Bear Witness - Feb/March 2022

BRANHAM HIGH SCHOOL

BEAR

WITNESS

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 COVID-19 UPDATE

Masks can go off soon Most plan to keep theirs on, however JIYOON CHOI News Editor

NOLAN ZILS

Co-Editor-in-Chief

tarting March 12, masks S will be optional for students and staff, with some caveats.

FALLING BEHIND

Superintendent Dr. Robert Bravo announced the lifting of the mandate during the March 3 board meeting, citing dropping COVID cases, the accessibility of testing, and high vaccination rates.

Although masks are still strongly reco m m e n d - Editorial ed, there are It's too soon certain conditions that to relax need to be met against to go mask- COVID-19 free, such as whether the restrictions. space is a ded- page 7 icated health facility and whether the student is displaying symptoms.

Bravo also warned that personal decisions regarding mask-wearing must be respected in the classroom, and he encouraged teachers to discuss this with students.

“Staff are to take any actions necessary to maintain an environment of kindness and respect so that no one is made to feel harassed for their decision whether to wear or not to wear a mask,” Bravo said in a statement released March 4.

The decision follows an announcement from Gov. Gavin Newsom that allowed school districts to decide their own masking policies. Some districts, such as the San Jose Unified and Palo Unified, have already announced their decision to go mask-optional.

In anticipation of the announcement, a Bear Witness survey of 467 readers earlier this week found that even if masks were no longer required at school, more than 70% would keep wearing their masks.

Some students, like senior Lipitha Tummala, are torn between the two options.

Tummala likes the idea of seeing her peers’ faces, but also is worried about the potential health risk of not wearing masks.

“We don't know the pros and cons since we haven't actually taken masks off,” she said. “Will it cause a spike in cases? We don't know, and I'm not sure it would be a good idea to find out.”

Branham Assistant Principal Nikita Shah believes that the school is prepared to for a post-mandate environment, as COVID-19 cases are steady even after students came back from vacation this week.

She also understands the reasoning behind why some students want the mandate to continue, including medical conditions, at-risk family members, or personal safety.

“I do see the challenges for students who will need that in place,” she said.

Other than COVID-19, Shah reminds the students that if they have the flu or are sick, the students should stay home like pre-pandemic times.

“Nobody wants a cold anymore," she said. "If you're feeling symptoms, stay home.

As omicron wave wanes, students forced to quarantine are having trouble keeping up

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Cover story, page 2

NEWS Threats show gun culture uniquely American.

8

WINTER WISHES Behind the scenes at the year's largest rally.

16

BACK PAGE Silver linings

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BEAR WITNESS

| FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

NEWS COVER STORY | FALLING BEHIND DISTRICTWIDE STUDENT AND STAFF ABSENCES | Since the start of school Jan. 6 until Jan. 31, the district communicated daily tallies of absences, keeping note of changes in COVID policy, testing and mask distribution.

15%

4.9%

5.3%

7.4% 5.5%

5.4%

5.2%

4.7%

4.5%

4%

4.1%

4.4%

3.6% 3.6% Jan. 31

4.7%

5.1%

7.8%

10.5%

Jan. 28

6.7%

6%

9.5%

Jan. 27

6.3%

8%

9.6%

Jan. 25

7.4%

6%

10.4%

10%

Jan. 24

7%

9.6%

Jan. 21

7.1%

9.2%

9%

Jan. 20

9.1%

9%

Jan. 19

8.9%

9.3%

Jan. 18

Jan. 10

Jan. 7

9.5%

Jan. 14

8.7%

11.5%

Jan. 13

8%

10%

7.1%

Jan. 6

Student absences due to illness

7%

12%

Jan. 12

Student all-day 10% absences

11%

Jan. 11

15% Staff absences

Source: CUHSD

“There was nothing I could do back at home. It was really stressful to know what I was coming back into.”

Sophomore Senja Lancaster, who missed one week of school due to contracting COVID-19.

“For students who are not positive, are not contagious, I’m glad that they have the opportunity to come back sooner.”

Vice principal Nikita Shah, on the shortened quarantine period “With vaccines available ... things are different now.”

Principal Cheryl Lawton, on why school wasn't online during surge.

LEARNING GAPS Students out sick at the start of the semester are falling behind in their classes, and say the inconsistency of online resources has made it difficult to catch up AVA STARK Staff Writer

NOLAN ZILS

Co-Editor-in-Chief

ive days at home in quarantine was what F junior Ryan Walters had to endure when he tested positive for COVID-19 over Win-

ter Break. One of the first things that crossed his mind was how long it would take to make up all of his school work.

“At first it hit me like a bunch of bricks,” he said. “I'm trying to pick up where I left off, but I'm finding that pretty difficult to do especially since I've been hampered with a lot of assignments.”

Walters would spend two hours each day while recovering to try and catch up with his workload, which includes three AP classes.

He said that even though his classmates sent him the classwork, he ended up being so behind that he spent more time trying to understand the material than actually doing the work. For AP Physics specifically, homework even as simple as textbook problems were tedious and took a while for Walters because it was hard for him to understand the topics.

“It was all a mental game,” he said.

Walters is one of hundreds of Branham students who have had to miss school due to illness because of the COVID safety policy, widening a pre-existing learning gap already created by the long-term effects of the pandemic and online schooling.

Their absence, combined with what they say is the inconsistency of updated homework resources on Canvas, has compounded their headache as they try to catch up.

With the second semester's six-week grading window just finished, grades for many students are anticipated to be lower than they expected.

In an early February survey of 247 Bear Witness readers 64% of the 247 surveyed said that missing school due to quarantining has impacted their grades. Some who responded say that their mental health has plummeted.

Keeping up with Canvas In the CDC’s reports, the omicron now accounts for 95.4% of total COVID cases and has caused the peak countrywide COVID cases (954,009) to surpass delta’s peak last year (294,008).

The first few weeks of school have meant a slew of absences districtwide, with nearly 15% of teachers and almost 11% of students absent on the first day back.

Sophomore Senja Lancaster was out of school for one week due to obtaining the virus. Her decreasing grades and missing assignments were problematic for her as she is generally an A and B student.

“It was really bad,” Lancaster says. “I came back to school with Cs, Ds, and Fs.” Lancaster said she did the best that she could to complete her work and she appreciated certain teachers doing their best to update Canvas, however, she had no way of viewing what

Editors-in-Chief | Jazzy Nguyen and Nolan Zils Managing editor: Tae Yun Erica Kang Editors Art director: Audrey Nguyen News Editor: Jiyoon Choi Opinion Editor: Alli Wang Arts and Entertainment Editor: Nolan Zils Science and Health Editor: Angela Choi Student Life Editor: Reese Gardner Sports Editor: Alan Schaeffer

she missed for other classes.

Not all teachers posted assignments or daily agendas, making it hard for Lancaster to learn the material.

“There was nothing I could do back at home,” Lancaster said. “It was really stressful to know what I was coming back into.”

Sophomore Maddie Palmer was in the same situation as Lancaster; she was not in school for 10 days due to COVID-19. Her grades dropped, causing her “a lot of stress” because she “could not complete all the work being done in class.”

When students are unable to attend school due to COVID, they don’t know what is being done in class and therefore cannot complete the work.

“Teachers gave me a little more time to complete assignments, but they all kind of just expected me to do the work,” Palmer says.

Palmer said it would have made a big difference had teachers “reached out to kids and update them” on what is being done in class.

Though Canvas served as a resource for students missing work, updating and keeping track of all students may have been difficult for teachers.

On Jan. 14, 11.5% of staff members and 10.4% of students were absent the entire day, 7.8% of students due to illness. From Jan. 11 to Jan. 21, 102 students from Branham had to miss at least one day of school due to a positive COVID test.

The numbers have dropped since their peak in early January, so that at the end of the month, the district stopped sending daily updates of absences among staff members and students.

COVID policy changes If a student tests positive, they are not allowed on campus for a minimum of five days from the date of their test results, or latest symptoms if they are not asymptomatic.

However, the students within close contact of a positive student will no longer get a contact tracing notice from the office. Instead, they are encouraged to get tested weekly at school.

This is good news for Branham assistant principal Nikita Shah who with district nurse Debra Phalen has been in charge of managing the COVID situations in the school, since the end of contract tracing means her busy workload has lightened up.

“It feels like a big responsibility,” Shah said about her role, which includes sending COVID exposure notifications to staff and to families. “Because there’s always a level of anxiety to make sure you’re doing things right, first of all. I’m very lucky to work with people who keep asking me how they can help me.”

Shah also said that she was grateful for the new CDC guidelines, in which students are recommended to stay home and isolate at least five days, instead of 10 days.

“I am glad that the CDC has changed a lot of the recommendations so that students who are able to are coming back, this time soon-

er,” she said. “I know that’s still controversial, but for students who are not positive, are not contagious, I’m glad that they have the opportunity to come back sooner.”

Learning gap Despite the eased guidelines, factors such as not being present for lectures and missing important information are still contributing to the educational gap. Learning from home can be especially hard for those with symptoms, such as senior Valentina Coronel.

“I’m sick so it's hard to get the work done,” said Coronel, who had to spend the early part of the semester at home.

Challenges with online schooling like Coronel’s have become more common with the emergence of the omicron variant.

Despite the surge of omicron and the uncertainty that came with it at the time, the Santa Clara County Office of Education and the Santa Clara County Public Health Department announced in January their intentions to keep schools in-person.

“Remote learning does not support student mental health, emotional health, and academic well-being the way that in-person learning does,” said Dr. Sara Cody, the Santa Clara County Public Health Director in a press release.

Though assignments and class resources are expected to be shared through Canvas, implementation has not been consistent among teachers, who also been struggling to However, returning students still struggle to balance the workload of all their classes while catching up, and teachers like Chelsea Follett have noticed. Follett, who teaches three English classes, including two AP Literature, said that on average she has five students from all of her classes, but the number has gone as high as 18. She explained that it can be difficult to get her students up to speed.

“That's been really challenging, trying to help students prioritize what the most important work is that they should be doing,” she said. “And there's not always an obvious answer to that. So that's been kind of tricky.”

Despite teacher efforts, as Branham goes deeper into the second semester, homework will start to pile up, especially for students out with COVID. Walters thinks the learning gap will widen for those out sick as the semester progresses.

“I feel for a lot of students, especially the ones who are out right now,” he said. “The work is starting to pile up. I was lucky that I missed only the first couple of weeks.”

With the omicron variant waning in the past few weeks, California lifted its mask mandates for vaccinated people Feb. 15. As off press time, Santa Clara County is the only county in the Bay Area left with a mask mandate.

Though the story outside school gates has changed, students will still need to wear masks indoors for the foreseeable future.

Additional reporting by Abbey Rhodes

Engagement Editor: Ziv Galpaz Special Projects Editor: Abbey Rhodes Layout editor: Sal McClure Staff writers Juliette Bonacum, Dominic Clima, Amanda Day, Sara Dediu, Izel Garcia, Santiago Hernandez, Maceo Inoue, Rei Kanda, Gyuri Kim, SaiSahasra Makamchenna, Tyrone Rothman, Ava Stark, Vivian Trinh, Mila Windell, Makayla Wu, Emma Zhang.

Adviser: Fitzgerald Vo

Why online schooling isn't an option

Most Bear Witness readers are in favor of a temporary return to remote learning due to the rise of omicron COVID cases, in spite of the district and the county education officials favoring in-person learning.

A Bear Witness online poll showed that 61% of readers preferred to go remote learning for at least one week, 39% preferred to stay in-person, while 8% said they preferred to go online for the rest of the school year.

Citing costs to student mental health during the last shutdown, the Santa Clara County Office of Education recommended going in-person in their statement to the community, and urged public schools to remain open unless there is not enough staff available.

Testing, testing Instead, Superintendent Dr. Robert Bravo and health officials are turning to more COVID testing protocols and other measures such as issuing KN95 masks to all staff on a biweekly basis. The county is also anticipating new guidance from the state Department of Health.

Principal Cheryl Lawton said she supported the district and the county’s move to retain in-person learning, saying vaccines the effectiveness of vaccination has outweighed the need for distance learning.

“A year ago, I would’ve said yes to distance learning,” she said. “But with vaccines available and all the evidence showing that those vaccinated are pretty safe, things are different now.”

— Alli Wang

Mission Statement The Bear Witness is committed to providing accurate, timely coverage of local and world news while connecting these events to the lives of our diverse student body.

Website: www.bhsbearwitness.com Phone: (408) 626-3407 Email: bhsbearwitness@gmail.com Address: 1570 Branham Lane, San Jose, CA 95118

BEAR WITNESS

| FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 |

OVERHEARD | QUOTES OF THE MONTH FROM OUR ONLINE STORIES

“Music is just that one language where we have to get along with each other."

