Bear Witness - October 2023

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BEAR

WITNESS BRANHAM HIGH SCHOOL

OCTOBER 2023

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LUNCH WASTE

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CHROMEBOOKS VS. PERSONAL LAPTOPS The digital divide

The district’s one-to-one Chromebook availability was introduced during the pandemic, but students who could afford it bring their laptops to get around restrictions to websites and limitations in running more powerful software.

Easier access

“With a personal computer, I just have easier access to documents and all my college apps,” says senior Kaelyn Kubota.

The monitoring software is popular among teachers, but it is not able to detect students who bring non-school laptops, even when they are signed in with district email.

ELLIOTT YAU

DEVICES

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JIYOON CHOI

Editor-in-Cbief

that students bring from home.

Though school-issued Chromebooks support basic functions such as the Google Docs and approved Chrome extensions, essential websites are blocked and face increased scrutiny from the district and teachers who use the GoGuardian monitoring software.

Because of the one-to-one Chromebook to student ratio, Branham policy states that “no personal computers or tablets are allowed” in classrooms. However, it also leaves enforcement of that to teachers, who can also allow students to bring more powerful and often more expensive laptops, which cost far more than the $300 Chromebooks.

Kira Durant, the district’s Coordinator of Instructional Technology believes that allowing students to use their own devices creates a big discrepancy in learning.

“It poses an equity issue and perpetuates the existing digital divide,” she wrote to in an email to the Bear Witness, adding that “personal devices are at risk of being damaged, stolen, or lost when brought to and from school.”

But for students, there are other reasons why they choose to bring their own devices.

Senior Kaelyn Kubota brings her personal computer to school, and understands that though Chromebooks can be required for online tests, a Chromebook-only rule is too restrictive given that GoGuardian only blocks websites on personal computers if logged in

Popularity of Google’s Snake game There are hundreds of versions of the Snake game, which first surged in popularity as a built-in game for Nokia’s mobile phones. its popularity surged again when Google introduced its version as a Google Doode in 2013. Since then students have played the game in-between assignments, since it is not blocked by the school’s servers.

ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR

Leaders seek stability in new role

85%

of schools and school districts in the United States have a Chromebook program.

48.1 million

Chromebooks are used by K-12 students.

MILA WINDELL

A

SEE CHROMEBOOK • PAGE 2

When students access their Chromebooks at school, teachers can use GoGuardian to monitor student work.

This includes locking and closing student screens and allowing them to chat with students.

Student expectations The district

says it does not monitor whether students are logging on with their Chromebooks or with their laptops. “Students are expected to bring their district-issued Chromebooks to school and use them for school work,” says Kira Durant, the district’s Coordinator of Instructional Technology.

Bear Witness staff graphic

GoGuardian teacher

Staff Writer

ophomore Jaxsen Tafaoimalo walks out of The Kitchen at brunch, holding his scrambled eggs, biscuit and apple while others around him drop their fruits straight onto one of the condiment carts.

On average, about 575 students pass through The Kitchen during brunch, and about 920 during lunch, according to kitchen lead Oscar Celaya.

All of those students are required by law to Editorial take a fruit—but not You can’t to eat it. change the law, To be in compliance with the Nabut more solutional School Lunch tions needed to program, which reimburses schools for cut food waste. their meals, schools Page 7 must ensure that every student who takes a meal is provided a quarter cup of fruit or vegetables.

But this policy isn’t having its desired effect: Students take fruit but then immediately discard it. During a lunch period this month, 187 fruits were left on the condiment cart at lunch, meaning that at least 19.77% of students who got lunch that Wednesday did not eat their fruit.

SEE FOOD • PAGE 2

Though Chromebooks are only allowed on campus, inconsistent teacher enforcement creates a digital divide eb browser games, Netflix, college apps, phoW tos, texting, Adobe software, ChatGPT — you can access these and more at school on laptops

Pieces of fruit that Branham chef manager Collette Lewis estimates is discarded each day at school.

Food rules can’t cut fruit waste

GoGuardian

LEFT TO THEIR OWN

@bhsbearwitness

Photo Editor

fter having four activities directors in the past two years, Branham ASB hopes that its two new directors will stay a while: chemistry teacher Victoria Raineri and assistant principal Scott Savory.

The changes began two years ago when activities director Christina Hillman resigned before the 2022-2023 school year to take on a new Torie Raineri position in the Central Valley. In charge of Hillman held the position for Leadership four years. class along A new activities director, with Assistant Christina Carrera, took the Principal Scott position at the start of the Savory. last school year but abruptly resigned in October. English teacher Kerry Murphy and volleyball coach Heather Cooper were named interim directors until the end of the first semester, and Cooper continued the role until the end of the year.

The role requires that faculty must have or be working toward an administrator credential, which Cooper did not have yet.

SEE ASB • PAGE 3

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Lia Choi/Bear Witness Karaoke Club president Grace Ngo and sophomore Colin Kalanges perform a duet at the Moon Festival on the quad.

Jiyoon Choi/Bear Witness Juniors Michelle La works on a Chromebook while Hillary Mai works on a Macbook in Kori Reynolds’ AP Environmental Science class. Enforcement of the district’s Chromebook-only policy is inconsistent. Students who can afford it bring their own devices because the district puts more limits on Chromebooks.

COMPUTERS | Chromebook enforcement varies From PAGE 1 with a CUHSD account.

“With a personal computer, I just have easier access to documents and all my college apps,” Kubota said. “So during tutorial or downtime, I can work on those, and it’s easier to download and maneuver everything.”

However, this leaves students who cannot afford a personal laptop in the dark at school if they need to access their college applications or if they are accessing blocked, but potentially helpful websites such as Quora, an online forum where users rank useful answers.

The wide differences in a student’s classroom technology experience from class-to-class has created a headache for teachers such as math teacher Dr. Tiffany Ylarregui, who shared that Branham teachers are struggling to rein in inappropriate computer behaviors such as accessing social media and web-based gaming sites.

Ylarregui has a strict Chromebook-only policy for her class, first because it is a school policy, and second because it is about equity in experience.

“We’re all in this together,” she said. “If only 10% or 30% of my class has superior access to the internet that the other people don’t have, when things go wrong, it’s not going wrong for everybody. Some people are left out and some people get ahead, and it’s not their fault.”

The only exception to the Chromebook-only policy is the engineering and computer science program.

Certain programs such as Google Earth Pro and simulation software for circuits are unavailable on Chromebooks.

To make the hardware accessible, engineering and math teacher Barbara Schremp has a cart of Windows laptops that can load the software. She allows students to bring their personal computers to work so that they can access it at home.

“It’s a level playing field if everybody has the same device and the same network connection,” she said.

Schremp agrees that wider access to the internet on computers brought from home can often lead to students getting sucked into games, videos and other online distractions.

Though Kubota acknowledges the greater distractions, such as texting on her Macbook, she points out that students often get around Chromebook restrictions.

“On Chromebooks, I see kids in class playing games all the time and they are equally as distracted as someone would be with a personal computer,” she said.

Ethical considerations for skirting GoGuardian Ethical issues such as cheating arise when students bring their own laptops. Since GoGuardian currently only recognizes Chromebook, teachers can only close inappropriate activity on those devices.

“There’s a lot more ethical guidelines being violated, and students are cheating in new creative ways all the time that we may not even be aware of,” Schremp said.

Although websites are continuously being blocked by the district and other measures are in place, there is not much teachers can do to prevent the unethical use of rapidly developing technology such as ChatGPT. Assistant principal Todd Harrison said that it is easy to go down “the rabbit hole of distraction,” but students should uphold the school discipline.

“Ethical use of technology is a really important skill for everyone to learn,” he said. “Try to be as mindful as you can, and make good choices.”

Schremp points out that incorporating technology in the classroom and trying to prepare students for college and the workforce as she “can’t imagine” a professional meeting where they ban laptops and phones.

“The equity (has improved) because the kids who didn’t have (computers) at home learned how to use them such as how to make folders and all that stuff,” Schremp said. “It’s really important that we include some type of personal technology as part of how students experience high school because if we don’t have that, then they’re not world ready.”

Currently, the Chromebook policy differs per classroom based on the teacher. Some are more lenient in allowing students to use personal computers while some like Ylarregui have a strict only Chromebook rule.

“When we don’t all enforce it, it makes me to be the bad guy or someone else to be the bad guy when they are not,” Ylarregui said. “But I am going to stick to (my policy) because of my belief in equity and wanting to have access for all students.”

FOOD | USDA rules require students to take fruit From PAGE 1 Most of the time, senior Brian Garrison is among those students, and he feels guilty about it.

“I do usually take a fruit and then just drop it on the stand, which I feel kind of bad about sometimes,” he said, adding later: “I don’t want to waste food, but I also have to take it. It’s quite the conundrum that I have to go through.”

Chef manager Collette Lewis estimates that the actual number of students not eating their fruits is higher than 20%, because students may also throw their fruit away or at others.

“Let’s say at lunch we serve 800 students,” Lewis said. “There’s probably 300 pieces of fruit that are either thrown in the garbage or we find out here [on the condiment carts], and we try to reuse that.”

Kitchen lead Denise Perea said it’s obvious why many students aren’t eating their fruits or vegetables.

“Imagine when your parent tells you to eat your veggies,” Perea said. “That’s the last thing you’re going to want to eat.”

In order to minimize food waste and save leftover entrees, The Kitchen utilizes a blast chiller, which can be found in many professional kitchens.

“Let’s say we have an entire tray of rice left over, or whatever Mexican meat we’re serving that week,” Lewis said. “We are able to put it in the blast chiller, which chills it down quickly so there’s no bacteria growth.

And then we’re able to serve it for the next day.”

Saving fruits and vegetables requires slightly different strategies. After brunch or lunch, a staff mem-

Elliott Yau/Bear Witness Students place unwanted fruits on the counters during lunch, a common occurrence. ber goes to the condiment carts outside the cafeteria doors to collect and sort hundreds of pieces of fruit by hand. Then the fruit is washed and put back out in the bins for the next day, in compliance with USDA regulations.

The Kitchen staff also adjusts how much fruit they order to reduce food waste. Perea, who is responsible for ordering food, said the amount of fruit ordered

Editor-in-Chief | Jiyoon Choi Editors News Editor: Ava Stark Opinion Editor: Reese Gardner Arts and Culture Editor: Lauren Gernale Science and Health Editor: Aadyant Suresh Student Life Editor: Lia Choi Sports Editor: Alan Schaeffer Copy Editor: Makayla Wu Production Manager: Angela Choi

varies each week.

“It changes every week,” she said. “It depends on if you guys are having programs out there during lunch.”

Yet another step taken to reduce food waste is offering a wide variety of foods and fruits, beyond the standard apples, oranges or bananas.

Strawberry and apricot fruit cups have been so popular that students take multiple at a time, which isn’t against the rules. In fact, Lewis encourages students to take multiple.

“If you’re still hungry, go grab more fruits and vegetables. You don’t have to take just one,” Lewis said. “If you want a couple apples in your pocket, we would love to see students do that.”

In its memos on combating food waste, the USDA said that schools may try to offer taste tests before introducing foods on the menu, in addition to providing creative marketing or presentation of foods.

And through an “offer vs. serve” policy, students can decline foods they do not want to eat, but still must have a minimum of three components at lunch or three food items at breakfast, including at least a ½ cup of fruits or vegetables.

Lewis also loves to see students giving their fruit to others, rather than tossing them out. The Kitchen has ordered share stations, where students would be able to set down unwanted fruit or pick up some extra fruit, in hopes of further reducing food waste.

“There’s food waste everywhere in any food service establishment,” Lewis said. “We try to keep it to a minimum for sure.”

