The Epitaph Volume 61, Issue 7, 2023-24

‘I will carry these memories forever’

Principal Greg Giglio steps down to pursue new role in district office

By Danielle Feldsher and Kevin Miao

After 11 years as principal, Greg Giglio will be stepping down from his position to take on the role of FUHSD director of human resources beginning in July, superintendent Graham Clark said.

The position became vacant after current director Paula Robinson secured the associate superintendent position, which became available after current associate superintendent Tom Avvakumovits announced his retirement, effective July 1. In his new position, Giglio will be in charge of hiring staff, recruiting teachers and processing their pay and retirement, Clark said.

Giglio said pursuing new opportunities that present themselves allows him to push his limits on what he can achieve. In his new position, Giglio said he hopes to maintain relationships among the district staff and improve equity in the hiring process.

“It’s time to try something different and learn a little bit and this is a chance for me to work with all the schools across the district,” Giglio said. “It’ll be weird not stepping onto a high school campus, but if I do my job right, then we get the right people in the right places and [students] get a really good education.”

ASB treasurer Sophie Park said Giglio is open-minded, gets along with students and is friendly with everyone.

“Giglio is always smiling when you see him, and he’s always super open to new ideas,” Park, a junior, said. “You could just bring him an idea and then he’d probably sit down and discuss it with you in order to really bring it to campus. His willingness to learn from all types of people makes him unique.”

After working together for nine years, executive assistant to the principal Tricia Crane said she is looking forward to what a new position will bring for Giglio, and how he will impact FUHSD. While she is sad to see him go, Crane said she knows it will be a positive change for the district.

“Instead of him merely supporting Homestead, he’s

going to now be supporting the whole district,” Crane said. “As much as it’s difficult to see him leave HHS and his position, I know he will 100% do what’s best for our entire district.”

Giglio’s strengths do not just reside in his leadership, Crane said, but in his caring approach to those around him. Crane said Giglio puts his community first, even showing up in a Santa costume to a family Christmas party.

“The kids were in awe, and it brought tears to my eyes because how many school principals will step into a Santa Claus outfit and pretend to be Santa with a bunch of kids,” Crane said.

Giglio works diligently for the school and community, facing challenges head-on, Crane said.

“I admire him in so many ways, watching him behind the scenes,” Crane said. “He’s able to work through very difficult situations with the parents and the community.”

Although he is looking forward to his new position, Giglio said he will miss the individual students with whom he has formed meaningful connections.

“There’s just an energy about [a] high school campus that is hard to find anywhere else,” Giglio said. “My most enjoyable times have been when I’m just walking around, mixing with kids and talking; that’s when a lot of the fun stuff happens.”

Whether it was interacting with students, staff or clubs, Giglio has been an active member of the school

community, assistant principal Terri Hannigan said.

“Giglio is frequently in classrooms where I know he makes a lot of connections,” Hannigan said. “He supervises events where he sees the amazing talent that our student body has. I’m happy for him, and I’m excited that he’s in this new role in the district because I think that will benefit not only HHS but all of the schools in our district.”

Clark said the process of appointing a new principal will include two rounds of interviews with students, parents and staff members giving their input. The decision will be made by the end of the year with the new principal projected to be announced in May, Clark said. The new principal will start in the upcoming school year.

“HHS is one of the top schools in the state and in the nation, and whoever we select hopefully can maintain that excellence,” Clark said. “The teams, the activities, the band, the color guard, cheerleaders, FBLA, are all powerful activities, so [we are looking for] someone who can maintain all of that, and also have good relationships with the staff and the students and the community.”

Giglio said he believes HHS will continue to flourish with whomever fills his spot and that the new principal will allow students to continue learning and growing.

“Just make sure that you remember to have some fun and enjoy this place because there’s enough stress out there in the real world,” Giglio said. “There can be some great memories that get made here, so try and enjoy it.”

District finalizes new map of by-trustee voting areas Board of Trustees changes voting districts within FUHSD community

By Lindsey Steel, Rajiv Venkatesh and Harshi Vijayakumar

After months of deliberation, the FUHSD Board of Trustees unanimously voted on a map to adopt. Three options were presented and Map 5 was selected during a map hearing on April 24. The selected map determines the boundaries for the five trustee voting areas that make up the district, Board of Trustees president Jeff Moe said.

The map is the result of the board’s transition from holding at-large board elections to by-trustee elections, according to an email sent by the district on April 17. Initially introduced in October 2023, district demographers created three sets of maps, with the Board of Trustees voting on the final version at the map hearing.

In shifting from at-large to by-trustee elections, prin-

Lifestyles

cipal Greg Giglio said the district hopes to see more facets of the community represented.

“Typically, all our school board members come from one particular area, so with an at-large election where everybody in the district can vote on it, power lies in wherever your biggest numbers are,” Giglio said. “[By-trustee elections] will break that up and allow people to be from different areas, which is a more eq uitable solution so it’s not just the same kind of people being elected.”

In choosing a map, the board took many factors into account, including the racial makeup and populations of each voting area. The map the board ultimately se lected will ensure all schools are equally represented and prevent one school from dominating an area, Moe said.

“The map we voted for had a closer balance be tween the voter population in a trustee area that’s with in a school enrollment area,” Moe said.

See New by-trustee voting areas,

Arts & Culture

Overcoming stigma against community college: While overlooked, community college is crucial to higher education

Page 6

So long, Taylor: new album ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ is only for the heartbroken

An unconventional approach to teaching: Staff, students share how swearing can build connections Page 13

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Photo by Saira Ahmed

ASB seeks to uphold transparency with financial updates

Improvements, club grants discussed

By Saira Ahmed, Nicole Kim and Rajiv Venkatesh

ASB treasurer Sophie Park and school financial specialist Candi Marugg worked to add three major updates to ASB’s finance system in March: a simplified club finances handbook, a revamped student store and an option for clubs to check their live financial status.

“A lot of the problems started to carry over from past years, and it’s really about, ‘How can we fix those together?’” Park, a junior, said.

Park started working on a new club handbook this November to help clarify club financial processes at HHS. The original club handbook is very dense, so this newer handbook is an easy way for everybody to understand club finances, Park said.

“ASB always talks about transparency, but we really want to uphold that,” Park said. “For the student body, especially for our clubs, since financial processes can be a bit clunky at times… ASB should be able to provide information for the clubs very seamlessly. I hope clubs can really use it and it can be a resource in the future, as well, for club training and things like that.”

The club handbook should also be a way for students to learn how

ASB handles expenditures, Park added, and find answers to their financial questions.

“I used to get a lot of inquiries about club finances, or club officers would just email anybody in ASB that they know,” Park said. “We’ve definitely received a significantly smaller amount of emails and miscellaneous messages coming in, and I’m also very thankful for that.”

Marugg also completely updated the ASB student store so it is more “centralized,” Park said. Much more information is accessible in one place and different financial software is being used.

This year, clubs can check their live financial updates for the first time, Park said. By emailing Marugg, she can give clubs access to view club account numbers, club commissioner Sanghyuk Ko said.

Getting approved — Club grant processes explained ASB provides $100 startup funds to new clubs, Marugg said. It also approves and denies club grants.

All club grant money comes from the Parent Teacher Student Association, with it providing $5,000 this year, Park said. Clubs can request grants through the club commissioners under $500 but if it exceeds this amount, they must propose their idea to the PTSA directly, Ko said.

Club commissioners present a club grant application and their findings to the student council, comprised of rotating leadership students from all positions. After deliberating and votes on approving the grant. If it does not, it usually explains the reasoning behind their decision and asks for a resubmission, Ko said.

This past year, student council meetings have occurred during the leadership class in second period, meaning although student council is “open” to others, it has not been accessible to them. Park said she hopes to change this next year as ASB president.

“We do publish our student council notes, but it’s different from having representatives actually there and there are always things we strive toward improving,” Park said.

At the beginning of the school year, Ko said club commissioners were stricter about approving grants, but are now planning to open an easier and more lenient grant process.

Club commissioners and student council look for the clubs’ active efforts, even if their fundraisers do not obtain as much profit as they originally hoped, Park said.

Fundraisers with Chipotle, Gong Cha or other businesses are considered “very passive,” and often are not successful in receiving club grants, Park said.

Ko said he suggests clubs make

Wellness fair spreads academic stress awareness

Students, parents learn about mental health from school event

By Kevin Miao and Catherine Yang

To achieve a balance between mental wellness and academics, parents and students need to be on the same page in terms of education and mental health, which is what the first-ever educational wellness fair aims to do, HHS parent volunteer Linda Wang said. The fair, held April 10 in the cafeteria, hosted two guest speakers from organizations around the Bay Area and around 30 attendees.

“[Youth mental health] has been a global issue; it’s not only in the U.S.,” Wang said. “In the U.S., there has really been a downward trend since 2011, and it got even worse after the pandemic. So far, all the effort within HHS is educating the students, but that wouldn’t solve the problem. It’s really important to have the dialogue between the parent and the student.”

Brainstorming for the event started back in October, with research about the topic before moving on to presenting it to the school site council, sophomore event planner Leyna Matsumoto said. The original idea was to do a seminar about mental health, but Matsumoto said she felt it could be more engaging.

“I wanted to make it more of a fun, festival-like event where both parents and students can enjoy learning about these topics in a not-too-serious environment,” Matsumoto said.

In a survey of 298 HHS students Matsumoto conducted for the event in November, 78% of students said they prioritize getting into elite colleges over mental

health. Matsumoto said parents unknowingly add to the stress by pressuring their students.

“I know that being ambitious and working hard is important, but it’s always good to know the balance and understand that academics can sometimes lead to stress and mental health concerns and vice versa. Mental health can affect your academic performance,” Matsumoto said. “Just finding that balance is important, so I think this event will help inform people and raise awareness around the topic.”

Furthermore, even if students achieve their academic goals, the immense pressure brought on by grades and college applications leaves them in a state of burnout, psychologist, attendee Natalie Tamburello said.

“We often forget about mental health and coping strategies to deal with stress, and by the time you get to college, and you get everything you wanted, then you’re kind of stressed out and you sometimes don’t even realize why you’re there or what motivated you to get there,” Tamburello said. “I don’t

fundraisers that help and contribute to the entire student body or community.

“For example, the science fair that Science for Change hosted for the community a few months ago, those kinds of events without the ASB grant would not be able to happen,” Ko said. “That money is necessary to benefit the students.”

The ASB budget is accessible to anybody who wants to view it and is also on the ASB official finance guide.

Park said clubs should feel free to ask ASB for any information they are missing, for the sake of keeping mutual transparency between clubs and leadership.

“It’s always quite a muddy issue because one side has something to say but another side has something to say,” Park said. “But if both sides are very open with each other then interactions and information can flow a lot more seamlessly.”

ASB reforms club handbook and student store, and now allows clubs to view their live financial status.

New by-trustee voting areas

Continuedfrompage1

Trustee Rosa Kim said the transition to by-trustee elections has been in the works since last year, and has become even more relevant after neighboring districts made the change from at-large to by-trustee elections. Aside from providing equal representation, Kim said by-trustee elections also protect the district from facing potential legal consequences.

“The Sunnyvale School District and the Foothill De Anza Community College District have already transitioned to trustee elections,” Kim said. “Because of the California Voting Rights Act, when each district doesn’t have equal representation, many cities and school districts move to trustee area elections. Some community members can sue the district if we don’t [transition] to a trustee election.”

Throughout this process, Kim said community input in regards to map selection was vital. The Board hosted several public hearings and created trustee area district committees consisting of committee members from all five schools, Kim said.

want kids to reach burnout.” Students may have trouble using coping skills to resolve their stress, which is perfectly normal, Foden said. For teens to successfully learn coping strategies, they have to practice them beforehand, Foden added.

“I’m hoping students are going to get some coping skills out of the event, and better understand what some red flags for mental health are,” Foden said. “I’m also hoping that parents can learn ways to help better support their teens, and also look for those [mental health] warning signs.”

Currently, Wang said she feels FUHSD is not doing enough to support students’ mental health problems. The intent is there, but the execution is lacking, Wang said.

“Having one therapist for the 2,500 students at HHS is not enough,” Wang said. “I don’t think [the district] has done enough, but the question is, what is enough? It’s a long process. This is a long battle. If students can do one thing, it is advocating their needs.”

However, not all community members see this transition as a way to guarantee representation. Tony Guan, a parent of an HHS freshman, said this decision overlooks the perspectives of FUHSD families. Because of this, Guan, along with other HHS parents, advocated for the delaying of the map selection, instead suggesting the district spend more time exploring different options.

