blueprint magazine volume I issue II

blueprint VOLUME ONE•ISSUE TWO

VALLEY CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL

blueprint M A G A Z I N E volume 1 // issue 2

Blueprint is a student-run literary, art, and community magazine. Our publication curates towards creative and aspiring individuals. Our main goal is to allow students and staff to creatively express themselves, whether that is through lifestyle, business, the arts, amse, or athletics. We strive to allow various voices to be recognized and inspire others.

our team: editor-in-chiefs: kellie chen, angel diaz layout / design: kellie chen, soha vora art director: emily hu literary director: kathy li photography director: soha vora

contact us // submit your work: email: vcsblueprint@gmail.com instagram: vcsblueprint

Submissions are open to everyone. Please don’t hesitate to send in writing, photography, and/ or art. This is an oppurtunity to get your work out there and published! For further information please visit our instagram page. Contest and prize details for every issue are on our instagram.

PHOTOS TOMMY TRAN // MODEL TIFFANY GUO

THANK YOU artwork: alyssa cosner tiffany guo - cover angela kou natalia lopes emily hu eva pei lucy yue tuong (julie) vo christine zhang esther zhu

writing (continued): kalliyana tep ava thompson kayla truong shuo (sally) wang julie wilson alicia wu tina xue keenan yates soha vora caroline yu

photography: kellie chen william r greenblatt madeline hart jingzhi (may) hu taneli lahntinen jansen lee annarose monroe celena nijmeh tommy tran soha vora juskteez vu

features: ansel austin karen beach jill carlson clifford daugherty robert dean ryan eshoff william gittens melissa gunter peter kistler nikhil kumar will luders mike machado eleanor muhawi jonathan morgan cindy nardi quy (jack) nguyen iain roush theodore shim nathan smith faith stults adam tafralis phillip thomas chloe townsend tommy tran ivan utomo maggi varvara adam walls naomi zhan mia zhang guangzhou (gz) zheng yingshu (linda) zhu

writing: sam brashears kellie chen phoebe chu vivian dai angel diaz ruofei (ivy) du lauren fulton cara galleher emily hu jingzhi (may) hu makayla khan reena kim kathy li hunter liu lucy liu connell mccarley celena nijmeh meena rakasi

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editors’ letter: Welcome to our second issue of Blueprint!

We are very excited to share this new issue of Blueprint Magazine! Blueprint was created to both give a voice to Valley Christian students and as a creative outlet for our editors. Being able to turn a blank page into someone’s story was both insightful and transformative. This process has taught us to express our passions through writing, art, design, and interactions with the talented students on our campus! As your editorial team, we have savored this creative responsibility to represent the people that make up our community. Through this outlet that we’ve established and since grown, we have been proud to say that this magazine revolves around the continuation of you, the student body and faculty.

When we first created Blueprint last year, we incorporated muted, pastel tones that resembled the beginning of our publication journey as designers, writers, and artists. This year, however, we knew we wanted an issue distinctly different from our first but still rooted in the creative choices that inspired us to start the magazine in the first place. Thus, we decided to have issue ii reflect on the elements that make up who we are, embrace change, and focus on growth. We were drawn towards a palette of primary colors: mirroring the new, bold strides we were inspired from while also retaining our willingness to explore. Moreover, primary colors serve as an elemental foundation and source for all other colors on the spectrum, and we wanted to highlight the elements that make up Blueprint.

Although our plans of last-minute boba sales, baking brownies, picking up fresh donuts, and organizing launch parties were ever-so-briskly taken away from us by COVID-19, there is a silver lining to every situation. Amidst this pandemic, we were able to see beauty and resilience within the Valley Christian community, using this time to bring together a magazine that truly represents all of us.

We are proud of how far Blueprint has come and the light it sheds on the different aspects of our school. This has been an amazing two years of interviewing classmates, collecting anecdotes, and receiving your artistic creations. Thank you for every single contributed idea, every spoken word, every presence, every submission, every affirmation, and every individual that helped make this all possible.

Thank you to our readers for allowing us to share stories and create content that inspires our community and beyond. We want to thank Mr. Eshoff and the Valley Christian Administration for always supporting and believing in us and in what Blueprint is. Thank you for growing with us and letting us be a part of your lives. Even though we are moving on to the next chapter of our lives, scattered across the country at different colleges, we need to trust and remind ourselves that there is an everlasting blueprint for each of us. We hope you keep Blueprint alive to serve as an extension of our readers by sharing Valley’s stories, expanding the community, and sparking creativity for many years to come!

After a year of unforeseeable circumstances, we are excited to share another publication filled with fragments of the VCHS community. Within each page, we find a piece of ourselves, a reflection of our values and passions, and the people of Valley Christian.

With love,

blueprint

Kellie Chen, Angel Diaz, Emily Hu, Kathy Li, Soha Vora 4

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table of contents

PHOTO TOMMY TRAN // MODEL TIFFANY GUO

03 04 09 17 29 37 45

credits editor’s letter bei conservatory amse athletics variety

SCAN ME!

ART BY // ALYSSA COSNER ART // ALYSSA COSNER

WHAT VCS TEACHER / FACULTY MEMBER ARE YOU? BUZZFEED QUIZ LINK ON IG: VCSBLUEPRINT 9

how to stay politically active at home WRITTEN BY VIVIAN DAI | ART BY ESTHER ZHU

phone zaps: Phone zaps to governor’s offices and local prisons have been particularly gaining momentum during this pandemic because many prisoners are unable to leave their cells and therefore can’t control their exposure to the virus. Many of these phone zaps call to encourage prisoners to provide prisoners with more soap or other sanitary products or to allow the prisoners release for the duration of the outbreak. If you want to get involved, the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee has a list of ongoing zaps on their website.

phonebank and textbank: There’s still an election this November, and while influencing national politics often feels out of reach for most Americans, you can still affect a lot of change locally. Most local campaigns receive a lot less funding and support than national ones, so even a small force of volunteers can help flip a district or pass a ballot initiative. You can also phonebank and textbank into other districts or even other states if you don’t particularly like the political landscape where you’re at.

online petitions: If you can vote in the general election, there are plenty of petitions you can sign to get propositions on the ballot or call for other actions.

Change.org hosts a lot of petitions. So do MoveOn and Codepink.

join a local mutual aid network: While the concept of mutual aid itself is apolitical, most mutual aid networks are created by political organizations like Action PAC or DSA. Mutual aid is a way of connecting people who need financial assistance, help signing up for health insurance, childcare, or other forms of help during the pandemic with those who can provide that help. Many of them are locally focused, but there are a few that are bigger and connect volunteers across the country. There are quite a few in the South Bay Area and charity is always welcome, so get involved!

join a political organization: Even though people aren’t able to meet in person, plenty of online political organizations are still recruiting through channels like Slack, Discord, Telegram, Facebook, etc. Try seeing if there are any groups working on an issue you care about in your area. Do some digging online. I mean, what else will you do? Watch Parasite for the fifth time?

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the effect of COVID-19

WRITTEN BY SOHA VORA A question that we all face is what is the next step.

All the aunts and uncles who ask at parties where we are going to college, only to be disappointed, no matter the answer. Whether that answer be college, a gap year, or something else, we all know that COVID-19 changes things. Impacting millions of lives, COVID-19 has been a common topic of conversation. However, its impact goes beyond the lack of necessary equipment and testing.

The shelter-in-place mandated by the majority of states--necessary to keep citizens safe--has left over 30 million people unemployed and even more adjusting their budgets. Because of this, some things, such as college, that seemed financially feasible before now seem out of reach for many.

How will Coronavirus impact college admissions?

As of May 1st, forty-four states have ordered or recommended that schools don’t reopen this academic year. For the first time, millions of students have transitioned to an online education. With cancelled standardized testing, extracurriculars, summer programs, and more, many high schoolers are wondering how college admissions will be affected. With many public schools making classes pass-

fail, students will have to find new ways to stand out to colleges. However, some high schools, such as Valley, have decided to keep letter grades. This has meant developing a new teaching style for teachers, as well as a new learning method for students. Colleges will have to devise new practices to fairly compare students.

Impact on Financial Aid? Many families have been impacted by the virus in some way or another, whether that be lost jobs, pay cuts , etc. Due to the economic crisis, it’s likely that more students will apply for financial aid.

Colleges are likely to offer better aid packages in order to attract more students, out of fear of not filling their enrollment goal.

Gap Year?

With an uncertain fall semester and millions of families on tighter budgets, many are questioning whether online classes are worth the hefty tuition.

A gap year may be a solution. A study by Middlebury College shows that among students who defer their college admission to take a well-planned and well-utilized gap year, the vast majority return within a year and are more likely to graduate on time and with better grades than their peers. This time can be spent working, interning, volunteering, or taking online classes that may help in the future.

