F RI DAY, O C TO B ER 26, 2012

The ProsPecTorStudent Newspaper of Cupertino High School 10100 FINCH AVENUE, CUPERTINO, CA 95014VOLUME 54 NO. 2 CHSPROSPECTOR.ORG

Scars of long nights

Bay Club review

Food, chefs,

and the art of

cooking

Q&A withMr. Klokow,

the “Up” substitute

OPINIONSpages 4 & 5

SPORTSpages 10 & 11

FEATURESpages 6 & 7

FLIP SIDEpages 12

College visitations affect seniordecisionsASHLEY LIUfeatures assistant

This fall, students have had the oppor-tunity to meet their top prospective colleges, including the UCs, Claremont Colleges, and Ivy Leagues, here at school, through infor-mational sessions that offer information and personal contact with the admissions officers. These sessions allow colleges to make their marketing presentations and help students gain knowledge as to what types programs are being offered and what the applications entail.

The admissions officers in charge of this school’s area and student population are first people to read the applications from this school, and they typically begin to make pre-sentations as early as mid-September. At any given session, the number of attending stu-dents can range from three to 50, depending on the popularity and size of the applicant pool of each college. Student attendees are al-ways documented, as they are able to submit contact information to this institutions, allow-ing not only for students to maintain contact with the college of their interest, but it also for colleges to gauge how interested students are in their campus.

At each information session, students have the opportunity to ask specific questions about the school that the college representa-tive can answer. In addition, the representa-tive provides their contact information, which proves valuable for students who want to ask further questions or simply want their applica-tions to be well remembered.

These sessions typically take place during first and second periods, requiring students to miss class time in order to attend. Some stu-dents thought that it was not worth missing a class for the information, as they could have found the presented information just as easily online.

Said senior David Hong, who attended the USC information session, “Personal in-formation was important, but if [the USC representative] had just given out a business card and walked away that would have been fine too.”

On the other hand, other students thought that the chance to talk to the admis-sions officer was worth the potential academic backslide.

“You can always make up Physics by talking to the teacher after school and [do-ing] your homework, but you only have one chance to talk to an admissions officer [who is] reading your application,” senior Chris Ying said.

Xuan Cao, the College and Career Cen-ter counselor, recommended thinking about college prior to senior year. For sophomores, juniors or even freshmen, gaining a sense for the feel of a specific college is important for making big decisions by the time senior year arrives.

With the upcoming presidential election to be held on Nov. 6, politics is a topic frequently brought up in history classes and on the daily news. With encouragement from their teachers and fellow stu-dents, many of the school’s legal adults are planning to exercise their constitutional right to vote come November, for reasons that vary from patriotism to a desire to make a change. Within the context of the upcoming election, a surprising fact has come to light; a majority of the student body, the senior class in particular, shows interest in politics. Students are eager to vote, and if it were not for the barrier of age, many would do so. Voting is encouraged by many government and history teachers at school, mostly stemming from the idea that it is any legal adult’s constitutional right, and it is their duty to stand up for what they believe in.

“Democracy is supposed to reflect what the country wants, and it’s hard to know that if [no one votes],” economics teacher Wes Morse said.

Teachers promote informed voting, which includes reading up on the candidates beforehand and weighing their merits before de-ciding on the most rational and informed candidate possible.

“Even if [students] don’t have the right to vote, they should talk to their parents [and] try to understand the issues,” social studies teacher Jay Lawson said. “The more they know about the political system and what they want for themselves and for our country, the better citizens they’re going to be.”

With this advice and support in mind, a majority of students

who have turned 18 prior to November are registering to vote. Stu-dents’ reasons vary widely, from a general desire to change America to specific issues the student is passionate about.

Said senior Bryed “Trey” Billerbeck, “I’m voting because I want to show the world my opinion. I know that [my opinion] does mat-ter, no matter who I vote for. It does make a change, and I want to be part of that change.”

Billerbeck’s other motivation is to “prove that I can, that I’m not just a kid anymore.”

Senior Hannah Fraser has different reasons.“I’m voting because I care what happens to the country, and I

know there are a lot of things at stake, [such as] women’s reproduc-tive rights and gay marriage,” she said.

Many of the school’s legal adults will be voting in the upcoming election; two out of every five 18-year-old seniors polled expressed plans to exercise their right to vote for the nation’s president. For the most part, though, the senior class is composed of underage students — those that are too young to vote, many of whom one would expect to lack interest in politics because they know that they cannot vote anyway. However, a staggering 61% of underage seniors said that they would vote if old enough, showing that despite lacking the abil-ity to vote, many students are nevertheless very politically minded.

Of course, some legal adults on campus do not plan to vote come November, for reasons that vary from a laziness to a lack of interest in politics. However, when the voting booths open on Nov. 6, one can expect to see a large part of the school’s of-age seniors there, expressing their desires to control their own society and make a change in the way the government is run.

DIANA KRUZMANnews assistant

67% will vote on Nov 6th

25% are not U.S. Citizens

8% will not vote

12% of students areolder than 18 ]

AGE E

LIGIBILITY OF SENIOR STUDEN

TS

O

F THE ELIGIBLE SENIORS...

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Polls are in: students get ready to voteCOMPILED BY DIANA KRUZMAN

ILLUSTRATION BYKEELY ZHANG & CHRIS CAI

ILLUSTRATION BYNIKHIL KANTHITOTAL POLLED: 98

2 The ProspectorNews October 26, 2012

Cupertino High SchoolEstablished 1958

Vol LIV, No. I | 2012

editors-in-chiefazadeh rongere

jesse zhou

news editorchris s. yoon

opinions editornikhil kanthi

features editorlaura kao

lifestyles editornatasha sharma

sports editorabhishek zaveri

flip side editormichelle cheung

copy editorsalya omar

anand hemmadykatie martinvictoria duan

photo editorjason chen

business managerkevin chu

news assistants

opinionsassistants

featuresassistants

lifestyles assistants

sportsassistants

flip sideassistant

photo crew

diana kruzmanvinitra swamymichael li

trinia bhattaraichris cai

ashley liukeely zhangkevin chu

thu damyouseph pavlovic

nirmit shahtanay tandon

jessica shin

nirmit shahthu damjessica shin

adviserann peck

Editorial Policy“The Prospector” is an open fo-

rum of expression for student editors to inform and educate their readers. It will not be reviewed by or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisors may and should coach and discuss content during the writing process.

The staff of “The Prospector” seeks to recognize individuals, events and ideas and bring news to the Cu-pertino community in an accurate, pro-fessional and unbiased manner. “The Prospector” will not avoid publishing a story solely on the basis of possible dissent or controversy.

If you believe an error has been made or wish to have your opinion expressed in “The Prospector,” please contact us via mail or email. Letters sent become the sole property of “The Prospector” and can be edited for length, clarity or accuracy.

“The Prospector” editorial board reserves the right to accept or reject any ad in accordance with its advertis-ing policy.