“Our real concern is that these maps split HHS into various areas,

which dilutes our voices,” Guan said. “None of these maps have an area that has an HHS majority. It’s not a good time to vote on a new map because [the board] has made many mistakes along the way.”

Although the transition aims to give community members more voting power, MVHS parent Hui Liu said it creates a divide among community members. Given that individuals across all five schools felt strongly about different maps, selecting one would only pit community members against each other, Liu said.

Liu added that he feels the shift to by-trustee elections could result in the closing of a school, a worry many parents have.

“Three out of five trustees can close a school,” Liu said. “In this transition process, regular citizens have no voice. When they say ‘we won’t close a school,’ they have no credibility. Many voices in the community are afraid that a school will be closed.”

Despite these concerns, Moe said by-trustee elections will have no effect on FUHSD schools, and the board will continue to have student and family interests as their highest priority.

“There’s no way any of us will purposely close a school in the foreseeable future,” Moe said. “In fact, the opposite is happening. We’re investing in each school, and if we were going to close a school, we wouldn’t invest $100 million in modernization. All of our schools are fantastic, and we want our students to continue to excel.”

Psychologist, guest speaker Melina Foden introduces mental health red flags in her talk for the wellness fair.

Board members serve the community members by opening up the meeting for public comments, questions and open deliberation.

Photo by Harshi Vijayakumar

Photo by Catherine Yang

Infographic by Saira Ahmed

Leadership teacher steps down to fill district mentor position Teens take action against tobacco usage

English teacher Hector Almenderez to replace

Jessica Kirby

By Annie Guo and Veroncia Zhao

After serving as the leadership teacher for seven years, Jessica Kirby announced she will step down from the position to become an FUHSD teacher mentor on March 15. English teacher Hector Almendarez will take on Kirby's position for the upcoming school year.

As a teacher mentor, Kirby will be training other teachers in the district, vice principal Susan Rocha said. The teacher mentor role includes supporting both veteran teachers and those who are still in the induction process by coaching them on their journey for growth and professional development, Kirby said.

miss connecting with students.

Principal Greg Giglio, who has worked with Kirby throughout her time at HHS, said Kirby's new position as teacher mentor will be an opportunity for her to challenge herself while still supporting students.

“

“She is looking for something different and challenging,” Giglio said. “People get into administrative or special assignment roles because they want to give back to others and help make an impact.”

“I have the best job on campus and it taught me so much about myself,” Kirby said. “I'm going to miss those growing moments when I get to see students develop over time. Students I've worked with come in with a different mindset and then come out, being like, ‘Wow, like I never thought about it that way before.’”

I have the best job on campus. I'm going to miss those growing moments when I get to see students develop over time."

—Leadership teacher Jessica Kirby

Throughout his two years in leadership, sophomore ASB multimedia commissioner Vincent Wang said Kirby has been helpful in bridging the contact between administrators and students, creating a lasting effect on leadership students.

“[Kirby] has become a really integral part of our class. The support that she provides [has] been a big part of what we've been able to accomplish in leadership,” Wang said. “This year, [she has] been trying to help us develop a different culture in leadership and build more of a sense of community through giving back to the students more.”

Although Kirby is excited about her new role, she said she feels bittersweet about leaving her position as leadership teacher and will

When applying for the role, Almendarez said the self-sufficiency of the class drew him to the position. Since he works with Kirby in co-teaching an English class, Almendarez had the opportunity to visit leadership to understand how it was taught. After shadowing Kirby for one class period, he said he felt incredibly impressed by how the class was run.

Additionally, students who were both in leadership and Almendarez’s English class advocated for him to become the new leadership teacher after it was announced that Kirby was stepping down.

One of those students is junior, class officer Shadrack Ayesiga. Ayesiga said he enjoys how down to earth Almendarez's class is.

“[Almendarez] is my teacher in literature, and he has [strong] leadership skills.” Ayesiga said.

“ASB is all about connecting and he has this connection with students.”

To apply for the leadership

News in a minute

By Evelyn Wang

Local: Ambulance company provides Sunnyvale with new paramedics

Unlike many other cities in the Bay Area, Sunnyvale lacked officially trained paramedics for years, with only Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), according to NBC News. Because EMTs are unable to perform advanced life-saving procedures that paramedics can, concerns have been raised about the city’s ability to address life-threatening situations, as first responders have had to wait up to 40 minutes for an ambulance and a paramedic, according to NBC News. Recognizing this gap, the Sunnyvale Public Safety Officers Association expressed concerns and received two new paramed-

By Kevin Miao

To raise concern about tobacco usage, CHS juniors Ethan Leung and Grace Cho planned the first ever district-wide Take Down Tabacco competition. The competition spanned the month of April, associate superintendent Trudy Gross said, with results to be announced on May 15.

Leung and Cho are part of the Peer Advocate Advisory Council (PAAC), a county leadership group that engages in awareness projects and helped organize this event. All FUHSD students are eligible to compete in the competition for the chance to have their project presented in front of the Board of Trustees.

teacher role, Almendarez said he reached out to Rocha, as she is in charge of campus activities. After getting a better understanding of the leadership class, he had a quick interview with Giglio and was accepted to the position.

In the coming weeks, Almendarez said he will continue communicating with Rocha to fully prepare himself for the role and focus on shadowing Kirby to gain experience.

Almendarez said his previous experience as an English teacher can translate into his role as the leadership teacher, where he intends to interact with different aspects of the student body.

“Ultimately, the most important thing is being able to connect with the students and foster a community,” Almendarez said. “Regardless of what curriculum you teach, that should be something a teacher should strive for: an environment where people are comfortable, they can share ideas and we can have respectful disagreements.”

Almendarez said a goal he has for his new role is to promote a warm environment where students can create events that encompass the entire student body and keep up the active engagement of students.

“I want to encourage leadership students to work with the sense of empathy and compassion that makes it so that the events or projects that we embark upon are purposeful,” Almendarez said. "[These events] are meant to highlight a population of our student body that doesn't necessarily get [acknowledgment] sometimes. I want my leadership students to feel that they have agency and control over a lot of these things so they can make a direct impact.”

Students can choose between art, writing and app development for their projects, Cho said, giving them a lot of creative freedom.

“Students express what they feel would be a solution to the issue [of tobacco] or what their experience has been like in regards to tobacco and vape addiction amongst themselves or their peers in the community,” Cho said.

Cho said the lack of education on tobacco prevention in FUHSD inspired her and Leung to create the competition.

“Our end goal for the competition is, first, to bring awareness to this issue. We've noticed that there hasn't been too much concern around tobacco prevention in our school and the district as a whole,” Cho said. “Second, to mobilize the community as a whole and get more students involved in this movement.”

After outlining the initial goals, the competition was presented to the advisers and Gross at the dis-

trict office, Leung said. The idea was then finalized and brought to the IDC who helped send out promotional materials, Leung added.

The competition is a unique and engaging way to spread awareness about tobacco, IDC representative senior Sarah Yun said. The IDC student board has sent promotions through schoology, email blasts, and social media to get more students involved, Yun said.

Through this competition, students can express their concerns about tobacco, competitor Chander Lolayekar said. One concern he has is the lingering smell of tobacco, which is what compelled him to submit his essay to the competition, Lolayekar, a freshman at LHS, added.

“I hate smoking, the smell of it, and I want to remove it from our community and everywhere else,” Lolayekar said. “[Working on my project] has helped me learn how bad [tabacco] is and how much it affects the community. And the competition helps spread awareness about the problem.”

However, while most high schools have a problem with tobacco, FUHSD has less of an issue compared to other districts in the county and state, Gross said. This competition is a good way to combat the problem further by not just spreading awareness but creating promotional resources against tobacco that can be used in the future, Gross added.

“I believe the projects that students come up with can have a long-lasting impact in the district,” Gross said. “If they've developed some art piece or app, it could be distributed and used at a district level, so it exceeds just the idea of the contest, which is great.”

ics from the ambulance company AMR in February, according to The Mercury News. Although an immediate need for paramedics in Sunnyvale has been addressed, there is a broader, nation-wide shortage of paramedics, according to The Mercury News.

National: Biden signs bill that forces sale of TikTok or risk of ban

After being passed by the Senate a day earlier, a bill that would force the sale of TikTok by its current owner or ban it in the United States was signed into law by President Joe Biden on April 24, according to The New York Times. The bill requires Chinese owner ByteDance to sell TikTok to anoth-

er company within 260 days, with an additional 90 days if approved by Biden, or face a nationwide ban, according to The Washington Post. Citing national security concerns, Congress passed the bill due to ByteDance’s ties with China. Lawmakers and security experts raised concerns about the Chinese government accessing sensitive information through ByteDance, according to The New York Times.

International: Bacteria and pollution in Seine River poses an obstacle to 2024 Paris Olympics swimming events

Plans for the Olympic triathlon event to be held in river Seine might be impacted after the river water showed alarming levels of

bacteria such as E.coli, according to CBS News. After 14 tests were conducted on the river’s water samples by Surfrider Foundation Europe, all but one revealed poor water quality. The organization said the water quality could be attributed to recent rainfall and sewage issues, according to CBS News. The city of Paris has initiated efforts to clean the river, investing in modernizing the sewage system with a budget of $1.5 billion; additionally, there are plans to open the Seine to public swimmers by 2025. Plans for the triathlon event are not yet finalized, as they will depend on the status of the river amidst the ongoing efforts to improve water quality, according to CBS News.

Photo by Jonathan Xue

"Take Down Tobacco" projects are judged on quality and connection to the prompt, peer advocate advisory council member Grace Cho said.

Photo by Kevin Miao

English teacher Hector Almendarez shadows current leadership teacher Jessica Kirby to learn how the class functions.

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

Aviv Matas

Kevin Miao

Adam Orrin

Mikha Pilar

Nicole Pimenta Innecco

Malar Raguraman

Naaga Senthil

Harshi Vijayakumar

Jonathan Xue

Adviser

Natalie Owsley

Statement

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 Editorial

Students must have a voice in choosing a new principal

Our principal has significant influence on everything on campus, from overseeing staff to budgeting.

In recent weeks, principal Greg Giglio was selected as the new director of human resources for the district, according to an email from superintendent Graham Clark. As the district begins the hunt for a new principal, the hiring committee must consider input from stu dents, staff and community mem bers when making their selection.

Student input must play a larg er role in both the interviewing and decision-making process, as a principal’s ultimate goal is to ad dress student needs. Currently, the only way students are represented in the selection process is through a student board representative. However, the role this student and, by extension, all HHS students play is extremely limited.

The process of selecting a new principal begins with staff input, with staff having the opportunity

to drop in to the office and voice what they hope to see in the future principal, Clark said. Based on the input, assistant superintendent Tom Avvakumovits formulates five to eight questions. These questions are then posed to candidates by a committee of one student, one parent and a variety of teachers.

The sole student representative is selected by the administra

2,400 students at HHS, a sole student representative is insufficient in representing the entire student body for such a crucial decision. It is also discouraging to see students lacking any say in the selection process of the student representative. At the very least, students should be able to volunteer or nominate themselves and each other to the

Prison cells for your cell phones

Phone caddies are inconvenient, useless

By Aviv Matas

Every first period, I step into class and place my phone in pocket number 17 of the phone caddy. This practice is intended to ensure I do not have access to or feel tempted to use my phone during class. Although phone caddies accomplish this goal effectively, their implementation has many shortcomings.

High school should be a place where students become responsible for their learning. Tools like phone caddies send the message that teachers do not have faith in students’ abilities to manage their technology usage. Rather than depend on caddies, teachers should trust their students to make the choices that best support their learning.

This power imbalance breeds suspicion between students and teachers and damages their rela-

tionships. Students who have positive relationships with teachers attain higher levels of achievement than those with conflict in their relationships, according to the American Psychological Association. Teachers who trust their students to handle their phones appropriately are more likely to have their students’ respect.

Not only are they unnecessary, but phone caddies have also proven to be ineffective. Aside from their phones, students can abuse technology in a variety of other ways. Online games like 2048, Wordle and assorted CoolMathGames are rampant among Chromebook and laptop screens in many of my classes.