Staff Writers Aresema Agdie, Yujin Cho, Owen Daszko, Aryella Finkel-Hozer, Nevaeh Gutierrez, Maceo Inoue, Supriya Khandelwal, Francisco Pham, Anabelle Walker, Aidan Weiler, Mila Windell, Elliott Yau, Alyx Yoon Adviser: Kirsten McKay

Clubs celebrate Moon Festival Moon Festival and Confucius Day was celebrated on Thursday in the quad, sharing aspects of Chinese culture with the school.

The Moon Festival, also called the Mid-Autumn Festival, welcomes the autumn harvest and full moon. It is celebrated by eating mooncakes, lighting lanterns and observing the full moon. Confucius Day remembers the philosopher Confucius, whose teachings were the basis of Chinese government and ideology for centuries.

The event was hosted by the Mandarin classes, Origami Club and Karaoke Club. Mandarin teacher Linda Chen and her students performed a classic Teresa Teng song, “The Moon Represents My Heart,” and a tai chi routine on stage.

AP Chinese students told stories of Confucius and the Moon Festival, practicing for their AP exams.

— Elliott Yau Hundreds turn out for annual District College Fair at Branham Representatives from over 70 colleges and universities gathered in the Branham gym late September for the annual CUHSD Districtwide College Fair, hosted by the CUHSD Education Foundation.

The event was an opportunity for hundreds of students and parents to connect with college representatives ranging from the University of California schools, California State University schools and local community colleges, including military and out-of-state schools.

Though there were many opportunities to meet representatives, lines to talk to representatives from schools such as UC San Diego and UC Berkeley took up to 30 minutes.

Beyond the College Fair, the College and Career Center in room 7 has been hosting college visits. also offering college admissions help during A days 7th period and B days tutorial.

— Aresema Agdie and Makayla Wu Bear Witness a national Pacemaker finalist among student publications The Bear Witness is pleased to be among 54 student publications from around the country named finalists for this year’s National Student Press Association’s Pacemaker award, considered the top award for student newspapers and newsmagazines.

The annual award recognizes top student publications at their semi-annual national conferences. From the list of finalists, 24 will receive the Pacemaker, which will be announced at the fall conference in Boston in November.

In the individual categories, junior David Tran and sophomore Grace Ngo’s contributions were also finalists in the design and comic categories, respectively.

Tran created the cover for the publication’s senior issue, while Ngo created a comic panel on her experience with anxiety.

The publication selected four issues to submit to a panel of three judges. One issue selected was the Bear Witness’ first special issue, “The Power of Words,” which talked about the stereotypes that student groups face.

— Yujin Cho

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

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| OCTOBER 2023 |

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NEWS

OVERHEARD | QUOTES OF THE MONTH FROM OUR ONLINE STORIES

English teacher Kerry Murphy, who shared the book “Power of One” by Bryce Courtena, as the first teacher to be spotlighted to share their favorite piece of media.

The message of the book is about believing in yourself and having an independent spirit.

“The best way of learning is to go into a tournament, lose, and then you learn a bit more.”

Angela Choi/Bear Witness

“It doesn’t matter how old you are. It speaks to people of all ages.”

Junior Matthew Do, who competed at last month’s National Speech and Debate Season Opener. He and sophomore Aneesh Dantuluri competed together and won two rounds and lost four rounds. Juniors Rami Naji and Abhiansh Garg won three and lost three.

“To have a female Jedi like Ahsoka who’s strong and stubborn means a lot. It’s important to have characters that you can look up to.”

Senior Nila Mettler, who attended the world premiere of the new Star Wars series “Ahsoka,” which has ended its planned miniseries run.

CLASSROOM SHORTAGE

More teachers sharing classrooms

Some find time to help students outside tutorial YUJIN CHO Staff Writer

ith more teachers and sections than W it has room, Branham is having more teachers sharing classrooms.

This is not the first time that the lack of buildings has surfaced. Before the four new, two-story buildings were built, Branham experienced the same issue five years ago, as it was transitioning teachers into the new science, English and math buildings.

As student enrollment continues to increase and the variety of classes that are offered start to expand, more teachers have resorted to sharing their spaces.

This year, classroom-sharing schedules were changed along with the moving of the college and career center and choir room.

Principal Lindsay Schubert said administrators takes into consideration the features of the buildings that may make them usable for different subjects. For example, STEM teachers will have priority to work with their colleagues in the science and math buildings due to available gas hookups and lab materials in close proximity.

“It’s always based first on student need, so we check how many students our available spaces can accommodate,” Schubert said.

Accommodations for time Another deciding factor is whether teachers are full-time or part-time and how they can find non-tutorial time Out of 91 teachers, 10

are, meaning they teach less than five periods.

Alanna Ojeda, a part-time English teacher, shares her classroom on separate block days is looking for “I build in time during my classes for work time because I worked at other schools that didn’t have a tutorial,” Ojeda said. “(Building in class time) allows students who have a question or need to check in with me about a grade.”

Living Earth and AP Environmental teacher Kori Reynolds teaches part-time and provides extra help during lunch and seventh period since she cannot hold regular tutorials. She said that her freshman biology class is having more trouble adjusting to Reynold’s situation compared to the AP students.

She said it’s due to age and time management in her AP students, who are upperclassmen.

“It has the biggest impact on my freshmen because they tend to just not get help,” she said.

In the next decade, Schubert said that there are plans to revamp the older buildings and add new buildings near the ASB building to grow the school. The core of the campus, founded in 1967, are currently dominated by English and elective classes.

Reynolds said that any future plans should have more teacher input.

“Teachers know what they need,” Reynolds said. “Departments know their projections and how to get the best needs met.”

Yujin Cho/Bear Witness English teacher Alanna Ojeda teaches part-time and shares her room with another teacher.

ASB | Leaders say more effort placed on fewer events From PAGE 1 Raineri has taught biology and chemistry sections along with coaching cheer, but she now teaches four chemistry sections and one section of ASB. She welcomes the challenge of being a part of the after-school culture, and the work that is involved in planning events, having been a coach for most of her teaching career.

“I just love being a part of the after school environment,” she said. “it’s been fun to play a larger role in our ASB events.”

While Raineri will serve as the leadership teacher, Savory’s role is more behind-thescenes, where he will oversee ASB’s budgets and scheduling.

Savory’s role as the co-activities director and assistant principal is a first in the district. He previously worked as a P.E. teacher at Prospect and also oversees the school’s curriculum and behavior management as well as the Visual and Performing Arts Department.

He acknowledged that balancing both roles would be a challenge, but he and Raineri say that they have clear roles to play.

“This is a new role in my career, and this is something that I want to put all of my effort into,” said Savory. “I want to reach out to more students to be a part of a bigger culture.”

Among the changes that Raineri and Savory hope to lead include reducing the number of ASB events and make the remaining ones more memorable. Many of the spirit days such as Dig Pink Week, Winter Wishes and Homecoming will remain.

“We do believe in tradition and making sure that we’re continuing the Branham traditions that are loved, but also adding a new twist be-

“I am really focused on creating more events where the student body themselves receive things because I think the student body should benefit from ASB events.”

ASB President Anabelle Lee cause we are a new ASB class,” Raineri said.

ASB president Anabelle Lee has been working closely with the co-directors, and welcomes the changes. For example, during Homecoming Week, a volleyball competition will be introduced alongside traditional events such as lip sync and skit in order to reach a wider range of participants.

“I am really focused on creating more events where the student body themselves receive things because I think the student body should benefit from ASB events,” Lee said, “I feel like ASB is here to benefit the greater community of students on campus.”

Among other changes include more ways to communicate with the student body. Though the Instagram page @seewhatsbruin has the most followers of any ASB group in the district, a tutorial segment called Blu’s News provides short updates during the first five minutes of the first tutorial of the week and places printed copies of student activity calendars around campus.

“We’re just trying to make what ASB has done in the past better,” Lee said.

Maceo Inoue/Bear Witness The Class of 2024 storms the quad before last month’s Week of Welcome Dance, one of several events organized by the ASB, which has gone through four activities directors in the past two years.

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BEAR WITNESS

| OCTOBER 2023 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

OPINION SPORTS PAY

IT'S NOT JUSTPAY Equal pay in sports has come a long way, but it's still not distributed equally ARYELLA FINKEL-HOZER

T

Staff Writer

here’s been progress in the fight over equal pay among male and female athletes.

The U.S. Women’s National Team has long been dominant on the global soccer stage, having won four of the last nine World Cups, and their pay is finally showing it.

Last year, the U.S. Soccer Federation agreed to give its male and female athletes the same salary for public appearance fees, game bonuses, prize money and federation revenue sharing, splitting about $24 million.

The change was long overdue for female athletes, and follows a long line of developments, including the U.S. Open, the annual tennis tournament which 50 years ago made winnings equal among its male and female tennis champions.

This year, Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff each earned $3 million for the U.S. Open singles wins.

This year, President Joe Biden signed into law pay equality among all U.S. athletes, including the World Cup and the Olympics. The law protects all athletes despite their gender while competing for the U.S. However, the battle has been long fought, and the recent victories for pay equality show a longer fight ahead for pay equality in all major sports.

It took a six year battle for the U.S. Women’s National team to achieve pay equity.

Though the team has long been dominant on the world stage, the U.S. men's team has never won a World Cup. Pay disparity in Major League Soccer and other major sports has long been an issue: male athletes in MLS make a minimum of $36,500 for players 25 and younger and $48,500 for 25 years and older, compared to the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), where the minimum pay is $34,500.

That looks like a small gap, and it’s worse in other professional sports. In basketball, the average male player earns $8.3 million per year, while the average female player earns $75,181. A recent pay agreement brings $120,000 for female players, but the lack of endorsements and viewership has hampered progress.

In golf, the average male player earns $1.2 million per year, while the average female player earns $48,993.

Gymnastics is an exception, where women outrank men in pay. Nine of the 10 richest gymnasts are female, and it’s female Olympic gymnasts who earn more sponsorships and have greater viewership.

Olivia Dunne, a 20 year-old gymnast, attends Louisiana State University and has a large online following. She has earned sponsorships for brands such as Vuori Clothing and American Eagle, making around $2 million a year.

However, gymnasts don’t have a constant salary because their income comes from winning competitions and sponsorship deals.

The large pay gap in sports and beyond has had a long-term effect on female professionals. Imagine doing the same job as someone else, but earning 75 cents for every dollar that your colleague earns.

Long-held misconceptions that women bring in fewer sponsorships and lower viewership are due to the old and sexist approach to marketing female sports.

To be proactive about this issue, company and team owners should acknowledge the hardwork and dedication their players put into their sport and market them for a larger audience.

They deserve to make exactly the amount of money they are producing, not for the money they potentially will make for someone else.

149.5% is the average pay difference between male and female athletes. Women make $15,232 compared to male athletes making $38,008.

60% was the NWSL's pay increase from 2021 to 2022. Within just one year the minimum pay increased from $22,000 to $35,000.

83% of sports pay men and women equal prize money. Surfing, tennis and figure skating are a few sports.

INSIGHTS INTO THE GENDER PAY GAP IN SPORTS Global trends in the gender pay gap: The gender pay gap in sports is not limited to the United States. It's a global issue. Many countries are also working towards closing the gap in various sports, reflecting a broader international effort to achieve pay equity.

Intersectionality: It's essential to recognize that the gender pay gap isn't uniform. Intersectionality plays a significant role, and women of color often face compounded discrimination.

Addressing these nuances is crucial for achieving true equality.

Public support: Gender pay disparity in sports has garnered widespread public support. Fans, activists, and organizations have rallied behind the cause, putting pressure on sports governing bodies and teams to address this issue.

Role of social media: Social media has played a significant role in highlighting the gender pay gap in sports. Athletes can use their platforms to raise awareness and advocate for equal pay, making their voices heard on a global scale.

Economic impact of women's sports: Women's sports have shown tremendous growth in popularity and revenue in recent years. Major events like the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Women's NCAA Basketball Tournament have attracted large audiences and generated substantial revenues, challenging the notion that women's sports are less profitable.

