Volume 113, Issue 2

Empowering students to think critically and creatively since 1913

VOLUME 113, ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 9, 2026

IN THIS ISSUE

SOUTH PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL 1401 FREMONT AVE, SOUTH PASADENA, CA 91030

OPINION

FEATURE

SPORTS

Tiger asks if, in our quest for efficiency, we have lost what is valuable about life. Page 5

Read how Kory How and Julian Barnes placed in the Color day costume competition for the past four years. Page 11

Tiger discusses the risk of severe injuries among athletes, particularly when trying to expedite their return to play. Page 15

South Pasadena City Council terminates contract with Flock

OPINION

Asian gentrification

South Pasadena becomes the first city in Los Angeles to end its partnership with Flock Safety. STORY MAXWELL GARDOCE & MAXINE MESSINEO PHOTO MAXIMO BENITEZ-CORNELIO ILLUSTRATION LANAH KIM

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lock Safety, a public safety and mass surveillance company that makes cameras that read license plates, captures vehicle details and builds a searchable database of this information. South Pasadena remains the first city in Los Angeles County to discontinue contracts with the company. On Wednesday, March 18, council members decided to prematurely end one of two of the city’s contracts, while allowing the other to expire five months later.

STORY LEIGHTON KWOK ILLUSTRATION HARPER RENTMEESTER In early 2024, the Japanese drink, matcha, took TikTok by storm, influencing several trends. “MatchaTok,” the term for matcha-related posts, created an explosion of Asian visibility. As matcha became a household name, matcha shops suddenly began popping up across the country.

Flock Safety, a public safety and mass surveillance company, continues to be regarded as quite controversial, with the American public largely viewing its products as excessive surveillance. The city currently leases 27 cameras from Flock that track almost every vehicle moving in and out of South Pasadena.

The brand most famously connected to the spark was Marukyu Koyamaen. This heritage Kyoto brand was so popular that it announced its global matcha shortage in October 2024. As of 2026, a 20gram tin is $55. As Asian artists and Asian foods gained millions of online views, some in the Asian Continued on Page 6

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AND WITH ALL NEW TECHNOLOGIES, WE HAVE TO QUESTION THE ETHICS AROUND THEM. WE HAVE TO QUESTION THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

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- Sheila Rossi

The conclusion, sparked by organizations such as the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other out– of-state third parties, resulted in a 4–1 vote. These organizations collected and utilized data including when the cameras mistook nonstolen cars for cars on Flock’s hot list, or list of stolen vehicles. The decision left 13 active cameras near the perimeter of the city up and running while city officials searched for another company offering similar services to replace Flock. “So a lot of [the policies for Flock are] actually not necessarily pertaining to crime within. Flock [is] a network. It’s connected to a hot list. And so that was actually Flock’s main point: that they were connected to a nationwide hot list of stolen vehicles. So when it drives past a Flock, it pings. Right? That this car is on this hot list. But there have been reported incidences of it being wrong as well,” South Pasadena Mayor Sheila Rossi said. Discussions about the removal of the city’s Flock cameras have brought controversy among South Pasadena residents and members of city council. SPPD reassures that they will maintain their ability to keep an eye on vehicles entering South Pasadena during this time. Meanwhile, council meetings have suggested alternative services such as PlateRanger to replace Flock. PlateRanger is an advanced automated license plate recognition service similar to Flock — which has garnered disagreements from the community due to a continued reliance on AI services and data collection.

IN THE NEWS

FEATURE

“I feel like [you should] give everything a chance, so if you [use another company], and it starts causing problems and people get upset about [the change], then that’s something that needs to be reevaluated,” sophomore Oliva Regalado said. These cameras can be helpful. Cameras deter crime and auto theft, solve cases much faster, and are more cost effective compared to constant human or armed private security. However, some have said that the cameras are invasive. They record citizens who are not suspected of committing any crimes, and every trip someone makes, such as going to school, getting together with friends, attending doctor appointments, and going to work, and log the information into a database. “I feel like, in some ways, [Flock Safety surveillance] can be good because if someone commits a crime, you could track their phone. So on one hand, that’s actually pretty good. But on the other hand, what are they gonna do with that data other than that, you know? But I think it can be good if used the right way,” Regalado said. While there have been concerns about surveillance cameras in other countries being used for their unintended purposes of suppressing free speech or political freedom,

Rossi says that the benefit of surveilling theft provides a balance to that concern. “I have personally seen [surveillance cameras] used in other countries to repress speech, suppress democracy quickly, and to go after political dissidents, so that’s where my concerns come from. So I have a very real awareness about this kind of technology used to both suppress speech and to suppress political dissidents. But most people don’t have that experience, and they have the very real experience of having things stolen, the fear of their vehicle being stolen, something from their porch being stolen, or their house being broken into. So that’s kind of the balance that we’re always looking at,” Rossi said. Another concern is that when communities sign contracts, it is often unspecified how long the data is stored, who has access, or how protected the data is. This concerns another facet of the discussion of the use of the cameras. “We need public thought [and] public discussion. And with all new technologies, we have to question their ethics. We have to question the unintended consequences. It seems like a good idea. We just have to question what regulations [should be in place],” Rossi said.

AP EXAM ORDERING

HOMECOMING

VETERAN CARD DRIVE

SPHS students will no longer be able to order AP exams after Friday, Oct. 30.

The homecoming assembly, picnic, and football game will take place on Friday, Oct. 16.

From Friday, Oct. 9 to Friday, Oct. 31, students can write thankyou notes to veterans to honor their service.

TIGERNEWSPAPER.COM

Olivia Rodrigo’s new hit album

STORY UMA CHAKRABORTY & ELLIE SONG ILLUSTRATION SHYLA DRAKE Olivia Rodrigo, the 23-year-old three-time Grammy Award winner, released a recordbreaking album, You Seem Pretty Sad For a Girl So in Love in June. This is Rodrigo’s third official album; it has earned over 4 million equivalent album sales globally and crossed 500,000 pure physical and digital sales in the United States alone. Before becoming a song-writer, Rodrigo started off as a Disney Channel star, appearing in Bizaardvark and most famous for portraying Nini Salazar-Roberts. She was eventually cast as Gabriella Montez in her school’s first production, in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Continued on Page 11

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TIGER OCTOBER 9, 2026

NEWS

The importance of earthquake insurance Earthquake insurance can help pay for earthquake damages.

Local pumpkin patch returns STORY MAXINE MESSINEO ILLUSTRATION LANAH KIM for another Halloween season he ground in California STORY ELLA APISAKKUL PHOTO THEO THOMPSON Tahoe Pumpkin Patch, located on South Pasadena’s Mission Street since 1989, is a fixture within the community. They are only open in October, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The patch is decorated underneath a large tent with hay bales, Halloween decorations, various pumpkins, and a stand where patrons make purchases. It sells a diverse selection of pumpkins, including some that fit in the palm of the hand and some that are as heavy as 200 pounds. “[The pumpkin patch has] been here for 20 years… mostly just to keep the old-fashioned [tradition] going so you don’t have to go to the store and buy [there], [and so] you can just [come to] the pumpkin patch,” the patch’s founder and owner, Anita Cagle, said. The patch has been South Pasadena-based since its opening. As it is the city’s only pumpkin patch, it is a staple that makes customers feel closer to the community. “When I saw the kids who were having so much fun, I thought, it’s like a safe place for them to go. And with COVID, they had a safe place to get out of the house, but … it’s just tradition,” Cagle said. To prepare for opening, the team clears weeds from the area and assembles the poles of the tent under which the patch is set up. The patch does not use elaborate decorations, thus setup is simple and does not pose a challenge. However, due to recent events, Cagle shares that they experience difficulty with gas prices. “[We] have a big truck that comes here and delivers to us, from Oregon and Ventura, [but] right now, the [gas] cost is way up there. The cost is hurting us a little bit, but it’s alright. It’s for the kids,” Cagle said. The patch has a simple business model, keeping decorations minimum and only accepting cash. However, Cagle does not wish to change it, saying that “staying simple is my way to go. A lot of

people have [bounce] houses and animals and stuff, but… that has nothing to do with Halloween or a pumpkin patch. And they charge a lot of money to get in… I don’t want to charge people.” Though other patches may decorate generously to attract patrons, South Pasadena’s trusts patrons to return despite their simple appearance. It focuses on quality, not quantity, keeping customers coming back with their hospitality instead of relying on the flashiness of material items. Their pumpkins are not always sold in large amounts, but each season varies. Any remaining pumpkins go to farms for animals to consume, to charities starting their own pumpkin patches, or are used for Thanksgiving festivities. Its minimal design is partially due to the fact that the patch aims for children to be comfortable. “I try not to keep it scary, so the kids get used to Halloween. Halloween isn’t all ghosts and goblins. Halloween [is] also princesses and astronauts, because the kids dress up as all kinds of things. So this is a place where it’s not all scary, blood and gore.” Cagle said. The patch aspires to give sponsors a small-town feel that is hard to find in a store chain. “I [love to] see families putting their phones down and spending time together, playing with the beanbags and all that. And when the kids come back and remember me from when they were really little, that right there is just special,” Cagle said. Since the patch has existed for years, Cagle has created memories with visiting families. Her love for South Pasadena gives Tahoe Pumpkin Patch a cozy feel that makes it special. “I watch the kids grow up, and a lot of them are in college. They come and see me, and… it’s just like family,” Cagle said. “I think it is [important]. They tell me it is, and I’m grateful. I believe them, because the kids just love it.” Even in small ways, Tahoe Pumpkin Patch works to keep a piece of comforting atmosphere in South Pasadena’s Halloween. For as long as they are open, the city will not lose its small-town holiday charm.

The South Pasadena Pumpkin patch opened October 1.

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constantly experiences movement, and while most of it is minor, this shaking often triggers earthquakes ranging from barely noticeable to more destructive. Scientists believe that there is more than a 99 percent chance that one or more earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.7 or higher will hit California within the next 30 years. Earthquakes can destroy homes and leave people without a place to stay or the money to rebuild. Earthquake insurance is a specialized policy designed to protect the homes and personal belongings of those affected by earthquakes, as well as living expenses from damage caused by earthquakes. The insurance includes the repairs or reconstruction of the main structure of the home including the foundation, walls, and garage. California is at an especially high risk for a large earthquake due to resting along the boundary between two huge tectonic plates: the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. These plates are constantly moving against each other at different speeds. California is also home to more than 500

active faults, making it one of the most seismic zones in the world. The most famous of these faults is the San Andreas fault, a roughly800-mile fault that runs through much of the state and forms the primary boundary between the two plates, making California prone to earthquakes. Earthquake magnitude measures the total energy released at the source of an earthquake. An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 struck Southern California on Jan. 17, 1994, causing the collapse of infrastructure such as freeways, taking around 60 lives, and resulting in over $20 billion in damage.

