• March 24FUHSD Earth Day
  • March 25Mock Trial Auditions
  • April 1April Fools Day
  • April 4Lynbrook IDC Exchange
  • April 14-18Spring Break
The Student News Site of Lynbrook High School

the Epic
On April 28, Lynbrook will join PISA, assessing 40 random sophomores on math, science and reading for international comparison, for the first time. Graph based on data provided by OurWorldInData.org.
International student assessment closes after loss of educational funding
Notable recent events include the 40th anniversary of the FUHSF, school closures in East San José's Franklin-McKinley School District, raging wildfires across Oklahoma and a new wave of violence in the Syrian civil war. Top left: Photo used with permission from FUHSF Top right: Photo used with permission from Ivan Aleksic/Unsplash Bottom left: Photo used with permission from Patou Ricard/Pixabay Bottom right: Photo used with permission from Mahmoud Sulaiman/Unsplash.
Campus, community and world events
Vertigo Literary Magazine club received the first-class REALM award on Feb. 7 for the literary and artistic quality of their titular magazine's issues. Graphic illustrations used with permission from Vertigo.
Vertigo magazine wins national REALM award
Sophomores from across the district enjoy an evening of skating at the frst-ever intradistrict social.
Class of 2027 skates to first intradistrict social
Recent events to note include FBLA's e-waste donation drive, state efforts to fast-track relief for the Los Angeles wildfires, a polar vortex in the Midwest and Plains states and an international agreement to regulate AI. Top left: Photo used with permission from Nothing Ahead/Pexels Top right: Photo used with permission from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Bottom left: Photo used with permission from David Robert Crews Bottom right: Photo used with permission from Focall Foto
Campus, community and world events
From the Star-Spangled Banner at American football games to the red, white and blue decorations at election rallies, Americana has long been a symbol of pride and cultural identity.
Partisanship clouds patriotic values
When juveniles commit severe crimes, such as premeditated murder, they are often unable to be tried proportionally, leading to decreased public safety.
The Santana Row stabbing reveals shortcomings in juvenile justice
Microtransactions, or small in-game transactions of real money, create unhealthy spending habits in video game players.
Microtransactions encourage gambling over gaming
Students actively engage in discussions and group activities in their Ethnic Studies class.
Editorial: Federal education cuts threaten ethnic studies programs
President Donald Tump's federal aid freeze, announced on Jan. 27 and rescinded on Jan. 29, had to led to various delays in federal funding, including for schools, farmers and nonprofits.
Trump’s federal aid freeze sows confusion and endangers communities
Junior Irene Hwang offers humorous advice to those without a romantic partner during Valentine's Day.
A single person’s survival guide to Valentine’s Day
Sophomore Saavan Saraf discovered his voice in politics after a long and perspective-changing journey.
Finding my opinions in the world of politics
Junior Brian Lee holds up prayer beads, a symbol of his atheist identity amid his Buddhist family.
A different prayer in a Buddhist household
Moving west, east and west again
Moving west, east and west again
Looking back and moving forward
Looking back and moving forward
Students actively engage in discussions and group activities in their Ethnic Studies class.
Editorial: Federal education cuts threaten ethnic studies programs
In a district wide effort to address student mental health issues, Lynbrook plans to launch a future mental wellness center, preceded by a monthly prototype launching in May.
Future wellness center is a step toward aiding student mental health
Student petitions are an important way of bringing attention to school issues, but the line between serious and counterproductive petitions must be drawn. Graphic illustration by Charlotte Bolay and Crystal Zhu
Editorial: The power of petitions in student advocacy
The FUHSD board should increase outreach opportunities for students to participate in district activities, while students should engage in board efforts.
Editorial: Bridging the gap between district board and students
Editorial: Initiating safer traffic practices around campus
Editorial: Initiating safer traffic practices around campus
Every day Tara Grande, Thomas Lopez, Johnny Roberson and Tim Wehner serve as the school’s crossing guards.
Crossing into the lives of Lynbrook’s crossing guards
With a steady hand, sophomore Charlie Loper applies the last details to his signature Basque cheesecake. Photos used with permission by Charlie Loper.
Charlie Loper bakes beauty with Basque It cheesecakes
As the soft glow of a candle flickers in her garage, sophomore Chanelle Aragones delicately shapes each piece of ribbon, the flame curling its edges to create petals. Photos used with permission by Chanelle Aragones.
Chanelle Aragones wraps up success with every bouquet
Aidan Tung watches over the coral he has meticulously maintained. Photo used with permission from Aidan Tung.
Aidan Tung dives deep into the world of coral keeping