Transparency in pay: Many are advocating for greater transparency in pay structures within sports organizations. Publicly disclosing salaries and compensation details can help identify disparities and hold organizations accountable.

Legislation and legal action: Apart from individual lawsuits, legislative measures, like Title IX in the United States, have played a significant role in advancing gender equality in sports.

Governments are increasingly taking action to enforce equal pay standards in sports.

International sporting events: Aside from soccer, other international sporting events like the Olympics are also under scrutiny for gender pay disparities. Athletes from various sports have spoken out about the differences in financial rewards between male and female competitors at the Olympics.

Athlete activism: Athletes are increasingly using their status to advocate for social and gender equality beyond just pay. They are becoming influential voices in broader discussions about gender discrimination and other social issues.

— Reporting by Reese Gardner

Sources: Sportico, U.S. Soccer Federation, U.S. Open, UCLA Athletics

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OPINION LUNCH FOOD PRODUCTS

Don't force students into throwing away fruit

ree school lunches have been a resource for F Branham and other public schools in California since the beginning of COVID, provid-

ing lunch to about six million students across the state. At Branham, an average of 575 students take advantage of this resource, according to the kitchen lead Oscar Celaya.

The program provides a meal for students at brunch and lunch, requiring a fruit in addition to their meal at lunch, which is in accordance with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) regulations.

However, many students choose not to eat the

Editorial The opinion of the Bear Witness editors

fruit they are being handed and instead throw them away or leave them in the cafeteria. For reference, 187 fruits were left on the condiment cart outside The Kitchen on September 20, meaning a minimum of 19.77% students decided not to eat their fruits that day. This is a usual occurrence.

While the cafeteria cleans and reuses the fruit, there is only so much time before the fruit may go bad. Since they still have to order the fruits and put them out each day, this is not only an inefficient use of money but also of the food itself.

Despite this, the school still needs to order and put out more than enough fruits for the students so each student that wants one can have one. However, with the variety of fruits provided for students, there are more than enough left over in addition to the ones put on the condiments carts. Leaving this food out

and causing it all to go through the washing process each day deteriorates the fruit, which compared to leaving it refrigerated is ineffective.

Since students cannot be forced to eat the fruit, having the requirement be instead optional would reduce food waste because it would allow the fruits to remain refrigerated and preserved for longer, and wouldn’t require the school to order as much each week. This change would lead to a more efficient cafeteria and reduce the amount of fruit that gets thrown away on campus.

CLASS RANK

KNOWING OUR PLACE Even with class rankings gone, many would still like to see where they stand academically ALAN SCHAEFFER

A

CASE FOR CLASS RANKING

Sports Editor

ccording to Plutarch’s “Caesar,” the future Roman emperor was crossing the Alps when he came across a small Barbarian village.

His men laughed at the thought of the village having competitive elections and struggles for power. To this, Caesar replied, “I would rather be first here than second at Rome.”

In a world where college admissions are becoming more and more competitive, high schools nationwide are reconsidering the necessity of class rank and whether it may have an impact on student’s mental health.

According to U.S. News and World Reports, about half of all U.S. high schools still use class rank. Branham is not one of them. Last year, the district stopped reporting class rank on students’ transcripts but still had them on file.

This year, they have completely done away with it, and neither teachers nor counselors can view class rank.

A 2021 study from the Journal of Student Research finds that the effect is not so definitive. According to the study, which surveyed a collection of juniors at a Texas high school, although lower-ranking participants were demotivated by their standings, many others credited it for holding them accountable and motivating them to succeed further. But removing class rank isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

The study shows that the effect class rank has on students’ mental health has more to do with their personality. Those who prioritized their grades were more likely to be stressed out by their class rank but may also see it as a motivator to keep or improve their ranking.

On the other hand, those who were less concerned with the status of their grades were not as stressed over their ranking, but it also didn’t motivate them to improve their standing.

While certainly done with good intentions, a Bear Witness survey of 293 students found that 80% of respondents would be interested in knowing their class rank if offered the option to view.

As a measurement of student achievement, class rank is being held in less value than it used to be. With many schools already testblind or test-optional, fewer schools are taking class rank into much consideration either.

According to U.S. News and World Report, only 37% of colleges nationwide consider class rank to be “very important” or “important” when it comes to admissions decisions.

Motivation and Accountability: Research indicates that class rank can motivate some students to excel academically by providing a clear measure of their standing compared to peers. It can create healthy competition and encourage students to work harder to improve their rankings.

College admissions: While less influential than before, class rank can still be a factor in college admissions for some institutions. A higher rank may enhance a student's chances of acceptance at colleges that consider it important.

Student choice: Offering class rank on request allows students to make an informed decision. Those who find it motivating can access their rank, while those who prefer not to see it can choose not to.

CASE AGAINST CLASS RANKING

Mental health: Class rank can negatively impact students' mental health, especially for those who prioritize grades. It can lead to stress, anxiety, and self-esteem issues, particularly for students lower in the ranking.

Reese Gardner/Bear Witness Since it’s not a major factor in college acceptance, Branham shouldn’t feel a need to report class rank on transcripts. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be available.

The simple solution is for class rank to be available to students upon request.

If a student feels that seeing their class rank might motivate them to work harder and fight for a top percentage, then they should be able to.

On the other hand, if a student has no interest in seeing where they stand in relation to other classmates or thinks knowledge of

their ranking would only demotivate them, it should not be publicly available for them.

Caesar shows us that ranking has always been a key motivator for some. Although just a number, first place is something that naturally competitive humans always seek to achieve.

By showing students their rankings upon request, Branham has the opportunity to encourage students to reach further and achieve higher, while forgoing the pitfalls of stress and possible demotivation of the student body.

Demotivation: While class rank motivates some, it can demotivate others who may feel discouraged by lower rankings. This demotivation may be particularly pronounced among students who are less grade-focused.

Declining importance: Class rank's significance in college admissions is decreasing. Fewer colleges consider it important, which reduces its relevance as a measurement of student achievement.

— Alan Schaeffer

BITE-SIZED OPINIONS Minor problems, minor solutions

Problem: The desks are so small that students often hit their water bottles off on accident . It's embarrassing when the metal clanks on the ground and the class is silent.

Solution: Make everyone put their water bottles on the floor to minimize sound and maximize space.

— Lauren Gernale

Problem: I frequently trip over people's water bottles on the floor, and it makes a big clacking sound which hurts my foot and ears.

Solution: Make water bottles that have an auto piloting system so that they can avoid me and others. Also, make sure it has a silent mode so that it doesn't make the loud noise.

— Jiyoon Choi

Problem: Sometimes I get really hungry in class and I just can't focus.

Problem: I wish there was a better way to control the lunch line crowd.

Solution: Have a Branham food delivery system where you can order food from restaurants close to Branham and it gets delivered to you in whatever class you are in. Blu-ber Eats.

— Makayla Wu

Solution: Split the lunch periods into two, like most large campuses have done. Upperclassmen can go first because they're more likely hungrier.

— Francisco Pham

Problem: The classrooms are always at the wrong temperature. It's always either too hot or too cold.

Solution: Give every student control of the air-conditioning system. Every request will battle it out with the others until the optimal temperature is reached.

—Supriya Khandelwal

Problem: I have so much stuff to do — study for tests, homework, college apps, prepare for the SAT. It feels like I have no time for myself.

Solution: Create a National Rest Day where everyone is required to just focus on themselves and not have to do anything but recharge for 24 hours.

— Lia Choi

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SCIENCE&HEALTH

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

Finding a healthy balance

Research and illustrations by Supriya Khandelwal

MAKAYLA WU Copy Editor

rades, friendships, family, G sports, college: There seem to be endless stressors for a high

4. Independent work is essential for fostering self-regulation and problem-solving skills. Studies have shown that allowing students to work independently on tasks can improve their autonomy and decision-making abilities.

Research suggests that a balanced approach that combines group work and independent work is often most effective for student learning.

3. Group work Collaborative work encourages problem-solving and social interaction, which can enhance the learning experience.

2. Natural/dim lighting Natural lighting has been linked to increased student performance and well-being.

A report in Building and Environment found that students in classrooms with more natural light performed better on standardized tests than those in artificially lit classrooms.

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5

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Sources: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Educational Psychology Review, Harvard University Press.

Journal of Environmental Psychology, National Center for Education Statistics, . U.S. Department of Education.

7. Classroom plants Collaborative work encourages problem-solving and social interaction, which can enhance the learning experience.

6. Music Research has shown that music can have a positive impact on mood, engagement and cognitive performance. For instance, a study published in the journal “Psychology of Music” (Lesiuk, 2005) found that background music can enhance creativity in problem-solving tasks.

5. Comfortable seating Adjustable and comfortable seating options in classrooms can accommodate various student needs and preferences.

While some classes such as lab classrooms have high chairs, some spaces on campus such as the College and Career Center and Wellness Center have comfortable seating options.

1. Open windows Ventilation and fresh air can improve indoor air quality, which in turn can impact students' health and cognitive performance.

PLACES OF LEARNING 1

What science says the ideal classroom environment should be like

STRESS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

school student, but stress can lead to serious physical and emotional effects.

According to the World Health Organization, stress is “a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation.”

The recipe for stress lies in the acronym NUTS — novelty, unpredictability, a threat to the ego, and a lost sense of control — according to the Centre For Studies on Human Stress. The difference in experience and also the ability to do anything about it can create undue stress.

Senior Yewon Kim has learned over the past years the effect stress could have on her that she loses sleep.

“I’ll close my eyes, and I keep thinking about the endless stuff that I need to be worrying about,” she said. “Sometimes my brain is just so wary of those things and it’s just not capable of sleeping.”

Stress is the body’s way of adapting to perceived threatening situations, releasing adrenaline and triggering a “flight-or-fight” response that puts your body on alert. This leads to an increase in blood circulation, breathing, body temperature, perspiration, and other physical effects.

The stress response mobilizes energy, which could be beneficial for performance in athletes. The Yates-Dodson law suggests that performance increases with stress only up to a point.

While short-term stress is normal and can sometimes be beneficial, prolonged stress can trigger various ill consequences such as an increased risk of mental health problems or cardiovascular disease.

The freshman Living Earth curriculum has adapted to integrate learning about stress into one of their themes after returning from online learning. Stress, procrastination and being busy can affect one’s sleep — weakening the immune system and making it easier to be sick.

In Rachel Basore’s Living Earth community circle, the most popular response from her students is that they are “tired.”

Basore said the unit helped the students realize the stress they are under.

“This year we want to connect to hormones like your cortisol levels,” Basore said. “We’re trying to make students realize that stress is affecting you. If you keep ignoring stress, that’s not stopping your hormones.”

Along with school work, the return from the pandemic could also be a factor in increased stress levels.

Anatomy and Physiology teacher Dave Mackey has noticed the rise in his students.

“It’s just this whole social interaction,” he said. “This whole new life of going back to school and having a traditional setting close to people again, That’s a whole other avenue of stress that we don’t really necessarily talk about.”

Learning to manage and mitigate stress is another focus of the unit in Living Earth. Branham offers resources to help students overwhelmed by stress in the Wellness Center such as coloring, relaxation techniques and a quiet space. Beyond the physical offerings, they also have an interactive page that includes live zoo cameras, activities and music to help users relax on demand.

“We’re trying to teach them relaxation techniques, meditation techniques, exercise, diet (as) those types of things are how we cope with stress,” Mackey said.

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SCIENCE&HEALTH

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

ARTIFICIAL ESSAYS?

Students and colleges work to naviagate chatbots in the college writing process

SCIENCE &HEALTH BRIEFS

NASA astronaut returns to Earth after a historic days in space Astronaut Frank Rubio returned to Earth on September 27 after being in space for 371 days, the longest for a NASA astronaut. Rubio’s mission was supposed to last 6 months but was delayed after a leak was found in the Soyuz capsule that would have threatened the crew on their return to Earth.

