2024 Documentary Magazine Vol 2

Freestyle Academy

Junior Documentary Articles Vol. 2

Cover design by Lulu

Duarte

Freestyle Academy proudly presents

2024 Documentary Articles

Junior students were challenged with:

“How do you creatively and truthfully portray a significant person, group, place, idea, or issue in the community?”

For the Junior Documentary Project, students portray an intriguing person, group, place, idea, or issue, gathering primary and secondary research sources to develop a distinct perspective about their subject’s significance in the community and/or world. The research-based paper from English serves as the copy for the magazine articles in this publication. This unit emphasizes narrative-style journalism.

Students in Digital Media learned to use Adobe InDesign for article layout, Adobe Photoshop of image editing, and Adobe Illustrator for graphic design to produce these articles. Each student in Digital Media also produced a documentary website.

Film students additionally produced a Documentary Film. Animation students additionally produced an Animated Documentary. Design students additionally produced a Documentary Book.

All documentary productions can be viewed through https://freestyleacademy.rocks/documentaries

Contributing Authors

Maisie Rennie

Beyond the Textbooks

By Maisie Rennie

With

a bold stroke, a student quietly rebelled in the classroom, defying educational norms. Class began with them revising old assignments, red No 2. pencil the only tool allowed. Mechanical pencils were strictly forbidden, yet the plastic shine of a young student’s mischievousness caught her, the teacher’s, eye. They were not holding a red pencil. Instead, a brand new mechanical pencil, the flashy kind the color bright blue with a retractable eraser was gripped between their fingers. She didn’t yell, nor did she comment. Despite having broken the rules, the student’s act of defiance, disguised as compliance, was ignored. The next day, she heard the student gasp when the papers were redistributed. With trembling hands, the troublemaker scanned the paper, their eyes widening in surprise as they were met face-to-face with the teacher’s score of approval. They glanced up to look at the teacher, only to be met with her knowing smile. The next class, the student arrived with a new red pencil and sharpener, marking a subtle shift in their defiance.

In societies characterized by strict social hierarchies and competitive educational systems, being versatile is essential to providing effective education, working around the bubble, and

fostering inclusive learning environments. Junko Aoki, a teacher of over 18 years, has made it her goal to continue to nourish her students’ minds and create a fun and engaging classroom despite cultural barriers.

Adapting to the Bubble

Living in a rigid social structure or social bubble often creates an environment that one might not even realize they are participating in.

Social bubbles can be described as “the natural state of affairs for human beings. People seek out similarities in their marriages, workplaces, neighborhoods, and peer groups. The preferred sociological term is ‘homophily’—similarity breeds affection” (Thompson). This feeling of seeking out similarities causes “bubbles,” or groups of people to stick together because of their similar ideologies or characteristics. These bubbles can exist on smaller scales, but can also be seen on larger scales–such as whole countries.

Depending on where you live,

these norms could differ vastly. For example, in the United States, when one meets someone for the first time, common practice says to shake hands. In Japan, people bow instead. In France, kissing on the cheek as a greeting is a common social norm. These cultural differences, present even for just simple greetings, illustrate how social norms vary significantly.

Junko Aoki has experienced the stark contrast between many cultures. “I think it’s wonderful that people live here with such pride.” She expresses her admiration for individuals who embrace their cultural identity with confidence and pride, demonstrating her ability to recognize and appreciate the beauty in different cultural norms and values. This versatility has also helped her become a better teacher. Having lived in Japan where collectiv ism is the norm, and in America, a“West ern [country that] tend[s] to prioritize individualism,” (Nickerson) she has a unique perspective when it comes to operating in these spaces.

When Aoki moved to America from Japan, she came into herself in a new way, supported by the individual priority that the culture supports. She learned how to be more direct. She learned how to express her opinions without worrying about breaking the hierarchical structure. She learned how to be more outspoken when needed.

Yet whenever she goes back to Ja pan, she reverts back to her way of acting before she’d come to America, complying with the maintaining of social harmony and the prioritizing of the group over the individual. For example, “If I couldn’t go somewhere because I was busy today, instead of saying, ‘I’m busy today and can’t go,’ I might say, ‘I’m feeling a bit unwell today.’... That’s the Japanese way or style. It may seem distant and cool, but it is a virtue and is often called a beautiful culture.” While focusing on collective welfare and social harmony in Japan, their norms encourage individuals to consider the impact of their actions on others and prioritize cohesion over individual expression. As the Japanese say, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

one’s identity, as opposed to in America, where asserting your own personal identity and culture is more important than conforming to the same expectations.

In America, Junko Aoki embraces the cultural norm of direct communication, where expressing one’s thoughts and feelings openly is valued. Unlike in Japan, where subtlety and

people live here with such pride."

Junko Aoki

implicit cues are often preferred, Aoki finds comfort in being able to voice her opinions without reservation. For instance, she notes that in America, if she finds her tea too hot, she’ll straightforwardly state, “This tea is too hot,” a stark contrast to the more indirect approach commonly seen in Japan. This preference for direct communion in the bubble of American culture shows how assertiveness and self-expression is adopted in contrast to Japanese collectivist culture. Her ability to adopt her style depending on her culture highlights her willingness to embrace different cultural norms reflecting her adaptability and open-mindedness, allowing her to navigate effectively within different social bubbles.

She knows that wherever she goes, even within a completely different culture, norms, or social bubble, her versatile personality allows her to adapt to the space around her. Her adaptability enables her to connect with students from diverse backgrounds and create an inclusive atmosphere where all students feel valued and supported in their learning journey. By embracing versatility, Aoki transcends the constraints of rigid social structures and competitive schooling environments, thereby empowering her students to thrive academically and personally.

Competitive Education Culture

Or, as Aoki herself might say, “If you’re white but everyone around you is red, it is better to also become red,” (Aoki). In Japan, it was an advantage and more socially acceptable to adapt to the dominant culture rather than stand out by asserting

Competitive schooling environments, such as those found in Cupertino, place immense pressure on students to excel academically and stand out among their peers. Originally, she had decided to move to Cupertino as there was a powerful Asian community that she would be able to connect to, and only fully realized how academically motivated students were in her area. Drawing from her experiences of

living in Cupertino and watching her children grow up in the area, Aoki recognizes the effects of the hyper-competitive atmosphere.

“In most places, they just see who you are, but in Cupertino, they only see who you are in the future, or who you are going to be in the future. It’s not about the present, it’s about what comes next” (Aoki). In other words, if you were a student who was able to stand under the pressure, you would be considered a “good student”, but the moment you could not

"In most places, they just see who you are, but in Cupertino, they only see who you are in the future, or who you are going to be in the future. It's not about the present, it's about what comes next"

Junko Aoki

comply under the pressure, you would be labeled as a “bad student”. The pressures commonly associated with succeeding academically could be having straight A’s, doing many extracurricular activities, being a part of large leadership roles, and many other activities.