On the other hand, students can also be seen working diligently in classes without strict phone rules. Ultimately, students should decide whether they want to pay attention or not and implementing phone caddies cannot change that. Since effective classroom management cannot solely rely on restrict-

Taking a step toward income equality

California’s new minimum wage benefits workers, economy

By Annie Guo

With skyrocketing living costs, many of California’s low-income residents have found it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. Gov. Gavin Newsom

IllustrationbyFaithWatters

In an era marked by turmoil, the need for political discussions is critical, yet it is often overlooked in government classes.

recently implemented law to raise the minimum wage from $16 to $20 per hour for fast-food workers is an attempt to combat income inequality and inflation in California. This new minimum wage has the potential to transform the lives of millions of workers all across California.

Many people living in California find it difficult to pay their bills on top of increasing housing, gas and grocery prices. Around

3.7 million Californians — or 34% of households —

A survey consisting of three questions was sent on April 25 and sought student input in the hiring process, including questions to ask candidates. However, this singular survey consisting of three questions cannot act as the sole method of incorporating student input. If the district is unwilling to add more students to the interview panel, then they must consider having the student representative hold a drop-in meeting to seek input from students on characteristics to look for in potential candidates, just as staff had the opportunity to.

If a principal is to effectively preside over HHS, they must uphold the priorities of students. Students are the foremost concern of any school, and their voices are just as important compared to staff. Ultimately, administration must include more student representatives and allow the student body to have a greater influence on selecting who represents us.

ing students’ access to distractions like phones, teachers should shift their focus to engaging students in the material. They can do this by adding variety into their lessons, avoiding long lectures or piles of worksheets and explaining the value behind their lessons.

Additionally, I feel more comfortable when my phone is on me. In the case of an emergency, my phone would let me contact my parents quickly.

For example, during the recent shelter-in-place, I updated my parents about the situation on my phone. Phones are essential to modern communication and taking them away can cause unease for many.

intentions, it prevents students from taking accountability for their actions and their learning. If teachers truly want students to develop a sense of responsibility, they must take the first step and forgo phone caddies entirely.

While the practice of using phone caddies stems from good Phone caddies represent good intentions but are ultimately counterproductive.

don’t earn enough to cover basic living expenses because of inflation, according to a study by the United Ways of California. The previous minimum wage of $16 per hour simply does not reflect the inflation in all living expenses.

For many fast-food workers, this wage increase could bring stable housing and combat the rapidly growing issues surrounding homelessness. In fact, there are 10,120 homeless fast-food workers in California, according to a study by The Economic Roundtable. Increased income will allow fast-food workers the opportunity to gain financial stability and even improve quality of life, such as housing.

Alongside helping workers obtain jobs, increasing the minimum wage to $20 per hour will also boost the economy. When minimum wage workers have more money to spend, there will be more consumers for products, creating more jobs for more people. Increasing America’s nationwide minimum wage to $15 by 2025 would generate $107 billion

in higher wages, according to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute.

Although a significant challenge behind increasing the minimum wage is its potential to hurt small businesses, which cannot afford to pay their employees $20 per hour and keep their doors open, there is a silver lining for these businesses. Minimum wage increases have a strong effect on households’ spending on food, particularly food prepared away from home, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. The boost in the economy will allow for more minimum-wage families to enjoy meals at restaurants, thereby inadvertently helping out small businesses.

Ultimately, the implementation of the $20 minimum wage offers a chance to many homeless workers living in poverty. California’s bold move to increase minimum wage is a progressive step towards eliminating housing insecurities, income inequality, and overwhelming inflation.

Only one student interviewing potential candidates restricts student involvement in the process.

Illustration by Aviv Matas

Illustration by Anushruti Nagarajan

TikTok ban threatens speech

Hypocritical legislation fails to address privacy concerns

By Zeinab Rakhshandehroo

As I walk through campus, students are glued to their screens, scrolling through TikTok. Whether you use the app for fun or for makeup tutorials, TikTok has become a central part of Gen Z culture and identity.

However, efforts are underway by the U.S. government to ban the application. On April 24, Biden signed into law an act which “prohibits distributing, maintaining or providing internet hosting services for a foreign adversary-controlled application” like TikTok, a subsidiary of the Chinese company ByteDance. The act will force ByteDance to sell TikTok, or ban the app in the United States.

This is an incredibly thoughtless action by the government that fails to address security concerns and threatens free speech. Politicians claim the bill is intended to address concerns over data security, as TikTok could be providing information about American users to the Chinese government. This argument is incredi bly weak: the U.S. government has not provided any evidence that shows TikTok shared data with Chinese authorities, ac cording to the Associated Press.

There is no doubt data priva cy is an issue that requires gov ernment action, but banning TikTok is not a solution. Instead, Congress must pass a comprehensive data privacy law that will ensure all online platforms, including U.S. social media com panies, protect user data.

Moreover, the hypocrisy in this bill is underscored when its political context is taken into account. The House of Representatives has suffered under partisan gridlock for months, barely passing laws. Representatives are unable and unwilling to take action on issues important to our generation, such as climate change, yet can compromise over banning TikTok. Rather than this half-hearted attempt at protecting privacy, the government must prioritize the concerning issues that seriously impact our lives.

Most dangerously, however, the banning or selling of TikTok is a serious danger to freedom of speech. Banning TikTok will dismantle a vital space for free expression. The application is used for news and community organizing, especially by younger generations, according to Reuters. It is a platform to raise awareness on different issues and inspire action for social justice, and a ban could severely hinder such movements.

Ultimately, the TikTok bill is a weak attempt at data security that threatens freedom of speech within the United States. The government cannot be allowed to decide what information citizens can see, or what applications they can use. As the younger generation, this issue is especially impactful to our lives.

The bill targets TikTok rather than meaning fully addressing the threat of online security.

Though it is unlikely the act will be repealed, we can take action to prevent similar legislation from being passed. Politicians were able to pass this bill because they did not fear Gen Z’s pushback, and we must work to change that. By consistently voting and calling our representatives’ offices, we can ensure politicians respect Gen Z’s priorities.

Funding arms over aid

American aid must be redirected to humanitarian rather than military causes

By Jonathan Xue

Though global conflicts may spark numerous opposing viewpoints, nobody supports the effects of war on people. The ongoing Israel-Hamas war has taken the lives of over 30,000 civilians, while thousands more are displaced or injured, according to Al Jazeera. America has intervened immensely in the conflict, feeding fuel to the fire.

Congress has appropriated billions of dollars for Israeli defense spending and has also called for billions more in light of the conflict, according to Reuters. Conversely, the White House only recently, after months of appropriating billions in military aid, contributed $100 million dollars in humanitarian aid toward Palestinians whose lives have been completely uprooted.

The vast difference in both amount and type of aid to opposing sides of the conflict strongly correlates with the United States’ foreign policy. Washington has made clear its strong support of Israel and, as a result, has disregarded the needs of Palestinians caught in the crossfire. Funding provided to victims of the war pales in comparison to the amount of aid directed toward the continuation of the conflict, and the continued decision to fund military rather than humanitarian interests ultimately hurts those most vulnerable to the impacts of war.

for future sales. The United States is always willing to sell to countries that can pay. In recent weeks, the Biden administration has inched closer to finalizing the sale of up to 50 F-15 fighter jets to Israel, according to CNN. America will earn profit from Israel given the $18 billion dollar purchase price.

These jets are completely unnecessary for the Israeli war effort given the five year minimum delivery time and Hamas’ dependence on guerrilla warfare. The United States cannot control how buyers wage war using American weapons — we merely provide the tools to enhance combat. By continuing to provide arms and advanced weapons systems to other countries, the United States exacerbates casualties and empowers foreign countries to conduct war more efficiently and with less regulation.

For decades, the United States has served as global policeman, intervening anywhere foreign policy dictates necessary, all in the name of American interests. But is America’s interest to prolong the suffering and contribute to the devastation caused in global conflicts? Is our new role in the world that of a war profiteer and aggravator?

There is no doubt the shifting landscape of global conflict calls for specific American intervention, but the United States must shift its focus when impacting war. Our government has overstepped its role as international policeman and instead become a global arms dealer. America must reassess its position in conflicts and shift away from profiting off war and toward alleviating the impacts on

Schoology advantages outweigh shortcomings

The negativity Schoology receives is undeserved

By Catherine Yang

When a poor server connection on Schoology wastes half of class time, I am often left wondering why the district chooses to use such an awful platform over the many alternatives that exist. However, despite its reputation, Schoology offers quite a comprehensive list of features.

Schoology is an extremely broad learning management system with far more features for both students and teachers when compared to applications such as Google Classroom, according to Research. Its interface is easy to understand, allowing teachers to easily categorize materials in different sections. Overall, it streamlines tasks and enhances experiences for both educators and students.

Many wonder about why we do not utilize alternative applications. However, the reality is there are no viable alternatives available.

The next best option would be Google Classroom, which was common in elementary and middle school classes due to its intuitive layout and easy organization system. However after the pan demic, Google Class room has slowly been outshined in the market. It has an inferior interface and its cloudbased security system makes it more likely to be hacked.

Furthermore, I found Google Class room difficult to use. While it is good at displaying what has just been posted as well as up coming events, it lacks organization. I could

not find previous assignments easily and ultimately had to manually scroll up and down the page.

Yet, Schoology is not all foolproof. The consistent technical difficulties make it difficult to see its positives. Since Schoology integrates with a lot of third-party applications like Google Drive and Lockdown Browser, there are a lot of transition errors. This hinders the educational process and creates an unsatisfying experience. However, this is expected as Schology was not made with every possible third-party application in mind.

Schoology can also easily be enhanced through Schoology Plus and other third-party, reputable Chrome extensions. These extensions make Schoology easier to use along with adding much needed features. Schoology Plus’s “what-if grades” feature allows students to calculate the grade they need on a test to achieve a certain grade in a class.

It is confusing to see FUHSD banning this extension, as it provides students with insight into how to achieve their academic goals. Simply allowing access to these types of extensions would benefit both students and teachers.

With Schoology’s easy-to-use features, it is a useful platform for students and teachers.

Even though Schoology can be difficult to use, it is an overall better platform than others on the market. Despite this, feedback toward Schoology has been disproportionately negative as errors seem to occur constantly in the eyes of students. Instead, we should look past the few infrequent problems and acknowledge both how Schoology has aided us and how it can be improved.

Enough of the talk about college, please

Excessive college discussion hinders decision process

By Anushruti Nagarajan

COLUMN — Amid college decision season, college acceptances have become a default topic of discussion among everyone I know, from friends to parents and even extended family members. While celebrating this achievement is important, the deluge of unsolicited opinions about each college I am considering can be overwhelming, ultimately hindering my decision-making process.

Most individuals, especially in the Bay Area, are quick to fixate on the prestige of these institutions, and make comments surrounding the success of a student based on this measure. However, this mindset overshadows many key factors in selecting the right university for each respective student.

colleges, such as De Anza and Foothill College, offer valuable opportunities for career development and personal growth, while saving individuals the burden of a costly four years. Yet, these options are frequently overshadowed by others’ judgment.

By excessively posting about college acceptances on social media and in our daily lives, students may overlook these alternative pathways that may better align with their interests and career aspirations.

Factors such as academic fit, campus culture, cost and available resources play pivotal roles in shaping the college experience and ultimately influence post-graduation outcomes. Additionally, there is a much stronger correlation between happiness and academic success while in college, according to The Pipettepen.

Moreover, the fixation on college acceptances also fosters a narrow-minded approach to the college application process, limiting students’ exploration of alternative pathways to higher education. Community

While turning to friends and family helped me gain different perspectives when making my college decision, some of the advice I have received made me even more confused in my decision. College decisions are a sensitive topic to many, and should be handled delicately.

To alleviate stress from students in the decision phase, it is imperative to shift the narrative surrounding higher education by promoting finding the best fit for each student’s needs.

Ultimately, when making a decision, we must remember to keep our own best interests in mind. Caving to peer pressure and societal expectations will only be detrimental to yourself. So, to the incoming seniors: when college decisions roll around, don’t be hyperfixated on others. Always remember, success is not defined by the “brand-name” of a college, but rather by hard work and taking advantage of the opportunities presented to you.

Illustration by Annie Guo

Illustration by Zeinab Rakhshandehroo

IllustrationbyCatherine Yang

Trading representation for return on investment

Politicians insider trading is unethical, damaging to democracy

By Jonathan Xue

America runs on big decisions. Landmark legislation, from spending billions in military aid to canceling billions in student loans, can change the political landscape and the lives of millions of Americans overnight. A multitude of considerations play a role in congressional decision-making, but one that should not is the personal finances of members of Congress.