The expense of this earthquake was the catalyst for the creation of the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) later in 1996, since only half the cost of repairs from earthquake damages were able to be covered by insurance. The catastrophic effects of earthquakes have created a need for a safety net for people affected by these disasters. Programs like earthquake insurance and the CEA have answered this call, aiding people in their times of need. As the threat of earthquakes in Southern California rises over time, reliance on these lifelines will only continue to increase.

The Dinosaur Farm could leave South Pasadena STORY ELLA APISAKKUL PHOTO PHILIP KWAK The Dinosaur Farm, a toy and book store that has operated locally since 1994, is a well-known community establishment. Unfortunately, its time in South Pasadena may end soon. Dinosaur Farm was founded and is owned by David Plenn, a musician and songwriter. David’s son, Taylor Plenn, was born in 1992, and at that time, David wanted to focus on being a father. The idea for the store came soon after. “People moved to South Pas because the schools were good, so that means there’s families. There’s no toy store in town, and that was it,” said David. “My wife knew how to get started. Then she said, ‘I have this name’. I said, ‘What’s the name?’ She goes, ‘Dinosaur Farm’. I was like, ‘Dude, I could definitely work with a Dinosaur Farm’.” The community has loved the store ever since. It stands out from other toy stores because “it’s not what you’d expect. [You’d expect] a warehouse, with these big shelves… instead, it’s very welcoming; we painted the walls so it’s interesting.” The store also hosts arts crawls and music events, including an upcoming Halloween event. However, despite their success, the business may leave South Pasadena. The new building owner’s required payment did not match what the business could offer. “I tried to tell him that what we bring is going to make your other properties more successful. But right now, he’s just looking at the dollars per square foot, [saying] ‘I should be getting this’,” David Plenn said.

The Dinosaur Farm risks closure due to increased rent prices.

The news surprised locals, but not the business.“When we were renegotiating our lease three years ago, they weren’t willing to aim further past three years…so the writing was kind of on the wall that the building was going to be sold,” Taylor Plenn, son of owner David Plenn, said.

“There’s good and bad and ugly, in terms of these commercial people that are buying up all these properties, and we’re getting the bad. It’s not good, it’s not ugly, it’s just bad! We want to stay here, but we’re not going to kill ourselves to [do so].”

Though their lease ends in January, they cannot move then because December is a crucial month for their business.

Though the community cannot help directly, word-of-mouth will help most. Even if raising awareness cannot stop them from moving, it will draw customers to where they go next.

“We’ll probably be given until June. We live in South Pas, so I’d rather be in South Pas. But there’s not a lot out there.” Despite the conflict, the community has not forgotten them, with locals promising that everything will be okay. “I want to think that it will, [that] the right pathway will find us, but it’s been good to hear people be on our side,” says Taylor Plenn. Their future is uncertain, but Dinosaur Farm will do what they can.

PAGE DESIGN HARPER RENTMEESTER

The Dinosaur Farm’s love for South Pasadena will not fade, whether it moves or not. Residents must support it as much as it has uplifted them in turn. “If you stand across the street and look at this block, take out our store, and put in a furniture store, you’ve sucked the soul out of the whole small town environment… I still, in the back of my mind, think that maybe something will happen, so I’m not totally giving up,” Plenn said.

TIGER OCTOBER 9, 2026

NEWS

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Planning process and benefits of SPHS college rep visits

College visits expands students’ awareness of potential schools and opportunities. STORY KAMILLAH MORALES PHOTO SAM ALLEN

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epresentatives from colleges located across the country have been visiting SPHS every Monday and Thursday starting since September and continuing into November. The representatives from a variety of elite universities and lesserknown schools can be found set up in front of the counseling center to inform students about their respective schools. The selection process is managed using Naviance, a web-based college, career, and life readiness platform. The various colleges will sign themselves up by requesting a time and date to come and meet with students. The college visits do not just focus on prestigious universities. They represent a variety of schools so that students are informed of all kinds of opportunities that are offered and learn what suits their futures best. The visits are not only helpful to seniors, but for all grades to get a better sense of what traits of a college they might be interested in. “It’s not just trying to pick the ones everybody favors, like USC, UC San Diego, Harvard, Barnard, all the big name schools,” SPHS counselor Jorge Carreon said. “There’s a lot of other schools that actually you may not know about that could actually be the place that you do belong.” Many students do not take advantage of the opportunity to

College Representive Fair sets up in front of Counceling Center

learn about new schools despite college visits. Carreon believes that it is important for students to do more research on college and university, since he has noticed the decline of students visiting the college representatives throughout past years, especially since students pay thousands of dollars for private college consulting despite resources designed to help at SPHS.

Senior Piper Whitman has attended the college visits all four years of her time at SPHS. Whitman was able to meet a representative from one of her top schools, the University of Arizona, which she felt was helpful because it allowed for the representative to get to know her and what she enjoyed. Because Whitman had already done research online, the rep’s presence did not hugely impact

her application decisions. However, Whitman knows people who did have a change of heart after attended and talking to the college representatives. “The college visits give you a good idea of what you want and don’t want in a school, and especially if you already know a school you’re interested in is coming, it’s nice to talk to the rep because they really remember

you and get to know you. And it’s good for your admission process,” Whitman said. Additionally, many Monday mornings, a representative from an arts college visits the art classroom to discuss the portfolio requirements for arts schools. Students who are interested in attending those sessions can be excused from their morning classes to attend.

ASB changes Homecoming Dance location for 2026 dance This year is the first time in five years that the Homecoming Dance is not at the Arroyo Seco Golf Course. course is currently the most affordable option. To figure out the new location or price, the junior class advisor, Ben Ku, asked ASB which option was better for the school, and what students would enjoy more. ASB hosted an informal survey among the students asking if they would rather pay more for a better venue or continue to pay the same amount for the same venue. The results of the survey being where people wanted to pay more for a new venue. This is how ASB decided the location for the homecoming dance.

The 2026 SPHS Homecoming Dance will be held at the Pasadena Convention Center.

STORY MAYA BENNETT PHOTO MAC SHROPSHIRE

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PHS is hosting homecoming for the 2026 to 2027 school year at the Pasadena Convention Center on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 7 to 10 p.m. This year, the theme is Night in the Bayou, and it is the first year in half a decade that the location is different. When finding another venue to host the dance to fit students’ requests, ASB went through many options and places, but decided on the Pasadena Convention Center for the convenient location and large amount of space. However,

the process of finding a big enough venue was challenging because ASB needed something that could host many people and was in a reasonable price range. At the event, there will be churros, ice cream, a movie, several photo booths, a dance floor, and much more.

class plans the homecoming dance and prom, if they also fundraise for homecoming, prom prices can stay at a lower price. In the past, they were able to sell prom tickets for $60, instead of the modern price of $70 to $100.

This is the first year in five years that homecoming is not at the Arroyo Seco Golf Course. Before the pandemic, homecoming was in the gym on school campus after the football game with tickets purchased for $30 or $40.

In 2021, SPHS decided to host homecoming off campus at the Arroyo Seco Golf Course. However, once they hosted the dance off-campus, it was difficult to bring it back since people lost interest in on-campus celebrations compared to the dance at the Arroyo Seco.

Years ago, this became a way of fundraising. Since the junior

With the dance remaining offcampus, the cost of the venue is PAGE DESIGN SHYLA DRAKE

greater, which means student ticket are more expensive. Payments have to go to security guards, restrooms, generators, and the dance floor, which ultimately explains the inflated price. Luckily, the Arroyo Seco Golf Course offers reasonable prices for dances, but everything besides the location is still expensive. As a result of these expenses, ASB did not profit from the event. This past year, there have been many students saying that they do not want to go to the Arroyo Seco Golf Course for homecoming again, and that prices are too high. Unfortunately, the golf

This year, with homecoming at the Pasadena Convention Center, security guards are not included in ASB’s budget since it is not an open space like the golf course. However, the lowest ticket price of $70 is already giving ASB a loss, meaning ASB is losing money because it actually costs $78 per person. To earn back the money that they are already losing, more people must show up so that the event breaks even. “We’re hoping for a good turnout just because we’re really excited in putting on this event at a new venue, new space. So we’re hoping that it’ll be a good time,” Ku said. The student bank, located by the Diamond gate, is currently selling tickets for $85 with a SAC card, $95 for non-SAC and $100 for an OOTER ticket for people who do not go to SPHS. OOTER forms can be picked up at the main office.

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TIGER OCTOBER 9, 2026

NEWS

Color day celebration at SPHS SPHS celebrates another successful Color Day. Tiger interviews ASB and Dance for a look into how they put together the Color Day assembly, as well as the planning and preparation behind this event. PAGE DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION LANAH KIM

STORY MAYA BENNETT & ELLIE SONG

SPHS ASB prepares a spectacular assembly

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outh Pasadena High School’s annual Color Day took place on Oct. 2, 2026. ASB worked hard to prepare and rehearse the assembly before Friday. All staff, teachers, and students flooded the school in bright orange costumes and clothing to celebrate school spirit.

All of the different ASB officers and commissioners have been preparing for Color Day for weeks. ASB officers prepared their grade level’s Color Day poster, which was hung up in the gym on Color Day, and timed each skit. “Color Day is going to be super exciting, so be sure to bring your school spirit,” said Kaitlin Nguyen, the freshman class secretary. To prepare for the event, the officers decide who participates in different class competitions and rehearse for the assembly. Besides the class officers, the commissioner of assemblies, junior Denis Blekhman, has been working hard to prepare for the Color Day assembly. Blekhman has spent a lot of time brainstorming with his committee on new competitions. A new competition that he tried out this year was an air mattress sliding relay race. He purchased

two air mattresses and an air pump and tested it with CB Richards over a free weekend. In addition to preparing for the different competitions, Blekhman met with his committee of writers and actors to plan the skits.