She couldn’y help but notice how not everyone was made for this lifestyle. Aoki recounts her own experiences with her children, her most competitive child excelled academically and was one of the top students in her class taking on many leadership roles and other extracurricular activities, eventually joining an Ivy League College through her determination and confidence with her solid college application. This competitive pressure from the people around her to get into prestigious colleges allowed her to focus on her studies and extracurriculars to make herself a stronger leader.

On the other hand, while observing her least competitive child, she could see his worries as he didn’t feel ready

for the future. He felt like he never found something he truly wanted to pursue like the other people around him, making him strive toward his dream college or career. He had hobbies and things he enjoyed, like reading novels and watching TV, but the competitive education system he was placed into did not acknowledge his efforts in school due to his lack of direction and extra effort like extracurriculars compared to other students. This caused him great stress about what the future could hold, limiting his true capability with his second guessing.

In worst case scenarios, “A competitive culture may also give rise to academic dishonesty and questionable practices” and will cause people to do whatever it takes to get the grades they need to “survive”. (Stilwell) The intense focus on achieving top grades at all costs can create a toxic atmosphere where students feel compelled to prioritize academic performance over integrity. This pressure to excel can lead some individuals to engage in cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of dishonest behavior as they perceive it as necessary for their survival in the fiercely competitive academic landscape. Aoki believes it’s important to be able to balance both the external pressure in academics and one’s strengths. If both of these are harmonized, good results will come out because they will even out and create a balance, but if one of the powers is too strong, neither side will be happy. Knowing this, she does her best to keep the pressure outside the classroom with the methods she uses, which we will dive deeper into in the next chapter.

Teaching Methods

Even within this competitive education bubble, she believes that it can do good as “There are children who want to take on challenges on their own because they think they are ready for them. Some kids can do more when faced with challenges’’ (Aoki). She understands the importance of fostering a supportive and inclu

sive learning environment that acknowledges the individuality of each student, and how not every student needs the same routine to succeed.

Using this to her advantage, she uses various teaching methods and strategies like group activities and interactive events as she aims to create a space where all students can grow academically and personally even within a competitive schooling environment. Simply put, a teacher’s job is to simplify and make abstract concepts accessible to students, even though “Not all students are motivated by the same values, needs, desires and wants” (Barberos), they can still benefit from tailored teaching style approaches. Knowing this, she experiments with different styles of teaching.

Junko Aoki uses one of many strategies to support her students’ learning. Before she even gets to the lesson, where students sit is an important aspect of learning. She strategically arranges her classroom, with well-behaved students seated in the center to encourage active participation, while those with differing viewpoints are positioned at the corners to maintain engagement without disrupting the class’s focus. Then, when introducing a partially intriguing topic, she initiates the first question to one of the students in the corner, which often sparks lively exchanges. However, on days that require extensive explanation, she redirects questions to the students in the center as they are usually the ones to ask the most clarifying questions, leading to better comprehension among all students.

But that’s not the only method she uses to ensure her students’ learning. “I spent a lot of time on the first 5 to 10 minutes of introduction, and if it is successful, the rest of the class will go smoothly. My thinking is, if I fail here, then nobody will listen or be interested for the rest of the class.” (Aoki) By targeting the interests and age ranges of her students, she incorporates engaging objects or ideas into her lessons. Whether it’s introducing a doll or toy to capture the curiosity of younger children, or posing a thought-provoking question to spark interest and discussion, she ensures that every student’s attention and learning styles are considered. “I want all twenty-five students to ask ‘What is that?’ and I will continue the introduction until I have all twenty-five students’ attention.” It’s no easy feat, and even Aoki admits that “Getting there can be difficult. It’s hard work, but I’m having a lot of fun.”

One of Aoki’s students from the year before, Emma Zhang, still thinks highly of her class: “It was a really fun class and she did a really good job entertaining the students and

getting people excited to learn… She did a good job of balancing fun and actually teaching the stuff in class.” One of her favorite lessons was learning about Setsubun, a Japanese holiday that takes place the day before the beginning of Spring. To celebrate, families often throw beans to scare away bad spirits and demons, which the class was able to replicate. One student pretended to be a demon, while everyone tried to scare them away with beans. This interactive activity was one of her most memorable lessons and made learning about Japanese Culture more engaging than her normal language classes. By using these teaching strategies and creating a dynamic learning environment, she encourages and nurtures the learning of her students, and tries to create a fun lighthearted community within her classroom to avoid the competitive atmosphere often seen in Silicon Valley.

Now, Aoki is the official substitute teacher at Mountain View High School’s Japanese III class. She hopes to encourage her students to continue learning Japanese in a way that is both entertaining to herself and her students. “I think the most important thing when children are striving to do something, is to encourage them by saying, ‘You can do it’”. Dedicated to her role as an educator, she eagerly anticipates the opportunity to expand her teaching responsibilities by becoming an AP Japanese teacher. Using her methodology, she wishes to engage more students in learning Japanese with interactive activities like replicating events combined with visual and audio learning to entertain and engage, straying away from the traditional

"I

think the most important thing when children are striving to do something, is to encourage them by saying, 'You can do it'"

Junko Aoki

textbook and notebook methods one may find in AP classes.

Even when faced with rigidity and societal constraints, it’s crucial to recognize that growth and progress are always possible. As Aoki reflects, “I still want to convey that you can still improve, believe, and take action. It’s better to know that there’s someone pushing you forward like this, rather than being passive.” Despite the challenges posed by a rigid social bubble in competitive schooling, with her wealth of teach ing experience and versatility, she remains dedicated to nurturing her student’s minds and fostering an environment for growth and positivity in her classroom.

About the Author

Maisie Rennie is a Mountain View High School Junior who studies Design at Freestyle Academy. She lives in Mountain View with her parents and older sister. She is highly active in her school’s dance program, Dance Spectrum, and is currently one of the treasurers. Outside of school, Maisie enjoys baking, cooking, hanging out with friends and family, sleeping, and doing various arts and crafts. She is excited to continue dancing and expressing her creativity through many more exciting projects at Freestyle Academy.

Mary Kate Outten

Balancing Acts

by: Mary Kate Outten

Colorful patterns adorn the screen and holiday cards shimmer on the desk, each one representing a different family or person. Various colorful designs such as holiday cards transform the room into a vibrant and unique space.

Colorful patterns adorn the screen and holiday cards shimmer on the desk, each one representing a different family or person. Various colorful designs such as holiday cards transform the room into a vibrant and unique space.