Contact UsThe Prospector10100 Finch AvenueCupertino, CA 95014prospector.chs@gmail.com

The ProsPecTor

S TA F F2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 3

The “main” attraction: Cupertino’s new downtown

Teachers use Google Drive to share their works

A Cupertino resident who wants to spend Sat-urday shopping in an upscale plaza would have to drive to Santana Row. If one wants a downtown dining experience, one would have to go to Los Altos. If one wants to end the night with a visit to the park, one would have to drive once more. Main Street Cupertino will be a panacea for these prob-lems. Conveniently located on the Stevens Creek and Finch intersection, it will provide citizens with a one-stop location for shopping, dining and relaxing.

Said Mayor Mark Santoro, “I have a lot of hope for it. I think it’s [Cupertino’s] best shot.”

The Main Street project is an ambitious en-deavor. The city has set aside 78,700 square feet of its total 18 acres for retail space. Expensive bou-tiques and snack shops alike will clamor for this spot as it is easily accessible to Cupertino residents. Since restaurants typically attract customers who dine for long periods of time, the project has increased park-ing space to accommodate more restaurants. These retailers and restaurants will provide students with additional lunch and socializing locations, as Main Street is right outside the school.

“I think that it’ll be really nice because we can go [there] during lunch. The main street will attract a lot of people and it will be very fun,” junior Col-leen Chan said.

In addition to these commercial venues, Main Street will also have a town square and a park, which will be 0.75 acres and 0.8 acres respectively. The town square will be a hub for large gatherings such as plays and performances. The park will provide citizens with a place to relax and enjoy nature.

Beyond the project itself, Main Street may even rejuvenate the once popular Vallco Shopping Center.

“[Main Street Cupertino] will make a connec-tion where you can walk around town square, you can get a bite to eat, you can walk to Vallco, go bowl-ing or watch a movie, but afterwards you can walk

In order to help better share test results and lesson plans, many teachers in the His-tory and English departments are now col-laborating through Google Drive, a web-based application that allows users to edit work documents through an electronic cloud. The web-based application was formed in mid-2006, but has since then been thoroughly de-veloped to include features like real-time edit-ing and organized file folders.

Google has encouraged use of Google Drive by both teachers and students for school projects and assignments though its “Edu-cator” portion. The idea was implemented by history teacher Kelly Bavor, whose hus-band works on developing the application at Google.

Said Bavor, “We used to put everything on attachments to emails, but attaching all of those things to emails isn’t really the way the world works anymore. I just thought Google Drive seemed like a way to streamline and or-ganize all our work into one place.”

The application allows teachers to upload and edit information like project requirements in real-time, which to some, can be a big time-

saver. “It’s absolutely handy because instead of

going to each individual teacher, it’s all there for me [on Google Drive],” Guided Studies teacher Wendy Amick said.

Amick finds convenience in the appli-cation for her class because it allows her to check in on students who need extra help or who misplace their assignment sheets.

Other teachers, especially those in the history department, use Google Drive to share test and quiz scores with each other for certain teaching units. Sharing scores in an electronic cloud allows the teachers to com-pare and contrast how well a certain lesson plan seems to be affecting students of a par-ticular period, and if edits to a certain lesson plan need to be made for the following year.

However, the Google Drive system is still early in development.

“Like all things that are new, it’s impor-tant for us at the end of this year to take a step back and see if the benefits outweigh the drawbacks,” Bavor said. “But so far, I would have to say that the experience has been posi-tive.”

back past the shops and get something else to eat,” Santoro said.

Despite these optimistic visions, there have been and may continue to be problems. Instead of helping Vallco, the new stores may find them-selves competing with it. The recent recession has already pushed back the project for three years. A senior housing complex in previous concept designs was replaced by retailer space, a decision made be-cause planners were afraid the housing complex would dissuade consumers. Due to complaints by residents who own property near Main Street, the designers have had to compromise by adding a 20-foot buffer zone between the residential area and the parking lot.

Nonetheless, the project is due for completion in three to four years. Although the exact blueprint for the square is still being finalized, Main Street Cupertino will ultimately become Cupertino’s first downtown.

KEELY ZHANGfeatures assistant

MAIN STREET CUPERTINO | The finalized design, complete with a town square and park

PHOTO BY THU DAM

DRIVING EDUCATION | Teachers use Google Drive to share important documents and information

COURTESY OF THE CITY OF CUPERTINO

COURTESY OF THE CITY OF CUPERTINO

JESSE ZHOU

JASON CHEN

3The Prospector NewsOctober 26, 2012

Tournament of the Bands in its 42nd yearThe school hosted the annual Tournament

of Bands competition on the 13th of this month. A total of 24 schools participated in the parade competition and the field competition later on in the afternoon, with Homestead High School tak-ing 1st for the fourth year in the row. The school’s Proud Pioneer band participates in the competi-tion as well but it does not place in the competi-tion.

TOB is not just a competition though. As Drum Major, senior Matthew Kim said, “If you just say TOB, they understand what it is.”

TOB is one of the school’s oldest traditions. No other school in the district has a similar event and it has continued for over 42 years. TOB also serves as a fundraiser for the school band. Annu-ally, TOB raises over 10,000 dollars of revenue, which goes to pay for the instruments, for the the school band.

ALL PHOTOS BY NIRMIT SHAH

CHRIS CAI

VISIT chsprospector.org for online content

f r o m , whether it is the mem-ory of one’s first dance or the Gibbs Free Energy Law. Without sleep, these connec-tions rot, decay, and snap. Since knowledge builds upon itself, the more of these connections that break, the weaker one’s foundation will be to study anything. Five hours of sleep might make tomorrow’s test easier, but the damage it does to the brain will make studying for the subsequent tests significantly harder, especially if the sub-ject is a math, science or a foreign language. With-out proper rest, the brain perseverates. In other words, if one finds a wrong answer, the brain’s ability to start again and figure out a new way to solve the problem is impaired.

4 Opinions October 26, 2012

During the worst weeks of junior year, I slept an average of five hours per night. On those nights, I could scroll down the line of green status-es on Gmail at one in the morning and observe half my class doing the same. I knew the lack of sleep was bad for me, as my friends did too, but the price for sleeping early seemed too high. If I called it a night now, I would earn a C on the test or be un-prepared for the presentation. Sleep, however, is

inf luen -tial to every aspect of our lives, and the lack of sleep cripples those very areas for which we sacrifice it. Shut eye is often pushed to the very end of one’s priority list. Based on a survey conducted in 2009, the average student receives six hours of sleep, a far cry from the nine hours recommended for teeangers by doctors. The biggest thief of sleep time is homework, but the time given to homework is compounded by how long students spend on so-cial networking platforms, ‘multitasking’. There is a paradox, however, when one stays up for academic excellence and sacrifices the brain’s ability to learn in the process. While sleeping, the brain strengthens its neural connections. These connections between neurons are what create memories and knowledge. One neuron connects to the other, and that bond is where knowledge comes

The left is almost always right here in Silicon Valley. And I liberally endorse these views (pun intended). But while many of my peers and I are voicing our support for the reelection of

President Obama, it is clear we are living in an era of polariza-tion. Intelligent discourse is a rarity in political conversation, even among non-voters. Bipartisanship has become synony-mous with weakness, while inflexibility is lauded as devotion to one’s beliefs. However, if one is truly interested in further-ing one’s knowledge of politics and participating in society, contrasting views must be not only explored but also sought out, and political decisions must be made in an informed man-ner.