Members of Congress participate in committees, in which they review important government information to decide which bills to recommend to Congress, according to the U.S. Capitol website. As a result of their occupation, elected officials need access to sensitive information ordinary citizens do not and should not have access to. However, issues arise when these officials misuse their positions to financially benefit themselves.

Trading stocks on insider information is

illegal for all Americans. Following the passage of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act in 2012, politicians became legally mandated to report financial transactions and were banned from trading on non-public information like every other investor, according to Congress. Unfortunately, Congress continually fails to abide by these regulations, and penalties are virtually nonexistent, according to Business Insider. But why should Americans care if some dishonest senators make a quick buck?

Congressional insider trading serves as a blatant conflict of interest. Those who do partake in such activity at the expense of our democracy benefit them-

selves, but elected officials, whose sole duty is to represent the people, cannot be trusted to do so when profits are so often involved.

For example, Senator Richard Burr reassured constituents of pandemic preparedness while selling millions worth in stock, according to ProPublica. By failing to enforce sufficient punishment for violations of the STOCK Act, Congress is empowered to continue a policy of profits over people.

Bioethics pushes progress

Students must navigate science with a conscience

By Sanah Arya

With revolutionary science on the rise, the importance of bioethics education for students has never been more crucial. As scientific advancements rapidly reshape our understanding of biology, medicine and technology, students entering these fields must grapple with the ethical considerations that accompany such progress.

Bioethics encompasses a wide array of fields. Issues such as genetic engineering, artificial intelligence in healthcare and the ethical implications of emerging biotechnologies demand careful consideration to ensure that progress aligns with virtuous principles and respects human dignity. As these fields grow and expand, the moral considerations that students must take increase, calling for a greater education of ethics in science.

Bioethics is crucial as the nature of medicine is ethically challenging. Clinical life is full of ethical implications and dilemmas.

years, violations of ethical code have become naturally hidden events. When they become apparent, disciplinary actions provide the most relevant data: approximately 5 in 1,000 physicians are disciplined by a state medical board per year, and only 1.1 in 1,000 receives severe disciplinary action involving license revocation: suspension.

As students join healthcare and research fields, it is more important than ever to consider the principles behind science to become better equipped to contribute meaningfully to public discourse. Students looking to major in science fields such as biology must learn about bioethics, as college classes in the subject are typically not a requirement to receive a science-related degree.

HHS provides a great chance for students to practice such ethics. Physiology students are given the opportunity to perform a pig heart dissection under regulatory compliance, informed consent, respect for life and educational purposes. Hands-on experience like this ensures those looking into STEM fields are equipped with necessary skills and must be incorporated into courses beyond physiology.

Early ethics instruction ensures high standards for future generations of scientists.

Outside of HHS, scientific developments raise ethical concerns among the scientific community. Concerns such as those relating to lab-grown tissue lack definitive ethical conclusions, so researchers must stay increasingly vigilant of respecting bioethics in such situations, according to ScienceDaily.

Early integration of bioethics into school curriculum shapes conscientious citizens equipped to address the ethical challenges of the future. It is our responsibility to understand the importance of morality, and this understanding starts at school.

Both Republicans and Democrats alike claim to prioritize the interest of the people, yet lawmakers on either side continue to abuse their positions for monetary gain.

For example, our own representative Ro Khanna made hundreds of trades worth millions in March 2023 alone, according to Khan-

na’s own stock fillings. Ironically enough, Khanna himself champions reforms to insider trading and actively calls for a ban on stock trading by politicians.

Americans cannot sit by as elected officials prove the power of greed and undermine decisions crucial to millions of lives, but politician’s trading poses an interesting challenge. Nobody should have their right to participate in the stock market be withheld because all Americans should receive equal economic liberties. However, a politician’s duty supersedes these liberties.

The STOCK Act demonstrated Congress’s willingness to uphold democratic principles, but now is the time for politicians to make good on its promises. In a time of rampant disregard for insider trading laws, further enforcement of the STOCK Act and additional regulations are needed to protect the United States from internal interests.

The role of Congress is not that of multimillion-dollar investors seeking to maximize return on investment. Politicians hold power because of the people, and their only goal should be to represent those same people — not profits.

We cannot cancel away the college affordability problem

Biden administration must prioritize lasting solutions

By Rajiv Venkatesh

As seniors head off to college next year, they face an unprecedented challenge: the ever-increasing cost of college tuition. The average price of a college education has nearly tripled since 1980, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics, but politicians have continued to ignore true solutions to this problem.

Instead, President Joe Biden’s administration has slapped a $138 billion Band-Aid on the issue: canceling student loan debt. All the while, the administration is failing to deliver the basics: a working federal financial aid application, resulting in only 37% of high school seniors applying for financial aid, according to CNN. The Biden administration must redirect its focus from this shortsighted election-year ploy and instead fulfill its responsibility of providing current students with aid.

Biden’s loan forgiveness plan places an undue financial burden on lower-income Americans to pay the debts of high-income college graduates. In total, the plan has forgiven the student loans of 25 million people, 63% of whose income resides in the upper half of national household income, according to the Federal Reserve. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve predicted that the plan would increase already-high inflation levels by over 1% over the next five years.

Along with ensuring students can access the financial aid they need through FAFSA, the federal government must pass legislation to reduce the administrative bloat that

has increased the cost of college tuition. Prestigious, expensive universities like MIT and Caltech have nearly 10 times more administrative staff than teaching faculty, according to Forbes. These often-unnecessary positions are funded by rises in tuition and are made possible by student loans.

Biden’s plan fails to solve struggles our generation faces to pay for college. Rather than one-and-done cancellation of student debt, Biden should instead focus on more sustainable solutions to truly decrease the cost of higher education. He must work to make tuition free at community colleges nationwide, a policy which has already been implemented to some extent in 35 states, according to NBC News.

By canceling student debt, Biden pursues a policy to win elections rather than strengthen the long-term financial well-being of Amer icans. Rather than pursuing this short-sighted pol icy, the president must instead focus on more sustainable solutions to truly decrease the cost of higher educa tion for every one.

Biden’s debt relief plan is short-sighted and does not address the college afford ability problem.

Overcoming stigma surrounding community college

While often overlooked, community college plays a crucial role in higher education

By Annie Guo

High school seniors consider many factors when choosing which college to attend, such as cost, major and where the college is located. However, another factor is often overlooked — the social pressure to attend a well-known university.

The path of attending community college is often seen as inferior compared to a 4-year university. Despite many benefits, such as extremely affordable tuition fees and flexible class schedules, a significant number of students still shy away from attending community colleges. Due to peer pressure and lack of guidance from counselors, many students are hesitant to consider community college a viable option.

When deciding what colleges to consider, high school students typically turn to guidance counselors. However, counselors all over America display a negative attitude toward the academic rigor of community colleges, as demonstrated by a study of 16,252 high schools surveying 2,251 high school counselors, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

The purpose of community college is to provide new opportunities and open pathways for students and adults seeking further education without financial stress.

The assumption that community college students cannot succeed in a

4-year degree is simply false. In the 2015-16 academic year, 49% of students who completed a bachelor’s degree at a 4-year institution had been enrolled at a 2-year public institution in the previous 10 years, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

Additionally, 70% of 4-year college students felt stressed about finances, according to Ohio State University. The average cost for a two-year college is $3,990, according to the American Association of Community College, while the average tuition of private college is $42,162, according to US News and World Report.

Moreover, many students are initially accepted to universities but cannot afford tuition and turn to community college as a stepping stone for a 4-year-college degree. Attending community college is crucial for a healthy financial situation after college.

Counselors are responsible for informing students about paths after high school. Rather than exclusively focusing on 4-year colleges, they must also provide guidance on community colleges and fight common misconceptions surrounding them.

Events such as the recent De Anza and Foothill Application Workshop serve as a starting point. Participating in these events helps break down the stigma surrounding community college.

Still, by implementing events, such as organizing campus tours, and hosting more informational sessions for students to attend, counselors can spread awareness and provide insight into the benefits of education at community college.

The negative culture surrounding community college hinders high school students from considering it.

Politicians putting stock trading over their constituents poses a danger to democracy.

Illustration by Faith Watters

Illustration by Annie Guo

Illustration by Sanah Arya

Community College

The Epitaph

Supporting students’ studies

Free school resources assist students

By Mikha Pilar and Annabelle Yip

From Monday to Thursday of every week, students stop by B211 for math lab — one of multiple valuable resources HHS provides for students to improve their studies, math lab tutee Lea Merschat said. Math lab is a free service open for all students to get help in math from either a tutor or the supervising teacher, Merschat, a junior, said.

Fellow math lab tutee, junior Sanjitha Pamukuntla said she began attending math lab daily since second semester started.

“Math is a difficult subject, but in math lab, the teachers are really supportive and there’s a bunch of your classmates who might be around or students who can help you,” Pamukuntla said.

Pamukuntla said math lab is helpful because she can get her questions or concerns answered by teachers or tutors, rather than having to struggle and figure it out by herself at home.

“Math lab is an incentive for you to be working harder and understand whatever you’re doing, because when I go home, I like to do problems that are hard, but I don’t have the support to do that,” Pamukuntla said. “In math lab, if I have a question, I can ask right away rather than holding off and waiting until the next day to ask my teacher.”

Similarly, located in the library’s fish bowl, the academic center offers free peer tutoring to students who may not have access to it otherwise, academic center adviser Emma Zhou said.

“Not everyone can afford private tutoring, so it is really convenient for students when they come

to the academic center,” Zhou said. “All of our teachers and peer tutors would like to help them move in their academics.”

Zhou said peer tutoring is unique because tutors have gone through the process of learning the lessons themselves, which allows them to better cater to teach students. Tutees can simply drop in to the academic center or make a prior request for tutoring on the the HHS website, and Zhou will arrange the tutor, she said.

Yet, the turnout of students looking for tutoring is often unsatisfactory, with around five to six tutors available per day, but only around one to two tutees, Zhou said.

Similarly, aside from exam season, math lab typically has a baseline of at least two to three students receiving help at any given time, Merschat said.

“Some students shy away from math lab a little bit,” Merschat said.

“[There was] one student who tried out math lab, and it was just me, some other person and that student. She was like, ‘it’s awkward and quiet with nobody else.’ I like that environment, but it might be

Library media teacher Verma Grant said another undervalued resource are online, such as databases and ebooks, which can be found on the HHS website. Grant said databases in particular allow students to obtain more reliable information.

“Databases are curated from many different journals, magazines and newspapers, so it’s better than having to buy individual things to access all of those,” Grant said. “These are all pre-curated for students and already paid for so that they can easily access them for free. It’s a wonderful way to get the information you need.”

In the future, Zhou said she hopes more students learn about and utilize the school’s available resources, such as the academic center.

“We encourage students who need help to just be brave and ask,” Zhou said. “We always have someone here to help.”

The academic center and math lab’s hours can be found on the HHS website.

One significant step closer to the polls

Club’s pre-registration drive streamlines voting

By Lindsey Steel

From enlisting in the military to voting in elections, turning 18 has seemingly endless perks. However, the Political Science Union is aiming to expedite some of these benefits through their annual voter pre-registration drive, president Ting-Yong Liu said.

While it doesn’t change the voting age, Liu, a senior, said pre-registering ensures 16 and 17-year-olds will have their voter registration immediately activated once they turn 18. Now in its fourth year, Liu said the drive has helped around 50 students pre-register annually.

Junior Aayushma Adhikari said she pre-registered at the drive on April 8.

“Without pre-registering, I wouldn’t be able to vote in the next election because I’ll be 18 five days before the election and won’t have time [to complete registration],” Adhikari said. “Doing this helps me have a say in the things happening in not just my area, but

also my city and state.”

By hosting the drive, PSU officers hope to address the disparities in voter turnout, vice president of internal operations, senior Bella Park said.

“Even though we all have the right to vote, there are a lot of discrepancies between those who can vote and the percentage of people who actually vote on Election Day,” Park said. “Young adults have some of the lowest turnout rates. That’s a problem because there are a lot of issues that affect just that group, but people don’t show up to polls to voice their opinions.”

Despite being an option for all 16-year-olds in California, few take advantage of pre-registration, which is something PSU is trying to change, Park said.

“We can solve discrepancies by making sure people know that students can pre-register to vote and when they’re 18, they can actually vote without worrying about registration, which can be difficult for many people to navigate,” Park said.

Although she cannot vote yet, junior Parnika Kotamsetti, who participated in the drive, said pre-registering allows her to get a headstart on participating in the democratic process.