Senior Julia Tran on performing at Acoustic Night on Feb. 11 with her brother, Bill.

NEW CLASS Several ways to greet Hello/Hi: 안녕하세요!

(Annyeong Haseyo!)

Hello/Hi (Informal): 안 녕! (Annyeong!)

Good Day/ Hello (Formal): 녕하십니까 (Annyeong Hasimnikka)

Welcome: 환영합니다 (Hwangyong Hamnida) How are you?: 어떻게 지내세요? (Eotteoke Jinaeseyo?)

What’s up? (Informal): 요즘 어때? (Yojeum Eottae?)

Sections fill up for new Korean class

Principal's longtime goal to bring class to Branham

“If they lose, I might not be in because I might have broken my hand on the wall. But if they win, I might be really late because I, you know, partied all night.”

School counselor Vince Leeburn, Cincinnati native, on his Super Bowl plans. The Bengals lost 20-23.

T

We don’t have it easy; I don’t have it easy. Many people would think being a Brazilian-Iranian is a curse: two vastly different cultures intertwining forming a poorly sewn doll — threads break loose, seeping sighs of remorse, regret.

Excerpt from senior Arian Salamat's "Boneco" essay, which earned honorable mention in New York Times' Personal Essay contest.

SENIOR'S ESSAY EARNS N.Y. TIMES HONOR

News Editor

Fitz Vo/Bear Witness Senior Arian Salamat says he tries to write creatively at least once a day, and suggests that new writers write for themselves, rather than what they think others want to read.

JIYOON CHOI

O

News Editor

ut of the more than 11,000 submissions, senior Arian Salamat is among the 200 students around the world who were honored in the New York Times’ third annual Personal Narrative Writing Contest.

Salamat received an honorable mention for his personal essay titled “Boneco,” which places him in the top 48 in the entries.

In reading the essays, the New York Times said that they were interested in ones that made them "laugh, think and cry," with one judge adding that they were "blown away by the vulnerability and tendernss" of many of the essays.

“Boneco” describes and compares his parents’ cultural differences — his dad is Persian and his mom is Brazilian. He compares his upbringing to that of a doll sewn from different materials.

Using a doll as a motif isn’t a new idea, but Salamat said he was able to see them from a different perspective. He found that dolls are not perfect, and cannot have the good without the bad, which is a reflection of his cultures.

Salamat said that “Boneco” went through a lot of revisions. He had sent it to three teachers and three college students for feedback, and said that their critiques helped him narrow his focus and refine his message.

He credits his AP Language and AP Literature teachers Barbara Arduini and Mike Espinoza,

NEWS

“One thing is for certain: I will never shut up.”

Junior Matthew Cortez, founder of the Conservative Patriots Club, after LGBTQ allies interrupted their weekly meeting Feb. 9. Cortez had drawn their ire for sharing disparaging comments about the new gender-neutral bathroom.

JIYOON CHOI

he fourth time’s the charm as Branham says “annyeong” to a new Korean class.

From “Squid Game” to BTS and K-dramas, Korean culture is enjoying a wave of popularity in this country, and Principal Cheryl Lawton said it’s about time the class is officially on the schedule.

This is the fourth year that she’s tried to launch the class, but due to a lack of signups it did not take off. She said that a new foreign language would need around 60 to 70 signups to sustain the class for a four-year curriculum.

Lawton has a personal connection to Korean culture. The week before she came on as principal, Lawton went for a week trip in Korea.

She visited Korean schools, learned the Korean alphabet and culture. The trip helped cement her wish to add a Korean class.

The class is a chance for students to connect with the language other than the Latin-based classes offered. “(Korean is) a much easier language, in my opinion, to learn for a lot of people than some of the Latin languages, and a little bit easier than Mandarin so this might be a better option for some students,” she said.

The new Korean language class not only brings variety in the language department, but also cultural representation. Sarah Jin, who taught math and computer science and was also the Korean Club adviser welcomed the increased attention on campus (she resigned mid-year).

“It's a great way to spread Korean culture and really promote the Korean language for other non-Korean speakers,” Jin said. “We're becoming more and more represented, and I think more Korean communities will appreciate that. I would love to see more Asian languages represented and all these other Asian cultures being represented at school.”

Jin said the cultural representation and awareness that the language holds are impactful too, especially after the racially motivated crimes during the pandemic. The San Francisco police chief recently reported that anti-Asian hate crimes increased 567% from 2020 to 2021.

“During COVID-19, we had a lot of negativity around Asian community like Asian hate crimes,” Jin said. “So, I'm glad that BTS is booming and ‘Squid Game’ has succeeded. I hope that we can spread more positivity through our great content. I'm very happy about it.”

Junior Minkyung Choi, the president of Korean Club, also points out the international connection of people through different cultures and languages being represented at Branham.

“It provides various ways more cultures and people are connected,” Choi said. “I think it's the step for Branham to move forward.”

Branham recently has been trying to add more diversity in courses like new electives such as Ethnic Literature and Business.

Lawton thinks that it is important to expand the knowledge of culture through languages, too.

“It's always valuable to know more about other people and ourselves,” she said. “You get a little taste of it in World History, Ethnic Studies and other courses, but why not do it through a language class?”

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More at bhsbearwitness.com

To read to read senior Arian Salamat's essay in its entirety, please visit our website. whom he said helped him approach his writing with humility.

“I wasn’t experienced with my writing, and thought that I was the best,” he said. “In order to build my skills, I had to be humble.”

Salamat aims to write poetry every night and short stories every other week, sharing them on Medium.com, where independent writers from across the globe publish their pieces.

He uses an alias, an almagamation of his first and last names.

He said he now writes for himself, rather than writing for what he thinks others want to read, which used to have been an obstacle for him, saying that he came from a position of arrogance.

“When I used to write for other people, it was miserable,” he said. “When I start writing for myself, even if it's good or bad, I enjoy it.

There's no burden on me. The only burden I have is trying to improve as a writer and getting inspiration.”

Though he said that winning the prestigious New York Times contest is gratifying, he advises writers to continue to find outlets for self-expression, and to be open to criticism.

“Approach what you do with humility and be honest with yourself, about what you write, and write for yourself,” Salamat said

News highlights visit @bhsbearwitness for updates

Fitz Vo/Bear Witness Tussima Ohja takes over IM 1 New teacher takes over after IM 1 and CS teacher leaves after last semester Halfway through January, students in former teacher Sara Jin’s IM1 and Computer Science Principles students realized that their old teacher wasn’t coming back.

“I don't think anybody expected it to happen,” principal Cheryl Lawton said, “but sometimes personal things come up and you have to go with it.”

Three days into the second semester, Lawton found out she was going to have to hire a new teacher for Jin, who left Branham to work as a software engineer at the biotech company Illumina.

After cycling through substitutes, Lawton landed on Tussima Ojha, a former computer software professional for more than 20 years before turning to education.

“We lucked out,” Lawton said.

At first, Ojha had several technical difficulties in her first few weeks at Branham, such as gaining access to Canvas, the school portal that Branham uses to assign, grade and keep track of assignments.

Much of the grades and resources previously linked to former teacher Jin had been wiped out.

“I was literally coming in starting from scratch,” Ojha said.

Despite the initial hurdles, Ojha said the Branham community is welcoming.

“The entire environment of the school is very much geared towards preparing the kids to step into the real world,” she said. “I like that kind of environment.”

— Ava Stark Key Club hosts walkathon to bring clean water access to schools in Vietnam A few dozen students and supporters trudged around the Branham track Saturday morning to take part in a walkathon to raise money to support rural schools in Vietnam.

Their goal was to raise $2,500.

Participants in the event walked 12 laps, symbolizing the three miles that some children in Vietnam have to walk for clean water. Despite the country’s heavy rainfall averages, the water in Vietnam is almost always polluted and unclean, leaving it unsafe for human consumption.

“My grandma was actually from Vietnam and was raised in conditions like that,” said Ryan Sung, Key Club president. “I wanted to help this community so they didn’t have to experience that.”

Sung said that Gravity Water, a nonprofit based in Santa Cruz, had reached out to Key Club. The company provides above-ground rain catching systems to treat drinking water at schools, and in addition to North Vietnam has operations in Nepal, Indonesia, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico.

— Angela Choi Student musicians jam to a sold-out crowd at first Acoustic Night of new year Bathed under blue and purple lights, student musicians returned to the stage in front of a sold out audience at Acoustic Night on Feb. 11 in the Performing Arts Center.

Ranging from sophomore Liv Do’s rendition of “Pancakes for Dinner” by Lizzy McAlpine to junior Marilyn Alonzo’s cover of “Dream a Little Dream of Me” by Doris Day, the concert featured a variety of musical talent.

“Strawberry Matcha,” made up of seniors Katelyn Cho, Arian Salamat, Sam Arillo and Sofia Lima, opened the concert with a cover of “Stella Brown” by Jelani Aryeh.

Drummer Salamat said that preparing for the show helped him feel more connected to his bandmates.

“We feel like ourselves on the stage and feel like we can be parts to a whole,” Salamat said.

— Audrey Nguyen

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BEAR WITNESS

NEWS

| FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

SCHOOL SAFETY

UNDER CONSTANT THREAT School shootings have ticked up since school has returned. With two local shootings in the last few months, first at Westmont then at Oakridge Mall, the need for classroom safety is important as ever ZIV GALPAZ, ABBEY RHODES AND TAE YUN ERICA KANG Staff Writer

merica is dealing with a pheA nomenon almost exclusive to campuses in the United States: school

shootings. These tragedies, 34 of which in 2021 have resulted in the death of a student or staff member, have both shaped and changed the landscape permanently for the American educational system.

The problem is creeping closer to Branham.

On Dec. 17, as many students were taking final exams, a viral social media trend emerged in which students posted threats aimed at various schools intending to cause fear and possible panic among the student body.

Although no threats were made directly toward Branham, Principal Cheryl Lawton addressed parents and students, saying that school would resume as usual.

During Thanksgiving break, a shooting broke out at Westmont High School's parking lot during a football game, just two miles away, forcing fans and athletes to take cover. The game resumed 30 minutes later.

In 2021 alone, there were upwards of 149 incidents of gunfire on school campuses nationally, resulting in 34 deaths and 94 injuries, according to Everytown Research, a nonprofit aimed at stopping gun violence in school.

School threats return from shutdown Since the return to school in spring 2021, threats of violence towards campuses have become increasingly common. Many schools have had to take various precautions such as shutting down or increasing police presence on campuses nationwide, according to CNN. In response to these events, the Bear Witness hosted an open forum for students to share their concerns regarding the issue of gun violence on campuses across the nation.

The event drew about two dozen attendees.

“I feel that students as a whole have stopped feeling regarding school shootings,” said senior Nancy Mikha who attended the school shooting forum. “This common feeling of desensitization has become a nationwide theme that many students feel themselves struggling with.”

Branham dealt with its first threat back in late October when vague social media threats were made directly to the school. A shelter-in-place protocol was started, and students could not leave their fourth period class.

During the threat, students and staff were left startled by the event and were unsure of how to proceed to stay safe. Many students felt as though this wouldn’t happen here. Fortunately the threats were found not credible, but left many students startled.

“It concerns me that every time this occurs, it happens, there's fright, then it dies down,” said freshman Avishawd Yarisaied, who attended the forum and also addressed her concerns during a December district board meeting. “Then it happens again, and it escalates. It is an endless cycle.”

On Dec. 20, a day after the social media threats nationwide, these social media threats became a reality when a shooting took place at Westfield Oakridge Mall, just three miles away from Branham. With 5,000 patrons in the building doing their Christmas shopping, store employees scrambled to shelter in place. One person was reportedly injured.

The Bear Witness broke news that several students had sheltered in place in the mall.

“I never expected something like this to happen to me or anybody,” said sophomore Yareli Correa, who was shopping at the mall when the shooting took place.

On top of fear of COVID-19 exposure, safety issues about school vio-

AN UNIQUELY AMERICAN PROBLEM School shootings since the start of the school year

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Aug. 13 A 13-year-old student allegedly shot and killed another 13-year-old student, Bennie Hargrove, during a lunch hour at Washington Middle School. | Aug. 18 A School shootings with injuries 14-year-old student allegedly opened fire in the parking lot of Orangeburg-Wilkinson or deaths High School while students were leaving for the day, wounding three. | Aug. 27 A teenager wounded two others in the parking of Freedom High School after two groups got into a fight after a football game. | Aug. 27 A drive by shooting following a People killed high school football game at Academy Park High School wounded a civilian, resulting in police at the game firing back. Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer says there is a "high probability" that the police gunfire struck four people, including a 8-year-old girl who was killed. | Aug. 27 A student was shot during a fight New Peopleatinjured Hanover High School. Another student was charged with attempted murder. | Sept.