During this time, Rubio conducted extensive research on plant and physical studies, such as how bacteria acts in spaceflight and the effect of exercise during these extended missions. NASA has said that Rubio’s extended flight provides valuable research for the agency as they further study the effects of extended time in space on the human body; this is as NASA prepares for the Artemis moon missions and to eventually land a human on Mars.

FDA moves to place previously uncertified tests under its review On September 29, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) moved to place certain lab tests that had previously used a loophole in the system to skip FDA review, under their authority.

These tests had been used to check for Lyme disease, Alzheimer’s and the first Covid-19 tests, with many concerns on their reliability over the previous years.

Those against this decision say that the FDA lacks the resources to oversee these tests which may be valuable as new health concerns emerge. This issue has been discussed in Congress for 30 years, with no law passed; opponents say that Medicare regulates these tests and further regulation on them should be by Congress.

Supriya Khandelwal/Bear Witness

Prompt used for text (by ChatGPT) in image above: Write me an essay on this prompt (250 words): Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate – and us – get to know you better.

AADYANT SURESH

Science & Health Editor

hile potentially offering essay W aid to students, artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT pose a

risk when involved with college applications.

AI itself cannot write an essay as it is trained on data and a language model. Developers give certain words a weight, determining what the chat box writes for the prompt given. Utilizing trillions of data points, the program predicts the next word with a starting word in place.

College admission officers have repeatedly asserted that the essays should come personally from the applicant.

Some colleges have implemented new supplemental essay prompts and more personal prompts possibly because of AI. “AI doesn’t have a voice or personality,” said college and career center specialist Chen Liu. “It feels generic and doesn’t dive deeper into students’ experience and learning.”

Sreyas Prabu, president of the Artificial Intelligence Club voiced his concern that students could use chatbots to craft a false persona only to fit the values of a college.

“It becomes unethical when you start to create a false persona based on ChatGPT,” he said. “If it says Princeton values this, so you morph yourself into that, but it’s better to stay true to yourself.”

Some colleges have mentioned that they can easily see the difference between work by a student versus by AI, so Liu recommends students to stay away from using AI to write essays.

In Kirsten McKay’s English 4 class, students are given assistance in developing their college essays for both the University of California personal insight questions (PIQs) and the Common Application personal essay.

For senior Brady Finch, who is in the

class, there are other ethical concerns of students using AI for the content of essays.

“There are so many people who put in genuine effort into their PIQs, and especially in common applications,” he said. “Some people put very personal stuff and struggles they’ve dealt with, so it would be like a slap in the face (to use AI) to a lot of people.”

Despite the potential dangers of AI usage, it can still be a potential research tool that students can use to learn more about colleges and how it fits their interests. If used properly, AI could also be used for brainstorming ideas as it can help students find the lead to their essays.

AI can be an editing tool as well, checking grammar and punctuation.

However, Peter Le, the student teacher in McKay’s class, advises using AI only as a final verification and instead recommends peer editing to improve by learning where mistakes are made.

“It’s up to the student to proofread and check if that’s the correct way they want to present it to whomever is evaluating their essays,” Le said.

The degree of impact on college applications by AI are still being researched, but students like Finch want an equal playing field without the involvement of any third parties.

“Everyone should have equal opportunity,” he said. “It should be just up to you foremost, writing your essay, and no one else because this is an accumulation of what you've learned in English over the years.”

Liu encourages students to have their essays read by counselors, parents or other close ones rather than relying on AI. “Many students, if they have strong writing skills, try to make their essays interesting and you will want to read their essays given the way they structure their story, but so far I haven’t seen any AI that can do that,” she said.

How students can use AI for college applications

Research

Students can use chatbots to learn more about a university, such as the majors offered, the prominent social aspects at the school, etc. These can help you decide on colleges best fits your interests and make a list.

It is still important to check on the college website to make sure certain information is correct.

Editing

Brainstorming

Students can use chatbots to give them some ideas to think about depending on the topic of the essay and be a good starting point. It is important for essay ideas to reflect student interests to better suit the purpose of the essays.

Seeing what colleges allow

Chatbots can do a final check on their grammar and spelling before submission of their essasys. It is a good idea for students to check the piece afterwards to make sure their message still stands out.

Students should check the university's policy on AI use for the application due to the varying standards present. This may allow for more use cases or restrictions that students should know and possibly adjust AI use accordingly.

Prompts you can use

Can you recommend some popular colleges in [this area]?

Can you give me some information on [this college]?

What progams are offered at [this college]?

What are some popular majors?

Can you give me some ideas to write about on [this topic]?

Can you look over this for grammatical errors?

NASA mission returns to Earth with asteroid sample The NASA mission Osiris-Rex (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resources Identification and Security Regolith Explorer) touched down on Earth on September 24th after collecting a sample from the asteroid Bennu.

Scientists hope to analyze material for how it may connect to life on Earth. The mission started in 2016 and collected the sample in 2020 after traveling millions of miles toward the asteroid.

The team faced numerous difficulties including the asteroid throwing rubble into space and finding a place for it to land. Scientists plan to reveal some data in October.

Effects of coffee drinking and limits of caffeine Many people drink coffee every morning and some studies have shown it does have benefits, such as lower risks for type 2 diabetes or Parkinson’s disease. However, consuming too much caffeine, the active ingredient in coffee, can have negative effects. Too much caffeine can have effects such as an increased heart rate, jitteriness, anxiousness or nausea. At higher levels, caffeine can result in headaches, tremors, or even vomiting. If enough caffeine is consumed in a short time it is even possible to cause death, however, in order to reach these extreme levels, one would have to drink between 50 and 100 cups of coffee in a very short amount of time. The FDA says that adults can safely consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine or about 4 cups of coffee a day with no ill effects. Yet, scientists say that everyone is different and coffee drinkers should know their limits and be ready to cut back if they feel any side effects.

—Compiled by Aadyant Suresh and Aidan Weiller with information from the New York Times

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BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

WHAT'S NEW CLUB RUSH

LET'S GO CLUBBING

A look into some of the newer clubs on campus this year

ALYX YOON Staff Writer

his year, Branham has 88 clubs, T ranging from Bake a Change to the Senior Citizen Club. The amount

and scope of clubs are similar to that of previous years, but there have been stricter enforcements regarding club applications and creations.

At the beginning of the year, club presidents were required to fill out club forms on the Branham website regarding their club purpose and activities. Existing clubs use them to confirm if they are active and will remain a club for another year.

Activities Director Torie Raineri helps oversee Branham’s clubs and tries to make sure that a club has a unique purpose. If a new club is too similar to that of an existing club, they have the option to join or combine with a similar club, limiting club overlap in recruiting members.

"We would want [the clubs] to be joined and doing the same thing like coming together for a collective purpose that they’re all interested in,” Raineri said.

This has already happened this year.

ASB Vice President Mikaylee Fore said that she couldn’t approve a new club’s application this year because that club's purpose was too similar to another club’s, which she emailed suggesting that they join the other club. It all worked out in the end.

"There was some miscommunication between me and then two club presidents between themselves,” she said, “and now they are both two clubs on campus.”

Clubs are not forced to merge but are recommended to do so unless similar clubs are able to further differentiate their purpose and activities.

Senior Sherry Cao is president of Branham’s Science Club, which merged with the F=ma Club, a physics enthusiasts’ group, this semester due to there being two physics club presidents. This created some drama among the leadership.

F=ma Club’s designated president was asked to step down since their club merged.

I was okay with it,” Cao said. “The other president was really mad because, for a lot of people, it’s important to have that [presidential] position.”

The F=ma president, Noel Chu, created a new club called Riemann Club, a math enrichment club whose end goal is to handle Maths Challenge, Maths Olympiad, Oxbridge entry, etc.

This became an eligible club on campus, while the designated F=ma president agreed to join Cao’s club this semester.

The overlap in clubs indicates a growing interest in being involved on a growing campus, Raineri said, but it’s important to be aware of what other clubs are doing.

"We’re not trying to dictate who is allowed to be a club or who is not allowed to be a club,” Raineri said.

“We’re just overseeing to make sure that there aren’t three clubs that are doing the same thing because those three clubs then should be combined, or at least suggesting that we combine them.”

Artificial Intelligence Club

Book of the Month Purpose: To bring reading to people of different backgrounds and form a diverse community. Why Join: "Our club is about having fun, meeting new people, and maybe learning about your passion for reading." - vice president Ida Gunaseelan

Purpose: To learn about AI through lectures, reading, and competitions.

Why Join: "AI is the revolution of tomorrow and if you really want to know how to get in there or maybe pursue a career in AI, this is your chance." -co-president Sreyas Prabu

Tea Enthusiast Association

Computer Science Club Purpose: Coding projects together and participates in programming competitions Why join: "It's a really welcoming community, even if you don't have that much computer science experience." - president Eric Liang

Purpose: To drink tea with others.

Why Join: "We drink tea, spill tea and learn about tea related items." - president Jennifer Daneman

Donations to North Korean Orphans Purpose: Raise awareness about North Korea and talk about what's really happening there.

Why join: "These people really need help, and I feel like this club will be helping them." - president Sungmin Lee

Aadyant Suresh The Tea Enthusiast Association serves two types of teas along with tea cookies to students at

Habitat for Humanity Purpose: To give students a hands- on experience in helping those in need.

Why join "My club is about rehabilitation and making houses for people who are without housing."- president Katelyn Wheelock

Traders of Branham Purpose: Trading stocks, investing money, and learning about the stock market through meetings and investment competitions at schools like UPenn.

Why join: "Its a whole lot of fun learning about finance and how to grow money." -president Matthew Do

Children's Health Fund Purpose: Fundraisers and with the money send help out children's hospitals around the US Why join: "We're still basically kids ourselves, but it's important to help other people." - president Emily Turner

Lauren Gernale/Bear Witness Juniors Hari Srivatsan promotes the club while selling drinks.

THE NEW FACES BEHIND THE PAPER Introducing the Bear Witness Adviser and Editorial Staff for the 2023-2024 school year.

Kirsten McKay Adviser In her fifth year at Branham, McKay is excited to take on the adviser role.

She will also be a new parent, so 2023-2024 is a year of big changes!

“The journalism program and the value it brings to the school are both extremely special. I am honored to play even a small role in making that happen for the Branham community.”

Jiyoon Choi Editor-in-Chief As the fourth year being part of the Bear Witness and second year being Editor-In-Chief, she is looking forward to producing the paper for the last time. She loves drawing the Bear Witness bear.

“I love the Bear Witness. The best part of this class is that you can express your passions and ideas through reporting and designing.”

Lia Choi Managing Editor Lia is in her second year of the Bear Witness and is excited for her new role as Managing Editor. Her favorite part of reporting is interviewing. She loves sloths.

“Through being in journalism, my perceptions have widened and I have become more involved on campus.

As long as you have a set angle and information, anything can be a story.”

Makayla Wu Copy Editor Makayla is in her third year in the Bear Witness. She loves the Oxford comma and long interviews. When she grows up, she wants to be a penguin.

“Journalism has taught me so much and helped me become more involved at Branham and it’s such a fun experience.”

Angela Choi Production Manager Angela is in her third year in the Bear Witness and third year as an editor.

She most enjoys photography and interviews.“Journalistic photography and writing have taught me how to see the world through a different lens. I’m grateful for all the skills I’ve learned and experiences I’ve had through the BearWitness, and I’m excited to learn more.”

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BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

WHAT'S NEW New/Not New Baking Club

STEM Outreach Club

Purpose: A place for people to bring their bakes and try other people's stuff.

Why join: "Everyone brings in delicious food and everybody likes delicious things."

- co-president Ben Lee

Purpose: Provides opportunities for students to teach younger students outside of school and earn volunteer hours.

Why join: "It's just generally a fun experience to go out and teach other children, and also you can exercise your knowledge" president Kai Chua

Alyx Yoon/Bear Witness Baking Club sold homemade pastries such as cookies and palmiers.