“Voting is a pillar of democracy and it’s part of my duty as a citizen to exercise that right,” Kotamsetti said. “This is a great opportunity to get a head start and kickstart the process.”

Lea Merschat (left) said students come to math lab for extra help, to catch up on work, to make up a test or for a positive academic environment. more comfortable for some people to have people around.”

Photo by Mikha Pilar

Voter pre-registration helps students make a difference, junior Parnika Kotamsetti said.

Photo by Lindsey Steel

Hike the trail of thought

Staff, students reminisce on nature excursions

By Amanda Boles, Nathan Gu and Faith Watters

From lush forests to breathtaking views, California boasts stunning and diverse natural landscapes, freshman Olivia Kim said. Through outdoor activities such as hikes, Kim said students can learn more about themselves and others while connecting with nature.

“[Being in nature] gives me a lot of time to self-reflect, like shower thoughts,” Kim said. “It forces me to relax and reflect. It gave a sense of peace and gratefulness. It also, in an odd way, makes me very self-secure.”

Similar to Kim, math teacher Gary Auten said he enjoys spending time outside and forging friendships with like-minded people.

“I’m typically cycling with a group of people that share a passion of cycling and being outdoors,” Auten said. “It’s very centering to be outdoors in different places and away from city and school. It helps me to feel a different connection to being outside.”

Whether he is biking on his own or in a group, Auten said cycling has inspired him to learn a lot about himself and test his limits.

Senior Carter Oates said he tested his limits while backpacking at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico with his scout troop on a 70-mile route. Though difficult, Oates said the experience taught him to self-reflect.

“I was complaining to my mom, ‘I can’t do this. I’m cold. I’m hungry. I’d rather be home with my friends.’” Oates said. “At night, my brother talked to me to just suck it up because we’re all doing it.”

Though now far from New Mexico, Oates said he has incorporated lessons from the backpacking trip into his student life: to keep pursuing a goal no matter what and understand that other people are going through the same experience.

“Through my student life and throughout school, I was never severely pushed as a kid to be great,” Oates said. “At school, I felt self-conscious at first about how

students always do so much better than me. I’m in the same school, same classes, so I could do as good as everyone around me, as long as I just thug it out.”

To experience a similar self-discovery, Oates said he recommends students go backpacking or hiking in nature without their devices.

“[An outdoor adventure] makes you rethink your entire life and how you are as a person because I found so many flaws that I had,” Oates said. “You find what’s wrong and you feel like you could do better. When you don’t have your phone, it makes you really commit to, ‘I’m gonna really put my head down and grind.’”

A journey across California

“I remember [Joshua Tree] is pretty nice and it’s really hot there,. There are definitely better national parks that are more interesting. I like more of a green environment than the orange dry one [of Joshua Tree].”

- Colin Lou (12)

“You

Cravin’ Trailblazin’

Capturing

can hike and see these really beautiful views, go in the water to snorkel and you can also kayak. It was a lot of fun and there’s foxes indigenous to the Channel Islands and they were so cute.”

When adventuring into nature, freshman Olivia Kim (left) said she always learns something new about herself or the person she is hiking with. Kim is pictured in Channel Islands National Park.

- Olivia Kim

Photo courtesy of Noelle Lee

Student photographers

Photo by Nicole Kim

Cravin’ for some Trailblazin’

Capturing Nature

Joshua Tree

“This photo was taken while tak ing a day trip to Joshua Tree Na tional Park. I arrived shortly be fore sunset and left after dark. I like this photo because of the sil houette the trees make contrast ing the sunsetting background!”

- Noelle Lee (12)

Sequoia

“I went to Sequoia National Park with my family and relatives. I found that I really love nature. That’s why I started to get an interest in photog raphy. Just going in and taking in whatever I saw in front of me as na ture and trees felt really good.”

- Sai Sreya Gudipati (12)

“It’s got cool wilderness, trees and hikes, but because it’s volcanic, it has some really unique features. Bumpass Hell has hot springs and there’s boardwalks you can walk around with boiling mud.”

- Science teacher Richard Carmona

“I find Kings Canyon National Park a very peaceful and beautiful place. It was among the first places I visited when moving back to the U.S. with its tough land, big sequoia trees and amazing rocky cliffs.”

- Shadrack Ayesiga (11)

Photo courtesy of Sai Sreya Gudipati

photographers showcase national parks

Lifestyles

A culmination of creativity

AP art students prepare to submit final portfolios

By Danielle Feldsher

While most AP students are preparing for assessments in the form of questions or essays, AP art students have spent the past school year working on their final showcase in the form of a meticulously crafted portfolio, art teacher Tyler Cripe said. Since August, students have been working on 20 or more pieces, which they will submit to the College Board on May 10, Cripe said. The portfolio is split into two sections, one that includes five of the best technical works displayed by the student and another with 15 pieces that are tied together thematically, Cripe said.

As a teacher, Cripe said he focuses on allowing students to be independent and uses check-in meetings to help students create effective work. To score high on the portfolio, Cripe said it is important to balance the theme and depth of the pieces and have technical artwork.

The process can be stressful, senior Nathan Lang, who decided to submit two portfolios, said. He made this choice when he realized he works quickly enough to challenge himself, and wanted to become the first at HHS to successfully achieve this.

“I feel if I can achieve this then I can really call myself an artist,” Lang said. “If I succeed then I have thrown down the gauntlet and succeeded by a long shot.”

Despite the added stress of two projects, Lang said he is not worried about his portfolios. The first explores how humans can survive in environments with only bare essentials, following a common character throughout the art pieces, Lang said. The second portfolio delves deeper into hiking, which Lang said is a profound interest of his and an important reference point and inspiration.

“I love exploring the ideas I chose further, it’s something I’ve never really done before,” Lang said. “I’ve been making art for the last four years so I know where my skills stand and that I’m able to finish this.”

In addition to meaningful art-

work, students are required to submit a written element about the meaning behind their work. Lang said this is tricky due to the word count constraints, with only 600 words being allotted to explain his lengthy portfolio. Cripe said students also struggle with time management or prioritizing unity in their portfolios, which hinder their ability to earn high scores.

“Having to make a lot of art on a timeline is the biggest hurdle because students are used to doing a project and then being done with that idea,” Cripe said. “Here, you have to revisit [your idea] over and over again which can get tedious [and is] challenging.”

Despite these obstacles, senior Dani Martinez said the experience of forming their portfolio has been meaningful. Martinez focused on creating thought-provoking art, especially work that jumps out and questions art norms. To achieve this, Martinez said they focused on thinking outside the box, which allowed for self-discovery.

“You are given the opportunity to choose where you want your project to go in terms of textures and themes,” Martinez said. “It’s great because it allows us to explore different creative outlets.”

Similarly, Cripe said the portfolio is an amazing outlet for creative freedom. The process of working on an AP art portfolio allows students to discover more about themselves and their aspirations, Cripe said.

“We get to take art seriously for a year and it can be a soul-searching [experience] for some people,” Cripe said. “Students realize, ‘Oh, I can do this,’ and some students learn it’s just a hobby.”

Regardless, Cripe said he continues to look forward to the gratification students feel after submitting portfolios.

“Everyone takes a deep breath and they get to start thinking about what that process meant to them,” Cripe said. “It’s a moment of truth that I think is pretty rare, especially in art.”

Taking a journey through cinema

A glimpse

into the creation process of film club’s short films

By Maya Dutt

A year of work comes to a close on May 10 after school, when film club will screen their short films, co-president, senior Anna Dobbelaere said. This project began when students pitched ideas in the beginning of the year, then formed groups that were responsible for screen-writing, directing, filming and editing, Dobbelaere said.

One of the films, not yet named, centers around students who come to school because they forgot it was staff learning day, senior, co-president Nina Huang said. The students initially fool around, but the story takes a dark turn once the real motivation behind the day is discovered, Huang said.

Huang gave actors creative freedom with their characters, senior Madara Linde, who plays Josh-Josh in Huang’s short film, said. This made the filming experience unique because Linde said she could experiment with his stereotypical goth caricature.

“Since my character is laid back, he was able to get up to some rambunctious stuff,” Linde said. “My favorite scene was one like that, where I hopped inside of a trash can and started rolling around in it.”

Huang said that along with directing, she was involved in other ways, particularly in cinematography. Huang said she is excited for audiences to see a shot sequence near the end of her team’s film.

“There are a lot of camera angles that go around the students

and it ends with someone screaming,” Huang said. “It was hard to film such a choreographed shot.”

Another film is “Echoes of Solace,” directed by Dobbelaere. The film follows Ezra (played by sophomore Adam Orrin) as he navigates his feelings following a difficult break-up, Dobbelaere said. Along with her directing responsibilities such as casting, finding shooting locations and planning shot sequences, Dobbelaere said she had to help actors get into the right mindset for certain scenes. One of the hardest scenes to film was Ezra crying after the break-up, Dobbelaere said.

“I was just explaining [how] Ezra is feeling, telling him, ‘You can do this,’” Dobbelaere said. “I encourage him to reach his potential as an actor.”

Dobbelaere said she was really invested in ensuring her film had enough depth, and put a lot of work into planning every aspect of the film. The support from both the cast and crew throughout the

process assured her that the final product would be just as amazing and detailed as she had envisioned, Dobbelaere said.

“It was nice that I was not the only one who cared,” Dobbelaere said. “We had people dedicated to making a shot list, we had people who built boom mics. Everyone cared and made time [in] their schedule to come out [and film].”

An unconventional approach to teaching

Staff, students share how swearing can build connections

By Amanda Boles

In the school hallway, sounds of laughter mix with the occasional expletive exclamation. In class, sometimes teachers drop an unexpected swear word, grabbing the attention of students. Needless to say, swearing is an integral part of teen culture, art and design teacher Clare Dee said.

Although there is a stigma surrounding the usage of swear words, which many people view as unprofessional, they can be a useful tool for self-expression, senior Akshay Srinivasan said.

“It depends on the context you’re in,” Srinivasan said. “If you’re trying to explain [something] to someone in an informal manner, swear words are very useful ... you’re able to make your speech clear, concise, to the point and emotionally charged.”

Aside from acting as a tool for self-expression, swear words can also enhance student learning when introduced in an educational setting, Srinivasan said. However, the acceptability of using swear words depends on who people are speaking to, Srinivasan added.

“You learn better when, instead of teachers standing there with the board droning on and on in a lecture, they make it more interesting and engaging by dropping the occasional F-bomb,” Srinivasan said.

“When you add in those swear words, they add more emotion and make you feel more present. It makes the teacher feel more human; they don’t feel like some mindless automaton that’s just transmitting information.”

Similarly, math teacher Gary Auten said incorporating swear words into his vocabulary allows him to connect with students on a more relatable and personal level.

“[Using swear words shows] I’m willing to use language that’s appropriate, even though it might not be conventional,” Auten said. “I want to feel like I’m using language that makes me more approachable [to students].”

Touching on the unconventional aspect of using swear words, Dee said she feels she is held to a higher standard as an adult and is expected to avoid swear words. While she tries to model good be-

havior for her students, Dee said there are occasional slip ups.

“Years ago, I said the F-bomb when a student dropped a ceramic project that had taken them weeks [to make],” Dee said. “I was so embarrassed, but it just came out and the student was more shocked at me than their shattered project. That was kind of funny.”

Although the usage of swear words is acceptable in some situations, some of these words, especially racial and gender-motivated words, have deeper implications that can offend people, Auten said. Expletives can be used to relate with others, but people also need to be mindful when speaking, Auten said.

“Swearing is just a form of language people use to communicate,” Auten said. “So I’m using it; I want language to be a connective force, rather than disconnective.”

Art teacher Clare Dee said creating jokes from swear words can be fun. In her class, S.H.I.T. stands for “so happy it’s Thursday.”

Nathan Lang and Dani Martinez said they are focused on creating compelling art that challenges both themselves and the viewer.

Senior Anna Dobbelaere said her film “Echoes of Solace” is about breaking away from the things that hold you back.

Photo courtesy of Natan Lang

Photo by Amanda Boles

Photo courtesy of Ryder Tong

Photo courtesy of Dani Martinez

Photo courtesy of Nathan Lang

Photo courtesy of Max Whalley

Photo courtesy of Nathan Lang

PTSA awards search for ‘extraordinary contributors’

Honorary service awards recognize community members

By Alicia Liste

In an effort to honor Homestead’s “unsung heroes,” the Parent Teacher Student Association will host its Honorary Service Awards, PTSA secretary Douglas Kunz said.

