Issuu

Volume VIII Issue III May 21, 2019

Aquila

University Preparatory Academy

Hear voices from the LGBTQ+ community on page 7.

Illustr

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etty s by B

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TIME

5/21/19

ur journey with Aq uila started in 2015 when we were both just 13 years old. In four years time, w e have published eight issues of the newspaper and fiv e issues of the newsmagazine. We have traveled to across the nation fro cities m L.A. to Chicago and showcase our to co mpete work at journalism at school until 8 p. conventions, staye m . to d finalize each issue staff when they wer and scrambled to he e relying on us. W lp ou r e have transformed newspaper to a ne this publication fro wsmagazine and on ma line website, and w love, time and ener e have poured so m gy into fulfilling ou uch r dreams of makin the voices of our sc g Aquila a platform hool community. for Being a student jo urnalist at UPA is not easy. We frequ obstacles such as lo ently faced unexpe cked classroom do cted ors, a temporary la work and the inab ck of a reliable plac ility to access certa e to in equipment vital despite all this, we to our publishing. appreciate the scho But ol’s support in mai of student media an ntaining the presen d for giving us the ce opportunity to atte tions, which have nd journalism conv allowed us to netw enork with student m schools around the edia programs from nation. By participa hi gh ting in journalism, to build, manage an we have learned ho d make decisions fo w r a publication whi and coaches for ou le also being edito r staff. We have le rs arned the importanc community—how e of journalism in it serves as a record ou r of the memories an at our school hold d stories the people dear. Throughout ou r time on Aquila’s invaluable skills an staff, we have gain d lessons that will ed accompany us to co matter where we go llege and beyond, in life. no As the sun sets on our time with Aqui la, we would like gratitude to our teac to express our deep her and trusted advi est ser, Mrs. Reska, w in dark times and m ho has encouraged entored us to be et us hical journalists an our greatest hope th d strong leaders. It at in the future, Aq is uila’s staff will cont projects with divers inue to spearhead e coverage that ex ne w emplifies the best also hope that as Aq of student media. W uila continues to gr e ow, future staff mem to make their own bers will be inspire changes to improv d e the publication as student media at U they remember ho PA has evolved ov w er the years. For one last time, we hope you enjoy the stories in this fin school year. Behind al issue of the each story is a pers on, and we apprec to share their storie iate their willingnes s with us over the s years. Emily Hung & N icole Rendler Editors-in-Chief, Cl ass of 2019

Mission Statement

Aquila is a student-produced, student-edited high school newsmagazine. It serves as a designated public forum for student expression. We aim to reflect the diversity of our community and build unity through true and accurate reporting, in hopes that each of our readers will find an article they can connect with.

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On the Cover

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The front cover photo, by Emily Hung, showcases the colors of the LGBTQ+ community. See Janessa Ulug’s article, “Not Just ‘A Phase,’” on page 7 to learn more about the struggles that LGBTQ+ students face at UPA.

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Aquila News

Staff Editors-in-Chief Emily Hung & Nicole Rendler Multimedia Manager Kristian Crowther Managing Editor Rafael Castillo Publicity Manager Rasleen Saran Social Media Manager Luca Scarra Opinions Editor Pallavi Rajani Features Editor Alexandra Rozmarin Arts & Culture Editor Rory Dhanota Sports Editor Dylan Ziegler

Web Manager Ishan Madan News Editor Janessa Ulug In-Depth Editor Greg Haessner Fun & Games Editor Jenna Plasschaert

Copy Editors Arielle Rose-Finn & Katherine Nguyen Page Designers Reporters Akhil Vemuri Grace Pham Colin Updyke-Welch Paolo Dimacali Betty Nguyen Jack Grzegorzyk Desiree Pekar Jacob Villareal Chelsea Nguyen Joe Shem Farah Noor Jenica Pham Emily Magallon Joshua Nguyen Geraldo Castro Tobenna Nwosu Evelyn Ramirez Julia Wong Isabella Bronner Vrinda Vutukury Adviser Laura Gordon Reska

IN THIS ISSUE 01

News

Features

In-Depth

01 End of an Era

Not Just ‘A Phase’

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate

Embracing Two Cultures

What’s in a Meal?

25 Points (and Questions) to Win

Cast Aside: Asian American Journalists

Arts & Culture

Opinion

Fun & Games

Cooking with Kamm

Under Fire

Aquila Comics

How to Start a Bullet Journal

Overcoming Challenges

Summer Essentials

Foods of the World

NEWS By Desiree Pekar

End of an Era Three long-time members of UPA’s Board of Trustees stepped down from serving in response to a newly enacted conflict-ofinterest law affecting public charter schools

Every year each grade will visit universities. Every year the bell schedule will determine class times for students. Every year a budget plan is created for the school. A commonality between all of these events is the approval of each by the UPA Board of Trustees, whose purpose is to sign off on investments and approve changes that affect UPA. The Board of Trustees include Dot Westerhoff, Kurt Foreman, Daniel Ordaz, James Romero, Patrick Dunkley, Robert Hernandez and Darnella Aulani, with the addition of Tony Lustig, its newest member. Romero, Westerhoff, Foreman, Ordaz and Dunkley have been on the board since it was approved before the opening of the school in 2006. Hernandez and Aulani joined the board later on at different times. In March, California Senate Bill (SB) 126 came into effect requiring “California’s 1,300-plus charter schools to follow the same laws governing open meetings, public records and conflicts of interest that apply to school districts.” As a result, board members Westerhoff, Foreman and Ordaz needed to resign from their roles on the board as they had other paid responsibilities related to the school. The law has to do with conflict of interest, which Westerhoff explained. “It is making sure that everything is transparent,” Westerhoff said. “However, the law changes January [2020]. Technically, I can go back on the board then, which is really strange. Right now [though], the way the law is written is that because I work here, and I get paid like the way a teacher is paid for a job, I can’t go on and be a counselor here and be a board member.” But Westerhoff is certain there is no conflict of interest issue at UPA. “All I know 100% is there are no transparency issues at this school because you could look and say, ‘What have we benefited from here?’” Westerhoff said. “Mr. Ordaz and I worked here for nothing for several years when [the school] didn’t have money.” James Romero, the current Board of Trustees president, thinks it is beneficial to have board members who also work at the school. “From [Westerhoff and Ordaz], we could get for the board a lot of information on the mood of the school, about the kids—how well they’re doing, how their grades are looking,” Romero said. “The changes now that are on the board, it removes that a little bit. Now, we have to get that information from

Photo by Greg Haessner Colleagues and friends for more than 13 years, Daniel Ordaz and Kurt Foreman have worked to shape UPA’s progress and managed major decisions for the school over the years.

