Bear Witness - June 2022

BEAR WITNESS SPECIAL SENIOR ISSUE

FAR F FA AR O OUT UT

The Class of 2022 is about to leave the bonds of Branham.

Hopefully you've come prepared for this moment. What lies ahead will be defined not just by what you've done and accomplished, but the choices you'll make. The stars are the limit.

FAR, FAR AWAY Where our seniors are headed, from college, to work, to taking a gap year.

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Finn Albano/Special to Bear Witness

FAR OUT SCHOLARS Recognizing student achievement, and department award winners.

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SENIOR SURVEY Seniors share their thoughts on everything from online learning to their favorite pets.

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THE FINAL MOMENTS Highlights from the senior graduation.

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ALREADY FEELING NOSTALGIC? What will students look back most fondly about their high school experience?

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SENIOR DESTINATIONS

SPECIAL SENIOR ISSUE PAGE 2

BEAR WITNESS JUNE 2022

SENIORS ARE HEADING

(or staying close to home) Illustrations by Finn Albano Source: Patricia Perez; compiled by SaiSahasra Makamchenna and Ava Stark

Aiden S. DeMarquez Faith Noelle Jordan Sean Sakae San Diego State University Maya Rose Alfaro Lindsay Ann Freitas Davis Isaiah Kim Alden J Lister Anotoine F Moret Dorsa Naderpour Isabella K Norissa Luke Peters Zachary Nicholas Tone Jackson Riley Weigner Adam Guarino

CALIFORNIA

Did you know: California has an element (Californium) named after it for the college and state it was discovered in.

TWO-YEAR COLLEGE De Anza College James L Carone Daniel A Naranjo Maisha Faiza Ali Sarah Anderson Max Dennis Blanchard Natalie Maria Bolzowski Deanna Krischel Alejo Durante Malcolm Dyer Kylah Ferraro Andrew John Freitas Izel Gabriela Garcia James Gardner David Hernandez Diana Atsuko Herring Lana Kimiko Hirata Ernest E Jones Andres Manrique Kaylee Anna Martin Taylor Brooke McManus Jaden Ryan Miller Lucero Miranda Alisa Montgomery Francesca Emeline Narayan Paulo Ray Newsome Kaysia Marie Duyen Nguyen Raquel Angeles Orozco Lincoln Cash Perez Elisabeth Ponce Claire E Roman Naia Sasano Ketan Sharma Christine Jane Shulepov Melia Ela Stetson Miranda G Terzian Catherine Xuan Tran Stephen Alexander Valenzuela Alexandra Michelle Vassiliev Aaron Giang Vu Kexin Zhou Karam Bassam Aboul-Hosn Emmanuel Denis Lucas Valente Yarden Pri-Noy Kevin Aaron Cremin Jamie Co Castaneda Mateo Sebastian Chavez Julia U Tran Isaac Ramos Romero San Jose City College Laisha Paredes Ramirez Ashawnty Cierra Sims Paul R Villarruel Tania Alfaro Alyssa Mckenzie Evans Nolan Fales Xochitl Itzel Helguera Vanessa Faith Cartacutan Lucban Jessica Tecolote-Morales Roselyn Ibarra

Dominic Sean Steiner Nathon Steve Sura Gonzales Sandra Emily Ulloa Maddox Joseph Vasquez Kimberly Marita Vera Eilryna Yahyabak Maxim Kyle Kisin Amya Arianna Robinson Gabriella Grace Borgese Fatemah Albo Khanfar Alyssa Claire Berry Daniel David MacDonald Kylie Chan Ng Nolan Ryder Cilloni Joseph Press City College of San Francisco Ryan James Goodhart Evergreen Valley College Yasmin Zeinab Hayatgheyb Foothill College Eva Marcia Arciga Kenneth P Medina-Alvarado Angela Marie Perez Moorpark College Arianna Rveliina Savitt FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE Art Center College of Design Sydney Price Azusa Pacific University Ashlee N Pruitt California Baptist University Madison Sardana California Institue of Technology Andrey O Otvagin California Lutheran University Matthew M Knudsen Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo Alexander Henri Dieker Aiden C Duresky Jake Tyler Eichenseer Anna N Fish Andie Marie Franco Aubrey Lynn Goings Andrew C Gatiss Ian Taisuke Hutt Bryan Mai Aoife Murphy Sara Naji Iris Spear Andrea Kristina Valle Alyssa T Ward Cal Poly - Ponoma Kaila J Czarny Bartosz Kuligowski Sydney Mego Kyle Cung Nguyen Luka Edward Peterman Eric Matthew Jaworowski

Santa Barbara City College Mikayla Gipson Natalie Nicole Marczak Caio Valente

CSU - Monterey Bay Ryan Ribert McNulty Sofia Rose Fielden

West Valley College Charlize Samantha Arillo Jordan Baba Jenna E Baker Malina Brush Austin George Camolinga Citlali Castillo Miranda Anthony David Morales Jaylen Cole Geovanni Chelonis Faith Amoroso Ciprian Katherine A Clift Valentina Couto Coronel Wilson R Cutlip Zachary D'Amico James Michael DiSalvo Hope Antoinette Durso Maverick Allen Eaton Allyson M Eisenman Ava Marie Essma Noah G Finch Sydney Lauren Freitas Taylor Marie Hall Jeremy Haven Andrei Ivanou Josiah Duarte Jasso Alison Lindsay Jones Khanh Le Fiona Amandine Lopez Zahira Martinez Adam Eduardo Mendoza Anthony David Morales Austin Susie-Rhiannon Nottingham Neida A Ordonez Darian Oscar Rojas Jade Serenity San Nicolas Riley David Schlachter Justin T. Scott Sean Seider Giannah Leigh Stark

CSU - Chico Catherine Rose Bennett Jackson Ray Dewberry Adinah Bella Geshuri Elise Keisha Hashiguchi Kennon James Lopez Outlaw Carson Zachary Nemeth Hazel Merit Woodfin CSU - Fullerton Hannah Ellice Bower Daniel Tu Evelyn Ailyn Valenzuela CSU - Northridge Ashley Lynn Pelago CSU - Sacramento Hanna Tesfaye Ayele Jasmisyn Ellen Carpenter Francesca Nicole Souza CSU - San Marco Cassidy Shae O'Brien Chapman University Sidina Begic

San Francisco State University Dominic T. Clima Cameron L. Krolik Mayer Ashley Adure Awuzie San Jose State University Stephany Aleman Franco Samuel D Bermudez Isabelle Grace Castro Samantha M Fu Shangzhi Gao Jesus Albert Garcia Rei Kanda Gabriel John Koomson Jared Langner Maya Madrid Nancy Tareq Mikha Joshua Milstead Athena Alexa Daytona Ponce David Andrew Prado Marcelle Wagner Renovato Henry M Stowers Nina Wang Ashley Hana Wright Lindsey Jihyun Yoon Aiden Hugh Jackson Maher Ahmed Dedgeba Aaran Nasseri Audrey Nguyen Santiago Esteban Hernandez Brendan Kunio Manley Hannah Perez Woo Jin Kim Santa Clara University Sofia M Lima Dorothy Duo Xu UC Davis Andreana Maria Argyres Kaden J Brownie Katelyn JiHoo Cho Simone Nguyen Fong Rachel Gipstein Lindsey Ann Herington Meenakshi Iyer Kailash Krishnan Rina Mok Eunice Si-Eun Park Christian So UC Berkeley Isha Chander Anjana Hariprasad Abtin Khashayar Lena Ashley Kim Chantel Taylor White Bisan Suleiman UC Irvine Bryant Wing Lok Fong Winston T Dang Lenguyen Ryan Brandon Maguire UCLA Nico S Morrone Sanvi Verma UC Merced Nicholas David Bozzo James Ken Dyer Huimin Jin Joshua Lee Vu Hoang Nguyen Joseph Ryan Niu Rohit UC Riverside Alexandra Natalia Moore Caitlyn Khanh Nguyen Jake Norscia Samantha Pacini-Carlin Joshua Anthony Perez Jasmine VanQuyhn Nguyen UC San Diego Ashish Joseph

FAR-OUT FACTS ABOUT OUR SENIOR CLASS

42% 24% 56% 4% Of students are going to a fouryear college.

Of students are either taking a gap year or still deciding.

Of students are staying in California.ge

Of students are going to a twoyear college.

*Based on 354 respondents out of 480 seniors.

ARIZONA

Arizona State University Michael John Cassell Noah Whitson Glover Nicole Elizabeth Platko Grand Canyon University Andrew Kyle Carter Michael Rian Smart University of Arizona Vanessa DeSantis

University of Nevada - Las Vegas Sheldon O' Brien Criss

NEW JERSEY

School of the Art Institue of Chicago Elizabeth Harper

NEW YORK

Colorado State University - Fort Collins Diego Briceno University of Colorado Boulder Jacob W DeSousa

GEORGIA

Did you know: Hart County, Georgia was named after Nancy Hart being the only county in Georgia to be named after a woman.

Georgia Institute of Technology Adi Arora University of Hawaii - West Oahu Noah G Finch University of Hawaii - Hilo Koalani Anne Kauweloa

INDIANA

Did you know: Sticking to their motto, "Cross Roads of America," Indiana has more miles of Interstate Highway per square mile thamn any other state.

Butler University Dante Joseph Silva Purdue University Ava Lynn Thompson

MASSACHUSETTS

Did you know: The first subway system was made in Boston, Massachusetts.

Smith College Lilly Felic Mintz

NEVADA

Did you know: Nevada has had legal gambling since March of 1931/.

University of Nevada - Reno Isablla Cirina Alaska Grant

Whitman College Ella S Johnson Western Washington University Abby Kelly Mannina

WASHINGTON D.C.

Did you know: Chicagp. Illnois is home to the world's largest public library.

University of Illionois - Urbana Champaign Megan L Cubiss

University of Washington Alexander J Brown Maleen Schoenberg

Did you know: Over 30 nesting pairs of peregine falcons - the fastest bird of Earth - live in New Jersey.

New Jersey Institue of Technology Praneeth Rao

ILLINOIS

apples, Washington is also known for producing its red raspberries, spearmint oil, and sweet cherries.

Did you know: The original phone number for the White House was simply a 1 in 1878, after, a phone was installed and given a number until 1926.

Did you know: With over 800 spoken in New York City, it is the most linguistically diverse city in world.

George Washington University Emma J Fales

WISCONSIN

Did you know: The first ever ice cream sundaes were served in Two Rivers, Wisconsin in 1881.

Cornell University Kavya Mittha New York University Isolde Aburabi Tyler Thanh Grosebeck Skidmore University Juliana Nicole Yglesias Rochester University of Technology Tewin Hendess University of Rochester Harrison Hyunmin Kim

University of Wisconsin - Madison Samarth Bag Boranna Isaac Kim

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Did you know: The colony of British Columbia was founded in the mid 18th century.

Trinity Western University Ruthanne Eleanor Downey

ISRAEL

OREGON

Did you know: Portland, Oregon is home to the smallest park in the world.

Did you know: Israel is home to the only theater in the world composed of purely blind and deaf actors.

Central Oregon Community College Adam C Ewing

Reichman University Matar Kedar

Oregon State University Arnav Srikar Chebrolu Sasha M Du Me Vinidu Ovin Geevaratne Jessica Taylor Rosenberg University of Oregon Sofia Erika Hammana Benjamin DeWeese van Schoonev Sofia C Richards Sarah Marie Wallace Aveda Institute Abigail C Felker

PENNSYLVANIA

Did you know: The first daily newspaper was published in Philadelphia in 1784.

Duquesne University Hannah Mae Oglesbee

JAPAN Riku Ando

SPAIN

Did you know: The oldest restaurant in the world is located in Madrid (present-day capital of Spain) named Sobrino de Botin founded in 1725.

SLU Madrid Alessandro Nestares

MILITARY

Did you know: The army is older than the U.S. itself.

Army Yabsera Adane Biste Jacob Keller Navy Anastasios Michael Porto

TENNESSEE

Did you know: The Montgomery Bell Tunnel in Kingston Springs, Tennessee was the U.S.'s first successful water divrsion tower, built in the 19th century.

Vanderbilt University Youjin Hyun Lipscomb University Camden Scott Parker

WASHINGTON

Did you know: Washington produces more apples than any state in the country.

Along with

OTHER

Employment Madison Elena Rainey Jonathan Paul Van Overen Undecided Alayna Isabella Lopez Riyo S Robinson Joshua Robledo Reyes Gabrielle Josephine Rodriquez Jason Duc Vu Shahaf Aicler Gap Year Azrael Sean Aid Jordan Kendall Martin Alejandro Francisco Tomas Yepiz Billner Emilly Guerrero Dylon Roy Jones Zachary Todd Lyon

SENIOR SPECIAL ISSUE PAGE 3

CTE KAVYA MITTHA

DEPARTMENT AWARDS

“She has an astonishing work ethic and is selfdriven to perform to the best of her abilities.”

Maria Meunier, Spanish Art AUDREY "DEE' NGUYEN "Your way of seeing and 'making' resonates with so many people, and your skill, creativity, work ethic and adventurous spirit are undeniable."

Jessica Bender, art Theatre RUTHANNE DOWNEY

Yearbook RYAN SUNG “He differentiated himself by putting his all into each spread he did."

Kirsten McKay, yearbook P.E. Liam Thompson "His hard work in the weight room translated to a great basbell season, and helped lead his team to the CCS playoffs..”

Chris Jensen, P.E.

"Ruthanne has led her peers, and helped build our program so more students are excited to join."

Jennifer Sorkin, drama Instrumental HARRISON KIM

English ANGEL TOVAR GARCIA

"It would not be an exaggeration to say that he is the finest clarinet student I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with."