Let's Be Honest

Branham Architecture and Interior Design Club

Purpose: A magazine club that promotes and rates local small businesses.

Why join:"The reason I started this club was to help the people around me, and to help families that may not have that much." president Olivia Tran

Purpose: Teaches the basics of architecture and interior designs with field trips and hands-on activities along with food at every meeting.

Why join:"Anything you want to know about architecture and interior design, we will teach you." - president Ella Boisvert

Spanish Language Club

h/Bear Witness t club rush.

Origami Club Purpose: To work as a team to create and teach origami.

Why join:"We're working on a project to create 1,000 origami cranes to send to places like children's hospitals or Hiroshima."

- president Kijoo Park

Bruin Stickers

Keyboard Club Purpose: To talk about keyboards and give away free keyboard related items Why join: "We're gonna be doing fun stuff all year and it's a low commitment club meaning you can just show up and get whatever you want and discuss parts."

- president Michelle La

Ava Stark News Editor Ava is in her third year in the Bear Witness and her first year as the news editor. She enjoys taking photos and interviewing.

“Journalism has allowed me to broaden my horizons and enhance my communication skills. I’ve grown so much from this program and I’m excited to continue to do so.”

Purpose: To cultivate a relaxed community to learn or embrace the Spanish language.

Why Join: It's aimed towards students who like Spanish and learning languages." - president Ben Lee

Alan Schaeffer Sports Editor In his fourth year on the Bear Witness, and third as an editor, he enjoys photographing Branham sports and looks forward to his last year of journalism.

“I’ve made so many friendships through Bear Witness—both in the class and out. My social skills have improved a lot since I joined the class.”

Purpose: To help students creat their own personalized stickers.

Why join: "We provide a space for people who love to draw to create their own stickers and we take them through that process."

- co-president Elliott Yau

Reese Gardner Student Life Editor This is her third year in the Bear Witness, and as an editor, Reese is thankful for the opportunities to share her opinions and passions with the rest of the student body. She looks forward to her last year with the publication.

“Journalism showed me that words actually speak louder than actions. It taught me to use my voice for change and has given me a way to do so.”

Ava Stark/Bear Witness The Spanish Language Club sells marzapán, a Mexican candy and Pelon Pelo Rico, a popular tamarind-flavored candy.

Aadyant Suresh Science & Health Editor In his second at the Bear Witness and looks forward to his first year as editor. He enjoys photography and learning about developments in Artificial Intelligence.

“Journalism is an amazing experience that helps me see new perspectives and better understand the views and concerns of our community.”

Lauren Gernale Arts & Culture Editor In her second year of the Bear Witness, Lauren is eager to take on the Arts & Culture position. She loves covering arts and taking an excessive amount of photos.

“Journalism has taught me skills that I never would’ve learned in another class at Branham. Seeing the impact the Bear Witness has and being able to help is an amazing feeling.”

WHAT'S NEW Bathrooms Gender-neutral bathrooms by the ASB room and main gate have new doors on the stalls with permanently written words of encouragement, which has resulted in less vandalism.

Administrators There are 3 new assistant principals with the only returning administrators being principal Lindsay Schubert and assistant principal Todd Harrison. The new admins are Martha Bejar, David Levy, and Scott Savory.

AP Test Prices The recently opened AP test prices have been raised. In previous years, prices were under $100, but now it costs $100 to take a test, which is more than the most expensive college application fee.

New classrooms The staff room has split into two new classrooms. The choir room was made into the College and Career Center, moving the the choir back to the music building. The portable building 66 is also now a classroom.

Outreach Due to a majority teacher vote last year, there is no more outreach for this year's school schedule. It has been replaced with a regular tutorial.

WHAT'S NOT NEW Lunch line The line is still long and takes substantial time for students to get through. This is something many students hoped would improve with a longer opening of The Kitchen.

Ticket Prices The Homecoming dance ticket prices are the same price as they were last year.

Bell Schedule This year is the first time in five years the bell schedule hasn’t changed, making the bell schedule the same for two consecutive years.

Over-enrollment Currently, there are 1,967 students in the student body, but the campus is only set to hold around 1,500 students.

Fire alarms The fire alarms still go off as frequently as they did last year with the reasons still being other than an actual fire.

— Compiled by staff

Mila Windell Photo Editor Mila is in her third year of journalism and is excited to be this year's photo editor. She enjoys covering sporting events and taking photos.

“Journalism has allowed me to grow as a person, both academically and socially. It has given me the opportunity to expand on my photography skills and I’m really grateful for this class.”

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STUDENTLIFE

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OCTOBER 2023 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

SHUFFLE wo students were selected at Tplaylist random to share what's on their and play it on shuffle. What

follows is a conversation about their song selection.

— Mila Windell Hannah McCarthy | Senior

Pink: "Try" HM: It reminds me of happy times.

The song was really special to me because when I was a kid, it would always come on in the car and I just loved the vibes of it. It was a super fun song to dance to and sing in the car with my mom.

Taylor Swift: "Nice to Have a Friend" HM: It reminds me of my friendships. The whole idea of friendship is really important to me because it's nice to always have good friends with you, no matter how old you are. This song is one of the least popular songs on the ‘Lover’ album, but that also plays into how much I like this song, because a lot of people don't really appreciate it, but I think it's really special.

Tory Lanez: "Lady of Namek" HM: When I listen to this song, it makes me feel like I’m in a movie.

It's a really fun song to listen to in car, especially when I have all the windows down, with the volume the way up. It just takes away all the stress I'm thinking about, and it makes me feel awesome.

Sabrina Carpenter: "Lonesome" HM: Her main lyric is ‘You can't spell lonesome without me’, and I think that just makes it more individualized I guess. During times that I feel lonely, it just makes me like feel better to know that other people feel the same thing as me.

SZA feat. Phoebe Bridgers: "Ghosts in the Machine" HM: It's just a combination of two of the best artists ever. It's emotional and screaming but it's also peaceful at the same time. It's just, it's so magical. I don't know how to describe it. But it’s my favorite song because there is just so many different emotions being portrayed at different times.

Anthony Tsuji | Junior Frank Ocean: "Nights" AT: This is my favorite song on his ‘Blond’ album. I like to listen to this song when I'm driving late at night because it's very calming and relaxing and always puts me in a chill mood. It starts off with a more exciting rhythm and then the tempo slows down, which I really like.

Kali Uchis: "Lottery" AT: Kali Uchis voice is just really relaxing and peaceful and listening to her music makes me feel really calm.

But this particular song has a really catchy and uplifting tune, which I think blends well with her voice.

Childish Gambino: "Heartbeat" AT: I first started looking at this artist because he was one of the actors on a show I was watching, and I'm really glad I found him because the message this artist sends is really impactful. But this song is a whirlwind of emotions.

He describes the highs and lows of a relationship.

The Wiggles: "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" AT: This is my favortie childhood song because it just brings back really happy memories. My family and I would have dance parties in the living room to this song and sing “hooray." I actually went to their concert when I was seven but I was scared because there was so many people.

Jung Kook feat. Latto: "Seven" AT: Jung Kook is a part of BTS and they are my favorite K-Pop band because they're all super cool and have really cool hair. It reminds me days of the week because it says 'Monday Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.'

David Tran/Special to the Bear Witness

POLAR OPPOSITES

The difference of students in their involvement in clubs, social events, sports and others, finding or expressing their passions LIA CHOI

Managing Editor

1035 students Class of 2027

ootball games, dances, club rush: The new school F year has arrived, followed by the annual push to attended Homecoming in 2022. inform students about ways they can get involved academically and socially.

There are an estimated 1,970 students at Branham this year, with over 80 clubs and 20 sports that they can join. Whether or not students are hyper-involved in school activities, the goal of finding themselves and their passions has been a common thread.

Sophomore Lan Legentry is perhaps a poster child for extensive school involvement, and her interests are many.

Legentry plays JV volleyball, takes AP classes, and is also the treasurer of Best Buddies, among several clubs she belongs to. Oh, she’s the ASB sophomore secretary and treasurer as well.

Initially, Legentry’s main reason for being involved within the community was to appeal to colleges as a competitive nursing applicant, but she grew to genuinely enjoy being busy and making an impact.

“In freshman year I was only doing things for college, and I think everyone starts out like that, too,” she said. “But now, my mentality and goal has changed. I changed for the better, and I want to do these things now for my passion.”

Outside of school, Legentry takes a dual enrollment course for Introduction to Theater and volunteers for various community service programs, such as the Second Harvest Food Bank and Young Women's Program. Adding on to the list, she plans to do an internship with Kaiser.

She said that ASB is usually her most time-consuming activity, and takes around two or three hours of her day.

However, she said this has not completely hindered her from attending social events or making time for herself due to her ability to fairly distribute her school workload.

“Yes, I have missed some school events, but last year I balanced my time and knew what day I had to get stuff done,” Legentry said. “So knowing how I did last year, I can improve on this year so I can go to football games and stuff.”

has shown the most participation this school year so far.

73% of 300

student respondents are involved in a club this year.

— Sources: Bear Witness Instagram poll and Five Star On the other hand, senior Abby Buchanan said that she views herself towards the bottom of the extracurricular involvement spectrum.

Buchanan has been in Girl Scouts for five years, along with last year’s girls JV soccer team. However, she rarely found an interest in joining school clubs or other extracurriculars.

“Usually club meetings are during lunch, and I'd rather spend that time with friends,” Buchanan said.

Taking both AP Statistics and AP Calculus AB this year, she plans to major in math, but rather than it being her passion, it is just something that comes naturally to her. Her inability to find things she’s passionate about is another reason why she’s not as engaged, but she still finds involvement important.

“Even if you're not like being the head of clubs, it's still smart to go to football games or dances because it's social experiences,” Buchanan said. “And from a club standpoint, you don't have to join them if you’re not genuinely interested.”

Being this her last year of high school, Buchanan is considering joining choir as she wishes she participated in other extracurriculars sooner.

“I could have found or tried more clubs, but I just

didn't want to sacrifice lunch,” she said. “So I want to join some this year. I just don’t know what.”

Senior Vyas Chipalkatti also said he had trouble finding things he cared about enough to join, but he has finally figured out what he wants to do in the future: going to law school and studying environmental science.

“I want to expand my hobbies as much as I can,” Chipalkatti said. “I also want to start filmmaking.”

Chipalkatti is a board member of Speech and Debate Club and Spikeball Club. He was on the JV boys soccer team sophomore year and plans to try out again this year. Outside of school, he is working on a project to raise funds for local monocultures and reverse the effects of industrial agriculture in the California Central Valley.

Although these activities do not take strenuous time out of his day and said that he could be more involved, Chipalkatti prefers only doing things he truly enjoys.

“I'm okay with being a normal student that isn't solving all the problems of the world at one time because nobody knows what they're passionate about for a while,” he said.

Legentry advises others to find meaningful extracurriculars rather than solely taking rigorous classes to follow their future goals, along with talking to school counselors to search for volunteering opportunities.

However, taking mental breaks and time to recharge when necessary has been most important for her.

“For the people right now who are so busy, I would just take a breather,” she said. “I would take a mental daybreak and just be with your friends. That just helped me so much.”

Similar to Legentry, Chipalkatti believes the purpose of being involved in school and community revolves around not necessarily being a part of numerous extracurriculars, but finding ways to represent your voice as it is important to “actively speak.”

“Even if you're not a part of an organization or a member of a club, you're voicing your opinions and making yourself heard,” he said. “That you're willing, even if you're not doing anything, to make something happen right now, because we're the leaders of our community and our generation is going to be the people running things.”

