C Magazine Volume 13 Edition 2

C MAGAZINE

Welcome back to our last issue of 2024! We are so excited to bring this year to a close. We have had such a fun time growing, learning and connecting with each other this semester. Thank you for appreciating the work our staff puts into each issue. Through the stress of finals, college applications and more, we hope that reading this issue can help you unwind.

Our front and back cover depict “bubbles” noddings to our cover story, “Bay Area Bubble,” which we talk about in greater detail later. From top left to bottom right, our front cover highlights Paly students Milo Sabina, Ivan Sandler, Sam Ewen, the Paly junior varsity girls soccer team, Amily Zhang, Assistant Principal Michelle Steingart and Principal Brent Kline. Our back cover features Mila Bynum, Llew Ladomirak and Stella Guo.

Taking a look inside our own English classrooms, Alice Sheffer and Ellis Shyamji challenge the incomplete set of perspectives present in much of the older literature that dominates curricula. “Old Words, Modern Minds,” found on page six, reminds us of the power words not only have on ourselves, but on shaping society and its values.

As the end of the first semester approaches, most students can relate to our cover story titled “Bay Area Bubble” on page nine. Written by Talia Boneh, Amalia Tormala and Sophia Zhang, “Bay Area Bubble” highlights the experiences of students in the Bay Area as they navigate the high-pressure

and academically-centered environment. Its accompanying perspective piece on page 14 titled “Breaking the Pattern” follows writer Talia Boneh’s personal experiences as a younger sibling growing up in this environment.

C Magazine’s second recurring poster draws major inspiration from the cover story, depicting a snowglobe separating the encased monuments from Palo Alto and the San Francisco Bay from the blizzard outside. Artists Talia Boneh and Anika Raffle hid homages to many stories from this issue inside the globe — see if you can spot them all!

Jump into the world of cultural dance with Ria Mirchandani and Silvia Rodriguez’s “Tradition in Motion” on page 32. This issue’s featured artist piece dives into how senior Aditya Romfh, junior Zoe Jovanovic, junior Zoey Simpson and English teacher Melissa Dawn connect with their cultures through Bharatanatyam, Serbian folk dance, and Ballroom dance.

Flipping through the pages of C Magazine’s newest issue, we hope you find stories that inspire and spark your interests. If you are interested in reading more, stay tuned for our upcoming 2025 issues or visit our website at cmagazine.org for online exclusives and past print stories.

Happy reading!

Kayley Ko, Katelyn Pegg, Anika Raffle and Gin Williams

By Sonya Kuzmicheva

By Maia Lin

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The Boneh Family

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Publication Policy

C Magazine, an arts and culture magazine published by the students in Palo Alto High School’s Magazine Journalism class, is a designated open forum for student expression and discussion of issues of concern to its readership. C Magazine is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost.

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Letters to the Editors

The C Magazine staff welcomes letters to the editors but reserve the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy and obscenity. Send all letters to cmagazine.eics@gmail.com or to 50 Embarcadero Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94301.

staff

Editors-in-Chief

Kayley Ko, Katelyn Pegg, Anika Raffle, Gin Williams

Managing Editors

Abbie Karel, Disha Manayilakath, Amalia Tormala, Sophia Zhang

Online Editors-in-Chief

Sophia Dong, Kaitlyn GonzalezArceo

Social Media Manager

Dylan Berger

Staff Writers

Talia Boneh, Alice Sheffer

Business Manager

Lily Jeffery

Multimedia Director

Ria Mirchandani

Table of Contents

Alice Snyder

Adviser

Brian Wilson

Estelle Dufour, Ella Hwang, Sonya Kuzmicheva, Maia Lin, Fallon Porter, Silvia Rodriguez, Ellis Shyamji

Cover

Talia Boneh, Alice Sheffer

Illustrators

Poster

Talia Boneh, Anika Raffle

Talia Boneh, Sophia Dong, Estelle Dufour, Kaitlyn Gonzalez-Arceo, Ella Hwang, Lily Jeffrey, Maia Lin, Ria Mirchandani, Katelyn Pegg, Fallon Porter, Silvia Rodriguez, Alice Sheffer, Ellis Shyamji, Amalia Tormala, Gin Williams, Sophia Zhang

Table of contents

Paulina Salinas dances at a Dia de Los Muertos cultural celebration as

rom Shakespeare to “Lord of the Flies,” the books students read in English classes have been published over hundreds of years but are often seen as containing few differing perspectives. English curricula have been carefully constructed to relay important messages and life lessons, intending to leave lasting impacts on teens who read the assigned texts.

However, what is less often discussed are the perspectives that have been left out of these narratives. While not necessarily intentional, many valuable perspectives and stories have been forgotten beneath piles of household-name books. So, who wrote these classics, and how are they still impacting readers so many years later? What important lessons can be learned from them today while acknowledging they aren’t the only important ones?

Palo Alto High School senior Sarina Grewal believes that some old books are not fully applicable to modern society, especially regarding the antiquarian representation of minority groups.

“The books in our English curriculum are very stuck in the society that they were written in,” Grewal said. “There are a lot of values and issues that are very anachronistic [belonging to an earlier period] and feel out of place in a modern curriculum,

especially given how some of the authors describe or treat characters who are female or who are people of color. A lot of underrepresented people are not described well in English curriculums, and that’s an issue.”

On the other hand, Paly librarian Sima Thomas thinks that older books can reveal important themes and ideas just as relevant today as they were when they were published. One example of this is Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” (1958).

“Thematic ideas continue to resonate with us as a culture,” Thomas said. “The settings and experiences don’t necessarily need to be mod ern or immediately relat able. The pre and post-exposure of the Igbo people to British colonial invasion in Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’ is proba bly a totally foreign experience to most of us, yet the novel takes us into the world of Okonkwo, the protagonist, and gives us another perspective to reflect on.”

perspectives are, who created them and how influential they are in shaping our worldview. Thomas believes that literature creates social realities and perceptions about the world, which can change and evolve based on how a reader digests the material in books.

“Literature gives us common stories that mirror our society back to us, holding it up for our inspection and for our questioning,” Thomas said. “Great novelists have a way of seeing our shared world and reflecting it back to us critically. Having these shared stories to use in our discussions of society and how we want to improve it … give common language.”

New perspectives are gained from every work of literature a reader comes across, old and new. It’s a matter of what these

After leaving school, many adults remember the media they consumed as a student that helped them form their worldviews. If the media presented to teenagers relays only a specific aspect of society and the world in which they live, then teenagers’ opinions will be created solely based on that small sliver of the world exposed to them.

“As teenagers, we are in a position where our worldview is very influenced by the

content that we consume,” Grewal said. “This is a critical time for that worldview to be developed, and it’s really important to make sure our ideals represent everything and are not based on a biased percep tion of what the world looks like.”

It’s important for teenagers to see their worldviews represented in books, as well as a broad variety of diverse perspectives, to understand that the world doesn’t consist of just one narrative.

spectives and understandings of society and culture as something to be gained from older literature despite its level of representation.

“Literature won’t always have an accurate depiction of society, but reading it gives you perspective,” Kim said. “Even if it’s not accurate or something you agree with — it still gives you perspective.”

“Ultimately, everyone deserves to see themselves, at somepoint, portrayed in complex and positive ways,” Thomas said. “It’s important to show students that humanity is in all races, cultures or ethnicities and that these ideas about serious or canonical literature coming only out of Western or European traditions are false.”

In addition, creative writing mentor and author of “Farm Girl” and “Twenty Square Feet of Skin” Megan Baxter believes that reading literature should be done with an awareness of the broader historical context in which the text was written, regardless of one’s opinion.

“Literature certainly reflects the values, dreams, fears and everyday life of the culture from which it was composed, but we also have to remember that these ideas were those of an individual artist,” Baxter said. “A robust understanding of historical context is crucial, and sometimes that means engaging with values that we don’t necessarily hold.”

Paly junior Rena Kim views new per-

A wide variety of books and authors, as well as an understanding of the context in which they were published, is necessary to uphold an effective curriculum that accurately portrays all aspects of the world.

“When a text challenges our contemporary standards, it’s important to have a discussion about why it is being taught and what it adds to the curriculum,” Baxter said. “This dialogue should be open and inclusive, and literature shouldn’t [always] be placed on a pedestal.”

Sometimes, it can be challenging to create a curric ulum that marries important representa tion with classic texts and ideas. Richard Rodriguez, a Paly English teacher and the In structional Lead of the English De

partment, emphasizes the importance of research while planning a curriculum.

“It takes a lot of work to teach literature critically,” Rodriguez said. “You have to read secondary sources, literary criticism, historical studies and a lot of different things. You have to practice and take chances with discussion and know that you might make mistakes. The big thing is listening to students and new voices to impose new ideas on people.”

Many Paly students hope to see some form of change enacted in the books they read in class. While a few are content with the current structure, Grewal argues that it’s imperative to start the shift toward a more diverse book selection early on.