In her home office, Paula Su sits at her desk meticulously designing and curating Christmas and other festive cards. She frantically brainstorms ideas for designing these products and figures out which designs will appeal to parents and families throughout America. There is something different though about this CEO. While most leaders of a company would adopt business attire and sternly instruct others what to do, Su is an energetic and outgoing person who works comfortably in her own home; she commonly wears t-shirts, leggings or jeans, and her glasses. This business casual lifestyle helps her to transform new ideas and designs into Petite Lemon.

In her home office, Paula Su sits at her desk meticulously designing and curating Christmas and other festive cards. She frantically brainstorms ideas for designing these products and figures out which designs will appeal to parents and families throughout America. There is something different though about this CEO. While most leaders of a company would adopt business attire and sternly instruct others what to do, Su is an energetic and outgoing person who works comfortably in her own home; she commonly wears t-shirts, leggings or jeans, and her glasses. This business casual lifestyle helps her to transform new ideas and designs into Petite Lemon.

Getting to Know Paula Su

Petite Lemon creates designs with a focus on cards and stationery, but also kid’s decor, lettering, t-shirt designs, and wedding invitations. After founding her company, Su partnered with Shutterfly, Target, and Michaels to sell her products.

“I think entrepreneurship for me, definitely has been a way where you can figure out what your priorities are” (Su).

In a society that favors moms staying home to take care of their children, Su sees how it can be challenging for women to balance both having an occupation that they aspire to and having enough time to care for their families. In the face of traditional gender norms, many women struggle to achieve this proper balance.

However, Su embraces entrepreneurship as a gateway to a successful job where she doesn’t have to sacrifice family for her career. Tonika Bruce, CEO of Lead Nicely Inc. explains, “As a female entrepreneur in digital marketing, my latest networking opportunities...have shed light on how much potential exists in exploring those areas of the industry unknown to us.” Like Bruce, Su sees the importance of digital marketing and exemplifies to other women that founding your own business, such as her card company that lets her imagination and creativity flourish, makes it possible to become financially prosperous while still allotting your hours to make time for being a mother. She has found this possible through the endless possibilities of e-commerce. By founding her own successful business, Su embodies how women can obtain work-life balance through entrepreneurship and self-reliance.

Many corporations expect women to work extremely long, tedious hours in their occupations, which is near-impossible when women have children at home in need of their care. As professors, Robin J. Ely and Irene Padavic assert, “High-level jobs require extremely long hours, women’s devotion to family makes it impossible for them to put in those hours, and their careers suffer as a result.” This reality sheds light on the imbalance in opportunities between men and women in the workforce. It doesn’t seem fair or applicable that men can obtain financially prosperous jobs and women a lot of the time can’t, because of the long extensive hours required to do so.

Her Inspiration

A journey towards independent entrepreneurship and managing one’s occupation isn’t simple. Su highlights the challenges of maintaining a 9-5 occupation while also having family responsibilities. Su started off working for a scrapbook company in Utah in her late 20s when she had young children. She took the job because of her role as VP of design, an opportunity too significant to pass up. She collaborated with designers and came up with product ideas, packaging, and other creative components to enhance E-commerce. However, she quickly realized how difficult it was to manage being a mother and someone in the workforce, and she wasn’t receiving the respect she deserved.

Her boss was a middle-aged man who made her work strenuous, long hours, sometimes going the entire night without even sleeping while commuting from her home state of California to Utah. She would have to leave her family for days at a time to make the commute to her job and meet all of her deadlines.

“He was so inflexible that it motivated me. I wanted to do interesting work and I wanted to make money off of it, instead of making money for someone else; I needed to [make] my own business” (Su).

Working for someone else limited her abilities to work and be a mom too: “They expect to own your Saturdays or Sundays, your kid’s birthday, like they don’t care” (Su).

Monique Edmonson, Sr. Director of Transforming Employee Experiences at CISCO and Su’s friend, emphasizes that working for large companies can be time-consuming: “Working for corporate America has its limitations and expectations. Maybe choose a career where eventually (after you put in your time to gain the domain expertise), you can create your hours, and schedule, and stay relevant and fulfilled. As a Mom, that is my dream job.” While a corporate job has its pros and cons, it can pose challenges to maintaining a balanced work-life. Edmonson’s point here is essential; although Corporate America is prosperous, it makes it challenging sometimes to manage family life and work.

sometimes to manage family life and work. Through working with this design corporation, Su realized her true aspirations: to manage her momwork life more so that she could see her family regularly while still pursuing her dreams of design. While this type of work is crucial for creating a foundation for success and building a business, Su understands that creating an occupation is not an overnight process—it requires skills and dedication. “I think early on, it makes a lot of sense to work for a big company. You’ll get training and exposure that you won’t get at a small company” (Su). In other words, working in larger corporations can be important for gaining foundational knowledge for your job, even if it doesn’t always make family-work life possible. Her corporate job led her to gain financial stability and foundational skills in E-commerce and design to create Petite Lemon.

Work Life Balance

For some mothers, a part-time job is the most they can balance. The data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics illustrates this reality: “In 2020, 22.4 percent of employed women usually worked part-time. By comparison, 11.6 percent of employed men usually worked part-time” (“Highlights of Women’s Earnings”). For Su, a part-time job in her earlier career did not seem like the appropriate choice for advancing her career and becoming financially successful. She wanted to be able to manage her hours, and this is really what led her to the creation of Petite Lemon. At her company, she learned how to become prosperous through mass marketing . In particular, marketing her cards digitally made it possible for her business to become popular. For instance, “Market research will tell you if there’s an opportunity to turn your idea into a successful business” (“10 steps”). Entrepreneurship is one way to be able to manage your hours and still be able to make money. It can be a gateway into obtaining an occupation and being able to successfully manage family life. Su demonstrated this skill when learning how to market to her audience. She honed her ability to select designs, fonts, and arrangements in her cards to effectively target a broad network of individuals and families across America through years of experience and work.

“I think entrepreneurship is, for me, definitely a way where you can figure out what your priorities are and your priorities are. And my priority has been interesting, meaningful work, but also work that’s flexible and that allows people to go pick up their kids at 3:00. And nobody needs to explain to me or, you know, apologize for being gone” (Su).

Inspiration

Monique Edmonson brings an interesting perspective on time management, explaining how she sees her mom vs work life through metaphor:

“Glass balls are ones you can’t let go and rubber are ones you can allow to drop. This changes all the time.”