ART // NATALIA LOPES

Without a doubt, COVID-19 will change people’s priorities and decisions. College admissions may seem like a minor problem in the broad spectrum of the 33M unemployed and the lengthy lines in front of food banks. And you know what, you’re right. However, after 12 years of working towards college, it’s important we learn about our options moving forward, in light of COVID-19.

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naomi zhan WRITTEN BY SHUO WANG Visionary designer Naomi Zhan did not recognize her love for fashion design until high school. Although Naomi has been drawing her whole life, she never tapped into her ability to become a fashion designer.

It wasn’t until her teacher, Mrs. Seo, asked her if she wanted to help another student with her brand, Maggi Varvara. Ever since, she discovered her design skills and devoted it to fashion design.

Naomi is mainly drawn towards black and white, rarely crafting with colors, and yet her designs are powerful and bold. She encompasses elegant and beautiful elements to make the clothing both uniquely sleek and expressive. Due to Maggi Varvara’s central theme: the independence of women, Naomi also designs the clothing styles a little more neutral to show a sense of women’s rights. Throughout the process, working with the founder of Maggi Varvara has inspired her a lot, as the brand focuses on female empowerment. Naomi hopes to create pieces that indirectly communicate with those around her, supporting the brand’s mission of “empowering women by giving them a chance to boldly convey their feelings through fashion, but at the same time feel stylish and confident.” Naomi is extremely eager and proud to be a part of a project that allows women to “draw their strengths out, to make them confident in themselves and their unique qualities,” she says.

Designing seems easy: only some sketches and measurements needed to make a new dress. But the designing process is lengthy and trivial. “There are hard times,” Naomi said, “coming up with ideas isn’t easy. Sometimes inspiration runs out faster than you can imagine.”

Usually, when Naomi lacks inspiration, she turns to her favorite fashion shows:‘Paris Bombay Métiers d’Art 2011/12 Show Chanel, Christian Dior Paris Fashion Week A/W 2012-2013 Haute Couture, and Uma Wang spring/summer 2016. Uma Wang inspires her the most: simplistic, neutral tones and overall elegance of her designs. “My style is influenced the most by the many catwalks I watch,” she comments.

Naomi stated that when designing, she will find inspiration within particular elements or small details, fostering her creative drive and transforming them to suit a design she’s working on.

In the future, Naomi hopes to continue her design career at Rhode Island School of Design or at Parsons. To others who wish to pursue their passions as a designer, Naomi says “I think the most important thing is to express yourself. And I just want to let you know that you are doing great!”

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DESIGNED BY // MAGGI WITH NAOMI PHOTOS BY // ANNA ROSE

MODELED BY // ALECIA HARGER & LISA SIVA

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what are corporations responsible for, anyway?

WRITTEN BY VIVIAN DAI | ART BY EMILY HU We are in an era in which being tremendously wealthy is both a qualification for the presidency and the hatred of the internet. It’s an era of Rihanna Fentys and Michael Bloombergs, of corporate sponsors of NYC Pride and the Koch brothers. And yet there boards are attempting to assuage our growing disillusionment with the American Dream boards with philanthropy and sustainability initiatives. H&M recycles your used clothing.

Bill and Melinda Gates give billions to sick children in Africa. The Buffett foundation gives billions towards reproductive health. But when 100 corporations have produced 71% of global emissions, it seems only fitting that we ask how much these funds really help our communities. As in Hamilton, let’s follow the money and see where it goes.

America’s first celebrity philanthropist was steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. Libraries, organs, and concert halls bear his name, and his prescriptions in “The Gospel of Wealth” have influenced many billionaires to follow in his footsteps. But there is much less discussion of exactly how Carnegie acquired his wealth. Though Carnegie claimed to support unions in newspapers, in 1892, after Carnegie Steel cut wages at Homestead Steel Works by 22%, he approved the hiring of Pinkerton agents to break the ensuing strike. The struggle that followed killed ten people and injured many more, and the de-unionization that followed across the steel plants of Pennsylvania drove workers further into poverty as the financial Panic of 1893 set in.

Yet as Carnegie’s workers protested in the streets, Carnegie himself was vacationing in Scotland as his transatlantic philanthropy really took off. The first American ones opened in steel towns like Braddock, Pittsburgh, and Homestead, though most steel workers weren’t visiting them after twelve hour shifts seven days a week. Though no one knows Carnegie’s true intentions, it’s clear that his philanthropy sanitized his reputation. Carnegie is considered a benevolent capitalist in history books, unlike actual “robber barons” like Rockefeller. American Pageant compares him to Samuel Gompers, the head of the largest industrial union, the AFL. Though many more may have benefited from Carnegie’s charity than Rockefeller’s, Carnegie’s fortune itself was created through brutal working conditions and the violent repression of dissent, which his money did not alleviate.

Today’s billionaires also philanthropize for PR. The Sacklers, America’s 19th richest family with a collective net worth of more than 13 billion dollars, donates extensively to various educational causes, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to Harvard (though many of

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these institutions have begun to reject Sackler money). But while the Sacklers are remembered by the cosmopolitan elite as patrons of the arts, in the news, they are the founders of Purdue Pharma, which manufactured the opioid OxyContin. Purdue released the drug with a marketing campaign that included prescription kickbacks as well as paid studies and TV ads claiming OxyContin’s slow release technology made it less addictive. It targeted non-pain specialists (who wouldn’t recognize the signs of drug abuse) and patients with chronic pain, who required higher doses over time than the late stage cancer patients opioids had been restricted to before.

OxyContin began a crisis that killed hundreds of thousands of Americans, created millions of addicts, and made Purdue more than $35 billion in sales. In response, the Sacklers removed their names from the Purdue website and paid to settle lawsuits out of court, all while opioid money kept their names on museums like the Met and the Guggenheim. And as with Carnegie, the Midwestern families that were ripped apart by OxyContin will not see any meaningful benefits from the Sacklers’ contributions.

Of course, not all billionaires have the kill count of the Sacklers or Carnegie. But the Sacklers are not the only ones who exercise great power over society that is masked with charity. The wealthiest signers of The Giving Pledge, a campaign started by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to encourage the rich to donate, include Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, Michael Bloomberg, and Elon Musk, who have been accused, respectively, of enabling political consulting firm hired by Ted Cruz to mine data, pregnancy discrimination, and financing violent regime change in Bolivia. Even Microsoft, the source of Bill Gates’s fortune, has been dogged by lawsuits regarding underpaying workers, gender discrimination, and antitrust violations. These are not anomalies. They are symptoms of the system we live in, the one that gives us both Fenty beauty and the sexual division of labor, shiny cars and dead protestors. We can’t rely on the profit motive to solve the problems it creates.

So should all big philanthropy stop? Of course not. Even if money is acquired in questionable ways, we all prefer it to be used for education or fighting disease than buying private islands or, god forbid, funding super PACs. But when much of the American upper class identifies as Christian, I think we should expect charity to be godly: not to cover up a scandal, avoid taxes, or otherwise further the giver’s interests, but to genuinely better the country.

Furthermore, we must also remember that real change comes not from rugged individuals pulling up their bootstraps, but collective movements that advocate for our common interests. It was these movements that gave us child labor laws, women’s suffrage, and the Civil Rights Act. We have given billionaires a lot of power over society through our tax code, our institutions, and even our media climate. But we also have the power to take it back, and now is as good as ever.

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PHOTO BY TOMMY TRAN // MODEL SARAH ALBRECHT

this or that SPOTIFY

APPLE MUSIC

FRIENDS

THE OFFICE

PHILZ

S TA R B U C K S

MILK TEA

FRUIT TEA

INNOUT

CHICK FIL A

ORANGE CHICKEN

KFC SANDWHICH

HOMECOMING

WA R R I O R WA R Z

ZOOM

IN-CLASS

A D AY S

B D AY S

TIKTOK

I N S TA G R A M

TEMPLATE ON IG: VCSBLUEPRINT

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PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMISSIONS

MADELINE HART M O D E L S // A R I A R I C H M O N D & LARYSSA WAGENAAR

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SOHA VORA M O D E L // M E G A N C H I

JANSEN LEE

KELLIE CHEN M O D E L // G R A C E C U I

JINGZHI HU

tommy tran

WRITTEN BY JINGZHI HU & MAKAYLA KHAN A photo can tell a story, create a moment, or simply hold a timeless memory for us to cherish. Tommy Tran, a 16-year-old international student at Valley Christian, is a freelance photographer based in the Bay Area. The majority of his works are heavily influenced by Instagram photographer Brandon Woelfel’s editing and creativity. However, as Tommy gained more experience, he found new interests in colors, editing choices and composition, which all contributed to his own style.