The annual awards recognize dedicated community members who devote their time and efforts toward improving the campus environment for students, parents and educators, Kunz said.

“I always look forward to the HSAs because it’s wonderful to see these outstanding citizens of our community ... get a well-deserved ‘thank you,’” Kunz said.

PTSA vice president of student programs Manuela Silveira said the HSAs are a national PTA program open to all community members, including students. The awards prioritize new candidates and those in their last year with HHS. Awards such as the Outstanding Administrator Award and Very Special Person Award, recognize individuals depending

on their community contributions, Silveira said.

Any community member may submit a nomination with an explanation of the nominee’s merit, which the PTSA board will review, Silveira said.

However, because of the cost associated with each award pin and personalized certificate, not all nominees may end up being recognized, Silveira said.

“We’re looking for these allstars, these amazing people that, in whatever capacity it is that they’re doing, are making a difference and pushing the limits of what their role asks for, or even going beyond that,” Silveira said. “[However] we have to make a decision about not necessarily recognizing everybody that was nominated, but it is our intent to recognize as many of our community members as possible.”

Former HHS parent Alison Hlady said she was surprised to win the 2023 Continuing Service Award for her dedication as a volunteer in the school’s marching band and winter percussion.

“I have never looked for any recognition or reward; that’s not why I do it,” Hlady said. “The smiles on the kids’ faces and people coming up to me and asking me for help

POV: A final lesson from The Epitaph

By Nicole Kim

With every distribution day comes a cruel joke. After weeks of hard work, the very pages I spent hours working on, not even a week before, cover the quad floor.

When I first joined journalism, seeing people disregard The Epitaph bothered me immensely. I joined The Epitaph because I loved to write, and if nothing fed this passion more than seeing my name in print, nothing faltered it more than seeing my writing trampled on the floor.

My years on The Epitaph have taught me that, in the end, the effort I put into the paper is not solely for readers or even for myself. It is for my peers, who love journalism as much as I do, who get the same gratification in seeing their names in print.

During my sophomore year, I had plenty of time to focus on my own projects. I was free to pick up as many articles as I pleased while having time to focus on my writing, photography and other journalism skills. I loved the feeling that my work meant something to others which is what lead me to be so annoyed by the mistreatment of the physical copies.

In my junior year, I started noticing I had less time to write articles. After editing articles, fulfilling

requirements and reaching out to sources, little time was left for myself and I did not have the same liberties as when I was a reporter. Although nothing made me happier than being a News editor, I occasionally missed that freedom. But with this change came the realization that as an editor, most of my time is spent for others and there is no other way it should be.

Instead of seeing my name in print, I got to see the names of new reporters. As an Editor-in-Chief, I have the privilege of witnessing the growth of first-time reporters into award-winning journalists and future EICs. No longer do I feel my purpose is to focus on myself, but it is to uplift others, making sure reporters feel pride and passion for their work every cycle. Over time, all the things I loved about The Epitaph became the things new reporters loved. With this, I know my work on The Epitaph means something.

Three years later, at the end of lunch on distribution day I try to pick up any salvageable copies. It may always pain me a little to see the discarded copies of The Epitaph, but I now know in my hands lies not the work I did for myself, but the work I did for others. When freshly distributed copies of The Epitaph litter the quad, I know my work meant something.

because they know that I must know the answer — that’s enough reward for me, so I was definitely dumbfounded to win. It was pretty heartwarming to be recognized. I didn’t need to feel seen, but I definitely felt seen, and that was nice.”

Similarly, Silveira said she values the opportunity the HSAs offer to recognize those whose good deeds may have been overlooked, partially due to the large size of the school community.

“As a PTA board, we try to be in the know of all of the different things that are happening at the school and be in touch with those key contributors,” Silveira said. “But that isn’t always the case, so [because] our community members bring us these nominations, it allows us to really get to know these individuals who are making a big difference daily at Homestead.”

To this year’s future recipients, Hlady said she encourages a continuation of their service, as it is worth every minute.

“Keep it going,” Hlady says. “It’s a lot of hours, but it’s definitely worth it and we need more people willing to put in hours and keep these projects and programs going. They give our kids that pathway, sense of belonging and a place where they feel comfortable so they can learn to be their best selves.”

Through programs such as the HSAs, Kunz said the PTSA is unique in its ability to offer opportunities where students, staff and

parents can participate together on equal footing.

“PTSA helps knit the school community together, and the HSAs are our way of thanking those ‘weavers of community’ that make these programs possible,” Kunz said.

Ultimately, the aim of the HSAs to highlight those working for others while expecting nothing in return, Silveira said.

“I don’t think any volunteer does so because they’re seeking recognition, and that is precisely why we should recognize those individuals that pour so much love and dedication and time into making things happen for our students and our school,” Silveira said. “It’s not a matter of putting a trophy on your wall that’s important, but it is a matter of openly recognizing those individuals that make a difference in our community.”

The award winners will be recognized at a virtual PTSA General Assembly over Zoom on May 15.

Guest speakers empower students with real-world stories

FBLA hosts several lectures to inspire, teach students

By Sanah Arya

Future Business Leaders of America hosts several events and workshops to support the student body and engage participants in several business sectors, community service project chair Smyan Shanbhag said. One of the ways this is achieved is by bringing in qualified guest speakers, Shanbhag, a sophomore, added.

The process to invite speakers varies from attending council meetings to networking and email outreach, Shanbhag said. By furthering connections, the club can bring a variety of experienced professionals to speak about their entrepreneurship experiences and shed light on how students can be involved, Shanbhag said.

“There’s only so much students can talk about because they have limited experience, while guest speakers have been in the industry for about 20-40 years,” Shanbhag said. “They have so much to talk about and so much personal experience. It gives students and learners first-hand experience on how much things can change because of one person.”

On the other hand, PWB project chair Varun Narayanan said their project functions differently, as they partner with one business throughout the year to help them grow and expand. Narayanan, a sophomore, said PWB has partnered with Inspirit AI and has invited guest speakers over Zoom and in person.

InspiritAI director of product Maddie Bradshaw recently spoke during the FBLA entrepreneurship event. She represents youth ambition, as Bradshaw pitched on Shark Tank at 16 years old, said.

“For a lot of students that are interested in business or entrepreneurship, she was a really inspirational speaker,” Narayanan said. “For me, the amount of dedication she was able to put at such a young age to get onto Shark Tank is just something else.”

FBLA officers are completely responsible for the networking and communications behind guest

speakers, adviser Byron Lee said. Oftentimes, students connect with alumni or find mentors via previous connections, Lee added.

In his 30th year advising the club, Lee said calling in outside support helps provide real-life input on business lessons. Building relationships with professional businesses and personell lets students prepare for the business world outside of school and learn how to communicate with others in a professional setting, Lee said.

“We want to make [business relations] as realistic as possible,” Lee said. “For example, one of my former students, Harrison Lin, is out in the working world now, and we brought him to work with our tech events. As FBLA works on coding and presentations, mentors are helping keep the work up to an industry standard because it is what we’re really after here. We know this club is a stepping stone to great things.”

Sophomore Varun Narayanan (right) said his project hosts guest speakers from Inspirit AI.

Working with a team of current and future news editors helps me realize the importance of the work I do for others.

Infographic by Alicia Liste

Photo courtesy of Varun Narayanan

Photo by Saira Ahmed

Foreign films say ‘hola’ to innovation, cultural integration

Global films break boundaries, connect cultures

By Adam Orrin

When lights flicker on the silver screen, I am fully immersed into a different culture. Transported to the Andes mountains or the streets of Tokyo, I am placed into what seems like an entirely new world. Foriegn films act as an escape from what I know and offer a glance into what makes the diverse world we live in so beautiful. I was initially introduced to

world cinema in 2019, as a result of the movie “Parasite.” When the South Korean film, a unique commentary on economic divides, was first released, it took America by storm, and ultimately grossed $262 million worldwide according to IMDb. It captured the attention of numerous people who had never watched a foreign film, including myself. The movie’s universal message brought viewers together from all over the world in meaningful discourse. I distinctly remember when this movie was the discussion topic at every dinner table I sat at.

Media does not make murderers

Parents should not be fearful of media violence

By Parker Lin

Violence within movies, TV shows and video games is a common occurrence in the modern world. From movies like “John Wick” to games such as “Grand Theft Auto,” both of which are notorious for gun violence, the media often creates immense displays of gore. For years, parents and psychologists have pondered whether violent movies and games create violent thoughts within youth, according to the American Psychological Association.

The conversation about violence in the media started in the early 1960s, according to the National Institutions of Health. In a study from 2018, 92% of parents were concerned about children viewing violence in the movies and TV shows they watch, according to the National Library of Medicine.

However, media violence is only one of several factors in children’s development. Viewing media violence in teen years has a small role in a teen’s personality compared

health or family life, according to the American Psychological Association.

Around 60% of adults believe the government should restrict violent content, according to Pew Statistics. However with such little evidence backing up its claim, the U.S. government should continue with little to no censorship on content produced. Violence within the media cannot be censored as it limits freedom to produce content without the constraint of prosecution by the government and is unreasonable with the limited data showing that media violence is harmful. Many children exposed to media violence do not show violent behavior as a result, according to the National Library of Medicine.

There is nothing wrong with watching horror movies or playing violent video games, as long as it does not take a toll on an individual. The relationship between violence in the media with youth is inconsistent, as current evidence suggests that time spent watching violent media is a poor indicator of violent thoughts, according to the Behavioral Scientist.

However, excessive viewing of violent media can still worsen an individual’s mental health. Everyone must take into account their intake of violence from movies, TV shows and video games. I have had countless moments when a movie turns more violent than I expected, but I often change it to something more mundane to calm myself.

Violence will continue to be depicted in all types of media and will not drastically change a person’s personality. When playing video games or watching movies, teens must learn to limit the amount of violence they watch to ensure their mental health is not negatively affected.

No matter who was there, it seemed as though every person in the world had seen this movie and had their own unique take on it. The ability of a foreign film to start meaningful conversations is a sign of the world opening up to something unfamiliar and creating space for something foreign to flourish in our culture.

At the start of this year, I wanted to broaden my horizons. I found there was no better way to do that than to watch and review new foreign films as they came out.

Exposing myself to foreign concepts and cultures has opened my eyes to the struggles that unite people worldwide. At the same time, it has allowed me to find empathy and compassion for people who speak a completely different language.

The film “Society of the Snow,” which I watched and reviewed earlier this year, follows a Uruguayan rugby team that gets stranded in

Epitaph Picks

the Andes. Every moment included a struggle to survive.

The movie connects people through shared fear and love, themes that are universal and apply to anyone from any background. Being exposed to the struggles and the lives of individuals I may never get a chance to interact with allows me to remotely experience how people lead their lives around the world.

Foreign films also show me the similarities that bring different cultures and people together. The film “Perfect Days” delves into the value of normal, ordinary life. Hirayama, the protagonist, gave me a glimpse into everyday life in Tokyo. The film highlights the technology and materialism that control our daily lives, a universal concept that transcends cultural boundaries.

Foreign films like “Perfect Days” urge people to learn and understand different cultures and

“Beyoncé’s new album is the best full album I’ve listened to in a long time. It has music that spans all genres, really great collabs and solid vocals.”

–Natalie Owsley, adviser

“EDEN’s use of overlaying vocals and uncanny synths in his single ‘The Love U Need’ created such an interesting and heartfelt listening experience.”

–Saira Ahmed (12)

perspectives. It encourages us to reach out, and feel empathy for people who speak another language and struggle with issues we may never have to think about.

Unfortunately, foreign films are constantly ignored by movie theaters and award shows that we rely on to distribute and promote quality films. This leaves the job of seeking out these movies in the hands of the viewer.

All of this can make the dive into foreign films difficult to new and excited viewers, whether it is the all too-relatable struggle to keep up with subtitles or the constant confusion when trying to understand poorly translated jokes.

However, the beauty that comes with foreign films and the massively diverse world they have allowed me to see and begin to understand is well worth the experience. I hope you, too, can take the initiative to give foreign films a try.

“There are many K-pop groups with youthful aesthetics debuting recently like ILLIT. Its song ‘Magnetic’ is catchy and deserves a listen if you have not already heard through social media.”

–Mackie Vu (11)

“The movie ‘Upgraded’ is an easy watch with cast members who work super well together. I recommend gathering a group of friends and preparing for a night of laughter.”