Blekhman also connected with friends to get a new pair of high heels and spray-painted his costume to match the school colors for the assembly. Finally, Blekhman made a large wooden box to fit himself inside, wanting it to look like a Trojan horse. In addition to preparing for the different competitions, Blekhman met with his committee of writers and actors to get ready for the skits during the assembly. The biggest part of the process to prepare for the assembly was making a large wooden box to fit himself inside. He wanted it to look like a Trojan horse. Blekhman put in many hours into figuring out the time frame

for the assembly, making sure it fit into the hour given for assembly on Friday, Oct. 2. He also watched past assemblies to figure out how the flow of the assembly would work. During this time, preparing for Color Day, Blekhman has been staying with all of his performers and borrowing different things from people when necessary. All of ASB and all the performers for the assembly stayed after school on days before the assembly to rehearse. After all the preparation for Color Day, students brought their full school spirit on Friday by wearing orange, black, and white and participating in different competitions, representing their class.

SPHS advanced dance prepares for the Color Day assembly S outh Pasadena High School’s annual Color Day occurred on Oct. 2, 2026. Students and staff carried on the tradition of dressing in all orange, representing their Tiger pride.

The advanced dance team has been preparing for Color Day for about a month and a half, since the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year. Graduating from SPHS in 2025, Quin Sokolowski now works as an after-school jazz instructor and choreographer. He has planned the last two Color Day performances for 2025 and 2026, as well as choreographed the SPHS assembly dance performances since 2024. “I choreographed and directed this year’s Color Day dance,” said Sokolowski, which includes the entirety of the SPHS Advanced Dance Team. Each Color Day, dance reinvents itself with an entirely new theme to surprise the audience. This year we decided to go for an F1 racing theme.” This year, Advanced Dance has performed a mashup of Blinding Lights by The Weeknd, Sports Car by Tate McRae, and JOYRIDE. by Kesha. To prepare for this year’s assembly, there was a lot of necessary behind-the-scenes work. Dance Director Courtney Cheyne and Sokolowski collaborated on ideas, funding, concepts, music, and taking into account the dancers and

rehearsal time they could have. Sokolowski then worked late nights, creating choreography along with formations to teach his dancers the following next few days.

“So it is my job not only to teach, but to find ways to let my vision and storytelling translate into a way that all audience members and all dancers can enjoy,” stated Sokolowski.

“We had many in-class rehearsals, from learning the first steps to rehearsing in full costume in the gym. Not only is it a big job for me and Courtney Cheyne as creative directors, but for the dancers themselves, who are juggling school, home life, and being performers.”

The Color Day tradition has been part of SPHS history for so long, and Sokolowski explains how coming back from Covid-19 as a freshman, Color Day was something unexpected.

This year, Advanced Dance rehearsals were during 5th period in the dance room, but once Color Day neared, they practiced in the gym to test out the space for their offical assembly performance. “I’d say preparing for Color Day was really fun, but it was definitely a lot of work,” sophomore Grace Chen said. “Our choreographer pushes us a lot because he knows what we are capable of, and it was also really fun being able to work hard and dance together with my dance friends.” Weeks of practicing allowed the dancers to perfect the choreography, and they executed every move during rehearsals to make sure their performance was flawless for the big day. Sokolowski explained how being a choreographer is definitely a creative job. In a way, he faces many obstacles when certain ideas don’t come to life exactly how he imagined them.

“[Color Day] is such a spirited school holiday I never had experienced [as a freshman]. That year, Dance performed on the field due to Covid-19 restrictions and danced to Ice Cream by Blackpink and Selena Gomez. While I was a beginner dancer at the time, watching the advanced dancers from an audience perspective was definitely a core memory and inspired me to get to where I am today. Color Day has a lot of special moments, but SPHS advanced dance never ceases to put on a great first performance of the year.” The Color Day assembly is always a star-striking performance which leaves the crowd in awe as the performers dance to the rhythm of the songs, moving the audience’s attention to the middle of the gym. “While I have loved all the color day performances over the past years, with full confidence I can say that this year’s color day performance will certainly be one to remember, with an exciting and mature theme that the dancers are killing,” Sokolowski said.

TIGER OCTOBER 9, 2026

THEESTABLISHED TIGER 1913 NSPA FIRST CLASS 2025 NSPA FIRST CLASS 2024 CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2023 CSPA SILVER CROWN 2022 CSPA SILVER CROWN 2021 CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2019 CSPA SILVER CROWN 2018 CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2017 CSPA CROWN AWARD 2016 CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2015

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OPINION

STAFF EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ZOE CHEN MANAGING EDITORS RUBY FOUDY, Print CLAIRE MAO, Online NEWS OWEN HOU, Editor OPINION RAFA ESTOLANO-SRIDHARAN, Editor FEATURE UMA CHAKRABORTY, Editor SPORTS GAVIN BARTOLOME, Editor DESIGN PAISLEY PARK, Editor LANAH KIM, Editor PHOTOGRAPHY MAC SHROPSHIRE, Editor COPY JULIA GILDERSLEEVE, Editor KHLOE YUEN, Editor STAFF WRITERS ELLA APISAKKUL MAYA BENNETT MAXWELL GARDOCHE LEIGHTON KWOK HUNG GWAN LAU KAMILLAH MORALES MAXINE MESSINEO ELLIE SONG STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS SAM ALLEN MAXIMO BENITEZ-CORNELIO PHILIP KWAK ADRIAN LOPEZ THEODORE THOMPSON STAFF ILLUSTRATORS SAGE CHANG SHYLA DRAKE YUMIN KIM HELENA MILLAR HARPER RENTMEESTER ZOIE WONG PAGE DESIGNERS SHYLA DRAKE CAELYN LEWIS KAMILLAH MORALES BUSINESS AND ADS MANAGERS LUCINDA ERNST DANNY LOWSTUTTER FACULTY ADVISOR KAREN HAMES VOL. 113 NO. 2 DISTRIBUTED ON OCTOBER 9, 2026. DISTRIBUTION: 1460 STUDENTS; 70 COMMUNITY. 1200 COPIES PRINTED. DISTRIBUTED BY TIGER STAFF FREE OF CHARGE.

Efficiency Effeciencyis is consuming consuming humanity humanity I

Technology has made us forget how to stop and smell the roses.

n today’s world, everything is done in the snap of a finger. From short-form content to delivery apps, processes in our daily lives are being streamlined to the point of oblivion. Society has confused faster with better, which has ruined our ability to slow down, appreciate the natural world, and channel that into our creations.

scrolling, repeatedly giving the brain dopamine, which is the mental chemical that spreads pleasure. As social media tracks what you like and serves you more, you grow unsatisfied with dopamine served in lesser amounts, making the outside world boring. When we are preoccupied with blue light, we lose the will to think meaningfully and critically.

Your device can do everything for you. For students, plu�ging your equation or writing prompt into a search engine will bring up an answer within seconds. Cooking is solved with meal kits that only need a few steps to prepare. And entertainment is ready through a streaming service of your choice or, even better, a social media platform spewing short-form content at you endlessly. Companies are on a mission to make all daily motions convenient, which helps in theory, but is easily pushed too far.

Every individual has the potential to make an impact. Our differing worldviews make the world interesting when we combine them to create new things. By confining ourselves to a screen, we lose the chance to make memories, learn, and, most importantly, connect with nature.

When our every action is done by a device, we give up our selfexpression. Though machines haven’t taken over yet, we can already see a similar mental deterioration happening through consumption of short-form content. Short-form content comes in an endless loop through

Humans existed before the internet, and, during that time, let ourselves experience the natural world. Classic artworks, like Starry Night or The Thinker, depict nature or other humans, proving that we are inspired by these topics. Yet many companies, whose CEOs cannot see art as more than a status symbol, hurt the environment for products. These include the CEO of Amazon, who has sourced paper pulp from a supplier involved in deforestation, and Tesla, which

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TIGER’S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE A RELIABLE NEWS OUTLET FOR SPHS AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THROUGH A VARIETY OF COVERAGE, TIGER EMPOWERS/ ENABLES STUDENTS TO THINK CRITICALLY AND CREATIVELY, COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY, SOLVE PROBLEMS, SET AND REACH GOALS, AND WORK COOPERATIVELY AND INDEPENDENTLY AS RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS. TIGER IS A FORUM FOR STUDENT FREE SPEECH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH CALIFORNIA ED CODE 48907.

has cut down 500,000 trees at one of their factories.

Those investing in e$ciency could argue that it cuts out tasks requiring less thought, letting us pursue selfactualization. They see easier as better, and want every need to be fulfilled in order to chase supposed eternal happiness. However, they must remember that we cannot let the mundane go. After small things are completed, these companies won’t stop, consuming obligations until there is nothing left to do. When humans see something successful, all they want is more success, much like when we keep scrolling for dopamine hits. It is hard to believe that we won’t eventually rely on technology to survive. Since 2019, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, poor mental health has increased, led by a 24 percent rise in major depressive disorder and a 47 percent rise in anxiety disorders globally. As of 2024, one in five U.S. adults and one in seven U.S. youth experience mental illness yearly. In a time when these conditions are on the rise, it is crucial to engage with our artistic selves.

Humans are creative. From cave paintings to the Renaissance to today’s photographs and sculptures, we have always expressed ourselves, deriving inspiration from the nature surrounding us. When the world is stressful, society must persist. We must remember how beautiful life is when we focus on the insignificant, and why life is worth living. To connect with the earth, we must save it, not hurt it. Though we can’t reverse deforestation and climate change, we can take small steps to care for the world around us. We find humanity within slow moments. Instead of letting devices do what we deem ourselves too busy for, we can experiment with ingredients to cook a meal or spend time selecting gifts for loved ones. Time, effort, and mistakes show our humanity, learning, and growth. The journey may be long, but perfection should never be our goal. It should be creativity, which we achieve with every mistake. Even small processes of life should not go faster; once they do, people often can lose themselves in the blur of e$encient technology.

Boos & Bravos Tiger’s cheers and jeers for the month of October BOOS

BRAVOS

BOO to Dave’s Killer Bread. It drives me nuts.

BRAVO to Zohran Mamdani. Can you please fix my GPA.

BOO to Ed Sheeran. Elmo is the only red-headed puppet that I like.

BRAVO to Dolly Parton. The English department is really workin’ “9 to 5”

BOO to the heatwave. I yearn for East coast sweater weather.

BRAVO to green lasers. Flock Cameras hate to see them coming.