In other words, some things in her family are like the glass ball; the most important thing that will come before work. Sometimes though important meetings with work will be the glass ball and other activities will be the “rubber ball,” the crucial part about managing work life and home life is having an overall balance. She maintains resilience as a businesswoman because Edmonson is an example of someone who can manage their priorities in life successfully despite scheduling conflicts and different events in her life. Su sets an example of how entrepreneurship and creating your own company can lead to a variety of benefits, including the flexibility to manage scheduling. This leaves time for going to your kid’s soccer game, recital, or event—the things in life that matter. Ultimately, the key to being able to work and be successful while also being a mom is just doing what is right for you and your lifestyle as a woman in society. Or, in Paula Su’s words:

“Don’t let the choices in the world decide for

you.”

Petite Lemon gives her the freedom to manage being a mom and following her passions. Still, it’s a job, and being a mom is not easy. Su explains how hard work and grit will need to be put into every day, but it is worth it in the end to create your own destiny.

Su reflects,

“The world will say you can have this or you can have that, right? [They will say] you can have a career or you can have kids, but it’s pretty hard to have both. And don’t listen to them. You pick for yourself what you want, and then you find a way to make that happen, you know, and to know what’s possible.”

About Me

Mary Kate is a Junior at Mountain View High School and is a Film student at Freestyle Academy. She loves hanging out with her friends and family, working at her job at Hyperspace, and being involved with Spartan Buddies on campus.

Mia Delgo

by: Mia Delgo

A Journey of Resilience

In the scorching desert heat, a platoon of soldiers pushes through grueling training, surrounded by the constant barrage of commands. They must stay determined to successfully endure days of extreme pressure and physical exertion. Lior Delgo, 19 years old at the time, had been serving in the Israeli Defense Force for two years. To this day, he will never forget the physically and mentally grueling process of training he went through prior to being sent to Rwanda in a special forces unit on a humanitarian mission.

Lior’s role in the Israeli delegation was far from ordinary. As part of a select unit of only 15 soldiers, they was tasked with a dual mission: ensuring the safety of the Israeli team and aiding the Rwandan population still reeling from the aftermath of the 1994 genocide. Never would he have imagined that this experience would equip him with the resilience and adaptability to eventually become successful in navigating through the dynamic corporate world of the Silicon Valley.

Upon departing to Rwanda, Delgo and the rest of the delegation left in a Hercules plane carrying medical equipment and 89 different people: medics, nurses, aides, and administrative personnel. Prior to Delgo’s landing in Rwanda, the entire Israeli delegation received education of the cause and results of the genocide, including reports from the area about the conditions of the local population. Despite this information, witnessing the horrors that were taking place firsthand was still profoundly shocking. Delgo explains that, “immediately,

the suffering, the real condition of the population on the ground, the scale of the death and the casualties were very visible, very apparent.” As the plane touched down onto ruins of what once was an airport, a crowd of people, including children, rushed towards it, their faces showing desperation, begging for food and water. Delgo recalls his reaction to this tragic circumstance: “someone that was born into this situation, having no influence, understanding, impact, say, and yet has found themself in the worst, most devastating situation that one can experience on planet earth, is something that is heartbreaking.”

In order to alleviate the suffering that surrounded them, the team set up a field hospital, an emergency care unit, and a mobile laboratory all within 18 hours. In fact, the delegation that worked alongside Delgo included individuals with diverse backgrounds, ranging from seasoned soldiers to experienced doctors who were used to seeing severe suffering and trauma. Even then, despite all of their prior experience and knowledge, seeing and experiencing the genocide first hand was beyond anything they had gone through or could have imagined. The experience of being at war is “an enveloping, sustained, extreme auditory experience that cannot be replicated in another setting,” continuing that, “someone who has never been to war, cannot really understand it” (Lambrecht).

Following a deeply emotional arrival, marked by devastation and shock, the soldiers and the doctors rallied support for one another. Although difficult, they had to remove themselves from the sorrow of watching that level of devastation. They shifted their focus to the mission, drawing on their intensive training to execute tasks and overcome obstacles amidst the tragedy.

Reflecting upon Delgo’s experience in Rwanda, he remembers seeing people who had been stripped of everything. Despite that, they were able to survive and function. There was still a desire for life, and for the lives of their loved ones. There was a desire to support and help each other to survive and overcome. The dreadful realities of war for the population of Rwanda became so prevalent that they gradually merged into their daily lives, essentially becoming the accepted norm, losing how shocking it is. This response can be associated with habituation. According to Kendra Cherry, MS, a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, habituation is a mechanism which “helps humans function in environments where they are being inundated with sensory experiences and information” (Cherry). In this way, Delgo’s observation emphasizes the remarkable resilience of individuals during the brutality of war, while also illustrating the human ability to adapt to the horrific circumstances.

“That adaptation is something that I don’t think that people understand that they have in them. They don’t think that they can push themselves to their extreme, but they do, and they can.”

Delgo’s intensive military training not only taught him how to carry out tasks and follow instruction, but it also instilled in him psychological resilience and mental toughness. A recent article by Luke Jennings, suggests that psychological resilience is one of the most important psychological skills in the armed forces as soldiers “experience an unprecedented number of adverse situations, and are required to prepare for unknown challenges”. With the combination of this resilience and support from his colleagues, Delgo explained that he and the rest of the delegation essentially “got used to it”. You may think, how can one “get used to” this drastic scale of death and suffering? As Delgo described, “getting used to it, is effectively an element of being able to function.” They reminded themselves, “I am here to accomplish something. I am here on a mission. I am focused. I know what I need to do. I’m here to have a positive impact” (Delgo).

Most of all, the adaptation and resilience of the local population there is what stunned Delgo the most.

Delgo’s life changing experience on this mission in Rwanda and the insights he gained eventually helped him to develop the ability to tackle challenges not just as a soldier, but also in his corporate and business pursuits. Only five years after returning from Rwanda, Delgo moved to the United States where he founded his first startup, Farechase, which was later bought by Yahoo. Following that, he co-founded his second startup, Videosurf, which was acquired by Microsoft. With every startup Delgo gained a lot of valuable experience and insights into various aspects of entrepreneurship. As a soldier, with a lot of training and a lot of experience, what you are designed to do is execute, achieve a mission, follow orders, and overcome obstacles no matter what. These lessons from Delgo’s military experiences

played a significant role in shaping his resilience, adaptability, and leadership skills, which in turn contributed to his success in the corporate world.