Although photography can seem overwhelming at first, Tommy recommends everyone to have fun with it and to keep exploring until they find an aesthetic that suits them. Even after finding a unique style, Tommy encourages photographers to continue to challenge themselves and experiment with other techniques to push creative boundaries.

When shooting outdoors, Tommy typically shoots from sunset to blue hour. He reveals that beautiful locations don’t make a photo – you can capture amazing photos in your own bedroom, backyard, or neighborhood. He does lots of indoor photoshoots, many in his own bedroom.

He finds himself more comfortable shooting in these locations. They may sound unconventional, and he admits, “it sounds boring, but if you know how to incorporate props and lighting, I promise it will be perfect.”

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: 1. ALWAYS shoot in RAW. It captures much more details in pictures and produces higher quality photos compared to JPEG. 2. Keep your aperture as low as possible. A portrait lens with an aperture of f/1.4 or f/1.8 captures more light and reduces grain 3. Use a low shutter speed, as long as it’s enough to capture movement without blurring the image. A shutter speed of 1/200 and 1/250 is ideal.

4. Use a low ISO. Typically, ISO should be below 1600 in low light conditions since the RAW file in editing already provides adequate preparations for shooting low-light photos 5. Lighting on the subject is key. I personally use many props like moon lamps, RGB video light, sparklers, or even neon signs.

6. Most importantly, develop your own style and continue to grow!

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MODEL // SARAH ALBRECHT

MODEL // EMILY LU

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mia zhang

WRITTEN BY PHOEBE CHU Mia Zhang’s first memory of dancing involved her doing the splits, the “iconic dancer move.” Now a sophomore at Valley Christian High School, Mia is a beloved member of the Vivid dance team, best described by her friends as “outgoing,” “determined,” and “compassionate.” She is also a part-time art teacher and a participant in Valley’s DECA program.

Mia’s passion for dance first started with Chinese dance, which she has been learning since she was five years old. When she was introduced to American dance in her freshman year of high school, she felt intimidated because most girls already had several years of training, making her feel behind. Her desire to dance in high school fuelled her to audition for Vivid, and she now does jazz, contemporary, and lyrical dance. Of these styles, Mia’s favorite dance is contemporary because of the “intricacies in movement and musicality since it’s usually an awesome blend of hard-hitting and suspension movements.”

As a competitive dancer, Mia is driven to work for levels of “supreme awesomeness,” inspired by the soloists who make finals during Vivid competitions. She learns a lot from visuals, whether she is watching a television show or a live competition. When Mia watches others dance, she “looks at what sticks out to her and implements those tricks and movement qualities into her dancing.”

This year marks her first year doing a solo that is an “American dance style.” Although it challenges her, solo dance is different and unique to her. Throughout all these experiences, Mia has learned to trust herself, what she can do from solo dance, and to not be hard on herself when she is dancing.

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jonathan morgan WRITTEN BY LAUREN FULTON

Acting fulfills Morgan’s satisfaction to entwine reality and manifestations. This remains a passion of Morgan’s despite the equal amounts of tribulations that every actor encounters when pursuing their passions. “In acting you take a lot of criticism from many people. For me, I have had to be told that I shouldn’t do this and that I suck at what I do. In the end I decided to ignore what they said and decided to go for it,” he explains. Breaking down the initial walls of insecurity and learning to push out the judgement of others was imperative for Morgan. It allowed him to transform what were once his dreams into tangible, enriching realities that landed him roles he was passionate about.

One of the most profound forms of artwork is the ability to act. Acting is the ability to set aside one’s own personality and completely absorb into a new character and world. An actor must perform with convincing nature, flawlessly bringing the movie, play, or show to life, where the cross between the actor and character is invisible.

Morgan has expanded the image of what it means to be an actor, entwining his own realities to the realities he brings to life through the characters he embodies.

At the end of the day he feels as though there’s nothing more rewarding than executing a successful performance, especially when he’s a part of a meaningful project.

Jonathan Morgan’s acting career goes beyond the six Valley Christian plays he’s been in. Morgan starred in an Ohlone College short-film and even was casted in HBO’s “Big Little Lies” and “You Can’t Take It With You.” Morgan has also caught the attention of the founder of New York University’s acting program. When asked about his acting journey, Morgan expressed that “acting has given me a new perspective on life: to live life to the fullest and to do everything you love.”

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tiffany guo julie vo

art

submis

alyssa cosner 24

eva pei

ssions

emily hu

lucy yue

angela kou

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movie suggestions M R S . B E A C H X M R . R O U S H

from mrs. beach: REAR WINDOW –

My personal favorite of Hitchcock’s. Yes, he had strange quirks, but he directed some of my favorites. I think everyone should see the following as well: The Lady Vanishes, Vertigo, The Birds.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK –

The opening scene is amazing dialogue, the rowing scene to “Hall of the Mountain King” is incredible, and the closing scene communicates loneliness clearly.

GASLIGHT –

Another really old one! You know who the bad guy is, but

the protagonist doesn’t.

ZODIAC –

Still scares me.

from mr. roush: I love these movies. But these are (mostly) hard movies to watch. Put your phone down and give them your attention and they’ll show you a new way to enjoy films and expand your understanding of other people. In no particular order:

FURY ROAD –

Do you want to watch a 2-hour car chase with all the drama of a Shakespearean play? George Miller to other directors: “Get out of the way children. Let me show you how to do action.”

CHILDREN OF MEN –

What if the Christmas Story was set in a dystopian London and in a dying world where no one was able to get pregnant? This movie is beautiful to look at, powerful to experience.

A HIDDEN LIFE –

Do you want to see how one silent protestor could sacrifice everything and change the tide of history? I teared up so many times.

GOJIRA –

Do you want to see how one post-Hiroshima director deals with his memory of the dropping of the atomic bomb on his friends and family? Godzilla is a man in a rubber suit, but so much more.

ARRIVAL –

Can the way we talk change how we experience the world? How we talk about things matters. This film turns Linguistics into drama.

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mary poppins W R I T T E N B Y A L I C I A WU

From the end of first semester, a group of around twenty-five people embarked on their journey to pour their hearts and souls into a production of Mary Poppins.

They spent several months with daily, long rehearsals to put together an amazing production. Every person was excited as time ran closer to performance dates.

But a week before tech week, when the actors would begin to see their final vision in place with sets, props, makeup, costumes, and more, they were informed of the possibility that the show would be called off due to COVID-19. Everyone maintained high hopes up until the very last moment. There was not a single dry eye when the news broke at the last rehearsal.

Despite all of this, there was one small show that families were invited to. The group performed with what they had—bits and pieces of costume, no makeup, no lights, a half finished set. “It was a crazy mess, and we loved every second,” Freshman Abigail Kitsis noted.

After the performance, everyone stood in a circle for senior speeches. Seeing “everyone together in one place under the bright lights was amazing,” Abigail added. Tears were shed left and right from the challenging day. Everyone was clearly emotional and exhausted, resulting in really raw emotions. Even with the world in chaos, everyone was truly there in that moment. After a chaotic day, to be there together was important. “We had never felt more united and connected,” said Abigail. “As a freshman, it was hard to know that my first musical would not be happening, but it was clear from the speeches that were given that the seniors were taking it especially hard. We were all really united, and it sounds corny, but we felt like a real family.”

Senior Natalia Demko expressed that “though it was devastating for all of us I feel like it was especially so for us seniors, especially those of us who have been a part of theatre since junior high.” Nonetheless, Natalia made the most of the moment.“That was honestly one of my favorite performances yet!” she admits, “I think a moment to summarize this experience was while we were performing ‘Step in Time’ those of us not on stage would shout encouraging things (that are time period appropriate of course) in an awkward pause in the music track we were using. In that moment it really hit me that we are such a supportive cast and we look out for each other. And we used our first and last performance to make the most of it.”

There is no doubt that this was an experience unlike any other. Even though this group of talented actors were not able to present their production in the way that they would have liked, they were able to bond and understand everything, together.

PHOTO // MADELINE HART 27

connect the dots

ILLUSTRATED BY ESTHER ZHU // ANSWERS ON IG: VCSBLUEPRINT

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christianity vs evolution WRITTEN BY AVA THOMPSON For a long time, evolution has been a contentious issue for Christians. The ongoing debate between young earth creationists and theistic evolutionists has driven a rift within the church, sometimes turning simple conversations into vitriolic arguments.

When this topic turns toxic, it completely undermines the Church’s sense of community that is at the heart of the Christian identity. At the very root of this conflict lies the idea that one must “choose” between faith in God and belief in science, leaving believers with a question: “Is it okay for a Christian to believe in evolution?” For many people, Christianity and evolution make sense – so why can’t one believe in both?