Despite my ineligibility to vote, it’s easy to see that count-less facets of the lives of youth, from college loan interest to health care, are dependent on the men and women we elect to represent this country. And with the advent of the Internet, teens are often provided their first glimpse into the vast realm of government via the Web. From sensationalized videos to loud headlines to that friend who spouts extremist rhetoric via Facebook, the bombardment is unceasing. Online sources — whether biased or bipartisan — are updated constantly with

Glowy skin

Height Sleep,the idealistic dream

NIKHIL KANTHIopinions editor

Benefits of sleep:

Today, drugs are a menace to our society. However, in order to curb increasing drug cases, schools across the country have been promoting drug education from kindergarten all the way through high school. The question is, are these programs enough?

The issues with drug education lie with the way the problem is approached. Students all have different learning styles. It is true that some are auditory learners, some prefer to use their vision; some learn better with hands-on activities, while others compute diverse scenarios in their heads. Whatever the case may be, one thing is for sure, copying information and giving textbook an-swers just to earn that A on the project doesn’t have any effect on the students. In fact, students

often end up spewing information onto their worksheet the brunch before the packet is due. Even though there are tons of educational facts on the drug related worksheets, students’ priori-ties are divergent from those of the teachers.

Teachers and students alike need to realize that people resort to drugs not only to look cool or be popular, but because they are often trapped, unable to escape the brutal realities of their lives, whether it be family issues or social pressures. It is ultimately emotional turmoil that attracts many people to seek refuge in addictive substances.

Teachers need to guide students to estab-lish emotional connections with the drug cur-riculum. When students finally empathizes with a drug addict, or witness the devastating results

of a fatal car accident, the hazy perceptions of drugs are replaced by concrete, visceral feelings that innately discourage students from dealing with such these substances.

“Every 15 Minutes” is a program that spe-cializes in powerful emotional drug lessons through real life enactments of a fatal car acci-dent involving DUI drivers, and a visit to a po-lice station, a hospital and a local funeral home. This program involves not only the school and the students, but also the parents and the entire community.

A real life experience of a drug related in-cident is more meaningful than a million work-sheets filled out through the course of high school. It is hard to grasp the magnitude of

today’s drug problems when students read sta-tistics such as “60% of all teen deaths in car acci-dents are alcohol related.” However, witnessing a real car accident or listening to a testimonial given by a former drug addict will have a far greater impact on students.

Emotional stimulus is a superior way of showcasing the effects of drugs in comparison to worksheets and statistical lectures. If the road to drugs is emotional, not mathemati-cal, then the road away should be the same. Although current drug education curriculums have their merits, substituting or integrating them with memorable emotional lessons that stay with students beyond their PE class is the integral to taking drugs away from teenagers.

STAFF EDITORIAL

LSD Cocaine Tobacco Marijuana

An emotional appeal for drug educationKATIE MARTINcopy editor

Wearing revealing clothing does not make you beauti-ful, you do not need a special outfit to be beautiful.

- Principal Kami Tomberlain

Don’t sport the

Elephant in the room:

5The Prospector OpinionsOctober 26, 2012

T h e main victims of

sleep deprivation are the prefrontal

cortex and the temporal lobes of the brain, the regions that control memory and learning. The human brain is not fully developed until the age of twenty-one. In short, the neurological scars caused by the long nights are permanent, whether that means lower cognitive abilities, decision im-pairment, or weaker information processing capabilities.In studies conducted in both the University of Virginia and Brown University, it has been discovered that the sleep fac-tor is the most influential determinant of one’s IQ. Every

hour of sleep lost on a weekday costs a student approximately seven IQ points. With the sleep deficit students face today, the IQ loss is close to 20 points. Sleep gets the short end of the stick because the the side effects of sleep deprivation are either too subtle or long term. Grades change every day, mental growth is mapped out over years. Ten years from now, however, a slower brain will make a much greater difference than a Calculus grade. The solution to the problem is simple, and hardly original. One should simply reevaluate their priorities. Where does mental health fall? Where does Facebook fall? Where do physical appearance, mood, and obesity fall? Where does academic performance fall? If our lists match, sleep should no longer be at the bottom.

Having attended many different schools, I know the difference between the way students dress with a strict dress code and a loose one. The teachers are a lot more strict with dress codes at private in-

ternational schools, since it’s a lot easier to track students if the number of students is smaller. I remember one of my teachers coming into my 7th grade pre-algebra class asking a student to stand up and stretch her arms down, checking the length of her pants. As soon as it was obvious that the her shorts were shorter than the rules required, Mrs. Pearse said “Yup, just like I thought. I saw you walk-

ing around with those shorts and had my doubts. Come with me to the PE locker room to change.” Compared to this type of ensured dress code, our school’s dress code is very loose and must be improved.

To start off with, the rules that are exactly set in the “Stu-dent Appearance” section (pg. 27 in agendas) are very neb-ulous. They merely state that an appropriate appearance re-quires “clean and neat” clothing, “appropriate footwear,” and no “tops and t-shirts with inappropriate wording.” These rules don’t define an exact bar as to what length shorts or low shirts are considered appropriate or not-for-school. The one time that this is pointed out is during the zero tolerance speech that is given by principal Kami Tomberlain at the beginning of each school year. However, students wearing mini-skirts or tank tops to school is far from being prevented through this

once-a-year speech.The dress code can also work as a confidence booster

and prevent distractions in classes. With everyone following the same rules, students will not need to weigh the scale on whether they want to wear more appealing clothes or follow the rules. Everyone wearing appropriate clothing brings out the good in characteristics, not just the pretty legs that can be seen when wearing booty shorts.

Having a strict dress code is very important, but it would be no use if there were no way of ensuring it. One way that this can be improved is not only through teachers walking around with alert glances, but also for students to remind their peers of the dress code and of how inappropriate clothing is not needed for a person to be beautiful. At the heart of it, the de-sire to be attractive powers wearing inappropriate clothes.

the latest talking points and controversial statements, and such accessibility to both fact and fiction has blurred the lines between juvenile fights and intelligent dialogue. Pop-ular blogging site Tumblr, for example, is host to innumerable political blogs, mostly of the liberal standpoint, while GOP sup-porters are widely shunned. The environ-ment of extremes both on the Internet and off, where elected officials and voters alike choose willful ignorance by refusing to even acknowledge opposing viewpoints, much less consider them, has been detrimental to our nation: we are more polarized, our politicians are less productive, and our cam-paigns are dirtier than ever.

There’s no denying that President Obama has the “cool” factor. As a candi-date who not only has a sassy Tumblr team but also plays the occasional game of basketball with Jay-Z, he certainly looks ap-pealing. And while it’s perfectly fine to have a bias, citizens must form their opinions in an intelligent manner. Sure, it’s tempting to harness those Internet-famous soundbites like Mitt Romney’s “binders full of women” comment to justify one’s dislike for him, but his speaking blunders, though often funny, do not instantly

make him an unqualified candidate. And while Obama’s web presence automatically makes him relatable, presidential skill is based on more than Internet prowess. It is the policies and histo-ries of these candidates we should be examining rather than com-paring their Tumblr gifs or the quality of their Pinterest boards.