Now, Delgo is the Co-Founder and President at Globality, his third and most ambitious startup. Globality has transformed enterprise procurement into a smarter way that creates more efficient, inclusive markets around the globe. Globality was built on AI, which was perceived as risky and unreliable. It played off: Many big companies such as Adidas, Tesco, Chick Fil A, US Bank, and UCB Pharma have adopted and partnered with Globality’s product. Delgo’s current role is to bring together the best team in the world, and work relentlessly to ensure that Globality’s vision becomes a reality across the world. His ultimate goal, as he describes it, is “to grow Globality into one of the largest technology companies in the world” (Delgo). Individuals with military backgrounds, like Delgo, bring a lot of leadership skills and qualities to the corporate world, including resilience, performance under pressure, teamwork, humility, and a sense of mission. These traits often allow them to excel in challenging environments and make significant contributions to their organizations, companies, etc. According to Stuart, “Veterans come to the corporate world having already gained incredible experiences in teamwork, setting expectations, holding people accountable and providing resources to their teams.” The same determination and adaptability traits that were utilized during his service appear again in the corporate world. These attributes have not only propelled Globality towards its goal of becoming a successful technology company, but have also cultivated Delgo into a visionary leader who is capable of overcoming

obstacles and achieving ambitious objectives. Delgo’s path with Globality showcases his resilience, which as Delgo states, is the most essential quality honed from his military background. Starting a company from scratch, especially when facing skepticism about AI, is tough. Yet, Delgo’s military experience taught him to push forward despite doubts.

“AI was already a wild card in the tech world. So building an entire company based on it seemed like a gamble no one wanted to take. But I took it.”

He knew the value of building a strong team, a lesson learned from the importance of teamwork in the military. This foundation helped him navigate challenges in the everchanging tech industry, where unforeseen obstacles are guaranteed.

Delgo’s resilience to succeed and his ability to assemble and lead a capable team are key factors driving Globality’s growth in the competitive corporate landscape.W Delgo reflects on past challenges, “I find myself confronted with challenges on an almost daily basis, navigating obstacles that can often appear overwhelming. However, reflecting on my experiences in Rwanda, I’m reminded that the challenges I currently face pale in comparison. This reflection serves as a reminder of my immense fortune.” Delgo concludes that gratitude and perspective have also helped to fuel his commitment to Globality.

About the Author

Mia Delgo is 17 years old and a current student at Freestyle Academy. Some of her core values in life are loyalty, honesty, friendship, and obviously a good humor! Outside of school Mia loves spending time with her friends, which includes playing games and thrifting.

My documentary website

Nadine Sheridan

The LateBlooming Gardener, Michael Behen

By: Nadine Sheridan

Inthe hot sun, Micheal Behen works in the garden. Working overtime, hour after hour, day after day, weekends, and weekdays, a tiring schedule indeed. Yet, look closely and you will see something unusual stirred in his motions, his expressions. A light smile flashed on his face, movements filled with intent and rigor. He “took to gardening like a jazz musician,” a friend of Behen described “It became everything” (Behen). However, this gift that has now become so ingrained as part of Behen’s personality, wasn’t always present in his life.

Michael Behen is a man who risked his stable and financially supportive career in order to pursue his passion, rather than become imprisoned in a line of work he had no interest in. “53% of American workers don’t find their job fulfilling most of the time” (Horowitz and Parker). A silent crisis that is affecting over half of Americans. Those who spend the majority of their day forcing themselves to do something they don’t want to do. Many people are paralyzed by the fear of having to give up all of their past experience and credentials in order to pursue a passion. However, Behen’s story shows how feeling fulfilled can be worth the hardships and lead to a better, happier life. Behen was able to recognize that the risks of changing your career can lead to a better life and more success. People feel pressure to stay because leaving would mean all their hard work was for nothing. However, the “average age for making a career change is 39” (Douglas), though many people don’t realize it isn’t uncommon to trade your job for a new one.

Making the Switch

One of the hardest things Behen had to do was face the risk of changing his job. He had a stable career in commercial photography. He was

getting paid to do something that he was proficient at. So why leave? Well, he always knew that he was not meant for it.“There were days I thought I’d cry on the train going to work,” he said. Still, changing careers was not an easy choice. Living in San Francisco provided an extra challenge. First, rent was obnoxiously high. Why risk your job when it means risking your rent money, your home. Secondly, there was a lot of pressure to be part of the internet revolution. Behen had a stable job, and he knew trading it would bring about new challenges and most likely more work, but he knew that he had to leave.

“I knew I didn’t like it because I could see other people who loved it.” - Micheal Behen

Micheal Behen grew up in suburban Peekskill, New York. Surrounded by White Oaks and Eastern White Pines, his childhood is filled with fond memories of playing in trees; he enjoyed his time, but never really got into gardening. As an adult he went into landscape photography using film. This meant more time outside as well as in the woods.

However, his freedom from the rising digital age all changed when he moved to California in 1997. As the digital revolution grew in the heart of Silicon Valley, film photography became outdated and digital photography became the new norm. Exp nsive housing also meant that he needed a stable job with a better income. It seemed the only thing left for Behen to do was to become a commercial photographer and photo editor for a magazine. “But I hated it,” Behen said. This wasn’t the right job for him, it would never be. But there wasn’t anything else for him to do.

Planting in the Present

Behen finds much enjoyment in his job designing and maintaining gardens. He has dealt with some tough customers, where they are too specific about what they want, or too vague. Though dealing with some tough clients, he

A few years later, he began volunteering to restore the Arizona Garden at Stanford. He started looking forward to the weekends because that was the time that he could truly devote himself to gardening. Unexpectedly, another volunteer gave him a job offer, as a gardener. Though he had never been employed in the gardening industry, he was quick to learn the tools of the trade. When the manager of Mandeville Garden Companies was ready to retire, Behen was offered the job. Though it meant less hands-on work and more paperwork, he took the job and is currently working as the boss today.

has found much enjoyment in his day-to-day life. Behen is able to work with people to bring a beautiful garden they had in their mind to life. One of Behen’s workers explained, “he was the one who managed resolving those issues, and I think he did a good job of doing that, just kind of maintaining calm coolness and just kind of ensuring that the customer ended up being satisfied with whatever the situation was” (Smart).

One of the hardest crises he had to face was that of the pandemic. As with many businesses, Micheal wasn’t able to send workers or get new clients during this time. He was able to support his workers though generous clients that continued to pay him. They endured and soon they were able to start up their business again, earlier than most because they would work outside and just made sure to stay apart from others and wear a mask. This was a big relief for everyone. When more restrictions

started lifting and people felt more comfortable interacting with others again, they found even more business though people who wanted their home to be beautiful as they were now spending more time in it. Not to mention, some of their current clients wanted them to come by more often. As a result, business increased.

Today, Behen’s biggest problem is finding workers in the area as most people looking for jobs around the area are looking for jobs in programming. Since taking on such a high leadership position, the job has been very stressful for him too, but he still enjoys organizing his workers and designing gardens. Originally, he had plans to move back to San Francisco, but the Pandemic hindered his plans. Still, Behen hopes to move back someday. Behen is very glad that he left his old job saying, “as soon as I started gardening, I realized it was worth it and now I realize now after all this time it was worth the sacrifice to do it.”

