From April 3 to April 11, Irvington High School's theatre department hosted the musical, “Mamma Mia.” The director, Matthew Ballin, was in charge of this production as this is his last year before retirement. Ballin wanted a production that was popular, fun and profitable. The actors made a list of the plays they wanted to do, then Ballin had a meeting with the production staff about what shows were suitable. Sometimes, it takes several meetings before deciding. “Mamma Mia” e

Photo from Irvington Key Club On Jan. 16th, the Irvington Key Club hosted its 2nd Annual Beneficial Concert, Keypalooza, a heartfelt fundraiser supporting the Pediatric Trauma Program (PTP). The event brought together a variety of student groups and community performers to share their talents and contribute to a meaningful cause. The evening began at 7 p.m. with welcoming remarks from MCs Kalyn Dang and Andre Nguyen, who introduced the mission behind the charity. The audien

Photos by Gurjus Bhasin | JFK students come together to plan an eventful Hackathon. What started as an idea between classmates turned into a day of innovation at the Newark Library on Jan. 10, as three local students hosted ValleyHacks, a student-run hackathon that drew more than 60 participants ranging from high schoolers to college students across the Bay Area. Organized by Ridhima Kapoor (12), Gurjus Bhasin (12) and Vignesh Kalyanasundaram (12), the event lasted six co

On November 28 2025, around 5:40 a total of three people (an adult male, female and a 16-year-old female) were caught in a crossfire at Westfield Valley Fair Mall, located at 2855 Stevens Creek Boulevard. Since there were a lot of agencies around Westfield, the SJPD were able to take the three wounded people to the hospital and prevented any further injuries or mishaps. News reporters informed that the suspect and the adult male were in an argument with one another before

Filipinos have the longest running Christmas celebration in the world, starting from September up until December, also known as the “Ber” months. In the Philippines, the religious and social aspects explain why they celebrate Christmas so early. Setting up parols, gatherings, feasts, carolling, “Ang Pao,” and “Noche Buena” are common traditions that are held during these months. Filipinos in the Philippines celebrate Christmas early for a number of reasons, starting from the

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 640 on Oct. 6, 2025. This bill initiated the California State University (CSU) direct admissions program, which allows students that meet the requirements of a CSU to be able to automatically enroll into one. Gov. Newsom passed this bill intending to make higher education more accessible after the declined enrollment from the pandemic. Senator Christopher Gabaldon was the one who proposed legislation to admit Californian hi

The United States Congress marked October as the official month for Filipino American History in 2009. October acknowledges the arrival and legacy of Filipinos in the US because it was when the Filipinos first arrived in California. The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) then initiated it to become a month in 1991. FANHS was also very passionate about making it about history rather than “heritage.” Heritage means culture and traditions while history means p

Student bands help students show off school spirit and creativity, and some students at John F. Kennedy High School are doing just that. A group of three friends decided to form a band and progress their music skills together. Their original band name was Citrus Heaven, but after realizing they shouldn’t make their band name a 67 joke, they have decided to temporarily be called To Be Due. Their name represents that their band name will be due at some point. Rhythm guitarist

Hispanic Heritage Month, a celebration of Hispanic and Latino history and culture, begins Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15. During this time, recognition and contributions are made here in the United States to celebrate many aspects of Hispanic culture such as art, food and history. Why do we celebrate in the US? It gives the country an opportunity to explore the impact that Latinos have had on this country for generations. According to the National Museum of the American

Many East and Southeast Asian countries celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar’s seventh month. It is unique and significant because it is celebrated in Asian heritage to celebrate the lost souls and to worship the dead. This day is a time honored tradition in Buddhist and Taoist culture. This festival is the day where ghosts whose family has forgotten about them roam at night looking for food to eat. During this day, the g

Starting the week of Aug. 20, Bart moved to a system of contactless payment that no longer requires Clipper Cards, making travelling throughout the Bay Area easier than ever. For many years, the only way to pay for your Bart ride was to use a Clipper Card. A Clipper Card is a small card, the size of a credit card, that riders had to reload in order to pay for their Bart trips. This was inconvenient for riders because having to reload their Clipper Card takes time out of the

In Aug. 2023, Waymo taxis were approved for commercial transportation in California and were introduced to the streets of San Francisco. Waymo, a sub-company of Alphabet, describes their product as an “autonomous ride-hailing service” that utilizes a fleet of driverless electric vehicles. Since then, Waymos have become a regular sighting in the Bay Area city, inspiring mixed reactions from onlookers. Some residents support this advancement in technology, seeing it as a sign o

On Sep. 5, a rare case of tragedy and violence has struck Fremont. Two people were shot and killed in a parking lot, reportedly during a drive-by incident. According to an official press release, Fremont Police officers followed up on a report of a shooting on Sep. 5 around 11:12 pm. The shooting occurred at the 6000 Stevenson Blvd block or near the Royal Palace Banquet Hall. When officers arrived on the scene, they immediately administered aid to one victim, who unfortunat