But while politics may appear to be a defining characteristic of one’s personality, there is so much more to someone than their placement on the political spectrum. We must not, therefore,

shun those who hold views that differ from our own, nor should we take the easy route of simply validating our beliefs by reading or listening exclusively to like-minded people. On the contrary, we must seek out a variety of opinions in order to better under-stand each other and perhaps once again learn to compromise. It is up to the youth to defy the current standard of petty squab-bling by approaching politics with an open mind and a willing-ness to choose civility over contempt.

JESSICA SHINflip side assistant

Obesity

PHOTO BY NIRMIT SHAH

Depression

Hormonal imbalance

short shorts

Effects of sleep loss:

Students must consider views from opposite end of political spectrum

6 Features October 26, 2012

While almost everyone has mastered the art of eating food, only a select few have mastered the art of making it.

The school has the privilege of being home to three extremely talented culinary artists -- seniors Sunwoo Jeong, Jae Choi and Myron Kwan -- all of whom engage in various cooking competitions to

develop their skills and find out who is truly the school’s best chef. Similar to professional cooking shows, the three students are graded by a panel of judges based on taste,

presentation and a bonus section that involves their attitudes towards the judges. Each of these chefs has a unique reason for their passion for cooking. Jeong’s passion for cooking came from

his love for eating. Said Jeong, “You have to eat to survive. If you don’t know how to cook, you are so limited in what you can

make and what you can eat. So I think, especially with a family that loves to cook and whatnot, being able to cook means that I can maintain a healthy lifestyle and it’s definitely a useful tool.” While he did not win the last cook-off, Jeong feels confident going into the next competition with better plate preparation skills and his delicious recipe for pork loins and shrimp sauce.

Jae Choi, on the other hand, is an aspiring chef whose dream lies in the hands of the culinary world. As the winner of the last cook-off and a serious chef, this cook-off is definitely something he can win again. This time, Choi has chosen to cook rosemary chicken with dijon mustard.

The last of these culinary-inclined contestants is Myron Kwan, a senior who often hosts these culinary showdowns. Kwan decided to make a salmon dish with a citrus salad.

Though they are just high schoolers, these guys are certainly not rookies and have plenty of cook-ing experience as well as cook-off experience.

The last time these culinarians decided to have a cook-off, Choi won by a large margin, but the others are determined to beat him this time. To find out the outcome of their most

recent cook-off on Oct. 15, scan the QR code and watch the video.

Iron CHefS

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

smart-phone scan code

Lesser known Bay Area Restaurants

COMPILED BY KEVIN CHU

From Chopped to Iron Chef, the Food Network is host to count-

less food programs and reality cook-i n g shows. But to senior Jae Choi, it was m o r e than just entertainment. Good Eats was his inspirat ion, and Alton Brown his idol.

When watching Choi in the kitchen and listening to his animated talks about produce, it is hard to imagine that he was not born into a culinary-inspired family. To his parents, food is merely fuel for the body. In his eyes though, it opens up a plethora of possibilities. What began as a necessity for his family turned into his passion and an art.

“I started cooking because I had to,” Choi said. “When I was in the sixth grade, my parents didn’t come home from work until late at night, so I started making lunch and dinner for me and my younger brother. I didn’t really know anything about food or how to cook. I just did what I thought would taste alright.”

As Choi started experimenting more in the kitchen, food turned into more than just something to eat. Cooking for himself and others opened up new oppor-tunities and taught him different culinary techniques. Choi learned to appreciate food in a new light. But no one can know success without failure, and Choi had to learn it the hard way. Every dish that caught fire and every cake that exploded was only a minor setback to the accomplishments that were to come. Eventually, store-bought cake mixes and scrambled eggs were replaced by complex and re-fined dishes cooked with only the finest ingredients.

“Although I’ve had a lot of failures, that isn’t to say that I haven’t had my mo-ments,” Choi said. “My latest recipe is a deep fried butter rosemary mashed po-tato with tomato balsamic chutney. I’m also pretty proud of my chocolate dipped potato chips.”

Choi looks to seize his culinary dreams and has already made plans to be-come a professional chef in the future. The culinary arts is Choi’s outstanding career choice, and after graduating, he would like to attend the Culinary Institute of America in Greystone, California. Ultimately, his goal is to open his own res-taurant in the Bay Area or in other noted culinary hotspots such as New York City, Chicago, Melbourne or Portland.

Surprisingly, Choi himself still finds it strange that he has such an appetite for cooking. Sheer interest kept him hungry for more information and dishes to create, and he continued to experiment even if there were failures along the way. His skills in the kitchen took years to develop, and Choi knows it will all pay off. As long as his future involves food, he knows that he will be content.

“I get really excited talking about food,” Choi said. “I love to go grocery shop-ping. I get all giddy like a kid in a candy shop. I mean, just look at those tomatoes. Have you seen anything more beautiful? I love to cook because I love the food.”

Fresh Choi-ce

THU DAMlifestyles assistant

ALYA OMAR

JESS

ICA

SHIN

Armadillo Willy’s BBQLocally owned and operated since 1983, Armadillo Willy’s serves the best barbeque this side of Texas in an exciting

atmosphere. This restaurant is all about barbecue. Real bar-becue. Cooked over an oak grilled fire. No gas. No electric-

ity. Just serious barbecue.

YiassooSpecializes in delicious and reasonably priced Greek cuisine,

including house specialties and other customer favorites. Cuisine entrees are served in a relaxed blue-and-white

house setting that you and your friends and family are sure to enjoy.

While almost everyone has mastered the art of eating food, only a select few have mastered the art of making it.

The school has the privilege of being home to three extremely talented culinary artists — seniors Sunwoo Jeong, Jae Choi and Myron Kwan — all of whom engage in nonprofessional cooking

competitions to develop their skills and find out who is truly the school’s best chef. Similar to professional cooking shows, the three students are graded by a panel of student judges based

on taste, presentation and a bonus section that involves their attitudes towards the judges. Each of these chefs have unique reasons for their passion for cooking. Jeong’s passion for cooking came

from his love for eating. Said Jeong, “You have to eat to survive. If you don’t know how to cook, you are so limited in what you can

make and what you can eat. So I think, especially with a family that loves to cook and whatnot, being able to cook means that I can maintain a healthy lifestyle and it’s definitely a useful tool.”

While he did not win the last cook-off, Jeong feels confident going into the next competition with better plate preparation skills and his delicious recipe for pork loins and shrimp sauce.

Jae Choi, on the other hand, is an aspiring chef, unlike the other contestants. As the winner of the last cook-off, Choi is sure that he can win again with his rosemary chicken with dijon mustard dish.

The last of these culinary-inclined contestants is Myron Kwan, a senior who often hosts these culi-nary showdowns. Kwan decided to make a salmon dish with a citrus salad.