–Anushruti Nagarajan (12)

‘Found Heaven’ celebrates grief and heartbreak

Conan Gray’s album teaches acceptance in a positive way

By Mikha Pilar

The long-running joke that songwriter Conan Gray writes love songs without prior romantic relationships has ended. After the release of “Found Heaven” on April 5, the beloved former YouTuber revealed that the album is a result of his first-ever break-up, according to Billboard.

With emotionally heavy lyrics that follow the cycle of love from start to end, I expected the album to sound depressing, similar to Gray’s previous indie-pop albums “Kid Krow” and “Superache.” However, upon playing “Found Heaven,” I was pleasantly surprised to hear songs featuring major musical influences from the ‘80s. These nostalgic elements immediately brought me back to my childhood and reminded me of artists such as Bon Jovi and A-ha.

Unlike his previous albums, Gray now presents himself directly and unapologetically, with no metaphors to hide behind. The groovy synth and booming drums accompanied by Gray’s new vocal color give the album a more mature feel compared to his past love songs.

For example, in the track “Alley Rose,” the lines “I swore lips were made for lies. And I thought if you’d ever leave me, that I’d be the reason why,” show a vulnerable side of him through bold statements and lyrics.

Another emotion Gray dabbles

in is envy, though in a slightly comedic manner. This is found in the eighth track, “Bourgeoisieses,” where small critical jabs are made toward the upper class while describing himself as “low-class.”

The prevailing symbol of the album, a star inside a teardrop, reminds Gray and his listeners of life’s ups and downs. Gray said there is magic in the fact that you get to experience life’s offerings at all, according to Billboard.

The album is meant to highlight the miracles created from sadness, and Gray does exactly that. In the tracks themselves, the contrast between bright sounds and melancholic lyrics perfectly captures the bittersweet theme of “Found Heaven” in a single beat.

From hypothetical romantic daydreams to moving on from his first heartbreak, Gray’s music went from representing his fantasies to telling stories from reality. As someone who has been a fan of Gray since his YouTuber

days, I could not help but feel I have grown alongside his musical journey when listening to his album.

Though a bit pessimistic, I am glad Gray experienced one of life’s rough patches. It served as inspiration for his art, and I look forward to what else he can make of other unfortunate events. To me, and many others, his music acts as a reminder that something beautiful can be created from the suffering that comes with being human.

Album: “Found Heaven.”

Grade: A-.

Artist: Conan Gray.

Exposure to violence in media is

Energetic, retro tracks such as “Never Ending Song” paint the silver lining of break-ups.

Movies like “Parasite” and “Perfect Days” show me the diverse world outside my community.

Illustration by Parker Lin

Photo from Spotify

Illustration by Mikha Pilar

Pressure of perfection

Treatment of female celebrities, characters impacts girls

By Faith Watters

Female celebrities are often cast in a dual role: entertainer and role model. Whenever women make mistakes, the media is quick to bash them for it, while male celebrities are often let off with just a light slap on the wrist. I have seen the same criticism — “she is being a bad role model” — being used time and time again, and it is extremely detrimental to the development of young girls.

For instance, the difference in media treatment of Beyoncé compared to her husband, rap per Jay-Z, is undeniable. Beyoncé has a huge fan base that looks up to her as a role mod el, compared to Jay-Z who is al lowed to exist as a normal person. This is particu larly detrimental to their young fans, as they observe and normal ize having unfairly high ex pectations for women.

Female ath letes are the most subject to this treatment, with con stant talk about these athletes “trailblazing” or “inspiring a new generation.” While this is good on paper, the obligation of inspira tion should never be mandatory. Addition-

ally, women are put under intense scrutiny for fouling or trash talk, whereas many male-dominated sports such as hockey contain fights but are normalized.

Black women athletes are treated especially unfairly. For example, during the 2023 women’s NCAA tournament, Angel Reese, a Black athlete, used the “you can’t see me” taunt. People were quick to criticize Reese for being “ghetto,” despite having praised Caitlyn Clark, a white player, for doing the same taunt in an earlier game.

Even fictional women are not safe from the pressure to be perfect. The term “Mary Sue” originates from a Star Trek fanfiction

IllustrationbyFaith

is commonly used as an insult against strong female characters and is thrown at any powerful woman who upstages a male character. This spreads the contradictory message that female characters have to keep their behavior and attitude within certain bounds.

The term is particularly detrimental due to the ruthless nature of the internet. When children see people criticize any strong female character for being a “Mary Sue,” it spreads the contradictory message that female characters have to be perfect, but not too perfect; strong, but somehow not so strong that she will overshadow male characters.

The contrast between the treatment of male and female celebrities promotes unhealthy expectations.

However, male characters are rarely subjected to this treatment, with Harry Potter serving as a prime example. The titular character of his series, Harry is the “chosen one” and falls into many other “Mary Sue” characteristics, but is rarely labeled as one. Conversely, Bella Swan from Twilight also fulfills many of the criteria, and people are quick to make fun and joke about her character.

Women should not feel the need to be perfect to be appreciated, and the only real solution is to promote more imperfect, realistic female role models. While perfect role models lead to self-doubt, “work-in-progress” role models show young girls that it is okay to be flawed, it is okay to struggle and that these things do not make them any less deserving of love.

A love letter to ‘Pokemon Go’

Collecting memories, connecting with surroundings helps mitigate stress

By Saira Ahmed

I quit “Pokemon Go” six years ago, but I am back — and I will not leave anytime soon.

My second semester of senior year was not the freedom I hoped for. Amid a stressful college application season, the reality of adulthood was kicking in.

I redownloaded “Pokemon Go” in February in hopes of gaining some temporary happiness. I had played in middle school but quickly got bored, even after a few rare catches. However, many updates and monthly events have since elevated the game into a much bet ter version than what it was in 2018.

Some may think “Pokemon Go” is a childish game, and they are not entirely incorrect. The pros pect of walking around to catch colorful virtual creatures is in herently silly for an outsider, and even for some former players. But building a collection, sharing your findings with friends and battling others while exploring local

parks have kept me from tumbling into a cycle of overworking myself.

There is a beautiful, digital world of Pokemon to collect, with so many ways to play the game. You can focus on raid or gym battles, collecting new species or even go shiny hunting. The gameplay diversity keeps me hooked, as I love games that can adapt to multiple interests and skill sets.

“Pokemon Go” has helped me stay active outdoors, visiting new parks around the Bay Area whenever possible. Before, with my week’s small pockets of free time, I would stay within the comfort of my home and watch the same show repeatedly or play games on my laptop. However, this only left me feeling drained, as I felt more unproductive ending each activity than when I began. Now, hoping to catch more

places beyond the comfort of my room.

Another significant aspect of the gameplay is building a consistent and ever-growing collection. When I was younger, I used to collect rocks, minerals and seashells, and eventually began collecting small stuffed animals. Over the years, however, I no longer had the time and realized that spending money on these animals was just not worth it. Collecting digital Pokemon is a fantastic cost-free way to keep collecting something — in my case, shiny Pokemon — while exploring new places.

I have gotten to the point where I do not go outside for the game, but for myself. I rediscovered why I used to love going for walks during quarantine, hearing the sounds of the birds chirping and seeing trees sway with the wind.

It did not have to be “Pokemon Go” that helped me pull myself from my rut. Any harmless hobby that keeps you happy and afloat is worth maintaining. The world keeps spinning, and stress from all sides may persist around you, but it can help you escape, even for a few moments.

However, whatever you do to “escape” from your world cannot be all-consuming or entirely isolated from reality. Maintaining your well-being and keeping up with responsibilities is extremely important, so uphold them and sustain yourself and the people around you while balancing your activities.

So long, Taylor

Taylor Swift’s newest album is only for the heartbroken

By Malar Raguraman

I was in disbelief and felt subconsciously guilty about my boredom regarding Taylor Swift’s songwriting when first listening to her newest album, “The Tortured Poets Department.” While I may not be a Swiftie, I was in no way expecting that Charlie Puth’s name drop, of all things, would be the only remotely interesting part of the album.

The highly anticipated album, released on April 19, broke Spotify’s record for the most pre-saves for an album, according to Billboard. Two hours after its release, Swift revealed an additional 15 songs and released a surprise double album, “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology.” With a total of 31 tracks, the album has received widespread acclaim, including glowing reviews from publications such as Rolling Stone and Billboard for its sharply personal songwriting.

Much of my entire childhood was built around Swift’s previous albums. Despite being unfamiliar with her past, I loved that she shares monumental experiences of her life in a way that makes it applicable to a much wider audience. However, in her newest album, Swift fails to achieve this standard.

For example, in the title track, Swift sings, “You smoked then ate seven bars of chocolate / We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist / I scratch your head, you fall asleep / Like a tattooed golden retriever.”

Swift’s songwriting becomes so cryptic it means nothing to those who are not familiar with her past. Without any direct context, such obscure lyrics mean nothing to listeners outside of her fanbase, even seeming laughable and nonsensical. By including numerous references throughout the album, her music becomes tailored to specifically Swifties, excluding her other listeners who don’t follow her personal life.

Many of Swift’s previous albums, like “Lover,” “Reputation” and “folklore,” have a specific motif, creating a thread between each song. When “The Tortured Poets Department” was announced, it was clear she intended for the

album to have a broody, self-reflective theme steeped in hidden meaning.

Unfortunately, a stubborn grip on this darkly poetic aura makes each song reflect the exact same emotions of heartbreak and depression. Inevitably, the repetition makes every track sound incredibly similar to the next. Swift only slightly changes her lyrics between songs, failing to address multiple emotions within the album, a talent showcased in many of her previous works.

This lack of variety within her album is painfully obvious in a musical sense, as well. Swift’s songs are written in a repetitive, slightly monotone manner to amplify her lyrics, making many of her songs sound like reciting poetry instead of singing.

Other than stand-out tracks such as “Fortnight,” “Down Bad” and “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart,” songs on the album have similar background synth sounds and lackluster melodies, contributing to the absence of musical value and genuine catchiness. The additional 15 songs added onto the album were devoid of these qualities, as well.

Swift is a songwriting and lyrical genius, but she chose to stash away those talents on “The Tortured Poets Department.” Suddenly, the worldwide appeal her music is so well known for is absent. Without reading an article about who each track is about or parsing each of her lyrics for deeper meaning, it becomes tedious and repetitive to listen to any of her songs in the album.

It is undeniable that Swift’s album would not be as successful as it is had she been an underground artist, with her personal life hidden in the shadows. However, the craze surrounding her love life and feuds with other celebrities is why this album means so much to her most avid fans. The confessional style of her album, and the hidden secrets she reveals, turns the album into a depressing, incessant late-night gossip exchange.

My lack of interest in Swift’s past makes her album hard for me to sit through and listen with full attention. But that obviously is not the case for many of her other fans.

Album: “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Grade: C-.

Artist: Taylor Swift.

Taylor Swift’s album only captures heartbreak, making each song indistinguishable and unengaging.

Playing “Pokemon Go” and going on more walks helped keep my spirits up during the stress of college application season and when facing the responsibilities of adulthood.

Photo from

Illustration by Faith Waters

Junior makes national volleyball team

Meng is a friend and inspiration to his teammates, Sakata said.

By Parth Dhaulakhandi, Parker Lin and Malar Raguraman

Junior Leon Meng was selected as a member of the 20-player boys U19 national volleyball team on April 4, according to USA Volleyball.

Meng, a libero on the HHS varsity team, was chosen for the national team after a series of National Team Development Programs, and said he is excited to play at a higher level. He will train with the team from May 3-11 in Anaheim before 12 players are selected to go to Puerto Rico for the U19 Continental Championships.

“The biggest challenge is just to keep working hard and keep getting better to make the travel roster,” Meng said. “My biggest goal is to improve personal skills and culture, see if I can bring some of that back for our team at HHS. Helping other guys out more has been helpful to me [in] growing.”

After spending two years in the program, boys varsity volleyball coach Danny Chan said Meng has grown more disciplined and demonstrates his leadership qualities by working with his teammates.

As a teammate, Meng is a leader both on and off the court, senior, varsity defensive specialist Kento Sakata said. From guiding the team through practices to providing them constant support,

“He has great leadership [and] shows a lot of motivation that gets other people motivated,” Sakata said. “As a friend, he’s a mentor. He’s such a cool guy. I love that dude.”

Aside from his leadership ability, Sakata said Meng’s value as a player lies in his consistency.

“He’s just too good,” Sakata said. “He receives the ball every single time, even tough balls. His pancakes are really clean.”

Chan said they have hit the jackpot with Meng because of his love of the game and his outstanding abilities.