“The English curriculum should focus more on putting diverse books in the lower-grade English classes,” Grewal said. “There’s less ability to integrate that diverse perspective later on, so adding them to English 9A and 10A would reinforce these broader perspectives early on. This would be the best way to adapt our curriculum and make it more diverse [than it is].”

The goal when it comes to creating an effective curriculum is for the students to take away ideas from the literature. Every piece is intentionally placed to help students understand their world a bit better than they used to.

“It [literature] is supposed to help us un derstand norms,” Rodri guez said. “There are

pieces of text that are didactic — they’re meant to teach us something.”

In terms of adding different perspectives, diverse authors should not be a box for teachers to check while designing their curriculum. These viewpoints should be commonplace and intentionally integrated into a meaningful syllabus.

“As educators, we need to be mindful not to cherry-pick books that solely represent our own ideas,” Baxter said. “Diversity in authors, content, style and genre needs to be the norm, not sprinkled in or relegated to a specific month or unit.”

From a curriculum viewpoint, teachers might be drawn towards assigning easily understandable books specifically about teenagers, such as Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” where the premise and themes are clearly discernible. However, Thomas believes that this style of assigning literature is not productive in growing a teenager’s worldview.

“I view teenagers as these amazing beings on the cusp of adulthood who are grappling with so many big issues and starting to see their place in the world,” Thomas said. “I think you [teenagers] are capable of reading heavy stories and thinking and working through them. The stories don’t necessarily have to be about other teens.”

Additionally, many books in a “typical” high school English class do not accurately reflect teenage life today. Contemporary books about teenagers are inherently different from classic books about teens, not just in the mannerisms indicative of the time period but also in the setting and the narratives that take place.

“Teenagers in mainstream books often have much

and agency than in books like ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’” Baxter said. “I don’t think there are any teenage characters in the books I remember reading that resemble today’s teenagers — even the idea of teenage life has changed since the composition of ‘Little Women’ or ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ The portrayal of teenagers in literature is not static, and it can be influenced by the cultural and social context in which the literature is produced.”

An ageold cultural question that analyzers of art find themselves asking is: “Does art influence society, or does society influence art?”

While there is no straightforward answer, this question can also be seen in how literature shapes our world, or vice versa.

a book can be enough to incite change. Some examples of this sen sation include Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense,” which helped ignite the American Revolution, and “The Feminine Mystique” by Betty Friedan, which aided in widespread activism for gender equality in the 1960s.

“Society influences the books we read,” Kim said. “I don’t think the books we read are going to change our lives forever, but they definitely change us.”

While literature might not change people as a whole, reading a story about an event unfamiliar to the reader inherently changes the reader’s opinion on the topic.

“I firmly believe that literature has the power to enact meaningful change,” Baxter said. “While there may be other forms of media today that hold more influence than a book, the potential of literature to shape our understanding of social norms and issues should not be underestimated.”

The idea that change can occur from just reading a book greatly influences a reader’s understanding of the simple act of reading. A book is not merely words on a page; it is a window into the era in which it was written, the author’s life surrounding its creation and the values held by society at that time.

“The books we read influence us and we can potentially go on to influence society,” Thomas said. “Everyone can benefit from discovering the power of stories that help hold a mirror up to our world.”

“I’ve learned a lot from the literature that I’ve read,” Grewal said. “I’ve learned a lot about life situations I’m not personally familiar with, and it taught me to empathize and understand these struggles.”

Text, design and art by ALICE SHEFFER and ELLIS SHYAMJI

Many big social changes come about through large-scale movements and protests, but sometimes, the simple act of

Despite academic pressures, students find ways to balance their mental health and self-worth

mid the swarm of tech giants and Teslas, Palo Alto has become a beacon of innovation. The town and all of its neighboring cities, which comprise the Bay Area, are applauded for their rigorous schools, rapidly advancing technology and sprawling estates attached to large price tags. Despite the high expenses, for many people, Silicon Valley is seen as a hotspot of rapid growth: constantly churning out the next milliondollar product, meeting the rapid postpandemic dependence on technology with its creativity and technological solutions.

Along with all of the admiration that the Bay Area attracts, one key aspect of its citizens’ lives gets lost in the fog: students’ mental health. From Fremont to Cupertino to Palo Alto, students’ minds are filled with an overwhelming pressure to meet the high academic standards that go hand-in-hand with attending schools in the Bay Area.

And, despite what is known about the area, one question remains: what is it about the Bay Area’s community that creates such high standards?

Don Austin, the Palo Alto Unified School District Superintendent of Schools, believes that the dense pressure students face regarding their education is the culmination of the many voices in a student’s life.

“The competition [of the school district] is no one person’s fault,” Austin said.

“It’s not the schools’ fault, it’s not the parents’ fault and it’s not the teachers’ fault.

But there is absolutely a culture here [in Palo Alto] that exists. It’s often culture that is the last thing to change.”

Along with this, Austin acknowledges that meaningful change has been historically difficult to implement.

“[Silicon Valley] is a place that doesn’t handle change well, which is funny to me,” Austin said. “This place was created on change and being disruptive, but you touch anything here, and it’s met with opposition. That’s part of the culture, which makes this issue [intense competition] a really tough thing to get at the heart of.”

Suzie Scher, who graduated from Gunn High School in 1994, has witnessed the acute academic demands of Palo Alto

students that have been present since she was in high school.

“I felt pressure just from the kids around me and the community, knowing how highachieving all the parents in the community were and having Stanford right there [in the neighborhood],” Scher said.

Additionally, Scher felt that the community in Palo Alto only promoted one pathway — a four-year university education.

“I was feeling stressed about picking where I was going to go to college,” Scher said. “Was I ready to go to college? Did I even want to go to college?”

Many students in the Bay Area view pathways besides college as “lesser than.” For Paly freshman Arnav Shah, future universities are already a primary focus.

“[At Gunn] there is a lot of pressure to apply to a ‘good college,’” Zhong said. “[College] was very top-of-mind whenever you’re doing anything; you’re picking a new activity you want to try out or the classes you want to take, and that’s always in the back of your mind: how is this going to look on my college application?”

Zhong noticed himself hyper-fixating on colleges, not only due to internal pressures, but also because of the culture around his peers about life after high school and the expectations everyone set for themselves.

72% of Bay Area high school graduates enroll in college

According to the Public Policy Institute of California

“A lot of freshmen are already starting to say what colleges they’re interested in or what pathways they’re going to take because that’s how you choose electives,” Shah said.

Shah also recognizes that the focus on attending a university is spurred by the strong financial situations that many Bay Area families are in.

“A lot of people that live here [in the Bay Area] are well off, and a four-year university is kind of expected because of that,” Shah said.

Likewise, at Gunn High School, diverging from the college path is considered unconventional. After being rejected from 16 colleges, Stanley Zhong, Gunn High School class of 2023, was hired by Google as a software engineer. This was a new path for Zhong, whose entire high school experience was devoted toward building his resume.

“I don’t think it’s the schools themselves [that create pressure], necessarily, but there’s definitely a culture around trying to get into these top schools, where everyone around you is talking about these schools … then it’s hard to not care about it,” Zhong said. “If all your friends are talking about [college], then you kind of have to at least be aware of it as well.”

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The quantitative nature of grades and test scores can also act as an easy form of comparison and pressure.

“It’s hard to not compare [yourself] as a student, especially in terms of grades,” Zhong said. “It’s a number. You can tell if your number is bigger or smaller than others’ numbers, so it’s hard not to even

GRACE HUANG, BASIS INDEPENDENT SILICON VALLEY, 11

area bub

.”

JESSICA

WONG, 11

subconsciously make a comparison.”

Zhong’s family moved to the Bay Area when he was in fifth grade, motivated by the reputation the Bay Area holds for education.

“Gunn is known as a good school, and Gunn is known to have a good education,” Zhong said. “The types of families who want their kids to have the highest leg up possible will then come to this area.”

Consequently, this strong reputation surrounding education has caused parents and students to have a narrow scope of the future. Often, the universities students apply to are predetermined by a student’s family, and this subset of schools is viewed as the end-allbe-all.

“Some of them [classmates] would share that their parents were pushing them to take a certain number of AP [Advanced Placement] classes, have a certain GPA [grade point average] or only apply to certain schools, like Ivy Leagues, or schools with a really exceptional reputation,” Scher said.

school and extracurriculars because there is always that cloud of doubt that I am not getting into a good college,” Huang said.

For many high schoolers, the pressure to succeed academically is compounded by an endless cycle of comparison and expectation. Paly junior Jessica Wong places an emphasis on her academics, which often comes at a cost.

“I hyper-fixate on grades because I am constantly comparing myself with my peers and expecting myself to be either on the same level or doing better than I am,” Wong said. “And then there’s also the factor of parents and what expectations they have of you. Once you get in the loop [of comparison] you can’t really get out of it.”

