The Student News Site of Sunny Hills High School

The Accolade

The Student News Site of Sunny Hills High School

The Accolade

The Student News Site of Sunny Hills High School

The Accolade

Nevya Patel

Nevya Patel, News Editor

After spending her first year on The Accolade staff as an assistant business manager, Nevya Patel earned the position of news editor for the 2021-2022 school year. Other than wanting to increase the newspaper's readership, her goals as a senior are to improve not only her editing abilities but also her reporting and writing skills.

Patel is also involved in the Advancement Via Individual Determination program — which she is co-president of — as well as many clubs such the Indian Student Association and the SHHS DoSomething Club, which she founded. Her hobbies include reading (mostly fantasy and romance novels) and listening to music.

All content by Nevya Patel
The Accolade helped me hit a home run

The Accolade helped me hit a home run

Nevya Patel, News Editor May 27, 2022

I sat in my interview chair with my hands covering my mouth to withhold a scream. The Angels Scholar interview board just gave me the news that would change the next four years of my life. I was...

Junior Remy Kakebeen (left) reacts to students going ahead of her at the Roundhouse Feb. 26. Kakebeen is one of many students who noticed the increased amount of cutting in school break and lunch lines.

Long lunch lines lead to students’ irritation over waiting times

Nevya Patel, News Editor February 22, 2022

Since the state provided free on-campus meals starting in 2021-2022 for break and lunch, Sunny Hills students are noticing longer lines to get food – one reason being friends allowing a group of others...

Sunny Hills High School interim principal Cathy Gach works in her office on Jan. 21 in Room 4. Gach, who replaces Allen Whitten upon his promotion to the district office last month, was hired January 2014 for the same position after former SH principal Judy Fancher left mid-school year. The retired administrator officially started her first day on Jan. 5 after the Fullerton Joint Union High School District school board approved the hire during an emergency meeting.

Here for the Interim: Cathy Gach sees spring semester principal role as ‘cheerleader’ for school

Nevya Patel, News Editor February 3, 2022

Eight. That’s the number of years Sunny Hills last had a vacancy for the top position on campus – principal. Similar to how former principal Allen Whitten was promoted last month to Student Support...

Engineering teacher Gracie Mariner (left) aids sophomore Brandon Cheng during her fourth period Principles of Engineering class on Friday, Nov. 12

New EPIC teacher seeks to jumpstart students’ knowledge in engineering, prepare them for future careers

Nevya Patel, News Editor January 13, 2022

New Engineering Pathways to Innovations and Change [EPIC] teacher Gracie Mariner recalls the time when she had to free a trapped wire 17 years ago while she was working at Sasco Electric in Fullerton. The...

Social sciences teacher Greg Del Crognale explains the reason behind increased gas prices in relation to the supply chain on Dec. 3. Del Crognale is one of multiple economics teachers who commented on what they believe the source of the problem lies with the nation’s economy.

Sunny Hills teachers ‘supply’ opinions on economic crisis

Nevya Patel, News Editor December 5, 2021

The supply chain: the process through which goods arrive to the consumer, according to Investopedia. An Oct. 21 Business Insider online article was among the first in the media to spot a break in this...

As a result of overloaded academic schedules and extracurricular responsibilities, students stay up late to finish their homework and study for their upcoming exams, leading to sleep deprivation.

No more snoozing out on sleep

Nevya Patel, News Editor November 9, 2021

Teachers always remind their students of two basic necessities the day before a big test: eat a good breakfast, and get a good night’s sleep.  Consuming a nutritious breakfast stimulates brain power...

“BookTok,” a subsection of the popular social networking platform TikTok, leads to an increase in students’ interest in books and reading.

BookTok revives students’ love for reading

Nevya Patel, News Editor September 24, 2021

Prior to the pandemic, bibliophiles would walk into the library with the intention of strolling through the shelves in search of a book that would interest them. They could explore different genres and...

In preparation for the first day of school, math teacher Cristian Bueno posts a sign Aug. 13 to remind students of proper hand hygiene in Room 65. The poster, along with another one about indoor masking, was provided by the Fullerton Joint Union High School District as part of its health and safety guidelines for the 2021-2022 school year.

Students required to wear masks indoors only – one of a few new changes for 2021-2022 Fullerton Joint Union High School District COVID-19 health and safety guidelines

Nevya Patel, News Editor August 16, 2021

In a change to summer health and safety protocols, students returning to Sunny Hills for the 2021-2022 school year will only be required to wear a mask indoors, while dances and assemblies will be encouraged...