Photo courtesy of Phyllis Ordaz UPA Founders Foreman (left), Dot Westerhoff (center) and Ordaz (right) sit together at the school’s inaugural graduation ceremony in the Cathedral of Faith sanctuary in 2011. not maybe the board members, but from advisory members.” When Westerhoff, Ordaz and Foreman stepped down in March after SB 126 went into effect, only four board members remained. To be an active, functioning group, the board must have a minimum of five people, so a new board member was quickly hired. On April 18, the board held a meeting to interview and vote on their newest member: Tony Lustig. Romero has been longtime friends with Lustig and recommended him. Lustig has experience fundraising, which the board hopes will help the school financially. “[Tony] works with a lot of different companies that come to him and ask him to do specific types of mergers and to look at different types of technology,” Romero said. “That also gives him a lot of value because he’s used to getting out there and used to working in these social circles. I think he’s somebody that can help bring up a foundation that helps bring in additional revenue.” Although this is a sudden change to the Board of Trustees, Westerhoff has confidence that the board will continue to be a devoted support system of UPA. “Personally, I felt badly to have to step off, but I really respect the people that are there right now,” Westerhoff said. “I’ve worked with them. They’re awesome. They will work very, very hard to make sure this school is supported. So that part I do know, and the fact that I’ve worked with them for so long, I really am very confident in that.”

Photo by Greg Haessner Board members gather with UPA staff members in the Media Center and begin their meeting to decide who will become the newest member of the board, ultimately deciding on Tony Lustig.

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate By Colin Updyke-Welch Ethan Lindenberg, an 18-year-old in Ohio, went against his mother’s wishes and received all the vaccinations she had forbidden. He testified before Congress in March about anti-vaxxers and his issues with the movement. “For my mother, her love and affection and care as a parent was used to push an agenda to create a false distress,” Lindenberg said in his testimony. “And these sources, which spread misinformation, should be the primary concern of the American people.” People, especially parents, have started to have increased fears about vaccines. Science teacher Loren Schwinge understands the underlying reasons for that fear. “[For all the] vaccines kids get in their first three years of life, you get the really horrible image of the doll-baby that has all the vaccines stuck in it,” Schwinge said.

But not vaccinating can have severe effects, not only for individuals that opt out, but also for people—such as babies, elders and people with autoimmune disorders— who suffer the consequences anti-vaxxers bring. “[Not vaccinating] drops the herd immunity,” Schwinge said. “Basically, we expect a lot of the population to be vaccinated to protect those who can’t vaccinate either for health or other particular reasons. If you have a whole bunch of kids who are unvaccinated, it’s a pretty easy

children for 11 years in order to obtain enough information about which children received vaccines and which ones inherited autism. About one percent of those children were diagnosed with the disorder. The study also found parents who opted their children out of the MMR vaccine had a 7 percent higher chance of being diagnosed with Autism than children who received the MMR vaccine. Social media companies have been blamed for allowing individuals to spread misinformation about vaccines, but they have started to crack down on the misinformation. For example, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram have started to ban content that includes anti-vaccine misinformation. “We are fully committed to the safety of our community and will continue to expand on this work,” Monika Bickert, Facebook’s vice president of global policy management, said. Some parents fear that unvaccinated children will bring diseases into schools, endangering other children. Although the federal government has not banned unvaccinated children from public schools, states are beginning to take action. Passed in 2015, California Senate Bill 277 “[eliminates] the exemption from existing specific immunization requirements based upon personal beliefs, but would allow exemption from future immunization requirements deemed appropriate by the State Department of Public Health for either medical reasons or personal beliefs.” Those that believe in vaccinating are working to combat those who decide not to vaccinate. Christopher Swingle, a physician at Mercy Hospital St. Louis, released an article in the National Center for Biotechnology Information explaining how to deal with anti-vaxxers. “Patients will continue to trust physicians who listen to their concerns,” Swingle said in his article. “If we do not have that trust, we cannot reasonably hope to persuade on the real risks and benefits of vaccination. Rather than confrontationally going after anti-vaccination groups, physicians must clearly articulate a message on the consequences of being unvaccinated.”

“If you have a whole bunch of kids who are unvaccinated, it’s a pretty easy way to spread illness.” —Loren Schwinge

Photo by Emily Magallon

way to spread illness.” According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), California and approximately 21 other states have had a measles outbreak since the beginning of 2019. Outside of the states, cases have popped up in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Pacific. The World Health Organization (WHO) created a list of the top 10 threats to global health in 2019, including both vaccine hesitation and the influenza pandemic. The biggest fear surrounding vaccines originates from the theory that they cause autism. Andrew Wakefield, a British gastroenterologist, started this movement when he claimed he discovered evidence connecting vaccines to autism. This study incorrectly linked data and jumped to conclusions. Misinformation such as Wakefield’s study has been spread via social media and has caused many to question the validity of vaccines. A recent study posted by the CDC on March 5 explained there is no link between autism and the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The article studied 657,461

