On January 31st, Portola Highly Gifted Magnet (HGM) hosted its annual science fair for its seventh and eighth graders. Nearly 200 students participated and presented the projects they had worked on for almost 5 months in front of judges with advanced degrees in sciences, including parents, college professors, scientists, etc. Although it was my first…
Have you noticed that it rains more recently than in the past? Do you remember that California was suffering from a drought just four years ago? The rains in Southern California rarely come and go, especially during the winter. But, it seems as though precipitation levels are rising. California residents of over…
Compared to previous times, modern American society is characterized in history as a time when more people are starting to embrace differences and develop tolerance for others. Examples include the alleviating discrimination of certain groups of people today; although it still exists, it does so at a lesser extent with more people willing…
On February 27, 2019, President Trump met with Kim Jong-un of North Korea for a second summit, this time in Hanoi, Vietnam. The meeting came eight months after the first summit in June 2018 in Singapore, which failed to produce any clear path toward denuclearization. The meeting was highly publicized as many wanted to…
As of March 17, 2019 high school teachers in South Korea are no longer going to be allowed to teach at a school in which their child is enrolled as a student. This major law change was caused because of high schools with students who had parents employed as teachers at their…
Guns have not been the easiest topic to talk about. In fact, it’s one of the more hot button issues in today’s America. Many people have lost their lives to guns because of that some have even advocated the amending of the second amendment altogether. However, some believe that going to such extreme…
E-Cigarettes. They are not what you think they are. New studies are proving that electronic-cigarettes are extremely unhealthy, contrary to popular opinions. According to Robin Koval, CEO of Legacy, E-Cigarettes contain nicotine, a highly addictive drug that comes from tobacco plants that causes changes in the brain, when inhaled. The non-profit organization Tobacco…
Living in the high technology-driven US in the 21st century, we bask in our seemingly unlimited freedoms, especially our access to news, media, and entertainment. On the other extreme, in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, people are risking their lives just to get a glimpse of what we take for granted. The…
Teen life is very demanding. Adults often say “it is the best time of your life, enjoy it.” However, in reality, teens suffer through depression, bullying, peer pressure, abuse and emotional moments. School itself encumbers a tremendous amount of stress and responsibilities on teens’ shoulders; friendship and relationship problems are difficult to deal…
President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border came to be an unprecedented move, though not entirely unexpected. The announcement came following a two month long dispute between the president and Democrats over funding for the former’s proposed border wall – a dispute involving a record-breaking 35 day government shutdown…
