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Homestead High School 21370 Homestead Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014
Volume 63, Issue 8
May 28, 2026
ASB introduces new environmental spirit week Earth Week promotes sustainability awareness among students
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Class structure, student schedules to be adjusted
See EL reclassification, page 2
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Students find success through rigorous testing
After months of studying, English Language Department students demonstrated their English fluency through a multistep reclassification process, ELD teacher Adrian Buenrostro said. “ELD reclassification is a big event for ELD and for HHS, because it takes so many years for several of our students to be able to be reclassified in school,” Buenros-
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American Studies makes organizational changes
Sanjeet Jayaseelan and Advay Ranade
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Hector Almendarez said the sustainability commissioners will continue to implement events and activities that students can participate in to promote sustainability.
EL reclassification bridges language barriers tro said. “[Passing means] the student is fully immersed in the English language and has passed most of the classes with a good grade. It’s a big accomplishment for students, administration and teachers.” In November and December, the school received the scores for the students’ Summative English Language Proficiency Assessments for California, which were taken last spring, ELD site coordinator Grace Henson said.
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ger made or different from the styles that you find in the malls, a lot of unique pieces and I think it usually tends to be cheaper.” With many other events, like dances and rallies wasting lots of materials, Almendarez said the sustainability section of ASB will likely grow and continue to implement more ways the school can be conscious with its resources. “Looking forward, I think [the sustainability commissioners] will make these things a regular part of HHS’s culture. We’re going to have this thrift store, [and] we’re going to have these sustainability events,” Almendarez said. “We’re going to have these subtle, different ways to be more mindful and sustainable, as well as making it actually fun and engaging.”
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to happen. They’re going out there and saying, ‘We want to do this thing’. Perfect, then let’s do it. Let’s gather the needed resources.” Deciding on a date for the week proved Olivia Levesque Ouellette and challenging, as they had to consider the Selina Wang other end of the year events and rallies that would be occurring, Nemani said. With the thrift store event from last ASB sustainability commissioners, sophomore Cynthia Li and junior Sravika semester attracting students and making Nemani, introduced Earth Week, a new profitable sales, Nemani said they aimedspirit week held from May 18 to May 22. to create another successful event for this Students participated in several activi- semester. “I hope [students] start to understand ties, including patchwork and bike races, all of which aimed to educate them about that there are sustainability initiatives on campus, and they are more active in sustainability, Cynthia joining and helping out,” Nemani said. Li said. “It seems so daunting, “We want to this giant thing of show students that climate change and climate work can be We want to show plastic, like it seems fun,” Cynthia Li said. students that climate almost inevitable “That’s why we’re that we’re doomed. work can be fun. Their implementing a lot of But really, there are interactive activities voice is the loudest when things that we can be with the ultimate goal they talk about climate. doing to make an imof teaching students pact.” that their voice is the -Cynthia Li (10) The patchwork loudest when they event, where talk about climate. students Students are busy, and guessed when busy people make time to talk about important issues, it’s a which popular brands are fast fashion, allowed students to lot more prevalent and loud.” Beginning planning in January, Cyn- learn about the negative effects thia Li and Nemani were able to suc- it has on the environment, junior cessfully execute their vision due to their Lily Li said. “Everyone should thrift bededication to sustainability activism, Alcause it’s way better for the enmendarez said. “Any of the growth that has happened vironment, and all those clothes this year has been because of the com- would be in a landfill otherwise,” missioners,” Almendarez said. “They’ve Lily Li said. “But [at a thrift store] done a fantastic job with being proactive you can find clothes that are no lonrather than just hanging back and waiting for things
Natasha Bandil and Sanjeet Jayaseelan Enrollment in American Studies, a cotaught English and history course, has significantly dropped from 120 students to 90 for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year, English department lead James Aguirre said. To accommodate fewer students, the course will be restructured with one AMSTUD section co-taught by two teachers
simultaneously, like previous years, and one section taught by one teacher at a time, similar to a standard class, Aguirre said. “It’ll still be the AMSTUD curriculum, and both teachers will still incorporate all of their lessons,” Aguirre said, “We’re just changing the structure of one class a little bit to give students their first preference. It’s still the same level of support, just a different kind of environment.”
See American Studies, page 2
PAGE DESIGN BY AVIV MATAS AND CHLOE WANG ILLUSTRATIONS BY KAYLIN YI