A new CA law requires changes to the Snack Shack by geraldo castro During break, lunch and afterschool, students rush to line up to purchase snacks, the sound of coins jingling in their pockets and backpacks. UPA’s Energy Bar, better known as the Snack Shack, has become an integral part of students’ school lives, especially for those who do not bring food from home. Over time, there has been a variety of foods sold, leaving many wondering what is to change in the future regarding items and prices. Currently, the Snack Shack sells Cup Noodles, donuts, fruit cups, Arizona iced teas, Sunny Delight and Snapple among other items. This year, a new law will impact food services at UPA’s Snack Shack. Assembly Bill (AB) 1871, a California bill signed into legislation by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration on Sept. 18, 2018, enforces free or reduced-prices of nutritionally adequate meals for low-income students at charter and public institutions. Funds for new meal options will usually be provided by federal and state programs. These programs typically have specific criteria for what can and cannot be considered a meal, meaning programs will only give a school money if it sells or provides what is on their list. Previously, charter schools were exempt from similar already-existing laws, but AB 1871 nullifies that immunity by including charter schools. The bill will take effect on July 1. Both sophomore Christian Tucker-Allen and seventh grader Seymour Tran, who regularly purchase food from the Snack Shack, believe this new law will be beneficial to UPA in that the school will have to start serving foods the program approves. Tucker-Allen and Tran also pitched the idea to have those meals available to everyone regardless of their income level, but at a price that is still reasonable and high enough for the school to profit. In this way, the school can still have the funds to provide these, as well as other non-redeemable meals that do not necessarily come from the programs’ lists. Snack Shack employee Martin Contreras said next year will bring new changes to the Snack Shack. “I think [UPA is] working on a reduced lunch program,” Contreras said. “We’ve gotten deals with different vendors who want to bring the food to the school. We’ve looked at the menus and seen what would work out for certain kids. I think it should be open to everyone, not just kids who can’t afford lunch.” Contreras also said that the prices set currently are most likely going to remain the same due to the impact they have on graduating seniors. “Half of [the money earned] goes to order more [food],” he said. “And then half of it goes back to seniors for scholarships. It’s not like the school makes money off of it. A lot of people don’t know that—they think I’m just overpricing stuff.” Results from a survey sent to UPA students indicate that exactly half of the 212 students who responded were content with the prices and items sold, while the other half were not. The survey also revealed 73.6 percent of respondents desire healthier food options at the Snack Shack.

Photos by Greg Haessner Illustrations by Ishan Madan “I’d say this year—well, every year—for the most part, it gets better and better with the food options and the pizza choice,” Tucker-Allen said. Tucker-Allen, along with 50 percent of students surveyed, also believe prices of some items should be reduced. “My only suggestion would be to bring [the pizza price] down to, at most, $1.75 or at least $1.50,” Tucker-Allen said. “And I guess the donuts they sell should be [priced] down to either $1.75 or $1.50 instead of $2 because that’s putting a slice of pizza equal to an eight-pack of small donuts.” Other than pricing, some food suggestions he offered were apple slices, fruit and to bring back corn dogs that used to be sold in the previous school year. Seymour, along with Tucker-Allen, also suggested the return of salads to be sold at the Snack Shack. Seymour states that the return of salads would be popular as long as the price is reasonable. Although the popularity of such healthy foods will depend on the people purchasing them, he believes that would not influence the number of people who do want to buy healthy foods once it is added to the menu.

FEATURES

Embracing Two Cultures Exploring diverse experiences of half-Asian people in the United States By Arielle Rose-Finn In the Bay Area, discrimination against mixed Asian families is not a new phenomenon. Until 1948, interracial marriage was illegal in California. Joyce Weiss, a half-Caucasian and half-Chinese woman, was raised in San Francisco’s Chinatown during the 1950s and has lived in the Bay Area for the majority of her life. When Weiss’ parents married in 1947, they had to travel from California to Seattle, Washington, where interracial marriage had already been legalized in 1868. The couple also faced discrimination later, when Weiss’ father sought employment in California and Arizona. “Some of the jobs my dad would apply for, the secretary would say, ‘You’re not going to get a call back because they can see that your wife is Chinese and that doesn’t fit in with the corporate culture,’” Weiss said. On the other side of the country, there was also a lack of acceptance of people with a mixed Asian heritage. Karen Young grew up in a half-Scottish, half-Chinese family in

Photo courtesy of Karen Young With her husband and daughters, Karen Young (center) attends a wedding in Rhode Island in 2013.

Photo courtesy of Zoie Charbonnet Zoie Charbonnet (9) and her mother celebrate her greatgrandmother’s 90th birthday in Singapore last summer. the 1970s. As a child, her family was one of two minority families that lived near her hometown in rural Missouri. Because Young’s Chinese father was the local dentist, the family did not experience much overt discrimination. However, that is not to say prejudice against them was nonexistent. “I know that there were some kids that were told they couldn’t play with us,” Young said. “But I never let that bother me.” Growing up in multicultural San Jose in the 2000s, freshman Zoie Charbonnet, who is half-Chinese and half-Caucasian, has endured less discrimination from her community, but she has noticed some discrimination from her extended family. “There’s some reason they feel like we’re not as much a part of their family as we should be,” Charbonnet said. “I haven’t really given it much thought. I like to express both sides, and I’m happy that I’m a mix of both cultures.” Junior Jason Plasschaert, who is half-Belgian and half-Taiwanese, also grew up in San Jose and he has not felt out of place for being mixed. He is proud of his heritage and does not mind being asked questions about it. “Because Taiwan and Belgium are both not super well-known countries, and they’re both kind of small, people generally ask me where they are and stuff like that,” Plasschaert said. “I don’t mind. I actually really like that both my parents are from little countries.” Likewise, Young has found more acceptance as she has grown older and lived in different areas of the United States. After moving from Missouri to Georgia to Ohio, Young now lives in New York with her family and works as a costume designer for television and film. Recently, she worked on the Amazon series “Good Girls Revolt” and “Electric Dreams.” In the past, she worked on the films “Driving Miss Daisy” and “Fried Green Tomatoes.” In New York, Young has found it interesting that there is such a variety of ethnicities represented, and that it is no longer unusual for her to see mixed people. “I think I’m unique in some ways, and I represent a growing number of people,” Young said. “But I also have often felt that I never quite fit in with either side.”

points (and questions)

By Alexandra Rozmarin

radley Nakagawa’s passion is one not shared by many eighth grade boys: math. And it shows. Who else is learning calculus from their senior sister? Nakagawa scored a 75 on the AMC 10, a 25-question test worth a total of 150 points designed for sophomores that covers concepts all the way through Algebra 2, such as volume formulas, Pythoras’ theorem and number theory. “I just came in because, why not?” Nakagawa said.