About the Author

Nadine is an Animation Student at Freestyle Academy. She enjoys drawing birds and hanging out with friends. Outside of school she does Science Olympiad as part of the Mountain View High School team (her favorite events are Forestry and Experimental Design). She also teaches volleyball to kids though volunteering at USYVL, where she has gotten very good at receiving passes by 7 - 8 year olds.

Nate Kelly

Miracles

by nate kelly

Life Now

Three boys huddle around two computers. Click clack, click clack. Their fingers click away as they play Minecraft. Lincoln, the biggest brother, mans one computer. Weston plays on his computer positioned to the right, while his identical twin brother, Bennett, happily watches from a chair behind them. Many Gen Z children throughout America are surrounded by technology daily: playing video games, watching YouTube, texting, etc, and these three boys are no exception. However, Bennett and Weston have been surrounded by modern technology since they were born. Looking at the twins playing Minecraft with their older brother Lincoln, it is almost impossible to imagine that they were once severely premature babies. Thanks to advancements in neonatal and postnatal care, they are able to live healthy lives, and of course, play Minecraft together.

overcoming odds

The doctors gave Weston and Bennett a low chance of survival given they were born 14 weeks early. But through the work of many specialists utilizing advanced equipment in the NICU, they have been able to live happily and healthily. Bennett has spent a lot of time doing therapy, as he suffers from mild to moderate cerebral palsy that limits his physical capabilities. New forms of therapy like hippotherapy, a form of therapy where the patient rides a horse, have helped Bennett move towards being able to move better on his own. With the help of these therapies, the twins have been able to avoid many additional medical complica-

tions that would have greatly impacted their lives. The struggles of premature births and the detrimental effects that can take place, and are often present at birth, are a rising issue in the world. Premature births have seen a surge in the recent decade, however new treatments and therapies have limited the harmful effects of these births.

school

Leavingno later than 8:15 a.m. the boys and their mom, Anna Kinney, pile into their Honda minivan to head to Oak Elementary School. Following the five minute ride, the boys hop out of the car to walk to the blacktop for assembly. Anna holds Bennett’s hand as they walk to the blacktop to find their teachers and classmates. They line up behind their teacher as they listen to the day’s announcements. Once the announcements are done, the whole school participates in the pledge of allegiance before walking to their classrooms. After the pledge, the boys go their separate ways. Lincoln, the oldest of the three, walks with his classmates and teacher to their 5th grade classroom. Weston walks to his 1st grade class. And Bennett walks with his aid to his 1st grade class, where he continues to receive additional help from his aid during class hours. All three boys describe going to school together as “fun,” and depending on the day, Anna is often there too. According to Bennett,

“she volunteers a lot.”

Anna volunteers around twice a week, alternating classrooms to give equal time to both Bennett and Weston. Her volunteering includes a multitude of areas: math centers, field trips, lunch time duty, and of course, looking after the twins. The after school schedule for the boys usually depends on Bennett’s therapy. On Mondays and Fridays, Bennett and Weston get out twenty minutes earlier than Lincoln and have to wait for him to get out for Anna and the boys to all go

home together. On other days, Anna and Bennett go to therapy while their dad, Vic Chiang, gets Weston and Lincoln from school.

therapy

Whenthe boys were younger, Weston and Bennett both had multiple therapies, but Weston’s mental and physical development has now caught up to normal. Bennett continues to go to a variety of different therapies through the course of the week to help with different areas that are affected by cerebral palsy. He goes to physical therapy one time a week, where they work on his hips and legs to improve his walking abilities. At physical therapy, they use an electrostimulation therapy that helps train his brain to activate certain muscles when performing specific tasks. Anna explains, “it helps the neuropath excite so that his brain knows when he needs to be turning on certain muscles when he is doing something like going up stairs.” Bennett also does occupational therapy once a week. Occupational therapy helps people who have physical, sensory, or cognitive problems through developing fine motor skills, improving eye-hand coordination, and teaching basic life skills and behaviors. The last type of therapy that Bennett does weekly is hippotherapy. The name for this therapy is misleading as he is not actually working with hippos, but with horses. This type of therapy combines aspects of both physical and occupational therapy, helping Bennett’s neurological and physical abilities by channeling the movement of the horse. Riding on a horse forces Bennett’s body to make adjustments to the horse’s gait (manner of walking), tempo, rhythm, repetition, and cadence of the horse. Hippotherapy helps Bennett’s physical development by activating different muscles to adjust and keep his body balanced while riding the horse. It also helps Bennett cognitively, as riding the horse develops a connection between Bennett’s brain and the use of

different muscles, forcing his brain to figure out how to maintain balance on the horse. Overall, this therapy promotes neuromuscular development in a way that is a positive and fun environment for patients like Bennett.

postnatal care

Whenthe twins were younger, both required different technologies and medicines to help supplement their growth. Some of the major treatments and technologies that they used were feeding tubes, milk fortifiers, and various early therapies and corrective surgeries. The feeding tubes were crucial for the twins, as they could not ingest food through their mouths. They had gastrostomy tubes (G-tubes) that are placed in the abdomen, directly into the stomach. In order for the twins to get their nutrients and milk, they pumped the milk through the valve, directly into the stomach. The G-tubes served as the main method for the twins to receive sufficient nutrition for many years. Weston had his removal in the fall of 2020, while Bennett’s was removed this spring. During their early years, the twins ingested milk that was mixed with a fortifier which is filled with extra nutrients and calories to help premature babies catch up on development that they would have had during the third trimester of pregnancy. In the NICU, the twins were on a human-based milk fortifier which significantly reduced the chance of the twins getting necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a serious intestinal disease among premature babies that can lead to life-threatening infections. Once they were out of the hospital, they used a cow milk fortifier to continue to supplement nutrients and calories for their development. In addition to the technologies they used, both Bennett and Weston had minor procedures done to prevent

problems in the future. For example, one procedure they had done was cleft palate repair. A cleft palate is

when the tissue that connects the roof of the mouth does not join together completely before birth. Vic explains the repair: “they pull the two sides of the mouth together and sew it.” This surgery left the twins with small scars, but prevented a multitude of issues. In addition to the cleft palate repair, Bennett had cross eyes which were solved with the help of botox injections. While it is most common to hear about botox being used to get rid of wrinkles, its muscle relaxing capabilities were able to straighten Bennett’s eyes. Through a combination of procedures, technologies, medicines, and therapy, the twins were able to fix many harmful conditions that now make their lives much easier and more functional.