The first step to reconciling belief in God and belief in evolution is recognizing that they do not have to be mutually exclusive. To further explore this fascinating topic, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mrs. Stults, who teaches physics and astronomy. As a Christian scientist, she brings an interesting perspective to the table. What would lead her, someone who obviously trusts the Bible, to advocate for Christian belief in evolution?

Her answer boiled down to that if God created everything, he also created science and scientific thought. “Science is the study of God’s creation, so the two inevitably have to be in agreement and alignment with one another,” she says. “If there is any disagreement between these two, it’s because there has probably been some misunderstanding of the science, or some misunderstanding of the Bible.” This seems like a relatively simple concept to grasp—so why are so many Christians viscerally opposed to it? Well, the issue comes down to fears over how seriously we take the Bible. “One of the main principles that Christians hold to is that the Bible is God’s holy and inspired word, […] and so, if there is a difference between what God says in the Bible about a topic and what we see in science then that is a problem.” Christians often become conflicted when it comes to evolution because it raises the question, “If I can’t trust this part, then how can I trust the rest of the Bible?” The key to answering this is how we interpret Genesis. Many Christians tend to take this book as a literal historical account of creation, and then draw their conclusions from there. Mrs. Stults offered a different interpretation: Genesis as a piece of storytelling meant to convey truths about God’s creation and relationship to us, rather than as a history textbook.

A R T // J U L I E V O & C H R I S T I N E Z H A N G

In many ancient nomadic cultures (such as the Israelites), the lack of access to plentiful writing tools meant that oral tradition took center stage when it came to communicating important messages. This resulted in colorful stories being used as a means to simplify and explain certain moral and theological topics. A loose example of this would be The Lord of the Rings. This story is obviously fiction, but still shares an important tale about the value of self sacrifice and the difference between good and evil.

This may very well be the role of the creation story as well. “When you read that story not as a literal timeline, but as a sort of, ‘What does this say about who God is, who I am and what creation is?’, what the story tells you is that, God is above and beyond and before all of us, and that the natural world is only here because He created it.” In this instance, what’s being communicated is the core moral message rather than a historical record. In the New Testament, Jesus himself frequently uses parables as a way of teaching his followers important moral lessons.

At the end of the day, our collective goal should be the truth. Both Christianity and evolution are heavily scrutinized topics, and as Mrs. Stults said, “There is always more experimenting that could be done and more data to be collected.” Neither God nor evolution have been researched and explored to their full extent, so don’t feel pressured to choose between two topics that aren’t concrete. God isn’t going to condemn those who believe in evolution, especially if it’s an issue that comes down to interpretation of the Bible. And, above all, it’s important to maintain a level of respect for one another when engaged in this debate. Because no matter how we were created, we are all equal in the eyes of God.

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AGRI-TECH WRITTEN BY KEENAN YATES

Across campus, a new AMSE program is in bloom. Led by Mrs. Galleher, the Agri-Tech program provides students the opportunity to explore the scope of the agricultural world, focusing on impacts and future technologies related to the field.

Students in the program study sustainable agriculture while working with different gardening systems. The four different systems used by the program are: vertical towers, which have worm compost cylinders in the center; hydroponics, a process of growing plants without soil; aeroponics, the process of growing plants in air or a misty environment; and planter beds, a more traditional way of gardening. The goal of their research is to develop a system to promote food security while being both productive and functional.

The Agri-Tech program is using their findings to benefit communities both locally and internationally. Locally, the Agri-Tech program works with Sacred Heart La Mesa Verde, a branch of Sacred Heart Community Service that helps low income families start their own gardens at home. Internationally, the goal of the Agri-Tech program is to recommend a system that can be sent with WALK students to be used in developing countries to combat food insecurity.

Students who are a part of the Agri-Tech program deal with a hearty amount of useful hands-on applications. They set up, manage, and maintain gardening systems in the garden space on campus. And in the words of Mrs. Galleher, “they’re not afraid of a little hard work.”

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ansel & eleanor WRITTEN

BY IVY DU

Ansel Austin and his girlfriend, Eleanor Muhawi, lean against one another on the Conservatory stairs as I ask about his accomplishments in AMSE. Immediately, Eleanor jumps into action: “He won the XPRIZE thing, he helped found MATE ROV.” MATE -- or Marine Advanced Technology Center, a subsection of NASA that works with underwater remotely operated vehicles -- is a program whose Valley Christian branch Ansel co-founded.

Eleanor continues: “He won the Future Engineers competition… through NASA.” Ansel chuckles, and explains that the competition allows for people across the U.S. to create devices to be printed in space.

Eleanor pauses, exasperated: “Do you know that he never talks about any of this? I had to hear this from his mom.” She leans on Ansel even harder.

“Don’t put this part into the article,” Ansel interjects.

“How was homecoming?” (They were King & Queen.)

“I didn’t really know what was happening, frankly,” Ansel confesses.

Eleanor chimes in: “I thought it was … just fun. Preparing for the dance was difficult” Ansel corrects her: “It was very easy. We were naturals.” Sarcasm? If it’s there, it’s subtle.

I shift gears, noting that in addition to AMSE exploits he is also a jazz musician. Double bass.

“In an ALL-STAR band,” Eleanor adds, a twinkle in her eye. Ansel deflects the compliment.

“I’m in athletics too, right now,” he jokes, as Eleanor playfully uses his shoulder as a punching bag. She turns back to me.

“I don’t actually punch Ansel,” she declares. “Put that quote in.”

Ansel also composes music, a process for which there is no blueprint. It involves tinkering at the piano, seeking stable tracks for his eclectic trains of thought. There’s just so much to write about, though he does, of course, have a favorite muse.

“I composed a piece called [four numbers, redacted],” Ansel explains. “That’s Eleanor’s home address. Don’t dox her please.” (I promise him I won’t.)

“I write… when I’m feeling things.”

“That’s a good quote,’’ I say. Eleanor nods.

He translates elements of his everyday life directly into music. He thinks it’s incredibly clever if done correctly.

“I’m writing one about my cat,” Ansel announces.

“Half her paws have 5 claws and half her paws have 6, so I’m writing the song in 5/8 and 6/8 time signatures.”

His music collides with mechanics: his interests lie in the same mental space. He composes about what he loves; he can’t find any other reason, any other rhythm.

“In order to find an island, you have to read the wavelets and wave patterns,” Ansel says, referencing How to Read Water, a book by Tristan Gooley.

“Certain ripples will lead you to certain accomplishments. There’s a pattern— almost like an art— to it all. You need to follow those patterns to find solid ground. That’s why I try to do everything I enjoy to the best of my ability: AMSE, Conservatory, anything. Even if I’m making something functional, I want everything I create to have some aesthetic value to it.”

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the reality of our

recycling system

WRITTEN BY MRS. GALLEHER What are the three R’s? You’re right! Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Oh, wait, there are actually four R’s. No one ever thinks about the first one. Refuse. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. How come no one refuses? We refuse to eat liver and onions (most of us). But we continue to drink from single-use plastic bottles, eat our lunch on Styrofoam plates with plastic forks, and take our groceries home in a plastic bag that we throw away as soon as we put away the food.

Oh, gosh, wait again; actually, there are five R’s: Refuse. Reduce.

Reuse. Recycle. Rot. Rot? What in the world does that mean? That means creating nutrients from food waste (fruit, vegetables, and yard trimmings) and organics (like newspaper). How many of us take the “rot” factor into consideration when we are thinking of our waste? Compost much?

Do you throw away old or uneaten food? Do you know that that food represents 18% of landfill waste? And—yikes!—decomposing food waste generates methane and nitrous oxide, two greenhouse gases that warm the planet 30x and 300x more than carbon dioxide, respectively. In fact, 20% of the state’s methane emissions come from food waste.

I recently had the opportunity to speak to Valerie Osmond, Deputy Director of Waste Management for the City of San Jose. She gave me some bad news—but also some good news!—about waste and recycling in San Jose.

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bad news:

- China now has a 99.5% requirement on recyclables for non-contamination. Good for China! Bad for the U.S. What are we going to do with all our recyclables now?

- Mixed paper is no longer marketable; no one wants it. There’s no money in it. Oh yeah, and paper accounts for 40% of landfill waste.

- Some areas don’t recycle glass anymore: it’s too heavy. And plastic is problematic: those arrows and numbers on the bottom of plastic containers don’t necessarily mean it can be recycled.

- Polystyrene (like Styrofoam trays, CD and DVD cases, foam packing peanuts) can’t be recycled at ALL.

good news

-San Jose is doing really well when it comes to recycling. 70% of their waste is diverted from the landfill.

