot, characters and overall themes. In contrast, the new TV series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” released on Dec. 19, makes smaller changes that improve characterization in the show. Opting for a TV series instead of a movie is perfect for “Percy Jackson,” as it allows for the creation of a detailed demigod world. The show provides a comprehensive explanation of Greek mythology, examining relationships between characters. The slow pacing of the episodes, which correspond to chapters of the book, allows for focus on each character, which the infamous movies failed to do.

When comparing the TV series to its written counterpart, there are many minute differences. Surprisingly, these changes provide additional depth and enhance the personalities of each character. The series follows Percy Jackson, the son of the Greek god Poseidon, who embarks on a quest with two comrades: Annabeth Chase, another demigod, and Grover Underwood, a satyr. In the show’s fifth episode, Percy, Annabeth and Grover are forced to help Ares, the god of war. Ares demands that he keeps Grover as collateral, a scene that wasn’t in the original book. While Percy and Annabeth help Ares, Grover tries to force information out of him by expressing his admiration for his power, even listing some of his favorite wars in history. This particular scene creates an unexpected contrast and depth for Grover’s character. While he may be a nature and peace-loving satyr, viewers realize that he recognizes

Photo from Disney+

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” provides enough backstory to appeal to more than fans of the original book series.

acters’ behavior is equally disgustThough I have moved on, ing. Sexual harassment is used for many fans defend manga’s sexist comedic effect and played off as traditions as an “integral” part of normal behavior. the genre. However, if manga can In “Naruto,” the main charac- only be defined by its misogynistic ter is a pervert. He grabs womens’ trademarks, it is not worth saving. breasts, peeks into girls’ showers Though manga gives us amazand makes clones of pretty, naked ing characters, complex storylines women. Worse still, his 50-year-old and fight scenes, it also represents mentor, Jiraiya, encourages and women in a problematic light. In joins his perverted escapades. It is a society that is grappling with its supposed to be funny, but misogynistic past, remember ation by M aya ust r an authority figure prothe power of the entertainIll moting rape culture is ment industry and how it extremely dangerous. can perpetuate prejudiced Oddly enough, I ideas. was not seriously When you read or impacted by this watch your favorite misogyny when mangas and animes, I was younger. I think about the Lurolled my eyes at cys, Misas and Narutos Lucy’s fan service, of the story. Instead of dismissed Misa as defending them, reca dumb girl and ognize the misogyny laughed at Naruto’s ingrained into them. antics. The problemSupport feminist manatic nature of these ga, educate others characters did not and never put up with dawn on me until these characters again. much later. utt

3) Only talking about yourself

February 9, 2024

Starting a date with someone who can’t even make eye contact because they’re glued to their screen is never fun. Put the phone down and let the real connection form!

The Epitaph

Revealing outfits and relentless fan service appeal to a limited audience and promote harmful ideas.

‘Anyone But You’ is anything but dull Romantic comedy has great casting, humor By Aviv Matas

and respects the role of war and chaos within nature. While the series creates beautifully intricate characters, it has faced significant controversy surrounding the cast. Annabeth Chase, described as blond and gray-eyed in the book, is played by Leah Sava Jeffries, a Black actress. This not only prompted a massive number of racist comments, but also raised concerns about how Jeffries could properly play Annabeth. The book introduces her as a character who resents being assumed to be a “dumb blond,” and critics weren’t sure how this would be presented throughout the show. Nevertheless, I believe Jeffries accurately portrays Annabeth’s character as intimidating and serious. While the show may not focus on why Annabeth has these traits, she still radiates the same level of intensity and authority that make her a unique character. Additionally, mostly ignoring the reason Annabeth is this way allowed directors to explore who she is and her relationship with her goddess mother, Athena, more deeply. “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” creates complex, incredibly relatable characters that bring the story to another level. Despite controversies and criticism, this new TV adaptation has brought my favorite childhood characters on screen in the most natural way. TV Series: “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” Grade: A. Rated TV-PG. Watch on Disney+.