1 A student was shot and killed at Mount Tabor High School. Suspect, another student at the school, has been taken into custody. Sept. 4 Three people, including one stuStudents or dent, were shot on the campus of Towson University during a gathering at 2killed am. The other children gathering was not organized by the university or any student organization. | Sept. 20 Two people were wounded after a shooting at Heritage High School. Another two students were hospitalized for non-shooting injuries. | Sept. 21 Two students were shot School employees or other adults killed and a third grazed outside Wichita East High School. | Sept. 24 A man was wounded Compiled by staff during a football game at Fairfield High Preparatory School, while Sources: tailgating in the Gun Violence parking lot. The gunfire seemed to come from off of the school campus. Sept. Archive, 30 One Center forstudent Homeland student was shot in Cummings Elementary School. Sept. 30 A 7-year-old Defense K-12 was injured after a gun accidentally discharged from the backpack of another student Schoool shooting at Newton Elementary School. | Oct. 1 A former student walked into the YES Prep database Southwest school and opened fire wounding the principal as he attempted to lock down the school. | Oct. 6 An adult shooter opened fire in Mansfield Timberview High School after a fight escalated; four people were injured, including a 15 year-old and a teacher. | Oct. 12 Someone across the street from Wendell Phillips Academy High School in Bronzeville opened fire during dismissal, wounding a student and a security guard. | Oct. 13 An eighteen-year-old opened fire at Grambling State University and wounded a 16-year-old and killed a 19-year-old before fleeing campus. | Oct. 17 A gunman opened fire at Grambling State University in the early morning outside a dining hall where students were celebrating homecoming. One person was killed and seven wounded. | Nov. 1 A woman accidentally fired her gun while reaching for her phone during a basketball game at the Rosa Scott School. No one was injured. | Nov. 19 Three students were shot in the parking lot of Hinkley High School. No fatalities were reported. | Nov. 26 Two men were wounded in the parking lot of Westmont High School during a football game, two miles away from Branham. | Nov. 29 A student wounded another in a bathroom of Cesar Chavez High School after a gun-sale gone bad. The wounded individual realized that the money he received in the sale was fake and was shot in the argument. | Nov. 30 Oxford High School shooting: A 15-year-old sophomore was taken into custody. Seven people, including a teacher, were injured, and four died. An investigation is ongoing as of Dec. 1 . | Nov. 30 A man was killed and two others wounded two hours into a pair of basketball games between Humboldt High School and North Side. | Dec. 6 A 12-year-old was killed and his step-mother wounded when a teenager opened fire on their vehicle outside the Wilmington Park Elementary School. A 9-year-old in the playground was also injured. | Dec. 8 Two teenagers were wounded in the parking lot of Ewing Marion Kauffman School during a basketball game. | Jan. 4 Two 17-year-olds were wounded while sitting in a car, in the parking lot of Auburn High School. Three juveniles fled and were later arrested. | Jan. 9 An unknown individual discharged a gun in a Chowan University dorm room, no injuries were reported and the bullet was located later in a fridge. | Jan. 11 A shooting occurred in the parking lot of Valley High School during a basketball game, no injuries were reported. | Jan. 19 A 16-year-old student wounded an 18-year-old student around noon at Seminole High School over a disagreement about a dead relative. | Jan. 19 A 15-year-old boy boarded a school van to go home when school was being dismissed at Oliver Citywide Academy. Two masked gunmen approached the van and shot the boy twice in the chest. The boy later died. | Jan. 21 A 17-year-old boy shot and wounded a 15-year-old boy in a bathroom at Colonel Zadok Magruder High School. | Feb. 1 At the South Education Center, a fight broke out which resulted in 15-year old student being killed and a 17-year old student critically injured. | Feb. 1 Two campus police and security officers were shot and killed at Bridgewater College. The shooter was taken into custody and hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries. | Feb. 8 A 16-year-old was wounded in an apparent targeted shooting in Catonsville High School.

Audrey Nguyen/Bear Witness

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lence have emerged as a top concern among students.

School shootings dropped as schools shut down nationwide, but rates have ticked back up since the start of the 2021-2022 school year, with more than three dozen school shootings since Aug. 24 with 14 people being killed, according to Education Week.

“I was desensitized to hearing about Oxford,” said sophomore Emilie Long, referring to the December shooting in Michigan. “But then I realized how often it happens and how prevalent it is in our lives.”

Close to home Of the 34 shootings in 2021, 12 have been during or after sporting events.

The Bay Area dealt with a local shooting at Westmont High School on November 26, 2021 during a CCS match between St. Francis High school and Serra High School.

For every 100 Americans, there are 120 civilian owned guns; the United States is the only country where registered guns outnumber its people. In comparison, the second highest rate of gun ownership is 62.1 guns per 100 people, in the Falkland Islands, according to Small Arms Survey. This high percentage of gun ownership filters into the safety of overall life but primarily the feelings students carry on campus.

“I feel students have just stopped caring because it happens so often,” said junior Andy Chen.

According to Pyschcom, students are at an increased rate of developing post traumatic stress disorder just from simple things as doors being slammed or sounds of fireworks, even if they have not firsthand been in a school shooting.

Since the start of the school year, Branham administrators have scheduled drills that address several situations, from earthquake preparedness to active shooter incidents. One concern in particular has been repeated several times since the new buildings went up two years ago: immovable desks in the science buildings that cannot be used as barricades.

Lawton said she's aware of the problem, and is working with the district to find a good fit for active shooter barricades.

“We’re trying to come up with a solution that is going to be safe for people, and easy, and also effective,” she said.

Assistant Principal Dr. Richard Ruiz, in his first year on the job after leading the district's ROTC program, is responsible for the Branham's safety protocols, and said he is actively looking for effective barricade solutions, as well.

Other concerns include the height of windows in the lower-level classrooms.

“I had let them know if we can’t change the window size, can we please get blinds that lock down?” said Ruiz, who had suggested that other cost-effective methods could include tinting the windows.

Ruiz explains that the district has not actually gone through with any of the suggested ideas to ensure the safety in the new buildings, partly due to the fact that changes to school infrastructure must be overseen by the California Division of the State Architecture.

Though drills are planned in advance but are only known to teachers, Lawton encourages students to take the lockdown drills seriously in case of an actual emergency.

“We're probably better prepared than a lot of schools,” said Lawton.

“But there's always more that we can do.”

Though students continue to live with the threat of school shootings, Branham is working on increased mental health counseling efforts.

Still, for Ruiz, the preferable situation is a safe campus free of fear.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I feel bad that students are in that situation. It’s not fair.”

Q&A Kaaya Minocha Senior, Saratoga High March for Our Lives San Jose coordinator Inspired by the national school walkout in 2018 after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., senior Kaaya Minocha at Saratoga High School, the lead coordinator of March For Our Lives San Jose, shares her thoughts about raising awareness of gun violence Minocha has filmed a documentary exploring the issue of gun safety, speaking with students and professors from the area.

Q: How does it make you feel to be a part of this group that’s locally trying their best about gun violence?

KM: It makes me really proud and empowered because it’s the power of the youth, and how much we can create change. It makes me very proud because the youth themselves are stepping up and we do have the power to create change.

We’ve also witnessed an increase in performative activism over social media.

It’s one thing to post something on your story, and it’s another to do something about it. And I’m very proud that our team is doing what we can about the situation.

Q: Can you explain more about your documentary?

KM: I wanted to make information about gun violence more accessible to people all over the world. I wanted to share the information that I’ve learned from different resources and contacts I have been able to work with. So, I interviewed professors, legislators, students and activists to ask them all about their opinions about gun violence. Professors were asked more questions about different types of guns and their relations to different intersectional issues. To legislators, it was more about what the government is doing for action. Different activists were asked our views on gun violence as high schoolers. It was a very informative way of translating information for the general public. I also had information from databases like age requirements (to buy or own a gun) in different states. When you compare those state legislation, they’re so disparate based on states and so we’ve seen cases where shooters will travel across state lines to different states because their legislations are different.

Q: What is your next goal?

KM: I definitely want to continue with gun violence research in college, scientifically like how gun violence ties into mental health. Also, implementing the research and creating more change in law. But the important thing is also passing it on to people who I know who are as passionate about (gun violence) as I am. I think looking for people who are really committed to the cause and really passionate are important. Next steps for me personally would be doing more gun violence research because I suspected violence from an activist viewpoint, and I’ve done what I can in terms of phone bankings, organizing town halls and workshops, and protests and walkouts.

Q: How should San Jose or the country improve gun safety?

KM I think the biggest thing is raising awareness. Sometimes these topics will be on our minds for a little bit, but then they go away. (The direction to go would be) getting all of those people engaged because we saw that we can make a difference if we all unite together.

Another thing would be strengthening legislation like background checks. If we start the conversation again, more people are going to become interested in learning about it and become more educated. Then, hopefully a new legislation (would pass) that would make sure that we’re regulating our guns well and are not giving guns to the people who can’t responsibly own them.

— Compiled by Jiyoon Choi

BEAR WITNESS

| FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 |

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PERSPECTIVE

LONELY LUNAR written and illustrated by Audrey Nguyen

I remember having many Lunar New Year’s traditions.

As the kids in my family grew up, these traditions have dwindled.

Now with our Third year into the pandemic, New Year’s has never been lonelier.

HOW ARE WE CELEBRATING THE YEAR OF THE TIGER? AUDREY NGUYEN

M

Art Director

ore than 2 billion people around the world will celebrate the Year of the Tiger.

While the ongoing pandemic has limited travel and large family gatherings, Lunar New Year has always been a family-filled celeration. For Asian American immigrants, family and the Lunar New Year are especially important.

The Vietnamese Student Association celebrated the Lunar New Year, or Tet, Feb. 1 with the Monopoly money and bánh tét, a sticky rice cake filled with mung paste and pork.

This was the first Lunar New Year celebration for the VSA, which started this year.

Bau cua tôm cá (pear, crab, shrimp, fish) is a traditional game played using three dice and a mat. Players wager their lucky money on the six characters pictured on the mat and hold their bets by placing money on the character’s photo. If the dice rolls on the character you bet on, your bet is matched by the house and you win money.

The VSA used Monopoly money in lieu of real money for the game.

With Paris by Night, a Vietnamese variety show, playing in the background on YouTube, VSA member sophomore Claire Luong said she enjoyed playing bau cua tôm cá and sharing Vietnamese culture with her peers.

“It was fun to connect with people other than my family about Vietnamese culture, and I especially like being able to play this game (at school),” Luong said.

For co-president senior Jazzy Nguyen, the Lunar New Year marks the fresh new start which determines how the rest of the year goes.

“For my family, the tradition is that however you spend the day of Lunar New Year is how the rest of your year is going to pan out,” said Nguyen, who is also the Bear Witness co-editor-in-chief. “It's also a day of community and being able to bond with your family and talk to them.”

The celebration was sophomore Emily Jo’s first time playing the traditional game, which gave her some insight into Vietnamese culture, and taking risks.

“It was quite sad because I lost all my money,” Jo said. “Beware of gambling! It's a scary thing. I learned with fake money.”

For others, it's still not the same celebration as before the pandemic with crowds of people, but with vaccinations and testing readily available, more are venturing out to visit family.

Senior Julia Tran and her family said she and her extended family would gather at her grandmother’s house in traditional Vietnamese clothing called áo dài (ow ya-ee) and share desserts such as pandan cakes or coconut strips.

Afterward, they would exchange red envelopes of money and go to the Buddhist temple to pray. She said that although some of these traditions did remain, others had to be skipped for the pandemic.

“We’re lucky to all be vaccinated so we can still have the same Lunar New Year’s we’ve always had," Tran said.

Still, it doesn't feel like a "true" Tet for her, since she's missing the crowds and firecrackers at the Vietnamese-owned Grand Century Mall and at the incense and prayers at the temple.

Additional reporting by Makayla Wu and Jiyoon Choi

THE VIETNAMESE STUDENT ASSOCIATION CELEBRATED WITH A TRADITIONAL GAMBLING GAME CALLED BAU CUA TOM CA.

The Mandarin Club is sending New Year’s letters to Taiwan.

In Chinese cultures, after receiving new year wishes from the younger generations, elder relatives give red envelopes containing money called hongbao in Mandarin, lai see in Cantonese, or lì xì in Vietnamese, from their elders on 新年.

Food and firecrackers large component of our fatmily gatherings.