81% of 2024 Paly graduates were enrolled in at least one AP class

According to US News and World Report

This pressure surrounding school has caused many students, including Paly sophomore Leilani Chen, to hold expectations for themselves to stay in the highest math or science lanes.

failing one means you’ll fail the class itself,” Wong said. “Their mental health takes a hit because they’re so stressed out about both the tests.”

Kylie, another Paly junior whose name has been withheld for privacy reasons, has noticed that all of this pressure for course rigor, college and academic success primes students for comparison.

“At Paly it’s hard not to compare yourself to everyone because everyone is so accomplished at something,” Kylie said. “When you’re around accomplished people it blends together and makes it seem like they are all good at everything.”

Even as a Paly freshman, for Ana Stier, the hyperfixation on grades and getting the highest scores is apparent.

“I often feel stressed on how people ‘brag’ or shame others for not having the best grades,” Stier said.

At Paly, Kylie has gotten used to hearing these subtle jabs at other students regarding how much or little someone is studying. On the surface, people’s work ethic seems like something they want to brag about. But internally, Kylie recognizes it as a manifestation of something more uncomfortable.

Students have also developed a wide variety of motivations for pursuing certain activities and classes. Specifically, in recent years, the ultra-competitive high school environment in the Bay Area has fueled the prominence of college admission anxiety. As a junior at BASIS Silicon Valley, a school where taking numerous APs starting freshman year is the norm, Grace Huang finds herself overwhelmed despite all her efforts.

“There is a lot of pressure surrounding

“It’s not that you have to be the best at everything, but you have to have an explanation for why you’re not [in Honor lanes],” Chen said. “If you laned down from Geometry Honors to regular Geometry, you have to be able to say something … just saying ‘I couldn’t do it’ is almost invalid.”

Staying in high-level courses starts to turn into a messy act of juggling between courses, especially when multiple tests all fall on the same week or day.

“[Students] are not really sure which one [class] they want to prioritize over the other, especially since if both are high rigor,

“People [at Paly] either want to make it seem like they put no effort into getting good grades, or they want to make it seem like they’re so much better than you because they’re working so much harder,” Kylie said. “Many people try to over exaggerate their bad study habits as a kind of failsafe in case they don’t end up doing well on a test because it gives them an easy way out to just say they didn’t study or felt so overworked.”

The impacts of academic pressures that the Bay Area cultivates can also manifest themselves in students’ physical well-being. Stress reveals itself in the human body in a multitude of ways, including but not limited to headaches, sleep troubles and an inability to concentrate, according to Mayo Clinic.

“I did have a period during my senior year where I kept having these chest pains and thinking that I was just sick,” Scher said. “Looking back, that had to have been stress.”

Even today, over three decades later, the heavy workload that challenging courses entail can still push students to their limits in terms of their physical and mental health.

“During my freshman year, I didn’t get my period for the majority of the year because I slept really late, and I was stressed all the time,” Huang said. “It did eventually come back during sophomore year, but it was worrying, and I really hope it doesn’t happen again.”

students have the proper knowledge to maintain a balance between physical health and school work, which creates mental health challenges that arise for many PAUSD students due to the highly competitive environment.

Over time, the district has integrated more policies and lessons regarding mental health awareness and support into students’ lives. Shah believes that Paly successfully aids students in determining their futures, which mitigates stress and promotes productivity.

“We were doing a four-year plan in advisory, and I find that motivating because it helps me stay on top of my plans before I get to other grades where I will have a lot more work,” Shah said.

Despite the strain of academic rigor in the Bay Area, some students, such as senior Justun Kim, find the idea of a promising future as an encouragement to challenge themselves.

bay area bubble

As Kylie figured out her study habits and lifestyle throughout high school, she learned that sacrificing her health, like sleep, is never worth it just to finish homework.

“I never feel guilty

“The idea that all the hard work will pay off in and after college with the opportunity of a stable job motivates me to maintain a busy schedule,” Kim said.

Furthermore, balancing the intense demands of a high-pressure academic setting may serve as a source of inspiration for students. Sarah Liang, a senior at Lynbrook High School, believes that the competitive environment at her school holds benefits.

“I do feel a lot of pressure in high school due to knowing many amazing people in academics and extracurriculars, but I also like the environment

A positive approach to deciding a course schedule is to focus on genuine interests rather than yielding to peer pressure.

“If you want to take AP classes and things, do it because you want to, not because somebody else is telling you you need to,” Austin said.

As students progress through the fouryear high school period, compromises are bound to be made. Paly senior Julian Hong has made his fair share of sacrifices to continue pursuing things he enjoys spending time on.

“In my freshman year, I played basketball: AAU [Amateur Athletic Union] and for Paly,” Hong said. “And then, it became way too much [to do] given everything I had going on with ASB, journalism and debate. So I made a decision to drop that, but I kept playing volleyball, which is a sport that I felt like I was better at, and I’m varsity captain this year. You have to find time for things you care more about, and things that aren’t as important to you, you have to let go.”

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Stories like Hong’s demonstrate that often, it can take time to pinpoint the right interests for any given person, but once these interests are discovered, it is of the utmost importance to preserve them and preserve the joy they bring upon one’s life.

The motive behind academic conformity tends to be a strategy to appease colleges. In actuality, the passions that individuals tend to sweep aside may be what lets them stand out most. Hong considers his college application experience as a testament to this.

passionate about.”

To further maintain a healthy perspective in high school, Liang considers moving beyond constant comparison against others as essential for personal growth.

“I do sometimes compare myself to my peers, and, unfortunately, I do stress over how my GPA isn’t as high as some other students who have near-perfect GPAs,” Liang said. “But, I also did realize how I have other things that make me stand out as a unique individual like art and music. Everyone is different, and I learned to accept that.”

Similarly to Liang, Austin also encourages students to embrace their natural timeline and not devalue themselves if they do not grasp a concept immediately.

“I took statistics in college three times by the end, not only did it click … I grew to love it,” Austin said. “But the first two times, it just wasn’t clicking. … I don’t think we allow anything to click later here.”

The importance of individuality and being oneself is a factor that often goes forgotten in ultra-competitive environments like that of the Silicon Valley.

25% of California teenagers report getting 8 hours of sleep on school nights

According to Lassen County Times

“A lot of the things that I was told would be good academic things to do are things that I didn’t care about when I was younger,” Hong said. “And then in high school, when I’m writing my college application essays, I realized that you only write about a few selective things that you’re deeply

For some students like Chen, it is useful to stop and consider what can actually improve character versus simply strengthening a resume.

“I barely do anything that I don’t think is fun,” Chen said. “I just do things that I feel are valuable and make me a better person and more interesting.”

For Hong, learning how to utilize school to improve character and enhance one’s interests is what constitutes a “good student.”

“I think someone who’s resilient and who can overcome challenges is a good student,” Hong said. “At Paly, there are a lot of academic setbacks that you can face, like not getting the grade you wanted or personal things. It’s important to be able to overcome this and to develop a resilient mindset.”

In an academically intense environment like the Bay Area, where competition often drives

students to push boundaries, there is a lesson that cannot be outsmarted or bypassed: integrity.

“I’d so much rather be able to celebrate people for being resilient than for their GPA,” Austin said. “You can cheat the GPA. You can’t cheat being a good person.”

Paly senior Holden Lee is no stranger to the idea of casting his net of opportunities wide in order to make the best out of his time in high school and truly discover what his real interests are.

“I realized in freshman year that I had a lot of opportunities and might as well take advantage of some,” Lee said. “During freshman year, I just kind of stuck my head in the door and got to experience a lot of different things like clubs and activities.”

In environments where academic success is of the utmost importance, students must remember to extend support to each other and prioritize the joy that comes from connections and kindness. When Lee thinks back on his high school experience, one of the most important aspects of it was being there for his friends and classmates and being a good person.

“If one of my friends is doing something and they’re succeeding, it’s really important to me that I’m the one there supporting them and cheering them on,” Lee said. “Regardless of academics and extracurriculars, if you’re a good person, you have a good moral compass and you’re developing good habits, then that’s invaluable.”

JULIAN HONG, 12

SCHOOL SAT HOMEWORK GPA STRESS PRESSURE EXAMS FINALS MIDTERMS EXTRACURRICULARS AP TESTS PRESSURE PRESSURE TIRED GPA MENTAL HEALTH

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TALIA BONEH

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BREAKING THE PATTERN

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would be so stressed out if I were you.” I’m never quite sure what people intend when they say this to me. I’ve heard this sentence repeated back to me over and over throughout high school by various students, friends and family members.

it’s hard to feel like I’ve accomplished anything if I earn a strong score on a math test when my siblings have already done it before me. Two years younger. And probably better.

COLLEGE ALL-NIGHTERS APPLICATIONS RIGOR SCHEDULE TIME PRESSURE PRESSURE

PRESSURE PRESSURE HOPE SCHOOL SAT HOMEWORK GPA STRESS PRESSURE EXAMS

However, I do think that despite the academic differences between my siblings and I, we all share a prominent quality — persistence.