On the other hand, I appreciated the Shakespearean addition of witty exchanges of words between the movie’s couples and the improbable situations the characters were put in. One instance is during a dramatic helicopter rescue of Ben and Bea, when Bea is forced to sing Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” to ease Ben’s fear of heights. The song stands out because of Sweeney’s out-oftune performance, which serves to break tension and further bonds the pair, preserving the flow. The movie’s clever casting also contributes to compelling scenes like this one. In particular, the chemistry between the lead actors makes the film stand out among other romantic comedies. I could feel the hatred and romance between Ben and Bea through the screen, engaging my interest in their relationship. While some jokes fall flat, the witty dialogue and chemistry between actors ultimately redeem the movie. I recommend watching this rom-com with friends for a lighthearted and enjoyable time, even though it may not reach extraordinary heights.

While a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” may sound boring, I can assure you it is not. I was amused by the humor and storyline of Will Gluck’s new movie “Anyone But You,” released on Dec. 22. The movie begins when law student Bea, played by Sydney Sweeney, and financial analyst Ben, played by Glen Powell, meet and share an instant connection. However, the pair quickly break it off on bad terms and the movie skips to six months later, when Bea’s sister is getting engaged to Ben’s best friend’s sister. Despite these initial challenges, Bea spots an opportunity for her and Ben to benefit from staging a fake relationship. It works, as Bea triumphantly halts her parents’ attempts to set her up with an ex-fiance and Ben succeeds in making his ex jealous. However, Bea and Glen’s plan falls apart when they develop genuine feelings for each other. The rom-com finds ways to weave in comedy, both with clumMovie: “Anyone But You” siness and finesse. Although many Grade: B+. Rated R. jokes are well written, nudity is the Watch in theaters or on HBO butt of many others. One examPhoto from Chicago Sun-Times ple is when Ben finds a spider in his clothes, strips down naked and bares his rear to the audience — the joke simply falls flat. In my opinion, cheaper jokes landed worse than the others, and the movie could have benefited from Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell show off remarkable talent in their roles. their exclusion. PAGE DESIGN BY AVIV MATAS

February 9, 2024

Illustration by Nicole Pimenta Innecco

AI voice replication technology impersonates real actors by mimicking recordings of voice actors.

Photo courtesy of Netflix

By Adam Orrin Screams echo through the cabin of the plane. Seats are thrown forward as people fly out of the back. All that is left is the plane’s wreckage and the Old Christians Club rugby team, stranded in the Andes with nothing but limited supplies and their faith in God. On Dec. 13, “Society of the Snow,” the second film adaptation of Pablo Vierci’s book “Alive,” was released to critical acclaim. The original film was made in Spanish, featuring a cast of foreign actors that I got to see for the first time. “Society of the Snow” keeps some of its most powerful and meaningful lines in Spanish, even in the English dub. This allows the film to represent authentic Spanish conversations without disengaging its English-speaking audience. After the crash, the team’s ideologies are seriously challenged as they question how far they will go to preserve their lives. The film takes a deep look into their struggles with their faith and beliefs.

“Society of the Snow” creates a bittersweet story of perseverance through the masterful performances of its cast. The struggle with faith ultimately hits a climax when the group runs out of food, igniting an intense moral dilemma. As they ask themselves if they would rather starve to death or eat those who have died, I feel their struggle to survive, contemplating how steadfastly I would adhere to such beliefs. It is heartbreaking to see the men lose their teammates, who had become akin to family while lost in the Andes. As they are forced to eat the only people who could stand with them during their struggle, I felt true empathy. I felt the most sadness during

Numa’s death. A quiet, caring team member, he lets the group use his body to survive. Before he dies, he writes to them, “There is no greater love than that which gives one’s life for one’s friends,” a moment that drove me to tears. The film delivers a message of hope and love through the team’s camaraderie. Instead of falling victim to the common faults found in other survival movies, “Society of the Snow” pushes viewers to feel for the team. Movie: “Society of the Snow.” Grade: A. Rated R. Watch on Netflix.