BOO to AP stats. Even my grade is an outlier.

BRAVO to Shailene Woodley’s Emmy outfit. I admire your confidence.

BOO! Happy Halloween.

BRAVO to the Elizabeth Holmes documentary. 2026’s best horror movie.

ALL REMAINING CURRENT TIGER NEWSPAPER POLICIES ARE ONLINE AT TIGERNEWSPAPER.COM INCLUDING: CONFLICT OF INTEREST, LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, CORRECTIONS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA.

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TIGER OCTOBER 9, 2026

OPINION

The over-trendification of Asian culture and customs Asian culture cannot be a commodity to be bought and sold on the internet.

Continued from Page 1 community felt uncomfortable with the sudden growth. They felt that, while their childhood was on display, the cultural side of the product was being erased to fit social media standards. Things that they were previously bullied for liking or eating became the newest and biggest thing.

they erase the original family rituals and regional differences. This is the difference between appreciation and appropriation. Western brands are claiming they are “inventing something new” when it has already been established for hundreds of years in Asian countries. With this new boost of media exposure, negative Asian stereotypes are also becoming more prevalent on platforms like TikTok. For example, fake educational studies show what type of men Asian women are more likely to be in a romantic relationship with. The most notable “Oxford Study” is the idea that Asian women will statistically prefer what the internet deems an unconventionally attractive white man. This is just one example of this cookie-cutter stereotype. If this type of interracial couple posts together, their comment section is instantly flooded with “Typical Oxford Study” comments. This diminishes the relationship and highlights how society sees love as a stereotype, instead of just love.

“At first I was really excited that Asian people were finally getting the spotlight and recognition that we all deserve. Then I took a step back and looked at the bigger picture of why being Asian is trending right now,” Asian American influencer Fiona Leona said in a viral TikTok video. “I would appreciate it if there was some sort of appreciation for the culture, but there is just money being backed behind it.” Many famous brands began jumping on the matcha “trend” as if to try to get their chance at this new money-maker drink. Even Jack in the Box, a fast-food franchise that has never shown interest in Asian food or culture and has no stores in the Asian market, released its Matcha Iced Latte and OREO Matcha Shake in February 2026. While exposure to old traditions like making and consuming matcha can be positive, the current trend takes the culture out of the drink and waters it down to fit into an Instagram post. A similar situation happened with the South Asian drink, chai–or tea. Traditional chai has a strong aroma of spices, or Masala, but the Western version completely neglects it. What makes this drink so special is not that it is tea, but the warm, comforting feeling the spices

bring, which Starbucks and other non-Asian chains fail to capture. This turns the wonderful aroma into a palatable, diluted syrup.

influencer Courtney Cook went viral for her “new invention” of adding soy sauce, hot sauce, Kewpie mayo, and other Asian condiments to her dumplings Foods that Asians were once wrapped in a sweet onion. teased for bringing to school are Many began calling it “Courtney now premium products. White Cook’s new dumpling recipe”

when these sauces have always been added to this specific dish. Asian cucumber salads and pork dumplings are being modified and made more palatable for Western tastes, and sold back as new ideas. Renamed, styled, and marketed as chic snacks,

If individuals recognize the cultural significance of these items, it can allow for true Asian culture to be celebrated and recognized. This allows Asians to prosper in their own communities and see correct representation in the media, without feeling the need to dampen themselves down for the Western audience. Visibility can empower, but it depends on who promotes it and how it’s presented. It is a new model for visibility that allows other people’s cultures to shine through, not just as a watereddown two-week trend.

Therapy-speak: using your therapist’s words in daily conversation

The incorporation of clinical therapy language in everyday speech comes with flaws. STORY MAXWELL GARDOCE ILLUSTRATION SAGE CHANG In 2024, more than 37.4 million American adults had received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional in the past 12 months. With the prevalence of conversations surrounding mental health in today’s world, aspects of “therapy-speak” — the language of therapy — have seeped into everyday speech. Words like “love-bombing,” “narcissism,” and “gaslighting” have become commonplace. However, there are dangers with the integration of clinical therapy language in everyday vocabulary. Therapy-speak is the imprecise and superficial integration of psychotherapy language into everyday speech and vocabulary. It is a byproduct of growing societal awareness of mental health, primarily spread through digital media, specifically to destigmatize and normalize discussions about mental health. Despite good intentions, overuse of psychotherapy terms can actually do more harm than good. The general use of therapy-speak often exploits medical credibility, as well as the basic validity of the phrases’ meanings. The dilution and misapplication of terms can actually improperly educate people on healthy mental practices. The usage of clinical psychology jargon in everyday speech may gain traction as a movement to destigmatize mental health, but clinical terms (gaslighting, boundaries, trauma) are often misused and weaponized,

diluting true clinical severity. Overgeneralization can make it more difficult for individuals who genuinely suffer with clinical mental health conditions to properly communicate their needs and/or be taken seriously. Individual may also argue that the overgeneralization of clinical language has been happening to common vernacular (i.e. the words insane, crazy, repressed).

Therapy-speak may just be a trendy aspect of a historical problem. Older terms were used as hyperbolic or crude descriptors of what was viewed as erratic behavior. Modern therapy-speak uses exact clinical jargon not only as emotional reaction, but as genuine pseudoscientific verdicts as to what appears “wrong.” Past slang was mostly used to just directly PAGE DESIGN SAGE CHANG

insult someone, while therapyspeak can be the avoidance of accountability and conflict under the guise of self-care. There may be pros to the popularization of talks concerning mental health, and the destigmatization of mental health disorders and conditions is beneficial for society moving forward.

However, clinical language being used in common vernacular has had its meaning diluted, oversimplified, and entirely changed, and can contribute to the underrepresentation of individuals with mental problems. It is extremely important to use these terms only when one understands the real meaning of them.

TIGER OCTOBER 9, 2026

OPINION

The unrealism about superheroes

People commonly put superheroes on a pedestal despite their problematic traits. for their heroic traits. The supremacy of heroes despite their problematic traits is something that can also be applied to real world figures; Elon Musk, for one. Despite his favorability dropping heavily in the beginning of 2025 according to Silver Bulletin, nearly 40 percent of the population supports Musk. He has done terrible things like tweet sexist, misogynistic, and inappropriate content and created working conditions so bad that his factory has been called the “modern-day sweatshop.” Yet somehow people still find reasons to praise him and overlook his horrendous doings because of the power he holds in this world and his revolutionary inventions like Tesla and SpaceX that are not even products of his own intelligence; they are inventions he took credit for.

STORY KAMILLAH MORALES ILLUSTRATION YUMIN KIM

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hether it is through supernatural abilities or connections with those of high authority, people are drawn to heroes because of their positions as protagonists and the perspectives that many stories are told from. However, this can lead to people praising heroes to an extreme that overlooks their problematic traits. “I think that a lot of the times their personal lives get overlooked, and so it makes it seem like they have no issues when really they do. People don’t look at those because they’re focused on all of the good traits,” sophomore Victoria MacRae-Serpa said.

Iron Man is a prime example of this. Iron Man is one of the most beloved characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But he is depicted to be a selfish, egotistical alcoholic who makes reckless and impulsive decisions and then refuses to take the blame or own up to his actions. Yet somehow his intelligence and cool armor can make those flaws completely forgotten to some viewers. In fact, according to an article by Screen Rant, Stan Lee created Iron Man to be “completely unlikeable.” Stan Lee intentionally gave Iron Man these toxic characteristics, but the hero still became a prime symbol of heroism. This goes to show how society makes heroes’ flaws seem acceptable because of their liking

Some may argue that heroes are fictional characters and they save lives, which makes it acceptable to praise them. In truth, there is no harm in favoring or relating to a character even if they have problematic traits. Likeable characters will most likely have flaws because viewers are able to relate to them. However, putting problematic heroes on a pedestal and building a supremacy off of them is not the same. It is one thing to like a character and another thing to praise them. By praising these problematic heroes, it creates the effect that the things they do are okay to be overlooked and maybe even acceptable. It is best to praise the good and accept the bad. People often overlook the red flags in heroes they idolize. Power, perspective, and protagonism all play key roles in shaping how people perceive and feel about the characters we view. But a hero’s heroic actions cannot cover up the toxic traits that they may have. It is unethical to put heroes on a pedestal while ignoring their problematic traits, because that same action is something that people not only do with fictional characters, but with real people too.

Music must be appreciated as art STORY HUNG GWAN LAU PHOTO MAC SHROPSHIRE Music is art, and although people acknowledge it as so, they fail to treat it as such. Imagine someone checking out a museum, and instead of taking their time to stop, admire, and appreciate what the different art pieces have to offer, they instead walk on without stopping and interpreting any meaning behind the art. This is the equivalent to what modern music listening has become. Individuals often do not stop to appreciate what they are listening to. The biggest blame for this is streaming. Streaming has existed for almost two decades and has made music more accessible than ever before; users can play almost any song with the press of a button. While this is a great alternative to physical music, it has its downsides.

this is how artists have formatted their music for years. Streaming has indirectly affected this form of music as well. Commonly, people will shuffle through songs on any given album, listen through for the vibe or feeling the song gives, and if it does not match with their vision, they skip. No artist intends for their music to be listened to this way; the artist will put songs in a specific order for a reason, and since music is art, it is the listener’s job to interpret that order. Although music can be listened to in any way, and in no way is music as background noise inherently bad, it does not mean music should be used in that way. Although many are guilty of putting it in the background, only using music as a vibe enhancer is not how it was made. Music has always been meant as more of an experience, or a journey that one takes upon.

Physical music, like vinyl, or CD are great alternatives to streaming. Since streaming has made music hyper-accessible, the alternative to this is making music inconvenient to listen to. Things that take a hassle make the user more attentive; physical music is an inconvenience to use and has conversely made music more meaningful to listen to. The actions of playing anything physical makes the process much more intimate, and forces listeners to put attention to the work they have done. Music is an art form, and it deserves to be treated as such. While streaming is arguably one of the best things to come out of the music industry, it is a double edged sword and is hurting the way people listen to music with the convenience it brings.

With the rise of accessibility to music, it has become easier than ever to listen to music. However, when things get easier to use, people tend to pay less attention. Music has been devalued; it has become an amplifier for one’s feelings, or the “vibe.” Often, people use music in the background to help them focus, or make them feel pumped, or to help them calm down. But playing music in the background is not the same as really listening to it. Chances are the people put that playlist or song with a certain tune to help funnel their emotions, but that is not what art is. Art is meant to invoke feelings in people, not the other way around, and when people do, we distance ourselves from the creative vision the artist had in mind.