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perspecitve bubble

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I have always felt guilty about “breaking the pattern” of accomplishments that my siblings had established before me. Among all their extraordinary achievements, sometimes everything I do feels like nothing more than ordinary.

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When a test doesn’t go well for any of us or we feel like we are stuck in a rut, we reach out for help and work hard to get ourselves back to where we want to be. We all value our education, understand the privilege of being in the Bay Area and have an endless appreciation for the hard work my parents put in to make sure we receive strong educations.

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However, the further I’ve continued through high school, the more I’ve learned to embrace interrupting this “pattern” that I have often felt so compelled to continue.

This year, when I walked into my fourth-period class in the second week, my teacher gave us a rundown of her grading policies and how her class works.

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“I reward hard work and determination in this class, not talent,” she said.

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Being the youngest of three, I am the last of the Boneh family to make their mark at Palo Alto High School. My sister, who graduated in 2021, and my brother, who graduated in 2023, both made profound impacts on Paly and are now undergraduate students at elite universities. They were both high-performing students, earning various national awards throughout their high school careers while balancing internships, research opportunities and other activities.

But while I try my best to do as my siblings did, I’ve noticed more differences than similarities between us.

Something about this was comforting and motivating when I heard it. I’m not in control of what questions my teachers are putting on my next test, but I am in control of the effort I put into a class to understand the material and prepare.

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I would say I noticed a “difference” between my siblings and I beginning in sixth grade. When my siblings began middle school, they both skipped two grades of math. This meant as sixth graders, they were taking eighth-grade level math.

In order to make such a big jump in math lanes, students must complete two rounds of tests at the beginning of sixth grade: a qualification test and the official test itself. At 11 years old, I spent my whole summer preparing for these two tests, hoping to continue the pattern of my math prodigy siblings. However, the preliminary test didn’t go as well as I had hoped, and I didn’t even qualify to take the official test itself.

So, as a junior taking math right now,

In my first two years of high school, I explored Paly Athletics through cheerleading and track and field, got a job at a local boba shop, worked on advancing my artistic ability and essentially tried everything my siblings did not do when they were in high school. By doing so, I hoped people would view me more as someone who was simply incomparable to my siblings.

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This topic of comparison and being the youngest sibling has come up in conversation with my parents at various dinnertime conversations, walks to Safeway and drives home from school. In many ways, I consider myself extremely lucky and grateful to have parents who recognize the pressure I face and help alleviate the unnecessary stress I put on myself.

My dad has always told me that my siblings and I are all trailblazing our own paths. He acknowledges my differences but has never seen them as something that makes me worth less or that needs to be

For me, being “good” at school has gradually become less about grades and scores and more about being able to overcome challenges and persevere through times that feel impossible.

Although some aspects of academics may not come as easily to me as they do for my siblings, I know that in reality, we are all simply equipped with different skill sets that ultimately cannot be compared. And while I admit that some days I get a little more hyper-fixated on a bad grade or a difficult test, my friends and family are quick to remind me that I’m doing my best and working as hard as I can for what fits my lifestyle.

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At the end of the day, that’s all I can really ask from myself.

In today’s world, social media’s presence is unavoidable — scroll through TikTok, Instagram or a viral YouTube channel, and it is nearly impossible to evade the curated lives of celebrities. Their profiles are formulated and built to portray perfection; we are often led to believe that they are flawless, glamorous and devoid of the struggles faced by everyday people. However, this portrayal could not be further from reality.

Beneath the filters, likes and comments, celebrities are real people who are being dehumanized due to their success and fame in a society that views celebrities as icons rather than people. Some of social media’s favorite celebrities struggle with pressures — whether it be from dealing with constant public scrutiny, aggressive paparazzi or the plethora of mental health issues that come with fame.

“They have this pressure to act perfect, and they get a lot of hate for it.”

Lily Mccue, 12

American actor Josh Hartnett, best known for his role as Dan-

ny Walker in the film “Pearl Harbor,” has experienced aggressive paparazzi, ultimately leading to his decision to leave Hollywood. In an interview for Yahoo Australia in 2021, Hartnett reveals how his safety was under constant threat during his rise to fame.

“You had roving gangs of paparazzi, and they were gangs, like they were actual groups of kind of scary men who had no scruples about getting into your space and invading your privacy in your house and all sorts of things,” Hartnett said.

Many celebrities are stopped, followed and even stalked in extreme cases. Marilyn Monroe was constantly trailed by paparazzi, while the Beatles would be chased by fans, jeopardizing their safety. Many other celebrities also have a hard time adjusting to their fame. In an interview with Allure, American singer Billie Eilish discusses her experience with this lack of privacy.

“When I think too much about it, how I can never have privacy again, it’s enough to make you want to do all sorts of crazy things,” Eilish said.

Considering the consequences of constant public scrutiny, Paly junior Emily Tang highlights the risks ce lebrities face.

“I think the more a person shares with the public, the more vulner able of a position they’re putting themselves in,” Tang said. “I don’t nec essarily think being a social media influencer is dangerous, but I think posting on social media with a platform no mat ter how big or small is subjecting yourself to comments both positive and negative.”

sarily reflect the reality of celebrity life.

An example of this is Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber, who have been consistently pitted against each other because of their relationships with Justin Bieber. Fans and social media have dissected their posts, interactions and appearances, coming up with “Team Selena” or “Team Hailey” to take digs at them. This happens often with female celebrities — they are framed as rivals or enemies even when the situation is not as dramatic as it is made out to be.

“I think the more a person shares with the public, the more vulnerable of a position they’re putting themselves in.” Emily Tang, 11

To avoid the over whelming paparazzi pres ence, some celebrities would try to conceal their identities when in public. Leonardo DiCaprio, for example, is often seen with his head covered by bags, hats, hoods and various other objects.

The measures that celebrities will take to swerve paparazzi emphasize that their privacy is invaded far too often. News articles are another way that the privacy of celebrities is disrupted, often misrepresenting what celebrities do and say by exaggerating events to attract views. Effects like bolded titles may grab the attention of viewers but don’t neces-

Another example of this is between Beyoncé and Rihanna, who are both successful women in the music space. However, both of these women’s success is often used to make comparisons in the media.

Tabloids and fans have pitted them against each other, debating who is more talented and successful. Headlines like “Rihanna vs. Beyoncé: Who Reigns Supreme?” from Rolling Stone imply that one’s achievements disregard the other. This is another way for tabloids to draw attention and boost their views.

Celebrities rights to privacy are often sacrificed for the media to benefit from.

Source: Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences

Journalists capitalize off of big stories, and therefore, by capturing dramatic moments and scandals in celebrities’ lives, they are able to draw more attention and capture more views.

Although most interviews and stories about celebrities are not accurately displayed to the public, Jules Lavellee, an award-winning journalist focused on interviewing celebrities, goes into inter views with an authentic approach.

By allowing for stories to be told through an accurate lens without overemphasizing publicity, celebri ties’ opinions could still be displayed with out having to sacrifice their well-being.

“I include everything unless the word count is way over,” Lavallee said. “Celebrities are on a big stage and accuracy about what they say is key to protecting their image in the public eye … Peo ple pay attention to celebrities. I want everyone to have the same platform to share their stories.”

Constantly being in the spot light can be difficult, especially when inaccurate information is being spread to the world. Celeb

rities are already forced to put their whole life on display, where every move is captured, and every wrong move can automatically change their life.

Paly senior Lily McCue shares her thoughts on the pressures of being in the public eye.

“Being in the public eye 24/7 can take a toll on someone, es pecially because they lose themselves in who they’re portraying themselves as,” McCue said. “Teen influencers, who mainly have an audience of younger kids, can’t do anything without getting hate. … They have this pressure to act perfect, and they get a lot of hate for it.”

For a long time, many celebrities have kept to themselves re garding mental health-related topics, but these days it is becoming increasingly common for celebrities to advocate for mental health awareness.

An editorial article written in 2022 by Petra Gronholm and Graham Thornicroft for the National Library of Medicine dis cusses the positive impact of celebrities.

“Celebrities’ disclosures of mental health conditions are seen as potentially positively influencing health behaviors such as help-seeking and changing public attitudes towards people with mental health conditions,” Gronholm said.

Celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande and Lady

Many celebrities have started to come out and share their personal experiences with mental health.

Text and design by DYLAN BERGER, ABBIE KAREL and SONYA KUZMICHEVA • Art by DYLAN BERGER and ABBIE KAREL

CRIME

TIMEonTV

We all know the feeling of snug gling up to watch Netflix after a long day, unsure of what show to turn on. Maybe a romcom? Or a historical documentary? For many, the answer has been true crime.

The true crime genre has consistently snagged two of the top ten spots for most watched shows on Netflix during the past few months. This includes “Monsters,” a case about the Menendez brothers that ranked first from September 16 to September 29 and remained in the top ten until November 3 of this year.

