The Mills Mock Trial team at the final Northern San Mateo County Mock Trial Competition round that secured Mills' first place finish. The team advances to semi-finals against Hillsdale on February 28.

The Mills Mock Trial team advances to the semi-final round of the San Mateo County Mock Trial competition on Tuesday, February 28, following a first place finish in three preliminary competition rounds.

The Mills team advances with South City High School from the Northern San Mateo County division to the semi-final round where the two teams will faced off with the San Mateo County Southern Branch victors, Hillsdale High School and Menlo School, respectively. The competition took place at the Superior Court of San Mateo County. History teacher Ms. Campbell is the teacher advisor, and practicing attorneys Dennis Zell and Rolando Pasquali are the attorney coaches of this year’s team.

The California Mock Trial Program, sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundation, presents Mock Trial participants with a criminal case each fall. Cases include testimonies of fictional witnesses, upon which the trial is based. Student participants prepare for trial for most of the year, studying and preparing their cases under the guidance of teacher advisors and attorney coaches. A team is divided into the Prosecution and the Defense. Students may play attorneys, witnesses, bailiffs, clerks, or courtroom artists in the mock renditions of real-life court proceedings. A trial is composed of two motions. First is a preliminary pre-trial motion brought by the defense to exclude the second count with which the Prosecution wants to charge the defendant. The second motion constitutes the actual trial, during which witnesses present evidence on both sides.

This year’s case was a murder trial featuring a pretrial motion on the constitutionality of the California Concealed Carry Statute. The prosecution charged Ryan Buschell, with the second-degree murder of Becca Abeles. Mock Trial is an intellectually stimulating activity that requires attorneys and witnesses on both sides to think fast on their feet and to argue their theories using adequate knowledge of the law.

Junior Valerie Fates, who acted the defendant in this year’s trial said, “Acting as the defendant in a murder trial s very difficult. The defendant has to give the right impression to the trier of fact, the judge. I can’t act too happy and I can’t act too sad. I have to earn the judge’s sympathy and know my facts really well.”

Despite the challenge, however, Mills Mock Trial participants enjoy the instruction on law and the benefits of teamwork that they receive in return for their hard work and dedication.

Senior and student Defense lawyer Raymond Tong who is in his second year in Mock Trial said, “I returned this year because Mock Trial is something I really enjoy. It gives me a chance to learn something that the normal school curriculum doesn’t teach me.”

The team attributes its success in the courtroom to the help and guidance it received from Ms. Campbell and its two attorney coaches during practice this year.

Tong said, “I think we owe most of it [our success] to our attorney coaches and Ms. Campbell for helping us out so much.”

Despite the success it has had thus far, however, the team understands that it will be facing a different kind of competition in the semi-final round. Menlo School and Hillsdale High School have consistently been at the top of their game, as defending California State Mock Trial Champion and former California State Mock Trial Champion, respectively.  Nevertheless, the team feels confident heading into semi-finals and is proud of its accomplishments regardless of what the final outcome may be.

Mock Trial participants are scored based on their presentations in the courtroom by practicing attorneys who are the judges. Student attorneys are scored based on their overall knowledge of the law and their abilities to construct direct and cross-examinations, present opening and closing statements, and respond to trial proceedings with the appropriate objections. Student witnesses are scored on their believability playing their character, and their responses in dealing with the opposing counsel’s cross-examinations.

This is the second time Mills Mock Trial has advanced to the semi-final round in three years. The team finds out whether it will advance to final round of the county mock trial competition on Wednesday, February 29.

Civil Rights Leaders Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Caesar Chavez. -Drawn by Marie Johnson

The month of February is recognized as Black History Month, a time to celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans in their struggles for equality; however, this month can be celebrated by everyone.

Great civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X are often associated with Black History Month because of their immense contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.  However, many people do not realize that the struggles and battles that these activists went through did not solely benefit black people.

People must remember that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 helped stop discrimination towards all minorities across the United States, not just discrimination towards blacks.  They helped “open the doors” for all other races that were not able to speak up for themselves.  Segregation was forbidden, all forms of discrimination were illegal, and unfair voting requirements were removed.  All of these monumental changes for the United States benefitted people of all races and gave them a much greater sense of equality than they previously had.