Choir showcases their yearly Singing Valentines performances to classmates and teachers. Photos by Claire Guo, Lilly Wu and Crystal Zhu. Graphic illustration by Gary Pan.
Reveiling the magic behind Lynbrook’s annual singing valentines
Photos by Lilly Wu. (Lilly Wu)Graphic illustration by Claire Guo. (Claire Guo)
Claire Hsu bakes it up
Jayden Yang makes waves through water polo
Holden Choi finds a career path in his passion for video games
Jason Wu grows passion and creativity through a side hustle
Chloe Chung strengthens connections through vinyl
World War II (1939-1945)
World War II (1939-1945)
In the fast pace of modern popular culture where trends seem to disappear before they even start, it is easy to forget their origin and cultural significance.
Subcultures enrich mainstream
Throughout history, music has continuously served as a reflection and response to tumultuous times.
Turmoil, strife and the music through it all
The Great Recession (late 2007 to mid-2009)
The Great Recession (late 2007 to mid-2009)
From the vibrant textiles of Mexico to the intricately embroidered saris of India, different forms of traditional clothing have all been woven into the diverse fabric of culture.
Tradition makes its way into modern fashion
The wrestling team navigates through new obstacles after the departure of a beloved coach.
Wrestling team perseveres back at the mat
The Valkyries perform at regional and national level competitions with elaborate choreographies while also performing at school events. Photos used with permission by Dorothy Ko
The Valkyries’ steps to success
The rejection by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors allows the continued use of turf in recreational areas. Graphic illustration by Cecilia Wu.
Santa Clara Board rejects a push to ban synthetic turf
Alice Wu dribbles her 1000th point basketball, among memories or her past years of playing basketball. Photos by Epic staff. Graphic illustrations by Amanda Jin and Ethan Wong.
Alice Wu shoots her 1000th point toward success
Arm in arm, the upperclassmen and underclassmen sports duos build bonds together in the winter season. Photos by Gary Pan and Lilly Wu. Graphic illustrations by Savaan Saraf, Jenny Suh. Ethan Wong and Lilly Wu.
Growing closer with sports mentorship duos
The past two months have seen hit after hit in terms of new album releases, two most notable being Lady Gaga's “Mayhem” and LISA's “Alter Ego." Graphic illustrations by Akash Anand, Stuti Jain and Yvonne Wu.
Nostalgia and Self-Discovery: a Review of LISA’s “Alter Ego” and Lady Gaga’s “Mayhem”
Epic staffers Amanda Jin and Irene Hwang give their opinions on the 2025 Oscars nominations. Graphic illustrations by Olivia Tu.
From Anora to Emilia Perez: Our opinions on the 2025 Oscars
View the full photo gallery at the link in our bio or at bit.ly/2025silsilayfashionshow.
Silsilay Fashion Show 2025
From classic rom-coms like “Some Like it Hot” to modern heartfelt romance like “The Big Sick,” love and laughter have remained timeless for decades. Graphic illustration by Meadow Shen and Robert Yu.
60 years of Hollywood love in four rom-coms
Every February, people begin to think about Valentine’s Day, although the holiday itself has begun to change and evolve. Graphic illustration by Anna Cen.
Unique ways to celebrate Valentine’s solo or with friends
Tug, not tackle: Students and staff on girls flag football in Viking athletics
Tug, not tackle: Students and staff on girls flag football in Viking athletics
Approaching 60 years of history: Lynbrook back in the day
Approaching 60 years of history: Lynbrook back in the day
Nostalgic memories, since 2010
Nostalgic memories, since 2010
Vertigo and La Pluma Open Mic
Vertigo and La Pluma Open Mic
Students gathered in the parking lot on March 29 for ASB's first school-sanctioned celebration of Holi.
Adding a little color with Holi
Brain Rot
Brain Rot
Nostalgia
Nostalgia
Gaming the system
Gaming the system
Lost in translation.
Lost in translation.
View the full photo gallery at the link in our bio or at bit.ly/2025silsilayfashionshow.
Silsilay Fashion Show 2025
View the full photo gallery at the link in our bio or at bit.ly/2025jpromfashionshow.
Junior Prom Fashion Show 2025
View the full photo gallery at the link in our bio or at bit.ly/epicwf25.
2025 Winter Formal: Midnight Masquerade
Sanskriti 2024
Sanskriti 2024
View the full photo gallery at the link in our bio or at bit.ly/indlunchshow24.
InDesign Lunch Fashion Show 2024
Exploring students’ favorite brain rot activities
Exploring students’ favorite brain rot activities
Women who inspire Lynbrook
Women who inspire Lynbrook
Being firefighters, since 1986
Being firefighters, since 1986
Graphic illustration by Gray Pan.
Freshmen and Sophomores battle in the first ever Underclassmen Showdown
Graphic illustration by Yvonne Wu.
What is love?
Epic staffers Amanda Jin and Irene Hwang give their opinions on the 2025 Oscars nominations. Graphic illustrations by Olivia Tu.
From Anora to Emilia Perez: Our opinions on the 2025 Oscars
Graphic Illustration by Amanda Jin, Alexandra Wu and David Zhu.
Behind the runway
Formula 1: Pit lane Talk
Formula 1: Pit lane Talk
Graphic Illustration by Daeun Chung
College mythbusting with Mr. Roy
Don’t judge a book by its cover: the shortcomings of banning books
Don’t judge a book by its cover: the shortcomings of banning books
The Student News Site of Lynbrook High School