The case sparked widespread controversy after the brothers claimed that their violent actions, resulting in the deaths of both of their parents, were committed in self-defense against years of sexual abuse.

Critics of “Monsters” highlight ethical questions about documenting true crime cases, raising concerns about sensationalizing real-life trauma for entertainment.

What is it about these dark, often disturbing stories, that captivate millions of viewers? Is it the mystery, the search for justice, or something more psychological at play? Is the public’s fascination leading to more unethical practices in the true crime industry?

In an X post, Erik Menendez, one of the perpetrators, criticized “Monsters” director Ryan Murphy for his unsubstantiated depictions of drug use and implied incest.

“Netflix’s dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime has set the truth back several steps,” Erik Menendez

The rising popularity of true crime has sparked ethical concerns within fans of the true crime genre

said. “Let the truth stand as the truth. Violence is never the answer, never a solution and is always tragic.”

Some, including Jessica Laurens, an investigative reporter and true crime producer who has reported for CBS and produced shows such as “Snapped” and “Killer Couples” with the popular true crime show Oxygen Network, believe the popularity of “Monsters” influenced the decision to reopen the case.

cording to the website, fewer than 2% of criminal cases with newly discovered evidence result in a retrial.

tv criminals

However, not all students believe true crime is unethical. Senior Isabelle Lau indicates that shows covering cases can be respectful if approached carefully.

“If you commit a crime … I think you’re entitled to know how they [the show] portrayed you. You deserve the same human respect … but also, to a certain extent, these stories should be shown to the public.” Aiden Chen, 12

Laurens reasons that because the Menendez brothers went through a full trial, reopening the case could traumatize family members, especially given that the new evidence hasn’t been dated or confirmed by experts.

“It gives the message that if you ring a bell loud enough, if you have a ton of money to get a spicy attorney, that you can shape the media outlets and get them to air it [a case] so much that a judge feels pressured to deliver a different outcome,” Laurens said.

A statistic from the National Registry of Exonerations corroborates her point. Ac

“I think that the victim’s cases should be told in order to bring justice to their unfortunate circumstances and to hold the perpetrator responsible for their actions,” Lau said. “However, I agree that it is completely reasonable if the victim or the victim’s family wishes to not disclose any information on the situation … Some people cross those boundaries because they really do want to get that story out, but even in that aspect, it [crossing boundaries]

to the public.”

As the true crime genre becomes more present in social media, cases are increasingly discussed, reposted and only share one side of the story, often at the expense of accuracy and journalistic integrity.

“A lot of these [true crime] cases trend on TikTok and Instagram,” Laurens said. “Releasing information without being able to confirm if the other side is true or what’s being said is true is … sensationalism and clickbait.”

criminals

The dilemma of balancing the need to speak brutal truths with concerns about victim and perpetrator privacy is a growing challenge. Additionally, the influence of modern media on public opinion makes ethical questions surrounding true crime more relevant than ever.

“True journalists are supposed to be open minded,” Laurens said. “You’re supposed to air both sides and let others decide what the truth is, give facts. [In “Monsters,”] there’s too many holes that are unfilled or rocks [left] unturned, and I think that’s reckless.”

Palo Alto High School students have shared their opinions on how social media affects journalistic integrity, particularly when it comes to how cases are portrayed online.

“I personally would rather learn about the actual events themselves through my own research,” an anonymous sophomore said.

an anonymous junior said.

Laurens further emphasizes the importance of being sensitive to victims and their families when covering crime cases in her work.

“People’s lives are for ever impact ed when a homicide is involved, so it’s important to me that the details are relayed accu rately, and the victims and families’ are respected and their wishes are respected,” Laurens said. “It’s a fine dance to make sure that you do interviews and air things [episodes] with integrity.”

“[Social media in fluencers] … might not want to include all the details to not only desensitize it, but also to tone it [the case] down,” Lau said. “But I feel like in some cases, it’s important that we don’t desensitize or leave out some of the details, because I feel it’s important to know the story of everything.”

“People’s lives are forever impacted when a homicide is involved, so it’s important to me that the details are relayed accurately, and the victims and families’ are respected and their wishes are respected.”

Jessica Laurens, True Crime Reporter

However, with the rise of social media and short-form content, there has been an increased prevalence of media influenc

Anomynous,

The findings of a survey of 35 Paly students conducted by C Magazine found that the most common reasons people believe true crime shows are unethical are the trauma they inflict on those involved, the potential to re-traumatize victims and the tendency to sensationalize crimes.

“True crime isn’t just sharing stories; it’s depicting painful experiences as thrilling adventures, and it

“True crime isn’t just sharing stories; it’s depicting painful experiences as thrilling adventures, and it doesn’t seem right to me to be a fan of it.”

11

tion or what ifs, and that’s very reckless,” Laurens said. Lau expressed further concerns about the shift of true crime content to social me dia platforms.

Text, design and art by SOPHIA DONG, LILY JEFFREY and MAIA LIN

To prevent the recklessness of such behaviors, Laurens outlines the procedures she follows to ensure each episode presents information

controversies

Filmmakers recorded Durst making selfincriminating remarks, leading to his unexpected arrest for the murder of Susan Berman and sparking criticism of the film’s potential influence on the legal proceedings.

Victims’ families were upset by the use of their real names and details of their loved ones’ deaths without consent, feeling the show exploited their grief for profit.

families should have over such retellings.

Computer Science teacher and AVID advisor Roxanne Lanzot has spent the past year exploring uncharted waters. As a pillar of the Paly community and a staple of the Media Arts Center, Lanzot’s students know her classroom as an inviting and warm space. Outside the classroom, Lanzot recently decided to take on a boat-related feat.

“This summer, I learned to sail, which was a goal I have had for many decades,” Lanzot said.

When she was learning to sail, Lanzot had the opportunity to practice safety in the water. Despite the challenges she faced, Lanzot remembers the experience fondly as one of the most memorable parts of becoming a seasoned sailboater.

ROXANNE LANZOT

“My favorite memory was the capsized drill,” Lanzot said. “If you learn to sail, you have to do a capsized drill where you purposefully knock yourself out of the boat and have to climb back in. I don’t mind being in the water, but there’s something about climbing out and getting the boat right up again that is tricky and intimidating, so that stands out as a memory. It was really fun.”

Despite her busy schedule, she finds that sailing is a way to spend time with her family.

“Even though I’m not that good, it was really fun to sail with my children and my family,” Lanzot said. “On occasion, we will take a sailboat out and sail around Shoreline Lake.”

Microaggressions and societal norms impact the fight for gender equality

“YOU’RE

FAST - FOR A GIRL.”

“BOYS WILL BE BOYS.”

While these phrases may seem like harmless remarks, they reveal underlying gender stereotypes that resonate both at Palo Alto High School and across the globe. While some may view sexism and discrimination as historical issues, derogatory remarks continue to impact society today, reinforcing cultural norms and shaping social expectations that affect individuals’ identities and interactions.

Recent shifts in social attitudes have begun to challenge these norms, prompting discussions on traditional views of gender roles. When navigating this evolving landscape, it’s crucial to address how stereotypes influence interactions and consider their impact on the broader understanding of gender.

While progress has brought some positive changes, such as greater representation and legal protections, significant work remains in dismantling gender biases and raising awareness of the unique challenges faced by marginalized groups. Senior Salem Coyle has observed many of these interactions.

“The vast majority of sexism that I’ve seen on this campus has been unintentional — a product of how people were raised,” Coyle said. “But the impacts of those actions are still harmful, so being unaware

isn’t an excuse.”

Outright, blatant sexism is still prevalent in modern-day society, but teenagers today are more often targeted by seemingly harmless comments such as “man up” and “you scream like a girl.” These insults demonstrate historical gender stereotypes. Senior Riya Kini believes that there are specific, commonplace stereotypes against girls.

“MAN UP.”

“The most prominent ones [stereotypes] are probably that girls like makeup, skincare and clothes and that it’s all we talk about,” Kini said.

“People assume we don’t talk about meaningful things, and we just gossip and are materialistic.”

Henri Tajfel, a social psychologist, did a social identity theory in 1979 which explains how categorizing people into in-groups and out-groups leads to in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination. His research shows that even arbitrary groupings can reinforce societal divisions; sophomore Leilani Chen continues this point, showing how this plays into discrimination.

“Being unaware isn’t an excuse.”

Salem

Coyle,

12

However, stereotypes are prominent for all genders. Junior Zeke Maples interprets what he believes to be common ones associated with men.

“The biggest stereotypes put on the male gender are that we always need to be stronger than others, that we’re not allowed to be emotionally vulnerable or that all men view women poorly,” Maples said. “Often, I’ve heard people say that men are less civilized than women.”

“In reality, there isn’t much you can do,” Chen said. “It starts to become the territory of how do you fight the human nature to always otherize people.”

This is evident in sports, where gendered expectations shape how athletes are perceived and where achievements are often measured through a gendered lens, marginalizing the different groups.

Different stereotypes and prejudices affect each individual differently.