Chris Nalls, band

"Angel not only excels in class, but he goes above and beyond to help his peers.”

Brittany Cole, English

French ASHLEY WRIGHT "Ashley goes out of her way to spread her love for French both in the classroom and outside.

Katia Saade, French

Mandarin SHELDON CRISS

Spanish Elisabeth Ponce “She has an astonishing work ethic and is selfdriven to perform to the best of her abilities.”

Maria Meunier, Spanish

“He is always a hardworking, respectful, reliable and a positive individual."

Marie Meunier, Spanish.

Leadership JAMES GARDNER

Biological Science JULIE KIM

"He does things for no other reason than to serve those around him" Christina Hillman, activities direcotr

Social Science BLAKE BALAK

Physical Science ABTIN KHASHAYAR

Math MEENAKSHI IYER

“Hhe encapsulates the values the department tries to instill in our students."

Kirk Selfridge, social science

“Julie was a role model student... Her example showed that one can be successful under dire circumstances."

Alex Johnson, science

Dance Alyssa Evans

“He's dedicated his time to work with our ELL students, and has been successful in our most challenging courses.”

Alex Johnson, science

“She is not only intelligent and hardworking, but also has a positive attitude and charming grin.”

Neeraja Nambula, math

“She became an integral part of our spring performance by suggesting themes, choosing music and doing choreography.”

Eileen Bertron, dance

Spanish YASMIN HAYATGHEYB “Yasmin shows appreciation for learning a language every day."

Maria Meunier, Spanish Vocal CAMDEN PARKER "He is a consummate musician, a great team player, an empathetic leader and a genuine asset to the program.”

Barbara West, choir Journalism JAZZY NGUYEN “Jazzy opened the floodgates of having amazing, talented, hardworking freshman students in our program” Fitz Vo, journalism

ISHA CHANDER | SENIOR OF THE YEAR

JAZZY NGUYEN CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Holding on to a fleeting moment

his, too shall pass” is my dad’s favorite “T quote. It’s a short, overly optimistic, almost flippant phrase he’d say as he dealt with

Alli Wang/Bear Witness Senior of the Year Isha Chander shares a moment with Activities Director Christina Hillman and Senior of the Year finalist James Gardner.

ASB Spirit President led transition during pandemic ALLI WANG

Opinion Editor

ommending her leadership as ASB SpirC it President, teachers voted senior Isha Chander as the school’s Senior of the Year at

Wednesday’s Senior Night.

Chander was recognized alongside seven other finalists for Senior of the Year, including James Gardner, Abtin Khashayar, Abby Mannina, Kavya Mittha, Camden Parker, Sean Sakae and Nico Morrone.

In presenting her award, Activities Director Christina Hillman applauded Chander’s mature leadership and understanding of the need for growth. She is the first student to have been ASB president for two consecutive years. “(Chander) is the type of person that pushes everyone who she encounters to be better than they were the day before by inspiring them with

her passion, drive and thoughtfulness.” Hillman said. “I know I am a better adviser for having had her in my program, and Branham High School is better for having had her walk the halls.”

Upon receiving the award, Chander said she felt surprised to win and grateful for the community that has helped her learn about leadership along the way.

“It really means a lot, because I really care about this school and I have tried to do my best to leave it a little bit better than I found it.” she said. “It feels really amazing to be honored with this award.”

As a two-year ASB Spirit president, she said she was glad to make “community relationships” and connections with the student body, and said her greatest challenge during her four years in the leadership class was creating a smooth transition into and out of the pan-

demic lockdown.

“It was such a unique experience to have missed a year and then returned back to school.” Chander said. “I loved to bring those traditions and also create new things for a campus.”

As Chander graduates from Branham, she hopes to “take the spirit of altruism” and bring her skills of community building into her future pursuits at UC Berkeley and beyond “I appreciated the community building we have on campus and how people here are really looking to make their community a better place.” she said. “Community relationships, especially that I've made throughout my four years here are something that I'll be taking with me along with that ability to make relationships with people that are passionate about what they love. “

HIGHLIGHTS OF AWARD RECIPIENTS AT SENIOR AWARDS NIGHT Valedictorian Julie Kim Salutatorian Sanvi Verma Senior athletes of the year Sydney Mego Ian Hutt

Scholar athletes Emma Fales Antoine Moret

Robbie Deauville Bruin Pride Rina Mok Jesus Garcia

Music Boosters Senior Scholarships Kylie Ng Arian Salamat Ruthanne Downey Riyo Robinson

Bruin Backers Sports Boosters Athletic Scholarship Rina Mok, Ryan Sung, Jamisyn Carpenter, Emma Fales, Meenakshi Iyer, Nelelakshi Iyer, Jonthan Osban d

PTSA scholarship Alexander Dieker, Marcelle Renovato, Arian Salamat, Ryan Sung ROTC Cadets of the Year Jacob DeSousa and Nicole Platko

something unpleasant: cleaning out our garage, finishing up a big work project, and sweating buckets on the Peloton.

On the surface, it felt like a cop-out, a lame sort of avoidance for the reality of how much something sucked.

It wasn’t until I heard him say it on a rare family outing that I realized. We were hiking through a state park and I was holding up our family– awkward photographer stance and all– to get a clean shot of a random mushroom. The lighting was a perfect golden, my camera settings worked, my mom was over by the bridge, and I could just hear my sisters arguing about Spotify over the sound of the waterfall.

“This too shall pass.”

Words I had heard a million times before had never felt so sad. This time, my dad wasn’t encouraging himself to get through something tedious; he was mourning a moment as it materialized.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve done that during high school: getting a fistful of whipped cream to the face, crying into a changing room locker over bread rolls, passing a fortune teller around chemistry, and trying not to burst out laughing during meditation in Spanish class. Each moment was blissful, but always accompanied by the lightly nagging feeling of impermanence.

It’s bittersweet, knowing that perfect snapshots of time are numbered. I’m more than grateful they happen at all, but there’s something melancholy about how each one becomes fewer and farther between as time goes on and we grow up.

Now that high school is coming to a close, I even find myself missing the things I used to dread. Nothing will let me re-experience a Hail Mary statistic lesson from Meena minutes before the test, presenting an improv analysis for a Lit book I never checked out, or crunch– an after school, eight-hour, stress filled journalism workday – and I am going to miss it all.

I spent a good chunk of high school wishing it’d pass faster. Not intentionally, but I wished it away in hundreds of little moments: tests I wanted to get over with, studying I wanted to speed through, club meetings and sport practices I was too tired for.

Life isn’t what happens despite those dreaded moments, and it isn’t just the milliseconds of rest we take in-between. Life is those dreaded moments; it’s every novel, ephemeral second before and after, and I regret wishing it away. I regret not stopping to savor it.

With that in mind, college will be my second chance, a second shot at making memories, attending classes (hopefully on time), adventuring around town– to embrace and appreciate every moment, bad or good, because it will only happen once.

SENIOR SURVEY

SPECIAL SENIOR ISSUE PAGE 4 IDEAL FUTURE?

BEAR WITNESS JUNE 2022 FAVORITE YEAR?

71.1% are attending the school/ pursuing the career they expected.

The Common App experienced a 22% surge in total applications submitted in 2022, with an unprecedented number of rejection letters.

DEE NGUYEN ART DIRECTOR

EVER CRIED IN SCHOOL?

Stand out, to yourself and others

ife is about bad haircuts L and silly outfits. I think that’s what I’ve learned coming out of high school.

I love changing my style, no matter how ridiculous it can get. I’ve had perms, bangs, all sorts of colors of hair, a shaved head, whatever you can think of. Some good, some… not so good.

Sure, it means some people aren’t too nice, but did I want their company anyway?

Having weird style means that the mean kids and overly starched elderly stay clear. It also means I’ve always got a conversation starter! You realize you’re just a character and you’re fully customizable.

Why be bored when you can change that?

I’ve dressed in my own funny way and cut my own hair since sixth grade, which is great for developing a personal style, but not so great for family pictures. I can be a million-and-one different people depending on the outfit I choose, and I don’t think I need to lock myself into just one person. This idea doesn’t stop at appearance either.

I think that everyone is really, really weird. It’s just that a lot of people don’t volunteer that information to the public. But being whoever the little goblin in your brain wants you to be, I’ve found, is an amazing way to meet the greatest friends ever.

Right now I’m wearing socks that proudly proclaim “Coffee makes me poop” (it’s true), while sipping on my cup of brew. Those who can’t giggle at my incessant bowel movement jokes are warded away — those who can, approach. Win-win situation.

Putting my personality on blast has allowed me, a person who’s horrible at making friends, to actually make friends.

I remember in fifth grade I sat next to the new girl. I was reading a “Warrior Cats” book, and the girl asked “So, you like cats?” easy opener, easy answer. My answer was a meow. And thus, that was one of my best friends for all of middle school. (Hope you see this, Kelly).

I was a strange little kid who’s admittedly become an equally strange young adult.

Maybe I’m making it sound like I don’t care about who cares. I actually really do. I’ve worried a lot about what people think about me over my short life. I’ve worried enough to vow to become a “regular kid”— a strange short-lived phase during sophomore year.

I don’t know if there’s a simple fix to that, maybe that’s the consequence of being a self-conscious teenager. But understanding that living your truest, most authentic life is the best way to go surely makes it easier. I’ve learned that through my lovely four years and Branham.

Living your own life is so much lovelier than living someone else’s.

For 50.7% of Branham seniors the answer is YES. A March 2021 Harvard study showed that crying is good for you. It releases oxytocin and endogenous opioids, known as endorphins. These are feel-good chemicals that help both physical and emotional pain.

Is there a correlation with a return to school? 64.5% said that senior year was their favorite, followed by 18.4% saying it was their sophomore year as tops.

MOST DIFFICULT SUBJECT?

EVER SLEPT DURING CLASS? 73.7% of seniors caught their Zs while learning the ABCs. 20-30% of high school students and 6% of middle school students fall asleep in school each day, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

ENJOYED DISTANCE LEARNING? For 38.2% of seniors, distance learning was the option for them.

At its peak in 20200-2021 Zoom reported 300 million daily users on its platform, both free and paid users.

SMOKED POT?

EASIEST GRADE?

CAFFEINE ADDICTION?

28.9% of seniors have used weed.

An National Institutes of Health study found that teens are most likely to use marijuana as a coping mechanism to combat anger, feeling excluded, or to escape reality.

In this case, the first was not the worst. 39.5% said that freshman year was their easiest grade

Thankfully Google Forms calculated this percentage for us because 52.9% of seniors said their hardest subject was math.

BEEN IN A RELATIONSHIP FOR 2+ MONTHS?

Love is in the air for the seniors!

52.6% have been in a long-term relationship (relatively speaking).

DO YOU HAVE YOUR LICENSE?

Watch out for 63.2% of Branham's seniors on the road!

Wired.com found that 71% of high schoolers have their license.

HAVE YOU PROCRASTINATED? 28.3% admit that a good jolty beverage gets them through the day.

Medical news today found that 83.2% drink caffeinated beverages on a regular basis.

ATTENDED A VIRTUAL BRANHAM EVENT? Only 11.2% of seniors say they've logged on to virtual HoCo and virtual spirit days... while most of us have been virtually asleep.

DO YOU STAY UP LATE WATCHING TIK TOK? 62.5% of seniors have reported as such. Let's check those first period absenteeism rates.

97.6% of seniors are probably behind on their work.

A study from Studymode revealed that when procrastinating, 62% of students chose to watch TV.

HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND ON YOUR PHONE?

The senior class has major self-control. 47.6% spend 2-4 hours on their phones each day.

PRE-REGISTERED TO VOTE? VACCINATED FOR COVID?

Moderna, Pfizer, or J&J? Regardless, 98% of seniors say they have been vaccinated.

Though most are vaccinated, nearly two dozen missed the graduation ceremony due to COVID.

Source: Bear Witness survey of 261 seniors

Time to get political! 38.7% of seniors are signed up to take part in future elections.

With this week's primary election, let's hope they registered in time!

Illustrations by Taryn Cheng

SENIOR SURVEY

BEAR WITNESS JUNE 2022 WHICH TEST IS WORSE: AP, finals or the SAT?

SENIOR SPECIAL ISSUE PAGE 5

DID YOU ENJOY HIGH SCHOOL?

54.9% of seniors agreed that all forms of testing are equally horrible.

With many schools going test-optional, having a

Although it wasn’t like the musical, 80.9% of seniors enjoyed their high school experience.

ARE YOU SEXUALLY ACTIVE?

29.6% of Branham seniors are.

Among teen females aged 15-19, 42% had ever had sex, and among teen males, the percent was 44%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

INTROVERT OR EXTROVERT? 37.5% of seniors are a mix of both, while 25.7% said they were extroverted.

The rest are introverts.

An article by BBC claims that ambiverts are better leaders due to their tendencies to both take charge and listen to others.

WHAT IS YOUR POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION? 52.6% of seniors are feeling blue, while 34.2% are Republican.

The Pew Research Center found that 24 million members of Gen Z reached voting age in time for the 2022 election.

JOINED CLUBS AND EXTRACURRICULARS? 80.9% of seniors didn't go to club rush just for the food. They participated in them as well.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the most popular types of extracurricular among students are sports, performing arts, and academic clubs.

HAVE YOU EVER CHEATED ON A TEST?

FAVORITE PET?

70.4% of seniors couldn't keep their eyes on their own papers.

Punishments for cheating on a College Board exam include reporting the incident to colleges and prohibiting students from taking other related tests.

Woof woof! 60.5% of seniors are dog people.