A half step toward progress Casting only multiracial actors of color creates false narrative By Lindsey Steel For decades, Hollywood has bound Asian Americans to the same tropes — the tiger parents, geeks and perpetual outsiders. While films like “Everything Everywhere All At Once” defied these restrictions, Asian people are continually put on the sidelines. Hollywood makes it blatantly evident that unless these actors are made to be as close to palatable whiteness as possible, their stories are unwanted. In recent years, characters like Paxton Hall-Yoshida in “Never Have I Ever” or Nick Young in “Crazy Rich Asians” have stolen the hearts of audiences. These actors, as well as Charles Melton, Henry Golding and Ross Butler are all consistently portrayed as romantic leads, and coincidentally, are also all multiracial. In an industry where appearance is everything, Hollywood is making abundantly clear the more white-adjacent an

actor is, the more desirable they space for non-mixed people of colwill be. or, whose voices are just as deservDespite increased representa- ing of being heard. tion for Asian Americans in HolAny commitment to diversity is lywood, these roles emphasize commendable, but representation proximity to whiteness, as over cannot be achieved until everyone half of Asian female characters’ is embraced. Though progress has love interests were white men, been made, people of color are according to a study by USC. In still overlooked and undermined in doing so, Hollywood is establish- the entertainment industry. If Holing whiteness as the norm, while lywood is truly dedicated to levelanything other than that is seen as ing the playing field, it is critical less valuable. for non-white actors to stand All parts of the Asian American alongside their community should be represent- white couned, not just those most appealing terparts. to white audiences. When people cannot turn on the TV and see someone who looks like them, they are told that their features and experiences are not worthy of acknowledgement. Although casting mixed actors is a step in the right direction, non-mixed people of color should be able to tell their own stories on the big screen through their characters. It is critical we continue to see mixed characters on screen, as they can address the struggles unique to their lives. None- Asian American romantic interests are theless, Hollywood must leave often portrayed by multiracial actors.

I used to believe that no matter what the future of technology had in store, artistic fields could never be replaced. That thought now feels naive. Since the release of Chat GPT, I have anxiously observed the use of AI expand into areas I never thought possible. AI can now write opinion pieces, create imaginative drawings and, as of recently, voice act in video games. On Jan. 9, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced a deal with AI voice technology company Replica Studios. This deal allows digital replicas of consenting union members’ voices to be used in video games, according to Fox Business. With this deal, SAG-AFTRA is clearly attempting to increase the job security of screen actors by sacrificing less prestigious fields like video game acting. However, with this seemingly small action, SAG-AFTRA opened the door to voice replication being used across all mediums, including animation, documentaries and commercials. Replica CEO Shreyas Nivas claimed this agreement would only affect actors who consent to the use of their voices. This is not true. If even one actor agrees to such terms, studios will start choosing artificial intelligence over real actors to save money. Eventually, more actors will agree to license their voices for smaller sums of money due to economic competition. Even a partial AI takeover would induce widespread damage in a field as unstable as acting. Lots of

‘Society of the Snow’ invites viewers to question their beliefs

ration by Faith Watter

By Nicole Pimenta Innecco

voice work falls to working-class people in the already precarious industry, according to Tim Friedlander, president of the National Association of Voice Actors. Replacing voice actors with AI would also further discourage anyone from trying to enter the field. Gigs like voice acting often offer a foot in the door for talented people who are looking to make a name for themselves. Nepotism is already prevalent in the industry, as seen with Robert Downey Jr, Angelina Jolie and thousands of other famous actors whose parents were in the industry. AI could make this phenomenon worse by eliminating the ways in which those without connections find their way in. Apart from new talent being halted, voice-generation technology could harm the appreciation for the medium. The more this technology replaces, the more the creativity and variety of voice acting will dwindle. Voice replication cannot make up new inflections or accents for characters, make pauses in their speech for dramatic or comedic effect or do the thousands of other things voice actors have learned while honing their craft. Voice acting will not be the same without these slight variations, a skill actors have perfected. Voice acting is an art and should be treated as such. Projects that choose to replace it with disingenuous voices are taking away part of the elevated experience they provide in video games and other media. Acting is yet another area AI has ventured into and yet another place where it should be stopped. Usage restricts both the ingenuity of the medium and the freedom of the actors. The arts are better off left to those with the genuine capacity for creativity: humans.

