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Cultures, not costumes

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By Vivian Lin

Still don’t know what to wear for Halloween?  While Halloween brings fun nights of trick-or-treating in your costumes, it is important to be mindful towards other people’s cultures in your costumes.  Cultural appropriation has been a raging issue in the media, from music festivals to holidays, especially Halloween.  But what is cultural appropriation?

“For me, cultural appropriation is using someone else’s culture without understanding it, using it frivolously, ” claimed sophomore Aayushi Shah.

Certain costumes depicting “native” headdresses and “oriental” qipaos can be offensive towards people of that ethnic background because it is turning their culture, something with centuries of rich history, into a silly and shallow costume.

“You’re taking something that is very sacred and you’re being offensive with it.” remarked social science teacher Jeff Loggins.

With all this controversy over cultural appropriation, some people might be hesitant to engage in discussions or events regarding other cultures.  That’s where cultural appreciation comes in.

“If you’re trying to learn something about a culture, and a teacher dresses a certain way to teach a lesson, then it’s cultural appreciation,” explained Spanish teacher Claire  Gonzalez.

“Appropriation is when you pick it for yourself and you don’t respect the other culture.  It’s appreciation if you respect the culture and if someone from the culture invites you to celebrate,” elaborated sophomore Kristle Dela Cruz.

To avoid insensitivity this Halloween, make sure you check yourself before going out in your costume.  Ask yourself: Would you wear it in front of a person of that culture? If you’re having doubts about whether or not it is offensive, chances are that it is.  Better safe than sorry!

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A bio teacher’s bio

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By Sagar Tomar

“I was pretty nerdy in high school,” says science teacher Jason Dries when talking about his teenage years.  Now, Mr. Dries teaches biology and Forensics Science here at Piedmont Hills.  Before going into teaching, Mr. Dries went to Saint Joseph’s High School and then to South Dakota State University.

“I want to make people smarter,” responds Mr. Dries when asked why he chose teaching as a profession.  Besides learning new things and annoying others, Mr. Dries enjoys playing video games– such as Fallout 4 and Borderlands—and photography.

Photography is something very important in his life.

”Capturing a moment in time and preserving it forever.  As someone with a terrible memory, it’s heartwarming to review pictures and stroll down memory lane of the events of our lives, big and small.  As a parent, you think you’ll remember every little detail, but you don’t.  Pictures really help relive these moments,” wistfully expresses Mr. Dries.

As for video games, Mr. Dries says, “Oh, I’ve been gaming since the first Magnavox Odyssey 2, since the first Atari 2600, since the first ColecoVision.  It’s a part of my history and I can’t stop now.”

As a child, Mr. Dries had a normal childhood although he played no sports.

“I suppose chess counts, I was in the high school chess club,” laughs Mr. Dries.

His favorite moment as a “child” is getting his driver’s license.  Now, Mr. Dries spends time with his 8 year old son doing activities such as riding his bike, playing Fallout 4 and playing Star Wars Battle Front on the old Xbox 1.  While doing all these activities, Mr. Dries enjoys slurping up raw oysters.

 

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Martin Luther King Jr. writing contest returns

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By Phuong Nguyen

The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. contest returns with the chance for students to win up to $250.

Every year, students respond to Martin Luther King, Jr. through a poem, essay, drawing or multimedia (animation, stills, live action, etc.).

This year, students had to submit their entries to an English or art teacher by Nov. 10.  The rewards for winners are the district Grand Prize of $250, school prize of $100 for first place and another school prize of $75 for second place.

“I wrote an essay about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ideals and how it applies today,” remembers senior Sean Tseng, who won last year’s Grand Prize.  “I was really excited (when I won) because I wasn’t sure how my entry would do (since) it was the first time I entered a school contest.”

English teachers Nancy Kennett, Ryan Lundell and Peggy Lee take a similar approach to Martin Luther King’s quote this year: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

“When I saw the quote, I (immediately) thought of the immigration crisis around the world,” recalls Ms. Kennett.  “These refugees are facing enemies at home and so we need to be the friends to accept them into our lives.”

“This quote seems to be asking us, ‘What are we doing today, tomorrow, next week to improve this country and to continue the legacy that Martin Luther King started,’” points out Mr. Lundell.

“I think (the quote) is really relevant because the people with the most power are really the people who are the bystanders,” states Ms. Lee.

The teachers believe that this year’s quote implies that we need to speak up today and defeat racism together.

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VSA competes in cultural competition

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FAN FAVORITE! VSA wows their fans with their traditional fan dance.

By Melody Li

On Nov. 6, VSA (Vietnamese Student Association) competed in the annual MAYS (Mid-Autumn Youth Summit) competition at Yerba Buena High School to celebrate Vietnamese culture and raise funds for the club.

At this event, VSA clubs from San Jose high schools meet together to compete in multiple categories: skits, speech, cultural jeopardy, olympia, dance and singing.