Though they are just high schoolers, these guys are certainly not rookies and have plenty of cooking experience as well as cook-off experience.

The last time these culinarians decided to have a cook-off, Choi won by a large mar-gin, but the others are determined to beat him this time. To find out the outcome

of their most recent cook-off on Oct. 15, check out The Prospector’s web-site for video coverage.

The iron chef

October 26, 2012 The Prospector 7Features

While almost everyone has mastered the art of eating food, only a select few have mastered the art of making it.

The school has the privilege of being home to three extremely talented culinary artists -- seniors Sunwoo Jeong, Jae Choi and Myron Kwan -- all of whom engage in various cooking competitions to

develop their skills and find out who is truly the school’s best chef. Similar to professional cooking shows, the three students are graded by a panel of judges based on taste,

presentation and a bonus section that involves their attitudes towards the judges. Each of these chefs has a unique reason for their passion for cooking. Jeong’s passion for cooking came from

his love for eating. Said Jeong, “You have to eat to survive. If you don’t know how to cook, you are so limited in what you can

make and what you can eat. So I think, especially with a family that loves to cook and whatnot, being able to cook means that I can maintain a healthy lifestyle and it’s definitely a useful tool.” While he did not win the last cook-off, Jeong feels confident going into the next competition with better plate preparation skills and his delicious recipe for pork loins and shrimp sauce.

Jae Choi, on the other hand, is an aspiring chef whose dream lies in the hands of the culinary world. As the winner of the last cook-off and a serious chef, this cook-off is definitely something he can win again. This time, Choi has chosen to cook rosemary chicken with dijon mustard.

The last of these culinary-inclined contestants is Myron Kwan, a senior who often hosts these culinary showdowns. Kwan decided to make a salmon dish with a citrus salad.

Though they are just high schoolers, these guys are certainly not rookies and have plenty of cook-ing experience as well as cook-off experience.

The last time these culinarians decided to have a cook-off, Choi won by a large margin, but the others are determined to beat him this time. To find out the outcome of their most

recent cook-off on Oct. 15, scan the QR code and watch the video.

Iron CHefS

WRITTEN BY VINITRA SWAMY

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

VICTORIA DUANcopy editor

Senior Dima Dron fancies himself a mad scientist in the kitchen. His newest creation of brownie cheesecakes was unexpect- e d but delicious. Fearless in his experi- m e n t s , Dron comes up with many innovative and suc- cessful reci-pes for baked goods. He discovered his interest in baking early on in middle school, when he figured that since only girls were making and flaunting their baked goods at the time, he would stand out as the lone male baker.

“All the girls [were] making these lame snacks — the same cookies and brown-ies,” Dron said. “And I thought ‘I’m going do this, and I’m going to be good at it.’”

His culinary journey began with little projects involving simple ingredients and recipes that he found at home. It was not until after a family vacation to Russia during the summer of his eighth grade year that he began seriously considering his talent for baking as more than an obsession.

“[When] I went to Russia ... I really started thinking about it, because I learned this really good banana bread recipe,” Dron said. “I started mass producing it and feeding everyone with it and they were like ‘Dima, you’re so good! You should be a cook!’”

Dron currently works a part-time job at Cicero’s Pizza, where he has been em-ployed since the end of this past summer. He started out busing tables and working in the back of the restaurant, but quickly moved up the pizzeria ranks to handling and preparing the pizzas — tasks also known as “decorating” and “rolling.”

“I started out as a bus boy,” he said. “Then [working] in the back. I moved up to sauce and cheese pretty fast, and then after that, decorating pizzas, which is put-ting the toppings on. I can also roll the pizzas. Basically, I can do everything. The only thing I haven’t tried yet is watching the ovens.”

At Cicero’s, employees are allowed to make themselves one pizza during their work day. Dron eagerly welcomes this privilege as an opportunity to try new pizza recipes and topping combinations. At home though, he prefers sweeter food items. His latest obsession is cheesecakes.

“I’ve been really getting into cheesecakes,” Dron said. “Coffee cheesecakes. Anything with coffee, actually. And if I had the supplies, I would very much like to work with crème brûlée.”

As for becoming a professional baker, Dron maintains that for him, baking is more of a hobby — a passion to pursue in his free time. He is currently debating between two possible majors in either the visual or culinary arts. Since he plans on attending a local community college starting in the fall of next year, he has been looking into local job opportunities at nearby restaurants.

But while Dron is considering studying a major unrelated to the culinary arts, he has not given up the idea of someday owning and running a bakery.

“It’s something fun I could do in the future. I could have my own little shop, where people could come in, order something and leave. Homemade, of course.”

Not for the dough

smart-phone scan code

ALYA OMAR

JESSICA SHIN

YiassooSpecializes in delicious and reasonably priced Greek cuisine,

including house specialties and other customer favorites. Cuisine entrees are served in a relaxed blue-and-white

house setting that you and your friends and family are sure to enjoy.

Layang LayangMalaysian restaurant that blends bright, exotic flavours from native Malay with Chinese, Indian, Indonesian and Portuguese influences. Coconut milk, galangal root and

dry spice-based curries are some of the hallmarks of this complex menu, which offers over 100 items. Try to count the ‘layangs,’ or traditional Malaysian kites, hang-

ing on the brightly coloured walls.

Walia Ethiopian CuisineMeticulously prepared Ethiopian food under the supervi-sion of seasoned cook Aster Teklemichael, with beef and lamb selections such as Quanta Firfir (dried beef jerky in spicy beef stew mixed with Injera) and vegetarian dishes like Miser Wot (puréed split red lentil simmered in spicy

red sauce). Walia offers reasonable prices for high quality Ethiopian food.

While almost everyone has mastered the art of eating food, only a select few have mastered the art of making it.

The school has the privilege of being home to three extremely talented culinary artists — seniors Sunwoo Jeong, Jae Choi and Myron Kwan — all of whom engage in nonprofessional cooking

competitions to develop their skills and find out who is truly the school’s best chef. Similar to professional cooking shows, the three students are graded by a panel of student judges based

on taste, presentation and a bonus section that involves their attitudes towards the judges. Each of these chefs have unique reasons for their passion for cooking. Jeong’s passion for cooking came

from his love for eating. Said Jeong, “You have to eat to survive. If you don’t know how to cook, you are so limited in what you can

make and what you can eat. So I think, especially with a family that loves to cook and whatnot, being able to cook means that I can maintain a healthy lifestyle and it’s definitely a useful tool.”

While he did not win the last cook-off, Jeong feels confident going into the next competition with better plate preparation skills and his delicious recipe for pork loins and shrimp sauce.

Jae Choi, on the other hand, is an aspiring chef, unlike the other contestants. As the winner of the last cook-off, Choi is sure that he can win again with his rosemary chicken with dijon mustard dish.

The last of these culinary-inclined contestants is Myron Kwan, a senior who often hosts these culi-nary showdowns. Kwan decided to make a salmon dish with a citrus salad.

Though they are just high schoolers, these guys are certainly not rookies and have plenty of cooking experience as well as cook-off experience.