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Owen’s Odyssey OWEN HOU

Tree-t yourself I have had a large oak tree in my backyard for more than a decade of my 16-year life. For over 10 years, it towered over my backyard, keeping everything under it cool and shaded. For over 10 years, it was always there, sitting right outside the sliding glass doors of the living room. And for 10 years, it was almost a part of my family, enduring through struggle and success. However, on Friday, Sept. 17, that all changed. See, my neighbor had been plotting to get rid of the tree for nearly four years, caught in the anxious delusion that the tree would fall on her home. And despite the words of multiple arborists who could almost guarantee no harm would befall her, she was unswayed. Through that small chance of danger, she threatened to press charges, and despite the best efforts of my parents over the years, her position as a Harvard-educated lawyer proved too difficult to overcome. I’m not just writing to talk about my tree, however. From this unfortunate ordeal, I learned a valuable lesson that tends to hide in plain sight. Following the tree’s fall, I was reflecting on how much I had really cared about it throughout our time. And honestly, I had never really, truly appreciated it, aside from when there was the threat of it getting destroyed. It was always just another part of the house, an extension of the backyard. However, when that seemingly minor part of my childhood was threatened to be taken away, I thought of everything I could do to protect it. In fact, in the days preceding the tree’s execution, I considered reaching out to conservation organizations, racked my head and interrogated Gemini on ways to save the tree, and even seriously thought of tying myself to the trunk to keep it whole. It has really hit me that something as constant as this tree could be taken in an instant. Things like childhood houses, pets, friends and even family members are not guaranteed forever. And despite the fact we may talk, interact with, or even be annoyed by them on a regular basis, these beloved connections should be cherished while they are still here. Ultimately, I could not save the tree. I ended up spending around three hours documenting, talking to, and just embracing it. It was sad knowing that it would not be the same the next day, but I just tried to make the most of the time I had left. I would be lying if I said I did not regret spending less time with the tree than I could have, or if I felt no sadness over the many times I scrolled or stayed inside over spending time with the tree. Now, all that remains of it are memories, a stump, and some lumber I saved. I also have one other thing however: a lesson. From losing something so precious, I have realized the importance of enjoying everything around me, whether its people, settings, or even plants. And I hope that from my arborous anecdote, people will realize the value of everything around them, and how they, too, should enjoy the consistent parts of their lives before they fade away.

Listening to an album is the most classic way to indulge in music. Physical music like vinyl or CDs are formatted to be listened to from front to back with no skips, and PAGE DESIGN HELENA MILLAR

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1. Dance strikes a pose after finishing their Formula-One themed perfomance. 2. Students watch the Color Day Assembly in awe. 3. Seniors compete in a tug-of-war battle against the freshman. 4. The English department dressed up as Dolly Parton and her imagination librarians. 5. Students wear Ninjago themed costumes. 6. Seniors dress up as the Netherlands soccer team. 7. Seniors wear Super Mario themed costumes. 8. The Pep squad performs the school cheer. 9. Denis Blekhman, the ASB Commissioner of Assemblies, speaks to an adoring audience during the assembly. 10. Homecoming court members Isaac Wong, Inah Chang, Abigail Kim, Batia Lou, and Tsutomu Vega were announced at the assembly. 11. SPHS ASB brings the trojan horse into the gym.

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12. Seniors celebrate after they win class competition.

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TIGER OCTOBER 9, 2026

FEATURE

Lei’s Yaps

Senior best friends conquer Color Day Julian Barnes and Kory How go all out with their coordinated costumes.

enior best friends Julian Barnes and Kory How have collaborated all four years during their time at SPHS to create elaborate costumes for Color Day. Every year since their freshman year, they have placed in the costume competition with their craftsmanship. Barnes and How have been friends since kindergarten.

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Barnes and How’s costumes take on an adventurous theme every year. Their freshman year was handgliding, where they each carried a bundle of metallic orange and black helium-filled oneshaped balloons taped together to form paragliders. As sophomores, the two were rafters, and as juniors, How was a diver in a shark cage made of orange pool noodles while Barnes dressed as a tiger shark.

The artistry process is just as ambitious as their ideas. The planning process begins right after the previous year’s Color Day ends and can continue for the better part of the next year. Both Barnes and How expressed that the most difficult part is ensuring how both costumes look symmetrical, and pair together. After planning, the costume building itself usually takes an entire week.

Long-distance relationships Recently, I had the privilege of traveling to Seattle by myself to stay with my friend, Cali, short for Calista, for three days. During my time in Seattle, I began to reminisce about when Cali and I first met at a Freedom of Speech Conference in Washington, D.C. Even though it was a year and a half ago, it felt like no time had passed. We caught each other up on our lives and watched movies like we had seen each other every day. There is something beautiful about that, being able to connect with someone, even if you lead completely different lives. We often hold the people we see in person closer, but what about long-distance friendships?

STORY KAMILLAH MORALES PHOTOS THEO THOMPSON, MAC SHROPSHIRE, & KAITLYN LEE, Contributor

This year, as seniors, the two were a hot air balloon with a floating net attached to a base filled with helium balloons; the hot air balloon’s basket was decorated with photos from the duo’s past Color Day costumes. In ASB’s annual costume competition, they have placed every year.

LEIGHTON KWOK

“Shark Divers” Nathan Raju, Julian Barnes, Kory How, and Mason Wakamoto in 2025. “We get together and we buy all the supplies and we meet up. It’s a week-long process of just hot gluing things together, and just putting it all together,” Barnes said. During the process, their outfits usually require minor adjustments. Their mothers are just as eager about going all out and give an abundance of support and encouragement to the boys. In fact, Barnes and Hows’ mothers play a big part in deciding their Color Day outfit. “Right after Color Day’s over, they’re already thinking about the next year …

There’s a lot of reels. Our moms will [say], ‘You should do that. You should do this,’” How said. “But it’s really like you kind of know it when you see it, and you can kind of envision [it] like ‘oh yeah, I can see that in orange and black’ … [and] that can easily be made with our school colors, and it wouldn’t be that difficult to make.” Throughout all of the difficulties and commitment it took to place in the Color Day costume competition for the past four years, Barnes and How have left their mark at South Pasadena with their astonishing craftsmanship, coordination, and daring outfits.

In one of our conversations, we both expressed how stressed we were about college applications and the worry that our relationships that rely on proximity may be hard to maintain. But it made me realize that distance doesn’t actually weaken a friendship; it just reveals which ones are worth your time and energy to keep going. Long-distance relationships require effort and intention but also offer a different type of closeness. You learn to appreciate conversations more and value efforts to stay in touch, celebrating when you are finally in the same place again. Maybe the real challenge isn’t losing people, but learning how to hold onto the ones who matter in new ways. Long-distance friendships ask you to be present even when you’re far away, to show up through messages, calls, or spontaneous trips, and to trust that the bond is strong enough to survive the space between you. Becoming a senior in high school makes you reflective about your life and how fast it is changing. The classmates that you see for eight hours a day, five times a week, are soon going to vanish from your life if you don’t make an effort to reach out. Most relationships will have to adjust. It is a strange feeling. I’m excited for what is to come but grieving some of the closeness I may lose.

Julian Barnes and Kory How dress up as river rafters for the 2024 Color Day.

How and Barnes in 2026 as a hot air balloon.

Editorial Cartoon by Yumin Kim

PAGE DESIGN CAELYN LEWIS

Seattle reminded me that some connections don’t fade just because of the distance. Relationships are built on shared experiences, similar interests, or simply the comfort of being heard and understood. Because of the Oregon-sized distance between us, I trust that Cali’s and my relationship will last a long time because of the effort we put in to keep in contact. And that is a different type of relationship.

TIGER OCTOBER 9, 2026

FEATURE

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Interact Club helps builds houses internationally The club began fundraising for the house building hosted by Corazón in Orange County. STORY MAYA BENNETT PHOTOS ADRIAN LOPEZ

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nteract Club, which is sponsored by the South Pasadena Rotary Club, is a student-led club that helps the community by focusing on worldwide issues. Club members focus on community volunteering, leadership, and engaging with the local neighborhood.

Students from the Interact Club hand out hot dogs.

As Interact Club is a national club, there are standards that the club is required to meet. As a worldwide organization, there are different Interact clubs at other schools, where the parent organization is Rotary International. Rotary International sets the standards for school clubs. Clubs are required to organize one international service project and then a big capstone, meaning that they try to address global issues, problems impacting more than one community. Interact Club works hard to make a difference in the world while practicing useful skills.

Guests at Pickleball Tournament grabbing food.

Member of the the Interact Club volunteer at Pickleball Tournament.

have completed include ones benefitting the environment and the health of the community.

process gives home owners full ownership of their house and shows their commitment and personal achievement to earning the house. Members of the Interact Club will fly to Mexico in April 2027 to physically help build the houses along with raising money for the supplies.

Senior Kailey Kuerra, the president of Interact Club, talks about the main goals for the club and what it is.

Last year, they did a homeless crisis service project around downtown Los Angeles where they served hot meals and shared gifts, clothing, and care packages to those in need.

“Our main goal is to really help out the community. It’s an international club. So all over the world, there’s Rotary and then, an interact club that is in the school,” Kuerra said. Some previous projects they

The projects that they participate in are very broad, since there are a variety of different problems to address. However, the main point is “to bring good to the world,” Kuerra said.

The Interact Club’s current project is partnering with Corazón, a non-profit organization from Orange County to build secure homes for families in need. This nonprofit provides a variety of services, but are currently working on building homes in Mexico for those who need it the most. Families who are local residents and qualify for a home to be built for them must complete many hours of community service to earn the house. This

Building the houses takes place in the neighborhoods around Tecate and Tijuana.To fundraise money for the house building with Corazón, Interact Club is partnering with the Dads Uniting Dads in Education & Service (D.U.D.E.S.). The fundraiser was

on Saturday, Oct. 3 at a pickleball tournament, where they helped cater burgers and crepes for the players and spectators. D.U.D.E.S. will be giving the Interact Club around $1,000 for the service. Currently, they have roughly $2,300 in the student bank. All of this money will fund the house building for families in need. Interact Club’s overarching goal is to positively impact the community and address major issues through their involvement in a variety of projects.