Photos by Alexandra Rozmarin Nakagawa started learning math from an online website where he played around with adding and subtracting numbers. He attributes his love of math to the website.

Of the 66 UPA students who took the test–– only 4 of which were eighth graders––Nakagawa scored the highest. “Honestly, it was Bradley, so I wasn’t surprised,” math teacher Esther Chen said. “In general, it is pretty awesome that an eighth grader could actually score the highest out of all the other [students] on the AMC 10.” Currently, Chen teaches Nakagawa’s Integrated Math 2 class, but she has had him as a student for the past two years. Although Nakagawa first appeared to Chen as quiet and withdrawn, she has come to know him as a frequent participant in class discussions. “Whenever I ask for a volunteer to share their answer, I can usually count on Bradley,” Chen said. “Even though at first glance he seems really shy and quiet, he’s not afraid to help others.” Freshman Britney Stout specifically remembers receiving help from Nakagawa last year in her Math 8 class, despite being a grade above him. “The fact that he was talking to older people never seemed to bother him,” Stout said. “He never thought he was better than us.” In addition to academics, Nakagawa is on his second season playing for the middle school boys’ volleyball team. After playing volleyball in seventh grade, he was hesitant to join for a second season, but Chen—also his coach—convinced him. “He’s one of my most consistent players,” Chen said, emphasizing Nakagawa’s ability to pass and hit. Eighth grader and fellow team member Hector Hernandez said that off the court, Nakagawa does his best to support his teammates by saying “good job” and giving constant high fives. But math and volleyball are not the only activities Nakagawa participates in: he is also a swimmer and former gymnast. Before withdrawing from gymnastics to focus more energy on his studies, Nakagawa practiced five days a week. Nakagawa gives credit to his parents for encouraging him to partake in various extracurriculars. “I think I do more things because of [my parents],” Nakagawa said. “Otherwise, I would probably just sit at home and play video games for the rest of my life.”

IN-DEPTH

not just ‘a phase’

Photos by Janessa Ulug Matias Edwards and Adam Lawson (below) celebrated LGBTQ+ pride at an Aquila photoshoot on April 30 and May 1. Rainbow colors became symbolic for the LGBTQ+ community in 1978 after artist Gilbert Baker created the rainbow flag. By Janessa Ulug About to hit send on an email asking about Monday’s homework, sophomore Adam Lawson stares at their computer screen, loathing the name that appears in the “from” box: Abigale Lawson. They had been meaning to have it changed for a while, but never worked up the courage to ask how that would be done or if it is possible. Who knew one word could cause so much pain? Sexuality and gender identity are not a second thought for the majority of the population. If someone is a boy, he will usually like girls; if someone is a girl, she will usually like guys. A biological boy is a boy, and a biological girl is a

girl—these identities are expected and accepted in society. But a small community at UPA does not fit into this majority. Instead of accepting LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and more) people’s sexualities and gender identities, they are often dismissed as just a stage in a teenager’s life. Lawson, who identifies as agender, personally faces this and thinks questioning young LGBTQ+ boys and girls about their gender or sexuality can be damaging. “I think there’s a lot of the ‘oh, it’s just a phase,’ especially to people who identify as teens or even as preteens,” Lawson said. “When it comes to people and their sexualities being questioned at a young age, I feel like it’s very

harmful because people don’t question it when it’s like a young boy having a crush on a young girl, whereas a young girl having a crush on a young girl is seen as, ‘oh, it’s a phase.’ If that boy is young enough to know he likes that girl, I feel like that girl is mature enough to also know who they’re attracted to.” Sophomore Matias Edwards, who identifies as bisexual, has experienced the phenomena of people throwing around the phrase “no homo” with their friends or calling objects, events or people they dislike “gay.” “That’s harmful because it develops memories of something being uncool when it’s called gay,” Edwards said. “So people who say it think less of gay people, and gay people think less of themselves. They feel as though they are subpar just as everything else the term is used to describe.” Science teacher and GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) club supervisor Loren Schwinge, who identifies as queer, believes the use of such derogatory phrases stems from people’s fear of being labeled gay themselves for expressing affection to people of the same gender. Lawson also feels as if their identity is not considered valid by other students. Possibly because of this, it has become a trend to mock transgender people. “I’ve definitely gotten the ‘oh yes, I identify as an ‘attack helicopter’’ or other jokes along the lines of it,” Lawson said. “I think jokes like that can make it so people who also identify as agender kind of discredit it, or they repress it.” People who are part of the LGBTQ+ community not only face alienation from their peers, but also from their own families. For example, some of Lawson’s family members refuse to use their preferred gender pronouns. “It’s just a scary thing because people who were supposed to love you might not,” Lawson said. “A lot of parents feel like their picture of their child is different, or they kind of act like they’re mourning the death of their child because they had a certain picture in mind for them.” For some, coming out can be a challenge because it means recognizing that their life will most likely not follow the typical cisgender, heteronormative plotline often depicted in movies and dealing with the fact that certain people will not like them simply because of their identity. This alienation, combined with the fear of permanently damaging the relationship with their parents, can make it difficult for teens to come out as LGBTQ+. “Parents are a kid’s biggest support system, and a kid will care way more about what a parent thinks of them than anybody else,” Edwards said. “If coming out means [the parents] would think negatively of that person or go so far as to kick them out, they would never think to do that to their parents.” Schwinge knows a former student from UPA who was kicked out of his home after he came out as gay. She offered the student a place to stay until he could secure a permanent residence, spurring the student’s mother to invite him back home. “I believe everyone should have the right to be themselves without feeling like they need to hide,” Schwinge said. Lawson and Edwards agree the out LGBTQ+ community at UPA is relatively small, estimating that about 10-20 people are