-SB-1383, the bill that was passed into law in 2016, requires statewide edible food recovery and re-distribution. Hotels, cafeterias, schools…anyone that’s generated large amounts of edible food has to preserve that unused food to feed others.

-There is some innovation as a result of our new waste problem: A Chinese company (Nine Dragons) bought a whole bunch of old U.S. paper mills. They are going to take in that unmarketable paper and start the mills back up and make paper pulp. And two young ladies (high school best friends with a background in chemistry) invented a process for hard-to-recycle film plastics (like cellophane or wrap plastics). It’s a chemical process that breaks down the plastics into fine powder which can be turned into high-performance polymers. Their idea is that they can sell their technology as a piece of machinery that gets attached to a Mixed Recycling Facility, and the sorting facility can produce the polymer. (go look up Jeanny Yao and Miranda Wang, co-founders of BioCellection!).

By 2040, the City of San Jose hopes to establish a policy to achieve ZERO WASTE going to landfills and incinerators. Oh my gosh! How are they—how are WE—going to do that?

“Zero Waste is a perception change. It requires rethinking what we have traditionally regarded as garbage and treating all materials as valued resources instead of items to discard. Zero waste entails shifting consumption patterns, more carefully managing purchases, and maximizing the reuse of materials at the end of their useful life.” –City of San Jose, Zero Waste Strategic Plan, November, 2008 The City of San Jose is trying.

Will you?

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UNSCRAMBLE THE WORDS

OCAHMDA

SRALOSEC

OTLALOBF

IDEFL KYOHEC

CAHCO TFA

KTABSLELBA

SRIVATY

IOGICTONDINN

OTRWELAOP

ANOMTNEURT

ULDRHE

IEKN

ANSWERS ON IG: VCSBLUEPRINT

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letters from your coaches: MIKE MACHADO (FOOTBALL), PHILLIP THOMAS (BASK E T B A L L ) , C H L O E TO W N S E N D ( V I V I D ) , W I L L I A M G I TTENS (TRACK AND FIELD), TENNIS HEAD COACH TO MY TENNIS TEAM,

I hope everyone is safe and in good health. I pray that this virus will pass us by in the next month or two. In the main time, we need to practice what the government mandates, which is to stay in your home and only go out for essential things. I feel blessed because I get to spend more time with my family. We are an athletes family and all three of my kids play golf, so we use this time for workouts. We do a lot of exercise in the house, like jump rope, sit-ups, push-ups, etc. I also put up a net for my kids to hit lots of golf balls in our backyard! I hope all my athletes are using this time to stay fit and know that God is in control. God bless!

- Head Tennis Coach (WANTED TO STAY UNNAMED)

DEAR LADIES,

Just want you all to know that you matter. Being able to coach you all have been a blessing for me. It has taught me so much about myself. I pray that you all continue to flourish and find yourself. Regardless of what you want to do with sports, allow it to take you places in life that you’ve never experienced. Use this platform to become better women of God. God has given you an opportunity that not a lot of your peers get. Continue to remain humble but wreak havoc in between the lines of battle. Cherish these moments together because you won’t get them back. Understand that every time you’re out there battling with each other that those are some of the most special moments in your life. Embrace the grind and the process of becoming great and realize that nothing is going to come easy. You aren’t going to like everyday but if the end goal is to do something special then it will always help you push through. You guys are just amazing ladies and that alone is going to take you far in life. It has been such a pleasure being able to coach you all and I hope I have helped you in life as much as you guys have helped me. Remember if he doesn’t hold the door open for you he is not the one. Love you all.

- Coach Phillip Thomas

TO VIVID, Vivid this season was extra special for the coaches. It was a season of new beginnings with Colette and Chloe in new positions and the largest team Vivid has ever taken on. Although being on a team always comes with its struggles and triumphs, it is evident that the memories will last a lifetime. The year started off strong with our summer activities. As a coach, it is heartwarming to see the Vivid dancers inspire our future dances in Vivid 2 Camp, as well as push themselves to the limit and create new friendships at USA camp.

Once the school year began, it was time to learn the competition routines, drill in rehearsal, and thrive at football games and rallies. The team loves putting in the work to create dances for their friends and families to see at these cherished VCS events. Once competition season hit, the dancers focused in and did what was needed to outperform themselves weekend after weekend. Colette and Chloe definitely enjoyed our in-practice games to amp up the facials on stage! We finished the year off with Nationals in Florida! From the flights (taking hula hoops through security), to the meals, to the late nights and early mornings, to the days spent in DisneyWorld, the inside jokes, memories, smiles, and laughter will stay with us for a lifetime (so will the pain of rolling around a sandbag in the duffle). We are so proud of each of you and what you accomplished as a team. As expressed in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, your coaches will always be there for you as you will be for each other. The experience of a team is one like no other. Through grit and grace, we see each of you shine. Thank you dancers for a wonderful 2019-2020 season. We love you!

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- Chloe Townsend

TO MY TEAM, At times in your life, have you felt that you were all alone and yearned to be with and feel connected to others? I have. When I was 14, my parents got divorced and my dad moved away. That left me and my two siblings alone with my mother. Soon after the divorce she had a mental break down. This illness caused her to be hospitalized many months out of each year. We very rarely saw my father. It was hard and lonely not having our parents in our life. We did not tell anyone of our situation for fear of being moved to a foster home. I had a lot of friends, but I still had feelings of loneness in my heart and soul. I started making bad decisions in my life. My mom used to read the Bible to us as children so I turned to it to see if it would help. I picked up the word of God and started filling my heart with God’s love.

Once I let Jesus into my heart the lonely feelings start to disappear. I believe these words and it has changed my life.

Deuteronomy 31:6 – Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified because of them. For it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. As our faith in the Lord grows, the feeling of loneliness will also disappear.

You are not alone.

- Coach Gittens TO MY TEAM, To the 2019 Varsity Warriors, as I think back on the season, I am a very proud coach. You all upheld the great Warrior football tradition of success through unity, desire, and hard work. The coaches and I will remember you all fondly for the great team you were and the even better people you have all become. The coaches would like you all to know this: you will always be loved and remembered as a team with a legacy of greatness.

Thank you. Love you all!

YOUR COACH,

- Mike Machado PHOTO // MADELINE HART

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psychology of athletes WRITTEN BY LAUREN FULTON Upon reflecting back on the greatest athletes the world has been exposed to, one cannot help but wonder why they choose this walk of life? How did they ever get to where they are based off of the previous life experience they had? All are important questions, but they can never be truly answered.

How do we know how these unique people got to these extensive places in their life?

Over the years countless articles and interviews have been written in an effort to unravel these phenomena, in order to guide others to these same positions in life — and yet, they still fail in their efforts. When these exceptional athletes answer questions about who they are and how they got to such high levels in their sport, why do people struggle in their efforts to reach a similar status?

The answer is simple: athletes are completely unique. God has designed every athlete individually with his/her own path, and it cannot be replicated. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will in you Christ Jesus”. Though this is just one example of God’s plan for everyone, there have been countless more references to God’s love and direction for each of His people.

In this case, God uses everyone’s unique capabilities to separate one athlete from another. Over the course of history, it can be seen that there are athletes with natural talent and people who choose to make an athlete out of themselves. If being the best athlete of our generation were possible, wouldn’t all of us want to be the best? I have yet to meet an athlete who rose to the top of their sport because they were “were born with it” and

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had no passion behind their field of play. Not everyone was made to be the next Kobe Bryant or the next Serena Williams. Some people were made to simply be the hardest workers or the person with the most desire to succeed.

The best athletes the world has ever known have always played with a passion so immense that no one else could have ever stopped them. They had a purpose greater than themselves that became their driving force. For example, Jackie Robinson, who was arguably one of the best baseball players of all time, played to expose the American people to the discrimination in all aspects of their lives.

His purpose became bigger than just baseball - racial injustice became his driving force.

All athletes play with their own motivations and goals. Once they have their “eyes on the prize” they dedicate themselves to becoming the best athlete they can be. In this way, God was able to work His plan through them. These are the same people who have gone down in history as some of the best there ever was.

An athletes passion is truly a remarkable piece of God’s work; not only does it have the power to change the athlete’s personal life, but it can change history.

head in the game KEEP YOUR

WRITTEN BY TINA XUE

The date was May 30, 2016. Game 7 of the NBA Conference Finals. OKC Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors. Final score 88:96. A 3-1 lead, gone, just like that.