The least popular? Fish owners, at 3.9% The CDC found that owning a dog is linked to lower blood pressure and decreased feelings of loneliness.

LGBTQ+?

EVER BEEN CHEATED ON? 21.3% of Branham seniors are LGBTQ+.

In a recent Gallup survey, more than 70% of Americans now say they support nonheterosexual marriage, compared to 27% in 1996.

For 16.4% of seniors, it's sadly a yes.

The best cure for a broken heart? Time, and perhaps a little bit of patience.

HAVE YOU EVER VAPED, OR USED BANNED SUBSTANCE IN CLASS? 8.4% admit to taking that chance.

A study by the FDA found that 3.05 million high schoolers in the U.S. had used an e-cigarette at least once in a 30 day period in 2018.

PULLED AN ALL-NIGHTER Desperate times call for desperate measures. 40.8% of seniors have pulled an all-nighter studying.

BEST PART ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL? As the Spice Girls once said, “friendship never ends.” 75.7% said that their friends made their high school experience.

CRUSHED ON A TEACHER 11.8% of seniors probably paid attention in class for the wrong reasons.

EVER BEEN DRUNK? 40.1% of seniors are reaching for the Gatorade and Taco Bell.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism states that alcohol consumption is a significant cause of death of those under 21.

LIED TO A TEACHER?

HUNG OUT WITH FRIENDS DURING SHELTER IN PLACE? 78.8% of seniors did not social distance the whole time.

PBS reported that teens felt isolated and unmotivated during the shelter in place.

PHONE OF CHOICE? Honesty is not the policy for the class of 2021.

67.5% of seniors said that they might have been a little academically dishonest.

Source: Bear Witness survey of 261 seniors

Steve Jobs has 88.1% of seniors on his side.

According to Apple, there are over one billion iPhones in use around the world.

Illustrations by Taryn Cheng

IZEL GARCIA STAFF WRITER

Finding your character

’ve noticed a common I theme in our character development in high school.

Most of us spend way too much time trying to please other people.

I've been told how important my high school years would be; the growth, education, and life lessons that are embedded into the experience, it’s no surprise how persistent the people around me were in telling me this.

It hasn't been until my very last year at Branham that I’ve been able to fully comprehend just how impactful high school has been for me.

I look at pictures of myself three years ago and see a completely different human being. Not only can I see the difference, but I can just remember how my brain functioned at the time. Honestly, I laugh a little.

Understanding just how much energy I wasted in having the same style as others and being friends with certain people is a bittersweet thing. I unknowingly had curated every outfit I wore based on the idea of needing to look like everyone else while simultaneously masking the personalities around me.

I feel both thankful and bad for the version of me who so desperately wanted to be liked and seen.

In all of our stories there's a turning point for the character, the character development. I’m not sure when mine was or what caused it but it happened, and the timing couldn’t have been better.

I’m about to graduate from high school, get my own car, begin a new job, and soon begin my college journey.

In due time I’ll be out of San Jose exploring the nooks and crannies of a new city on my own. I’m here to let you know that there is a huge difference in indulging in trends because you enjoy it and participating because you think you have to.

We've been taught that in order to be liked and praised you need to conform to societal ideals. We hide bits and pieces of who we are and eventually you’re left with a version of yourself you no longer recognize. I hope my small vent and slight oversharing maybe helps some of you.

And yes, like all the adults in our life tell us, high school is one of the most important times in our lives but at times it can feel like the worst.

If you remind yourself to be selfish (in almost every scenario), prioritize, and put yourself first, it'll help you survive it. I promise you.

Plus, who wants to live a life where you live for others?

SPECIAL SENIOR ISSUE PAGE 6

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD

IT'S THE JOURNEY REI KANDA STAFF WRITER

The best of both worlds

our years from now I F will remember the most important lesson I learned in

high school, to cherish every moment. I will be graduating from college in Japan with my bachelor's degree in business marketing.

My family originates and is from Japan and both of my grandmothers still live there.

They are my only family still living in Japan and are the only ones who still really understand how living in Japan really is.

They are extremely polite to everyone, and both taught and showed me how much of a cultural difference there is between the U.S. and Japan.

They have taught me that to become a better person, I need to understand both cultures and take the best parts out of both of them. Be polite, but also be confident.

I wanted to connect back to my roots in order to understand how these two cultures work and why they work the way they do. In order for me to understand myself and to understand the Japanese culture more, I need to experience living in Japan. Being biracial, I feel like I really need to understand both sides of myself in order to really understand my family and who I really am.

I also need to understand Japanese culture in order to understand the differences between both cultures. However, I still want to maintain and learn in English and retain my American upbringing.

Attending International Christian University in Japan allows me to learn Japanese and the culture, while still learning at an English-language school.

Japan has a completely different lifestyle when compared to the U.S. You can walk everywhere instead of driving. You can go places at night and don't have to worry too much about illegal activity.

The country values conformity, rather than individual expression.

By going to Japan I also get to excel in business marketing, which is the career I found myself passionate in at Branham. It also allows me to pursue my passion and merge it into work. eing into cars, Japan is the perfect place to be, especially for Japanese cars. By going to Japan I can see all the legendary shops and people that the people in the U.S look up to. By learning business marketing in Japan I can learn how to work internationally with automotive companies in order to connect more bridges between the U.S and Japan. By going to school abroad it allows me to connect my passion with my work and increase my potential in my future career.

Four years from now I will graduate from college ready to work in the real world, excited for the opportunities I will have and the experiences I will experience, but always remembering to cherish every moment, nothing is more valuable than memories.

Nolan Zils/Bear Witness Senior Hayden Brazda celebrates after recieving his diploma from teacher Nick Cortez during the June 3 graduation ceremony.

Alli Wang/Bear Witness In her speech, Senior of the Year winner Isha Chander said that the Class of 2022 has endured much adversity: "We adapted to it and how we continue to adapt."

Alli Wang/Bear Witness Families and friends of the graduates cheer in the stands during the June 3 graduation ceremony, which lasted about 90 minutes.

Ava Stark/Bear Witness Before the ceremony, grads show off their customized caps, including Kylie Ng's boba-centric design.

Zoom and gloom. Both speeches from Senior of the Year Isha Chander and Teacher of the Year Juan Fernandez mentioned it.

But the more than 390 students who walked off Branham as students seemed ready to move beyond their adversity, ready to take on the world and beyond.

BEAR WITNESS JUNE 2022

ALEX DIEKER Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo French Alex Dieker has been a member of the marching band all four years of high school and Winter Percussion for three of his four years. He also earned a $1,000 PTSA scholarship. He hopes to study French at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, and plans to study abroad one of those years.

Q: Do you see yourself where your freshman self thought you would?

A: As a freshman I didn't really think too much about where I wanted to go. I knew I wanted to stay in California, but academically I feel I've stayed in the position I want to be. I didn't really think too much of exploring different social options in high school.

I kind of thought I would know what I want to do just by sticking to academics, but a lot of stuff has changed, especially with COVID. I've had time to figure out new hobbies, find cool things, and make new friends. And so I feel like in terms of academics, I feel I stayed on the path of where I want to be. I've had a lot of new opportunities to figure out new things that I didn't think I would be a part of in my freshman year.

Q: What are some things you are a part of now that you didn’t think you would be a part of four years ago?

A: For the past four years, I've been a part of marching band and winter percussion. I took a step back from winter percussion this year because it just kind of felt like a lot and I wanted to focus my time more on working.

I've met a lot of new, cool people online as well. I enjoy playing video games, so that's a hobby that I've formulated and over COVID it took up a lot of my time.

Right now I'm not participating in too much. It's mainly work, school, and the little free time to hang out with friends and play video games.

Q: Where do you see yourself in four years, when you are graduating from college?

A: I definitely see myself doing a year abroad. That's something I've wanted to do for a while and I've always known coming into high school that I wanted to study French and I wanted to visit France at some point.

It's such an interesting kind of thing to think about where you're going to be for four years, even though it feels like a lot of time but it goes by super fast.

I want to stay on task with my grades, but I also know that it's a whole new experience having to divide up your time because it's a lot less hands on from teachers and professors in college. It's gonna be a new experience trying to figure out how I'm gonna manage my own time.

— Reese Gardner

Learning about myself during the pandemic our years ago I started a chapter of my life that I didn’t really F think I was fully prepared for. I’m going through that same process once again, but with more confidence.

SANTIAGO HERNANDEZ STAFF WRITER

I'll be heading off to college at at San Jose State University to major in psychology.

I want to understand what makes my brain think the way it thinks so I can help others manage their own issues. I want to help people the same way therapists and psychologists have helped me deal with my own mental health.

Finding a matching career was one of the hardest and most difficult things I’ve ever had to manage in my life. I talked with several career counselors about career paths and took several surveys on career discovery websites to discover my strengths and weaknesses. One of the only consistent things that showed up was a strength in social skills. I was good at understanding communication and emotions. I never knew what was going to be my future until I started reading up on psychology and studies of the human brain.

The pandemic and the shutdowns took a mental toll on me.

I started to become very anxious about school and I started to question a lot of things I was doing about school. It felt like a lot of my motivation was focused on the wrong things.

I started reading about how the pandemic affected others' mental well-being, and I hope to carry it over in college.

High school was a time for self-discovery, and I'm interested in seeing how these skills and habits I’ve learned are able to translate over into my college and my career.

Choosing the career path takes a lot of self-discovery and self-evaluation to understand where your skills and motivations lie. It’s always okay to explore and experiment in different fields you may have some interest in; that is a part of the discovery.

For the future seniors, don't stress too much about your college choices or if you even want to go to college. Everybody is different and everyone has different futures planned for them. For the freshman, you have plenty of time until college, so that gives you more time to properly evaluate where your pros and cons lie. Don’t fret, just listen to yourself and understand where your strengths lie.

NOSTALGIC MOMENTS

BEAR WITNESS JUNE 2022

SENIOR SPECIAL ISSUE PAGE 7

Seniors were asked about moments that they'll remember most about their time at Branham.

Here were some of our favorite responses.

Illustrations by Elizabeth Posey

DOMINIC CLIMA STAFF WRITER

FINDING OLD FRIENDS I came to this school knowing nobody. I went to a middle middle school that no one goes, but I went to an elementary school that feeds into Dartmouth that which feeds into Branham. When I first came to Branham, the first week there was a rally. I randomly sat in the back of the bleachers Then I look to my right, and one person over, I see my best friend

IN THE BLEACHERS from when I was in elementary school. We look at each we catch each other's eye as we just say each other's name. We've we've continued being good friends to this day, and hopefully continuing onward."

DANTE SILVA

VICTORY OVER LEIGH When we beat Leigh our sophomore year. They were undefeated, and we were the only ones that beat him. We all partied at the end of the game when we got on the bus. The bus ride home was really fun.

The victory was secured as the game was a field goal, kick. And all of us just started like, crowding around each other and started getting towards the kicker, and that was like, an unbelievable experience.

KENNY MEDINA

END-OFYEAR BARBECUE The senior barbecue’s the best thing we've had so far at this school, it's towards the end the year.

Snow cones and burgers for everyone.

Water balloons the best time ever.

What happened is a full-out war. Friendly fire wasn't even a thing. It;s everyone for themselves Battle Royale- style. I got drenched with two five gallon water buckets.

NOLAN CILLONI

HALLOWEEN DANCE CONCERT The Halloween concert with musical theater and dance this year, out of this year, at least.

I remember having to be in two different groups. I was like running back and forth to get on stage on time and make sure that I wasthere in my place for my dance It was kind of crazy.

We were all really happy because it was our first show like, as a group for the year kind of so it just like it set us in the right direction to keep going like to get ready for the next.

BELLE CASTRO

SENIOR SENDOFFS They decked out the whole gym. That was the first time they did that. They made posters with their names and they put pictures on the walls.

BATHROOM MEMORIAL Drakeo the Rule died. so we did a concert in the bathroom in honor of him.

Everyone met up in the bathroom after advisory.

I was not expecting it at all. They made us stand outside, and they guarded the door.

The badminton team was a huge team, and there were like 11 seniors.

There were 35 or 40 kids in the bathroom and kids were hitting worms on the bathroom floor. It was kind of gross but it was cool. We got a big speaker in there we’re playing music and we’re all moshing in there and someone got stuck in the urinal.

COREY DE CARLO

People took time and coordinated this and made gifts out of paper. When I'll look back on this in the future, I'm just gonna be happy.

MEENA IYER

Finding your character

our years ago, I wanted F to play Division 1 hockey for the University of Minne-

sota, play AAA hockey for the Jr. Sharks as a senior, have a 4.0 GPA all four years of high school, and take as many AP classes as I could, and have as many friends as I could.

In real life, I’ll be running Division 2 cross country and track and field for San Francisco State. I stopped playing travel hockey last year and my GPA is definitely not a 4.0, and I only took one AP class.

Though my future looks different than what I had intended, my passion for hockey remains.

Hockey had me hooked ever since my dad took me to a Sharks game when I was three. Many people ask, “what’s appealing about knocking people into walls and fighting on ice?” My response was always “When the other kid’s mom is yelling at you from the stands for knocking her kid over, you just laugh knowing you did something right.”

There’s a whole lot of moments that I’m never going to forget. One is my game-winning goal against Maryland Navy in Texas, where I stood all alone with the net wide open. That was the last goal I ever scored in competitive hockey, and it was one of the best.

When COVID first hit, hockey was stopped immediately and our No. 1spot in the NorCal playoffs never happened. Some of my teammates moved away to play hockey where it was allowed, some even got recruited and moved to other countries, but moving wasn't an option for me.