Korean cultures consume tteokguk, a rice cake soup topped with eggs on 설날. The soup represents a clean start and prosperity for the new year.

My Vietnamese family would eat egg rolls along with a big meal and light firecrackers outside homes.

It's considered good luck to leave debris for a week.

Despite the loneliness in the last couple of years through the pandemic, we are all connectedthrough our shared traditions.

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| FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

OPINION BITE-SIZED| Minor issues, minor solutions

ASIAN STEREOTYPES

Mei Lin Lee-Stahr/Special to Bear Witness

The failure of ignoring Southeast Asian groups

Problem: Valentine’s Day. It serves as the ever-annoying annual reminder of the fact that I’m single.

Solution: I propose Single’s Day, where all single people can gather, celebrate together in solidarity, and complain about being single if they wish.

— Nolan Zils

Not all Asian Americans are as successful as you think JAZZY NGUYEN Editor-in-Chief

n my sophomore year, group I projects were always a hassle, especially in World History

where your table group was your project group.

Everytime my teacher would finish o utlining the requirements for the project, my group would jump onto their phones with comments like “You got this, Jazzy,” and “Can you just do it?

You’re smart.”

For a stereotype that doesn’t even connect back to Southeast Asians, it’s something that I have noticed throughout my life– college applications especially.

The Model Minority Myth among Asians is viewed as a positive thing. We’re typecast as wealthy, smart, gifted, and guaranteed to succeed. Yet this myth undervalues their effort and works to pitch minority groups against each other. Ironically, the myth goes beyond the stereotype to further disadvantage Southeast Asian Americans by grouping them with South and East Asian groups.

The Model Minority Myth creates the assumption that Asian Americans are the wealthiest racial group in America. While white and Asian Americans have

the lowest poverty rate at 7.3% compared to that of black and Hispanic Americans at 18.8% and 15.7%, respectively (US Census 2020), the numbers culminate to overshadow the poverty that is present among the Southeast Asian American population.

Immigrants from Southeast Asian countries have arrived en masse as recently as the early 2000s. Many immigrate to escape from war-torn countries, instead of high-skilled H-1B visas in the tech industry.

At the same time, the majority of immigrants from East Asian countries have either been in America for generations, or are from families that have the means to immigrate to America by choice.

Additionally, lumping the 19 distinct Asian American groups into one monolith ignores the disparities that they face.

A 2021 Pew research report showed that despite the Asian success myth, there are large differences in poverty among Asian subgroups. Most of the Asian origin groups analyzed (12 of 19) had poverty rates that were as high as or higher than the U.S. average in 2019. At 25%, Mongolians had the highest poverty rates among Asian groups, while the lowest rate was among

Indians, at 6%.

The oversimplification of Asian success that stems from the Model Minority Myth puts Southeast Asians at a disadvantage – especially within the collegiate system of affirmative action– a college admission process that reviews its applicants with race as a factor. Because colleges admit certain percentages of each race in the name of diversity and equity, South Asians, East Asians, and South East Asians directly compete with each other for admission.

A December 2021 NPR story highlighted this disparity, telling the story of a Hmong doctoral candidate who was deemed ineligible for a prestigious fellowship because she was considered Asian American, and not Hmong, who are among the least represented ethnic groups in STEM fields.

The system that was meant to help reduce the influence of social and economical disadvantages that are common to specific racial groups has failed the Southeast Asian Americans spectacularly.

In order to level the playing field, Southeast Asians should fall into their own category, and be grouped with ethnic groups that share proximity and similar financial statistics.

Burdened by a myth Struggle to succeed takes a toll among Asian students GYURI KIM Staff Writer

rades don’t define intelliG gence, society would claim.

However, for Asian Americans,

Alli Wang/Bear Witness

Alli Wang/Bear Witness

our parents expected us to win many awards, have a 4.0 or above GPA, and go to prestigious colleges.

I have been a victim of this mindset.

From a young age, I was thrust into an environment where academics meant everything.

Cupertino, the city I used to live in, is home to Apple and filled with children of Asian immigrants working for high-tech companies chasing the American Dream.

These immigrants push their children to work harder and find well-paying jobs and get a better life than them. Not only were my parents part of this group of immigrants, I was often compared to my peers from similar backgrounds and pressured to do the same. Being a Model Minority, friends expected straight As from me

because I was Asian, and I kept trying to hold up to their expectations.

The problem is two-fold: Students are placed under enormous pressure to succeed, but also feel they can’t admit they are struggling.

A University of Maryland School of Public Health study in 2007 found that Asian American students were more likely to be adversely impacted by external academic stressors such as parent and cultural upbringing than their white peers.

This sometimes leads to mental and psychotic episodes, depression and suicidal thoughts.

The American Psychological Association reported that though Asian American college students have lower rates of suicide than other ethnic groups, there is a higher rate of suicidal ideation, meaning that they had thought about suicide.

I and many of my Asian American peers can relate.

Ingrained into my brain since I was in elementary school, I was

taught to depend on grades to be good enough. In turn, staying up studying until late became frequent.

The stress slowly piled up on me, until the pent-up frustration spilled out in the form of mental breakdowns at 3 a.m. while trying to calm myself down because my tears were getting in the way of my studies.

Not only was the stress taking a toll on my mental health, my physical health was declining.

The two hours of sleep was insufficient for my growing body.

I had bad posture, fatigue and couldn’t concentrate.

This is a dilemma across the country. According to a 2019 study by the Institute of Health and Sport in Victoria University, two-thirds of students reported feeling stressed about poor grades.

There is no clear-cut solution, but the first step should be debunking this Model Minority myth that has affected the Asian community for so long.

Problem:It sucks always wait around for dumbbells, machines, and squat racks to be open when I go to the gym.

It makes my workout longer and kills my mood.

Solution:Ask to “work in” with the person who’s using what you need or throw them off of the machine. You gotta put you first.

—Amanda Day

Problem: I have a boyfriend, which means that I have a Valentine, which means that I have to get him a Valentine’s day gift. I have absolutely no idea what to get him.

Solution: To avoid this great inconvenience, I’ll break up with him instead of trying to find a gift for him.

—Erica Kang

Problem: All the lines at school are long. Bathroom lines, lunch lines, COVID-19 testing lines, and just lines.

Solution: If everyone moves at the speed of light, there would be no wait time therefore no line. Also, learn how to move at the speed of light.

— Jiyoon Choi

Problem:The changing of the temperature makes me go crazy, can’t the weather just decide on a temperature?

Solution: To have a remote control that when you want it to be cold it is cold and when hot hot..

— Ziv Galpaz

BEAR WITNESS

Editorial The opinion of the Bear Witness editors

| FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 |

OPINION

CORONAVIRUS PRECAUTIONS

As omicron wanes, COVID mandates shouldn’t hile the omicron variant has W shown to be less severe than past variants, we cannot loosen our

COVID protocols amid the surge.

Not just in our school, but throughout the world, the omicron variant has disrupted the lives of millions of workers, families, and communities.

Across California, 7,688,422 cases were confirmed as of Jan. 23.

At Branham alone, 324 absences were recorded within the first five days of the start of the second semester.

It’s clear that while the vaccine has lessened the impact of past variants, and that the surge from omicron is waning, the number of COVID cases Alli Wang/Bear Witness, with stock art from remains high.

Canva But in contrast to the rising

COVID cases, some school COVID policies show that evidently our mandates are loosening.

Superintendent Dr. Robert Bravo announced during the Jan. 20 board meeting his recommendation for students to take the optional weekly COVID tests as a substitute for contact tracing, which was helpful in narrowing down COVID exposure at school.

With the high number of COVID cases, contact tracing has been more and more difficult for administration and the administration could not keep up.

While there is high testing accessibility at our school, the lack of mandates to test, vaccinate, or any protocols to keep our students safe

is clearly affecting our students. As the idea of contact tracing is officially phased out amid the omicron surge, there must be strict protocols to help students’ physical well-being.

We hope parents support the proposed legislation turning the state mandate requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for students into law.

The need for COVID mandates is especially important for students who are immunocompromised, students with immunocompromised families and students who may not be able to access vaccines or boosters by family pushback.

Just because the omicron variant may have been mild, and the surge has slowed down, it still poses a lethal threat to immunocompromised

Next step: change minds on mental health

Nithila Vasant/Special to the Bear Witness

Unprepared for online threats

Pandemic has increased access to care, but parents need to be on board

Over 60% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.

15.08% have experienced a major depressive episode in 2021, a 1.24% increase from last year at the onset of the pandemic.

One in three youth with severe depression receive consistent mental health care.

Substance abuse Rates of substance use are increasing, even prior to the pandemic.

4.05% of youth had a substance disorder in the past year, an increase of 0.25% from 2020.

— Source: Mental Health America 2022 survey

W

Opinion Editor

hile Branham’s efforts to increase mental health support have been beneficial, there needs to be increased outreach towards parents to destigmatize therapy for students.

Students need mental health resources more than ever before. The school shooting threats, the day-to-day interactions, the grades, all of them are stress factors.

We cannot ignore that this generation has been through many stresses, leading to be the most likely to identify as mentally stable. A 2018 poll by American Psychological Organization reported Gen Z being 27% likely to identify as mentally unstable compared to last generations, such as millennials (15%) and Gen X (13%). The ongoing pandemic has also increased the levels of anxiety or depression throughout the country, with 42% of Americans reportedly having symptoms of anxiety or depression according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Social worker Kevin Nguyen has also reported a larger influx of students requesting mental health support at the Wellness Center compared to his past two years at Branham.

His mental health support requests have ranged from students experiencing family conflict to students in need of basic needs, such as shelter.

“Coming back to school learning, there’s higher levels of anxiety, depression and isolation that did not help during quarantine,” Nguyen said. “People losing housing and not being able to take care of their basic needs, makes it very hard to focus in school, and also causes a lot of stress, which is mental and emotional turmoil as well”.

While our school has improved mental health support through the addition of the Wellness Center, the hurdle of getting mental health support at school has often been due to the objections of parents or family on therapy, especially immigrant families.

According to a 2020 National Alliance on Mental Health report, Asian Americans have lower rates of psychiatric diagnosis and treatment, with only 4.9% of Asian Americans using mental health services, compared to 16.6% of white Americans.

Although Asian Americans are just one of many groups impacted by the stigma of mental health support in immigrant parent culture, the therapy hesitance is prominent throughout several demographics.

While the costs of therapy, especially outside of school institutions, may play a factor in the lack of therapy availability for families of ethnic minorities, the biases towards gaining mental health support also play a major factor.

With the availability of the Wellness Center, students can access therapy without as large of a cost, yet the parental consent by California law required for counseling at the Wellness Center, particularly by the CASSY therapy systems, plays a role in discouraging some students from gaining mental health support.

Ingraining familial outreach on therapy and educating our students on healthy coping mechanisms into our curriculum would help with destigmatizing therapy, while gaining parental support.

Nguyen said he plans to create more parental outreach to help the livelihoods of students and help normalize using therapy.

“Students and their mental health don’t live in vacuums, they’re a part of families and systems and other people in their lives who kind of play off each other or interact with each other? And yeah, so like, it needs to be a more holistic approach in terms of making sure everyone is healthy and doing things for themselves or to take care of themselves.”

Creating therapy as a crucial part of forming our curriculum is a necessity. While Branham currently has a Wellness Center, creating parent education around mental health and its impact on the education for students is crucial. Making therapy widespread is needed in the time of a pandemic.

MACEO INOUE Staff Writer

want everyone to stay calm before hearing this, “I and just know that none of this is confirmed yet,” our adviser Mr. Vo told us in our second period

Alli Wang/Bear Witness, with stock art from

Lack of treatment

ALLI WANG

students and immunocompromised relatives.

The World Health Organization and other health officials warn that it is dangerous to assume that the current variant will bring an end to the pandemic.

We know that the COVID pandemic has been a long haul. It’s unfortunate that even after almost two years, COVID isn’t projected to end any time soon. BA.2, a new omicron variant, is on the horizon, but it’s too early to tell how infectious or deadly the variant may be towards students.

Staying vigilant will help not only our students, but our teacher, our administrations, our friends, our communities.

SOCIAL MEDIA

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health barriers

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BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

journalism class on a Wednesday morning in October.

The intercom had just announced that students should shelter in place due to a potential shooting threat towards Branham on Snapchat.

The threat to Branham in October was just one of many school shooting threats nationally in October on social media. News stories from Detroit to Florida showed screen shots similar to what was later shared through our Instagram and Snapchat pages. We were the first in San Jose to have intercepted this vague threat.