“I think it’d be really competitive and a really good chance to get some high-level playing and high-level coaching,” Meng said. “The upperclassmen from the last couple of years [have] been super good mentors through their attitude and how they play the game.”

By reciprocating the mentorship of previous underclassmen, Chan said Meng’s role as a team captain has taken responsibility off his shoulders. Whether it’s at HHS or beyond, Chan said Meng’s natural leadership skills will make him successful in all future endeavors.

“Not everyone gets this opportunity,” Chan said. “I know he’s bummed to miss the end of the season, but I told him this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s only going to open up doors for him for the future, so I’m super happy that he got selected and that he’s doing it.”

Serving for success

Boys tennis team reaches new heights

By Danielle Feldsher, Catherine Yang and Veronica Zhao

Throughout this season, JV and varsity boys tennis have been dominating their competition, winning the league championships in both their divisions, head varsity coach Sundar Parthasarathy said.

A major factor in their success is the team’s deep bench, which means the skill level is even among all players on the team, varsity singles player Vincent Wang said.

“Lots of people on JV could be easily playing varsity at any other school,” Wang, a sophomore, said.

“We don’t have an outstanding star player on our team like some of the others. This deep bench helps us win a lot of doubles [matches], and then if we can just get a couple of wins on singles,

All eyes on the ball

NCAA women’s basketball tournament

unites students, athletes

By Sanah Arya and Lindsey Steel

Each year, millions of basketball fanatics worldwide tune into the fierce competition and upsets of March Madness. But now, more than ever, all eyes are focused on women’s collegiate basketball.

The 2024 NCAA Women’s Championship broke the record for the most-watched women’s college basketball game times in the span of six days, according to ESPN. This year’s tournament is particularly meaningful for student athletes, sophomore, varsity basketball player Vedhikaa Medampalli said.

“I love that it got a lot more media representation because women’s basketball is important,” Medampalli said. “The current generation of NCAAW athletes are very talented, and it is nice watching people we can relate to.”

While this newfound attention is deserved, senior, varsity basketball player Elaine Cao said it is long overdue. With multiple star players on the rise, Cao said wom-

en’s collegiate basketball is more exciting to follow compared to other sports.

“For me, women’s college basketball has always been more interesting than men’s,” Cao said. “I also think there’s lots of room for this increasing popularity to continue to grow. Hopefully as players like [Caitlin] Clark and [Paige] Bueckers make their way into the WNBA, people will start to watch that, as well.”

For longtime NCAA viewers like senior Connor Sato, who has been watching the March Madness tournaments for the past three years, this year has been especially memorable.

that gets us the overall win.”

Sophomore Ryan Park said the team is performing especially well this year, with some traditionally doubles players having the ability to play singles matches and win, altogether creating a versatile team, Park said.

The high skill level of the current athletes ensures the rosters are even stronger than last year’s, while also maintaining a well-rounded team for coming seasons, Park said.

“We didn’t have many people graduating last year, so we kept a lot of our seniors,” Wang said. “We also had a lot of incoming freshmen that are really good and can make varsity, which gives us a really good competitive edge.”

Reflecting on the team’s collaboration, Parthasarathy said the bond the players share is carried through each game and is seen in their performances.

“[The players] really like each other,” Parthasarathy said. “They do a lot of things outside of tennis such as going out for team dinners or hanging out at each other’s houses. Having that connection really helps guide our team to success.”

“The rise of attention on women’s college basketball is very inspiring,” Sato said. “It influences people to play basketball, and not only that, encourages them to do anything they want [to] and go for their goals.”

By shining light on overlooked teams, junior, varsity basketball player Olivia Wang said this year’s NCAAW tournament will pave the way in women’s sports for all athletes alike.

“It’s empowering for young girls to see women’s sports getting more respect,” Wang said. “It sends a message that their athletic achievements are just as deserving of recognition as men’s.”

Back in the game: Shawn Hook returns as head coach

Despite initial plans to retire, Hook returns to lead football team

By Nathan Gu

Former defensive coordinator Shawn Hook will take over as head coach for the upcoming season after the departure of head coach Milo Lewis along with numerous other coaches from the HHS football program.

Although he previously announced his plans to step down from coaching, Hook said he changed his mind and returned because of his deep-rooted appreciation for the sport.

Athletic director Chris Grossman said he worked with administration members and graduating

players to interview the 13 people who applied for the role. The committee initially offered Craig Maynard the head coaching position. However, they eventually selected Hook because they were unable to offer Maynard a teaching job on campus, while Hook is already a member of HHS faculty, Hook said.

Senior receiver Leon Kovaci said he was part of the head coach selection process and interviewed the candidates. However, Kovaci said he was most enthusiastic about Hook receiving the position.

“Once I heard the head coach was up for grabs, I wanted to find someone that not only believed in Homestead football, but had passion for it and wasn’t just here for the show,” Kovaci said. “[The head

coach] should have the same passion the players do and that’s why Coach Hook is perfect.”

With the departure of multiple coaches at the end of last season, Hook said his new role leading a new staff of younger coaches has both its positives and negatives.

“There’s two ways you can look at [the young age of the coaches],” Hook said. “They can be inexperienced, but they’ve played the game just a little while ago and they’re very enthusiastic. I just need people I know how to coach. I know how to coach coaches, and need people that I can trust and want to make it a better situation for students by coaching.”

After playing the final game for the HHS football program this year, Kovaci said he will miss the lessons Hook has taught him

both as an athlete and person. Given Hook’s extensive history with HHS football, Kovaci said Hook will ensure the team will be successful for seasons to come.

“I’m going to miss everything about Coach Hook,” Kovaci said.

“He has been one of the greatest influences in my life, so I’m really happy that he’s a head coach and I know the rest of the future players and players now are going to be happy.”

Football head coach Shawn Hook said he has always loved playing and coaching.

Photo by Helen Tam

Playing grass volleyball during the pandemic and the support from the volleyball community has helped him grow as a player, Meng said.

Photo by Helen Tam

Meng brings leadership skills to national team

Positive team dynamics play an instrumental role in the team’s success, head varsity tennis coach Sundar Parthasarathy said.

Photo by Veronica Zhao

The unparalleled viewership of this year’s NCAA women’s basketball tournament has been years in the making, Cao said.

Photo from Forbes

younger athletes?

boys golf

“You have to get through hard days. Your swing is going to be on and off throughout the season, and you need to continue to work at it slowly.”

–Eliott Delile (11)

badminton

What advice would you give 7-4-1 2-4 11-1

“[You] have to put in the work outside of school since the school [practice] isn’t [sufficient] to really improve.”

softball

4-3

boys volleyball

3-3 4-7

“Work hard and don’t give up when things aren’t going your way, and continue to prog ress and get better while staying confident and passionate about the game.”

–Marcus Wang (11)

–Chris Liu (12)

“You should keep trying, because it’s hard to pick up when you are first starting — but don’t let that discourage you.”

–Leela Menon (11)

Mika Cohen shines on and off the track

By Andrew Fekete

When junior Mika Cohen first joined the track team, two things stood out to cross country and track and field head coach Kenrick Sealy: her initiative and determination. It was these two traits that made Sealy choose Cohen as captain of both the cross country and track teams in her sophomore year, Sealy said.

“She’s very determined,” Sealy said. “Even though she might not have the characteristics or pedigree that some people would have, she doesn’t let that slow her down or deter her from what she’s trying to accomplish.”

Don’t

worry about your times too much since you still have years ahead to improve.”

–Andrew Yip (10)

and field

“You always got to know that each day is a step forward and you’re going to be getting better each day. Eventually all the practice is going to pay off, so you just got to believe.”

–Mark Fekete (12)

“Take advantage of the facilities we have and don’t let any prior opinions about Homestead athletics make you feel like you can’t succeed.”

swim and dive gymnastics baseball

10-7-2

“Enjoy it while you can because it only gets harder to keep up with the sport and school. Make good friends because they will

be some of your closest friends for a long time.”

–Irina Lifantsev (9)

Athlete of the Month

When Cohen was named a captain, she said she did not expect it at all, but now embraces her role as a standout on and off the track when competing in hurdles, jumps, throws and pole vault.

“I can’t necessarily say I wanted to [become captain] because it just wasn’t an expectation I had for myself to achieve as a sophomore,” Cohen said. “After my sophomore year, I wanted to continue being a captain. I enjoyed the responsibilities of it and helping other people from a different perspective of the track team.”

Aside from Sealy, junior distance runner Bindhya Parthasarathy said she has noticed Cohen’s determination as well. Parthasarathy said Cohen is dedicated not only to her personal goals, but also to being someone all her team-

mates can rely on and trust in times of need.

“There’s been so many obstacles that we faced in the past three years, but she’s persevered through all of them,” Parthasarathy said. “She still maintains her fun and inviting personality, which is really admirable.”

This year and next year, the HHS track team remains grateful to be in the presence of an outstanding athlete and human being they get to call captain, Sealy said.

“If you just look at someone because they’re just fast, and you don’t look at the whole package, then you are missing the point,” Sealy said. ”When she first came onto our program, I just saw the qualities she had, even as a freshman, and those are qualities that you can’t buy.”

–Nate Enders (12)

boys

tennis 11-1

“Always try your best and try to find the fun in your sport. Also, practice as much as possible and challenge yourself by playing in lots of competitions.”

–Noah Sato (11)

Coach Kenrick Sealy said junior Mika Cohen’s versatility is one of her best traits.

Photo by Brian Ling

Photo by Annie Guo

Photo courtesy of Eliott Delile

Photo by Danielle Feldsher

Photo by Aviv Matas

Photo by Helen Tam

Photo by Nathan Gu

Photo by Andrew Fekete

Photo by Nicole Pimenta Innecco

Photo by Maya Dutt

the haze of celeb craze

“Beinggoodlookingisabigpartofpopularity.K-popartistswhoarephotogenic cangainmorefollowersandmoreexposure.WonyoungfromIVEhasafanbase ofover12millionfollowersonInstagram. Fans even created an aesthetic based onherhyperfeminismcalled‘wonyoungism.’However,shegets criticizedforlackingperformanceskills.K-popartistsshouldbe[knownfor]theirtalentsandnottheir[looks], evenifotherpeople think it’s important.”

-Ashley Shin(9)

celebrity integrity

Students share opinions on controversial celebrities

“Matt Rife as a comedian is great and I love his comedy. However, I do think some people overreact about the things he’s done because it is easier to criticize someone on the internet. While you can enjoy his comedy, there are some times where I pause and think, ‘Am I allowed to laugh?’”

- Gabby Moll (9)

heavyonthe heart

Addison Ra

“Addison Rae is the main character of the movie ‘He’s All That but her acting is cringy and horrible. [The] movie shows how being a convention ally pretty influencer automatically leads to fame. She already has a fanbase because she’s a TikTok star, so it was easier for her to market herself to acting companies. The main reason she’s pop ular is because she’s pretty, and that’s unfair to actors who are actually talented.

- Thien-Mai Vu (11)

“[Kanye West] is one of the greatest rappers of all time. However, I will admit that he’s a terrible person. The things he says, especially about the Jewish community, are pretty deplorable. I don’t condone any of the things he says, but I think you can separate the art from the artist.”

“Doja Cat is contro versial because she surrounds herself with controversial [celebrities]. However, I don’t really care what she does unless it’s something really bad. It’s her private life and she’s allowed to be friends with people who have different views. I still listen to her music be cause I like her songs.”

- Craig Holland (10)

Under the platform

Rising artists deserve same

attention as mainstream celebrities

- Sachin Chandran (9)

“From the little I do know. [DiCaprio] seems to be a good person. Him dating strictly under 25-year- old women is a bit concerning but it is not an unusual thing for men, especially rich men, to do. I believe it’s creepy but not unheard of.”

Zach Bryan mixes the powerful lyrics of folk with his soulful country voice to produce music that is unlike any other. His music’s versatility enables you to listen to the same song no matter how you feel.

With their unique music style and social justice advocacy, Kehlani is a powerful queer artist of color making waves in the industry. Kehlani deserves to be recognized for their barrier-breaking talent.

Dominic Fike, a gifted pop singer, writes about unique topics apart from relationships. He channels his issues with addiction and fame into deep, meaningful music that speaks to everyone.

Swiftie favorites

The top 3 Taylor Swift albums at HHS

Photo from MTV Photo from

Photo from WBLK

Photo from Variety

Photo from 9News

Photo from Vogue Kanye West

Photo fromCosmopolitan