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STUDENTLIFE STUDENT LIFE CALENDAR

visit bhsbearwitness.com and @bhsbearwitness for updates on student events SCHOOL EVENTS Homecoming Week: Oct. 9 to Oct 13 For this year's homecoming week, a new volleyball tournament was introduced in replacement of the traditional Capture the Flag competition. The week promised a lineup of spirited events, including class lip-sync battles during Wednesday at lunch, the annual Homecoming football game on Thursday, dodgeball in the quad, and skit battles at Friday's rally. These events all led up to the Homecoming dance on Saturday.

PARKING PROBLEMS

Homecoming Dance: Oct. 14, 6 to 9 p.m.

A refurbished parking lot with same rules but different enforcement Anabelle Walker/Bear Witness

REESE GARDNER Opinion Editor

arking lot rules are being enforced more strictly P this year, prioritizing teacher spaces as well as delaying the distribution of parking passes for students.

An increase in staff and student parking in the newly paved parking lot gave the administration a chance to regulate parking passes more effectively, which staff say has created a safer traffic situation.

Although thought to be new, the parking lot rules have been the same for years across the district.

Branham is a closed campus during school hours, and those who leave and return to campus are subjected to a search to ensure that they are not bringing any outside food or illegal substances. Security resource officers are also present to prevent students from driving off campus during school hours.

These rules were shared early September during tutorial.

Assistant principal Martha Bejar said that the enforcement of the current rules is strictly for the safety of the staff and students.

“We're coming from a place of supporting students,” Bejar said. “We don't want to be issuing consequences just to issue consequences. Our end goal is to support students.”

School staff will confiscate any illegal products, such as vape pens, drugs or alcohol. The student will also

be connected to school resources like counselors and therapists from the Wellness Center.

“We understand the reason why students are not going to feel comfortable sharing, which is totally understandable,” Bejar said. “But we want to give you the resources because we want to make sure that you're engaged in learning.”

Alongside stricter safety regulations, distributing student parking permits has been recently postponed due to the limited parking spots for students and the lack of passes.

In past years, passes were issued to anyone who turned in the form, regardless of the availability of parking spaces. This resulted in there being more students with passes than there were spots in the parking lot.

Passes are now handed out based on how many spots are in the parking lot. Parking passes are prioritized for seniors and juniors with stricter daily examinations of parking passes in cars.

Because there are fewer student drivers, Bejar said that there are fewer accidents and fights for parking spots.

The parking lot will always be busy, but the traffic has been better this year compared to previous years.

“It's always going to be kind of a concert,” campus supervisor John Chun said. “Students just have to be patient.”

The newly paved parking lot includes additional

spaces for staff parking to accommodate an increased number of staff including teachers, cafeteria workers, custodians, and others.

“The teachers are very happy with us allocating more parking for them,” Bejar said.

With the new systems for the parking lot settled in place, the only concern administrators are looking ahead to is the second semester when sophomores and more juniors would get their licenses.

“For the time being, I think we're just going to cut it and say no more issuing (parking passes to students in the spring semester),” Bejar said.

Senior Cayman Jarreau said does not mind the new enforcements, but he finds the fewer parking passes a struggle. He has been one of the few students waiting for a pass, yet he understands the admin’s actions and reasonings for it.

“You have a parking pass. You can be identified by whoever patrols the parking lot,” Jarreau said. “But what are the disadvantages of not having one?”

With a student body of just nearly 2,000 students and just over 130 staff members, the parking lot is incapable of holding everyone and their vehicles, but has become more efficient for staff and students, as long as they have parking passes.

“The enforcement is better from the administration point of view,” Chun said. “It just seems like a safer environment.”

Nine seniors named National Merit semifinalSteps in the National Merit Branham seniors have been named National Scholarship Competition Nine Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, among 27 others SUPRIYA KHANDELWAL AND ELLIOTT YAU

JUNIOR PSAT Juniors take the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) or the PSAT to enter the program

PELIN EROGLU

MATTHEW FELLENZ

DECLAN HOGG

SEMIFINALIST Around top 1% of the participants are chosen as semifinalists based on the score cutoff by state FINALIST Semifinalist must meet academic requirements, attain a qualifying SAT or ACT score and submit an application to become a finalist SCHOLAR Around half of the finalists would be awarded scholarships

— With additional interviews by Lia Choi and Lauren Gernale

Dig Pink is split into two spirit weeks this year instead of one. It kicked off with the annual Dig Pink volleyball game and includes the traditional spirit events of Penny Wars, Magic Minute, the Dig Pink and Senior Night football game, and the Color Fest at lunch. Dig Pink Week's objective is to create a supportive community on campus regarding cancer patients, their families, and caregivers.

CLUB EVENTS SPARE Beautification Oct. 10 and Oct. 24 SPARE Club will be hosting beautifucations at Branham Park on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of October.

Permission slips are now required to attend, which can be picked up in room S103. In addition to beautifucations, there are weekly recycling sessions on campus after school every Wednesday, either after 3rd or 6th period. These events both count for on-campus volunteer hours.

The South Asian Student Union will be hosting their first garba dance night in collobration with Leigh, Prospect, and Westmont. Students from all schools in the district are welcome. A DJ, a photobooth, and performances from each school are included. Food and drinks are available to purchase at the venue.

Tickets are $5 for students and $7 for adults.

Mandarin Club Winter Festival: Nov. 30

ADAM JANSE

FRANK JUNKAR

ANTHONY LENZ

Organized by Mandarin Club advisor Linda Chen, the Winter Festival will be collecting donations for the recent tragic events in Morocco, Hawaii, etc. Boba and other items will be sold, with all proceeds helping the victims of those events. The Origami Club will also be making origami cranes and passing them out.

— Compiled by Lia Choi

ERIC LIANG

SEBASTIAN NGUYEN ANDREW SEEFELDT

Supriya Khandelwal/Bear Witness Jiyoon Choi/Bear Witness

Dig Pink Weeks: Oct. 16 to 20 and Oct. 23 to 27

South Asian Student Union Garba Night: Nov. 4, 6 to 9 p.m.

Staff Writers

in the district, an increase from last year’s seven Branham semifinalists.

This year, there are around 16,000 semifinalists which is less than 1% of the nation’s high school seniors, including about 1,140 from the Bay Area. Around half of them will receive the National Merit Scholarship after submitting an additional essay in the spring. The scholarship totals to about $28 million.

This year’s semifinalists from Branham are seniors Pelin Eroglu, Matthew Fellenz, Declan Hogg, Adam Janse, Frank Junkar, Anthony Lenz, Eric Liang, Sebastian Nguyen and Andrew Seefeldt. They took the qualifying PSAT in Oct. 2022.

For Eroglu, the announcement was a surprise as she thought she didn’t do well on the test.

“I forgot that I took the test because it was so long ago,” Eroglu said. “But then I was very proud of myself for doing awesome.”

Branham has the second most semifinalists in the district with Leigh being first with ten. Prospect has six semifinalists and Westmont has two.

In preparing for the PSAT, both Eroglu and Hogg used Khan Academy.

“Seeing what you got wrong and going back, and having them explain it helps a lot,” Hogg said. “Also, getting your timing right from the practice test itself so that you don't run out of time [helps].”

For students taking the PSAT, Eroglu recommends preparing early.

“The earlier you start studying, the better you'll end up doing,” Eroglu said. “Also, the better you'll feel about yourself and your confidence.”

The 2023 PSAT will be administered at Branham on Oct. 14.

This year’s Homecoming theme is cities. The freshmen will bring the heat representing Miami, Florida, and the sophomores are country and cowboy with Nashville, Tennessee. For the upperclassmen, juniors will be showcasing all things Hollywood by being Los Angeles, while the seniors are the glitz and glamor of New York City.

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SPORTS CROSS COUNTRY

RACE TO STATES

After success last season, the cross-country team looks to continue that momentum

Girls sports participation

+10% +15%

track volleyball

Source:

Courtesy of Alex Seefeldt The boys cross country team poses for a photo after their Farmer Invitational victory. This season, the boys hope to replicate last year’s success and make it to states once again, despite losing some key seniors.

OWEN DAZKO Staff Writer

ast year marked the first time in school L history that the Branham cross-country boys varsity team qualified for the CIF Cross

Country State Championships. Now heading into the 2023 cross country season, the varsity team is faced with a new challenge of getting back to that stage.

The boys varsity team has some familiar faces—and some new ones. Sophomore Daniel Cheyer, a newcomer to the varsity team after a huge improvement during his freshman year, said he’s got high expectations to fit into the winning tradition set by last year’s team.

“I want to keep getting faster, keep going. I don’t want to stop now that I have reached this point,” Cheyer said.

The varsity team’s motivation and their dedication to improve was a key reason they made it to States last year.

Last year, the varsity team was led by alumnus Spencer Zeljak who placed in the top five in CCS. This season, however, is different as every member will need to be at their best.

SPORTS BRIEFS Football Although not finding the same success as last year due to some key seniors graduating, Branham football got off to a strong 3-0 start before two rough losses to Live Oak and Leigh.

The Bruins look to bounce back against Gilroy for their first league game, before hosting Piedmont in the Homecoming Game this week.

Cross Country With new faces this year, the boys cross country team seeks to return to states after making Branham history last year. Meanwhile on the girls side, sophomores Hannah Soetart and Amen Fekadeselassie are leading the team as they look to make a name for themselves in CCS this year.

Senior Maisie Wong

Current senior captain Andrew Seefeldt said that compared to last year, this year’s team has a better idea of what it means to perform at a high level.

“Last year was a very introductory year in terms of how well we were doing, and in terms of coaching and kind of where we were as a team,” Seefeldt said, “and now we have all grown, and we know what we want to do and we know how to get there.”

Branham cross-country coach Craig Lee said the improvement he saw over summer conditioning was very promising for the outlook of the season.

“This team is more prepared to compete at a high level than almost any other team in Branham cross country history,” Lee said. “We have the big meet experience we lacked last year. Add to our experience the large group of guys training together over the summer and holding each other accountable has made our team has become deeper and more dedicated than it’s ever been before.”

With high expectations to return to states, Seefeldt said his goal is to make everyone feel

Girls Volleyball After winning Division 1 CCS last season, the girls volleyball team is off to another strong start this year. The team lost three key seniors, but that hasn’t stopped them. New captains junior Giselle Paedon and senior Rebecca Sung have lead the team to six straight wins; they are undefeated in league play.

After a tough rivalry game against Leigh, the Bruins head into October hoping to replicate last year’s success.

Girls Tennis The Girls tennis team is showing significant improvement compared to last season. Having won only nine matches in 2022, the team has won eight so far in 2023, and are 6-2 at home (8-8 overall). They sit first in their league.

that as a team, they can still improve.

“I enjoy trying to inspire people just by presenting how interested in [I am in doing well],” Seefeldt said. “I hope that carries over into making other people feel like they want to achieve something and reminding everyone that what we achieved last year is something we can do again and do better.”

Although Lee makes it clear that the Bruins have a mission to accomplish, there are times that Seefeldt needs to relay this message to his teammates.

“There’s an interesting opportunity for me to help reinforce that because we’re not always by Coach on every run. We’re not always with him.

We’re out by ourselves,” Seefeldt said.

For newcomers like Cheyer, it is important to familiarize themselves with the expectations of the team.

The pressure is real this season, and with expectations very high, the team and every individual will have to face them head on.

“There’s definitely pressure to not let the team down,” Cheyer said. “You’re doing it for yourself but also for them.”

Lee said that the team has discussed what needs to happen during each race even when uncertain circumstances may arise and the pressure to do well becomes overwhelming.

“Staying positive even when we think things are going bad can get us through the tough parts and keep us going in the right direction,” he said.

As teams go through the tough parts of their progression, they become most connected.

“This supportive approach makes our team more dynamic as we can have different people fill different roles on any given day,” Lee said.

Seefeldt acknowledged that the connections and growth they have experienced together throughout the summer has been crucial in the improvement that every member of the team has made.

“The team dynamic that we’ve developed is the coolest thing we’ve been able to achieve,” he said, “We are doing something that is hard together and growing because of it.”