“There’s a financial prize for the competition, but it’s honestly more about the fun and getting to know other VSA clubs from different schools,” exclaims Secretary Annie Nguyen.  “It’s a huge bonding experience because everyone comes together through one culture and cheers each other on like a family.”

Cash prizes are awarded to the top three schools in each category.  Ranging from $75 for third place to $300 for first place, each category receives different amounts.  PHHS placed second in skit, third in cultural jeopardy, third in olympia and third in dance.  Activities Coordinator Daniel Johnson and senior Tina Tran took home first and second place in speech, respectively.  In total, PHHS VSA won $475 from this year’s competition.

As PHHS was unable to receive an award for speech last year, Daniel was surprised to find out he won first place.

“Finding out I won first made me feel so elated and almost euphoric after waiting anxiously for hours and going through (numerous) rounds,” reveals Daniel.

Both the club’s officers and members worked rigorously to plan and prepare for all the competition categories.  According to Co-President Roselyn Mai, the club switches up the performances every year and the officers choreographed three different dances this year by themselves.

“We started planning for MAYS a few weeks into school and started practices in September,” explains Roselyn.

MAYS is an event coordinated by college VSA members and various active members of the Vietnamese community in San Jose.

VSA officers plan to use the funds earned from MAYS for their annual PHHS VSA show in January.

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Embrace the unexpected at FLC

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INTERACT AREA 6 Students from various districts come together for a common cause. 

By Vivian Lin

Members of Interact’s District 5170 gathered at Independence High School to celebrate the club’s annual FLC (Fall Leadership Conference) on Oct. 9.

The event attracts over 4,000 members from across the Bay Area every year to engage in workshops and activities, meet new people and learn about the community and international projects for the year.

“It’s just really cool to see so many passionate people come together,” exclaimed Secretary Edward Chew.

During FLC, students worked together to make packages of crafts projects for kids in need and participated in workshops that encouraged leadership and responsibility.

Last year’s community project was “Under One Roof”, a project that helped alleviate homelessness in the San Jose area by distributing lunches and making care packages.  “Hello My Name Is”, last year’s international project, helped stop human trafficking by hosting a clothes drive for trafficking survivors and raising money through shows and fundraisers.

“FLC really sets the tone for the new year and puts everyone in that service mindset.   It serves as a sort of reminder that high schoolers can make a difference within their community, and even the world,” elaborated Edward.

This year’s community project is “Circle Of Love”, focusing on self love and breaking stigmas against mental illnesses.  Interact’s international project this year is “Me The Human”, a project that helps bring Syrian refugees in the Bay Area to a safe place while providing food and shelter to refugees around the world.

“I think these projects are really awesome and I’m very excited to take on these challenges in order to achieve our goals,” commented Youth Act Coordinator Tommie Huynh.

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Girls’ Volleyball spikes the season

By Hannah Tong and Justin Nguyen

The PHHS Girls’ Varsity Volleyball team started the 2016 season in late August.  While their original goal was merely to stay in A-League, they’ve managed to win game after game, surpassing their goal and achieving what last year’s team had been able to accomplish.

The Pirates’ home schedule ended on Tuesday with a victory over Westmont, a game promoted as part of Senior Night.  As of Tuesday’s game, the Girls’ Varsity Volleyball team league record is currently 10-3.

“I thought yesterday’s senior night game was a fantastic part of the end of my high school volleyball career,” comments senior Taylor Garvey.  “The posters were gorgeous, and it all felt very special.  It was also amazing to see so many people come out to support our team.”

While many of the girls have played together in past years, having the most recent addition to the team, Coach Ululani Pomroy, has changed the dynamic of the team.  With a new coach, the girls set up new goals for this year and have been working hard towards achieving them.

With one of the highest game records in the Mount Hamilton Division, the lady pirates have been able to make it to CCS once again this year.

“I am proud of my team for making it to CCS again,” says sophomore Emily Pereira.  “It’s amazing to look at how far we’ve gone through the season.”

The chemistry of the team has also been growing stronger as the season progressed.  Fueled by teamwork, the team played hard to win all four of their matches and achieve first place at the MVLA Tournament held in Mountain View High School on Sat., Oct. 15.

“It was the greatest feeling ever,” states captain and outside hitter Allie Pereira.  “We fought so hard, and I am so proud to say that we beat so many strong teams that doubted us.”

The season concluded on Thursday against Evergreen Valley, a team the Pirates had defeated earlier in the month.

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Girls’ Tennis hits through the season

By Bernice Ou-Yang

The season has already begun for PHHS Girls Tennis and they have played many games since then.

Last Thursday, on their last game of the season, they lost 2-5 against Leland High School, ending their season with a record of 8-6.  In their first CCS (Central Coast Section) Qualifiers game this Monday, the girls won, scoring 6-1.

“Our goal is to place second in our league,” announces Co-Captain Kelly Chau.  Right now, the team is in the A league for the most competitive division.