In order to mitigate marginalization, it is important to recognize that sexism isn’t limited to school or work environments — it can happen anywhere. Justin, a freshman who chose to remain anonymous, elaborates on sexism taking place as a form of microaggressions, which are discriminatory statements or actions done in indirect, subtle or unintentional ways.

“It’s easy to forget about it [discrimination] and gloss over it, but when it starts happening to you, you start to notice that sexism is everywhere,” Justin said.

While there are many urgent global challenges, such as hunger, climate change and pollution, it’s important to acknowledge that sexism continues to be a persistent issue even if it may not be as visi-

Photo courtesy of Pralay Dakua

bly prominent as historical struggles. In a world filled with pressing political issues, sexism remains an undercurrent that requires attention.

“It’s something that can be so prevalent in our lives that after a while, you don’t notice the sexism implied,” Chen said.

Freshman Maryel Elizondo Salgado has experienced these microaggressions at Paly, which are present in the sports community.

“Sexism is such a common occurrence that I don’t notice it anymore,” Elizondo Salgado said.

Discrimination and prejudice have played a role in many students’ and working professional’s lives. Bennett Porter, Executive and Chief of Staff for Calm, a sleep and meditation app, shares how sexism impacted her work life when she first started working in 1995.

rates and treat them with the same level of respect and dignity,” Blake said.

In exploring the com plexities of sexism today, it is crucial to recognize how the separation of boys and girls — and often the disregard of non-binary identities — can contribute to the issue of sexism and prej udice.

“When boys and girls are separated a lot and not given a lot of spaces to discuss stuff [sexism in their community], sexism tends to emerge,” Chen said.

“When it starts happening to you, you start to notice that sexism is everywhere.”

“I don’t think that anybody in the room did this [discrimination] consciously,” Porter said. “For ex ample, they would ask the girl in the room to take notes rather than participate. It was just the way it was. I think it was very subconscious.”

Sexism can be learned anywhere — at home, on playgrounds, through social media or in movies.

“It’s a societal thing, and it starts in the household,” Justin said. “For example, I’ve often noticed that in a lot of households, boys are treated more leniently than girls. I think it really does start there and then it spreads to school.”

What actions can be done to counter sexism being learned in the household? More often than not, sexism is not a quality that parents intentionally instill in their children. Another anonymous junior, who will be referred to as Blake, believes there is a solution to this household issue.

“I would recommend parents assign household chores to all their kids at equal

[transgender men].”

To fairly look at sexism in a community, Blake believes it is vital to also look at the progress and pioneering taking place that help foster inclusivity on campus.

“What’s great is that there are a lot of empowering spaces at Paly,” Blake said. “The fact that there are male English teachers and female science teachers helps to change what people assume and fight common stereotypes.”

Gendered expectations leave little room for those who don’t fit traditional categories. Non-binary and gender non-conforming students can feel overlooked and alienated as society rarely accommodates their identities.

Gender biases don’t just exist in social interactions; they’re embedded in educational structures and experiences that influence how students see themselves and their futures.

According to a survey of 75 Paly students regarding sexism in Paly’s environment, many students believe gender bias is reflected in student participation in classes and the type of comments they receive. Ten percent of these students report that girls are often stereotyped as “neat” and “polite,” while another eleven percent report boys are more encouraged to take risks and be tough.

These stereotypes progress further down the road when discussions arise about what career paths are considered appropriate for each gender; different genders may be discouraged from pursuing a certain career.

“Sexism is such a common occurrence that I don’t notice it anymore.”

“I think a lot of transgender men who haven’t been able to medically transition yet tend to get lumped into just being ‘alt’ or ‘quirky females’,” Coyle said. “That ends up being really damaging for us

Maryel Elizondo Salgado, 9

“It seems it’s being pushed that guys are better at STEM things, like computers and engineering, which isn’t true,” Chen said. “I’ve seen so many different people excel in various classes, it seems unfair to classify a certain career to a specific gender.” Overall, much progress has been made from where gender rights once were when Porter first started working and sexism was a daily occurence. From the 1920s women’s suffrage movement which solidified women’s right to vote, to

when abortion rights were granted to women, new social movements such as the “Lean In” and “#MeToo” have helped foster growth for women’s rights and established their place in the workforce.

The goal of the Lean In movement was to help women reach their ambitions and help companies increase inclusivity. The #MeToo movement helped survivors and victims of sexual violence find the confidence to speak out about their experience.

“Without the ‘Lean In’ movement, we [women] wouldn’t have found our voice to actually stand up for ourselves,” Porter said. “Because we started to demand more from ourselves, from our companies, from our spouses, it has paved the way to where

Changes in policy, mindset and tradition have helped mitigate sexism in the workplace, the household and people’s lives.

However, changes in social culture such as an increase in social media use and online relationships fuel a kind of sexism where anonymous users have the freedom to comment online.

Social media has major effects on people’s ability to share sexist comments, contributing to the issue of microaggressions. Senior James Meehan highlights the impact of social media on behavior.

“[Sexism is] definitely worse online because you don’t have to show your face so you can kind of say what you want hidden behind a screen,” Meehan said.

The more impersonal a social platform is, the more likely it is for comments to become harmful.

Social media is a new part of social life; sexism wasn’t always so heavily portrayed through mes sages and media outlets.

According to The Guardian, after moni toring TikTok comments over a five day pe riod, researchers have detected an increase in the level of sexist content from kids and teenagers. Kini expresses her impression of her peer’s perspective on sexism.

“I think with our generation in particular, sexism is treated as a joke,” Kini said. “It’s like they [teenagers] know they’re doing it, and they just think it’s funny.”

Jokes surrounding sexism are common in many social settings, not just online.

“I definitely would [hear sexist com ments] in friend groups and groups of people — definitely jokes but nothing serious,” Meehan said.

Although people may brush these comments off as simply harmless jokes, they can still heavily affect people.

“I think with is treated as a joke.”

“I feel like Instagram is pretty bad with this [sexism],” Meehan said. “The comment section is very insensitive.”

Conversely, social media can also foster positive change by helping to challenge sex ism and break down gender divisions.

According to the World Health Organization, individu als who are persistently exposed to gender-based discrimination and stereotypes have a higher risk for men tal health issues, including anxiety and de der, according to the World Health Organization, and the prevalence can be even higher among those who face discrimination based on gen-

“Social media has done some positive things for gender norms and stereotypes,” Kini said. “There are a lot of different people out there, like influencers, who are kind of atypical and don’t fit into stereotypes, so it shows a lot more inclusivity and new perspectives.”

How does society as a whole go about reducing and stopping this massive issue? Sophomore Julie Wang shares her solution to the issue.

“While it might be hard for the school to take action, it’s important that individually we stay aware of what we say to people, about their gender or how they are trying to display themselves and to try not to as sume things,” Wang said.

Recognizing the effects of sexism —

impacts still bleed over into our school, and we should, as a demographic, be more aware of that,” Coyle said.

To create a safer atmosphere, it is important to establish spaces where open dialogue can thrive, where individuals can raise awareness and confront the issue head on.

“Use that sexist comment to just have an honest conversation so that somebody can see your point of view,” Porter said. “If you want growth to happen and you want change, you’ve got to be open and you’ve got to have that conversation with someone.”

Text, art and photo illustrations by ESTELLE DUFOUR, KAITLYN

jewlery

Generational JEwEls

How Paly students carry stories of their lineage through jewelry

“My grandparents gave me most of my jewelry, which gives it a significant meaning. Every time I look at it, it reminds me of them.”

Brianna Meza, 12

“Whether it’s a gift or something handed down, [jewelry] is one of the most meaningful things you can get.”

Kathleen Wang, 11

“Jewelry is how we communicate who we are, where we come from and sometimes our values. [We express ourselves] through religious jewelry or jewelry with different symbols that hold personal importance for us.”

Leilani Chen, 10

Text, design and photos by DYLAN BERGER and RIA MIRCHANDANI

“I had a conversation with my mom on my 18th birthday. She said families collect jewelry for long periods of time, and I realized that pieces that I have now will probably be passed down to my kids.”

Helena Bondolowski, 12

“I got this chain passed down during my first communion, and I got this pendant for my 15th birthday. [The 15th birthday] is really symbolic in Mexican and Hispanic culture.”

Angelah Hernandez, 12

“Jewelery can be used as a way to express your gratitude for someone; it’s symbolic of your love for whoever you give it to.”

Amily Zhang, 11

Tradition

Motion in

Zoe Jovanovic

As the staccato beat of traditional Serbian instruments builds to a crescendo, Palo Alto High School junior Zoe Jovanović begins stepping in beat to a clapping rhythm that characterizes the Serbian spirit. Draped in elaborate gold jew elry and adorned with a dark red flower in her braids, Jovanović prepares for the next moment onstage. Using dance as a form of precise storytelling, Jovanović guides the audience though decades of history.