My schooling, on the other hand, was not how I expected it to go. I was unable to reach a 4.0 for all 4 years, and only took one AP class. I took AP US History in junior year and definitely struggled for most of the year in that class, so I didn’t take more AP classes, which taught me to make sure you know you can do it beforehand, and go into it with confidence.

I originally wanted to go to the University of Minnesota, and I didn’t even apply there.

I ended up choosing San Francisco State, because it fit me the best. The environment was great, I could make their cross country and track and field teams, and it was still close to home. It was completely unlike Minnesota, where I would freeze to death every winter and I would not be able to make their running teams.

Looking back at what I wanted back in freshman year, I can honestly say I’m glad that it did not end up that way. I would’ve kept playing hockey, but I would not have had the opportunity to succeed in track and field, which is way better for college and I would have missed out on a lot of fun times through the years.

LEFT BRAIN, RIGHT BRAIN

NEWS Students and staff reflect on massacres in Texas and New York in two quad more than one week apart.

Pg. 10

BACK PAGE What are some hangout hot spots at Branham? We asked around.

Pg. 16

Sophomore Craig Dixon and junior J.T. Dao are each gaining traction: Dixon for his hit songs and Dao for his project measuring water usage.

Pg. 13

BEAR

WITNESS BRANHAM HIGH SCHOOL

JUNE 2022

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

MASS EXITS SALARY DISPUTE STAFFING

Teachers' no-confidence vote isadmin the latest sign are of fraying relationship with district Departures of high-profile and staff the most in recent memory

CHERYL LAWTON Principal Will become Assistant Principal at Napa High School.

(See story)

LOAN LY-HONG Assistant Principal After three years as assistant principal, Hong will be part of the admin staff at Del Mar High School.

DR. RICHARD RUIZ Assistant Principal Will become Dartmouth Middle School assistant principal after serving one year at Branham.

MICHAEL PONCE Special education Wil be moving to Sparks, Nev. after four years with Branham.

CHRISTINA HILLMAN Activities Director Served five years at Branham, and created short-lived Spirit and Service classes.

Announced departure after school ended June 3.

CARL PONZIO English teacher Moving to Sacramento area after six years at Branham.

PATRICIA PEREZ College and Career Specialist Was school's first specialist, and will lead Dual Enrollment program at College of San Mateo (see story).

SUE SEDEN Math teacher Retiring after more than two decades teaching in the district.

@bhsbearwitness

JOYCE DAVIS School Counselor Will become Principal at Downtown College Prep in San Jose after serving six years at Branham.

NEW PRINCIPAL Lindsay Schubert Branham's next principal Prior to joining Branham, Schubert served as Del Mar's assistant principal.

Wellness a priority for new principal Lawton reflects on her six-year tenure ALLI WANG

Opinion Editor

NOLAN ZILS

Co-Editor-in-Chief

ncoming Principal Lindsay Schubert I says she is ready to tackle mental health and community issues as her top

JESSICA BENDER Art teacher The forme Visual and Performing Arts department chair has been with Branham for five years. She will teach at Mountain View

priorities for Branham.

The current Del Mar assistant principal hopes to address the growing issues of vandalism and student behavior by increasing mental health resources and blames the COVID-19 shutdowns as a root cause.

“At Branham, (there are) some bigger be- Inside havior issues that we haven't seen and a lot Bulletin of social-emotional board needs that students Students share have coming out of the pandemic or at least their wish list that were amplified by for their next the pandemic and iso- principal. lation,” Schubert said.

“So we've had to adapt Page 9 and change.”

Another priority of Schubert’s is building connections with the community and with teachers, many of whom have left due to frustrations with teacher salaries and other hardships.

SEE PRINCIPAL • PAGE 10

SCHOOL LUNCH LEANNE HAGHIGHI Special education teacher The 2020 Branham teacher of the year will be joining the Campbell School of Innovation’s team as an Inclusion Specialist. She taught at Branham for 11 years.

TANIA EATON Social science teacher The 2016 Branham teacher of the year left mid-year to become an instructional coach for the Downtown College Prep high schools.

JAZZY NGUYEN

Co-Editor-in-Chief

JIYOON CHOI

W

News Editor

ith more than 16 staff and administrators leaving Branham as of June 3, the largest school in the district is looking to fill the big shoes left by their departures.

Their reasons for leaving are varied, but can be boiled down to three possibilities: new opportunities, finding affordable housing, a souring relationship with the profession, or a combination of the three.

For the more than 15 teachers leaving the district, several cited the high cost of living in the Bay Area as a deciding factor. The starting salary in the district starts at $64,000 and tops out at $117,000 for 32 years of experience. However, competing districts in the area pay $10,000 more per year than this district does, and the top salary in the district, for those serving for more than 20 for a teacher qualifies for low-income for a family of four in the Bay Area, according to a report

BRETT JOHANSON Social science teacher The former AP U.S. History teacher taught at Branham for 13 years to invest time to his Jersey Mike's franchise business. He left at the end of the first semester.

SARAH JIN Math teacher Just one semester into her teaching career, Sarah Jin left at the end of the first semester to return to the private sector as a software engineer at Illumina.

from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“I just don't think any person any teacher in this district, or in this district in this valley alone can really afford to buy a home,” said English teacher Carl Ponzio, who is moving to Rancho Cordova, near Sacramento, where the median cost of a home is $558,000.

The pay discrepancy was a factor in last fall’s dispute between the district and the teachers union, which reported last fall that 69.3% of its teachers said that they have considered leaving the district due to their low salary.

Last year’s tenuous salary negotiations between the CUHSD board and Campbell High School Teachers Association largely mirror the country’s, where 55% of educators said that they were thinking about leaving the profession in a 2022 survey by the National Education Association due to pay and burnout.

Additionally, the median home value in San Jose is SEE LEAVING • PAGE 9

BRITTANY COLE English teacher After four years, Brittany Cole will be teaching English at Columbia Middle School in Sunnyvale.

Inside Social science teacher Tania Eaton and College and Career Specialist Patricia Perez share reasons why they are leaving Branham Page 9

Cafeteria gets revamp Food service ramps up menu offerings

JULIETTE BONACUM AND SARA DEDIU

C

Staff Writer

alifornia sushi rolls, freshly made burritos and a salad bar are on the menu next year as the renovated kitchen will open for the 2022-2023 school year. ranham and Prospect's kitchens will follow Del Mar in having an up-to-date cafeteria by the end of summer, with Westmont and Leigh beginning construction of theirs later this year.

This is exciting news for students, who say that the current food offerings of pizza and a rotating menu of food bowls have grown stale.

The criticism of the food is not lost on the district, which plans to create food

B

SEE FOOD • PAGE 10

BEAR WITNESS

| JUNE 2022 |

9

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

NEWS COVER STORY | STAFF DEPARTURES Longtime staffers who seized new opportunities | Social science teacher Tania Eaton and College and Career Specialist Patricia Perez part amicably with school

Tania Eaton Social Science teacher

After 10 years at Branham, U.S. history teacher Tania Eaton marked her last day at Branham on April 1.

The school’s 2016 teacher of the year will join Downtown College Preparatory El Primero High School, a public charter school in San Jose.

Eaton is the third teacher to have left Branham during the school year.

She follows social science teacher Brett Johanson and first-year math teacher Sara Jin, both of whom

left after the first semester.When Eaton was selected Branham’s 2016 teacher of the year, her colleague Kirk Selfridge called her a selfless advocate for her students, and also a willing collaborator.

“She truly cares about all her kids, past and present,” he said at the time.

Eaton said that teaching at Branham for a decade has been an unforgettable experience. Two of her children have attended the school, and one will graduate this

year.

“The familial atmosphere and a staff who truly care about students has been inspiring to watch,” she wrote in a message to the Bear Witness. “Or students never cease to amaze me.

“It has been an absolute pleasure and honor to serve our students alongside wonderful people and I will never forget what a special place Branham is.”

— Nolan Zils

College and Career Specialist Patricia Perez departs Branham for a dual enrollment management position for the College of San Mateo, leaving a five-year legacy of building the school’s first career counseling program.

Tania Eatom During the pandemic, she sought to get College the word out on virtual college visits and and Career also partnered up with the Bear Witness to Specialist share insights on post-college life, including finding student loans and essay tips.

Perez had also coached basketball and said she always appreciated the welcoming

culture from students, teachers and other staff.

As she stransitions toward a dual enrollment job position, she feels her efforts have come “full circle,” as she will help students take college courses while in high school.

“I didn't leave because I didn't want to be at Branham," she said. "It was more so I can try that next step and go to that next level.”

— Alli Wang and Nolan Zils

PRINCIPAL | Lawton grew LEAVING | Finding school's reputation in district housing a main reason From PAGE 8 “I'm very much a relationships person,” she said. “As you're building relationships, both teachers, staff, students, community members and parents (are) where you get a lot of the good information, what the strengths of the school are, how to build on those strengths and continue those strengths.”

As the Branham principal during last year’s summer school, Schubert emphasized community. She wrote daily updates to students and staff, and created Bruin of the Month awards for staff to nominate deserving students.

“I really got to know them and their commitment to students, their willingness to be flexible, work with students and meet them where they are.” Schubert said. “There was a really nice sense of community there” She acknowledges a steep learning curve of stepping up from assistant principal to principal, but is looking forward to the challenges.

“Anytime you start a new job or a new position, you're a little nervous,” Schubert said. “I'm fully aware that there's a lot to learn, but I'm just mostly excited. This past year was challenging in a lot of ways, but we have this opportunity to have a fresh start.”

In spite of her excitement about joining the Branham community, she's looking forward to transitioning from a “less visible” assistant principal role to becoming the de facto face of the school.

“I'm nervous in the sense that anytime you start a new job or a new position, you're a little nervous,” Schubert said. “I'm fully aware that there's a lot to learn, but I'm just mostly excited.

This past year was challenging in a lot of ways, but we have this opportunity to have a fresh start.”

Following her focus on restoring a positive culture, Schubert ultimately aims to create a good experience for students and more support for them. While she states multiple priorities, she also hopes to adjust her leadership to make sure that her practices are fair and involve student opinion. “(Being a principal) is really about shifting that culture, and I'm a big promoter of restorative justice practices, community building and mutual accountability.”

BULLETIN BOARD

New principal, new hopes Following Principal Cheryl Lawton's departure and the appointment of the upcoming principal Lindsay Schubert, students share their thoughts on what they hope the new principal will implement in the following year.

Alex Miura Freshman

Yann Quinard Sophomore

Jeremy Potts Junior

“I think I want the new principal to be a person who cares for their students and their teachers and hopes to solve problems that are occurring in the school.”

"I feel like a principal should be focusing on coordinating the schools, and less of security patrolling on students. A principal that takes care of their students and better manages the lunch line" “The qualities in Lawton that I really value is the way that she’s always been very helpful to me. Her general involvement in the student body and overall is something that I really value and would like to see in the new principal. “

said it emerged as one of the top schools in the district.

“We are a good school, but a long, long time ago, parents thought Branham was not the place you want to send your students,” she said. “That’s not the case anymore.”

She said she’s proudest of the school’s efforts to modernize the campus, with the Measure AA campaign helping to transform the landscape of the 55-year-oldschool with four two-story buildings and new facilities.

The school’s ongoing equity efforts have also increased under her leadership.

“We still have work to do, but I feel like we've made a lot of progress in that respect,” she said.

Activities Director Christina Hillman said she admires Lawton’s dedication to the school.

She said that a lot of people don’t understand that, aside from meetings and checking in with students, teachers and staff, the principal’s day ends late at night after she’s answered hundreds of emails.

“I think that she has put a lot of her heart into this school and is really trying to serve our community,” Hillman said.

Though the pandemic has seen teachers at Branham and around the country leave at an accelerated pace, Lawton said the school remains a unique place with “by far the best group of people I've ever worked with.”

Lawton had this to say to the next principal, whoever they might be: “This is a really special place,” she said. “Do whatever you can to help it continue to be a special place.”

Student wish list As Branham undergoes a leadership transition, several students interviewed said that they are eager to see where where the new principal will lead the school.

One of the most visible chang"A principal that inter- es under Lawton's leadership was the building of four new acts with students at two-story buildings, which lunch, has one-onsophomore Sarah Jo said has one conversations been appreciated. With new with the student gas hookups and SmartBoards, body, would really along with new places to hang Deanna out, she said that the changes help create a positive were welcome.

Lawton reflects on her legacy Krischel culture on campus.

“I think the new buildings are When Principal Cheryl Law- Durante really nice.”Jo said, “I really enton exits Branham after six years Senior joy having a chemistry classroom running the school, she’ll leave an where we could perform experimpressive resume: overseeing the construction of four new buildings, receiving full iments and labs safely without worrying about our WASC accreditation and managing a student popu- safety.”

Senior Ashley Awuzie hoped that the new prinlation that has grown from 1,450 students to nearly cipal puts an emphasis on helping to create a better 2,000, the largest in the district.

Lawton, who will become an assistant principal at connection with students. Awuzie said that Lawton's Napa High School, said one of her reasons for her reputation has been one of dicipline.

“I hope that the new principal is someone who move is personal: Her father is in an assisted care fatakes the time to get to know the student body, incility in Yountville, and she will be closer with him.

“Life happens and sometimes you just have to go teracting with students at lunch and having one-onone conversations.” with what's going on,” she said.

With additional reporting by Vivian Trinh and Gyuri Under her tenure, the school also has earned California Distinguished School award, and Lawton Kim. 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

From PAGE 8 $1.5 million, forcing teachers to look elsewhere for housing and for some to commute as much as 45 minutes to 1 hour away.

Teachers priced out Teacher pay was a deciding factor for English teacher Brittany Cole, who will be teaching English at Columbia Middle School in Sunnyvale next year.