The last time these culinarians decided to have a cook-off, Choi won by a large mar-gin, but the others are determined to beat him this time. To find out the outcome

of their most recent cook-off on Oct. 15, check out The Prospector’s web-site for video coverage.

WRITTEN BY VINITRA SWAMY

The iron chef

Scanto go toour website!

8 Lifestyles October 26, 2012

Fashion today is often used to define wealth or cultural superiority; however, its timeless definition re-

mains an expression of one’s self, a way to stand out and showcase something unique. This is true even in the world of politics, where fashion is taken to another level, holding the power to convey a message that could make or break society’s perception of politicians. The intertwinement of politics and fashion is almost a nat-ural one and it has become an essential detail in the election season and is noticed at every event. Take, for example, the outfits of Ann Romney and Michelle Obama at the presidential debate in Hofstra University. Both sported fuschia pink dresses that were speculated to be in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Despite being in opposing parties, they managed to show unity by supporting the fight against a global epidemic, successfully using fashion to appeal to the general audience and gain supporters. The message of support was clear and provided a stark contrast to the attacks and opposition between the parties that night. Fashion for women in politics has evolved from demonstrating social superiority to showing that they are one with the public by dressing like the general audience. However, no matter how the fashion of politics changes, it will remain a symbol of respect for their message, the audience and themselves.

2012

While watching the 10 o’clock news and stumbling upon Romney or Obama campaign ads is still common, more Americans may be swayed by campaign videos on YouTube and candidates’ Twitter updates. As Election Day nears, it is evident that the people of the United States are in-volved in the a very technologically advanced election process this year that is directly affecting the candidates’ campaign strategies. By using social media as a crux for campaigning, candidates are able to channel voter groups that were previously untapped and generate more supporters at a faster rate. In addition to campaign efforts, unbiased online services keep voters informed with candidates’ positions as well as aid voters in their decisions. This revolution in methods of campaigning and the election process has helped candidates gain more support and maximize the amount of informed voters.

Both Obama and Romney’s campaigns utilize a myriad of social networks and applications, intended to engage the indifferent citizens and those who are unfamiliar with their policies. A prime example of targeting a younger demographic with social media is Obama and Romney’s use of Tumblr, the blogging sensation mainly dominated by teenagers and young adults. Links on the margins such as “Support the Campaign” and “Get Updates” stand out to casual browsers and

make it extremely easy for Tumblr followers to support a candidate by reblogging posts or visiting campaign sites. Similarly, on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, candidates have cleverly connected all their posts, allowing them to post on a single site while the update is shared with a far larger audience. This technique of constant updates has served both Obama and Romney very well, making them appear more genuine than superficial. Romney, for example, recently tweeted, “@BarackObama had years to stand up to China — I will do it on Day One.”

In addition, sites such as Politify and ISideWith give voters unbiased, factual information on which candidates they align with on both financial and social matters. On Politify, potential vot-ers can enter their yearly income, number of dependents and a variety of other factors and learn what personal impact each candidate’s policies has. The site also describes the national impact of each candidates’ fiscal and social policies by gauging the change in the national deficit if either Romney or Obama is elected. Similarly, ISideWith selects a candidate match for voters after a series of questions on social issues, financial policies and foreign policy. Not only does this benefit undecided voters, but also serves as a crux for voters who want to confirm that they are making the right choice.

With the introduction of these campaign tactics and advising sites, voters are bound to be in-fluenced in a distinct way this election year. Candidates are adapting to the age of social networks and voters are asking more questions about candidates’ policies. Whether the impact of these in-novations are significant in the election, the people of America have yet to see.

POLITICAL FASHION STATEMENTS

{THE POLITICAL GAME}ABHISHEK ZAVERIsports editor

MICHELLE CHEUNG

scan with phone for giggles!

POLITICAL FASHION STATEMENTS

9The Prospector LifestylesOctober 26, 2012

Throughout the 1950s, sitcoms such as “Father Knows Best” and “I Love Lucy” portrayed the ideal nuclear family and showed only minor infractions of the norm. In contrast, characters on television today are no longer so cookie-cutter perfect. Society has become more accepting of character flaws and social differences and this growing tolerance is often reflected in American entertainment. Current American television shows, particularly sitcoms and soap operas, tend to incorporate more social issues, bringing to light potentially controversial topics through an enjoy-able and more subtle medium.

Though the primary objective of these shows is to provide entertainment to their viewers, beneath the glitz and glamour is a dosage of reality. But as these social issues are frequently pre-sented in a comedic high school setting, the blow of reality is softened with relatable characters and situations that allow viewers to better understand the thoughts and feelings of the characters that they see on TV.

{REEL TELEVISION}

The ABC Family show “Switched at Birth” revolves around the central conflict between deaf and hearing communities, class issues and Latino-Anglo culture clashes. The teen soap opera-esque storyline provides a more lighthearted base for examining the struggles of communication between the deaf and hearing as well as providing view-ers the opportunity to break preconceptions and stereotypes and understand different cultures. Hit television shows such as “Pretty Little Liars,” “Glee” and “Modern Family” involve characters who explore and come to terms with their sexual orientations. Their struggles to “come out” and deal with friends and family members resonate with with teenagers and teach younger viewers that it is okay to stand out and be different. Drama, song, dance and comedy keep viewers engaged in the storyline while exposing them to important social messages.

The added bonus of the recent incorporation of social issues into television is that the views of kids and young adults are often shaped by the media. Exposing youth to the reality of diversity through a medium such as television proves that even the most overlooked and misunderstood people can be complex and not simply one-dimensional, building a foundation of tolerance for the future.

social issues take center stage with modern television

LAURA KAOfeatures editor

Switched at Birth - ABC Family Mondays 8/7 c

Modern Family - ABCWednesdays 9/8 c

Glee - FoxThursday 9/8 c

FASHIONFRIDAY

ONLINE AT CHSPROSPECTOR.ORG

Advertise with us! Contact us at prospector.chs@gmail.com

10 Sports October 26, 2012

NIRMIT SHAHsports assistant

The sun blazes while the Cross Country girls’ team pounds through the seemingly never end-ing hills, aches and pains running through the girls’ bodies while they combat the already impressive feat alongside inhibiting injuries. The sweat and dis-comfort is a mere annoyance in comparison with the deeper issue that limits the abilities of these brave and unremitting girls.

This season, approximately eight of the girls are injured three of whom are severely injured. The inju-ries range from recent knee aches to old hip ailments and have affected both the new and the old girls on the team.

In order to work around the injuries, the team goes through multiple injury prevention stretches and activities. Directly after practice, the runners do shin splints prohibition exercises that consists of heel taps and toe taps. The injured athletes also make sure to ice after a strenuous workout in order to inhibit the natural hyper swelling that the body creates in or-der to protect the injury. By icing immediately after practice, excess inflammation is set off and some pain is suppressed.

Still, the injuries persist and have plagued mul-tiple girls on the team. Despite having more girl run-ners than in the previous 11 seasons, these ailments have put the girls at a major setback, taking out a ma-jority of them.