For Paly dancers like Jovanović, dancing is more than a performance art. They dance to preserve century-old tra ditions, pass down pieces of cultural history, find pride in their heritage and connect with their ancestral homeland.

For Jovanović, Serbian folk dance is a collaborative and com munity-based way to connect to her identity. Each energy infused performance invites the audience to participate in the festivity and to cheer the dancers on.

“In Serbia and the Balkans, every single village has their own traditional clothing.”

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Zoe Jovanovic, 11

“They [the audience] always love it,” Jovanović said. “The dance will start off not slow, but mellow. And by the end, we have these fast tempos, so everyone starts clapping.”

Paly students stay connected to their cultural heritage and communities through century-old forms of dance

Jovanović began performing with Mladost Folklore, a Serbian folk group, two years ago. Each Sunday, several Bay Area Serbian Orthodox Churches gather together to pass down traditional dance forms to youth in the community.

Serbian folk dance incorporates many aspects of Serbian culture from dance, jewelry and outfits. Serbian folk dances have been performed for centuries, often in a circle that symbolizes unity and community. Dancers hold hands or link arms, moving in synchro nized steps to the beat of the music, follow ing the ancient rhythms of their an

“In Serbia and the Bal kans, every single village has their own traditional clothing,” Jovanović said. “But our group wears traditional clothing from central Serbia.”

Each traditional el ement has been passed down, connecting modern Serbians to the clothes that

“We have a white blouse and underskirt, a plaid skirt, a vest, which is called and a tight woven belt around our waist,” Jovanović said. “We do our hair in braids and wear silver and golden coins which jingle when we dance. Our shoes are called opanci, which are soft and great for dancing.”

Jovanović looks to Serbian dance as a way to honor her heritage and spread her traditions, especially with her family living in the United States. Folk dancing evolved into a way for Jovanović to interact and stay in touch with what can seem at times a distant country.

“[Dancing] is one of the ways that we can stay connected to our culture here in America,” Jovanović said. “Although I’m already connected to my culture, with [help from] my family, this is just another step, and it connects me to my ancestors and the history of my country.”

Aditya Romfh

Paly senior Aditya Romfh has participated in Bharatanatyam, a South Indian classical dance, for 14 years. Bharatanatyam involves detailed poses arranged together to narrate a story accompanied by pulsing drum music and singing in the Carnatic style.

“[Bharatanatyam] is a combination of rhythmic steps which are joined together to form larger pieces,” Romfh said. “They can also include emotive pieces. You use your hands and different hand symbols combined with different facial expressions to convey either mythological stories or just stories in general.”

Even the smallest details, like the components of the costumes, hold significance and are carefully placed throughout dance pieces to emphasize and bring deeper meaning to each movement.

“There are a ton of components that go into your costume,” Romfh said. “Every part of jewelry and makeup has to do with either tradition, religion or a kind of aesthetic. On your feet, you wear bells. They’re meant to amplify the sound you make when you stamp your foot. There’s a fan that spreads in between your legs as you sit in this position called “aramandi,” and the folded fan ex pands and it amplifies that position.”

“Dance has given me a great pathway to learn about my culture and stay in touch.”

Aditya Romfh, 12

mance in August 2023 with live musicians on a professional stage,” Romfh said. “You perform eight pieces ranging from eight minutes, and there’s one giant piece that’s an hour long.”

Deep religious and historical traditions are represented in the details of Bharatanatyam. As a two-thousand-year-old practice, it is weaved into the rich customs of Hindu culture and portrayed through dance. Even minor makeup and jewelry represent larger symbolism.

“Typically you’ll see a lot of dancers have dark, thick eyeliner, and that’s a cultural practice that was initially performed in temples,” Romfh said. “It’s to amplify the eyes and to enhance the emotions that you’re trying to emote with your face. You’ll often see a bindi, which is the red dot that you put on your forehead, and that symbolizes the third eye of one of the gods Shiva.”

The vast knowledge of cultural practices that Romfh has learned from dancing Bharatanatyam has allowed for a deeper understanding of Indian culture as a whole.

“Dance has given me a great pathway to learn about my culture and stay in touch [with it],” Romfh said.

“There are a lot of [traditions] that come out in celebrations that you do at home, such as Diwali or Navaratri. But what was missing was a connection and a re-

and

The athleticism that comes with dancing is some times understated. Romfh has built up the en durance needed to perform each detailed pose for hours on end.

“They describe me as a very explosive and energetic, pas sionate dancer,” Romfh said. “It wasn’t always like that. The art form started being more of a devotional and religious art form, and now it has transitioned to have an athletic undertone to it.”

By providing a deeper grasp of his ancestry and culture, Romfh has trans formed Bharatanatyam into an art form that has shaped his identity.

“It comes back to that religious and cultural component,” Romfh said. “Not that I think I would have missed out on it without dance, but somehow it just makes that con nection to my culture stronger.”

Text

design by RIA MIRCHANDANI and SILVIA RODRIGUEZ • Photos courtesy of ZOE JOVANOVIC, ADITYA ROMFH and ZOE SIMPSON

Melissa Dawn, an English teacher at Paly, is a member of a Ballroom dance group. Dawn’s dance group continuously uplifts her and is a fundamental part of her life, although she does not dance for cultural reasons.

“We have a community together, and its strength is in numbers,” Dawn said. “We’re all going to put on costumes, and we’re all going to go out and perform. It feeds our soul in a certain way that we don’t have to outgrow.”

Part of a dance community is the process of getting ready together. Intricate costuming and makeup are important parts of all styles of dance. They have historically been important in helping paint narratives with movement.

“The reason why dancers talk about [costumes] is because dance is an aesthetic art,” Dawn said. “It’s all about your look. Makeup, hairstyle and costume are all parts of the appeal of performing for an audience; that’s part of what I love about dance.”

Paly junior Zoey Simpson, a Bharatanatyam dancer, dances to honor her family’s heritage, as her grandmother has been a key figure in her growth as a dancer.

“My grandmother has been dancing her whole life,” Simpson said. “Forty years ago she started the first Bharatanatyam school in the Bay Area as a way to preserve [Indian] culture in the U.S.”

Outside the studio, her dance community is an integral part of her life. Living in the United States means her relationship with Indian culture is complex. Connecting with a group of people from the same background can enhance her sense of commu nity and remind her of her cultural roots.

“I am only half Indian, so a lot of the time I feel distracted from my culture,” Simpson said. “But this helps me keep in touch with it, even with the commu nity. I would go out and hang out with some of the girls [in my group] and eat the foods that their parents pre pare.”

tality shifted as a result of this process. An Arangetram is considered a rite of passage for South Indian dancers, similar to a

“When they find out I’m dancing, they can sort of see me as an actual part of their family,” Simpson said. “Having an Arangetram is an achievement, a really big deal in India. It’s something to be proud of.”

For Simpson, being mixed can come with pre sumptions, even within one’s own family. Older family mem bers sometimes make judg ments about her cultural identity.

“It [Bharatanatyam] has helped me get in touch with half of who I am, especially since a lot of those on one side of my family doesn’t look too favorably upon mixed

“It’s just not seen as an authentic dance form in the same way some other [types] are.”

Zoey Simpson, 11

Outside of the Indian community, stereotypes often prevent the work they put in from being fully acknowledged. Cultural dances are often misunderstood compared to styles that have become more popular in the U.S.

“[Some people] believe it is not as hard or as rigorous as other types of dance,” Simpson said. “It hits different muscles and in different ways; it’s not ballet or jazz, but it’s not less difficult.

Sometimes it can be a struggle to get other dancers to acknowledge the effort put into classical Indian dance. The dance community can sometimes make untrue judgments about the difficulty of cultural dance styles.

“A lot of other types of dancers don’t see it as a real dance form, which I think is a big part of the whole westernization thing,” Simpson said. “It’s just not seen as an authentic dance form in the same way some other [types] are.”

On the world stage, cultural dances can sometimes be overshadowed by dance styles usually performed at competitions. Many people are unfamiliar with the rigor and unique challenges that go into Bharatanatyam and cultural dance styles in general.

“Some of the Western dancers were upset when we got first place at a competition in Italy,” Simpson said. “That was a little bit hurtful for us because we also came all the way to Italy and also prepared for months. We also danced.”

Zoey Simpson

Melissa Dawn

Paly journalism publications

as music albums

Text, design and art by KAYLEY KO, KATELYN PEGG, ANIKA RAFFLE and GIN WILLIAMS • Photos courtesy of GABE BOUDTCHENKO and SPOTIFY

C Magazine:

“As a staff, I think SZA is an artist we all love. ... SZA touches on a lot of different meanings to her songs and her album covers like we do as a magazine. This album specifically is one that we enjoy as a staff because you can really see the creativity that went into songs like ‘Nobody Gets Me’ and ‘Ghost in the Machine’ which comes back to what we cherish as a magazine.”