part of it. “I know quite a few people who are LGBTQ+, but I know quite a few people who just can’t come out,” Lawson said. However, despite the fact that LGBTQ+ people might be confronted with challenges throughout their lives, Edwards appreciates efforts by some of UPA’s teachers to make students feel accepted by hanging up posters that stress support of every identity. “I felt warm knowing someone was looking out for members of the community,” Edwards said. “And they went so far as to put these posters up to subtly assert the fact that people should be inclusive in a classroom setting.” Schwinge is one teacher who puts up supportive posters in every classroom she teaches in. She believes it is a teacher’s job to make a student’s already difficult life easier by promoting an inclusive environment, discouraging hateful language and serving as a supporter. “All students have every right to feel safe,” Schwinge said. “My job is to simply be there to offer resources and support in any way I can.” She believes the school has made great strides toward inclusivity, but there is always room to improve, possibly by having more open conversations about every type of person on campus. “All schools should focus on [having more open conversations],” Schwinge said. “Stigma is caused by a lack of knowledge.” UPA has taken steps to promote awareness already, such as approving the establishment of a GSA club in the 2016-17 school year and showing films which shed light on mental health struggles that people might deal with due to challenges that arise from being LGBTQ+. After the struggle with identity that many LGBTQ+ people face, Lawson says that finally reaching a state of self-love and acceptance is liberating and urges other students not to repress their identities. “It’s OK to experiment,” Lawson said. “It’s OK to try new things, and it’s OK to not be sure of yourself. But to experiment is better than to live a life where you’re unsure of who you are—you never quite know, or you just always have that nagging question: ‘What if?’”

“... to experiment is better than to live a life where you’re unsure of who you are.” —Adam Lawson

Edwards on April 30.

an American Jo i s A : e id ur na s A list st a s C By Emily Hung

Founded in 1999, Viet Mercury represented the Vietnamese community in the city of San Jose. According to the Silicon Valley Business Journal, by launching this Vietnamese-language newspaper, The Mercury News hoped to break the language barrier and appeal to its Vietnamese readers. Since then, the Vietnamese population in San Jose has exponentially increased. According to the World Population Review on the 2010 census for San Jose, Asians make up 32 percent of the population, 10.4 percent of which are Vietnamese, making the city’s Vietnamese community the largest of its kind in the United States. But, Viet Mercury no longer exists. And although the community is rapidly growing, representation of the Vietnamese population—in addition to other Asian American groups—in the media has reduced significantly. Glancing around the The Mercury News’ newsroom, there is only one Vietnamese American reporter on staff: Thy Vo, who covers government and politics in Santa Clara County.

“The experience of that community was not valued by the editorial leadership.” —Bernice Yeung The lack of diversity in the newspaper’s newsroom is a microcosm of what media outlets across the nation are facing, and the deficit reflects in the stories news organizations produce and the sources journalists choose to speak with. “When you want your coverage to reflect reality and the people in the community it serves, there are going to be gaps,” Vo said. “There are a lot of topics we write about that we don’t know much about. Without a diverse newsroom, you lack diverse viewpoints.” When Bernice Yeung—a 2019 Pulitzer Prize finalist and reporter for ProPublica—worked for SF Weekly in the early 2000s, she faced a challenge persuading her editors that an issue happening in San Francisco’s Asian American community was worth covering. “My editors thought the Asian American community was not mainstream, and it wasn’t worth covering them,” Yeung said. “I remember being frustrated because it was clear to me that it was an issue important to be covered. The experience of that community was not valued by the editorial leadership.” So what is causing the journalism industry to lose racial diversity at a time when it is critical that a variety of voices are heard? For one, Asian Americans are less likely to become journalists due to, in part, societal pressures most fall victim to: stereotypical careers such as scientists, engineers, doctors and technology developers.

In addition, influence from family members can make it difficult for them to be journalists as well. Vo’s father discouraged her from choosing a career in journalism, but she carried through with her decision. “When I grew up, I was actively suppressed from asking questions in my family,” she said. “I felt like I had to be someone else to do [journalism]. But just because I wasn’t loud or aggressive didn’t mean I wasn’t fit for investigative journalism, [although] it took me a long time to find my voice and to be comfortable in my job.” Similar to Vo, Yeung also faced disagreement from her parents, who are from Hong Kong, when choosing her career. Yeung initially had her mind set on being a poet or a screenplay writer. “Immigrant parents like to see their children go into well-paying professions,” she said. “So my parents didn’t support my decision.” But after her parents saw news anchor Connie Chung on television, they pointed to Chung. “Why don’t you be like her?” they asked Yeung. Her parents believed being a journalist was better than being a poet or a screenplay writer. Because of these factors—the lack of support from their relatives and from society—people of color constitute 22.6 percent of the workforce in newsrooms across the nation, according to a survey conducted by the American Association of News Editors in 2018. “It’s generally challenging sometimes to be the only person of color or the only diverse person in the newsroom or in any workplace,” Yeung said. “There are sometimes microinteractions that can be upsetting [and] offensive. The challenge is that sometimes you’re dealing with subtle issues, and it’s difficult to understand how to approach them. It’s good to have a diverse newsroom so you can talk these issues out.” Both Vo and Yeung recommend the Asian American Journalists Association for young Asian American journalists to talk through their struggles or receive support. The association advances “diversity in newsrooms” and aims to ensure “fair and accurate coverage of communities of color,” according to the association’s website. “Ultimately, I think having a background that might be different in some way, whether it’s your ethnic racial background or socioeconomic background, it always makes you a better journalist,” Yeung said. “It might bring a level of empathy or bring you certain insight into a community that someone might not have.”