In the nicu

The help of modern technology and medicine has been life-changing for the twins, however the work of intensive care doctors and nurses in combination with the technology was the true miracle. The twins were in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for 108 days after their July 2 birthday, being monitored and tended to up until October 18, ten days after their official due date. The time spent in the NICU helped catch the twins up on the development that most babies undertake in the third trimester of pregnancy. To put into perspective the amount of doctors and nurses working to help Anna and the twins, Vic and Anna described the team present during Anna’s risky emergency Caesarian section: “two OB teams… three NICU teams… so around twenty-five people in the room.” After the twins came out through C-section, tiny needles called PICC lines were stuck into their veins to give them nutrients and medicine. In addition to the PICC lines, they were intubated, meaning they had a tube put down their throats to keep their airways open. Through this tube, they had a ventilator that pumped positive air pressure down to the lungs to help them

breathe. They also had feeding tubes that went down their noses. Another piece of equipment that played a major role in the NICU were incubators to keep the twins as warm as they would have been in the womb. Much of the equipment helped the twins with the problems of prematurity, but a lot of additional equipment was used in the NICU to monitor the twins as well: pulse ox monitors to measure oxygen levels and pulse, x-rays to check their lungs and head, and frequent blood testing. The time spent in the NICU was stressful for everyone involved, but the technology and medical professionals were truly miracle workers in allowing Bennett and Weston to live the healthy lives they live now.

a lasting impact

Going

forward, the twins will continue to move away from the technology that helped save and take care of them for almost all of their lives. Bennett will continue to do therapy to work towards reducing the effects of cerebral palsy. Both continue to get healthier and lead more normal lives as they keep growing, meaning they won’t need as much assistance from medicine and technology. However, even though the twins won’t rely on the same remedies of the past, the impact will not go away. As of today, it is hard to guess that the twins were premature babies, weighing only a pound and a half each at birth. New innovations and medical research continue to change the lives of so many preemie babies and their families, as demonstrated by Bennett and Weston’s story.

a happy story

When looking back at such a stressful and intense time, it is hard not to get caught up in all of the scary alternative scenarios. However, Vic emphasizes that the story of the twins is a happy one, and one to be grateful for: They’re fine. It’s a happy story.

About the author

Nate Kelly is a junior at Mountain View High School and a Film student at Freestyle Academy.

Nate is the third child in a family of six. He enjoys playing basketball and lacrosse for Mountain View. Outside of sports, most of his free time is spent laughing with friends and family, listening to music, doing homework, and taking lengthy naps. And, as you can tell, he is quite fashionable.

Rachel Berry

Leading Through Worship and Hardship

Rachel Berry

AsCantor Jaime Shpall enters the beitkehillah, the community room, an aura of peace radiates through the room. Her wide, lively smile and laugh accompany this peace, inviting her students to look up to her, seeking guidance.

The room, used for miscellaneous meet ups and teen group meetings, has been converted into a temporary classroom, filled with 13-year-olds studying for their bar and bat mitzvahs, a significant course of Jewish study in which they are called to read from the

Torah (Old Testament) for the first time as Jewish adults. Cantor Shpall supports them every step of the way, recording herself singing Torah portions for students to listen to, correcting mispronunciations, and adjusting wrong notes. She is not alone. A team of Madrichim, teens who have already had their b’nai mitzvahs and have come back to help, are there to support the students as well.

Shpall has a special bond with every student, shown in her personal knowledge of their family and their interests, as well as her passing “hellos” and “how are yous”. The room is mostly quiet, as

students listen to Shpall’s voice singing pre-recorded prayers through headphones. Throughout the entire six-month process, her voice is literally in their ear, guiding them and teaching them.

Chapter 1

JaimeShpall is an extremely warm, welcoming woman who fosters a strong sense of community in her synagogue, especially in the face of hardship. As the cantor at Congregation Beth Am, in Los Altos Hills, California, her job is rigorous yet rewarding, with a six-day work week and a variety of roles and tasks.. Her work takes her to hospitals and funerals, visiting with those who have experienced loss and suffering, and to classrooms, helping preeteens prepare for the day of their bar or bat mitzvah. She is also seen weekly at Friday evening and Saturday morning Shabbat services, singing prayers, playing guitar, and leading the congregation. Guided by some of the most important Jewish values of joy, gratitude, and open-heartedness, Shpall leads Congregation Beth Am, both through worship and hardship. As cases of antisemitism across the world rise, Cantor Shpall is a constant leader in her community, supporting, teaching, and leading with love.

Being a Cantor is not a job everyone can do, but Shpall makes it look easy. Her weekday mornings are taken up by meetings of all sorts. Sometimes she has meetings over coffee, other times she meets with the Rabbis to discuss the calendar and their upcoming services. There are also those in need whom she supports. People in the hospital are greeted by her warm smile and kind words as she offers them blessings of healing and strength. Families who have recently experienced a death are helped through the

heavy process with Shpall at their side, as she guides them and offers them a hand to help them get through their grief. Finally, her afternoons are taken by the bar and bat mitzvah students of Beth Am.

On their big day, they lead prayers, songs, and recite the portion of the Torah they have been practicing for months. However, throughout this process, Shpall is there every step of the way. Recordings of the cantor singing every single prayer they have to learn are given to each student. They will listen to her crystal clear voice over and over again, repeating each line after her, until they know it by heart.

“When you’re at that age, there’s a real sort of tenderness,” Shpall says. This tenderness comes from the huge changes that happen during the teenage years, the decisive moments that shape who one is and allow one to open up to vulnerability and transformation. Although all parts of her job are important, she says her favorite is working with the B’nai Mitzvah students, watching them learn and grow, and getting to hear them recite their Torah portion when the time comes.

Thirteen years old can be a difficult time of transition for everyone, with hormonal changes, mental changes, and emotional changes. That is one reason having a bar or bat mitzvah can be so special. It shows commitment, growth, and social awareness, despite such drastic changes in every aspect of one’s life. Shpall notes that times of transition are important in Judaism, with the Sabbath starting at sundown, the transition from day to night.

In addition to being important in Judaism, times of transition are important in a person’s life. “I think… when people are their most awkward or most vulnerable, that is also when they’re able to be their

“I like being able to help them...It brings me so much happiness” (Shpall).

most self-person. And I like being able to help them, I like to help [them] as [they’re] going through that. It brings me so much happiness” (Shpall).

Chapter 2

The happiness that is brought to her by the Beth Am community is received by the community as well. Rabbi Sarah Weissman, who has worked at Beth Am for fifteen years and has known Cantor Shpall since she started working there nine years ago, works with Shpalla during some of the bar and bat mitzvah services, as well as weekly Shabbat services. As both coworkers and close friends, she notices that “[Jaime] especially is very loving of our B’nai Mitzvah students… we always bless the students with some private words and every single student she, you know, tells them that she loves them and she really means it” (Weissman).