Persevering against the odds

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AI finds latest victim: the gaming industry SAG-AFTRA deal on video game voice acting is a slippery slope

Arts & Culture

The Epitaph

TikTok drags unready tweens into the adult world lief that such products are the key to conforming to societal beauty standards. To shield the younger demographic from premature exposure to the adult world, the effects of TikTok trends on tweens need to be addressed through strictly enforced age requirements on various social media platforms. By affecting tweens’ physical and emotional we l l - b e i n g and taking away from their childTweens often model hood experitheir behavior off of oldences, these er influencers, leading trends hurt to indulgence in trends them in catered toward an older more ways demographic. than one. PAGE DESIGN BY MALAR RAGURAMAN AND JONATHAN XUE ation by Amanda Boles

As I walk into Sephora, the makeup store bustles with patrons. However, contrary to my expectations, many of the shoppers are not the expected adults. Instead, they are young tweens, purchasing makeup and skincare items from brands such as Charlotte Tilbury, Summer Fridays, Glow Recipe and Drunk Elephant. TikTok’s viral makeup tutorials and “get ready with me” videos draw tweens to the beauty industry. As a result, these tweens rush to purchase trendy, and often expensive, products. Katie Fang, an 18-year-old TikToker who makes “get ready with me” videos, highlights the influ-

metic products with chemicals that can be harmful, especially for kids their age. Ingredients commonly found in skincare products, such as retinols and exfoliating acids, can be damaging to the skin barriers of tweens, according to The Washington Post. Aside from the potential financial and health effects, the psychological impacts of the beauty trends on TikTok cannot be overlooked. While promoting cosmetics, many influencers overstate the positive effects of products, altering tweens’ self perceptions by emphasizing a reliance on beauty products. The continuous exposure to makeup-related TikToks contributes to an increase in insecurity and a decline in self-confidence among tweens. As a result, an early reliance on cosmetics forms within them, creating the false be-

st r

By Evelyn Wang

ence the platform has on tweens. In her videos, she frequently uses a moisturizer from Drunk Elephant, a popular skincare brand. The specific product Fang often promotes in her videos is $62 — far too expensive for the average tween. Following in the footsteps of influencers like Fang, many tweens buy expensive products to make “get ready with me” videos. Teenagers spend an average of 4.8 hours on social media each day, with TikTok accounting for a large share of this time, according to Gallup. The pervasive nature of TikTok exposes tweens to the issues of the adult world by bombarding them with adult-oriented products. As a result, tweens often become overly fixated on their self-image instead of participating in more carefree activities. In addition, many of the products tweens use are high-end cos-

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Makeup industry alters tween psychology

Sports

Feburary 9, 2024

The Epitaph

Flagging down traditional football’s spotlight Students campaign for implementation of flag football as a sport By Maya Dutt, Malar Raguraman and Naaga Senthil Opportunities for girls to play football may soon extend beyond Battle of the Classes week, as students like sophomore class officer Agnes Ko campaign to make girls flag football a school sport. Students are pushing the district to approve it after it was recognized as a sport by the California Interscholastic Federation last year, athletic director Chris Grossman said. “Adding another sport for girls [will] give them an opportunity to get out there and play,” Grossman said. Flag football differs from tackle football in several ways. Instead of tackling opponents, players

must instead pull an opponent’s flag from their belt, Ko said. With shorter fields, fewer players and rules that limit excessive contact, flag football creates a fast-paced but safer version of tackle football, Ko said. Ko said she joined the campaign to support the addition of flag football as a school sport after playing it during ASB Leadership’s Power Puff Derby, enjoying the aspect of teamwork. Sophomore Shannon Kunz said she also fostered her interest in flag football after playing it during BOTC. “When you pull someone’s flag, you hear a click and it gives you such a rush [of adrenaline],” Kunz said. “It is [also] a better alternative to tackling, [since] I don’t need a [chance for] concussion from playing my sport.” However, approving flag football as a sport is a long process, Grossman said. The Santa Clara Valley Athletic League must first

sponsor the school. Afterwards, the district must approve the sponsorship before HHS can start a program, Grossman said. Since flag football would take place at the same time as football, hockey and marching band, logistics must be worked out for its approval, Ko said. “We need to know where we would practice, have games, [play] with what other schools and [find a] coach,” Ko said. “If we have [those], we might convince the athletic department.” Currently, Grossman said he doesn’t see tackle football being replaced by flag football due to tackle football being too big of a sport and money maker, espe-