ARTS & CULTURE

Cooking with Kamm By Paolo Dimicali Growing up, cooking always played a role in senior Thomas Kamm’s life at home. “In my household, we never really had fast food,” Kamm said. “My mom would make dinner, and it was usually very healthy. It was very oriented toward homecooked healthy food.” Even before he started to cook, Kamm expressed interest in the culinary arts, whether it was lending his mom a hand in the kitchen or something on the Food Channel that caught his eye. “I would always watch cooking shows like Gordon Ramsay, “MasterChef” and “Hell’s Kitchen,” Kamm said. “I thought it was so cool how everyone was making these fancy dishes, and everything looked so good.” In middle school, after spending a good amount of time watching his mom at home and Gordon Ramsay on TV making food in the kitchen, he eventually decided it was time for him to pick up the pan himself. “I started out not doing too much, but then my interest ramped up in high school— like cooking dinner for my family, finding recipes and just making them,” Kamm said. He paced himself as he took the time to learn the ropes and familiarize himself with simpler recipes before moving onto more complicated ones. “I started out with really small things, like I would grill a steak or something like a piece of meat,” Kamm said. “Then, I’d just practice seasoning it and try the flavor combinations, or maybe help my parents with dinner by making a small side dish. And then I guess I started mastering the basics.” After practicing and learning more about his craft, Kamm was eventually able to move onto more complex recipes, like his egg yolk ravioli. “I had seen it made on “MasterChef,” and I thought it was the coolest thing,” he said. “It’s pretty much ravioli, but there’s an egg yolk inside. It’s cooked just enough so that the pasta’s cooked, but the egg yolk is still soft, so when you cut into it, it oozes out. I made the pasta from scratch and I cut out the squares. It was just really finicky and really difficult, but it came out really well.” Senior Amy Kumar has had the privilege to taste some of Kamm’s delicious dishes. She ate a cookie cake he made, as well as one of his cheesecakes. Kumar, who also bakes, loved it. “I know he makes it all from scratch,” Kumar said. “It all tastes very put-together, and a lot of the times the flavors go well together. They’re just very well-made.” While he does not plan on pursuing a career in cooking, Kamm still believes it is a vital skill to have. “It’s convenient if you don’t have any food in your kitchen and you don’t want to go out, but have ingredients so you can just throw something together, and that’s pretty easy if you know what you’re doing,” Kamm said. “In college, instead of going out, I can just cook for myself, and that’ll save a lot of money. Even after college, just more self sufficiency when it comes to food is a really good thing.” And to those who want to cook but are too intimidated, Kamm has some advice. “Start with something really easy,” he said. “It helps to watch videos of other people cook, so you know exactly what you’re doing. And there’s various recipes. There’s usually comments like tips or tricks, so definitely look to see what other people have done first because other people have probably failed before you. It’s definitely something you start small, and then go bigger.”

Photos by Emily Hung Top: Thomas Kamm (12) guides the dough through the pasta roller. After several times, the dough becomes long enough to be cut into smaller squares. Middle: Kamm pours sauce over the ravioli as a final touch to his dish. The ravioli, with filling and egg yolk on the inside, is ready to eat. Bottom: Kamm removes the raw egg white from the yolk. The yolk will be placed in the filling and cooked to create the ravioli.

Check out the recipe for egg yolk ravioli and watch a “Cooking with Kamm” video at upaaquila.org.

By Katherine Nguyen A bullet journal, or BuJo for short, is a popular organizational system made to store all your random ideas, thoughts and schedules. First founded by digital product designer Ryder Carrol, the bullet journal helps to “track the past, organize the present and plan for the future.” Bullet journals can become a part of your lifestyle and reflect who you are as a person. It requires time and energy to pursue, but bullet journals can be impactful to your life. If you still hesitate to begin one, follow these tips to jumpstart an organized life. Materials Notebook (any) Pens Suggested Materials Ruler Highlighters Stickers Washi Tape Watercolors Graphic printouts

Key Tips 1. Try not to overcrowd your journal with everything you want to include. Start with the basics and then slowly add more of your ideas. Also, do not feel compelled to buy all the bullet journal supplies you can find. Pick out one or two things at a time and eventually your supplies will expand. 2. Be patient with your journal. You may have to wait weeks—or even months—to see progress in your habits, but eventually, the benefits will show. Time is everything. 3. Do not compare your journal to other people’s. Take pride in your own creation even if you feel it does not look as great as other journals. 4. Practice. Practice. Practice. We all start from square one and can develop our styles by experimenting with new ideas. Play around with the elements in your journal and keep adapting your work.

Instructions 1. Look for inspiration for how you want to lay out your bullet journal. Different setups can range from a planner to a tracker. There is no right or wrong way to how you want to style it. However, it all begins with a simple journal and pen. 2. Kick off your journal with an index on the first few pages by writing the title and page number(s) of your spread. You will need a reference system to quickly refer to all the ideas or content you want to put into your journal. 3. Plan ahead with a future log. This log organizes your future appointments or events. A simple method to draft a future log is by drawing a chart for each month of the year and then writing the events due for each one beside it. 4. Set up a monthly spread. On a left page, write down all the days in a month and beside each one, write down all the tasks or goals you want to complete that month. This design can vary because, in the end, it comes down to your preferences and what helps you plan best. 5. Create a daily log. For each day of the month, jot down your daily activities, events or ideas. You can reference your future log and monthly spread to check for any tasks you planned to do. 6. Design your collection pages. Here comes the creativity that makes your bullet journal unique from others. Take the ideas in your daily log and designate them to their own pages. Some examples are habit trackers, mood trackers, meal plans and favorite songs. The list goes on. Now it’s time to spread your wings. With this guide, you are ready to begin a new chapter in your life. With a pen in one hand and a journal in the other, you are unstoppable.

Photo by Evelyn Ramirez Illustrations by Betty Nguyen

Tostadas

By Rory Dhanota

• • • • • • •

Tostada shells Queso fresco Refried beans Onions Lettuce Hot sauce Tomatoes

1 Grab the tostada and rub the beans on top 2 Pour queso fresco on the tostada 3 Pile it with as much lettuce, tomatoes, onions and hot sauce as desired

Roxanna Hernandez-Lara (10): “It’s always been a comfort food. My family and I aren’t the richest, and at times, we couldn’t afford to eat other things. This food was always delicious and reminds me of my childhood. My family and I would eat this dish frequently six years back or so. It will always have a place in my heart, and I can’t wait to pass this comfort food onto future generations.”