In order to reach their goal, the team has been practicing since the beginning of the school year and even during the summer. Through their conditioning, they build more muscle strength and improve on their speed and reflexes. During their practices, the members focus on drilling footwork and different types of shots into their muscle memory for games.

This year, Coach Alex Nguyen, a new coach with a tennis coaching- license, joined the team to help the girls bolster their techniques and forms.  He assesses their weak points, identifying what the team needs to work and improve on.

“The new players have really improved since the beginning of the season,” mentions Co-Captain Tiffany B. Nguyen. Despite losing quite a few valuable members at the start of their season, the two captains have noticed quite a lot of improvements from their members.

“As long as I don’t do anything (reckless), I think I won’t get injured,” says member Hannah Lim. Physical injuries are common among athletes. Some of the team members have minor injuries here and there. To make up for their setbacks and get over the other obstacles, the team has been practicing really hard every day.

“I want to practice with (the underclassmen) more, even when we don’t have practice,” declares Lim. The team is motivated to make it to CCS this year and every member have been working very hard during practices, hoping to improve as much as they can before the next game.

“Kelly and I always strive to create a team-oriented environment, so basically family, which I think we are,” exclaims Nguyen. By creating such a supportive and encouraging environment, the girls can practice cohesively knowing that the team has their backs.

 

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Varsity Football gets a winning expedition

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HIKE! Football Offensive Line gets ready for the snap. 

By Leiana Baclig

The Varsity Football team has kicked off the season with a record of 4-2.  The four teams Piedmont Hills had defeated were North Salinas, Mt. Pleasant, Willow Glen and Pioneer.  Piedmont Hills finally beat Pioneer for the first time since the 2010 championship.

“Our record shows the final outcome of the game, but it does not show all the skill we have on the team.  We can go 8-2 if we work as a team,” commented RB (Running Back)  and OLB Outside Linebacker) Alex Mora.

One of the biggest struggles the team is playing as individuals instead of playing as a whole team.  The players are working on their team chemistry so they can work better on the field together.  Their physicality on offense is a bit weak, but they have been lifting weights to develop their strength.  During practice, the players do hitting drills to help them be more physical on offense.  Once the team has developed a stronger physicality on offense, they will be more scary on sight.

The team has had some major improvements from the start of the season.  They became stronger on defense by doing more tackling drills and changing up their defensive scheme.  Their knowledge of knowing plays is stronger than it was last season; the players have the ability to accomplish the plays within a matter of seconds.  The team is faster this season because they have faster players.

“Our team’s strongest skill is our ability to play our speed to our advantage. We might be the smallest team in our league in terms of physical size and stature, but we might be the fastest.  We definitely use that to our advantage,” mentioned TE (Tight End) and DE (Defensive End) Michael Bird.

The team is currently working on passing plays called by their coaches.  They want to be able to complete the plays by making better passes.

“They (coaches) know what they are doing, and we have trust them, so we have to go out there and prove to everyone how pirate football is played,” Mora continues.

The players are working hard during their games practices and games.  Focusing on the present is what they do to not get carried away with their wins and losses.

“Our team’s goal is a CCS (Central Coast Section) Championship.  Anything less is a disappointment,” stated Bird.

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A Teacher Aspiring to Inspire

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PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE Mr. Shahrivar shows his love for learning. 

By Phuong Nguyen

“(Outside of school) I travel, I do stand-up comedy, I play sports (and) visit family,” English teacher Babak Shahrivar enumerates.

Five years into his teaching career at PHHS, Mr. Shahrivar teaches English 3 and AP Language and Composition in room F-13.

His childhood consisted of visiting his family in Germany and Iran and hanging out with his two close friends and his brother.

Mr. Shahrivar attended Homestead High School and De Anza Community College.  He then transferred to UCLA.

“When I was in high school, I was not involved in anything (and) was not motivated.  I was pretty lazy.  I never took an AP class or honors or anything.  I felt like I had a rebirth in community college…  I worked really hard and I got straight A’s in community college,” recalls Mr. Shahrivar.

Not wanting to be a broadcaster for television anymore, he decided to try teaching after he graduated from De Anza.

“I always liked talking with people and being with people (and trying) to inspire people.  I remember having those moments in school where you figured out how to use a formula correctly in math or you understand why a certain event happened in U.S. history.  I want to be a part of those moments for younger kids,” Mr. Shahrivar says with aspiring eyes.

A memorable moment in his life is going to Germany to visit family with his mom and brother.

“My brother passed away shortly after that trip so it was like a last trip that we had together as a family,” reminisces Mr. Shahrivar.

Another memorable event is when he went to her house in Colorado during the holiday break last year and proposed to his girlfriend.

“Right after she said yes, (I was so tired that) I went to bed,” Mr. Shahrivar laughs.

His outdoor wedding will be at Saratoga Springs on July 14, 2017.

Mr. Shahrivar plans to pursue a graduate degree and even a Ph. D in five years, have a child or two in ten years and think about retirement in 15 years.