Freshman girls on varsity soccer make their mark on the field

Turf creates trouble New turf fields are projected to improve player performance

As players who are new to high school soccer, the three freshmen on the girls varsity soccer team have acclimated to the new environment, and the age range has become one of the team’s strengths, midfielder Carlie Breiner said. “Having that incredible range of ages helps the seniors be more mentor-like to the freshmen for [the coming] years,” Breiner, a junior, said. “Our ability to mesh [everyone] together has proven successful, especially in our wins.” Breiner said focusing on developing a tight-knit community and working together has created a positive team experience for freshmen. As a result, Breiner said she has seen the freshmen step out of their comfort zones and showcase their talents. Freshman Saara Lahtela, a forward, said her confident mindset factors into her success on the field. This is a result of the friendly personalities of the upperclassmen on the team, Lahtela said.

By Kevin Miao, Zeinab Rakhshandehroo and Harshitha Vijayakumar After years of burns and rough playing conditions, the turf on the HHS athletic fields is being refurbished for the upcoming school year, varsity boys soccer coach Adam Clarke said. “The wear and tear on turf is usually about a 10-year period,” Clarke said. “When turf first gets [installed], it’s perfect. But now, a lot of our boys and other teams complain that certain patches [of the turf are] very hard [and] a little bit bouncy.” Furthermore, the new turf will create a better, safer environment for soccer by easing pressure on the lower back and Achilles tendon, Clarke said. Varsity boys left-back, junior Sid Garimella said the turf contributes to an injury-prone team and can seriously hurt players. “When it gets really hot, the turf, since it’s mainly plastic, heats up quickly,” Garimella said. ”The bottoms of your feet are burnt, so [while] you’re playing, your feet start to hurt because of how hot it is. That can affect your movement and how effectively you play.” In addition to burning the soles of your feet, the poor quality of the turf results in burns that

Photo by Zeinab Rakhshandehroo

The varsity team has adapted to the turf and remain undefeated on their home field, varsity captain Adrien Juillard said.

ple are worried about injuries that come with tackle football, they still would have a chance to participate,” Grossman said. “We want to give girls a chance to compete in football.” Photo by Mackie Vu

Battle of the Classes introduced many girls to flag football as an alternative to traditional football, Agnes Ko said.

Fostering young talent By Danielle Feldsher, Aviv Matas and Mackie Vu

are easily re-exposed as you keep playing, Garimella said. “I prefer grass,” Garimella said. “[Each] school’s turf quality is different. There are some [fields] where they don’t have the same issues as the turf here where you can easily get injured.” Despite the challenges, the varsity team has maintained a winning streak on their home field, varsity boys soccer captain, center-back Adrien Juillard said. The team has come this far by adapting to play on a subpar field. “It’s three blades of grass and a million black bits of rubber,” senior Juillard said. “So essentially, we know how to play on very low standards in comparison to other schools in our district.” Ultimately, with new turf, the teams are going to play better soccer, Clarke said, as a refurbished playing surface will result in faster, cleaner plays. This new field will also mitigate the number of nagging injuries the players experience, such as turf burns and sprains. Playing on the current worn -out fields poses a difficult challenge, but Garimella said he believes even on rough terrain, the real value of a player comes from determination and hard work. “They always say, play to our strengths and play how you would normally play,” Garimella said. “Treat the turf as grass or any other plain surface that you’re comfortable with, and with that mentality you can play your game.”

cially at college and professional levels. However, Grossman said he remains optimistic about the expansion of flag football. “We might have opportunities for both [sports] so that if peo-