the Epic
The Student News Site of Lynbrook High School

the Epic
Alyssa Wang

Alyssa Wang, Editor in Chief

(she/her) Alyssa is a senior, a third-year staffer and the Editor-in-Chief for the Epic. In her free time, she enjoys reading, going to the library, playing Mario Kart,and binging TV shows and movies late at night. You can often find her at nearby boba shops, Target, strolling through the aisles of Barnes and Noble, or in the pool playing water polo.

 

All content by Alyssa Wang
Andrea Badger posing with part of Lynbrook’s 1992-1996 cheer team. Julie Morelos posing with part of Lynbrook’s basketball team. Kyle Howden posing with Lynbrook’s water polo team.

Teachers revisit their high school sports days

Alyssa Wang, Editor in Chief
February 3, 2025
This is the poster in room 22 of Dilworth Elementary School that sparked controversy over the inclusion of gender identity in elementary school curriculum.

Curriculum Integrity petitions against gender identity in TK classrooms

Alyssa Wang and Angelina Feng
November 4, 2024
After a pilot year at FUHSD schools, the Health and Ethnic Studies course is set to be added into the 2025-26 required freshman curriculum.

Ethnic studies and health course strives to find the perfect fit

Angelina Feng, Saavan Saraf, Alexandra Wu, Alyssa Wang and Crystal Zhu
August 25, 2024
From "Barbie" to "Mulan," nostalgia has been a marketing strategy to remodel remniscent shows, yet some approaches have entered gray regions between offering fresh perspectives and exploiting the audiences' pre-existing connections.

Nostalgia in media: Toeing the line between modernized and contrived

Valerie Shu and Alyssa Wang
April 29, 2024
Dedicated to both academics and their sport, many student athletes juggle school work and practice daily, often sacrificing time with friends or sleep — and as a result, face burnout.

Running on empty: The consequences of burnout

Gary Pan and Alyssa Wang
April 1, 2024
While modern sentiments of these Black History Month and Women's History Month carry a similar message as intended in the 1900s, the traditions have developed widely since through a series of initiatives.

The evolution of Black History Month and Women’s History Month

Eileen Zhu and Alyssa Wang
March 11, 2024
The revenue of Beauty Brands skyrocketted in 2023, partially due to the influence of social media promoting viral products.