“If all the girls were healthy, I think we would have a good chance of going to CCS,” Head Coach Paul Armstrong said.

Nevertheless, the girls are trudging through and training through the season. Newer racers, such as sophomore Amy Ran, are still persuaded to run by the same motivations that they felt during the beginning of fall.

“After running two races where I was one place from earning a medal, I became more motivated even though I had an injury,” Ran said.

For older runners with recurring injuries, this situation is nothing new. These girls have sustained injuries since their freshman year, but are relent-less in their decision to keep running. The love of the sport keeps them on their feet while they cou-rageously and patiently battle through the season. Throughout the team, there seems to be a sense of unity and motivation from each other.

Although the team comprises of many indi-viduals, the girls act as a family and keep each other up and running. They have bonded so tightly over the past four years that it makes it hard to see life without running, regardless of whether or not they are injured.

“The Cross Country team is like another fam-ily for me,” senior Riti Bedi said, “We see each other for at least three hours every day. Part of why I’ve stayed on the team is for the people. The friendships I have formed through Cross Country are some of the strongest friendships I have ever made.”

As the girls continue to train through strenuous workouts that would leave any normal individual sore for days, they continue to find a source of mo-tivation and shrug off the pain that surges through each of their bodies, making these girls some of the strongest and toughest girls in this school.

the bay club: luxurious benefits worth the price?

Girls race past severe injuries

The newly opened Bay Club Cupertino aims to create a balanced environment of fitness and rec-reation amidst the busy Silicon Valley lifestyle. The club’s contemporary exterior, sleek design and state-of-the-art facilities make it a beautiful place to both relax and get fit. In contrast to other clubs in the area, the Bay Club appears to put emphasis on lifestyle as a whole, rather than the more common fitness-only approach.

For example, the club has not only the standard exercise equipment but also a Starbucks within, along with wi-fi availability for those who wish to bring their work with them. Complimentary iPad devices are available for use, and study zones are even available upon request. These characteristics make the club an easy place in which to spend sever-al hours and differentiate it from other fitness clubs.

However, such luxuries come with a hefty price tag; monthly membership can cost up to $290 and members are required to pay an initiation fee of $300, a cost well beyond most teenage budgets. Along with being financially steep, the club offers little for those focused on fitness and instead caters

TANAY TANDON sports assistant

MICHAEL LI news assistant

to older audiences seeking a healthy and relaxing lifestyle. For example, although multiple yoga and stretching rooms are available, the club only has one weightlifting studio. The club also lacks similar ba-sic fitness commodities such as a swimming pool or tennis courts.

On the other hand, the Bay Club certainly ex-plores some novel convergences of health and life-style and can keep members entertained through the versatility of its campus. The club includes four squash rooms, along with a stationary cycling room for those looking for a conventional means of achieving fitness. Scattered throughout the workout facility are rooms dedicated to yoga which are all in the vicinity of extravagant locker rooms containing spas, steam and saunas.

The Bay Club creates an environment like no other in Cupertino. Its beautiful design and luxuri-ous facilities make it an irresistible place of relax-ation, but its lack of exercise facilities make it a poor choice for someone looking for a fitness-focused club. Furthermore, the price truly puts a dent in its marketability to high school students, and places the club a stretch beyond what most people would be willing to pay. One must ask the question of whether or not the Bay Club offers the appropriate combina-tion of lifestyle and fitness or whether it should sim-ply be left as an adult luxury.

MICHAEL LI

LUXURY WORKOUTS | The exterior of recently opened The Bay Club at the Vallco Shop-ping Mall exudes extravagance with several sitting areas and a Starbucks located inside of the Club

PERSERVING UNTIL THE END | Seniors Emma Ronne and Kate Anvick continue to run every meet such as Stanford Invitational despite sustaining longtime hip injuries

ALL PHOTOS BY JESSE ZHOU

11The Prospector SportsOctober 26, 2012

As most know from the mandatory life science classes, proteins are the building blocks of life. However, not many know the daily intake of proteins the human body requires. The average adult male requires at least 56 grams of protein daily; the average female

requires about 46 grams of protein daily. Luckily, protein is easy to find, even if one does not like the classic sources such as meat.

4 unknown sources of Protein

Cottage cheese: Oddly enough, this cheese curd is healthier than many other dairy products and can be mixed in with yogurt (easier digestion) for double the protein. Cottage cheese is popular among bodybuilders, runners and other athletes because of its high protein and low fat content.

Edamame: The green soybeans that you find at su-shi bars and Japanese cuisines are high in protein. These taste great when boiled and salted, and they are usually eaten plain as an appetizer or a snack that contains a nutritional punch.

Sunflower seeds: Out of all seeds, these have the highest protein content, as they contain as much protein as beef steak or chicken breast. These are commonly eaten as a snack food rather than part of a meal. They are usually sold roasted or salted and are preserved in their shells to retain freshness.

Miso: This paste is used for some soup bases such as miso soup. The paste is made by fermenting rice, barley and soybeans. The flavor is derived from the fermentation process and the type of ingredients used. Just like tofu, miso is high in protein and rich in vitamins and minerals.

TRINA BHATTARAIopinions assistant

Freshmen Neimy Kao tosses the tennis ball in the air, bends her knee and stares unfalter-ingly at the ball waiting for the perfect oppor-tunity to spring upon it and hit a flawless ace. In the tennis courts, Kao fights for a point with each groundstroke as the number three singles varsity player, while simultaneously battling her lifelong opponent, Type I Diabetes.

According to U.S. National Library of Medicine, Type I Diabetes is a chronic disease in which glucose levels in the blood are rela-tively high due to the inability of the pancreas to produce sufficient insulin. Type I Diabetes oc-curs in people of all ages, but is concentrated in children, adolescents and young adults.

“I was eating and drinking a lot, and I had no energy,” Kao said. “When I went to the doc-tor, they told me my blood sugar level is at 700 — the average blood sugar level is 50 to 150.”

Kao’s mother, Hana Kao, noticed the para-doxical changes taking place at the beginning of January last year: Her daughter ate excessively but lost weight, complained about lack of ener-gy but slept for hours. When the symptoms be-came severe, Kao visited the doctors to receive her life-changing news.

“After finding out we both cried and cried as we thought of how we were going to handle this,” Hana said.

Type I Diabetes patients do not have to fol-low a strict diet plan; however, injecting propor-tional insulin according to meals and activities

is crucial. Insulin moves glucose to the cells for storage. Hence, without insulin, glucose accu-mulates in the bloodstream.

Since tennis requires burning of calories, a low blood sugar can be very dangerous for Kao. For this reason, she takes in little insulin before playing tennis in order to avoid fainting or having a seizure.

Also as a precaution for her condition, Kao adopted her mother’s vegan diet, which involved avoiding all animal-derived ingredi-ent. These include any dairy products, eggs and meat.

“The doctors told me that I am still in my ‘honeymoon phase’ [a phase where the pancreas of the Type I Diabetes patient still produces some insulin], and my parents and I think that I am still in it because I switched to a vegan diet,” Kao said.