Although this horrific event occurred a good 3 and a half years ago, I still remember my pain and anguish as though it was yesterday. Twelve year old me locked myself in my room after throwing pillows at the TV and punching the hardwood floor. The knowledge that the Warriors would suffer the same fate a few weeks later provides comfort in this time of reflection. Needless to say, tears were shed, heart was broken, and knuckles were bruised all-because of the INCOMPETENCE OF KEVIN DURANT. Just kidding, that’s not it. No, the reason behind my devastation is much more complex. These are the questions we have to ask ourselves: why do we choose a team to devote our precious time and energy and till death do us part? (Only applicable to true sports fans). Why are we thrown into the depths of despair as though we’re the ones who suffered the defeat? Disregarding sports betting and gambling, the outcome of these games have no real effect on our lives. Not to mention the economic losses and emotional trauma they put us through; why do we do this to ourselves? The enigma of these crazed sports fanatics remains even to this day.

Perhaps it’s the intrinsic sense of belonging that is the ultimate attraction towards sports fandoms. Loyalty feels good in a world that lacks it. Professor of psychology at Murray State University Daniel Wann details the concept of sports fanaticism in his research, defining team identification as “the extent to which a fan feels a psychological connection to a team and the team’s performances are viewed as self-relevant.” In other words, one’s preference for a certain sports team determines their individuality and character. To criticise someone’s team is comparable to questioning their preference, thus questioning them as a person. The concept of culture is more closely associated with sports fandoms than the simple definition of “liking a team”. Why do people get in heated arguments when someone insults their favourite player? The answer is simple. This is about disrespecting culture. Franchise teams, like culture, have rich histories spanning over decades with firm foundations rooted in these sports fandoms. Through this perspective, it is understandable, and even justified, when outrage erupts over words or actions from outsiders.

Despite previously mentioned emotional traumas, I believe that devotion to a team builds character. Years of enduring tragic defeats, heartbreaking injuries, and abominable trades really enhances resilience. Genuinely, I wouldn’t be who I am today without the whole 3-1 incident. Partiality towards a team is also a great way of striking up conversations and meeting other crazed sports fans in the community. After all, misery loves company.

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will luders

WRITTEN BY REENA KIM At age 16, Will Luders experienced the heightened pressures of academics, high expectations, and aspirations like many high schoolers at Valley Christian. Besides holding the current title of “one of the fastest runners in Valley Christian High School” in the 1600s (1 mile) and 3200s (2 miles), and placing 2nd in the VCS boy’s all-time cross country record in 5km (3.1 miles), Will still manages to squeeze in school within his stack of achievements that many could only dream of.

Will is relentlessly determined to shatter his own records in both cross country and track with strict training regimens and goals. During the preseason, you could often spot Will running on the track or down the school’s hill in almost every weather condition. When asked about his motivation, Will replied, “You just have to know that the competition doesn’t care about if you have too much homework or if you don’t think that you’re getting enough sleep...honestly it’s up to you to get the mileage you need to get in and get a workout.”

Even after injuring his IT band during freshman year and coping with the aftermath of almost a 2 month recovery, Will still loves both cross country and track. When asked if he ever wanted to change sports, he responded, “I just love this style of competition...the individual’s work does not go unnoticed… I set goals for myself. I try to stick to those goals. I run for God and for my family.”

BASIC WORKOUT

1. 70 miles/ 6 days a week 2. 15 mile long run every week 3. Take Sunday off

ADVICE FOR NEW RUNNERS/IMPROVING TIME

1. “Mileage is the most important aspect of running...”

2. “It doesn’t have to be high intensity, just put time on your feet” 3. “Try to set goals every 10-12 weeks. Slowly bring down your mileage while raising the intensity and you should be able to run faster”

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When Nikhil Kumar was just 5 years old, he began playing table tennis. For 3 years, he only played recreationally, first starting to practice and take lessons by the age of 8.

With his parents’ support, Nikhil competed in numer-ous tournaments, even winning the World Hopes Challenge in Shanghai at the age of 12. With several more tournament wins over the next couple years, his competitive success was showing no signs of slowing down.

nikhil kumar

WRITTEN BY SAMUEL BRASHEARS

By the time Nikhil was applying to high schools, he had already made the 2017 US National Table Championships Final, in which he lost to Kanak Jha, the youngest American to compete in the 2016 Olympics. Nikhil chose to attend VCHS because the school offered to support him. Mr. Ellefsen (a Valley Christian counselor) convinced Nikhil that he would get “full support and flexibility from Valley” for his historically under- represented sport on the VCHS campus. According to Nikhil Kumar, Mr. Ellefsen has “always made sure” to accommodate him, often checking on his table tennis career during counselor

meetings. By the time Nikhil attempted to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, he had been playing table tennis for over a decade, practiced for thousands of hours, and taken hundreds of lessons.

Despite being understandably nervous, he told himself to play “one match at a time” and to “fight for every point.” When he managed to win every single match, he became the youngest American to qualify for the 2020 Olympics. When the International Olympic Committee postponed the competition due to public health concerns involving the COVID-19 pandemic, Nikhil was disappointed, but supports the decision and is “happy that it’s not cancelled.”

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valley bingo WALKED TO POP UP TEA

CAME TO SCHOOL W/ COFFEE

TAKEN A PHOTO AT THE BRICK WALL

HIGH-FIVED SOMEONE GOING INTO CHAPEL

MIXED UP A/B DAYS

GOT A TICKET AT SENIOR LOT OR FEHREN

CHOKED ON BABY POWDER DURING A RALLY

HAD FACE PAINT ON FOR A SPIRIT WEEK

HAD DR. TORODE AS A SUB

STAYED AT SCHOOL AFTER SUNSET

PARTICIPATED IN A RALLY

OWNS A CLASS WARRIOR WARZ SHIRT

BOUGHT BOBA AT A BOBA SALE

SKIPPED CLASS FOR SPORTS

JOINED A CLUB YOUR FRIEND STARTED

WAS IN/ WATCHED A VCS SHOW (DANCE, PLAY, ETC.)

MADE A TIK TOK DURING CLASS

IN A LANGUAGE / CULTURE CLUB

PRINTED SOMETHING LAST MINUTE AT THE LIBRARY

WENT TO FALL BALL OR PROM

USED A SCHOOL MICROWAVE

OWNS A HYDROFLASK

DOORDASHED SOMETHING TO CAMPUS

ACCIDENTALLY MISSED A ZOOM CLASS

TEMPLATE ON IG: VCSBLUEPRINT

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rrrr eeee llll aaaa tttt iiii oooo nnnn ssss hhhh iiii pppp ssss

mrs. wilson’s advice for dating in high school: First, you don’t have to, and there’s nothing wrong with you if you don’t, either because you don’t want to or because you haven’t found anyone special yet. You have years ahead of you. In the meantime, adopt the mindset I learned from a very wise colleague who, during her single years, chose to believe she was spared hardship, not cheated out of life.

Second, it’s supposed to be fun— good, clean fun. If it’s not, don’t date.

It’s better to be by yourself and lonely than miserable with a bad partner.

someone is not actually a good match for you. My advice to you is to keep your hands off. If you love Jesus, you won’t ask, How far is too far? You’ll want to demonstrate your love for Him by respecting your date as an image-bearer of Christ who doesn’t belong to you (nor do you belong to them). Even if you don’t love Jesus, your sexuality is a gift. Don’t squander it. You are worth a life-long commitment. So is your special someone. If you’re not going to be committed to each other (or can’t be because of your age), then preserve each other for whoever you do eventually commit to.

Third, if you do find a special someone in high school, be mindful that you can miss out on a lot of fun stuff if you are snuggled up mostly with them. My best friend had a steady boyfriend her senior year, and when she graduated, she expressed regret that she didn’t really know anyone else but him. I, on the other hand, dateless and hopelessly infatuated with my biology teacher, had a great senior year because I hung out with tons of friends.

Break-ups: they suck. If you break up with someone, do it cleanly, in person, and as kindly as possible. If you are the one someone leaves, let them go. You’ve already lost them, and hanging on will only make them resent you. After you’ve haggled out the break-up, if you want to be friends again someday, my advice is to not talk to each other or text, etc., until a few months have passed. And while it may hurt, you will most likely love again someday and be the wiser.

To prevent coupling off entirely, go out with your special someone in groups of friends. It minimizes any awkwardness related to those first dates, and as you get to know each other, it also allows accountability so you don’t get too frisky physically.

Last, it’s been my experience that the better the friendship, the better the relationship. My husband is easily my best friend, but he also still makes my heart race from time to time. I had to wait a long time for him, but it was worth the wait, and I’m glad God didn’t let me marry any of the toads I kissed along the way. Be patient, and in the wait, become the best person you can be.

When going out alone together, stay in public places and respect your parents’ rules about curfews. If your partner’s parents are stricter than yours, respect them as if those were your family rules.