Though police determined that the social media threat lacked credibility, there was still a hint of fear of the worst. While Branham staff acted according to what administrators knew about the threat, assistant principals telling students to hurry to class was the only visible precaution.

Even during the middle of fourth period, right when the shooting was supposed to occur, students were allowed to go out and use the bathroom, instead of being in a complete lockdown.

The cavalier attitude toward this threat, versions of which have gone viral nationwide, points to Branham’s lack of precautions to take care of these types of threats.

More threats over social media are bound to happen, whether the school is able to address them or not.

Yet the October threat was followed with a similar threat in December, where the TikTok trend “National Shoot Up Your School Day” swept the nation and had many parents and school officials worrying for students’ safety. The warnings spread throughout the hashtag “december17th2021,” amassing 1 million views.

While Branham did not shut down on that day, many schools across the nation, including Gilroy Unified School District and Greenfield High School in the Bay Area. The threat was found to be not credible.

School shootings remain prevalent. Among the 34 school shootings in 2021, the Nov. 26 school shooting at the nearby Westmont injured two men during a CCS football championship game hit close to home.

And the late-December shooting outside Oakridge Mall, just 1.25 miles away, is a reminder that the Bay Area is not immune to these dangers.

School shooting threats on social media should not be normalized – instead it should prompt a reform social media TikTok culture, along with changing the desensitization many may feel towards the threats to a motivation for activism on school safety. The lack of visible precautions for both threats prompt a need for Branham administrators to reevaluate their approaches towards keeping students, teachers, and staff safe.

Schools should work to help students with their relationship with social media and create better protocols for dangerous situations. Creating systems to better support the mental health of students against the repercussions of social media threats, and working together to prevent the occurrence of dangerous threats are needed to support the safety of students.

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| FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

WINTERWISHES

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE B REESE GARDNER

Student Life Editor

t 6 a.m. Dec. 10 as student leaders walked A in sweatpants and layers of sweatshirts and flannel — it’s a themed day, but it’s also fitting

JULY - SEPTEMBER

for the cozy vibe that they’re aiming for in the return of the 11th annual Winter Wishes. Some students even have blankets and coffee. For one of the biggest days of the year for ASB and for Branham, it's peacefully calm.

It’s dark outside, but the lights in the ASB room shine bright. The room smells of donuts and there is a a quiet buzz of conversations around the room. Moments later, junior Justine Dreux starts to draw the service class's attention to the front of the room.

Winter Wishes ground zero Dreux, a member of the ASB Service class, is in charge of ASB's biggest event of the year.

Though planning starts in the summer, the morning's work is the culmination of hundreds of hours of work in meetings, funding gifts and organizing community support.

Branham was ground zero for the Winter Wishes rally in 2011, which was then called Make a Wish Rally. It's seen numerous transitions. What once began as an intimate event that was able to fit all students comfortably in the gym has morphed into a giant rally for 1,950 students that fills nearly every seat in the football stadium.

Organizers of the event have played with several formats to accommodate for the growing number of students, from splitting the event to two rallies to holding the rallies in the quad.

Winter Wishes took on visiting 12 students' homes at the height of school closures in December 2020. ASB hosted a drive-in-themed movie night a month later to share stories from that event.

Back to school Dreux and the ASB team's plan on the morning of the rally was to start a runthrough at 8 a.m. and attempt to have two full runthroughs of the event, and preferably off-script.

The team barely got through a full rehearsal on the field, and ASB members were visibly cranky — it was a cold morning.

As students began moving baskets and items into the field, some notice graffiti throughout the school, a mix of cryptic symbols and anti-Semitic references. Hillman gets on the phone with Principal Cheryl Lawton and the custodial staff, who with the help of early bird juniors Zach Van Gelden and Colin Paik clean up and paint over the graffiti before most students even noticed it was there.

Back in the ASB room, senior treasurer Nico Morrone and Justine Dreux explain jobs and assignments to student sections.

The decor group heads to the cafeteria with a singular pair of scissors and two rolls of duct tape, while other groups like tech gather materials and begin to set up the field, placing down speakers and lining them up to the mic at the middle of the football field. They set up the banners and posters that wouyld Community support To fund Winter Wishes, which has a budget upwards of $10,000 to run, student fundraising is essential. Each of the nine service groups, divided as to have one "big" rally wish, has to go on two successful fundraising expeditions seek-

Justine Dreux Junior

Organizing, and organizing meetings Junior Justine Dreux begins to sort through organizing documents from previous years' rallies, and creates documents and forms for the current Winter Wishes rally. She creates

sponsorship forms and starts to send emails and gets donation letters ready for the community.

She also meets meets regularly with Christina Hillman and the ASB Service executive team.

OCTOBER Gathering wishes and making themselves known • In mid-October, a Winter Wishes form is sent out to teachers to share with their Outreach classes asking students to make wishes big and small. The Service class then puts together section leaders.

There are 10 groups with four- to- five members each.

• Freshmen in ASB receive a rally orientation.

• Students begin figuring out COVID protocol and map out their rally logistics.

RALLYING THE TROOPS

Justine Dreux's work preparing for Winter Junior Wishes starts early in the summer, sorting through

the documents of rallies past, Google Forms and documents. Even before Winter Wishes, she was and has been a very organized person.

The stress of junior year serves as a backdrop — Dreux is taking three AP classes on top of organizing the biggest rally of the year. She's a project manager whose job is also to be a student.

“I think that was the biggest challenge for me, making sure to get everything done while also doing all my schoolwork and keeping up with everything else that I

was doing," Dreux said.

Dreux is responsible for the daily agendas, lists and gets updates on the progress of each of the nine teams Dreux also created a document students could use and refer to with a daily agenda and a list of things that needed to get done and a list of things to come.

“Everything that the teams needed was on that Doc and I think that helped a lot," she said.

Her predecessor, Anwesha Mishra had run Winter Wishes during the height of the pandemic in 2020 and 2019. Watching Mishra organize the event with her teams gave Dreux the confidence to lead the event as

her successor.

“I just like finally gettin ter seeing two years wort knew what I wanted to of and that was the mot Outside of her AP U.S glish Language courses, But because classwork room in her schedule so “There was a lot of wo and when our Wishes t “So a lot of the work f

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WINTERWISHES The 11th annual Winter Wishes rally returned to an in-person format, and with that came a return to the usual on-the-boots fun and challenges in operating the biggest ASB event of the year.

Visit @bhsbearwitness for our previous coverage of the Winter Wishes rally.

Reese Gardner • illustrations by Finn Albano

BIGGEST RALLY OF THE YEAR

NOVEMBER

Wishful thinking • The wishes form closes at the beginning of November, and Dreux sortss all of the wishes into categories • A Winter Wishes committee of students, parents and staff reviews the list and pares the hundreds of wishes down to 40- to- 50 • Each group is picks and presents their top three wishes, and share their budget, fundraising ideas and how to make their part of the rally experience meaningful.

• The teams then seek out donations and sponsorships from at least two community groups.

FINAL WEEKS Scripts and gift granting • Teams start to work on scripts and how the wishes are going to be presented at the rally.

• Poster awork is created and posted on the day of the rally.

• The teams provide rally logistics, including here each class will sit.

• The Service and Spirit classes collaborate on planning Winter Wishes week activities.

• It's showtime.

ng to work on winner wishes afth of it being run,” Dreux said, “I do and why I was doing it kind tivation.”

S. History, AP Calculus, AP EnWinter Wishes was her priority. came first, it was hard to make ometimes. ork that was due at that moment technically weren't.” Dreux said, for Winter Wishes got pushed

back, push back, push back. But I would do just a little bit every week.”

Comfort in friends Dreux said her friends provided emotional support during her most stressful times in the fall. She turned to drawing, music or find ways to hang out with friends.

“Just knowing that they were there if I did ever need any definitely helped to ease my stress, and I did use their help a few times."

She knew that having a healthy work-life balance was essential in ensuring that she would emerge from or-

ganizing the rally unscathed. When there was a natural stopping point, she would try to focus on herself, "something, anything, but it would definitely help me to set boundaries.”

Seeking advice When Dreux didn't have the answers, she knew that Activities Director Christina Hillman often did. Hillman has helped organize Winter Wishes the past five years.

"Hillman can usually answer the questions,” Dreux said The last week leading up to the rally was a whirlwind

ing out community sponsorships and donations.

They also organize the smaller fundraisers with See's Candy and the book donation event back in November.

The goodwill the ASB has earned from previous Winter Wishes rallies has reaped benefits in gaining new donors.

“We're very fortunate that we have a lot of community support," said Activities Director Christina Hillman. "So usually, it's not an issue for us to just kind of increase our budget more than we had intended.”

Trust in each other Dreux said that the Service group also knows how to get things done by helping each other to solve problems. Each team has its own lead and a somewhat set budget. If there are issues with ordering items or if the team goes over budget, the issue usually is resolved before it reaches her.

“They usually take care of whatever needs to be done," Dreux said.

Such confidence in the teamwork comes from much pre-planning and coordination, and trust built from hours of work and the coordination of tasks, from interviewing potential gift recipients to updating spreadsheets on the status of budgets.

“There's a basis of trust and by trust I mean, the executive team trusts Hillman and Hillman trusts the executive team,” Dreux said, “The class trusts the executive team and the class trusts Hillman, and Hillman trusts the class to trust each other.”

Hillman feels likewise, saying despite initial fears of moving the rally to the football field from the more intimate school gym, especially after having a pandemic Winter Wishes, students rose to the challenge.

“Everyone put a lot of thought, effort, and energy into making sure that things ran very smoothly and that they were really on top of everything," she said. "They really put a level of care into everything that I think makes a really successful program.”

Special deliveries Just a few hours before the start of the rally, as leaders run through their first and only rehearsal, Activities Director is making phone calls trying to locate the delivery of the matching flannels for the ASB crew.

Meanwhile, students empty the ASB room and now occupy the field, putting up posters, moving furniture, and setting up tents for gift distribution. As a football field rally is a first for the team, they set up two tents tents to provide a place to transition between gifts, and to store away unused items.

Baskets are laid out in advance, with placeholder boxes for the more expensive items such as iPads and laptops, partly to deter theft, and partly because some items, such as the iPad Pro for senior Audry Nguyen, the Bear Witness artistic editor, have not arrived yet.

Students in the tents are equipped with walkie talkies, queueing up items and posters describing gifts during the rally.

Moments before the end of the runthrough and before the first wave of students arrive for the rally, Hillman receives a call from the office informing her that the flannel shirts have been delivered. She rushes on her golf cart with the surprise red flannel shirts for her students.

It was a small moment of chaos in an otherwise calm and busy morning.

for Dreux, as she said she said there were "at least 30 different things" that needed to be done at any point.

The rally was a blur for Dreux, but also calm, as the work she'd spent since June organizing was playing out on the field.

“I didn't think the rally was happening that day. But when everyone was arriving, I realized it was definitely happening today," Dreux said. “And then the rally happened and I was like, whoa, that just happened, and I felt a really huge sense of pride, but also like, wow, it's over.”

—Reese Gardner

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SCIENCE&HEALTH SCIENCE BRIEFS Temperature records shattered in 2021 2021 has been a rough year, not just because of the pandemic, but also because of extreme weather fluctuations. A record number of all time highs and lows were recorded all over the United States since 19, the vast majority of which consisted of heatwaves. Just in heat records, heat waves were set at 8.3% of weather stations.

Normally, record temperatures are broken just by a few degrees, but last year, temperature records were broken by double digits. Experts say the spikes are all due to climate change causing unstable temperatures and weather patterns.

Omicron has killed more than delta at its peak Though COVID cases have started to plateau in various parts of the country, a Bay Area News Group analysis of state COVID-19 deaths found that in the four deadliest weeks of the delta and omicron surges, the number of unvaccinated people who died were nearly identical, and far higher than the totals for the vaccinated. Even so, three times more vaccinated people died during the omicron peak than during delta’s peak.

State figures have consistently shown the coronavirus is deadlier with age. Of the nearly 85,000 Californians who’ve died of COVID-19, 71% were age 65 or older and 92% at were least 50.

Apple becomes the first $3 trillion company Just a year and a half after surpassing $2 trillion in 2020, Apple’s market value jumps to $3 trillion. The company only a few miles from San Jose is the first company in history to reach such numbers, and is worth even more than Walmart, Ford, AT&T, Disney, and other iconic brands added together. In comparison, Apple is worth more than the entire world’s cryptocurrency and is equal to the GDP of India or Britain.

Coral reef found off the coast of Tahiti During an UNESCO ocean floor mapping project, 1.86 miles of coral reef was found off the cost of Tahiti, which is part of French Polynesia. The reef is the largest ever found at its depth.