Cole and her fiancee eventually want to have a family, and though she said that she is happy with the school, she said that with her salary, she cannot afford to in the current environment.

“I'm not leaving Branham because there's anything wrong with the school or students,” she said. “I love my kids, and I love my coworkers. It comes down to being able to take care of my family. Although I love being a teacher, my family comes first, and there's just not enough support for that.”

Other opportunities presented themselves during the pandemic. Social science teachers Brett Johanson and Tania Eaton, both respected educators, left midyear to pursue other careers. Johanson cited the souring relationship with the district in addition to running a Jersey Mike’s sandwich franchise as one of his reasons.

Eaton, the school's 2016 teacher of the year, will be an instructional coach at Downtown College Prep, a charter high school in East San Jose. They told the Bear Witness that they were both opportunities too good to pass up, and they will miss students the most.

“The familial atmosphere and a staff who truly care about students has been inspiring to watch,” she wrote in a message to the Bear Witness. “Our students never cease to amaze me.

Front office departures Changes are also afoot in the front office, where more than half of the administrators will be leaving, including Principal Cheryl Lawton, who has been at Branham for the past six years.

(Please see accompanying story).

Counselor Joyce Davis, who started at the same time as Lawton, is also leaving Branham, and will become the principal at Downtown College Preparatory.

The frustration from distance learning, the burnout from working through the pandemic on computer screens, the lack of in-person communication, and the salary dispute and relationship between Branham staff and the district played into Davis' decision.

“Once you start to catch one and peel the layers, it all continues," she said.

"It's like an onion.”

As counselor, Davis said she had to manage between 400 to 500 students each, and she said she is looking forward to making individual connections with around 300 students at DCP. “(I had to take) the opportunity that I have because I want to sit down with every stakeholder on that campus, have a conversation, get to know them and the school and see where I can fit in any expertise,” she said.

Other administrators, like first-year Assistant Principal Dr. Richard Ruiz,

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

Adviser: Fitzgerald Vo

67% of teachers in a Campbell

High School Teachers Association survey who said they were considering leaving the profession.

$1.5 MILLION median cost of a home in San Jose.

Sources: CHSTA survey in Fall 2021, Redfin are also following their goals educators.

Ruiz started his educational career at Campbell Union High School District five years ago with the district’s ROTC after his 21-year stint in the military.

As an assistant principal at Branham this year, Ruiz says he helped spread happiness among students.

Ruiz will be the assistant principal at Dartmouth Middle School next year.

His goal is to bring a “positive vibe” to the school, and hopes that his military background and leadership will help him establish leadership and physical fitness programs for the students.

“With all the students, teachers and staff I've met, I've had authentic relationships because I've been 100% organic and real with everybody,” Ruiz said. “It means a lot to me to have served here and it's gonna hurt [leaving]. It's more than a job, so therefore, even though we may not work together, we will always have a relationship. I will always be here for everyone.”

Even though staff are leaving, they want to see a change in Branham. Davis wants the CUHSD to find new, more effective ways to employ people of color as teachers and leaders in schools. She suggests a plan of looking at nontraditional places like teacher colleges or Boys & Girls Clubs of America where people are directors of youth services in some capacity.

“Inherently, we want to have people intrinsically loving and wanting to motivate students,” Davis said. “So, we can help partner with (more people of color) and give them the finances to then get the credentials that they need.”

On the other hand, Ruiz wants change in the general student atmosphere. He asks students to smile every morning when supervising.

“We could always show more love to one another,” Ruiz said. “Spread the virus of love, of happiness. It’s contagious.”

Though the departures represent nearly a quarter of the current staff, opportunities await, including the addition of a new science and Korean teacher, signaling the need to expand. The culture of Branham has evolved as the school is experiencing some growing pains, but that’s necessarily a bad thing.

“Change isn't always bad. Change is good,” Davis said. “It gives new opportunity, a new, fresh set of eyes. So, I'm encouraged and excited for the changes that will happen with Branham inevitably because you're going to have a number of new people in positions.”

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

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NEWS

| JUNE 2022 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

OVERHEARD | QUOTES OF THE MONTH FROM OUR ONLINE STORIES

“As young people, we really are the ones who have to make a difference. We're the generation that’s going to have the most impact.”

Freshman Alexis Tea, SPARE board member, on attending the local climate strike for climate justice

“It's a great way to engage families. I really want to build relationships with the families here at school and the community and school be part of that relationship.”

Social worker Kevin Nguyen, after organizing Branham's first resource fair

Jiyoon Choi/Bear Witness SPARE Members Ava Stark (9), Alexis Tea (9) and Naia Sasano (12) attend a climate rally in early May.

VIGILS FOR VICTIMS

MOURNING SHOOTING DEATHS In separate gatherings, students and staff reflect on massacres in Texas, New York

JIYOON CHOI, AVA STARK, MAKAYLA WU and EMMA ZHANG Staff Writers

or the second time in two weeks, F about a dozen students and staff met in the quad for a moment of

solidarity to honor victims of a mass shooting.

The mass murder of 19 elementary school-age children and two adults in Uvalde, Texas was the worst school shooting since the 2012 killings in Newtown, Conn. killed 26. It was the 27th school shooting since the year began.

Among those honoring the victims was sophomore Ryan Nickelson-Stamer, who said that he lost a close friend from a shooting two years ago. Nickelson-Stamer also has two younger siblings who are in elementary school, and he worries for their safety.

“It hurts me because I knew it affected my friend,” he said. “The most I can do is just be there for him.”

For him, the solidarity circle provided comfort and reassurance that people cared and were willing to support each other.

“I struggle all the time, and that's part of life. But another part of life is to recognize it and be there for those who are in need. The small things matter.”

As information trickled throughout the day about the victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting, Principal Cheryl Lawton asked staff to convene the meeting.

In light of fears for school safety, Superintendent Dr. Robert Bravo had also sent out an email reminding students and staff of emergency procedures, as well as a reminder that campuses are a closed campus. He also added the availability of mental health resources such as CASSY counseling and the Wellness Centers at each school.

A week earlier, Black Student Union leaders had convened in the quad with the same purpose.

Gathered in a large circle on the quad, about 70 students and teachers held a moment of solidarity today to honor victims of the mass shooting in Buffalo, N.Y. in which 10 Black people died at the hands of an 18-yearold White teenager.

At the lunchtime event, special education teacher Tobias McLeod said that while riding his bike to school, he had the realization that he could just easily be a target as the victims in New York who were grocery shopping when they were killed.

“What’s stopping me from being a victim?” said McLeod, who is the adviser of the Black Student Union.

“One moment I could be pulled off my bike.”

McLeod said that he and co-adviser La Toya Brown, BSU and Latinx Student Union leaders had wanted to recognize the victims, but also to decry the violence committed toward minority groups.

Among those who spoke at the lunchtime event was BSU president Diane Fonkwo.

“Why does it take someone being killed or injured to open people’s eyes

Ava Stark/Bear Witness About 20 students and staff members meet on the quad May 25, the day after the massacre of 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas. Each participant shared a reason why they came, including a wish for school safety.

Jiyoon Choi/Bear Witness At a gathering May 17 after 10 Black grocery shoppers were killed in New York, Black Student Union adviser Tobias McLeod said that he was constantly worried about his safety: "What's stopping me from being a victim?" to the hatred among minorities?” she asked the crowd. “What are we doing to stop this pattern of racially motivated acts?”

Fonkwo had said after the meet-

ing that she was uncertain about the turnout, but seeing the several dozen students and staff gathered on short notice was heartening to her.

“It gave me goosebumps,” she said.

“It made me feel safe to know that many people support the Black community and BLM in general.”

Brown, an English special education teacher, said the tragedy on May 14 reminded her of the history of violence against minority groups.

“This speaks closely to me,” she said.

“The people, the victims look like me.”

She had worn a t-shirt of the late civil rights leader Nelson Mandela with a quote that read, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Brown is hopeful that education can help change minds against hate.

“I would rather people fight with their minds, with education, than trying to kill each other, trying to commit violence, trying to alienate,” she said.

“I want the systematic racism to stop.”

McLeod said he was heartened by the show of support.

He encouraged students to write letters to Congress to seek out safety measures, and to ask those in authority to seek to improve safety measures at school. He saw support during the moment of solidarity, and hopes that members are moved to action.

"There's people that care enough to spend their time during lunch, to come out and at least express themselves or just see each other,” said McLeod. “We all just need to see each other and know what's going on."

FOOD | Demand for lunch food up by 200% since 2019

From PAGE 8 options that support different food accommodations while reducing food waste.

“We're trying to come up with more recipes for more vegan, maybe even possibly gluten free, but it's really hard for us to come up with some recipes that everybody's gonna like districtwide," said district Cafeteria Manager Jennifer Webster, who handles the school menus.

Highlighting the continuing need to address food insecurity, California and Maine are the only two states that will continue their plan to provide free school lunches to all school-aged students. California in 2021 enacted the Universal Feeding Program state law, the funds will help CUHSD Kitchens staff prepare 15 to 20 lunch options each day at each school site.

Yet the progress of widespread free lunch offerings follow a pre-pandemic stigma, in which families students receiving free meals would have to fill an application in order to get free or reduced lunch. While more than 25% of Branham students qualified, far fewer signed up.

According to a Bear Witness survey, while most students used to bring their own lunch to school pre-pandemic, more than 30% said that they had skipped meals for several reasons, including not having lunch food at home, not having time to pack a lunch, or not wanting to wait in the lunch lines at school.

The free meals program eliminated that pre-pandemic stigma, but with demand for meals increasing by almost 200%, from 325,000 meals served in 2019 to more than 940,000 by the end of 2022, the district has gone through some growing pains in how it distributes its food.

Rory McCarthy, director of Food Services in the district, said that the food kitchen has faced setbacks, such as declining supply chains and a lack of available food service workers.

“It's gonna be the year of painfulness, especially with the pandemic," he said. "But it's just something you have to deal with from the pandemic and from staffing issues like manufacturing, staffing issues and getting paper supplies.”

The district receives a $4.80 reimbursement for each meal prepared, factoring in food supply costs and overhead. Given the limitations and the sheer number of meals served, Student Board member Ainsely Bateman, a junior, said that the district is trying to make lemonade out of lemons.

“Using a relatively small budget to go as far as they can with both tasty and nutrition has been a lot of what they have been working on this year," she said.

BEAR WITNESS

Editorial The opinion of the Bear Witness editors

| JUNE 2022 |

OPINION EQUITY

Making room for teaching social injustice

ith the constant occurrence of hate W crimes, massacres, and racially motivated incidents, it’s crucial that education about racial equity and historical injustice is embedded into our curriculum and taught to students.

As the LGBTQ Pride month rolls around the AAPI Heritage month comes to an end, these specially focused months definitely have contributed to a wider solidarity.

Movements including the Stop AAPI Hate movement in 2020 and the recent “Bans Off Our Bodies” have spread, but that doesn’t stop the numerous and grave injustices.

Both of the movements root in serious injustices, such as the killing of 9 Asian women by an unprovoked white man in a bar, and an unjust leaked document by Supreme Court justices that threatens the undefeated right of

all people’s autonomy to their bodies.

The problems of racially-motivated crimes still remain and the May 14 Buffalo shooting where ten Black people were killed is a recent instance of numerous violent occurrences.

When such movements arise, it is necessary that current events and cultural showcases are embedded into curriculum such as history classes, showing a less white-washed account of history where learning about other cultures isn’t limited to just a single page in a school textbook. To truly understand ethnicities, we need to go beyond teaching about their traditions. Instead, we need to dive deeper into their history, and struggles they’ve faced, and violent acts committed against them.

Yet the recent developments restricting the schools and other educational institution’s right to

inform their students of both racial justice issues and an account of history that better reflects the voices of non-white or European culture show that the filtration of student’s knowledge greatly affects their outlook towards the world.

The STOP WOKE act in Florida threatens to ban educational curriculum that discusses racial justice and the hotly debated Critical Race theory.

An EdWeek analysis showed that 42 states have introduced bills against critical race theory or limited how teachers can discuss racism and sexism. These bans and restrictions have since been imposed in 17 states.

The education on racial justice is especially important to California, as while it is known to be a progressive state, its record amount in AAPI hate crimes show that the fight for racial justice is not over, despite the recent praise when Gov.

FINDING THE BEAT MUSIC EXPRESSION

Music performance as a means of getting out of your comfort zone Opinion Editor

usic can be much more than a beat, or a rhythm. It can provide a means of creative expression and can even be a starting point for fighting anxiety.

I remember my percussion performance in sixth grade vividly. With vibraphones, synthesizers and marimbas rolling across the floor, my percussion group and I moved swiftly across campus. My hands trembled and my teeth clattered, but under my orange costume, I kept my head forward and focused.

As we walked to the arena, the instructor sat us down and told us, “Breathe in, breathe out.

Breathe in, breathe out. Express the story and take a pause when you need to.”

“Don’t mess up, don’t mess up,” I told myself as I prepared for my piano solo.

As I looked into the crowds and nodded to the other percussionists, I was filled with a sense of adrenaline and anticipation.

Growing up I was afraid of public speaking, presentations, and just speaking in general, yet the fright of my first sixth grade performance still stood out to me. Out of all the public speaking classes and group projects I was put in to fight my social anxiety, music performance was the most difficult: there wasn’t a five paragraph essay I could prepare beforehand, or a clear-cut algebra formula to help me ignore the thousands of people watching me. With music, it wasn’t a certain speech pattern or lack of filler words that drove a performance. Instead, it was staying to the beats, feeling the different melodies, and becoming one with the music.

My struggle with fighting my anxiety in sixth grade wasn’t a rare occurrence. Research shows that there are other students of similar ages that struggle with performances and the idea of people watching them.