The influences from the Civil Rights Movement also helped to spur César Chávez’s battles for better working conditions for Mexican-American farm workers through the United Farm Workers Movement. Asian-Americans were also heavily influenced by the Civil Rights Movement because throughout the 1960s and 1970s, strikes were conducted to end the racism brought on by the Vietnam War.  Their strikes also helped the Japanese-Americans who were cruelly put in internment camps during World War II get reparations.

More importantly, the Civil Rights Movement and its leaders influenced many modern day “civil rights movements.”  The biggest and most important modern equality movement is the homosexual community’s battle for equality and the right to marry.  Recently, Proposition 8, which forbade homosexual marriages, was found to be unconstitutional; however, it can be assured that the battle is not yet over. This success for the homosexual community can easily be paralleled to that of the Civil Rights Movement because in both cases, success was obtained after years of struggle.

Black History Month is not just for African Americans because everyone has a reason to celebrate equality in America and everyone in America can relate to it.  Without the accomplishments of great African-American leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., the United States would be a far less diverse and welcoming country.  All races have a reason to celebrate   Black History Month, whether they are Latino, Asian, or African-American, because everyone can celebrate diversity and equality.

            2012 had a rough start, filled with ailment.  As many people know a nasty flu and cold has been going around, causing them to miss school and other important occasions.  It is important to know how to go about your daily life without having to worry about illness.  Sometimes it may be difficult to avoid sickness but these ten steps will greatly reduce your chances of catching a sickness:

Thoroughly wash your hands before doing any activity that risks exposure to viruses that may have come from unsanitary hands. (Photo Credit:http://www.foodinsight.org)

1. Eat fruits and vegetables.  While most people hate eating fruits and veggies, they can drastically boost your immune system.  By keeping a healthy diet you will be able toprevent getting sick.  Include lots of nutrients in your meals so that your immune system remains strong and can fight off any viruses that enter your body.
2. Wash your hands thoroughly.  By washing your hands you remove any cold and flu viruses that could be lingering on your skin.  Antibacterial soaps kill 99.9% of viruses.  Hard scrubbing is very effective in removing viruses, so be sure to wash under fingernails and between fingers.
3. Keep surfaces of counters and tables clean.  Anything with a surface that many people touch has the possibility of having viruses.  Viruses can live on surfaces for up to twenty hours.  Sanitize all the surfaces to rid them of cold and flu viruses.
4. Wear warm clothes when you are out in the cold.  Despite the common misconception, the cold climate does not actually cause you to get colds, but makes you more susceptible to cold and flu viruses.  Keeping your body warms makes your cells more able to fight viruses.
5. Take vitamins and supplements.  Nutritional supplements will also help build your immune system up.  Vitamin C may help in reducing your chances of getting sick. Multivitamins that contain vitamin C and minerals are good for your immune system.  If you don’t like swallowing pills, eat the delicious gummy vitamins.
6. Stay away from overly crowded places.  If you think that there will be a high concentration of viruses or a high chance of catching an illness at a location, avoid it!  Likewise, if you have the cold or flu, stay at home to prevent spreading the illness.
7. Work out.  People who work out have fewer and less severe colds.  By working out your body is able to circulate more immune boosting cells.  These cells will make your body much more effective in preventing sickness.
8. Keep the air in your house humid.  Viruses thrive in dry air.  Dry air also causes your nose and throat to dry, allowing any viruses in your body to prosper.
9. Be sure to get lots of sleep.  Getting an adequate amount of sleep is essential in keeping your immune system strong.  Sleep will help you fight off viruses.  A lack of sleep can greatly decrease the effectiveness of your immune system.
10. Reduce the stress in your life.  Put a little fun in your life every now and then.  Stress can have a bigger effect on your immune system than you may think.

Now that you know how to prevent sickness, hopefully you will be able to stay healthy this season and make it through the year with little to no illness.

On February 23, 2012, Mills had another food fair, which was not only filled with deliciously authentic foods and delectable treats, but also crammed with scrambling students and line-cutting teachers—all eager to eat and support various Mills clubs and organizations.