Math teacher Darius Durham, who was hired shortly after the spring semester started, sits at his desk in Room 97 to get ready to instruct his first period Pre-calculus class on May 18. Durham is one of four new full-time additions to the Sunny Hills faculty for the 2020-2021 school year.

After couple of career changes, Darius Durham joins Sunny Hills community as new math teacher

Nevya Patel, News Editor May 24, 2021

For new math instructor Darius Durham, before he decided to join the teaching profession, things just weren’t adding up for him – literally. After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley,...

Some faculty and students at Fullerton Community College nearby Sunny Hills High School hold a demonstration outside their campus March 25.

Many Sunny Hills Asian students, alumni not surprised by nationwide and countywide series of hate crimes against their ethnicity though the actions remain hurtful

Nevya Patel, News Editor May 10, 2021

Accolade copy editor Michelle Sheen and staff reporter Esther Oh contributed to this report. Sophomore Jeffrey Tran spent his Sunday afternoon on March 28 helping out his friend’s parents tidy up...

This is the front cover of the Google slide awards presentation that announced The Accolades online news website as winning first place for the California All-Stars contest sponsored by the Southern California Journalism Education Association. The Accolade placed second in the newspaper category and tied for second with Irvines Northwood High School in the Student Media Contests sweepstakes category.

[Photo] Accolade’s online website takes first place in California All-Stars journalism contest; newspaper and team of staffers take second-place honors

April 10, 2021

This is the front cover of the Google slide awards presentation that announced The Accolade's online news website as winning first place for the California All-Stars contest sponsored by the Southern California...

A group of Accolade editors and journalism adviser Tommy Li (right) celebrate Tuesday, March 9, after school outside the 130s wing their recent accomplishments, winning Best of Show plaques for newspaper and online from the Saturday, Feb. 20, Orange County Journalism Education Association writeoffs contest as well as earning the programs second Silver Crown plaque last spring from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Because of coronavirus-related campus restrictions, Li and his editors wore masks and remained six feet apart.

The Accolade’s online website wins Best of Show for first time in Orange County writeoffs contest; newspaper also earns Best of Show plaque for fifth straight year

Nevya Patel, News Editor March 11, 2021

For the first time since The Accolade revived its news website in the 2018-2019 school year, the program swept the Orange County Journalism Education Association [OCJEA] Best of Show categories for Newspaper...

A copy of superintendent Scott Scambrays email to students in July 2020.

Superintendent responds to students’ online sexual assault allegations, petitions for change

Nevya Patel, News Editor February 17, 2021

If you have any questions, comments or concerns about the content of this article, we strongly encourage you to contact us at [email protected]. If you wish to report any cases of sexual misconduct,...

Agriculture teachers Brian Kim (top left) and Jeremy Cates await visitors to their Zoom session during the Jan. 7 virtual Open House. Since an on-campus Open House was not possible because of the coronavius pandemic, school officials provided the Fullerton community with a PDF file of Zoom links for anyone interested in meeting with instructors, counselors or coaches to ask them questions.

Despite reduced attendance, virtual Open House provides opportunity for eighth-graders and their parents to inquire about Sunny Hills’ programs

Nevya Patel, News Editor February 10, 2021

During the school years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Open House gave the Sunny Hills programs and pathways a chance to attract prospective students to their booths with their unique displays. The...

Vice President Harris’ casual Converse look truly en Vogue

Nevya Patel, News Editor January 31, 2021

Vice President Kamala Harris stands in front of salmon pink and apple green drapes, paying homage to her former sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, while wearing a smile reflecting her victory. With her simple...

Then-junior Abbie Landrum pitches in an 11-4 win against Tesoro at Sunny Hills High School on March 7.

Game Ball: Senior softball player travels from coast to coast pitching in for her teams in Virginia, California

Nevya Patel, News Editor January 7, 2021

During her sophomore year, senior Abbie Landrum had an essay assignment related to the novel Fahrenheit 451. Unfortunately for Landrum, the essay was due as soon as her plane touched down at the Los...

Lancer baseball shortstop, senior Symon Tabello, gets ready to hit one out of the park at an Aug. 11 tournament in Saint George, Utah. Since the coronavirus pandemic forced an early end to the spring baseball season and a delay in the high school ‘spring’ season to 2021, Tabello resorted to traveling with his club team, Diamond Elite, and competing in out-of-state tournaments in hopes of catching the attention of college recruiting scouts.

Athletes turn to their club teams to impress college recruiting scouts amid postponement of high school sports

Nevya Patel, News Editor December 17, 2020

Girls volleyball outside hitter junior Mykena Morley stopped playing for her club team, ProPlay Volleyball Club in Fullerton, nine months ago.  Although Morley enjoyed a summer vacation with no physical...