According to a study in the Arch Gen Psychiatry journal published in 2005, over a quarter of the people in the US population have anxiety disorder or are predicted to experience it in their lifetime.

Despite the anxiety that musical performance gave me, my stage fright started to diminish over the years as I continued to be a part of my middle school’s percussion group for the next three years. In high school, I started to try out clubs like speech and debate, using recommendations from the psychologists I visited

Alli Wang/Bear Witness, Canva stock images

HOMELESSNESS

Group effort needed to aid unhoused AMANDA DAY

W

Ways people deal with stage fright • Creating a pre- and post-ritual after each performance.

• Take deep breaths before going on stage.

• Remember that no one will judge any mistakes you make.

• Practice makes perfect! After each performance, you'll surely feel a little better, and you'll be better after each performance.

Alli Wang/Bear Witness, Canva stock images over the years to combat my fears. My anxiety became more dormant as I put more time into music and other activities. This strategy of fighting serious anxiety with trying activities outside of a person’s comfort zone has not been a new development from a psychological standpoint, as it’s been implemented with promising results.

According to the Psychiatric Times, exposure therapy, where psychiatric patients are exposed to things they fear, has been highly effective.

However, it is underutilized for treating individuals with trauma, PTSD, or anxiety.

But even beyond psychology and mental dis-

orders, exposing oneself to things and opportunities can be useful to people even without a diagnosis of anxiety, trauma or PTSD. Just by reaching out of one’s comfort zone, one can feel bolder, braver and cope better in difficult and unexpected situations.

Music is more than just a set of notes or a plethora of rhythms, it can be a way for people to branch out and try something new, while creating a meaningful pastime. Even beyond music, students can find activities that expand their limits, help them reach their full potential, and overcome mental roadblocks.

BITE-SIZED OPINIONS | Minor problems, minor solutions

Problem: All the seniors are graduating and we won't get to see them anymore. I'm really going to miss them.

Solution: Add a 13th grade so that the seniors have to stay an extra year with us.

— Ava Stark

Gavin Newsom announced a plan to implement Ethnic Studies as statewide graduation requirement class in high school starting in 2025. A Sacramento Bee article in 2021 revealed that the number of AAPI hate crimes in California has risen by 107% post-COVID. More than just supporting cultural showcases and celebrating the diverse backgrounds of our students, it is necessary that institutions like Branham embed both the cultural appreciation of various different racial backgrounds in humanities classes while addressing the various and increasing number of hate crimes that occur. A failure to teach students about such instances of discrimination is dangerous and will results in fear, paranoiav and misunderstanding, a dangerous combination that will set us back in the pursuit and racial equity.

Santa Clara has fourth highest homeless population in country

ALLI WANG

M

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BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

Problem: With summer coming soon, the days seem to get longer and I can't get enough sleep! It feels wrong to sleep while the sun is up.

Solution:Turn on the AC outside, instead of inside. After all, the nights get longer in colder weather!

— Alli Wang

Problem: There are far too many decorations around campus right now, and it's making it too much of a maze. I keep running into posters.

Solution:Let's make holograph posters that you can walk through so I don't run into them.

— Alan Schaeffer

Problem: People who do the wave at soccer games are not paying attention to the game. You’re a fake fan,if you're just moving your arms because someone with a chivas jersey tells you to!

Solution: Ban anyone regardless of age that does the wave, using the newest VAR technology at stadiums.

— Maceo Inoue

Staff Writer

hile most of America sleeps under warm blankets and a sturdy roof, a small, an increasing percentage of Americans will shiver in doorways of office buildings and under tents. Much of this can be seen in the Downtown San Jose area, where numerous homeless individuals populate.

According to San Jose Spotlight, an estimated 6,000 individuals are unhoused in the city, that number has only increased. Among those 6,000 people are also students, where executives saw a rise in unhoused students within the Santa Clara County school districts, especially with distance learning. The San Francisco Chronicle stated that San Jose and Sacramento are one of the five cities with the highest concentration of unsheltered families. This is due to the tech boom, as large companies like Apple and Google build more offices around Silicon Valley, increasing the cost of real estate and making it even harder for the homeless to afford shelter.

The rising rates of homelessness within our city and California — about a 15% increase from 2019 to 2020 — contribute to a part of the total 580,466 unhoused individuals in the United States. This has increased by 2% over the last two years, according to the U.S Department of Housing and Urban development.

San Jose officials seem to think that housing projects are the answer, with projects such as Livable Sunnyvale, Amigos de Guadalupe, Santa Clara’s tiny home site, Many programs exist that provide hot meals, hygienic needs, career training, Bible study and housing opportunities. The San Francisco Chronicle has a dedicated unhoused population beat and has compiled a directory of nonprofits that help the homeless.

Even with their efforts, more than 9,000 in the county live without shelter as of 2019, and the county remains the fourth most concentrated in homelessness across the nation.

There have also been government initiatives to solve these issues, such as SB-9, a state bill passed last September that is meant to assist in California’s housing shortage. However, it faced numerous resistance and calls of concern from wealthy Bay Area neighborhoods, who were worried about how the bill would affect their land and already existing housing.

The problem lies not in how many organizations there are and how many are helping, but rather the lack of cooperation and citizen involvement. To fight the steady increase of homelessness, there needs to be more initiative and teamwork. This can come in forms of volunteering or donating to nonprofits, and using advertisements to spread the word.

One nonprofit’s work won’t change much, but many organizations working in tandem will have the means to rally enough support to create actual change and help those in need.

At the end of the day, cooperation and hard work are the only way that we will solve the ever-increasing rates of homelessness. More importantly, using one’s vote and time to dedicate towards progressive and substantial effort to narrow the widening economic gap is particularly necessary to cause systemic change to combat the current housing crisis, which will only get worse with inflation if the proper measures aren’t taken.

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SCIENCE&HEALTH SCIENCE BRIEFS

VIRTUAL ACADEMY

THEY NEVER LEFT ZOOM

Power outages fueled by California drought likely A report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration released June 3 said that California faces the possibility of a summer of shortages brought on by the ongoing drought, including power shortages, hydroelectric plant shutdowns and rising electricity costs in areas where PG&E and other utilities provide services.

The drought could deplete big reservoirs in California such as Shasta Lake and Lake Oroville to the extent that the hydroelectric plants at those sites might have to suspend operations, the report said.

The state just experienced the driest January, February and March in its recorded history. Yet, in March, the most recent month for which data is available, residents, rather than conserve, instead increased urban water use a staggering 18.9% statewide compared to March 2020.

Nearly 100 students in the district opted to stay online this year. The Virtual Academy will return next year

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By 2080, Colorado may look more like Arizona Parts of Colorado, Wyoming and Utah are drying out due to climate-driven changes in stream flows, and these states will shift to become more like the most arid states of the Southwest, federal researchers found in a scientific study published June 1 The lead author of the Los Alamos National Laboratory study said Colorado will experience a 50% to 60% reduction in snow by 2080.

The researchers used an artificial intelligence “machine learning” system that allowed them to analyze massive amounts of data collected over 30 years including soil moisture, volumes of water in streams, evapotranspiration rates, temperature and precipitation.

GYURI KIM Staff Writer

hough students often cited virtual T learning as the biggest mental health concern during the pandemic, nearly 200

students this year signed up for the district's Virtual Learning Academy program.

The deadline to sign up for the 2022-2023 school Virtual Academy ended June 3.

A recent National Institutes of Health study found that most students suffered from online learning due to their lack of socialization, though some students are thriving in the environments with a looser schedule.

This incldes sophomore Matthew Fellenz, a student at the VLA program, who said that enjoys the ability to work on what he wants when he wants to. He enjoys learning in a few hours compared to the multiple one and a half block periods to learn the same amount of information.

“It's a lot more concentrated, and I appreciate that because I really like having free time to work on my hobbies,” Fellenz said.

District officials say that the program offers the flexibility of asynchronous learning for all subjects with the exception of synchronous teachers for math and English.

These include English teacher Angela Cunningham, who teaches all four grades of English, and John McGowan who teaches

all four grades of math.

For all the other classes, students meet up with teachers once a week for instruction, and schoolwork is done by themselves. However, the virtual learning academy only has two full-time teachers working the equivalent of four prep periods.

“As a teacher one of the main difficulties is probably teaching four different classes,” Cunningham said. “It’s really time-consuming preparing four different slides for the day's lessons.”

To ease the burden, Liz Tovar, the Virtual Academy Principal, said her plan for next year is to have full-time Virtual Learning Academy teachers in all their courses, except AP courses.

Though the Virtual Learning Academy is similar to the Independent Learning program, which has been offered for more than 15 years, the difference is in the type of students who are enrolled. The Independent Learning program, which has had an average enrollment of 30 students, seems to attract typically competitive athletes who do not have the ability to be at school for six or seven hours each day.

However, due to the pandemic, enrollment increased substantially to 191 students. The reasons varied, from being wary of the spread of COVID-19 in schools, wanting the extra

time that comes with learning online, or the flexibility of partially asynchronous.

The Virtual Academy offers flexibility in its scheduling, with an AB schedule and 75-minute classes. The classes change daily with A days having periods 1-3 and B days having periods 4-6. Wednesdays are asynchronous.

It's understandable that the schedule can be confusing, and Cunningham said that she reminds students every day their schedule.

“I'm always showing the students the district calendar or the VLA calendar so that way they have a get in their mind of exactly where we are in the school year,” she said.

Despite the complications that arise with scheduling, the Virtual Learning Academy can also benefit teachers by giving them extra time to grade, especially during asynchronous days.

“I really appreciate being able to have more time to work because, usually, for teachers we're teaching all day every day," she said. "I used to always joke about how teaching is the one job where you can't get any work done.

Because of teaching at this program, I don't feel like that anymore.”

The program will continue next year, continuing to be an independent learning option for students. Applications can be found on the CUHSD website. So far, Tovar said that there have been about 100 enrollees.

WEIGHING THE PROS AND CONS OF VIRTUAL LEARNING PROS • Flexibility and freedom: Those who are inclined to get their work done effectively on their own time are no longer forced to stay in a room until a bell rings.

• More sleep: They do not need to worry about transportation.

• Accommodates health issues: Students with health challenges will not have to miss much school and fall behind.

• Participate in extracurriculars: Students who are passionate about extracurricular activities will be able to attend them without the stress of missing school.

• Individualized assistance: Since teachers also have a bit more flexibility, the opportunity for more individualized assistance is there.

• No peer distractions: Those frustrated with working with peers will be free from the hassle of enduring that behavior — they can focus on their learning instead of their peers.

CONS • Onus on student: The freedom that students have can be misused/abused and lead to a lack of participation and effort. This could lead to failing classes.

• More individual accountability: Students must actively take responsibility for their own schedules, since there is no bell shuttling them along to their next class or meeting.

• Lack of socialization: The lack of face-to-face interaction with peers can be isolating, and students might miss opportunities that could have come from social interactions. • • Extroverts beware: Students who love group work and group discussions might miss that element in this program, which is much more independent.

Source: CUHSD Virtual Academy presentation

VIRTUAL ACADEMY

Monkeypox not likely a pandemic, but be wary A leading infectious diseases expert who was part of a team that helped identify the first monkeypox cases in Europe says he doesn’t expect the virus to become a “big epidemic,” but said that the new outbreak coming after two-plus years of the COVID-19 pandemic “shows how vulnerable we are to the introduction of new pathogens.”

Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are tracking many cases of monkeypox that have been reported in several countries that don’t normally report monkeypox, including the U.S., which has 24 confirmed cases as of June 6.

—Compiled by Angela Choi, Makayla Wu, and Nolan Zils

School leads in COVID cases after mandate lifted TYRONE ROTHMAN Staff Writer

he rise in weekly COVID-19 T cases at Branham has prompted conversation among students of pos-

32.3%

proportion of cases reported at Branham in May compared to other CUHSD schools Source: CUHSD COVID-19 dashboard as of June 3 Tyrone Rothman/Bear Witness

sible mask mandates next school year.

The district in March lifted its mask mandate, making wearing masks at school strongly recommended. In making its decision, Superintendent Dr. Robert Bravo cited the high vaccination rates in the county, which help prevent hospitalizations from infection.

However, the recent surge reflects the national COVID trends, and Branham leads the district in reported cases, accounting for 29 of 44 cases in week ending June 3. The school also was home to the majority of reported cases in May, according to the district COVID dashboard.

However, the results may be skewed, depending on the rate that students and staff test at school.

Freshman Romy Schoenberg says she feels that COVID hasn’t been controlled since mask restrictions were lifted.

“I feel like that after the mask mandate was lifted cases were supposed to stay low, but they haven’t,” she says, “If everyone is wearing a mask, everyone is protected.”

Without a mandate, some students who want to stay safe cannot do so, she said.

“Masks mainly protect others, not yourself," Schoenberg said. "So with no mandate it is difficult for students who want to stay safe to actually stay safe while others don’t wear masks.”

Some students, on the other hand, think that mask mandates bring more harm than good. Freshman Cooper Knickerbocker says that bringing back a mask mandate is unfair to some students, citing discomfort or skin issues.

"A lot of people find masks uncomfortable and it may worsen their acne

or other skin problems," he said. "Although I think you should encourage people to wear masks, bringing back a mandate is unfair to students that have those problems."

Biology teacher David Mackey suggests better COVID education as a solution to rising cases.

“I would suggest encouraging the students to wear masks and be more aware of when there is an outbreak rather than bring back a mandate," he said.

Though the district has not signaled whether it will reimplement a mask mandate, it has issued signage discouraging passing judgment on mask wearing.