You seem pretty heartfelt for a girl writing breakup songs After two successful albums, Rodrigo surprised fans with a more heartfelt lineup. relationship and eventual breakup, with different songs attributing to different stages. Songs like drop dead, stupid song, u + me = <3, and purple, towards the first half of the album, are part of “the honeymoon phase.” Many of the songs express the joyous and freeing feeling of being in love, as well as the yearning that follows.

STORY UMA CHAKRABORTY & ELLIE SONG ILLUSTRATION SHYLA DRAKE Continued from Page 1 “I first noticed Olivia Rodrigo when she was in Bizaardvark,” sophomore Mary Riffle said.

The second half of the album takes on a more melancholy vibe, with many heartfelt songs about feeling love slowly slip away, and how that affected Rodrigo.

After her debut album, Sour, Rodrigo skyrocketed into fame. Sour and Guts, her previous two albums, primarily focus on her unfortunate endings with an exboyfriend, insecurities, and the challenges teenagers often face.

Many of the songs in the second half are centered around Rodrigo coming to the realization that love cannot heal one’s insecurities.

The new album shocked fans, as Rodrigo is known famously for her agonizing break-up songs, whereas You Seem Pretty Sad For a Girl So In Love includes love songs such as honeybee, purple, drop dead and stupid song. “I really liked it,” sophomore Gabby Ferri said. “I thought it really showcased her songwriting skills, and she put a lot of heart into it, and I liked the contrast between the good parts and the bad parts of a relationship.” Rodrigo explains in various interviews that You Seem Pretty Sad for A Girl So in Love was a few months away from being released, until her breakup with her most recent ex-boyfriend. In April, Rodrigo’s first single, drop dead was released, a song that captured the feeling of truly liking someone and hoping that things would work out. A month later, the cure was released,

surprising most fans with a slightly different style of music. The album is filled with emotions of love and happiness as well as feelings of insecurity, selfworth, and resentment. There is a noticeable shift in the style of music, with her previous albums feeling more punk and angsty. Overall, the album truly shows Rodrigo’s growth and the amount of effort and pride she has for this soundtrack. Part of this is due to the fact that Rodrigo has matured since the release of her previous work. When Rodrigo was only 18

years old, she created her first album, Sour, which was a pop culture phenomenon as a lot of fans greatly related to Rodrigo’s lyrics. This is one of the main differences fans have noticed when listening to her new album. “[You Seem Pretty Sad for a girl so in love] is less relatable for a teenager, because you’re watching her grow up and now she’s in her 20s, whereas, in sour, she was 16 or 17 when she was writing it. So I feel like I’m just seeing her maturity and it’s really cool,” Ferri said. The album essentially follows a timeline of Rodrigo’s PAGE DESIGN CAELYN LEWIS

Specifically, the major hit of the album the cure, streamed over 19.7 million times in the U.S. within the first week of releasing the single. The song is about Rodrigo who believed that her partner’s love would “cure” her insecurities and doubts about herself, but eventually discovered that, “it doesn’t matter how your love feels anymore. It’ll never be the cure.” “I liked the contrast between the good parts and bad parts of a relationship,” Ferri shared. The second to last song in the album takes an unexpected turn when the beat switches back to high energy. The song expectations is the point in the album when Rodrigo finally realizes her self

worth and sets high standards for herself. The lyrics describe how her relationship led her to evolve in aspects like self-respect and setting clear boundaries. Rodrigo sings, “gave my heart with zero stipulations, now I take careful consideration,” and “past mistakes are just new information, these days I’ve got expectations.” She has taken a positive outlook on the situation, and used it as an example to shape her approach to future relationships. Tickets to Rodrigo’s Unraveled Tour sold out within the hour of their release, all before the full album was released onto Spotify. Now on tour, Rodrigo has 86 total shows to perform, and has already been breaking fans’ expectations and hopes for the tour. Each concert follows the different seasons in a year, starting and ending back in spring. Rodrigo has done iconic costume changes, such as her dissolving dress into a body suit during the cure and ending the show with casual jeans and a tank top. Throughout the concert, fans get to experience the heartbreak and pain Rodrigo expresses in her songs in a heartfelt and touching way. You Seem Pretty Sad For a Girl So in Love truly expresses Rodrigo’s storytelling of her life and how it relates to her fans.

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TIGER OCTOBER 9, 2026

FEATURE

TAAGLAA: Griffith Observatory TIGER’S AWESOME ADVENTURES IN THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA 1

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STORY GAVIN BARTOLOME PHOTOS SAM ALLEN

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n planning, Tiger’s great trip to the Griffith Observatory was supposed to be much cleaner and closer to astronomy than it ended up being. Around 12 people planned to attend, meaning the TAAGLAA would be more of an after-school field trip if nothing else. However, due to some last-minute cancellations, 12 people went down to eight, then seven, then six, before finally stopping at five.

tower, a Foucault pendulum, a collection of materials from space (including a moon rock and a 50,000-year-old meteorite), and a life-like statue of Einstein that Sam particularly loved. Of course, with us happy few going towards the end of the day, the main goal was to catch some exhibits before the observatory closed for the day and to get an awesome view of nighttime Los Angeles.

Ruby, Rafa, Sam, Lanah, and I agreed to meet up by the Metro Station around 5:30 p.m. where we would ride to Downtown L.A. and take a tram ride to the observatory from there. We would just try to make the most of the trip with now half as many people as we were expecting.

We quickly realized how unachievable those goals were. Right off the bat, the train we boarded was soaked in what can only be described as liquid gold (for the sake of this article). “Why not just move to a different train car?” one might ask. My dear reader, the car was full, and tragically, the only available seats were a mere three rows behind the ever-expanding puddle.

For those who are not into astronomy, Griffith Observatory is perched on the South side of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park. From its vantage points, visitors can see all of Downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, and even the Pacific Ocean. Inside, the observatory boasts stunning exhibits, including a Tesla

Yet, steeled by the power of TAAGLAAs, we trudged into the train and quickly sat down, followed by a steady hour of travel where all I could think about was the encroaching liquid. The tram ride was beautiful in comparison, with dry floors, open places to stand, and plenty of time to crack jokes.

We all loved Sam’s sob story about being taken to Victoria’s Secret and Sephora as a child (as a child I yearned for the mines). Griffith Observatory is beautiful to say the least. Masked by a growing orange hue across the sky, and the shimmering lights of skyscrapers at the base of the mountain, we finally rested our weary bones on the grass. Once Sam had gotten enough photos of the observatory, our group entered and truthfully made quick work of the exhibits. Maybe it was the power of Sunday blues or a challengingly small attention span, but overall we spent maybe 45 minutes inside. Out of the many we saw, Sam had a strong fixation for a statue of Einstein and a Tesla coil, Rafa and Ruby disappeared off the face of the earth, and Lanah and I tried to find some semblance of wildlife outside (without luck). Truthfully I might have been hoping for more at the observatory. I used to visit frequently as a kid and remember it being grand and expansive, and while it was certainly impressive in the

first segments, I found myself just enjoying the time I spent with everyone else. And that was pretty much where the fun ended, at least we decided “TAAGLAA for life” and bolted down the Griffith Mountain. At least that is what I would like to say, but it was more so Ruby and Sam sprinting down the hill while Lanah and I desperately tried to decide whether we should sprint or speed-walk to catch up. Notice how I didn’t mention Rafa. That is because my glorious king was on a different level from us the entire way down, clopping the ground with his beautiful brown heels like a blazing stallion. Writing the following events, I am deeply reminded of Odysseus and his tragic tale. First, we descended the hill, Ruby and Sam tearing each other limbfrom-limb in a heated dispute about Ruby’s trend towards aggressiveness (I swear I am neutral, dear managing). Then came the 30-minute wait while buses continued to pass by. The only reason I can think of is that their brakes must have been broken; that is obviously

the logical conclusion. We just wanted to go home. Long story short, we made it to an old diner called House Of Pies. The interior was musty, with pale gray walls and a weirdly set temperature between too cold and not cold enough. At this point, though a dead rat might have seemed appetizing to me, so it seemed more grand in the moment. Ruby ended up with a huge plate of onion rings and banana pie, Rafa went for some hash browns with pie, and Sam ate a small French toast, while Lanah and I opted for pancakes. It was then, while we scarfed down our food, that Ruby remembered the vlog we were supposed to record for our awesome media staff Leighton. Oh well, c’est la vie. With our stomachs full and our hearts fuller (with fear of tomorrow’s Monday), our group quietly traveled back home before parting ways at 11 p.m. sharp. After a busy night, I went home feeling somewhere in between a fish struck by a boat and a prancing deer, the perfect mood to start my weekend homework.

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1) Visitors walk about the lawn in front of the Griffith Observatory. 2) Solar system diorama hangs above visitors at the Griffith Observatory. 3) Gavin and Lanah gaze at jewelry art piece in the halls of the Griffith Observatory. 4) A constellation scuplture spins in the stairwell of the Griffith Observatory main level. 5) Astronauts Monument pointing up at the moon in front of the Griffith Observatory. 6) Visitors watch the Pedulum in the center of the Griffith Observatory

TIGER OCTOBER 9, 2026

SPORTS

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Sidewalk Chalk ZOE CHEN

Arch Manning and misogyny in sports Arch Manning’s reaction to an AI-generated video sparks backlash as well as highlights misogyny and issues of violence against women in the world of sports.

Inside the Rose Court interviews Throughout the month of September, I had the opportunity to interview to be a Rose Court princess. I was not selected as one of the seven on the court, but I did make it to the final round of 27, and my intent with this column is to offer insights to anyone in future years wishing to take a shot in the selection process. Selection is through a four-round interview process where the applicant pool is reduced by about two-thirds each successive round. The first round felt like more of a social gathering than anything else. Businesses and organization sponsors gave out free hair products, scholarship opportunity flyers, and popsicles; there was a DJ, and I heard that some ponies arrived after I left. In terms of the interview, each applicant got 15 seconds to tell the selection committee why they want to be on the Rose Court. Although, I suspect the first round is at least as much about how applicants hold and present themselves than what they actually say.