Boys Waterpolo With some new faces, the Branham boys waterpolo team has only played one league game, a tough loss to Pioneer. After picking up a big win against Cupertino, however, the Bruins look to get back to their winning ways this month against Gilroy and Aptos all.

The Bruins are 0-1 in league, 2-1 overall.

Girls Golf Despite picking up some wins so far this season, the girls golf team has also suffered a few losses. With senior night coming up, the Bruins look to turn things around in their last few matches, taking on Christopher, followed by Leigh for their final outings.

Girls Waterpolo With a strong core of seniors Fiona McElroy, Kira Weinger, Anushka Dumee, and Ashley Maguire, the girls waterpolo team has faired slightly better than the boys, winning big at Willow Glen but losing their first league match to Pioneer. The girls have two more league games to play against rivals Leigh and Leland.

Field Hockey The Bruins are undefeated so far this season, and despite a huge loss to Leigh early on, they are now coming off five straight wins. Led by senior Abbie Fales, they sit firmly in first place, with an overall record of 7-3.

Senior Iris Yoon

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SPORTS MUSIC

BEATS OF BRANHAM

What kinds of music do Branham athletes listen to before a game?

MACEO INOUE Staff Writer

n essential part of many athletes’ pregame routine is listening to music. Whether as a team, through a speaker or through A headphones, music changes the way you prepare. According to Medical News Today, music can not only boost concentration, but improve management of pain and fatigue. By using music to push out distractions, it allows an easier entrance

to the “flow state” or “the zone”. When listening to a song, the brain is activated in several ways that regulate coordination, emotion, and the body’s motor function, which are important in athletes’ performances. The tempo and intensity of songs also plays an important part to how effective music can be to an athlete. The type of song depends on how the athlete would like to feel—hyped, inspired or even calm.

A survey conducted by the Bear Witness found that most Branham students enjoy rap and other energetic songs, but some opt for more unorthodox pre-game music such as Taylor Swift or classical music.

Motivation

Music, affecting emotions and mood, has a profound impact on motivation.

It stimulates the release of dopamine, enhancing pleasure and drive. Neurologically, music engages brain regions linked to motivation. A 2012 study by the International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology highlights its role in improving exercise performance and motivation, especially when synchronized with movement.

Movement

Music also influences rhythm, pace and overall coordination. The auditory stimulation provided by music can synchronize movement, enhancing motor control and precision. Research from Music Perception Journal exhibits how music, especially rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS), can significantly influence gait patterns and facilitate movements in individuals.

“I chose HUMBLE by Kendrick Lamar because it has a lot of energy.

It gets people really hyped.”

Sophomore Kichan Park, badminton

“The tennis player I look up to, Coco Gauff, listened to Icon by Jaden Smith before every match. It definitely hypes me up.”

Junior Avishawd Yarisaied, tennis

NEW GUY ON THE FIELD

“I chose Location by Playboi Carti becuase I think it sounds nice and has a really good chill vibe to it.”

Sophomore Jay Eunchan, football

New trainer, Brady Oak, fills a void left in athletics department

FRANCISCO PHAM

T

Staff Writer

he departure of Branham athletic trainer Myesha Taylor in April left a temporary gap and worried athletes.

The absence of an athletic trainer lasted for a few weeks, and eventually some concerns were brought forward. Injured athletes were unable to be treated, and many were worried about the long-term impact on their health.

With football conditioning during the summer, the demand for a trainer was all the more present.

“For a while during the summer, we didn’t have any trainer(s) at all,” said Junior Chris von Barloewen, who plays football. “There was no water at practices, and no one could get taped up.”

New athletic trainer Brady Oak joined Branham shortly before school began, and has built a reputation in his easy banter with students and his ability to quickly address student needs.

He previously worked at Westmont for a year and then at UC Santa Cruz for another three, eventually taking a hiatus from the profession for a year until taking up the position at Branham.

Oak attended North Dakota State and graduated with an undergraduate degree in exercise science and a master’s in athletic training.

He originally started out as an engineering major, followed by criminal justice, but eventually switched to athletic training. He explained that “sports were what (his) real passion had been growing up.”

He said that athletic trainers are often an overlooked aspect of

sports and tend to have some misconceptions about them. Some may confuse them with personal trainers or athletic coaches, but in reality, they play an important role in the health and safety of athletes. They tend to their injuries, provide real-time medical advice, and keep athletes healthy and hydrated.

“We’re licensed healthcare professionals who, for the most part, all have master’s degrees or higher,” he said. “We’re highly educated and have gone through rigorous programs to get to where we’re at.”

Oak also serves as a mentor to those who want to work with athletes and pursue a career in exercise science. He has been working with returning sophomore Kira Phan who is an assistant trainer.

Phan worked closely with Taylor last year and said that she continues to learn from Oak. He has served as an important role model for Phan, allowing her to learn as much about the profession as she can.

“I learned how to tape, and last week I was learning about the ligaments and bones in the ankle and the foot, and I know how to tape wrists, thumbs, and ankles,” said Phan.

Oak has also added his own personal touch to the job through his interactions with the athletes, joking with them and checking in. Barloewen said that he has built a strong rapport with athletes on campus.

“We talked about the Vikings the other day,” von Barloewen said, “He’s a likable guy and easy to talk to.”

Francisco Pham/Bear Witness New trainer Brady Oak wraps senior Peyton Czarny’s leg at the Leigh game.

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ARTS&CULTURE MINI REVIEWS MOVIE THE FIRST SLAM DUNK Directed by Takehiko Inoue

MOVIES

PLAYING DRESS-UP 'Barbie' inspires fans to see movie in costume AIDAN WEILER Staff Writer

Toei Company What it is: "THE FIRST SLAM DUNK" is based on the Japanese basketball manga "SLAM DUNK" written by the director Takehiko Inoue. The movie focuses on the last game of the manga, Shohoku, the main high school team, versus Sannoh, the top high school team.

Liked: Even if you don't know anything about the original manga, the movie was understandable and super enjoyable. The music in impactful scenes gave me goodsebumps. It also connected me with my parents, who watched the original manga and anime when they were teenagers. I loved it so much that I watched it twice in theaters.

Disliked: It was in theaters for only 3 days at Cinemark Century Oakridge. If they aired it for longer, I would have watched it 5 more times. I understand that animated Japanese films might not be as popular in America, but 3 days is too short.

—Jiyoon Choi ALBUMS GUTS Olivia Rodrigo

Geffen Records What it is: GUTS is Olivia Rodrigo's second album and takes on a more alternative, yet stilll pop style. While her first album, SOUR, was focused on her first breakup, her sophomore album shows her messy, present life as a 19-year old.

Liked: I love Olivia's music in general, and fixating on GUTS was just as easy as fixating on SOUR. Her more alternative songs show the chaos and insecurity that comes with being young and figuring things out, and her sad songs continue to hit.

Disliked: Some of the songs were hard to like at first; the more alternative take was initially off-putting. However, this was temporary and I started loving them in no time.

— Lauren Gernale UTOPIA Travis Scott

Cactus Jack/Epic What it is: UTOPIA is the long-awaited fourth studio album

by Travis Scott with features from Drake, SZA, Future, and 21 Savage.

Liked: The album is packed full of hits and songs like "MY EYES," "TELEKINESIS," and "THANK GOD" are excellent for blasting in the car with your friends.

Disliked: The lyrics aren't anything special. Despite his good flow and delivery, Scott's lyricism on Utopia doesn't have the same story-telling power that other recent rap albums have been able to capture (see Mr. Morale).

— Alan Schaeffer

or“Barbie,” released in July, was an instant hit and as F of October is the highest-grossing movie of 2023 with $1.43 billion at the global box office.

The movie has inspired a cultural conversation about women and their relationships with each other and about the quality of movie adaptations about popular toy lines.

If one were to look through the crowd of people seeing “Barbie,” which is still in theaters, one would notice most were wearing one common color: pink.

In an Instagram poll conducted by the Bear Witness, 70% of the 309 respondents said they have dressed up to see a movie, a trend recently popularized on social media platforms, especially TikTok. Last year, hordes of students dressed in Minions-themed outfits or formal attire for the release of “Minions: Rise of Gru,” which made nearly a billion dollars.

American history teacher Stefanie Menera said dressing up for movies is a fun way to get into the concept and connect with other people over a common interest.

Menera even convinced her whole family to wear all pink outfits to “Barbie.”

Having something in common was a great way to break the ice. ”I saw a lot more strangers engaging in small talk or exchanging smiles and glances,” Menera said. “It was a little unspoken joke where we look around and we all went, ‘Oh, wow, we're all here wearing pink.’”

The success of this “Barbie” trend has set the precedent not only for movies, but for other forms of media, such as Taylor Swift concerts, where fans recreated outfits to match Swift's different "eras" for her tour. Menera plans to see the film version, which she anticipates dressing up for as well.

"It's something people didn't do before, but now, why not? It's fun.” they said.

Junior Avishawd Yarisaied also wore pink to see “Barbie,” and said this trend brought people from different cultures to celebrate the movie.

“If you look at the audience in the cinema, everyone is someone of a different age, race or gender,” Yarisaied said.

It was the first time she dressed up for a movie, and she is open to doing it again.

Additionally, the festivities weren’t restricted to “Barbie.”

Senior Gianna Roza wore a button-up, blazer, and dress pants to see “Oppenheimer,” a film about J. Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic bomb. She also dressed up in pink for "Barbie," as did her friends when they saw the movie together.

Roza said she saw fewer people dressed up for “Oppenheimer” than for “Barbie,” but she still enjoyed the experience with her friends.

“It was so embarrassing,” she said. “But it was still fun.”

“It's like a spirit day at school, and I dress up for those anyway.

Dee Nguyen/Bear Witness have dressed up for the following movies, fueling their box office Watching in costume | Fans success.

Minions: The Rise of Gru Teens and young adults last year wore dress coats and full-length suits akin to the ones worn by the film's protagonist Gru. #GentleMinions has exceeded 24 million views on TikTok. Global box office: $868.8 million

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Fans wore classic Converse sneakers cropped jeans and a graphic tee with a sweater or blazer-style jacket.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Longtime fans wore fake mustaches and Mario-themed hats to watch the movie during its premier this spring.

Global box office: $1.32 billion Global box office: $690.2 million Sources: Box Office Mojo, Salon, Entertainment Weekly

BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL

SVCTE lets students try out career paths AVA STARK

News Editor

enior Jake Tone knew he wanted to pursue the S culinary arts since he was a kid learning to cook with his dad. High school courses only gave him so

much of an outlet to explore this, but with Silicon Valley Career Technical Education, also known as SVCTE, Tone is able to test the waters of the field.

SVCTE is a program for high school juniors and seniors to explore classes in technical careers and learn in hands-on environments, taught by industry professionals.The program covers seven districts and 43 high schools. Some of the classes offered include culinary arts, fashion design and textile art, mobile app design and computer coding, and film and video production.

Tone, who is in his second year in the culinary arts program, appreciates taking classes with access to resources that are not typically offered to high school students.

“In SVCTE we have a full-grade kitchen,” Tone said.

“We get to learn what it's like to cook in and learn the basics about working in the kitchen, compared to sitting in the classroom and speaking for an hour with a stove and a few pots that the school has.”

Tone is taking more of a leadership role in the class, guiding other students and assisting the teacher, as he prepares for his career in culinary arts.

He plans to go to Mission College to pursue his lifelong passion for cooking, which he credits his dad for instilling in him.

“When I was a kid and my dad started to teach me how to cook, it just really clicked with me,” he said.

“Having an opportunity like this while still in high school is really good and helped me realize even more that this was what I want to do.”

SVCTE Principal Jeff Arnett said that since the classes are more hands-on and students choose which training to pursue, they’re typically more passionate about it.

Courtesy of Ofir Aicler Senior Ofir Aicler enrolled in SVCTE's culinary arts program last and said that it helped her decide her career.