“They have been sweet to me and I’ve made genuine connections with them, especially on our way to away games,” Lahtela said. Another freshman, forward Kaelyn Walukiewicz, said when she first joined the team, she was scared, but the upperclassmen helped her settle into her role. To foster a strong team dynamic, the players have prioritized team bonding, coach Raquel DeJesus said. Through these activities, the freshmen were able to get comfortable and bring valuable insight to the team, such as feedback about drills, DeJesus said. “You would think that a freshman on a varsity team may be

more timid or may not feel like they have much to say,” DeJesus said. “But they’ve all shared feedback very strongly and in a positive way.” Along with their insight, DeJesus said the freshmen display great talent and skill, with Lahtela already having a few goals under her belt and Walukiewicz scoring three goals in one game. As the season progresses, Breiner said she enjoys supporting her freshman teammates’ growth. “I know that when the seniors leave [the freshmen are] going to work really hard,” Breiner said. “[They will] show the next generation how well we work together.”

Photo by Mackie Vu

Freshman forward Saara Lahtela said playing on varsity is a great experience because she feels natural playing soccer with older girls.

Establishing a valuable foundation Junior takes charge as role model wrestler By Amanda Boles, Andrew Fekete and Alan Ma Throughout his time on the wrestling team, junior Alfredo Villanueva has set himself apart from others as a standout team captain. His passion and love for the game translates into a good attitude, whether it is at a typical after-school practice or a big wrestling tournament, assistant coach Monica Villa said. Even when Villanueva isn’t pushed to improve certain aspects of his wrestling, he sets his mind to overcoming a challenge and dedicates himself to developing his abilities, Villa said. “Alfredo is a role model,” Villa said. “He proved how much he wanted to learn and executed good technique. He became captain last year and since then, he performs well. The only thing that anyone would want to change is if we could have more of him.“ Today, many freshmen on the team look up to him, which mirrors his own experience with an

older mentor his freshman year who helped him hone his love for the sport, Villanueva said. The mentorship is what helped instill confidence in him throughout his tournaments to keep going, Villanueva said. “As a captain, I want to reassure [teammates] that while I am one of their leaders, I’m also one of their friends,” Villanueva said. “[I’m] someone [who is] going to be rooting for [and] leading them.” Villanueva said sophomore Suleyman Yanik has been an inspiration for him to keep improving because Yanik is so good for his age. The friendly competition keeps

him motivated, Villanueva said. Conversely, Yanik said Villanueva is a leader and role model not only for him but for the rest of the team because of the way he pushes everyone to be the best they can be. Villanueva holds teammates accountable for their training and has a presence that helps motivate them, Yanik said. “He’s brilliant,” Yanik said. “He’s compassionate. He knows how to take action. He knows how to lead us. Without him we’re a group of random schmucks in a sweaty room. With Alfredo, we’re a wrestling team.”

Photo by Alan Ma

Junior captain Alfredo Villanueva (left) continues to return to the team and commits to practice, assistant coach Monica Villa said. PAGE DESIGN BY ANNIE GUO

The Epitaph

February 9, 2024

Sports

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Athlete of the Month Olivia Wang shines in her newfound role as a leader By Andrew Fekete Junior guard Olivia Wang has grown exponentially as a player, through her skills and mental fortitude on the basketball court. One part of her game that has not gone unnoticed is her growth as a leader, varsity girls basketball coach Megan Fong said. “She’s had a huge impact on the team,” Fong said. “She’s brought the team together. She’s friends with everybody and helps everyone work together and move together quicker.”

Entering varsity as a sophomore, Wang said she felt like she had no set role on the team until starting this year, where she was more vocal, gave constructive criticism and uplifted teammates. “I have to care more [as an upperclassman] about my energy towards the team,” Wang said. “Because the underclassmen look up to me, [my energy helps] the team.” In regard to Wang’s skill, her constant training outside and during practice creates a limitless ceiling, senior guard Elaine Cao said. “She doesn’t have that many opportunities to take the team and lead it,” Cao said. “When she does get opportunities, she’s the person that’s gonna bring the energy up.” Contrary to her larger role this

year, Wang said last year was difficult for her because the bar was set high as a sophomore on varsity. Cao said Wang has stepped up this year, and her absence is felt when she misses a practice or game. She said she expects Wang will take a greater jump in leadership next year as a senior. Currently, she is making a name for herself with her outstanding defense and reliability on offense due to her experience and knowledge of the game, becoming one of those players the team does not look the same without, Fong said. “I’ve been playing basketball since I was little,” Wang said. “I feel a lot of things I do just come as second nature. It’s very natural to play basketball because I’ve been doing it for so long.”