Due to the lack of sunlight in that part of the ocean, the reefs formed flower-shaped structures to gain surface area so they receive the maximum sunlight to grow.

These flower structures also have the added benefit of being more resilient to rising temperatures of the ocean than their branch-shaped, shallow-water counterparts.

New COVID variant discovered Cases for the new COVID variant known as BA. 2 have sprouted across the globe, including reported cases in California. BA. 2 is the descendant of the Omicron variant (BA. 1), and according to the Washington Post, shows no signs of being more virulent or dangerous than omicron yet.

Though the new variant isn’t overwhelmingly widespread or reportedly more dangerous, officials are working to investigate its possibilities as very little is known about it so far.

—Compiled by Angela Choi and Ava Stark

go to SLEEP HEALTH

MILA WINDELL Staff Writer

However students do it, a good night's sleep is hard to come by

ANGELA CHOI

Science & Health Editor

ranham Bruins are night owls.

B The recent COVID-19 crisis has created a new pandemic: chronically lethargic teens.

In a survey of 448 readers, 54% say they sleep around 6 to 8 hours a night, with nearly 30% saying they sleep between four to six hours. The lack of student’s sleep has been shown all over a popular instagram account, @bruinnaps, which highlights students sleeping during class. The photos reveal a major problem within high schools across the nation: Students don’t get enough sleep.

According to many sources, including the National Sleep Foundation and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, teens should be getting eight to 10 hours of sleep a night. But fewer than one-fourth of high school students are meeting even the minimum, according to the results of the most recent national Youth Risk Behavior survey, conducted every two years by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Meanwhile the amount of sleep recommended for an average high school student is around 8 to 10 hours a night.

The pandemic has altered Branham students' sleep patterns and it has been a struggle to get back to a healthy routine. During distance learning, students said it was difficult to maintain a consistent schedule.

Many students lost time management and consistent sleep habits, staying up past midnight to chat with friends, waking up five minutes before school and falling asleep in class.

A night and day difference Many factors play into one's lack of sleep, and homework patterns are a major factor.

Sophomore Miles Duncan said he procrastinated on his homework, andi t has affected his sleep schedule. He says that he delays working on it un-t i l very late at night. And when he doesg o to bed early, he plays on his phone for hours.

He comes to school having had not much sleep the night before.

“I always feel like I don't want to be there,” Duncan said.

For sophomore Claire Luong, who sleeps six hours a night, balancing sleep and her homework has become a cycle of pushing her to-do list further back.

However, when she does get enough sleep, she notices that she is much more productive throughout the day.

“I

Audrey Nguyen/Bear Witness

54%

30%

CAUSES OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION AMONG TEENS Hormonal time shift – puberty hormones shift the teenager’s body clock forward by about one or two hours, making them sleepier one to two hours later. Yet, while the teenager falls asleep later, early school starts don’t allow them to sleep in. This nightly ‘sleep debt’ leads to chronic sleep deprivation.

After-school schedule – Homework, sports, work and social commitments can cut into a teenager’s sleeping time.

Bear Witness readers who say they sleep between 6 to 8 hours a night.

Screens – Smart phones and other devices used around bed time reduce sleep time. Teens who put down their phones an hour before bed gain an extra 21 minutes sleep a night, (that's one hour and 45 minutes over the school week) according to a study by Vic Health and the Sleep Health Foundation.

of BearWitnes readers who say they only get between 4 to 6 hours.

Source: Bear Witness survey of 448 readers

Leisure activities – Bingewatching TV shows, the internet and computer gaming can keep a teenager out of bed.

Light exposure – Light cues the brain to stay awake. In the evening, lights from televisions, mobile phones and computers can prevent adequate production of melatonin, the brain chemical (neurotransmitter) responsible for sleep.

Social attitudes – in Western culture, keeping active is valued more than sleep.

Sources: Sleep Foundation and Vic Health

feel a little better,” Luong said. “Like I'll feel more productive and then I'll actually get work done.”

Her experience corresponds to national research, such as the American Psychological Association's, which show that more sleep would make us happier and healthier.

When freshman Hazen D'Aurora sleeps more, she said she is able to improve many facets of her life at school.

“Definitely better focus," D'Aurora said. "I feel rested.

I get better at school, and I'm doing a lot more talking. I have a lack of social battery when I don't get enough sleep.”

Unaware of sleep deficits AP Psychology teacher Jen Ozdinski conducts a sleep survey every year, and she tells her students that they need 8 hours of sleep. Based on her current survey, which includes questions such as, “How many hours of sleep do you get on a weekend night?” and “Do you feel like not getting enough sleep on a school night has an ill effect on your day?” In each class, she only has had one or two students who get the sleep they need.

Every year, the general student reaction is the same.

“They laugh like they know that they don't get that amount of sleep,” Ozdinski said. “And so I just emphasize throughout the course how important sleep is to their health. I always come back throughout the school year to how important sleep is.”

The chronic sleep deprivation that high school students have been facing around the country has lowered academic performance, Assistant Principal Nikita Shah said. Students who sleep less are missing information and acting behavior. For those who act out, she's been hearing a repeating refrain. “‘I'm sorry, I was really tired. I wasn't thinking straight,” Shah said. “I've heard it so many times.”

To improve sleep schedules, district nurse Debra Phalen suggests that students should develop routines that are consistent.

In order to experience a good night's sleep, Phalen recommends exercising throughout the day, cutting out energy drinks, and not drinking liquids past 7 p.m. She hopes that students can improve on sleep schedules soon.

“I think it's something we definitely need to look at and to focus on,” Phalen said. “I would say, if we don't make some changes and make it a priority, it's going to be a big problem.”

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SPORTS REFEREE SHORTAGE

OFFICIALLY off the field

Hostile parties, low pay and the pandemic are blamed for the drain of referees at sports games

Alan Schaeffer/Bear Witness ALAN SCHAEFFER Sports Editor

vibrant red shirt weaves her way through A a number of blue defenders. Reaching the top of the box, she looks to shoot but is knocked

off the ball. Parents on both sides shout.

Screaming for a penalty. Red players throw their hands in the air in frustration. The ref blows his whistle. Now both the teams, both the coaches, all the spectators join the shouting match. Some plead for the referee to show a card. Others defend the legality of the challenge.

Referees are often one person against the world, trying to officiate the game as they see it. But the hostile atmosphere is making more reconsider heading out on the field. Is it really worth it? Why risk so much for all this criticism? s high school sports enter their third season during the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools and leagues are falling victim to a shortage of certified officials across a variety of sports.

Football and soccer are two of the sports most

affected by this ongoing issue, often having to change schedules due to the lack of referees.

“You need referees to play the games” said Burt Field, a former soccer referee who now assigns match officials for CCS. Soccer, at least at the high school level, is usually played with three referees; one 1st official that does most of the refereeing – calling fouls and controlling the game – as well as two assistant referees who move along the sideline and report when the ball goes out of play or when a player is offside. Branham’s girls varsity soccer coach and club soccer coach Erich Rabago has most noticed the lack of referees when it comes to tournaments, saying that they will often have to resort to using only two referees (one on each side of the field) to officiate matches. He says that by having fewer officials, the consistency of their calls has declined and noticed that matches are officiated at a lower standard than they were previously.

“What it mostly impacts is the quality of refs,” he said. “(You get) whoever you get for any

quality.”

The BVAL soccer bylaws, the rules that regulate how the league works, also provide a review form that coaches may fill out after a game, with any complaints about a referee.

“It is the committees’ recommendation that all coaches complete a review of all officials after every game” the by-law states. “It can be a vital tool in the continuous development of officials.”

The by-laws also clarify that reviews must be specific, and coaches may not simply verbally attack a referee without providing reasons for their complaints.

As sports push on through the pandemic, the decreasing amount of referees can largely be attributed to covid. With many of the older refs resigning due to low pay and health concerns, organizations have struggled to recruit new ones. Field says that he has seen a decrease of 4,000-5,000 officials this year.

“It has been tough and there’s a couple of reasons,” he said. “Covid was one and a lack of classes was two. And also the common theme of

parents just being over-the-top.”

Field and Rabago both highlighted the brutality of the refereeing role. With the toxicity in almost every match from parents, coaches and players, the low wage of approximately $40$100 a game is unsubstantial. The pandemic is causing officials to leave, and the poor salaries and environments deter many newcomers.

As a coach, Rabago has seen the adversity that referees can face, and can foresee a possible, albeit distant, solution. He says that between the modeling of disrespect to officials by professional players and coaches and the animosity between the two parties that can arise due to unfavorable calls, the situation has developed to the point where it may take a while to fix completely.

“I think a solution would be having the refs and coaches work together,” he said. “There is a separation but I think if they looked at it as we’re all just going to work together to make sure the players stay safe and the game gets called fairly… it might help”

COLLEGE RECRUITS

Pandemic athletes hustle for recruiters' attention

Seniors regain drive after seasons upended due to COVID closures SARA DEDIU AND EMMA ZHANG

T

Staff WRiters

he pandemic forced athletes with college aspirations to practice at home and communicate with potential coaches through emails, adding another layer of stress and uncertainty to the student athlete application process that no previous classes had ever experienced before.

The student athlete application process usually included emailing the coaches of colleges to see if they’re interested, having them watch you play at competitions and showcases or through a video, then getting invited to in-person camps where they can assess you in person.

Due to the pandemic and the discontinuation of many sports, the opportunities for colleges to assess an athlete decreased dramatically, placing more emphasis on recommendation letters, essays, and videos. According to NCSA Sports, communication to coaches through email increased nearly 26%, from 635,743 emails in 2019 to 825,519 emails in 2020, showing the alternate forms of communication coaches and potential recruits had to rely on during the unusual times.

Matthew Knudsen water polo

Emma Fales softball

Ella Johnson soccer

California Lutheran University

George Washington University

Whitman College

Instead of traveling across the country with her softball teammates, senior Emma Fales, who will play for George Washington University in the fall, joined an online Facebook group put together by collegiate players where the members did a drill or practice video a day.

In her free time, she practiced on the tee in her backyard and played catch with her sister.

She said that despite all of the time away from her time, the pandemic allowed her to focus more on individual skills, making her application more appealing to recruits.

“I always knew that I was going to find a way to play softball in college," Fales said. "It was really just about the actions I took and my urgency to try to find a place to call home."

Being away from the pool during the first part of the pandemic was draining for senior Mathew Knudsen, who has played water polo for roughly nine years. While he was still able to swim in a pool to keep fit, having such a big part of his life yanked away dramatically decreased his motivation.

Knudsen was a key member of Branham’s first boys water polo team last year, and led the squad to a league championship this season. Next season he will join California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks.

“It was weird being out of the pool, and away from my teammates for that long,” he said. “It was hard to stay focused on what I needed to do in order to continue playing my sport.”

For senior Ella Johnson, who will attend Whitman College, soccer has been a part of her life since she was four. Social distanced practice made her feel a lot less close to her teammates.

Johnson is a captain of Branham’s varsity girls soccer team, and plays the midfielder position.

She completed her final season as a Bruin with a CCS semifinal loss to Lincoln High School on Feb. 23.

“If you're going to (practice your sport), you’re usually going to have to do it by yourself,” she said.

The application was a frustrating and stressful process for the three athletes, from emailing

coaches and not getting a response back to navigating deadlines and various new requirements, praying that luck would get them through the uncertainty.

“It can be kind of diminishing when you're looking at other people getting recruited and you're wondering why you're not,” Fales says she would tell future applicants. “You have to remember that it's your own process, and what you're working on is yourself and where you're going.”

Although COVID initially weakened their relationship with their sport, it ultimately made them realize how much it meant to them and how much they loved playing it.

“That period of time away made me miss the sport and when I got back, I re-experienced everything that I loved when I first started playing the sport,” said Knudsen.

For Johnson, it was even a catalyst for her to realize she didn’t want to give up on the passion she’s been pursuing her whole life. “[Soccer] has always been a part of my life, but I didn't know if I wanted to continue,” she said.

“Then when COVID hit and I couldn't play as much, I realized I wanted to play for as long as I could.”

For athletes wishing to play in college, Fales said that resourcefulness and drive that helped athletes excel on the field are needed to navigate life post-high school “(Becoming a college athlete) can definitely happen with COVID," she said. "You just have to want it enough.

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STUDENT LIFE For the fourth straight year, your schedule will be different again

BULLETIN BOARD

Weighing in on distance learning DOMINIC CLIMA Staff Writer

he omicron variant is fadT ing and California and school officials are preparing in

COVID resources finally come through The recent delivery of masks and readily available testing have made it possible to weather the latest omicron surge.