Sweet Plantain Porridge • 2 sweet plantains • 1 can of coconut milk • 2 cups of water • 1/4 cup brown sugar • 1/4 cup cornmeal • 1 teaspoon nutmeg • 1 teaspoon cinnamon • 1 pinch of sea salt • 1 pinch allspice • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Bring the water to a simmer. Stir in the nutmeg, cinnamon, seasalt and allspice 2 Slice the plantains and put them into a food processor or blender. Blend in the coconut milk and keep blending until it is all smooth 3 Add the plantain puree to the simmered water and whisk. Bring it to a low boil and add the sugar and cornmeal 4 Add more nutmeg, cinnamon, sea salt or allspice if desired and boil for 15 minutes, making sure to whisk frequently 5 Take the porridge away from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract

Mekhyle Ndah (11): “The first time I had this was when I went to Cameroon and met my grandmother for the first time. This was the first meal she ever made me and my first time eating it. It is so good that when I eat it it feels like my mouth dances.”

Chicken Tandoori Plain greek yogurt 1 Salt and pepper Chopped cilantro 2 lbs skinless chicken thighs 2 2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons minced ginger 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3 1 tablespoon paprika 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground coriander • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 4 • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 5 • • • • • • • • • • •

Photos by Rory Dhanota

Mix together the yogurt, vegetable oil, lemon juice and spices in a large bowl Add the chicken into the bowl. Place the bowl in the fridge and let the chicken marinate for at least six hours When done marinating, preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with a wire rack. Let the chicken bake for 15 minutes, flip it and let it bake for 15 more minutes Heat the broiler and broil the chicken for five minutes Serve the chicken with the desired amount of cilantro and lemon

Gursimar Rana (10): “This food is amazing. I have many memories making the dish with my grandma when I was young and this version of the recipe was inspired by her.”

OPINION

Under Fire Debunking common misconceptions about guns By Luca Scarra

oday, an increasing number of people are becoming politically active, especially in regards to gun control. But a large portion of gun control advocates, especially high school students, have little technical knowledge about firearms, which results in a plethora of misconceptions. The issue is compounded by politicians who echo false statistics, incorrect terminology and misleading phrases about guns.

Assault Weapons/Rifles

After the Parkland shooting, there has been a push to ban the controversial AR-15 weapons, and those listening to gun control advocates who want to ban AR-15s might realize they know little about the topic. Listeners might not know terms are being misused, especially “assault weapon” or “assault rifle.” “Assault weapon” was coined by gun control advocates in the 1994 Clinton Assault Weapon ban to refer to any weapon with “military style” characteristics. These attachments and features do not make the weapon more capable of killing, rather they are for the comfort of the shooter. What most people also might not know is that most guns in America have these characteristics. According to The Trace, most laws regulating assault weapons refer to any magazine fed weapon with a grip or rail, and the features are mainly for aesthetics. Gun control advocates often use the term “assault weapon” as a way to demonize the guns they most want banned because the term, used interchangeably with “assault rifle,” refers to a weapon capable of selective and automatic fire. While on air, CNN news anchor Don Lemon said: “I was able to go and buy an automatic weapon… I think most people can go out and buy an automatic weapon. It took me 20 minutes.” Contrary to Don Lemon, automatic weapons are difficult to obtain and have stringent ownership requirements. Because of the National Firearms Act in 1934, the supply of automatic weapons—which cost upwards of $20,000 and can only be bought through a dealer with a Class-3 Federal Firearms license—is restricted by the U.S. government and is only legal if made before 1986, making them prohibitively expensive. Obtaining this license requires extensive background checks

and investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) in addition to increased fees, as stipulated by the Firearm Owners Protection Act. The potential buyers must have clear criminal and mental health records and must be patient enough to wait for a response on their fingerprinting, which might take nine to 12 months. Assuming someone has clean records and the patience for this process, that person is then subject to a host of new regulations. When the ATF registers new automatic gun owners, local law enforcement is notified of their names and addresses, and the gun owners must gain approval to move their weapons out of the state of registration.

Weapons of War

Gun control advocates often call the AR-15 a “weapon of war,” under the impression that the weapon is used by militaries, though, according to NPR in “A Brief History of the Ar15,” it never has been a civilian rifle and is most often confused for the M-4 Carbine, which is indeed the standard issue rifle in the U.S. military. This confusion could be explained by the common looks and features of the weapons, but what some do not understand is that the military style features are more commonly used for shooter comfort and do not affect the killing power of the gun. Furthermore, the M-4 fires a full size rifle round, but the AR-15 most commonly fires pistol or smaller rifle rounds.

Commonly Heard Phrases

During gun control debates, some people draw the conclusion that gun control reduces mass shootings or violent crime because Australia had comprehensive gun control. However, referring to a successful gun ban in Australia has its own problems. A 2011 study conducted by Samara McPhedran and Jeanine Baker found “the hypothesis that Australia’s prohibition of a certain type of firearms explains the absence of mass shootings in that country since 1996 does not appear to be supported.” Furthermore, people fail to note that, according to Gun Facts—a book that debunks common myths about gun control—violent crime in Australia spiked in the next few years after the gun ban. The same idea that gun control reduces violent crime is applied to the Clinton Assault Weapons Ban in 1994, but the fact is that violent crime was dropping before the ban and continued to drop at the same rate after the ban. Illustrations by Kristian Crowther and Greg Haessner

More Guns, More Gun Violence?