Several clubs sold “classic” Mills food fair favorites: milk teas from Tpumps, sold by the Future Doctors of America; spam masubis sold by the Junior class; falafel plates by the Arabic Club; Chinese platter from the Chinese Cultural Club; Super Burritos brought by Latina Mentor Club; and lumpias which were sold by the Filipino-American Alliance

Other huge hits included Best Buddies Club’s mozzarella sticks, GATE’s chicken katsu, Fijian-Indian Club’s samosas and naan, Breads n’ Spreads’ clam chowder and bread, and various types of rice bowls sold by the Dragon Team and the Japanese, Korean, and Polynesian Clubs. Popcorn chicken brought by the Indoor Soccer team was also a very popular snack sold, similar to curry fish balls sold by New Global Citizens and sandwiches and burgers sold by Words of Wisdom and the Senior 2012 class.

This year’s February Food Fair was a definite success, giving a much needed boost for plenty of Mills’ clubs and organizations. Much of it can be attributed to Leadership class, which set up the event, and to the hundreds of students that piled behind clubs’ tables, anxiously waiting for their food and devouring them afterwards, filling Mills’ ambiance with lots of smiles and delicious satisfaction.

Last week, on February 7^th and 8^th, Mills Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors took the California High School Exit Exam, which has been issued by the California Department of Education since 1999 to test the ability of high school students on whether they meet standard proficiency in English-Language Arts and Mathematics for students to graduate high school. The CAHSEE contains test questions based on 10^th grade education standards in mathematics, English-Language Arts, and Writing.

The first class of students to take the CAHSEE test was the class of 2005-2006—more than 50,000 students were unable to pass the test. Many high school students sued the California Department of Education, stating the unfairness of the CASHEE because of the different educational abilities of each public high school in California. Some high schools were crowded, and often taught by teachers who did not reach qualifications for teaching.

Even though the CAHSEE strives to improve public education, the requirements of the test have resulted in negative outcomes in many cases for some high school
students. High school students who are unable to pass the CAHSEE exam feel
discouraged, and decide to drop-out of high school without obtaining a high school diploma. The CAHSEE has slightly increased the high school drop-out rate
because of its effects on high school students challenged with passing the
test.

Another drawback of the CAHSEE is its categorization of student pass rates by race. By scoring high school students by race, people have developed a bias towards the intellect of different ethnicities.  The pass rates categorized by race have caused people to stereotype some ethnic groups as smarter than others.

In addition, foreign students are at a disadvantage for many are engendering nascent English speaking abilities. The statistics of test results in 2011 showed that only 52.6% of foreign immigrants attending a public high school in California passed the CASHEE in their 10^th grade. Nearly half of the foreign immigrant students were required to retake the exam in order to receive a high school diploma.

The economic backgrounds of many high schools are also a
contributing factor to the differences in pass rates. Students educated from backgrounds of financial hardships have a disadvantage in High School, due to a lack of funding for equipment and learning materials. From pass rate results in 2011, only 71.8 % of economically disadvantaged 10^th graders passed the
CASHEE, compared to 89.3% pass rate of economically privileged 10^th
graders.  Coming from privileged backgrounds, Mills students have a higher pass rate yearly compared to financially instable schools because Mills provides good teachers and learning materials available for students.

“Parents of economically disadvantaged children are unable to help [their children] because they do not have the financial ability to pay for tutors like most fortunate students,” says Mrs. Ajemian, a Modern World History teacher.

Using newspaper as gift wrap is a great eco-friendly way to spice up any present. (Photo Credit: greenteadesign.com)

Wrapping presents can be a chore, especially during the holidays when there are piles of gifts to be wrapped in the same exact way. Personalizing birthday or holiday gifts with gift wrap that matches the gift recipient’s personality can make wrapping presents fun and interesting again!

1. Start with your canvas. Begin by selecting a base to wrap your present with. This can be a ordinary roll of wrapping paper or any colored piece of paper. To be a little more eco-friendly, try using paper bags from grocery stores flipped inside out or newspapers. If the item you are wrapping is not a box, a small piece of patterned fabric and ribbon can make for simple wrapping.

2. Decorate the base. If you selected a simple base such as a single colored wrapping paper or a brown paper bag, use stamps or stickers to create your own pattern and design. You can also cut out the letters of your recipient’s name or a message and glue them onto the paper so you won’t need a tag later. Three-dimensional accents often make great gifts even better: a fresh flower picked from your backyard glued to the center of the wrapping paper is an unexpected, but beautiful gift decoration.

