Filipinos in Fullerton constitute only about 2% of the total population yet the sold-out cultural nights at Sunny Hills and Troy High Schools last month seem to suggest how this small group of Asian immigrants is impacting our community.

Known popularly as Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN), this annual celebration of the Philippine culture provides an opportunity for Filipino-American students and their families and friends to learn Philippine history, customs, and traditions through songs, dances, and comic “skits.”

Sunny Hills’ Bayanihan Club dancing the famous Philippine folk dance called tinikling.

PCN is “an annual tradition in many colleges and high schools across the nation to celebrate and showcase Filipino culture and history” (https://www.pcecpslo.com/pilipino-cultural-night). I attended the sold-out event at Troy High School last month and never expected I would spend three solid hours watching pure entertainment and electrifying performances. This phenomenal event inspired me to accept an offer to work as Stage Manager for Sunny Hills’ PCN two weeks ago. As a Filipino American, I feel a sense of pride in promoting Filipino culture and as a Fullerton resident I feel proud of my community for making every resident feel at home whether one is Korean, Hispanic, Black, Filipino, or something else. Embracing the spirit of diversity is a valuable opportunity that enriches our young lives.

2022 Annual Pilipino Cultural Night at Sunny Hills High School.

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, I’ve recently encountered some wholehearted conflicts while choosing the “perfect” gift for my mom. Although my measly gift will never amount to the vast sacrifices she makes, I wanted to prepare something genuine — something authentic enough to reciprocate the love that she has nurtured for the past 16 years. But the hours of scrolling and online window shopping left me everywhere but with a feasible plan and a touching gift. Instead, I was left to scrutinize the practice of gift-giving and the ways that I have grown accustomed to society’s gifting expectations.

While cliché, it’s time for me to address the issue: “Is regifting socially acceptable?” While there has always been a stigma surrounding the practice of regifting, we must now consider this practice from an environmental and economic standpoint. According to the 2021 National Retail Federation report, $428 billion worth of merchandise was returned in the U.S. in

2020. With the growing practice of secondhand shopping and the reduced value of fast fashion brands, regifting takes on a similar system to promote sustainability while keeping budgets in check. The notion that regifting is a careless and rude gesture has prevented me from participating in this movement in the past. However, it’s a relief to know that my products are winding up in better hands. (It’s also important to note that regifting does not have to occur for a particular occasion; it can take on the form of a casual present or donation.)

But before we can get involved, it’s essential to review some of the basic rules of gifting etiquette: Be authentic, act in moderation, send in satisfactory condition, be intentional, and don’t be cheap. It’s as easy as one, two, three.

Everyone has at least one teacher that they truly love. Although school may get tedious at times, these teachers make class fun while explaining the content of the lesson, whether it is by telling stories of their past, playing educational games, or completing cool activities. Even the teachers you do not look forward to seeing on a daily basis are still very crucial for your education.

You can celebrate all your teachers on May 3, which is National Teacher Day. Teachers deserve loads of respect for their hard work and dedication to fostering our future, and this is the perfect day to celebrate them. Many people do not even understand the struggles teachers must face in order to set their students up for life, so the extra support and appreciation truly helps them out a lot. Our teachers are so deserving of love and support from their scholars.

To begin, many teachers are underpaid despite the difficulty of their occupation, and many times they use their own money to buy supplies for the classroom. Teachers spend late hours grading tests and preparing lesson plans while trying to squeeze in some family time for themselves. Their job surely puts lots of stress on them, but they still manage to push through and provide for their students.

National Teacher Day is a great time to thank the teachers and educators in your life for their dedication. A small “Thank you!” or a gift to show appreciation could go a long way.

Honey Buns is a beautiful German Shepherd/Rottweiler mix who is two years old and bursting with happiness. Honey was brought to the OC Animal Care back in July 2021 when her owner developed some health complications that prevented the owner from being able to fully care for her.

She is a dog as sweet as honey who has blessed the OC Animal Care Staff with her wonderful sweetness. Honey can take a while to warm up to new people, but when given the proper patience and space, she will stick to your side like honey dripping from a beehive. Honey Buns loves to zoom around the yard like a bee doing a squiggle dance, and is always available for a run. Honey loves her treats, but she would rather chill with her peeps and gnaw on a bone all day.

An incredibly sweet girl, Honey has been trying to find a place to call home for 277 very, very, long days. Help Honey find her forever hive. Honey Buns is a very energetic dog and will do better in a home with kids who are 15 and up where she could be the only pet. Visit www.ocpetinfo.com or call (714) 935-6848 to set up an appointment.

Endangered Animal Trivia

Q: What is the most endangered jellyfish?

A: The Peach Blossom Jellyfish, which is known as a living fossil in the water because it is one of the world’s endangered ancient coelenterates. It is one of China’s aquatic treasures and evolved 600 million years ago. It feeds on zooplankton in the water and stings its prey. Their delicate specifications make it difficult for them to find a suitable habitat. Climate change and water pollutants kill them.

May 4 is officially recognized as Star Wars Day in California since 2019, stemming from the phrase, “May the 4th (force) be with you!” This space-based franchise started with brilliant director and screenwriter George Lucas, who mesmerized hundreds of millions of fans with a galactic struggle between good and evil. This movie series is watched worldwide, and gave birth to entertaining sub-series, movies, and animations.

Out of the two most recent and popular sub-series, The Book of Boba Fett and The Mandalorian, the latter is undoubtedly my favorite for many reasons. The Mandalorian is superior for its fun, exciting episodes. These episodes consist of well-choreographed fights and bloodless violence. Right off the bat, The Mandalorian lured me into watching the suspense created by the filmmakers’ purposeful injection of questions in viewers’ brains that absolutely needed to be answered. I was swept by questions like, Would the Mandalorian succeed? What happens if the mission fails? The Mandalorian is far better than The Book of Boba Fett because it created joy and happiness with its funny moments of “the child.”

The reader may be wondering about the identity of the child, but no spoilers; “the child” is a mysterious surprise that all viewers will love immediately.