Beauty influencers increase consumer culture

Yvonne Wu and Alyssa Wang
February 12, 2024
Many celebrities use activism as a way to garner popularity and maintain a good public image when they don't actually care about the issue.

The complicated truth behind #CelebrityActivism

Grace Zhu and Alyssa Wang
December 11, 2023
What are Vikings thankful for?

What are Vikings thankful for?

Alyssa Wang and Emily Pedroza
December 11, 2023
Many celebrities use activism as a way to garner popularity and maintain a good public image when they don't actually care about the issue.

The complicated truth behind #CelebrityActivism

Alyssa Wang and Grace Zhu
December 11, 2023
With the growth of her brand, Sun hopes to expand her clothing collections and continue to craft at least one new collection a year. She wants to inspire others to experiment outside traditional fashion rules and is confident that her pieces will be a part of the movement that paves the future of fashion.

Fashion Forward: Amy Sun’s fusion of style and technology

Alyssa Wang, Editor in Chief
November 6, 2023
Emily finds happiness in enjoying the small moments of life, even if it's as small as a cup of coffee.

[Photo] Universal pre-K encourages equitable education opportunities

Charlotte Bolay and Irene Hwang
October 10, 2023
While a common symbol associated with autism is the puzzle piece, the community has widely shunned the symbol because of the negative connotations associated with it. The symbol of the butterfly quickly replaced the puzzle piece, representing change and acceptance. It also symbolizes how the autistic community leads fulfilled lives. Furthermore, the rainbow butterfly is also associated with ADHD, derived from the neurodivergent rainbow infinity. The rainbow infinity symbol advocates for the diversity of human brains as shown through the spectrum of colors with infinite variations and possibilities.

Navigating Lynbrook’s neurodiversity

Daeun Chung and Alyssa Wang
October 10, 2023
Emily finds happiness in enjoying the small moments of life, even if it's as small as a cup of coffee.

[Photo] Coffee shop survival crash course

Emily Pedroza, Copy Editor
October 10, 2023
Let's Chat History's team, John Jou, Aarit Parekh and Isaiah Sit, meet at Rainbow Park to record their new episode of their history podcast.

Behind the history of Let’s Chat History

Alyssa Wang, Amanda Jin, Irene Hwang, Lilly Wu, Myles Kim and Robert Yu
September 12, 2023
Senior Yechan Lee will attend the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.

Yechan Lee marches his way into military academy

Alyssa Wang, Editor in Chief
May 8, 2023
A hiking trail dotted with shrubs and various plants — one of the many such open space preserves that exist throughout the Bay Area. Local citizens should support conservation efforts through volunteering, financially, or otherwise, to preserve the Bay Area's natural wonders and as well as for recreational purposes.

Building bridges for better conservation

Alyssa Wang, Editor in Chief
April 10, 2023
The modeling industry's favoritism towards a certain body type is depicted through a wall with a silhouette of the ideal body type that models must get through in order to be casted.

Picture-perfect models on poisoned runways

Alyssa Wang, Editor in Chief
March 10, 2023
NCHS, ArtReach and CSF hosted various events and crafted traditional decorations and toys, uniting students through Chinese culture.

Clubs celebrate the Year of the Rabbit

Alyssa Wang and Eileen Zhu
February 6, 2023
Many film industries have started incorporating more LGBTQ+ characters into their scripts and schools are incorporating novels with queer characters into their literature curriculums, influencing audiences’ views on the queer community.

The representation of the LGBTQ+ community in media

Alyssa Wang and Neha Ayyer
November 7, 2022
Homecoming: Junior Skit 22-23

Homecoming: Junior Skit 22-23

Valerie Shu and Alyssa Wang
October 20, 2022
Lynbrook sports teams huddle together to call out their chants.

Lynbrook sports teams’ spirited chants

Alyssa Wang, Editor in Chief
October 19, 2022
The Sharma sisters' home-based business, Bake Up, supplies the Bay Area with eggless muffins, cookies and their signature banana bread.

The Sharma sisters Bake Up a business

Amy Liu, Chelsea Lee, Sam Sarma, Audrey Sun, Alyssa Wang, Emily Pedroza and Daeun Chung
August 23, 2022