Your feelings will be real, and most likely, they will be intense. But remember, you are most likely not going to wind up marrying this person. (It happens, but it’s rare. It’s best not to think that you two will be the exception to the rule.)

- julie wilson

At any age, physicality muddles your thinking, making it hard to see why

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A LETTER TO MY

freshman self

DEAR FRESHMAN SELF,

Things really are so different after four years have passed. I now have more friends, the whole stupid dumb process of getting into college is behind me, and oh man so many other things have happened too. Hmm… I shouldn’t talk about all of what I’ve done because that might affect you. I want to give you some tips that’ll help you avoid the roadblocks I faced.

First of all, run with the whole race in mind. Don’t run a warmup at a 5:30 pace on the track and then run a mile after you’re injured—that’s how you get screwed for months.

Take it easy while still working hard and then you’ll have all of track season and summer to enjoy unlike me.

Cherish the time you have. If I knew coronavirus would steal half of my senior year spring, I would’ve done a lot more. Spend more time with your friends; you don’t have to focus so much on the work you have. Go out of your comfort zone and try something like hip-hop. Take VTA for two hours if you have to. You will be rewarded.

Lastly, don’t worry if you see other people spending more time on researching colleges, etc. than you are. I know you care little about your grades and college compared to some other people, and don’t fret about that down the road. Everything will still turn out well. :) SINCERELY,

Hunter Liu

DEAR KALLIYANA,

I want you to know to live every single day to your fullest. This doesn’t mean you have to be your happiest every day, but this means to be grateful for at least one thing every single day. Your next few years will be filled with many ups and downs, but cherish every single bit of it because time will fly. Find the simple things that make you happy. Remember you are incredibly worthy and valuable, don’t let your mind tell you otherwise.

Don’t forget to remind the people around you how appreciative you are of them and how much you love them. God will place so many obstacles in your life, but know that you are able to persevere through these times and use Him as your anchor. He loves you and is not disappointed in you, do not be ashamed of what you might go through, and find a christ-like community for you to spiritually grow in. These will be the friends and mentors who will help guide you through your faith and lead you even closer to God. The more transparent you are, the more you’ll learn you are not alone and that there are people around you going through the same situations. Lastly, unconditionally love on those around you and make sure they are well aware of the value and worth they hold.

SINCERELY,

Kalliyana Tep

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DEAR FRESHMAN CELENA,

Thank you. Thank you for sticking with your more nerdy friends. They’ve been there for you through thick and thin. For keeping your grades up because we both know our GPA has only gone down hill since our freshman year. For being outgoing even in the slightest. That helped push us to grow every year and make amazing memories in high school. For being so unsure of our future that you tried everything and anything. And for taking two languages instead of one. Without that, I wouldn’t be on the path I’m pursuing at ASU this fall.

Thank you for keeping yourself in sports year round and trying new ones along the way. You’ve made some friends for life on those teams. For agreeing to start working out at that CrossFit gym and finding a new passion for Olympic weightlifting. That gym has given you such a loving community and family. And most of all, thank you for knowing who you are and not compromising yourself to please people around you. But also letting yourself grow into your personality. Thank you for being you.

LOVE YOU FOREVER,

Celena Nijmeh

DEAR FRESHMAN CONNELL,

Greetings from your senior year! First, let’s get one thing straight: you’re nowhere near as cool or as clever as you think you are. And four years later, you’re somehow even less cool. But trust me, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. I know you want to achieve everything on your high school bucket list, but you don’t have to get perfect grades or be in a thousand clubs in order to do that. Focus on the activities that you enjoy, but don’t be afraid to challenge yourself with activities that you don’t (*cough* AP Physics).

I could sit here and tell you to practice trumpet more often, or to steer clear of that gross 10th grade haircut, but what I really want to tell you is to enjoy life in the moment. You’re going to have a ton of adventures, from your first marching band show, to jumping in a freezing lake at 5:00 in the morning, to the times you spend just hanging out with your friends.

I should also break this to you now: your senior year isn’t going to be anything like you’ve imagined it to be. You’re going to miss out on a lot of major events, including your graduation. So enjoy the experiences you get to have, and let them become

good memories. Don’t always be thinking about what could be better, or how you could be doing more. God has given you a great life and amazing friends to enjoy it with. So face your next four years with your head held high, and go make the world a better place!

YOUR FRIEND & FUTURE SELF,

Senior You Connell McCarley

D E A R F R E S H M A N Y E A R M E E N A,

First, ignore everyone telling you colleges like classical music and drop out of orchestra. No college is worth those nerve-wracking hours of pretending you can play the violin (spoiler: you quit sophomore year, so it doesn’t matter).

I know you take high school very seriously, from designing the busiest schedule to procrastinating “productively” (cleaning your room again can wait—your math homework, maybe not). High school is less serious than people say, and more people are rooting for you than you expect. It’s a trial period of life, and you should be milking that $23,735 annual subscription for all it’s worth. You should be taking the time to try and fail, form relationships, and figure out what makes you happy.

Spend time with your family instead of chipping away at an endless to-do list, take an interesting class even if you don’t get an A, or drop a subject you don’t like because you can. I’ll just say this: with graduation looming, I don’t regret my bad physics grades as much as dropping out of band to fix them.

Something I recently learned in the past few months is that there’s always something to be excited about and there’s no time like the present for fun.

You don’t have to wait until second semester senior year: that’s just more sham productive procrastination. This may be a hard pill for you to swallow, and even I’m having trouble staying positive, but to prove my point, I’ve dedicated the last few weeks to my childhood dream of finally beating Pokemon Platinum. If you’re anything like I remember, you’ll dismiss this entire letter as a soft platitude and continue stressing over precalc, and that’s fine. Over the next four years, you’ll realize all this yourself and have a lesson worth taking from high school into real life. But seriously, quit orchestra.

- Meena Rakasi from Senior Year

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PHOTOS // KELLIE CHEN MODEL // KIA PHAM

timeless

WRITTEN BY LUCY LIU The 20th century was a period of massive change and the fashion at the time was no different. Between two World Wars, aggressively free-spirited youth, and the growth of MTV, American fashion trends jumped from one thing to another with the blink of an eye.

With each new decade, dozens of different styles swept the country, but each decade had some very distinctive trends, including trends you see paralleled today.

FLAPPER GIRLS The ‘roaring 20s’ are well-known amongst today’s society, and the flapper girl is one of the most iconic trademarks of the era. In the 1920s, women’s suffrage had begun to take off, and clothing followed in a similar fashion. The flapper girl was one of the ways women countered societal norms, dropping Edwardian s-bend silhouettes and corsets. Hemlines raised up and clothes became looser, perfect for dancing and the general “live while we’re young” attitude of the decade. Low waistlines were often accentuated by a belt of some sort, while hemlines were just high enough to reveal a woman’s thighs when she sat.

THE 70S The 1970s were full of long, flowy outfits. Jumpsuits, wrap dresses, and flared pants - the emphasis was on having breathing room and looking fashionable while doing it. The 70s were similar to the 60s in many ways, with the flowy boho outfits, but each style had its own distinct 70s flare to it. Jumpsuits rose in popularity in the 70s, in both civilian and celebrity outfits. Flared and bell-bottom jeans both made a noticeable appearance outside of the boho trend of peasant skirts and maxi dresses.

HIP-HOP GRUNGE Hip-hop was one of the most popular genres of music in the 1990s, ushering in a new trend of urban and grunge-wear among teens. Flannels were insanely popular, along with ripped jeans and baggy clothes. Oversized sweaters and boots took to the scene, with fashion being similar among both men and women. Grunge music as a genre was dedicated to authenticity and stars’ stage outfits reflected that, playing up the unkempt and blatantly careless look. Sagging your pants, started in this era, is a prime example of the time’s signature look that is still popular today.

TODAY While MTV isn’t as relevant to today’s youth as it was back in the 80s and 90s, fashion trends are still massively influenced by the media. As young women in the 50s looked to Marilyn Monroe for clothing and inspiration, today’s teens pick up trends from celebrities and influencers. Yet for us too, fashion trends from older decades still carry over. Hippie clothes are still popular enough to be easily recognizable on sight, and the grungewear of the 90s still inspires people’s daily outfits. While it may seem like the clothes of the past decade mean nothing to us now, they have massively shaped the way 21st century fashion trends and ideas have turned out. From corsets to sports bras and crisp linen pants to lightwash jeans, each outfit you see today is surrounded by the influences of outfits past.