STORY MAXINE MESSINEO ILLUSTRATION HELENA MILLER

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uarterback for the Texas Longhorns Arch Manning has recently faced backlash and criticism for publicly laughing during a press conference at an AI-generated video. The video depicts the University of Texas’ head football, coach, Steve Sarkisian, slapping Holly Rowe, a sideline sports telecaster for ESPN and ABC, and knocking her to the ground. This clip has shone light on the sports world’s relationship with toxic masculinity, systemic misogyny and homophobia, and how violence against women is often taken lightly. 22-year-old Arch Manning is from New Orleans, Louisiana, and is the grandson of Archie Manning, and the nephew of Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. All three are former quarterbacks for the National Football League (NFL), with Archie Manning playing for the New Orleans Saints, Peyton Manning playing for the Denver Broncos, and Eli Manning playing for the New York Giants. Arch Manning went to Isidore Newman School for high school in New Orleans where he was the varsity starter quarterback in freshman year, and was the first freshman quarterback to start in Newman’s season opener in at least 40 years. To avoid attention, Arch Manning’s family declined premature college scholarships while he was still in high school, but he eventually committed to the University of Texas on June 23, 2022. On Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, Arch Manning was in a post game news conference after a comeback game against Ohio State, and was asked if he had seen any social media clips recently by a reporter. Arch Manning answered with the question of whether or not the reporters at the conference had seen the AI-generated clip of Sarkisian and Rowe. “Have y’all seen that one? That’s a good one. Of him slapping Holly Rowe? Yeah, it’s hilarious,” Arch Manning said, while laughing along with the other reporters at the conference. After the backlash, Arch Manning apologized the next day, on Tuesday, Sept. 15, on his Instagram story. “I know my words and actions were hurtful to a lot of people. I specifically want to

apologize to Holly Rowe for what she has personally had to deal with because of my comments. I have a lot of respect for her and appreciate her showing me grace at this moment,” Arch Manning wrote. Rowe later said she had spoken directly to Arch Manning and accepted his apology, saying, “we move forward with respect and kindness for one another.” Rowe is a telecasting veteran for ESPN and ABC, and made history on October 22, 2021, when she was Utah Jazz’s first female commentator in a game against the Sacramento Kings. She has been with ESPN for over 30 years, and has worked women’s college basketball, women’s college volleyball, and Women’s World Cup matches doing play-by-play. The AI-generated video that Arch Manning mentioned was inspired by an awkward post game interview between Sarkisian and Rowe, where Sarkisian abruptly left the interview after loudly cheering for the Longhorns before Rowe could ask any further questions. Sarkisian was previously the head football coach at the University of Washington from 2009 to 2013 and the University of Southern California from 2014 to 2015 before coming to the University of Texas. This incident has highlighted how toxic masculinity, such as “locker room talk,” and systemic misogyny and homophobia have been interlinked with the world of sports. “Locker room talk” is a term to describe crude, sexually explicit, or misogynistic conversations that men engage in when they are in private, singlesex spaces, such as locker rooms. This term is often criticized, however, for watering down the abusive and objectifying language that is used to harmless private banter rather than harmful speech. This behavior is often more of a performance of toxic masculinity due to the desire for peer approval, normalizing misogyny and a culture that does not take violence against women seriously. While sports teach people of all genders about focus, grit, and teamwork, the culture of sports has often drilled into boys’ mindsets that vulnerability must be suppressed, while aggression and dominance should be harnessed.

Boys are often taught that winning is everything, and that to be bad at the sport or to lose is akin to being like a girl or gay. Don’t throw or hit like a girl, don’t run like a girl, and be called “gay” at any sign of failure. These experiences teach male athletes unhealthy lessons from an early age, leading to a rampant culture of toxic masculinity and sexism within sports. In the situation of Arch Manning laughing at an AI-generated video of a female reporter being slapped to the ground, it is likely that he only brought up the clip due to him being in a room full of male reporters. He might have been desiring peer approval by performing toxic masculinity through laughing at the video along with the men in the room. In this case, the video is AI-altered and no one was actually physically injured, but there are videos of violence against real women who are seriously injured by partners, family, or strangers that circulate on the internet. While this particular video wasn’t real, and Arch Manning didn’t laugh at a real video depicting violence against a woman, there are men who do find real videos of women being harmed entertaining and “hilarious.” This behavior from Arch Manning is one case of the systemic issue of violence against women not being taken seriously. Furthermore, Rowe and Sarkisian are real people, and while they are public figures whose images are legally allowed to be turned into an AI-generated clip depending on the video’s purpose, no one’s image and identity should be used in a clip to depict violence against another person without their knowledge or consent. Real or not, Arch Manning’s public reaction to the AI-altered clip has pulled back the curtain on issues of misogyny within the world of sports. However, Arch Manning is only a 22 year old in college. He is still finding his own identity, and still faces the pressure of conforming with his peers as a college student. Arch Manning’s thoughts on the video highlighted the systemic issues of violence against women not being taken seriously and the pressure of toxic masculinity rather than a personal issue on Arch Manning’s part.

PAGE DESIGN KAMILLAH MORALES

I was totally unprepared for the amount of effort and preparation some applicants put into the first round. I strolled in slightly sweaty in my scuffed Converse sneakers, and I was absolutely underdressed. I found out later, though, that some people went so far as to get interview coaching and take etiquette lessons, so I suppose it’s really up to each applicant how much effort they’re willing to put in. The second and third rounds were more generic questions about challenges faced and meaningful life experiences. The rounds were a blur; more than anything, I remember that my car wouldn’t lock after I parked it going into my second round, and I was freaking out about potential theft throughout the entirety of my interview (admittedly it was only 60 seconds). The final round, at four minutes, felt significantly longer and had some curveball questions that would have been harder to anticipate. I was asked who, living or dead, I would like to have dinner with. I blanked and blurted out Taylor Swift, then nonsensed my way back to supporting communities and such. I laugh about that even now because I really have no idea where it came from; not in the past month had she once crossed my mind. Personally, I didn’t practice much before each interview because I didn’t want to sound scripted, but if you have a desire to practice for the first three rounds, I think you could probably look up a list of common job interview questions and find them fairly similar to the court questions. I’m not qualified to give advice on how to pass the final round, but for the first three, I had a few specific stories I wanted to tell and found ways to pivot to them. I talked about my cleft lip and summer camp volunteering in every interview, which might not have been the best strategy for the final round but it got me past the first three. Or maybe the panel does not care about the content of what you say and it’s all about your presentation. I don’t know. I stood by this going into the first round and I stand by it now: the whole process is pretty much a crapshoot. But, it was fun, it was good interview practice, I met some cool people, and I shared some good laughs. I’m proud of myself for making it as far as I did, and I’m honestly more bummed that I didn’t get selected than that I don’t get to be on the court. It sounds like a cool experience, but, as someone who pulled up to prom last year in combat boots, there are definitely aspects of being on the court that would have made me cry internally. Either way, if it’s September and you’re a high school senior, there’s not much harm in giving it a try. Best of luck.

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TIGER OCTOBER 9, 2026

SPORTS

Fall sports storylines: Behind the games PHOTOS SAM ALLEN, ADRIAN LOPEZ & MAC SHROPSHIRE

STORY KAMILLAH MORALES

Will girls’ tennis rise up after losing eight seniors to graduation?

Will boys’ water polo collect themselves to focus on the season? Committing to a team can require a great amount of focus and attention. It also brings a lot of connection and excitement that the boys on the water polo team must be able to balance to concentrate during the season.

Tennis lost eight seniors to graduation in the Class of 2026,. Many girls who were previously on junior varsity have moved up to varsity. The new team will have to learn their strengths and weaknesses and be able to adjust to the change.

“I think the biggest challenge is getting the boys to focus personally in practice and in games, but once they are able to fully come together as a team and focus on a common goal, they usually perform pretty well,” Head Coach Kat McCullough said.

Overcoming this challenge will require a lot of hard work and practice from the girls on their off-days, weekends, and free time whenever they can to build confidence and execute under pressure. It will take a lot of commitment from tennis, but Head Coach Alex Muresan has already been seeing good progress and with their efforts they can get past the big change of team.

Both the team and coach will need to stay determined throughout the difficulties the season will bring.

“We’re already seeing some good things happen. If they just keep staying focused and stick to the game plan, I think progress will happen over time, and the goal is just to keep improving day by day, match by match,” Muresan said.

But, as McCullough has faith that water polo will be able to overcome their lack of focus and has already seen their success when they put their minds to it, there is a bright future for the team. “I think it’ll take discipline from the boys, and most likely from me as well,” McCullough said. “Patience is a virtue, and sometimes the boys just need to be a little more mature.”

“So win or lose, they really focused on good attitude, good sportsmanship, and just working hard,” he added.

Will football overcome the hurdle of fundraising for equipment?

Will the girls’ volleyball predominantly senior team find their footing?

With the costs of equipment, technology, and meal preparations, having the funds to support sports can be difficult, especially with sports that have large teams and larger popularity, as football does. Head Coach Jeff Chi expressed how he wants to provide the best for the football team. This was not just limited to the equipment used during games, but also resources like meals and other assets that the players need to stay healthy.

A new season for girls’ volleyball includes new teammates, new algorithms, and new adjustments. Volleyball’s biggest challenge will be with everybody finding their role and leadership in the team. There is a lot of talent and strength, both new and old, that Head Coach Chris Chappell’e has recognized and the girls can rise up to.

“We want to provide our kids with the best equipment possible, and that requires money,” Chi said. “The district provides a certain amount, but it’s not enough to cover everything that we hope to get for our players.”

Because Chi is focused on coaching, team parent Kristen Swift has taken the responsibility of managing the football finances. In addition to their budget, the team fundraises through local sponsorships, car washes, and various events. In past years they have been fortunate enough to get enough money to provide the football team with optimal equipment options. “Over the past years, [Swift has] done a great job of supporting us financially … there’s a lot of finances that goes in, and it’s just one of those things that it’s very hard for me to be in charge of,” Chi said. “So we have [Swift] that does [it] for us, so we’ve been very blessed with their support.”

“I think the biggest challenge is the seniors finding their way to be leaders, and for the others that are coming in new to the program to find their role and leadership as well. And [in that], you mix in a new coaching staff,” Chappell’e said. “It’s almost like three different new things all at once. So right now, I think we’re just trying to find our groove.”

Volleyball will need to have patience and acceptance towards the new environment. Chappell’e also provides a perspective on how losing games can help the girls understand how to bounce back from losses and address weaknesses within their team. So, despite the past losses they took in the beginning of the season, it is a win for their growth. “Not only as a former player, but now as a current coach, I’ve always been optimistic and patient and positive about my journey and my career, and even if you lose early, you can always win late,” Chappell’e said.