PhotoPhoto by Veronica by EllaZhao Chan

Head coach Megan Fong said Wang does not get as flustered as in previous years and now is very consistent, rarely having off days. PAGE DESIGN BY ANNABELLE YIP AND VERONICA ZHAO

16 Spotlight

February 9, 2024

The Epitaph

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“There’s something nice about sharing a wired earbud with a friend. Wired earbuds are not only a lot cheaper, but I also don’t need to worry about losing them if they fall out. I listen to music a lot so I don’t worry about charging them or panicking when they run out of battery.” - Ramaa Samant (11)

“Records are digital versions of printed music so all the notes are more defined than [songs] you can find on Spotify. All you have to do is put the needle in the right place and click play. I collect records and take pride in it. I made a whole set up for my record player with speakers and an amp to change the settings of songs. I just enjoy the act of having this tangible copy of music.” - Yusuf Jabbar (12)

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freshman year, Jabbar said every record has its own story. “There are [records] that have been made in the last five years, but original ones are from the 1970s or 1960s, all the way back to the ‘40s,” Jabbar said. “They have so much history because a lot of owners have held that record.” Local stores have also seen more interest for retro technology over the last several years, Marilyn Cheng, manager of the Discovery Shop, a second-hand store in Sunnyvale, said. “It’s been a continuing thing,” Cheng said. “I’ve worked here for eight years now, and there’s been an increase in customers buying vintage items. We have customers that are always looking for VHS tapes and

vinyl records. Music lovers say vinyl records playing on the turntable have a better sound compared to CDs or cassette tapes, and a lot of people feel the instrument better [on a vinyl].” Music devices are not the only ones making a comeback. Freshman Eve Tweddle said she borrows DVDs from the library to avoid spending money on streaming platforms. “A lot of times, I’ll only watch two movies in a month from a platform like Disney,” Tweddle said. “The library has most of what I was watching there anyway, so switching to my DVD player was a good way to cut costs. Unlike platforms, once you buy one, you don’t need to keep paying monthly to be able to rewatch your favorites.”

Aside from providing nostalgia, freshman Tina Yu said using retro devices like digital cameras or older phones have a more authentic feel due to their grainy look. “My sister got a flip phone after this trend of getting old-looking pictures,” Yu said. “Pictures taken on a flip phone or using an iPhone 5 or 6 makes the quality worse, but it also adds to the aesthetic.” While retro technology is less accessible, Nafrada said it allows him to connect with those who appreciate music as much as he does. “I’m really enjoying what I’m seeing in this generation because you guys are embracing the ‘90s the way [my generation] embraced the ‘60s,” Nafrada said. “It’s so meaningful to us teachers because most of us were in college during the ‘90s, and it’s really cool seeing how much we all listen to the same things.”

Before the era of iPhones, Spotify and the internet, technology was limited to vinyls and digital cameras. While often seen as outdated, retro technology has resurfaced in recent years, with old-school devices becoming popular among teens. For chemistry teacher Chris Nafrada, the comeback of 20th-century technology evokes a strong sense of nostalgia. Nafrada, an avid CD collector, said music in physical forms is less filtered than songs on streaming platforms, providing an incomparable listening experience. “There are some things that I would buy on CD that I probably wouldn’t buy the vinyl for,” Nafrada said. “But there are certain vinyls where you want to hear that crisp and pop, and you want to hear how raw it sounded when it was recorded.” L i k e Nafrada, senior Yusuf Jabbar said music on vinyl is irreplaceable because of the sentimental value it holds. Having collected CDs and vinyls have very clear sound quality and allow for a more personalized listening experience, science teacher Chris Nafrada said. vinyls since

PAGE DESIGN BY AMANDA BOLES, NICOLE PIMENTA INNECCO AND LINDSEY STEEL PHOTOS AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY AMANDA BOLES AND NICOLE PIMENTA INNECCO