Kaitlyn Gonzalez-Arceo, C Magazine Online Editor-in-Chief

To Pimp A Butterfly

by Kendrick Lamar

“To Pimp a Butterfly represents the InFocus staff because it covers alot of important social and political issues but in a distinctly experimental and artistic way. The InFocus staff does the same thing but using video as the medium of expression. Like TPAB, 2024 represents a year of record acclaim for InFocus. Finally, I believe the InFocus staff embody the whole bold and zealous nature of TPAB.”

Vincent Wong, InFocus Executive Producer

The Campanile:

Incubator:

“Awaken, My Love!”

Childish Gambino

“The way Childish Gambino plays with multiple musical genres and styles reflects how a variety of different people walk into Incubator and ultimately will find their place, just like those songs found their place in the album. This is also an album that we always play during production and work time.”

Lara Dumali, Anthro Editor-in-Chief

by by

At The BBC Amy Winehouse

“Amy Winehouse just has a general mix of jazz, R&B and soul music. I think it influences the way that we work. She is calming but also energetic and exciting, so we really try to reflect that in our work.”

Meryem Orazova, The Campanile Staff Writer

“Because we are Verde, which translates to green, we really resonate with that color. So we have done the liberty for our staff account of making the profile picture Verde, but in the brat font with the brat green.”

Cate Graney, Verde Managing Editor

Madrono: brat by Charli xcx Verde:

by

Flower Boy

Tyler, The Creator

“We chose Flower Boy because of how the album masterfully blends genres to convey a story. Similarly, in making the yearbook, we bring together different aspects of our school that tell the story of that year!”

Gabe Boudtchenko, Madrono Multimedia Manager

Viking:

Globalization

“We chose Globalization by Pitbull because the album has an undercurrent of motivation and ambition, and represents overcoming challenges. It also communicates a sense of collective celebration which is what Viking staff is trying to achieve.”

Emil Bothe, Viking Editor-in-Chief

The Paly Voice:

“We picked this album because it’s very unique. The artistry and diverse range of songs in the album are intertwined together in a way that really represents our staff. We come from a lot of different backgrounds, and music is a big part of our staff’s culture, especially during work time. Billie’s album really represents the diversity and love for different forms of art and passion that we have here on Voice.”

Lee, The Paly Voice Editor-in-Chief

Pitbull by by

Celina

Billie Eilish

The of Alchemy

Art is defined as the expression or application of humans, creative skill and imagination. But to what extent is that appropriate? Is there a limit to what can be defined as art? Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan is a visual artist and known for his sculptures and installations. Known as a jokester in the art world, he sparked controversy in 2019 when his famous piece — a banana duct-taped to a wall — sold for $120,000, igniting debates about its legitimacy as art after a hungry student ate the banana.

The simple portraying of a banana taped to a wall as art reminds us that art can be expressed in thousands of ways. Palo Alto High School’s newest art teacher Mike da Ponte believes that art can also foster universal connections and is unique to every individual. He specifically uses art mainly as a form of self-discovery and finds the process therapeutic.

“I go into a lot of history about my identity as someone who’s adopted at birth, questioning where I come from and why and a lot of things that happened without having a biological roadmap,” da Ponte said. “Those are very personal things.”

Recently, he has found himself gravitating towards glass materials to create art.

No rules and limitless expression of the human experience give art its true power

can be tailored to every individual and there should be no set definition as to what is classified as a piece of art.

“There are limits to what I consider art, but I still think that people should be able to follow their own definition,” Kapadia said. “Art isn’t about following a rubric or specific path; it’s about expression and creating something that is fulfilling to yourself.”

Similar to da Ponte, Kapadia was exposed to art at a young age.

“Art has always been a big part of my life, ever since I was young,” Kapadia said. “It has also taught me a lot and helped me gain confidence. I have learned that hard work pays off through the sense of satisfaction I feel after finishing a piece I have spent hours on.”

“Art isn’t about following a rubric or specific path; it’s about expression and creating something that is fulfilling to yourself.”

Sasha Kapadia, 12

“It [glass] offers a lot of different possibilities to create, and that’s kind of why I love the material,” da Ponte said.

While the art forms that da Ponte practices are well known around the world, Paly senior Sasha Kapadia thinks that art

The wide range of art forms provides many opportunities to explore creativity. Paly junior Charlotte Barclay believes her passion for art stems from this variety.

“It [art] really impacts my life,” Barclay said. “It’s a way to express thoughts that I can’t otherwise express through words.”

According to Barclay, art should not be limited to its conventional styles.

“Art is whatever an individual de-

fines as an expression of themselves,” Barclay said. “There’s no rules in art; I think that’s the beauty of it.”

While art can help people connect with their inner selves and discover passions, it also can help others come together and create a sense of community and form relationships.

“I indirectly found teaching as an option for glass blowing … but since my time in education, I feel like I can connect with kids a lot better just because I was kind of the same,” da Ponte said.

As society is shifting to a more digital world, art can help bring people together through shared experiences.

“It [art] can create great communities because it’s how people are able to connect with other people over the same form of enjoyment of a specific type of art,” Barclay said.

Art can also allow people to decompress from stressful situations by connecting with art and artists.

“Oftentimes, I think that my emotions end up being relatable to the viewer,” Kapadia said. “I believe that art can help people feel less alone and bring them together.”

In current times, art is incorporated into big events as a way to express a statement, potentially causing controversy around the art itself. One form of art that not many people consider is advertisement. This was a significant factor in the recent 2024 U.S.

presidential election, viewed worldwide.

Blake Beers is the Vice President of brand marketing at Calm, a mental wellness brand with the number one app for sleep and meditation. Beers, who recently ran an election ad, states that advertising deserves to be recognized as an art form just as much as a painting or drawing.

“We’re all trying to hint at something that’s deeply human and evoke a feeling or a reaction,” Beers said.

Furthermore, Beers sees a deeper meaning in the art she is exposed to and encourages others to consider that when viewing and creating art.

“It [art] usually comes from some form of lived experience,” Beers said. “I think that no matter what kind of art you’re creating, it’s usually from a deep place of introspection and lived experience, and from there, a lot of different creativity can be born.”

Kapadia agrees with this view, believing that people often don’t see the meaning behind the artwork and can come to false conclusions.

“A lot of modern art nowadays is pretty controversial because people think it’s easy or simple, and while I partly agree, I think that it’s just a different type of art,” Kapadia said.

Kapadia feels as if there can be assumptions behind art, and people can sometimes discount what the artist is trying to portray.

“There can be meaning and thought behind modern art, even if it’s not completely apparent on the canvas,” Kapadia said.

Another factor as to why art can be misinterpreted is that oftentimes they are only looked at for a short period of time, preventing a person from fully connecting and understanding the concept of the piece itself.

“If anyone stops and looks at a piece of art for more than a minute, that’s a really good indicator that [the art] connected with something,” da Ponte said.

Ultimately, people should use art to express themselves and their feelings and not feel pressured to create it in a certain way that fits to others standards.

“The universe of art really has no bounds or limits,” Beers said. “That’s the beauty of it [art], I don’t think that it can really be defined.”

Text and design by DISHA MANAYILAKATH and FALLON PORTER • Art by FALLON PORTER

Create your own art!!

Follow @c__magazine on Instagram and send via a direct message a photo of your own limitless drawing above to be automatically entered in a raffle for a $15 Trader Joe’s gift card.

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winterClookbook

AS THE LEAVES FALL AND THE WINTER CHILL BEGINS TO SET IN, OUR WARDROBES TRANSITION TOO. SUMMER LINENS AND SHORTS GIVE WAY TO COZY SWEATERS AND SCARVES.

Design and photos by ALICE SHEFFER • Text by SILVIA RODRIGUEZ • Modeled by SAM EWEN, STELLA GUO, ELSA

LAGERBLAD, MICHAEL LI, MILO SABINA, IVAN SANDLER and LILY WILLIAMS

STELLAGUO

IVANSANDLER

MICHAELLI

BEYOND THE SEASONS CHANGING, EACH YEAR, THERE IS ANOTHER CONSTANT: THE HOLIDAYS ARE FULL OF OVERCONSUMPTION. DECOR, GIFTS AND WISHLISTS PROMISE THAT A PURCHASE WILL BRING HOLIDAY CHEER, AND WISHLISTS ARE FULL OF MASS-PRODUCED, TRENDY ITEMS.

DESPITE THE URGE TO CONSUME THIS WINTER, TRY SOMETHING NEW. THRIFTING OR ASSEMBLING GIFTS YOURSELF OFFERS A SENSE OF GRATIFICATION THAT CANNOT BE FOUND BY PURCHASING FAST FASHION. THE MODELS IN THIS ARTICLE ARE WEARING ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY THRIFTED CLOTHES, AND THEY HAVE INCORPORATED THE PIECES INTO THEIR STYLE IN UNIQUE WAYS. WE HOPE THAT THEY CAN GIVE YOU INSPIRATION ON CURATING YOUR OWN WINTER LOOKBOOK WHILE KEEPING SUSTAINABILITY IN MIND.