The masks, which have been supplied by the California Office of Emergency Services, are considered the gold standard for their ability to filter out particles smaller than 0.3 nanometers. This is welcome news as masks become optional in the coming weeks.

the near future of co-existing with COVID. At its peak, more than 60% of readers in a Bear Witness survey of 440 readers suggested that the school should have conducted part of its classwork online.

Understandably, students and staff were mixed in their opinions.

“Being in person would be cool.

I think everybody wants that, but everyone wants to be safe first,” said senior Drew Carter.

Others said that the drawbacks of being online outweigh the benefits, especially with the availability of vaccination — more than 80% of eligible Santa Clara residents are vaccinated against COVID. “I don't think it's worth going back online because of how it affects students as it makes a lot of people do worse in school,” said senior Nick Bozzo.

Studies have shown that wearing a N95 mask or wearing a cloth mask over a medical mask is most effective to protect oneself.

Though the calculus of the pandemic has changed, we asked students earlier about the school's decision to keep schools open.

What should the school do in case of another surge?

Audrey Nguyen/Bear Witness

Waiting for Wordle Students and staff are addicted to Wordle, the free phenomenon that more than 60 million worldwide play each day. The game allows each player six tries to guess the word, with every day having a new word, and only being able to play one round a day. Unlike other addictive games, you can only play once a day, preventing productivity to grind to a halt.

The upside is it allows students to have a 10 to 20 minute break from class, work, or even just a fun way to end the day.

The bad: You only play once. Give us more!

OPTION 1 | ALL BLOCK SCHEDULE All classes will meet for 93 minutes (or 95 minutes) either two or three times a week. Tutorials meet only during B days.

Falling behind due to COVID exposure During the first two days back from break, the school saw over 100 calls of positive COVID cases.

Before quarantine rules changed, students had to still follow the 10 day quarantine protocols.

This changed Jan. 18, halving the isolation period to five days.

Still, the situation affected sports, which had to cancel practices amid positive covid cases and a lack of athletes.

At the height of the surge, teachers reported nearly half their classes absent.

Some teachers even modified their lesson plans to accommodate students who have to quarantine.

— Reese Gardner

Pros • Same start times • Classes same length • Athletes don't miss same class

Cons • No "true" early release day • Each week is different due to rotating schedule

AMANDA DAY AND VIVIAN TRINH Staff Writers

hether teachers adopt a modW ified block schedule we have right now or revert to the old schedule, what's certain is that most classes will begin at 8:30 a.m. next school year due to a state law going taking effect then.

The debate over the change has drawn the attention of students such as juniors Marissa Pepitone, Elijah Bustamante, Sean Murphy, and Kendall Green, who have been part of the school's Bell Schedule Committee.

Though teachers will be the ones who will vote on what their next schedule will look like, the students have helped pare down the eight proposals to two.

The process has been an eye-opening experience for Pepitone, who has seen three schedule changes, one for each year in high school.

“Being only one of the four students on the bell schedule committee, it's nice to be able to really understand the process of finding a schedule fit for everyone, and represent other students at the same time,” Pepitone said.

Their ultimate goal is to create a schedule that is most appropriate for the Branham high school community.

OPTION 2 | MODIFIED BLOCK, SEE-ALL SCHEDULE Similar to the current schedule, except that tutorials will alternate between twice a week to three times a week every other week.

Cons Pros • Consistent class lengths and • Different end times each day. daily schedules • No "true" early release schedule

Since the start of the school year, several different surveys that were sent letting students, staff and parents sort out the placement of tutorials, outreach periods and whether there should be a see-all day.

The choices include: A modified block, similar to the current schedule, where students see all of their teachers on a certain day of the week. The rest of the week will be a block schedule. For students and teachers, an upside of this proposal was the ability to have a consistent schedule from week-to-week, though many have complained of the lack of consistency among teachers in utilizing the shorter see-all days.

The all-block schedule will have schedules vary from week-to-week, but classroom structures will remain consistent so that students and staff don't have to adjust to one see-all day.

“Throughout the making of these schedules we were able to use our forms to get feedback from staff and students to create and choose which ones seem to be of benefit to others,” Pepitone said.

Pepitone said that teachers and administrators did most of the heavy lifting when it came to actually putting together a schedule, and teachers will

have their final vote. However, the students were able to largely contribute to the decision making of schedules.

“Any questions about the schedule, such as how long lunches should be or tutorials, we were able to give our best opinion and many were able to agree with our ideas," Pepitone said.

Meetings usually consist of overviewing the topics going to be discussed, covering any other schedule ideas, and breaking them down to the best possible configuration. The final two discussed concluded options were labeled as an “All Block” and “Modified Block.”

The “All Block,” meant we would have a block schedule every day.

With the new 8:30 a.m. requirement, school will end later regardless of the new schedule.

“It just sucks that the later that we go into school, the later we will get out," she said.

At their latest staff meeting in February, teachers hashed out the pros and cons of both schedules, agreeing to vote in another straw poll. If they cannot agree on a schedule by the end of the month, the district has the option to step in to propose its own schedule.

Anthony Lenz Sophomore

Sam Arillo Senior

Tyberious Slayton Junior

Anvit Mishra Freshman

“I feel like it would be best for us to go into online learning while the Omicron is at its peak, and then as everyone who gets tested, we can go back to in person.”

“We should’ve went distance learning at least during the peak of the Omicron wave, and then come back once the wave calms down.

It’s ultimately about the safety of others and lowering the spread of COVID.” “We should really go back to online learning. It’s a good thing to prioritize mental health but at the same time, it shouldn’t be at the risk of physical health.”

“I personally feel uncomfortable with in-person school since you’re surrounded by people who have been exposed, and it’s a bit terrifying that you’re more likely to get COVID when you’re trying to pursue an education.”

| FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 |

BEAR WITNESS

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YOURTURN POETRY

BRUINS OF BRANHAM

Publishes Tuesdays and Thursdays @bhsbearwitness

illuminate through AVISHAWD YARISAIED Special to the Bear Witness

Courtesy of Princely Molon

‘I just want to be someone that I want to be’ PRINCELY MOLON junior who emigrated Cameroon n average school day was like: I usuA ally wake up at 3 a.m. in the morning and brush my teeth, arrange the house,

sweep the house, wash the floor.

Take care of your little sisters and make them food and then go and drive your little brothers and sister to school. And then when you drop your little sister go to school. Come back and pick up your little sister to come by which you guys are at home. Make them food to eat for lunch and then do your assignments, whatever you want.

My mom is gonna cook in the evening and make some food, like just some rice and soup and some chicken and then after you go carry some water for you guys to have for the next day in the morning, rather than you to wake up at 2 in the morning to go fetch some water when you can do that in the same night. And then sleep, wake up again.

So basically just gonna keep repeating and repeating.

Your VOICE, your CHOICE, An eternal truth.

Catastrophic grievances cascading, From the depth and outer edge.

Myriad injustices of my ancestors, as women tackled.

The women of now, Tackle, Face to face.

I wanna go back to my country and thank my family members who helped me out They keep motivating me every single day to do the high level that I can be in the future.

They keep saying that I should keep working and keep trying my best because they know that things are hard in America.

American kids keep bullying people, just want me to keep staying at one percent and not want to keep focus on education.

My plans after high school would be; I want to go to a good school. I don't care if I have bad grades, I don't care if I go to a community college or university. I just want to become somebody that I want to be.

So basically just gonna keep repeating and repeating.

—Maceo Inoue and Rei Kanda

Our world inhales attempting to digest a sea of grim, A sea of revolting actions and words.

It fails.

The atrocious display my eyes witness and my ears glean, Leads to the world, Stifled.

I speak up.

The world possesses a limit on life.

Asserting from the conventional direction we flow, we go, I don’t obey, I march directly the other way.

‘Explaining that I'm Vietnamese, it's kind of hard’

I aim high towards hope, Perforating the political ropes.

The patriarchy shall not overshadow the voices that must be heard.

We engage in a peaceful fight of verbiage.

We stomp on the inequity that has occurred, And the inequity that is wanted for us to concur.

NAOMI BERGMAN freshman on her Vietnamese-Jewish upbringing Vietnamese, and a lot of Vietnamese Ithat'mpeople are Catholic. So having identified I was Jewish, or in a more Jewish set-

Our consolidated voices and actions will illuminate through.

Audrey Nguyen/Bear Witness

ting, trying to explain to people that I was Vietnamese, it's kind of hard sometimes.

It's been pretty prevalent for me because on my dad's side, they're all Jewish, so just growing up with the people I did, especially since I went to a Jewish Day School from K through eight. It's just, really a part of me, and without it I don't think I'd be the same person.

For my art class last year, I made a piece speaking on social injustices within the community. It meant a lot because I got to speak about what I've faced and I got to interview other people about what they faced and I think that's very important. It was a project about microaggressions so like small things in like our daily life that we experienced, like jokes that seemed just like a bit hurtful, but are really actually racist. And other things like that are just things that we don't usually realize. But if you look back on it, they're actually not okay. They're not just jokes and stuff, or small remarks.

—Ava Stark and Alli Wang

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BEAR WITNESS

| FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

ARTS&CULTURE Mini Reviews MUSICAL CMT Mainstage’s Les Miserables Directed by Kevin R. Hauge What it is: Les Miserables is the story of a tortured man attempting the find redemption in the midst of a revolution, while trying to avoid the demons of the San Jose Chil- past as well. dren’s Musical Liked: BranTheater ham freshmen shined bright in the show. Maya Drake (Eponine) brought the house down with her angelic vocals, and Rebecca Borrison (Enjolras) captivated the audience with her energetic portrayal of a leader doomed to die.

Disliked: My only real problem with the show was certain decisions when cutting parts of songs. “Stars” is one of the most iconic numbers of the show, and the person playing Javert was fantastic. So it was disappointing to realize they cut an entire verse of the song.

— Nolan Zils and guest Reviewer junior Jeremy Potts STORE Crumbl Cookies What it is: The Bay Area's first Crumbl Cookies opened at the Camden and Union shopping area.

Known as “the world’s best cookie company,” the grand opening was greeted with enthusiasm and long wait lines. The store releases four new flavors that rarely repeat themselves. Bay Area fans in the past have driven to Davis two hours away just to try their cookies.

Liked: The size of the cookies are massive, so a family of four could easily share Crumbl Cookie two cookies.

Making the $8 company treats a little more affordable. It’s also nice that every week there are different options, but you still have two classic cookies to choose from all the time.

Disliked: The store itself is very much a hole in the wall and with everyone wanting to try these cookies. There is always a long line — it takes about 30 minutes to get a cookie.

— Reese Gardner ALBUM DAWN FM The Weeknd What it is: After the success of The Weeknd's 2020 album "After Hours," he returns with his '80s synth pop and psychedelic sound on his highly anticipated 2022 album, which serves as a concept record as well as a follow up to "After Hours."

Liked: The majority of the album's tracks flow into each other so there is never a song that sticks out like a sore thumb.

Disliked: The repetition in some tracks feel too similar to each other.

— Santiago Hernandez

'LINES' RUSSIA LEAD TO Sophomore's art explores her home country's beauty and darkness

ALLI WANG

S

Opinion Editor

ophomore Varvara Levshakova, a native of Russia, sees her mother country’s duality. Her work, titled “Lines,” is one of 79 art pieces that’s been accepted into the New Museum Los Gatos exhibit, ArtNow 2022: Brave New Worlds.

Levshakova's submission consists of a subway map of Moscow, with drawings of Russian architecture to symbolize Levshakova’s love for the beauty of Russia.

Behind the subway system is a collage of newspaper articles that describe some of many past occurrences of Russian journalists being fined, threatened, or put into jail, and university journalism students facing trials for writing truthful articles.

“I called my piece “Lines” because it's like connecting everyone together. I love Russia and wish the best for my country, for my people,” she said. “But there's much dispute and censorship in Russia and that saddens me.”

She sees the current war between Ukraine and Russia, and how its represented by state media, as another example of the Russian government’s suppression of Russian citizens’ right to free speech, press and activism.

More importantly, the war is a clear example of Russias using its power to infringe on Ukrainian citizen’s rights.

“In Russia, citizens are getting arrested just for telling the truth,” she said. “Many of my relatives in Russia are not aware of how the government abuses its powers due to the Russian government's mass propoganda.”

But she hopes to inform people that the Russian government’s actions are not reflective of the general Russian population’s stance on the war.

“War is horrible,” she said. “Some people don’t understand that the Russian government doesn't represent its citizens. Although some parts of the government want the war, Russian citizens do not.”

Levshakova said she has seen much hate on Russian citizens on social media. Yet she said she found the animosity unjust as the Russian government has been using intense propaganda to censor the war from Russian citizens.