As a former social studies teacher, he said that no matter how good he was at teaching, there would always be a group of students who saw him as someone they must endure to graduate. With SVCTE, this was not the case.

“The kids here have a level of engagement I have not seen in the classroom,” Arnett said. “They learn that they each have these common interests and they start working together.”

While SVCTE does open doors for many students, some may not always have access to the class they want to take if they cannot find a teacher for that specific field or do not have the correct facility to teach it.

For some, there can also be a commute to the lo-

cation, which can make just traveling to the class more challenging. Students at Branham leave for its morning class around 7 a.m. every day, and come back around noon, while the afternoon class starts before lunch and ends around 4 p.m.

Nevertheless, Arnett said that in many cases, SVCTE can still benefit and get students ready for what comes after high school. The opportunity to explore and figure out what you want in a nearly real-world setting is a main part of the appeal.

“Those who take the chance to explore with us may save a lot more time finding out exactly what they want to do,” he said, “or sometimes more importantly, what they don't want to do.”

BEAR WITNESS

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ARTS&CULTURE ARTS CALENDAR AT SCHOOL Marching band competition Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m., Gilroy High School.

The Branham Royal Alliance is performing their 2023 show, “Polychromatic,” at Gilroy High School. Based on the concept of creating art, the band features emotional renditions of popular songs and comes together to reveal a colorful, united work of art.

FAST FASHION

CHEAP FASHION, LESS GREEN The rise of fast fashion means more clothing accessibility, but less long-term sustainability LAUREN GERNALE

Arts & Culture Editor

n the form of “$100 Shein Haul” and I “Cute Outfit Inspo” videos on TikTok, fast fashion has taken over the industry with

its cheap prices, accessibility and quick-moving trends. Branham students are noticing.

A Bear Witness Instagram poll of 340 respondents revealed that the majority of readers shop for new clothes every month or few months (87%), with 13% claiming that they shop every one to two weeks.

Rapidly growing fast fashion brands like Shein, Forever 21, H&M, Zara and Fashion Nova bring large quantities of cheap, trendy clothes into their stores at record speeds while demand is at its highest.

According to the BBC, Shein is the world’s largest fast fashion retailer, with 600,000 items in its catalog and an estimated 6,000 items added on a daily basis, with some items such as skirts and sweatshirts selling for as low as $2.

A majority of the clothing is made from cheap synthetic fibers, like polyester and nylon, which clothing manufacturer Hawthorn says uses 70 million barrels of oil annually. Synthetic fibers also can take between 40 to over 500 years to decompose.

With its general fast-paced production compounded with labor-intensive and unethical working environments, fast fashion accounts for about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Junior Manami Sakoda shops monthly and said that she used to buy from Shein, Zara and H&M for their cheap prices and accessibility. She spends $15-20 for clothing items like cardigans and cargo pants, which would typically retail for $35-70 at high-end stores like Nordstrom, Old Navy and Macy’s.

“It's inexpensive,” Sakoda said. “You can buy it even if you have a limited amount of money in your wallet.”

For math teacher Dianne Viernes, buying clothes from Shein was convenient for stylish clothes that can be worn in specific occasions, such as tops that can only be worn in concert settings, purchasing items like a lace corset top for as cheap as $10.

She said people do not want to spend a lot of money on items they intend to wear to one-time events, and fast fashion is a convenient solution.

However, she said she stopped her habits after learning more about the harm of fast fashion and is now working towards sustainable shopping.

“These clothes are affordable because they sacrifice the quality of the materials, and you

can dispose of them easily,” she said. “People are into trendy stuff and trends come and go. They can dispose of these clothes when they are not trending anymore, and then buy new ones.”

Because of how fast clothing production is, 87% of products that are labeled out-ofstyle, out-of-season, or are just generally unsellable end up in landfills or are incinerated.

Because fast fashion brands do not have a large profit margin for products, manufacturers have free range to throw them away and produce new ones. Out of 100 billion garments produced each year, the Round Up estimates 92 million tons of fast fashion ending up in landfills.

Viernes blames TikTok and other social media platforms for showcasing “$100+ Shein Hauls” and outfit inspiration posts but only recently became aware about their unsustainability.

“Fast fashion is one of the largest industries contributing to climate change," Viernes said. “I don't think a lot of people realize that it's really affecting our environment in a bad way.”

Most of sophomore William Tischhauser’s clothes are thrifted, and he said prefers buying essentials, like cargo pants or jorts, at Old Navy, Macy’s, or Hollister that can last longer.

“I would rather wear clothes that would last a long time and don't necessarily follow a trend,” he said.

Tischhauser is unaware of most brand sustainability ratings, but he said their environmental impact would have some influence on his shopping decisions.

Rather than throwing old items away, Tischhauser said he looks for alternative ways to use or wear them before making his decision.

For example, he said he took an outgrown pair of jeans and cut the legs off to create jorts. For other old clothes, like t-shirts, he will wear them to garden, sleep or lounge around.

“Sometimes I look at a certain pair of clothing and think, ‘Oh, I never wear those,’” he said. “Then I look at a different place where I could wear them. It’s fun.”

Despite not supporting fast fashion’s unsustainable practices, Tischhauser said people are free to shop at fast fashion if they find clothes that appeal to them.

“I feel a little bit iffy about people following the trend and throwing away clothes that aren't really cool anymore,” he said.

“But people should do what they want. If they find clothes that they want from those stores, there's no problem with that.

Fall Play Geeks vs. Zombies Oct. 27, Nov. 3, 4 at 7 p.m., Performing Arts Center.

In the midst of a zombie apocalypse, four geeks are the last hope for saving the world.

Through lessons of friendship and perseverance - and sprinkles of humor - these teens navigate their way through survival and combat.

13% 87%

Fall band concert Nov. 1 at 7 p.m., Branham Cafeteria.

Branham Music presents its first concert of the season with celebrations of the darker side of music. The Cafeteria will be filled with sounds both scary and joyful while conveying its main theme of the dangers of AI and machinery.

Bear Witness readers say they shop every one to two weeks.

say they shop every few months or every month.

1%

of all discarded clothing is actually recycled.

Secondhand outfits can reduce a

OUTSIDE SCHOOL Laufey: The Bewitched Tour Oct. 8 and 9 at San Francisco Filmore.

With the premiere of her second album, “Bewitched,” Laufey tours across North America, playing from the collection alongside her first EP, “Typical of Me,” and her first album, “Everything I Know About Love.”

consumer's carbon footprint by as much as 30% compared to regular consumption.

Natural fibers such as cotton, linen, bamboo, flax, jute, silk wool and alpaca can cut down microplastics in oceans and rivers.

Sources: EarthDay.org, BBC

FULL OF PRIDE QSU celebrates week of pride festivities The Queer Student Union hosted its first Pride Week at Branham from Oct. 2 to Oct. 5, the first full week dedicated to LGBTQ+ recognition compared to previous years’ Coming Out Day. With the quad decorated in pride flags, the week included lunchtime activities such as pronoun label-making and ended with a showing of “Nimona," an animated adventure movie, after school on Thursday.

QSU Treasurer Soph Sanchez believes the week is important for representing the queer community at Branham.

“It makes people who are queer, questioning or allies feel safe,” they said. “It’s our chance to make sure everyone is represented as much as possible, and that we also have a fun time by creating a lot of joyful events so that queer people can have a lot of fun and be able to feel supported.”

Sanchez said the event can also educate people who are less-informed about the LGBTQ+ community.

“Some people come from a close minded area,” she said. “This is our chance to inform people about identities a lot of people don't know, like non-binary people for example.”

While there were complications with coordinating Pride Week amidst ASB events, Sanchez thinks the week was a success.

“It was really fun to see how it turned out, especially the Movie Night,” they said. “It was really empowering to see all these different groups from different schools, and how we all got along with each other.”

— Lauren Gernale

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Maker's Market Nov. 15 at 10 a.m., Downtown Santa Cruz.

The Maker’s Market will feature over 40 local makers and artists in downtown Santa Cruz. This monthly market has a variety of local handmade goods available for purchase.

THURSDAY Five Nights at Freddy's Oct. 27 in theaters.

Courtesy of Queer Student Union Freshman Ash Diner makes a pronoun label at the QSU booth, with songs from lesbian singer Girl in Red playing in the background.

Lauren Gernale/Bear Witness Junior Wycoff explains the QSU donation process to students. Donors wre given pride pins and a bake and sticker sale was held after school.

Queer Student Union The Queer Student Union pose in front of the pride flags in the quad. Students signed a blank white flag with names and messages to the LGBTQ+ community.

Lauren Gernale/Bear Witness Senior Tara Krishnan sorts out Skittles and stickers at the QSU booth. Later the QSU showed "Nimona" in the cafeteria.

Based on the video game franchise, a security guard works the night shift at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria and realizes the animatronics are far from static.

Soon, he will uncover the truth of what happened at Freddy’s.

— Compiled by Lauren Gernale

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| OCTOBER 2023 |

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COVID CHRONICLES COVID-19 has impacted every one of us in the last four years. From the shelter-in-place starting in March 2020 to hosting school Zooms and mandatory masks restrictions, the disease has significantly asserted an influence in our lives. Devling into the years of the worldwide virus known as COVID, here are some key points in our recent history with the pandemic.

— Aresema Agdie and Anabelle Walker Illustrations by Supriya Khandelwal

SUMMER Schools create a safe way for graduates to say goodbye with in-car drive through celebrations. COVID becomes the third leading cause of death in the United States with over 5.4 million recorded. The CDC calls for individuals to wear face coverings when leaving the house.

SPRING On March 11, COVID is declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. On March 13, former President Donald Trump places a travel restriction on 26 European countries. Shortly following this, California is put on lockdown on March 19 and all residents are mandated to remain in the safety of their homes.

2020

EARLY 2020 Knowledge and transmisison of COVID spread throughout the world, followed in a month later on Jan. 20, 2020 with the nation’s first diagnosed case of COVID. In February 2020, the virus is officially recognized.

WINTER FDA grants Pfizer-BioNTech authorization for a vaccine, and two Branham students volunteer to test for the vaccine in the Bay Area.

Older people living in long-term care facilities are the first to be offered the vaccine during the initial phases of the program.

2021 2023

WINTER Negative COVID tests are required for all air passengers entering the U.S. The first case of the COVID variant, Beta, is detected in the U.S.

SPRING In April, the CDC reports that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA COVID vaccines reduces the risk of hospitalization by 94% in people ages 65 and older. Branham opens its campus to students for hybrid learning with mandatory safety restrictions.

SUMMER After a full school year impacted by the pandemic, schools open their campuses for in-person learning with looser restrictions in place.

WINTER The first case of the omicron variant is found in the U.S. The FDA revised an emergency authorization to use treatment against the variant to treat patients who were high risk. The CDC and FDA recommended COVID booster shots for everyone aged 16 and up.

SUMMER Higher spread of the variants across the U.S. leads to a distribution of vaccines on a higher scale. The marketplace for masks reaches $11 billion as departments of health were recommending face coverings to protect from the new variant.

WINTER Delta and Omicron variants spread across the States, with continued spikes of cases and hospitalization rates.

2022

THE PANDEMIC BY THE NUMBERS

WINTER Before winter break, Branham sends at-home COVID tests, followed by a surge in cases once school returned. Masks are again recommended, but fewer wear them.

6,959,316 1,145,958 2,937 FALL OF 2023 A new variant named BA.2.86 is discovered in late August. Today, there is a slight spike in COVID cases, and the health administration still recommends taking safety precautions as students return to school after summer break.

global deaths since 2020 from COVID-19

global deaths since 2020 from COVID-19 as of Oct. 10. 2.7% of all deaths in September are due to COVID-19.

cumulative deaths from COVID-19 since 2020 in Santa Clara County.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 tracker, World Health Organization, Bear Witness archives, Santa Clara Department of Public Health