UPCOMING GAMES FRIDAY, OCT. 9 @ 7 PM, FOOTBALL VS. CRESCENTA VALLEY AT HOME MONDAY, OCT. 12 @ 6 PM, FLAG FOOTBALL VS. GABRIELINO AT HOME TUESDAY, OCT. 13 @ 4 PM, GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL VS. LA CAÑADA AWAY

Ranking the SPHS fall sports uniforms from one to seven Two Tiger staff writers chose their favorite uniforms. Girls’ volleyball took first, followed by cross country. STORY GWAN LAULAU & ELLIE SONG STORYHUNG HUNG GWAN & ELLIE PHOTOS SONG TIGER PHOTOGRAPHERS & CONTRIBUTORS PHOTOS ADRIAN LOPEZ

Fall sports flaunt their uniforms during meets, matches, and games. From the new girls’ volleyball uniforms to cross country’s traditional attire, SPHS jerseys shine over opposing schools’ uniforms.

1st

2nd

First place: girls’ volleyball. The sleek and aesthetic girls’ volleyball uniform consists of grippy volleyball shoes, athletic socks, knee and sometimes elbow pads, black spandex shorts or pants, and South Pasadena’s orange and white gradient jersey. Senior captain and jersey-selector Ella Garner was struggling to find the perfect team jersey. Eventually, she found an eyecatching gradient of white to orange.

4th

“We could definitely make it cooler, but you know, the orange [is] minimalist [and] sleek,” junior Bay Garrison said. Third place: flag football. The flag football uniform is a hand-me-down from girls’ soccer. The jerseys are black and have each player’s number written in bright orange numbers on the back. Fourth place: football. The football jersey is black with orange numbers and letters, and includes a multitude of pads for protection. The jersey represents school pride and the numbers are easily visible, even from high seats in the bleachers.

Sixth place: girls’ tennis. The girls’ tennis uniform consists of a tank top and a black skirt. Alternatively, players can opt to wear a dress. “I don’t really like this year’s uniform. It’s really uncomfortable. It looks cute, but it doesn’t have much spirit … it’s just black and white,” junior girls’ tennis player Karissa Oniciuc said. Seventh place: boys’ water polo. Boys’ water polo players wear speedos and swim caps for their uniform. The speedos which come in many different colors and the swim caps, which are black and orange, come with their number on the back.

“Our numbers on our jerseys are orange, pretty cool and [have] lots of contrast,” junior Jacob Yu said.

“We have orange and black [speedos]. We also have a pink one, which is really cool … for breast cancer awareness, but we wore it the whole season this year,” junior Mateo Salas said.

Second place: cross country. The boys’ and girls’ cross country uniform has a

Fifth place: girls’ golf. The uniform is a simple pleated skirt with a black button up that carries the SPHS logo and an additional visor.

Water polo is unique in that the sport allows its players to wear any color speedo of their choice. The only team uniform they are required to wear is the swim cap.

5th

6th

7th

“I knew that we had to have those on our bodies, because they just look so tough,” Garner said.

3rd

traditional vibrant orange jersey, a chosen pair of running shoes, and athletic shorts.

PAGE DESIGN KAMILLAH MORALES

TIGER OCTOBER 9, 2026

SPORTS

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Combating injuries, one step at a time Many athletes face injuries and try to expedite their recovery at the cost of long-term healing. the line, especially in weightbearing joints like the knees and hips. Recurring concussions have been linked to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain condition resulting in memory loss, aggression, and impaired judgment. This not only affects students, but also professional athletes. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, out of 592 athletes part of the US team, 100 faced at least one injury. In total, there were 172 injuries, meaning on average, more athletes faced two injuries than none. “I don’t regret the 12 years in baseball,” Major League Baseball player Sandy Koufax said. “But I think I would regret playing one year too many.”

STORY GAVIN BARTOLOME & LEIGHTON KWOK ILLUSTRATION SHYLA DRAKE & YUMIN KIM

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CL tears, fractures, and head traumas can be careerending blows to an athlete’s career. While modern medicine has helped bring back many from the injured list, close to a fifth of injuries will pull an athlete from professional leagues. With new physical constraints, mental issues have been on the uprise, hurting new athletes and old. Injuries are an athlete’s biggest fear, and when it happens, all they hope for is to get better.

Immediately, concerns about well-being come into play, “Can I get better?” “Will I get better” “Is this the end?” Many enter a sense of desperation to heal and return to their coaches better than before they got injured. They push boundaries and try to rush the treatment process.

nine months and having to support her team from the sidelines.

Junior basketball athlete Cora Kung tore her ACL her sophomore year midway through the season.

According to 2020 JOSPT Research, athletes that return to a sport before their official release date face a seven-times higher reinjury rate, with 70 percent of physical therapy patients not reaching that point.

When injured, she immediately got thrown into a new world of unfamiliarity and pain, having to face her sophomore year now with a limiting disability for the next

“Fear of missing out is real, especially when you get further along but can’t really do everything,” Kung said. “I’m just running in my straight lines, and it sucks just not being able to play.”

Repeated injuries can also lead to other muscular problems down

Brandon Roy played as the Portland Blazers’ shooting guard from 2006-2013. During his prime, Roy averaged 22.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game, making him a star for the Blazers. However, he faced a cumulative injury over several years, summarized into a degenerative knee condition from a lack of cartilage and severe meniscus issues. “A lot of people don’t know, but even those years where I was able to be an All-Star, I was in some pain. There were some games where I was like, ‘Man, I don’t know how I’m going to do this,’” Roy said. “I just try to take all the good and appreciate everything and the lifestyle I’m able to provide for my kids and my family. I’m grateful. I don’t want to be in a wheelchair in my 30s.”

Eventually, Roy was forced to retire, and now coaches for Garfield High School. Out of every injury, 19–25 percent will end a career. But what truly dooms an athlete are the repercussions that come after. For most sports, the minimum salary for athletes is just around $900,000; not necessarily cheap, but if their career is at a dead-end, many have to pursue any standup employment they can find. The SPHS sports medicine program works to assess and prevent student injuries. At the forefront are students from the athletic health program who work at games and after school to treat injured athletes. During classes, they are taught how to educate athletes both on prevention and on specific action if an injury does happen. Out of all the points students are told to address, one of the largest highlights is being real with their athletes about recovery time and their given situation. Whether that means a week-long recovery or a season-long one, exercising the utmost care will ensure that there is the smallest possibility of the injury happening again. “It was one of the greatest experiences of my life and I got to meet so many different athletes and so many different sports,” senior Sofiia Zabrozka, who has completed the SPHS Sports Medicine pathway, said. “It was a surreal experience and knowing how to deal with these emergency situations gave me the experience and practice I needed to assist athletes when they needed it the most.”

The driving force behind vast enrollment in cross country Cross country has the greatest number of athletes of any SPHS sport due to the low requirements to enter. STORY HUNG GWAN LAU PHOTO PHILLIP KWAK Cross country is the most popular sport at SPHS, with nearly double the amount of athletes participating compared to other sports. At a glance, the sport is simple; there are not any complicated plays, special equipment, or required skills that need to be learned specific to the sport. The basic idea of the sport, running, is already built into the human body from birth. Cross country requires lengthy runs from athletes. Students at SPHS regularly push their teammates to extremes on a daily basis during practices and meets. Despite this grueling training, students continue to join the team. To start, cross country arguably has one of the easiest tryouts, with the bulk of it just having to show up. Compared to other sports where you need to show a level of competence, like the ability to perform their needed skill at a competitive level, cross country will take anyone who can run as long as they practice enough during the preseason and run during the regular season. Accessibility is also one of the biggest reasons for its popularity. Cross country attracts athletes from all backgrounds ranging from no experience to running on the daily. Athletes do not need to know how to throw a ball, shoot, or learn any unnatural movement to adjust to their sport, highlighting how it is straightforward.

At the same time, cross country is a sport with the most clear connection to health. Regular running can increase cardiovascular endurance and improve overall fitness. For athletes who want to become more conditioned, cross country is the perfect fit as it provides a consistent training schedule that naturally ushers one to stay active. For others, the combination of personal improvement, friendships, and general ease makes the sport very appealing. “A lot of my friends do cross country. You get to have fun with your friends and run meets together,” junior Joshua Neely said. “It builds discipline, especially staying committed even when you have other things to do.” Unlike other sports that require students to develop new skill sets specific to the sport, cross country allows athletes to join without necessarily having an athletic background. “I did AYSO through middle school then transitioned to cross country,” Neely said. Despite the difficulty, athletes love the sport for the thrill of racing that pushes their training to its limits. “I like pushing myself, it helps push my body and mindset,” sophomore Luke Alliman said. However, the demanding training schedule can be one of the biggest disadvantages of cross country,

and is what seems to be the biggest barrier to the sport. Practices are held daily, and runners spend lots of time warming up and running after school. Unlike other sports where students often spend their practices with various different drills or working with equipment, cross country is constrained to repeated running over long distances and weight lifting. “Sometimes it’s hard to run every day after school,” Alliman said. “It becomes a lot.” Neely also pointed out that long weekend runs are something that he dislikes. “One thing I don’t like is having long runs on Saturdays,” Neely said. Prior to running, both students acknowledged that cross country was a sport they thought would be easy, when in reality it is stressful and time consuming. “I didn’t really have any expectations before it,” Alliman said. “I had no idea what I was getting into.” Neely also had a similar experience. Before joining, he assumed cross country would be a relatively relaxed sport because it does not attract much attention, and there are few requirements to join. “Honestly I didn’t think it would be so hardcore. I thought it would be more chill because no one really thinks of cross country as a big sport,” Neely said.

Junior Michael Agredano practices for cross country on the track.

Despite the hardships of cross country, both students stuck with the sport because it bettered them. “I feel like it’s really good to see yourself getting better. It builds discipline, especially staying committed even when you have other things to do,” Neely said.

PAGE DESIGN KAMILLAH MORALES

Cross country, although simple in concept, is appealing to the masses. It is the sport with one of the lowest floors, meaning that anyone can get into the sport without athletic background. Cross country also has one of the highest ceilings, with the only limit being one’s own determination.

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TIGER OCTOBER 9, 2026

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