Levshakova said she felt angry at the Russian government’s actions but also scared for both Russian and Ukrainian citizens. She hoped to use her artwork to communicate her desire to “connect” her country back together.

“Many people in Russia aren't even aware that there's a war happening.” she said. “They don't know how many people are dying. They don't know that peaceful Ukrainian people are dying.”

While she said she’s “not trying to show any message to anyone,” she sees art as a creative outlet and plans to pursue her passion in art throughout high school.

“As an artist. It's very satisfying to create art pieces about my thoughts and feelings.” she said. “When you create something and people notice it, it's very fulfilling.”

“I love Russia and wish the best for my country, for my people,” she said. “But there's much dispute and censorship in Russia and that saddens me.”

Sophomore Varvara Levshakova

Levshakova’s work will be displayed in the New Museum Los Gatos exhibition from Mar. 25 until May 22.

Sophomore Varvara Levshakova's art piece, is one of 79 student-submitted works that will be featured in this year's New Museum Los Gatos' ArtNow exhibit. It consists of a collage of past Russian news articles, architecture, and a Moscow subway map.

SPRING MUSICAL

New life for 'Evil Dead' as COVID restrictions ease SAISAHASRA MAKAMCHENNA Staff Writer

ith the omicron surge waning and masks W coming off soon, the Backstage Bruins are ready to debut "Evil Dead: The Musical," their first stage musical in two years. As the lead character Ash would say: Groovy, baby.

The show debuts March 24, with showtimes on March 25,-26, as well as April 1.

The outlook was not so certain earlier this semester an increased number of chronic absences, which made it difficult to rehearse, especially with no understudies.

Cast members of "Evil Dead," adapted from

director Sam Raimi's earlier horror-comedy series, were initially asked to sign a waiver to get COVID tests twice a week. By doing this, the show would get an opportunity to go unmasked if all tests come back negative, according to the district’s policy.

For now, cast members are required to use a singer's mask on stage. However, other high schools in the area, such as Bellarmine College Preparatory, were able to recently perform their shows with maskless casts.

This year has already been a struggle on top of another with stricter guidelines, late rehearsals, frequent absences, and COVID-19 exposures.

As COVID restrictions ease up, the show will

go on.

Unlike the fall play "Twelve Angry Jurors," Branham’s "Evil Dead" production won’t have any understudies or back-up cast members in case of absences or injuries.

Choir director Barbara West, who is leading vocal rehearsals, said having no understudies is always taking a big risk in any show for directors.

“Most of the parts are small enough that we can make it work," West said, "But if (lead) Christian gets sick, I don't know what we're gonna do."

The show has many romantic scenes and social distancing had presented a big challenge for

performing them.

“It's a lot harder to convey the characters' relationships to each other when we have to be spaced out,” said junior Carissa Freimark.

Sophomore Christian Winzenread, the lead of the show said that he has never done a production without an understudy. Prior to Backstage Bruins, Winzenread performed for San Jose Children’s Musical Theater, which always has two or more casts for their shows.

“It’s a lot of responsibility," he said. "It’s a lot to think about and it’s helping us really keep it in the headspace that we need to stay as safe as possible."

BEAR WITNESS

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THE ART of GRAFFITI

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ARTS&CULTURE

Juliette Bonacum/Bear Witness One of Banksy's pieces on display at the Palace of Fine Arts.

The exhibit ended at the end of February.

With Banksy's San Francisco exhibit and popularity of outdoor murals, attention turns to its messaging JULIETTE BONACUM

S

Staff Writer

ophomore Max Ortiz views his graffiti as a form of expression. It's art, except on public building. He tags in the big cities such as Los Angeles and and San Francisco, but also on many of the papers he gets in school.

His medium ranges from spray paint, to Sharpies, whatever's available. He would use his eraser to etch tags on desks.

Ortiz said he gained his love for graffiti from the 2018 movie “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." In one scene the protagonist Miles Morales uses graffiti in a subway station to get away from his current frustrating situation.

“That's how he expresses his creativity, and that's just a way of him showing who he is, that’s his personality” he said about Morales. “My tag is my personality. It's who I am.”

Growing up, Ortiz said that his parents discouraged him from using graffiti as a means of expression. It's often associated in popular media with gangs and vandalism. However, he said the conflict with his parents helped him hone his message.

“I feel like my parents kind of stopped me from doing what I wanted to do, like stop me from being able to express myself simply because they didn't understand it,” Ortiz said. “And that's the best part, then you have this little personality… a way that I can show who I am.”

The art of Banksy One of the biggest problems with graffiti is the limitations it comes with. For one, graffiti on any building that isn't one's own is illegal. However, California law says that if artists can get permission from the building's owners, then "the graffiti on the wall is 100% legal.”

Nolan Zils/Bear Witness Sophomore Max Ortiz helps bring a waterfal to life in on of the Mural Club's pieces in the World Languages row. He said he enjoys graffiti as a means of expression.

From "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" to Bansky, the street artist known for his very public work, graffiti and urban art is seeing a transition close to acceptance.

The Palace of the Fine Arts is hosting The Art of Banksy - San Francisco, which oepened in November 2021, featuring the the work of an England-based street artist, political activist and film director.

This exhibit is walk-through gallery of his art, starting with his first pieces and gradually moving into his techniques and deeper meaning pieces with quotes along the way. The exhibit had many different varieties of his art whether it was hanging glass work, or refurbished pieces of wood.

“This exhibit does showcase the art

side of graffiti, like street art," said museum employee Jamie Jun during a recent visit. "But for people who don't know the value of Banksy or the value of this art could see this as just marks on the street."

English teacher Barbara Arduini paid a visit in December. She said the exhibit is a sign of his cultural impact.

“I thought it gave a really interesting kind of side note about when things were created and the reaction to it,” she said. “I also thought it did a good job of capturing his activism and his ironic humor."

Many of his provide a visual twist, from a masked man throwing flowers instead of a molotov cocktail, to Disney characters in "The Jungle Book" juxtaposed against deforested land.

As street art gains popularity, school groups at Branham are using blank wall spaces to share messages of love and unity. The Latinx Student Union recently completed a mural near the band room, and the Mural Club, led

by Spanish teacher Erica Marquez has worked on a series of murals dedicated to cultural connections. Max Ortiz has been helping put up these art pieces.

However, he still is drawn to his tags, and enjoys its mystique.

“People don't understand graffiti, and you can't get people to understand graffiti unless they do it,” he said. “Everyone sees everything a different way.

So that's kind of the point. I want you to go out and be like, ‘Wow, that’s sick!’ ”

Artists enjoy the craft, but fret over career prospects SALEM MCCLURE Design Director

ue to the negative stigma around art professions D and unpredictable pay, Branham students interested in art are shying away from pursuing their

dream as a full time job. Aspiring professional artists at Branham noted the financial and social struggles of pursuing an art career after high school.

Though art opportunities are plentiful, the pay is meager: In 2021, the Consumer Price index rose 7% while housing costs are expected to increase 5% in 2022. The average salary for an artist in California is $20,000.

Though it's not a means to a career, many students suchh as Neysa Gupta currently use their skills as a side hustle.

Sophomore Neysa Gupta practices painting, drawing, and charcoal art, which she shares on her Instagram page. Each piece sold brings a sense of accomplishment.

“It's like a piece of me that people get to see and it's very genuine,” Gupta said.

She says she gets commissions that varying from sculptures to Twitch emotes.

Though she has been working on commissions, senior Gigi Borgese sees a future for her artistic skills.

Next fall, Borgese plans to attend the New York School of Visual Arts after community college to work in the animation industry as a character/concept designer.

What worries her the long-term consistency in the art career. Artists and animators work in cycles. When a job is complete, they have to hunt for another. She hopes to be proficient at networking by the time she graduates.

“I’m always going to be concerned about making the connections because it’s such an important part of the career,” said Borgese.

Sophomore Linny Withers is considering taking up a profession in medical animations, a career in which one designs imagery to expand medical science knowledge. However, she said she doesn’t want to turn her hobby into a career in fear that she will lose her passion for it.

“When I lose my love for art I also lose a healthy coping mechanism, which is not an exciting prospect,” Withers said.

In art careers, employers decide what the artist produces, limiting their creative freedom. There is also stress

surrounding the profession because of competition.

For Withers, selling her work on the side puts art in a more positive light rather than being under the control of an employer.

“As someone who already struggles under stress, I don't know if it's the kind of environment I could thrive in,” she said.

Since kindergarten, sophomore Lauren Gernale kept up the sketching skills. She is avoiding an art profession because of the negative stigma and financial aspect. For Gernale, art careers can be underpaid while supplies and art schools can add up financially due to art school being more expensive than an average college tuition.

“It doesn’t seem as worth it to put so much time and effort into art if it’s not going to be worth it in the end."

Audrey Nguyen/Bear Witness

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BEAR WITNESS

Everyone loves free food...

At the height of the pandemic, at least 11.5% of U.S. households were food insecure, meaning that families did not have access to food at all times.

Starting in the 2021-22 school years, California extended a Department of Food and Agriculature statute that provided funds so that all students are now able to receive free lunch under the statewide program implemented this year. Previously, lunches were about $3.75 and now, anyone who wants lunch is able to receive it at no cost. ... but we hate waiting The free lunch program has led to longer lines which made some students avoid school lunches.

“I don’t want to sit through a half an hour line when lunch is only half an hour," said junior John Rothman. "I don’t have time to eat and stand in line.”

Line waits are improving, with more food stands spread throughout campus.

Getting used to our new schedule ...

Disapproval over the bell schedule initiated a lighthearted student protest in the quad inspired by the viral @dudewithsign. Students complained about the workload of see-all days and the short lunches. Others such as junior Valeria Saucedo prefer the current bell schedule because the early start leaves more time in the afternoon to rest before extracurricular activities.

“With this schedule, I can get home even though I have a seventh period, rest a little bit and then show up at practice," she said. ... and then having to get used to a new one Although most people finally got used to the bell schedule, it is going to change… again. A new California state law requiring students to attend school no earlier than 8:30 a.m. will be take effect next school year (see page 13).

Variations of the bell schedule next year had options that included classes ending at 4 p.m., which pushes after-school activities back. We'll know soon enough which schedule teachers pick.

| FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

Tyrone Rothman • Izel Garcia • Makayla Wu illustrations by Tyrone Rothman We thought 2020 was bad, but 2021 was an even more difficult year. From the Jan. 6 D.C. insurrection to the third wave of COVID-19, it didn't feel like we could catch a break.

But among the clouds are silver linings pointing to our resilience amid hardships. We share a few of those silver linings.

Teachers get backup from students The pandemic has helped students find their voice, from the start of the pandemic with the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement to the Stop Asian Hate campaign.

When school began, students turned their attention to teachers, who have been in a tense standoff with the district over terms of the last year of their contract.

Thousands attended a student-run walkout in October. Then, a Change.org petition created by Prospect student Angela LeDrew rceived over 33,000 signatures. Students protested alongside teachers.

The fight continues Now that teachers have agreed on terms — a 3% pay increase (though not retroactive), the tensions have simmered down a bit. Scars remain, including a wounded relationship with district superintendent Dr. Robert Bravo, whom 380 teachers signed a vote of no-confidence against.

However, teachers and the district have to return to the negotiating table as their contract expires this year.

Already, both parties have signaled a need to repair their relationship.

Yes, call it a comeback...

In person school became an option in April beginning with freshmen, then extending to all who were interested. Those who took part got to see a rarity nowadays, a nearly empty campus. Those who didn’t return to campus got to see their classmates for the first time in a year and a half as they started the 2021 school year in person. Branham also welcomed the largest class of freshmen in school history, with 507 students. ... but you have to get used to waking up early It was a very weird adjustment for many, as most people haven’t been in person for over a year. A messed-up sleep schedule became the chief concern among students in the beginning of the school year as students got used to being in person again.

Returning to a changed campus — one with arrows on the grown, mask enforcements, safety shields, and new classrooms — also took some getting used to.

And now the bad news first...

Delta and omicron variants defeated all hopes of a “normal” year. At the end of January Branham recorded 31 positive cases. The disruptions and pauses due to the ongoing pandemic continues to plague students at school, and seems to affect every facet of our lives, from how we learn to how we protect ourselves. ... but things are looking up Perhaps our leaders got tired of reminding us to mask up, but we are entering a new phase: Living with COVID. We're used to masking up and social distancing, and maybe we'll continue to do so, since flu and other respiratory illnesses have declined since the pandemic.

We also get to do everything we've wanted, with only a few caveats: Sports, dances and rallies have all returned. Mask up, or not. But stay safe!