Outgoing Principal Cheryl Lawton said she is happy with how students have treated one another, as it has been a point of contention among students.

“I’m glad to see that people still are respectful of everyone whether they wear a mask or not.”

BEAR WITNESS

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STUDENTLIFE

RIGHT BRAIN

LEFT BRAIN

Left brain: Linked to logical thinking, strong math and science skills

Right brain: Associated with creativity, spatial thinking and imagination

Sophomore Craig Dixon

Junior Jaythan Dao Junior's water conservation project gets him honorable mention at state science fair

With 'Pink Sweater,' singer-songwriter hopes to avoid sophomore slump

MAKAYLA WU

ALAN SCHAEFFER

here's no argument that California is in a state of exT treme drought, as it has been for the past three years.

The argument has been what to do about it.

raig Dixon is in demand.

C The sophomore in October released "Over You," a throwback piano ballad with nods to crooners Michael

Staff Writer

While California wrestles whether to mandate restrictions as it has indicated, junior Jaythan Dao developed a product that quickly and accurately measures the amount of water saved. His project earned him an Honorable Mention at the California Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles in April.

His water usage monitor, named the ConveniMeter meter reader performs like a smart water meter but without the high costs associated with them.

Dao's research has shown that while Americans are aware of the drought crisis, they are not as aware of their water consumption. His add-on device turns a standard water meter to Smart Meter, which takes photos of the meter reading, translates it through the cloud and provides real-time usage data wirelessly. The Convenimeter is fully dust and weatherproof.

The device took roughly six months to design and test. Dao started his design process with Legos, then built off of that and created prototypes. The prototypes gradually became more complex and designed 3D printed elements to fit his project. After a few prototypes, his final version includes various components, such as a custom design PC board to fit cameras and more, and a 10-year battery life.

Learning Arduino from scratch To Dao, the most difficult, but also rewarding, aspect of his project was learning things he previously had no experience with.

“I learned a lot of new things I didn't know at all from the beginning,” said Dao, “So that was very special for me.”

One of Dao's first was creating a device that runs on an Arduino board, a platform for coding projects that uses both software and hardware. Through YouTube and trial and error, Dao learned about the Arduino platform from scratch.

Despite these difficulties, Dao was able to familiarize himself with the new concepts and successfully create his product. According to Dao, the most important part of inventing is having confidence in yourself and the product.

“There were quite a few days where I doubted myself quite a bit,” said Dao, “but that confidence kind of was able to get me to the next stage.”

Dao had sought help from chemistry teacher Kevin Kalman and math teacher Barbara Schremp throughout his project. However, both teachers said they contributed minimally and Dao’s constant curiosity and work ethic were the determining factors.

“He was driving everything,” Kalman said. “He was doing all the work. He was doing fantastic.”

Alan Schaeffer/Bear Witness

Alli Wang/Bear Witness

| JUNE 2022 |

Sports Editor

Convenimeter Junior Jaythan Dao created a smart device that measures water usage at relatively low cost.

Dao's device includes a machine that analyzes water meters, with 3D-printed housing unit, with a camera and custom circuitboard to capture water meters and converts it into tangible data.

Competing in science fair Dao was the first Branham student to compete at the California Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles.

The event awards up to $75,000 to support young students’ solutions to issues in the science and engineering fields.

He earned first place in the environmental engineering division of the preliminary countywide science fair early March, earning him a $200 reward and recognition from the Navy, Santa Clara Valley Emotional support from friends, family Other than support from teachers, Dao also mentioned that Water Company. support from his family and friends was pivotal to his success.

“My dad and my mom, my sisters Janelle and Jadelynn, they’ve been so helpful throughout my entire process and they've been very patient with me.” Dao says. “A lot of my confidence comes from them believing in me and them supporting me."

Although many of his friends were not able to help with the technical aspects of his product, they were there for moral support and encouragement.

Junior Stella Rabago, a close friend of Dao’s, said that waiting for the results of the science fair was stressful for Dao. However, Rabago mentioned that he remained optimistic despite not knowing the outcome during the competition, which were announced April 26 via webcast.

“He's continuously embracing uncertainty.” Said Rabago. “His project has shown how dedicated he is and it's honestly inspiring to see the hard work that he puts into everything that he does.”

Dao has been interested in STEM from a young age and has always been looking to do projects that solves problems in the real world. Prior to the Conveni MeterReader, he has invented an array of products, such as a vacuum powered package lifting assistance device that was created during the peak of the pandemic.

He hopes to spread his love of inventing and STEM by creating a Synopsis Science Fair Club at Branham next year. He wants to encourage other students to create their own projects that can be entered into science fairs and potentially see the same success that he did.

Schremp, who had been involved in science fairs since she was a student herself also hopes that more students can participate in similar competitions.

“It was such a good experience for me. I was judged on what I knew, my knowledge, and what I learned.” he sdaid. “It told me that science was very fair that way, and it encouraged me to pursue my interest in science. So it was a great experience. I hope it for more people.”

Buble and Frank Sinatra. It has received nearly 20,000 listens on Spotify, and has made its rounds on the Acoustic Night circuit.

By spring, friends and fans were clamoring for a new tune, and inspiration came from the briefest of encounters.

“I was thinking that I really needed to write a new song," he said. "'Over You' had come out, and I wanted to make something. It was the stupidest way you could have come up with an idea; someone just ran by with a pink sweater on, and I started trying to think of stuff about that.”

The inspiration started rolling in from that point forward, as he started generating more ideas of where to take the song.

“So then I was in my English class, and I wrote out the whole chorus sitting in the back, thinking of ideas. I went to my friend at break and I was like ‘Hey I just wrote a song in English!’ And he goes, ‘Well, aren’t all your songs in English?’”

"Pink Sweater," released May 17, is the second song of Craig Dixon’s burgeoning songwriting career. He performed it at the school's final Acoustic Night, before releasing it on Spotify, Apple Music and other services 10 days later.

Dixon said he had wanted to make a more upbeat song for the beginning of summer, which explains the stark contrast between "Pink Sweater"’s Beach Boys-esque sound and "Over You"’s more somber and nostalgic tone.

Finding an audience Acoustic Nights have proved to be key ways for Dixon to spread his music, but the popularity that his music has gained has also provided him with more opportunities to share it with the community. In December, Dixon was asked to perform "Over You" at the Winter Wishes rally before 1,900 student.

He cemented his local celebrity status with an encore performance at the Love Ball in February.

During that performance, the audience was singing along with him. That performance, Dixon said it was one of his most exciting experiences.

“Everyone was super hyper and jumping up and down,” he said. “I couldn’t hear the start of the song because everyone was yelling. And I loved that energy. I loved the Love Ball.”

Dixon remembers moments like these fondly, and is grateful for being given such chances.

“I’m very happy that I released ("Over You") and it’s very cool that I’ve been given a lot of opportunities to play it," he said.

Dixon has also taken to social media to help propel his music’s growth, where his Instagram account @craigdixonmusic has reached almost 430 followers. He frequently posts polls and questions on his story, and also uses it to announce future music and share clips from performances.

In December, Dixon also took to Instagram to announce his line of merchandise, selling hoodies and shirts that display the quiet purple of Over You. They seem to be working.

'Pink Sweater' Released May 17 Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming services Sophomore Craig Dixon's follow-up to "Over You" features a more upbeat melody, even though it's about a lost love, with the refrain "holding onto the sleeves of your pink sweater" repeating over the synth beats.

'Pink Sweater' Released Sept. 26 Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming services “Over You" is reminiscent of a young Frank Sinatra with a modern twist, describes the feelings of unrequited love.

“I liked someone, and then they were with someone else after me,” he said.

“Things happen, and he was one of my friends too. But, you know, whatever. I'm over it now.” (Hence the name of the song.)

Local celebrity “I was sitting in my class and I was wearing my own merchandise and this dude sitting next to me saw the shirt and he was like ‘Oh is that the merchandise from that one dude that makes music?’ And I asked ‘Yeah, do you like him?’ He says ‘Yeah but he needs to make more songs.’ So I was like “Ok I’ll tell him.’”

Although Dixon believes that the classmate is now aware that he was talking to "the" Craig Dixon, the songwriter wonders what his peers actually think of his music, and his desire to release more.

Other instances like this happened across school, as he’s found popularity, and sometimes unwanted attention in more private settings like the classroom.

“There was a time I was sitting in World History, and I looked out the window and I saw someone filming me through it," he said. "They had their phone out and were filming but pulled away when they saw I was looking. I was like ‘oh that’s terrifying’ but I never regretted (releasing the song).”

Dixon also sees the necessity to branch out into different styles of music, which he feels he has done in "Pink Sweater."

“I did a sad one that everyone knows, but I don’t want them to turn on 'Over You' and everyone just starts crying,” he said. “I have a lot of different styles, different emotions. For a little bit I was trying to make each song I wrote sound as different from the last as possible.”

A relatively normal senior year Homecoming, prom, senior night, graduation, full sports seasons — this senior class had it all in a relatively normal school year. Though COVID has not gone away (see below), it's now become a background pandemic. More than half of students and staff continue to remain masked, but that's a small price to pay, compared to the virtual learning, shortened seasons and the social isolation that came from the lockdowns.

With new variants on the rise, and, perhaps monkeypox on the horizon, should we be worried about what next year may bring? Let's not hold our breaths.

Branham curbside meals to be served in Del Mar Curbside meals have been a staple since the pandemic began, are now being served only at Del Mar, instead of each school site. As funds to help those affected by the pandemic wanes, this is understandable, but also unfortunate.

Among the many factors of food insecurity is the lack of access: access to transportation, lack of healthful food options. Making it harder, or at least more inconvenient, for parents and students to travel to get their free meals will make it more likely that those who do go hungry to go hungry longer.

There's no clear solution, but the need for affordable or free food in our wealthy Silicon Valley suburb makes it apparent that food insecurity is still a very visible issue.

Students miss finals due to COVID infections Dozens of students have missed finals at Branham due to a rise in COVID-19 cases as the BA.2 variant is spreading just like the omicron variant had done in January. This is coinciding with the end-of-year feastivities, with at least 20 seniors who had to sit out of their graduation ceremonies. Non-seniors have had to find ways to make up their finals.

The pandemic is not yet over (far from it), but perhaps we have let down our guard a little too much.

— Reese Gardner

14

BEAR WITNESS

| JUNE 2022 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

SPORTS

TRAINING ALL SEASON LONG

Athletic trainer says injuries have dropped since sports mostly have returned to normal

Nolan Zils/Bear Witness Athletic trainer Myesha Taylor treats senior Sammarth Borrana, who came in with pain in his upper right leg. She is the district's only full-time trainer, and joined Branham when sports reopened in the spring last year. The transition for Myesha was swift: She had to treat injuries in 13 sports due to the shortened schedule.

NOLAN ZILS

Co-Editor-in-Chief

t was a busy Thursday afternoon for I Myesha Taylor as she begins her day at 3 p.m.

The first student in the room asks for tape to help with his shin splints.

Shortly after, sophomore Brent Hashiguchi, Taylor’s student assistant, arrives and used the exercise bike in the back corner. Ten minutes later, senior Sara Heitmann runs over from swim practice with a bad shoulder.

She thought that she separated it, and BVALS are the next day. Taylor says it’s just a bicep tear, and applies hot tape to help with the injury.

Then sophomore Akshar Parmar walks in, complaining of soreness in his leg.

With only minutes to spare before Parmar's volleyball game, Taylor’s assistants Hashiguchi and junior Princely Molon get to work, wrapping an ice pack on his leg. Taylor points out that they put on the plastic wrap the wrong way, and she laughs as Molon teases Hashiguchi for the mistake.

MYESHA TAYLOR Sports medicine professional Education: M.S. in Kinesiology, CSU East Bay; B.S. in Kinesiology, Athletic Training, San jose State University Experience Taylor has over 18 years of experience, working in injury care, ergonomics and health and fitness. She most Plenty of injuries when sports reopened recently worked for Taylor is the only full-time athletic Briotix Health LP. trainer in the district, and student ath-

letes have noted the physical and mental benefits that have come with her presence on campus, which they say has also contributed to the success of the athletic department.

After assuming the position in March

SPORTS BRIEFS Badminton

Badminton had a solid season, producing a record of 9-9, with a couple athletes going to BVALs. Sophomore Cooper Dalton finished 3rd in boys singles, while seniors Meena Iyer/ Neela Iyer and junior Rachel Lee/ senior Kylie Ngfinished third and fifth in girls doubles. Dalton and the Iyer sisters were one win away from qualifying for CCS. Baseball After a historic run, which saw the team set several league records, the baseball team fell 0-9 to Mitty in the CCS Division II Championship on May 28. Varsity head coach Tony Pianto said that as many as seven or eight players broke records, some of them going all the way back to 2003. Some notable statistics from this season include junior Matt Garcia’s Senior Malcolm Dyer

2020 under a contract with a company called Sports Plus that is helping the district find athletic trainers, Taylor started her first sports season treating students under unusual circumstances.

Because of the pandemic, Taylor had to treat athletes in all sports, all at once, when they returned for shortened seasons in the spring of 2021. She said the absence of playing and training during the pandemic led athletes to be more prone to getting hurt.

“There were a ton of injuries and I think that's because we had the year off,” Taylor said. “Now that athletes are getting back into their conditioned state, I think it’s less than it was during that season.”

As athletes are returning to a normal sports schedule this year, her workload also changed. Now working under her own contract after the Sports Plus deal expired, Taylor transitioned from managing all of the sports at once to treating them over the course of three-season sports year.

“Now we have time to actually treat injuries,” Taylor said. “Which is nice.”