Kao and her family are still adjusting to the new twist in their lifestyle. Kao attended a week long Diabetes camp to understand how different victims of Diabetes handle their con-dition.

“I still have not adjusted to it because its injecting myself with shots after shots,” Kao said. “But my dog Mele helps me feel better because she comes to me when she feels that I am upset.”

Although Type I diabetes has completely altered Kao’s lifestyle, she is still the same driv-en tennis player she was a year ago.

“I try to figure out some things i did wrong and I practice that,” Kao said. “No mat-ter what, I always try to do my best.”

backhanding diabetes on the court

COMPILED BY JASON CHEN

COURTESY OF MANNY ZARATE

Flip Side October 26, 2012 12OCTOBER IN PHOTOS

JASON CHENNIRMIT SHAH

GIRLS WATER POLO| Carolyn Lou gains height over Harker at the last home game of the year

TOURNAMENT OF BANDS| Cuper-tino band performs as a host for the 43rd annual tournament

FIELD HOCKEY| Christen Velas-quez speeds past an opponent at a home game against Lynbrook

CLUB’S DAY | Chao Ping Lai, Pal-lavi Rao, and Albert Hwang attract student’s to their food booths

CHOIR DEBUT CONCERT| Richard Son performs a solo during the song “Goodnight Sweetheart”

THU DAM

THU DAMNIRMIT SHAHNIRMIT SHAH

Living plain on the plainsLast summer, I got high. No, not the zero-tolerance

kind of high. I literally went high in altitude. I went to an area in India called Ladakh, which in many places is well over 10,000 feet above sea level. An arid plateau crowned by the Himalayas, Ladakh is geographically isolated from India. In such a beautiful but barren area, I did not expect to find much more than awe inspiring landscapes. But the culture and attitude of the area rather than the terrain is what left the deepest impression on me.

Due to its geographical isolation, Ladakh has devel-oped a Tibetan influenced culture that is distinct from the rest of India. While much of India is being rapidly developed into mushrooming urban hubs, most of La-dakh remains as it always has — vast plains populated by nomads. The nomads do not live in luxury. They own little more than the clothes they wear and the animals they herd. Nomads endure temperatures below freezing in the winter and often struggle to find food and water.

In spite of the challenges they faced, the nomads I met often smiled. When I communicated with them, it was apparent that while they had trying lives, they were at peace with their circumstances. It seemed that the mu-tual hardships made the come together as a people.

Is it not ironic that people who could only see the poverty line if they looked up with a telescope are happy? So many of us, with all of our luxuries and electronics, are rarely content. Most of us are not nearly as kindhearted as those nomads.

When I traveled to Dharamsala, India, to teach Eng-lish to Tibetan refugees, I saw a similar pattern. These refugees, who were forced out of their homeland and had to watch as their culture was slowly eradicated, seemed happier than many people I knew back at home.

What, then, is the solution to achieving lasting hap-piness? It seems after a certain point, possessions no lon-ger matter. That being said, I don’t think we should all burn our houses, pack our bags and live the nomad life on the Tibetan Plateau. I did, however, realize that much of our sadness is caused by materialistic over-attachment.

Statistics certainly seem to back this up. According to the Happy Planet Index, many of the happiest nations are still developing. Among the top 10 happiest nations are Costa Rica, Vietnam, Nicaragua and Jamaica, none of which are nearly as prosperous as the U.S. The five most prosperous nations by GDP, on the other hand, are no-where near the top ten; Japan is the highest at 45. The U.S. is ranked 105.

All of which begs the question; who is truly sophis-ticated? Those who are unsatisfied with all their technol-ogy and luxuries and need more and more in unsuccess-ful attempts to chase happiness, or those who are happy with whatever little they have? I, for one, now know my answer. I guess those smiling nomads, what with their chapped lips, sunburnt skin and herds of goats, may be more refined than anyone else I know.

Anand Hemmady

WEB EXCLUSIVEwww.chsprosector.org

Fashionista of the week: Junior Bryce Raja talks about his style (online exclusive)

Keep an eye out: The Prospector will be releas-ing an app on the iOS app store soon!

Reflections on streaking: Staffer Youseph Pavlovic shares the naked truth about interruption

Homecoming Special Report: A documentary on the first Homecoming football win in 19 years.

NIRMIT SHAH

Teacher Feature: Mr. KlokowQ: How long have you been teaching/substituting?A: I taught at MIT for three years and then I taught at the University of Fitchburg for night programs for four years. In this district, I’ve spent 22 years as a substitute and occasional full time teaching.

Q: Why did you choose to stay a substitute in this area?A: I came here to work for Lockheed Missile and Space, now called Lockheed Martin, and that’s why I moved here. I also took courses at Stanford, to work on my PhD. Lockheed would pay half the tuition and let you go to school for two classes.

Q:You’ve probably heard that you look Mr. Frederickson, from the movie Up. Do you have any comments on that?A: I say that to the classes I substitute, because they all want to laugh and I just let them have it and say that it’s okay. Once, I went to Lynbrook and walked in the class and all the students would go “Hehehe” and I was like “What’re you laughing about?” and they say “You look like the guy from Up.” Same thing happened at Cupertino, Monta Vista and Fremont. I had a long-term sub at Homestead and it was my 85th birthday and the students gave me a cake and DVD for the movie Up. So I took it home and my wife and I watched it and when it was all over she was like, “You do look like the guy from Up.” I said, “He’s a freaking old cartoon character. I want to look like Brad Pitt.” And she laughs.

Q: Did you know before that you looked like the movie

character from Up? Has it affected your life any way?A: No, I never saw the movie until the students gave it to me, and yes, I do look like him. So many students want pictures with me, so in a sense it changed that,

but I’m still who I am. I’m not him. It’s sort of an interesting phenomenon because

many schools, like Fremont, call me Mr. Up, and some people call me Mr.

Fredrickson.

Q: Do you mind that?A: I mean I’d rather be Brad Pitt … but I’m not. But no it’s not a bad thing. It’s a good thing, because

people have their laugh and it’s fun, like what the heck.

Q: We heard that you fought in the World War II?

A: Yes. I was in the Marine Corps and was on the Solomon Islands on Guadalcanal. I

maintained the radios on the fighter planes and our pilots shot down

140 enemy planes so they did well. I went to school on the G.I. Bill, which is a very nice thing. They pay full tuition, books, and gave $90 a month for food so it was very nice. I then went to Marquette University

and took a lecture on engineering.

Q: Do you do anything else besides sustitute now?

A: Walk the dogs, take out the garbage, do whatever my wife tells me to do. My wife and I like to watch the Giants and especially now, it’s exciting. I play some online poker, not for money but just for fun. I like to do crossword puzzles, cryptograms and read.

NEXT MONTH: NOVEMBER

CHRIS CAI

End of Second Grading PeriodFriday, November 9

Thanksgiving BreakThursday-Friday, November 22, 23

Veteran’s Day, No SchoolMonday, November 12

Challenge DayFriday, November 9 (all day)

Halloween Costume ContestFriday, October 31

Fall Sports AwardsTuesday, November 27 (7:00 p.m.)