As Sunny Hills High School continues to use Zoom and other video conferencing platforms during the coronavirus pandemic, staff writer Nevya Patel writes, some students opt to boldly turn on their cameras while others still remain reluctant to reveal their faces.

To mute or unmute our Zoom video screens; let’s try the latter

Nevya Patel, News Editor November 12, 2020

Since the coronavirus pandemic forced the closure of live classroom instruction in mid-March and teachers resorted to distance learning and Zoom or Google Meet sessions, I usually muted my video screen...

With 100 million monthly users in America, TikTok has grown popular among Gen Z millennials but was under hot water when President Donald Trump announced that he wanted to ban the app in the U.S. because of security concerns.

STILL TI(C)KING: Sunny Hills TikTok users, creators relieved that social media app will not be going away

Nevya Patel, News Editor September 18, 2020

Saved by the O. Oracle, that is. With a Sept. 20 deadline looming for an American company to buy TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance in China, or else President Donald Trump would ban its use in...

The Alzheimer’s Awareness Club members promote their group during the 2019-2020 Club Rush at break. Because the new school year has started with distance learning instead of live instruction on campus, the ASB had to resort to a Google Slides presentation of clubs, which was posted on the school’s website Sept. 4.

Despite distance learning, student clubs can hold virtual meetings, attract new members after virtual club rush

Nevya Patel, News Editor September 9, 2020

Though not allowed to hold live, in-person meetings during distance learning, clubs have been given permission by school district officials to virtually gather on platforms such as Zoom or Google Meet...

Nevya Patel uses her own smarthpone to capture her holding a bowl of spiced vegetables, including onions, spinach and corn and black beans, which she eats as her healthy snack. She incorporated the beans to make sure she is still receiving protein because of the lack of meat intake. 

‘What? You ate meat?’ four words I would never want my parents to say to me

Nevya Patel, News Editor May 22, 2020

My younger brother was 6 years old when he told me and my parents that he had eaten a little piece of pepperoni off his friend’s pizza one day. My mom’s face screamed of horror. Her mouth fell open,...

One of the virtual backgrounds used during the May 18 laureate ceremony and held on Zoom honoring the Conservatory of Fine Arts Class of 2020. Image posted with permission from Brian Wall.

The show must go on — virtually for 10-year anniversary of Conservatory of Fine Arts laureate ceremony for Class of 2020

Nevya Patel, News Editor May 18, 2020

To celebrate the Conservatory of Fine Arts’ [COFA] 10th year in existence at the Monday, May 18, laureate ceremony honoring the Class of 2020, director Brian Wall had planned for a painted mural on the...

A screenshot of the March 6 announcement from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association about its decision to cancel its national journalism convention and March 20 awards ceremony at Columbia University in New York. The Accolade and Helios student publications had been named Crown winners last October -- the only Orange County journalism programs to have earned such a distinction -- for work produced in the 2018-2019 school year.

Spread of COVID-19 in New York ends senior publications editors’ ‘dream’ trip to the Big Apple to accept newspaper, yearbook awards

Nevya Patel, News Editor May 5, 2020

Senior Michelle Buckley said it would have been “one of the best moments of my senior year.” Another senior, Kaylee Kim, called it a “reward for all of my passion and hard work for the last three...

The Southern California Science Olympiad website posted its March 6 announcement about the cancellation of its April 4 state competition because of growing COVID-19 concerns. This wouldve been the first time that the 15-member team from Sunny Hills was eligible to compete at this level after placing fourth in the regional event at the University of California, Irvine., Feb. 15.

As COVID-19 pandemic continues to make history, Science Olympiad team’s bid to make more history of its own ends

Nevya Patel, News Editor April 19, 2020

They had already made history for Sunny Hills High School. The 15 Science Olympiad competitors had hoped they would continue their historic run at the April 4 Southern California Science Olympiad Tournament...

Science teacher Christopher Ghareebo (left) holds his hand out while dancing to Shake It by Metro Station. Ghareebo and English teacher Kady Fibrow are among the instructors who were rehearsing Nov. 13 in Room 130 for Dancing with the Staff. Photo taken by Accolade photographer Paul Yasutake.

Gym to hold Dancing With the Staff in December because of PAC modernization

Nevya Patel, News Editor November 19, 2019

For the first time in its eight-year history, the Dancing With the Staff [DWTS] fundraiser sponsored by Dance Department will be held in the gym Dec. 6-7 instead of the Performing Arts Center [PAC], which...

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