The Smoke Signal

J.K. Rowling’s vision of the wizarding world has come to life with three roller coaster rides, a charming Hogsmeade village [...]

The Excitement Phase | March 15, 2010 | 11:40 AM Dear Diary, I can’t believe it; we got our high school registration forms today! I also can’t believe there’s only two and a half more months until we can get out of here! No longer will I have to gaze longingly at MSJ’s track and tennis courts during PE! No more outrageously hard science, no more Accelerated Reading, and, best of all, no more 4-6 PM socials! Life can only get better from here on out- senior boys! Better cafeteria lunches! Junior boys!! The Nervous Phase | March 15, 2010 | 3:07 PM…

On Thursday, March 11, Girl’s Softball faced off against the Dublin Gaels in a hard- fought 11-5 loss. Heading into the game, the Lady Warriors were adjusting to the return of Senior Captain Emmeline Wang and the loss of Junior Adrianna Aboumrad to injury. In the first inning, the Lady Warriors held  off a potential 2-0 deficit by playing tight defense. Junior Megan McLaughlin saved the play by recovering a tough line drive, holding the score to 1-0. Sophomore Rachna Desai was able to round the bases and score a run for the Lady Warriors, tying the game at…

I admit it; I used to be someone who used Sparknotes indiscriminately. Temptation lured me to err at 2:30 AM, after hours of diligent work (and sneaky procrastination). Completed the history notes? Check. Reviewed for the biology lab? Check. Studied for the pre-calculus test? Triple check. Finished reading chapters one through eight of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? Che– oh, shoot. Guess I should read the abridged summary online then. During the wee hours of the morning, the heart-stopping realization of overlooking the English reading assignment creates immense panic for any sleep-deprived MSJ student. Horrifying images of being clueless…

Parents have taken matters into their own hands when it comes to FUSD budget cuts. SaveFremontStudents is a campaign to raise $4.5 million by July 15.  This money will go towards Music and PE teachers in grades K-6, reducing class sizes in grades K-3, and reinstating 15 teachers in grades 7-12. The campaign was started by a Virginia Hom, a parent of a FUSD student. They are now working with Fremont Education Foundation, a non-profit with a long history of funding school sports and other events. Members of SaveFremontStudents include parents, teachers, administrators, and local businesses. Christina Broadwin, Co-Leader…

The family Festival hosted by MSJ Leadership class on May 30, 2009, was a carnival geared towards the Mission community. The event, held on the track field behind MSJ contained numerous rides including, rock climbing and pony rides, as well as games such as mini-golf and balloon throw lining the back field. For the first family festival ever held at MSJ, there was decent turnout. Although most of the attendees consisted of families with young children, there were a reasonable amount of MSJ students there as well. Rides included a mini jousting arena as well as several bouncy houses…

Having been a competitive player for over 33 years and now head coach of the MSJ Boys’ Tennis team, Coach Barry Poole shares some thoughts on his goals for this season. Poole is undoubtedly engaged during practices and even called out to his players, “Let’s go, guys! We’re burning wind here!” as he shared his thoughts with the Smoke Signal. Smoke Signal: Were you an active tennis player yourself before coming here to coach? Barry Poole: Yes, I have been involved in tennis competitively since I was eight years old. I played up to my forties and stopped due…

When it comes to sports, there really isn’t a fine line regarding fan behavior. At sporting events, spectators are asked for nothing more than to carry themselves in a polite manner that presents no distractions to the athletes and to cheer “appropriately and accordingly to the game being watched,” said Senior Captain Allison Day. Depending on the sport, “good etiquette” can range from only applauding during certain situations to screaming your lungs out the entire game. In more “sophisticated” sports such as golf, tennis, and even wrestling, proper manners involve only cheering after play has stopped: after a point or…

Can you see Ryan Zargari playing badminton? Not in a million years. In a school dominated by popular team sports, Senior Ryan Zargari refuses to follow suit. After attending a brutal military school in Florida, Zargari has taken an interest in an unusual and lesser known sport of cage fighting. Punches, kicks, and submissions are only small tastes of the true athleticism this dangerous sport demands. Much like fighters in the grueling Ultimate Fighting Championship, Zargari has completely immersed himself in his fighting in order to succeed. Fighters in the legendary Cung Le’s gym, where Zargari trains, undergo the toughest…

Since the beginning of civilization, sports have been a source of recreation and physical activity for people across the globe. Yet dance, which has been present in every culture in history and by definition requires skill and physical prowess, is not considered a sport. Though generalized as a performing art based on its expressive nature, it is undeniable that dance possesses the four characteristics that define any sport: Athleticism. Watch any dance performance by a professional dancer, and athleticism is obvious. Comparable to that of a sprinter who bursts into movement out of the starting blocks and a cross-country skier…