3. Add a tag! If you didn’t use the cut-out letters idea above, a tag is usually necessary to let your gift recipient know who the gift is from or who the gift is for. Gift tags can also serve as another blank canvas for you to expand your creativity. Instead of using a typical paper gift tag, bake a sugar cookie and use frosting to write your personalized message on it. Put the cookie into a small clear bag and tie or glue it to the gift. Not only is the tag practical, it’s also edible and delicious!

Though some of the ideas above may seem like a lot of work and over the top for just the exterior of a gift, remember that simplicity can also be unique, just be thoughtful and aware of your recipient’s unique personality.

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Don't give into the temptation of sleep! [Photo Credit: instructables.com

We’ve all been there—you took too much time playing video games, surfing the web, or watching TV, and now it’s nearly midnight and you haven’t even started your homework. You silently curse yourself in your head for not getting started earlier and grudgingly start typing your huge English essay due tomorrow. Sleep doesn’t seem like a possibility tonight, and even though pulling all-nighters isn’t a very good habit, they do come up once in a while. Use these ingenious tips to help you get through your long night.

Fill your body with nutrients. And by “nutrients” I mean caffeine. If you are planning for a long night, put a few (twelve or so should be enough) energy drinks of your choice into the fridge so they’ll be nice and cold when you need them. Make the most out of them by rubbing the cold cans over your entire face before drinking for an quick-wake up call. Supplement your energy drinks with lots of cold food: salads, sushi, sour candy, and smoothies are all great choices.

Manipulate your environment. This is one of the most important tips to pull a successful all-nighter. Turn off the heater and open your windows to turn your room into an instant igloo (this works especially well in the winter months). Make sure you leave all the lights on; it will keep you more awake.

Give yourself breaks. If you don’t allow yourself to take a break every few hours, you’ll burn out. Watch a funny or random Youtube video, play a quick game (quick is the keyword here), or draw. Do something fun for about fifteen minutes and get back to work. Do not, I repeat, do NOT go on Facebook. One quick “check to see if anybody else is online” will ruin your whole night.

Get up and get active. You can also use exercise as a break as well. Do jumping jacks and sit-ups to work up a bit of a sweat or just get up every hour or so to walk around—don’t worry, the energy drinks will make sure you’ll be getting up frequently to go to the bathroom. Better yet, set up a obstacle course around your house with stools, pillows, and other household items and see how fast you can get through it without waking up your other family members.

So you’ve taken the plunge and decided to try and pull an all-nighter. Don’t worry, it’s not too hard as long as you have the right resources prepared. With the all the great and extremely effective tips above, you’ll be finishing that essay and acing your test in no time! Pun intended—you probably only have a few minutes to sleep before waking up and heading to school anyways. Good luck and no matter how tempting it may be to lay down for two quick seconds to take a nap…just don’t do it!

I have recently written an article discussing the benefits of social networking and lightly touched on its effects on teenagers. I declared that social networking is not “all bad,” and I still maintain the same view. Another benefit of social networking—in addition to the most obvious ones relating to communication and keeping current—is that it provides a genuine outlet for students and can also make them feel “normal.”

Social networking websites allow users to update all their friends on what they are doing: working on assignments, going to the mall, or perhaps playing a videogame. The act of sharing these things is omething most are not able to do in reality because most teenagers are afraid that no one might care. And it’s almost always true. I mean, who’d like to hear someone telling them that they’re drinking water, and the next second they’re sharpening their pencil? Posting updates using websites like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, for their friends to see and getting “likes,” “retweets,” “reblogs,” or comments from friends make teenagers feel, put simply, good.

Teen Glued to the Screen. . . (taken from theonlinemom.com)

Teens may feel liked or paid-attention to, something most humans crave innately. Seriously, who doesn’t want to be noticed? Liked? Adored?

As senior Amanda Musolino puts it, “‘Liking’ statuses is a lazy way of saying you can relate or agree to what one person is saying. Instead of typing words, you just ‘like’ things. I do it all the time. If you see other people doing or liking things you do, it reinforces feelings of normality and conformity, which is important for most of us because we already feel socially awkward most of the time.”