Trust in Taylor Junior Zach Van Gelder, an assistant to Taylor who does football and wrestling, said she’s a critical part of the athletic department and has contributed to their physical and mental well-being, as well as their success. He said compared to his freshman year, the presence of a full-time athletic trainer means a quicker recovery time for not only himself but for other

league-leading 47 hits and 34 runs, junior Elijah Bustamante and senior Tyler Siegel tying for second with 4 home runs each, and senior Liam Thompson’s 86 strikeouts, good for second place.

Despite the CCS loss, he is pleased with how his players performed this year, citing their 20 win season and second place in the league, among other things.

“It was pretty impressive,” he said.

“They had a great season. I’m very happy with the way they played.”

Boys tennis Although the boys tennis team struggled throughout the season, they managed to pull off a couple of wins, finishing with a 2-12 record.

Boys Volleyball Boys volleyball had a superb season, ending it with a 9-1 league record, 22-7 overall. They finished first in the Mt. Hamilton division and qualified for CCS

teammates. He also expects her to gain more respect and influence as she spends more time in the school.

“I feel like more and more student athletes over time we'll come to realize that it is a good thing to go to the trainer,” Van Gelder said. “You need to go to the trainer. Because if you're not playing at 100% how's your team gonna be able to depend on you?”

In an environment where athletes sometimes feel like they have to play through pain, Taylor's goal is to make sure that students don't put themselves at risk for further injury. Hashiguchi, a volleyball player, says the mindset of playing through injury is still prevalent, but is going away slowly due to her teachings, skills, and positive personality.

“I feel like there's a stigma for athletes to say they're injured, but they want to get back on the field,” he said. “And when you go in and talk to her, and you trust her and know that she can fix you, the stigma is resolved.”

Taylor, who has been working with kids for most of her career, said the environment they create makes her job enjoyable, and allows for her to connect with them.

“Everybody has a different background,” she said. “I don't know what's going on in your home, or other students' homes, but this is the place where you can come in and talk about it even if you don't want to talk it out.”

Heitmann, along with swimming,

Open Division where they lost in the first round to St. Francis.

During the course of the season, senior Caio Valente broke the school record for most career kills.

Cheer CSC gave an outstanding performance this season, winning 7 out of 8 games, with their only loss to Westmont.

The team saw improvement in their skill, being able to score points in level five of jumps and tumbling and got all six levels of partner stunts and five of the six levels in pyramids in tosses. Both Dalton and the Iyer sisters were merely one win away from qualifying for CCS. Golf Golf went undefeated this season, and sent one athlete, sophomore Ricardo Pham, to CCS. Although his first few shots weren’t the greatest, he was able to find his footing. It turned out to be too late, however, as he did not progress to the next round.

Softball The softball team had an excellent season, finishing 3rd in the Mt. Hamilton division, also with a 9-5 league record.

The team won their final league game with a thrilling

plays soccer in the winter, and dealt with serious injuries as an underclassmen.

She said Taylor’s knowledge and dedication gets injured students back on the field faster compared to her freshman and sophomore year.

“I feel like Myesha, rather than just taping you or temporarily helping you with the problem, she wants to fix it long term,” she said.

Branham athletic director Landon Jacobs said that she is an example for other schools in the district to have athletic trainers as well.

“We're very lucky [to have her] because there is a huge shortage right now of athletic trainers,” he said. “It’s a huge need for all high schools.”

Van Gelder said he enjoys the competitive advantages and success that have come with having an athletic trainer.

But at the same time, he thinks every local school having a trainer like Taylor would make sports more competitive and interesting. As a competitor, I want to face a team at their full strength,” he said.

“I don't want to face a team that's weak because their best player just got hit a little too hard. And I feel like it just gives a better experience. It's not fun being on top on your own, you know?”

Now that students are becoming more used to conventional schedules again, she is looking forward to fewer injuries.

“I can't wait for next year,” she said. “I can't wait to see what normal looks like.”

score of 8-7 at Silver Creek.

However, they did not qualify for CCS. Swim and dive More than 21 personal records were set during the varsity swim and dive team's BVAL finals April 29 and 30.

None moved on to CCS. Track and Field After an excellent season, the team sent four athletes to the CCS finals in Gilroy.

Senior Jimmy Carone took part in 110-meter hurdles, junior Diane Fonkwo in discus, sophomores Kendra Williams and Dakota Grant in pole vault.

— Compiled by Alan Schaeffer, Nolan Zils, Mila Windell and Carissa Takaki

Senior Megan Cubiss

BEAR WITNESS

| JUNE 2022 |

15

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

ARTS&CULTURE ARTISTIC EXPRESSION

Mini Reviews ALBUM Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers Kendrick Lamar What it is: Kendrick Lamar's fifth album explores his personal theologies and passions.

Liked: Kendrick gets credit for his boldness in creating mainstream album while focusing on emotional issues and self-reflection. He executed Interscope this aspect records of his album flawlessly.

Disliked: The album is The album was inconsistent, struggling to strike a balance between political concerns and delicate emotional perceptions.

If the album's topics were to be written out in an essay it would be all over the place.

— Tyrone Rothman MOVIE

Walt Disney Pictures Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Directed by Sam Raimi What it is: Dr. Strange, with the help of Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch, and newly introduced America Chavez work together to bring back the multiverse.

As they travel across the multiverse they reveal the true meaning of the majestic arts and America’s abilities.

Liked: The movie was a great follow up to "Avengers: Endgame" and WandaVision. It brought in new characters and a new genre under Marvel's movie spectrum. The horror film genre was a great way to show the multiverse, and how we have only begun to learn all that it holds.

Disliked: It missed out the opportunity for some character development on the characters we already know. In some ways, it also missed out on introducing upcoming projects.

— Reese Gardner

EXPLORING IDENTITY Artists reflect on their heritage and cultural clashes between East and West EMMA ZHANG

F

Staff Writer

rom digitally painted ancient Chinese heroines to cultural mealtimes reimagined on a page, Branham students reflect on their heritage through art, bridging multicultural identities as they define what their ethnicity means to them.

Traditional food is a common theme in students’ artwork. Junior Jidapa Leaokittikul, a second-generation immigrant whose family emigrated from Thailand, recently won recognition in the “My Name, My Identity” contest hosted by the Santa Clara County Office of Education.

Described as “a bird’s eye view into her world through food and art” by art teacher Jessica Bender, the drawing a nostalgic dining table filled with Thai and American cuisines, including her favorite, pad thai, a stir-fry rice noodle with peanuts, bean sprouts, scrambled egg and more. Growing up, food was a prominent component of her identity, and she wanted to reflect that.

“It's important for a lot of children of immigrants because traditional food is a bridge between America and their homeland,” she says.

Junior Stella Wong submitted a similar piece titled “Oriental Lunchbox” to the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards, portraying mixed reactions from classmates as she took out her food in grade school. Initially a painful experience, she realized through creating the piece that her culture was simply unfamiliar to many, and they didn’t quite know how to react.

“Once I started drawing it, it was more like ‘this happened. I learned from it’”, she said. “It's a reflection of the society I was brought up in, and that's unique to me.”

Diving deeper into her Chinese heritage, Wong’s AP Art portfolio focused on the challenges and controversies of historical Chinese women, leading up to present-day women and Wong’s own story. From a concubine who prevented European soldiers from killing her people to pirates absconding with tea, Wong compared their life lessons and bravery to that of a “mother figure," a role model through life’s ups and downs.

“I was in awe of these people,” she said. “I aspire to be as courageous, confident, and brave as they were. ” Deciding what her historical research meant to her and what she wanted to

Courtesy of Stella Wong Junior Stella Wong's work examines Chinese history and often feature strong female figures, such as the concubine who prevented a slaughter at the hands of European soldiers and Mulan, who joined the Chinese army disguised as a man. take away from it, the project’s significance multiplied throughout the process.

“In art, it's important that you share a message that is not explicitly shown.

Instead of words, it was just expressions: the colors I chose and the things I decided to feature.”

After witnessing Wong, Leaokittikul, and other students’ accomplishments, Bender said she is very grateful to witness their work acknowledged.

“I'm like a proud mom,” says Bender.

“Even though I'm obviously not their

mom, my heart swells and I'm just so excited for their success.”

According to Bender, reflection through art is a slower, more hands on process, a seamless passageway for subconscious expression. Instead of a history class, which has to follow a syllabus, learning history and culture through art is guided by curiosity.

“It develops people, having a sense of yourself and your culture propels you forward,” she says. “It's really important to know how your family and culture has interacted with American democ-

racy and the opportunities and the suffering that comes with that.”

But for the students, the process is a lot more immediate, each piece an experience they can weave into themselves forever.

“For me, art is a creative escape,” Leaokittikul said. “I can express my feelings without even saying anything. You can visualize anything and interpret it any way you want. Making like original art makes me feel more passionate about my face [as I] reflect on growing up Asian American.”

CULTURAL APPRECIATION

Celebrations through dance and art Latinx Student Union showcase a visual education on cultural diversity MACEO INOUE

L

Maceo Inoue/Bear Witness A dancing duo performs a traditional Mexican dance during the Latinx Student Union's showcase at the end of April.

Staff Writer

ights dimmed, colorful decorations were put up, chairs cleared, and the tunes of the band La Chona could be heard on full blast. This wasn’t just a party, but LSU’s annual cultural showcase.

The Latinx Student Union’s April 29 event was the culmination of a year filled with events celebrating Latinx heritage and culture with the Branham community, which included food fairs at the beginning of the year, Dia de los Muertos ofrendas in October and a Christmas in the Park event in December.

The showcase celebrated Latinx culture through music, food and dances that ended with a “baile” in the school cafeteria.

LSU president Nina Ruiz-Garcia, a junior, said that the purpose of the club and the events they hold is to show fellow students the roots and traditions of their fellow Latinx classmates.

Music and dance have always provided an outlet for expressing Latinx culture and identity. A big part of the culture is being together, and these two ways of celebration are perfect tools to connect people in their

Editorial

Beyond cultural days, a need to embed current events in our curriculum.

Page 3 appreciation of culture.

“We try to be a community for our Latinx students and then also to... kind of as an entity or group on campus, show our culture, to be proud of it and to represent it in a good way," she said.

Ruiz-Garcia said the success of the event was helped the group return from a tough year that hurt their ability to hold club activities and raise funds due to the pandemic.

“This year has definitely been a struggle just getting back from COVID back in person, getting our fundraising together so we can do events, getting people to our events, you know, making sure they know about them,” she said.

The LSU showcase wasn’t the only celebratory event this year that featured Latinx culture. The World Language department's, multicultural banquet in March shard food and dance from many cultures.

LSU took center stage during the event

with a dance performance.

Beyond music and dance, the Mural Club has been creating permanent celebrations of culture with intricate murals that speak to love and inclusiveness.

Since the end of the last school year, the club, led by adviser Erica Marquez, a Spanish teacher, has created four murals, one of which includes a tree made of hand prints and the names of the more than 40 languages at that Branham students speak at home.

"The Mural Club created a mural for not only Latinx students, but art for everyone to embrace and celebrate Latinx culture," she said.

The efforts of students to preserve and maintain their cultures on campus through events will ensure they will leave a mark on students through means of expression such as art, music, dance and activism.

Sophomore and Mural club member Camilla Hernandez said one of her favorite things about being a part of the club is working on projects that will be a lasting reminder of where she and her fellow friends and club members came from.

“It's great that I can leave school and there's still going to be a piece of us right there on campus,” she said.

The Bear Witness and Ursa Major yearbook share this space in room 58. The pantry is regularly stocked, and it's a safe space for students to express themselves, make friends, and help themselves to snacks in the cupboard.

BEAR WITNESS/ URSA MAJOR

WELLNESS CENTER

The Wellness Center is a go-to for physical and mental health checkups.

“Whenever I'm feeling down and feeling sad I can always just go to that comfort zone," said sophomore Monte Perez., “The people in there are very understanding. There's tissues in there if you need to cry and there's a couch if you need to lay down if you're tired.”

ASB ROOM

Ryan Kangs’s favorite place on campus is the ASB room.

Kang says the people in ASB make the room welcoming and fun. “My favorite memory is washing the paint brushes because that reminds you of the amount of work you have to put into ASB and the amount of work that goes into those class events or school events.”

THE QUAD

Sophomore Lena Feucht said the quad helped in her return to school during COVID. She and her friends would meet up in the quad and she was glad to be at school again.

Home to numerous school sports and events, it has allowed for many sports programs to flourish and it has provided an environment that has fostered new friendships between students, athletes, and coaches.

BRUIN STADIUM

Did You Know?

School bond Measure AA helped provide $275 million to our district's infrastructure, including $60 million to build four new buildings.

| JUNE 2022 |

Did You Know?

At 1,950 students, Branham's school population was at its highest this year, but that number is expected to dip over the next five years.

Freshman Brayden Tehrani’s favorite place on campus is his art class. This classroom is near the baseball field at the back of the school. He finds this class to be a safe place where he can be himself. He also enjoys collaborating on art projects with his friends.

Did you know?

The Latinx Student Union mural features flowers that represent the native flowers in Central America, , including the rose, the cockspur coral and the cantuta.

Did You Know?

The Rock outside Branham was introduced in 1972 for a senior prank.

* Not to scale

Nestled between the permanent portable classes and the new buildings, Dent Grove provides shade and benches for students, away from the Quad.

DENT GROVE

THEBACKPAGE

BEAR WITNESS

ART CLASS

Whether it's a classroom that feels safe or a place where one can hang out with their friends, numerous areas across campus are special to students. Here are some of the places that have earned their way into students and our staff ’s hearts.

Sal McClure Tyrone Rothman Abbey Rhodes illustrations by Audrey Nguyen

WELCOME TO 16 BHSBEARWITNESS.COM