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PHOTOS // CELENA NIJMEH

home away from home WRITTEN BY KAYLA TRUONG & CAROLINE YU Studying abroad is a unique experience—learning to navigate a foreign culture in a new language can be exhilarating, but living in another country can also be a double-edged sword. Constantly converting between meters and feet, having to translate a word problem into your native language and back, figuring out how to use slang—all of these little frustrations can open the door for powerful homesickness and harsh culture shock.

These conflicting emotions and experiences can be confusing, so we called in three of Valley’s own international students to help clear things up. Yingshu “Linda” Zhu, Guangzhou “GZ” Zheng, and Quy “Jack” Nguyen share their takes on the international experience.

Linda Zhu, sophomore, and her mother came to America during her fifth-grade year, while her father remained in China. She still misses him deeply and looks forward to reunions with him and her grandparents.

Jack Nguyen, a freshman, is experiencing his first year in the States and already feels great about his new life. Although he misses his family and waking up in the bedroom he decorated, he still looks forward to starting each new day with his sister and uncle.

GZ Zheng, sophomore, was nervous for his first year in the States. One year later, far from his fear of awkwardness and bullies, he has been crowned Sophomore Prince at homecoming.

All three of the interviewees had to contend with loneliness and insecurity, and all three cope in different ways. Linda powers through it, seeing loneliness in such a foreign environment as inevitable but not unstoppable. Jack agrees, seeing loneliness as 52

a temporary obstacle and turns to his family, friends and newfound faith for comfort. GZ admits that the language barrier is something to be contended with, but shares that he made trustworthy friends that helped him adjust.

Another obstacle is the foreign manner of education here in the States. Linda especially notes this— while she was still in China, her mother helped her with her studies; but now with the language barrier, Linda must do her best to learn unfamiliar words and concepts in a language that can take decades to master. On the plus side, rare is the American method that drives students to cram school, intense group tutoring that often lasts until the sun goes down.

Transportation is, no doubt, widely different in the States. Jack notes that in Vietnam, the streets are thick with motorcycles and cars with practically no speed limit, as opposed to the States, where he feels transportation is much less chaotic and more orderly. However, it’s a complete 180 for GZ— transportation here is more difficult for him because of distance and inconvenience.

Despite the many differences between life abroad and life back at home, these differences complement them in a way that makes each country just as unique and special. Linda especially cherishes the quirks of both of the countries she calls home.

Even though GZ faced many hardships, he learned to overcome them and began to truly appreciate the beauty of nature in America. Jack discovered the love of God and was able to find comfort in Him. Even with all of the obstacles that each student had to face, they were able to find joy in their experience abroad and are proud to call America their home.

toxic masculinity WRITTEN BY ANGEL DIAZ The term “toxic masculinity,” a relatively-recent addition to American jargon, sounds like a demonization of masculine behaviors, that being a man somewhat equates to being poisonous. In actuality, the idea of toxic masculinity is roughly defined by the mental, emotional, and physical harm caused by internal oppression due to the enforcement of strict societal standards, often held by other men.

Men have long been forced to wonder if they were “man enough.” In 1939, psychologist Dr. George W. Crane released “Sex Differences between Men & Women & Nagging Wives,” a pamphlet that included a “marriage compatibility” test to see if men would make good husbands. Men would take this test, mark the boxes that applied to them, and subtract their total of demerits from their merits to earn a raw score determining how “poor” or “superior” of a husband they could be. Tests like this, just one of many, perpetuated the norm that peak manhood meant being with a woman, forcing men into competitive pursuits thereof.

These days, America’s idea of a traditional man is up for discussion: what does it mean to be masculine in the 21st century? In 2017, Promundo, a nonprofit organization advocating for gender equality, studied masculinity among men between the ages of 18 and 30 in the United States. They found that the factors that make up a “masculine man” could be divided into seven general areas: self sufficiency, acting tough, physical attractiveness, rigid masculine gender roles, heterosexuality and homophobia, hypersexuality, and aggression and control.

These expectations became the restrictive pillars of what the study calls the “Man Box.” They found that men who lived within these confines were statistically more likely to binge drink, get physically violent, show more signs of depression, and report a lack of fulfillment in their relationships. In many cases, men are forced to choose between unapologetically embracing their personal character or performatively rejecting it for the sake of acceptance in society.

I would know. I’m a guy.

PHOTO KELLIE CHEN // MODEL RICK MANDAL

Throughout my childhood, both my father and grandfather were amazing male role models. In elementary school, though, I was pretty shy, polite, and didn’t really know who to hang out with.

I hung out with athletic boys because that’s where I was placed. I began to engage in their rowdy playground culture. I quickly learned that whatever was called “gay” was associated with “bad” or “dumb.” The only acceptable reason to talk to girls is if you have a crush on them and you don’t snitch!

You just don’t!

It wasn’t until very recently that I realized that I was being raised to dislike feminine associations. Had I followed these norms, I know for a fact that I would be unhappy with the lack of liberty to be who truly I am, to express what I truly feel, to value that which really matters to me. Most disappointingly, I wouldn’t have the healthy, most loving mix of girls and guys as my best friends to support me and love me (you know who you are).

I have many flaws that I’m not proud of but I’m a work in progress. I know that the journey doesn’t end when I’m not where I want to be. In the end, THAT’S what manhood is: the courage to be yourself, the persistence to never lose hope, the humble eagerness to consider opportunities to learn, and the wisdom to know right from wrong. In order to be men, we need to be people first.

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totovvor ornot nottotocc WRITTEN BY VIVIAN DAI to be or not to be, that is the question: whether or not your brain should keep trying to understand those frqs or drop out of school entirely. to die—to sleep, no more; and by a sleep to say we skip every class before eleven, because who pays attention before eleven? god i wish that were me. to die, to sleep; wait—dreams— those dreams of college, jobs, and things that slowly slip through the cracks the longer that you lie in bed. why come up the hill just to see the hallway’s gossip, the pedant’s ego, the crush’s boyfriend, the bathroom’s whispers, and the cheating in every single science class, when you could make it on tik tok or something? who would do homework, to scratch at worksheets and essays, but that the thought of homelessness and the impending economic crisis brings us to heel, and makes us scramble once again for 4s and 5s. so school does make drones of us all, and a thousand tiny points of rebellion are blown out with one breath and fantasies of month-long road trip with a wheeze lose their direction and all fall into line.

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when we were stars WRITTEN BY ALICIA WU I often think back To when we first met: Just six kids who clicked like never before — Never before in my experience, to me, at least.

It’s a blurry mess, even to us, How our little group came to be.

But in the brief days we were all Physically together, We shone so bright.

We were like stars, Difficult to ignore, Impossible to miss.

From bus rides to late night hangouts, We were always having a great time.

From the start we stood out — Even me, although I. attribute that to The fact that you all were so easily noticeable.

On patterned, fabric seats on our blue bus, Singing loudly, enough to annoy Everyone in our nearby vicinity, We lived. We thrived. We survived.

Even wandering ruins and late night excursions In the city of beautiful lights and glowing waterfalls, We made it, even at our lows.

We would sit at short, wooden tables Where our knees would bump into the beam.

By the fire pit, we kept warm.

As time ended and we began anew, I knew that we would be okay.

Even when — dare I say, especially when — I stood simultaneously Crying and laughing As our group broke apart Physically

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For the first time.

In the slight drizzle, with lights that were Nearly nonexistent at that point, I think that I knew, even then — Especially, then — That it would be hard to let go.

The world moves on while I’m at a standstill I know that I need to keep moving, But I can’t when I’m mentally still desperately clawing my way back.

And I know that it’s way past due to still be There, But too many incredible experiences happened For me to let go Just Like That.

And so while I’m physically here, Mentally and emotionally I’m not.

How can I be, when we were Everything, if not forever, Then for that moment in time.

We were stars.

O

GU

/T

T/

AR

Y AN F IF

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W. I.S.H. CLU B community service + church hours W.I.S.H. Club is a community of people who want to make a difference in the world and serve others. Our goal is to increase social responsibility and change.

As a bonus of joining W.I.S.H., you'll get community service and church hours to fulfill your service hour requirements at VCHS by participating in our meetings and attending service events! We have a lot planned for the following year and are so excited to expand our club this year and to help make an impact around us! Email us for more info & meeting times/location. :)

FISH Club VCHSFISH@GMAIL.COM

In FISH Club, we discuss fishing, fish science, aquariums, and do outreaches, hence the name: Fishing, Ichthyology, Sanctuary, Hobby (FISH). Besides informative lectures, we also offer hands-on activities like fish knowledge competitions, tying various fishing knots, and even making fishing rigs. Most excitingly, we organize an annual fishing trip during winter break (we may add more opportunities this year). What is better than sharing your passion for fishing with other fish fanatics? Come join FISH club, a place for Fish lovers!

MADE BY ATTI LIU