People also associate a higher gun ownership rate with a higher gun violence rate in a country, despite the fact that the U.S. has the highest rate of gun ownership in the world, with 120 guns per 100 inhabitants, yet it only ranks No. 16 in the world in gun-homicides per 100,000 people, according to United Nations-backed gunpolicy.org. Countries that outrank the U.S. in gun homicides have significantly fewer guns per inhabitants than the U.S., the highest being nearly six times the homicide rate of the U.S. with 12 times fewer guns per 100 people. Teenagers often copy what seems to be popular or agreed with the most, but when it comes to gun reform, that is something the U.S. cannot afford to have. Many teenagers say they are pro-gun control; however, when someone asks them to explain why, they often have little to say, and even worse, carry these misconceptions. Instead of echoing these, people should research the topic, and then formulate an opinion based on fact. Infographic by Luca Scarra

My Experiences As a Sea Cadet By Chelsea Nguyen I joined the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC) program the summer before seventh grade. It was mainly my parentsâ€™ decision to enroll me in the program, so at first I felt forced to enjoy being a part of the program. Every morning, drills started with intense physical training packed with heavy exercises. As a person who has asthma, I found the physical training extremely difficult. I also have no upper body strength: I run a 12-minute mile, and I cannot do a full push-up.

my teeth and fill my Camelbak hydration pack with water. None of the recruits had eaten breakfast, yet we were preparing to take the Physical Readiness Test (PRT) in the pitch-black, wet grass area. I was shocked that I had to deal with this for the next eight days, which made me want to give up immediately. I felt like I was going to pass out at any second as I marched for hours in the hot weather wearing Navy Working Uniform and combat boots. Only the staff members had watches, so the recruits had no concept of time and the days dragged on for what seemed like forever. However, I have grown to love trainings because I get the opportunity to be away from home for a few weeks and build strong relationships with people I have never met. Once I grew accustomed to the environment, the military base felt like home for those nine days. I have been able to incorporate my interests into the program, such as being the photojournalist for my home unit, Enterprise Division, and posting on the unitâ€™s Instagram account.

Recruits of Division 4 at Camp Talega do leg lifts to stretch before running a mile. The purpose of physical training and long drills are to prepare Cadets for the summer and winter trainings. About one to two weeks on a military base feels longer than it sounds. Compared to military boot camp, which varies from eight to 12 weeks, a Sea Cadets boot camp ranges from nine to 14 days. It was the most difficult nine days of my life. I decided to attend boot camp in Warrington, Oregon during the summer before sophomore year. Flying from California to Oregon was an exciting experience, since I had never flown to another state on my own before. On the first day of the training, I woke up at 4 a.m. to the sound of banging lockers and endless yelling. Fear filled me as I only had five minutes to change into my physical training gear (a yellow shirt, blue shorts, white socks and running shoes), style my hair into a low bun, brush

Cadets of Enterprise Division stand at attention after marching. USNSCC has provided me life-changing experiences of trainings and military traditions, but I do not plan on enlisting in the military in the future as I want to travel the world and not be stationed in one place for a long period of time. Nonetheless, every training and drill is filled with challenges to develop leadership and teamwork skills, building trust amongst Cadets. There have been times where I wanted to give up, but did not because I knew that if I surrendered to the hardships, then I would not improve in certain areas I needed to work on.

CONSIDERATIONS

PHYSICAL TRAINING Work on your physical training, such as push-ups, sit-ups and running. Stretch everyday before doing a workout.

PACKING

Petty Officer Second Class Matthew Nguyen and Petty Officer First Class Pollux Grande run a mile for the PRT.

When packing for a training or bootcamp, always triple check that your items are in your sea bag and everything is "squared away" (organized and neatly arranged).

HAIR For boys: Get a haircut before the training; otherwise the training officers will buzz cut your hair for you. For girls: Practice styling your hair into a neat, low bun and use gel to avoid flyaways.

UNIFORMS Learn how to sew and iron. Uniforms are worn frequently and you have to keep your uniform clean and sharp. Make sure there are no wrinkles or loose strings and buttons.

The recruits at Camp Talega line up from tallest to shortest for division photos in Dress Blues.

RESPONSE Always respond to a question looking forward at attention. Use your diagram and end your response with "Sir," "Ma'am" or the officer's rank.

CONFIDENCE When an officer yells at you, do not take it personally. They are trying to build your confidence because they want you to finish the training. Officers will find your weaknesses and utilize them to improve your mental and physical strength.

Photos by Chelsea Nguyen

Seaman Ethan Tran and Seaman Recruit Emily Bautista (10) practice marching after a drill at Moffett Airfield.

FUN & GAMES

Summer Essentials By Nicole Rendler

1. Cold Stone

Creamery’s sweet treats are a reprieve from the summer heat. Customers can choose from signature creations or create their own with toppings such as chocolate chips or fresh fruit. Buy a pack of four $15 gift cards for only $35 at Costco.

2. This Neutroge-

na sunscreen is a non-greasy formula that will not clog pores. According to Neutrogena’s website, this is the No. 1 dermatologist recommended sunscreen. Purchase this sunscreen for $8.99 from Target.

3. The Golden

Poppy annual pass costs $125 and allows cardholders to enter any state park without a day-of cost if presented on the dashboard of the car. Order from the online California State Parks store.

4. Seeds in this pack 5. This lightweight, circular blanwill help you grow local flowers this summer, such as California Poppies, that will be sustainable in summer because they need less water to survive. Find more information at sfenvironment.org.

ket—printed to resemble a tortilla—is perfect for a beach bonfire or when the AC is blasting. Snatch this for $17.99 from Amazon.

6. This popcorn, available at Costco, offers a sweet treat with the tasty combination of a thick caramel layer and drizzles of white and dark chocolate, irresistible during a summer movie night. Taste it for yourself.

7. The Kind company is devoted to bring-

ing customers delicious snacks. With ingredients such as almonds, chia seeds and dark chocolate, these bars are energizing for summer hikes. Try out a pack of 15 bars for $10.99 from the Kind website.

8. These mini citronella candles

are a colorful addition to picnics, dinner tables or window sills. The scent will keep flies and mosquitoes away, so they are useful during summer, especially at nighttime. Find these on Amazon for $9.99.

Photo by Alexandra Rozmarin

University Preparatory Academy 2315 Canoas Garden Ave. San Jose, CA 95125

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aquila@upatoday.com