As much as she loves her job, Shpall didn’t always know that she wanted to become a Cantor. In fact, she says that she “didn’t… really realize that women could be cantors at the time” (Shpall). She began her life wanting to be President of the United States, then a veterinarian. As she started thinking more seriously about her career, she thought that a therapist might be the right fit, because she liked helping people discover who they are.

But finally, while working at a summer camp as a counselor with her friends, two representatives from Hebrew Union College came looking to recruit students.

Originally, Shpall was not paying much attention to the announcement, “but then they did say that there was going to be a meeting for people who graduated from college, which I had just. And there would be pie from Marie Calendar’s. And I was like, ‘Pie? What?’” (Shpall). Although Shpall may have been motivated by the free pie, that meeting was the moment she realized that being a cantor would be the great fit for her. Reflecting on her childhood, she also noted that “I know that

I do the right thing as a cantor because as a kid, you know, it was the music of the service that transported me” (Shpall).

Shpall now creates the music that transported her as a kid, with her guitar accompaniment and powerful voice, giving her the opportunity to help congregants and listeners make spiritual connections. If a congregant feels a sense of connection while singing prayers or hearing Shpall’s melody even for a moment, that will have made her career worthwhile.

Chapter 3

In

her position as cantor, Shpall not only leads her community in worship, but also through hardship experienced by the Jewish community. Antisemitism, hatred of Jewish individuals, groups, or facilities (“Defining Anti-Semitism”), has been steadily on the rise in the US since before 2013 (Richter). However, according to the Anti-Defamation League, a worldwide anti-hate organization that fights antisemitism, extremism, and bigotry, there has been a 337 percent increase in instances of antisemitism in the United States specifically in the period from October 7th (the day Hamas attacked Israel) to December 7th, compared to the same time period in 2022 (“ADL Reports Unprecedented Rise in

Rabbi Weissman notes, referring to the Beth Am community, that “it certainly has affected all of us. I think there’s a lot of fear and sadness and anger after October 7th” (Weissman).

Congregation Beth Am itself has directly experienced the effects of rising antisemitism in the US. Closely following October 7th, Beth Am received a bomb threat during Shabbat services. Everyone in the building had to be evacuated to the parking lot as police were called to ensure the synagogue was safe. In the end, the all-clear was given, but any threat against a Jewish place of worship is frightening for both congregants and clergy.

And yet, despite the threat, Shpall tells of how she, her husband, and her coworker went back inside the building to package food that was waiting to be eaten after the service. They saved all the remaining food and bonded over the experience. Shpall was able to make the best of the situation—even though they had just experienced something incredibly distressing, she was still able to have fun with her friends. This is just one example of how Cantor Shpall is able to give strength to her community in the face of hate and fear.

This rise in antisemitism has also been incredibly frightening for Jewish Americans across the US, as synagogues, schools, and workplaces have been targets of antisemitism, in the forms of physical assault, verbal and written harassment, and vandalism.

Another close-to-home instance of antisemitism occurred on February 26th on the

campus of UC Berkeley.

A Jewish, student-led group was meant to host a speaker who was a former member of the Israeli Defensive Forces. However, shortly before the event began, a pro-Palestinian group of protestors crowded outside the building, eventually breaking a window and door in order to get in the building (Garcia et al). The fact that property was damaged and multiple students reported being fearful and experiencing physical assault is a reminder that Jews in America do not feel safe.

And yet, times of crisis make communities all the more important. Shpall has noted that in all of her times of need, the Jewish community has been there for her, to support her and strengthen her. Turning to Judaism and the Jewish community can help others also feel less alone in times of uncertainty. According to the American Psychological Association, “Religion and belief are now seen by many researchers and clinicians as an important way to cope with trauma and distress thanks to research over the last three decades.”

As part of the clergy of Congregation Beth Am, Cantor Shpall is someone congregants are looking towards in such a time as a leader and role model. By leading, singing, and playing guitar at services every week, Shpall is a familiar face that all congregants can find comforting and easy to talk to. For this, Shpall is making an impact every day, simply by being there for her community. The synagogue has also implemented a discussion group before services to give

people a safe space to talk about how they are feeling about Israel, as well as holding vigils for those who have family members in Israel who lost their lives. Cantor Shpall has been a part of these vigils, as well as going to demonstrations with the congregation to show support for Israel.

Shpall recognizes how important the Jewish community has been to her throughout her life, showing the importance of the Jewish community to Jews all across the world, especially right now. “I have felt most connected when I’ve needed the community the most, [including] when I lost my parents… All of the important times in my life… my community sort of rose up around me and held me” (Shpall). This is a time when the Jewish community needs each other the most, which is why the work that Cantor Shpall does is all the more important.

Conclusion

Asshe continues to work as a cantor, Shpall looks forward to watching students go through the B’nai Mitzvah process. In fact, for every bar or bat mitzvah, she writes the date in a book next to the portion of the Torah they recited. As she continues teaching, she expects to look back on her books, remembering her past students and keeping up with what they do now. As her new students receive portions that previous students recited, Shpall wants to teach her students how the older ones are doing in the present day. “You have the same Torah portion as Rachel Berry. She’s 30 now. You obviously know her. She’s our senator, right?... that kind of thing,” (Shpall). Teaching new students about old students will be a way for Shpall to keep track of the differences she has made in her community: how many students she has taught and impacted, and how many more are yet to come.

“I just see myself continuing to be part of… what we do, this community, you know, and it’ll grow and change and who knows how many b’nai mitzvah will be celebrated in the future.”

Rachel Berry is a junior at Mountain View High School and a Design student at Freestyle Academy. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music, and thrifting. She also loves spending time with her friends, family, and her dog, Gordy.

Samay Shanmugham

Rebellious Roots to Silicon Success

In the heart of Silicon Valley, Los Altos, where entrepreneurship and economic innovation thrive, Sudhir Pendse does not have an ordinary story. As Steve Jobs once said, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower” (Forbes). This is evident in Sudhir’s journey into entrepreneurship, where he was not kickstarted through a singular event he experienced but through many of his core childhood traits. As a child in India, Sudhir was always rebellious; he opposed taking orders from people and wanted to be his boss. These traits born within him pushed him towards independence in the occupational world, which was first shown in his entry-level job as an independent consultant and eventually down the path, leading him to create his own software business, SimpleSoft. In today’s dynamic world of business and entrepreneurship, Sudhir found a way to use his interests to create something meaningful and beneficial to the technological world. His story is evidence of the idea that the best career choices are ones that align with one’s personality. As Sudhir himself said, “Your career choices work best when they suit your personality” (Pendse).

Sudhir Pendse’s journey is not just a story of personal success but a story that shows his personal growth and entrepreneurial spirit. His story is not only about building a successful software business but also about the close relationship between personality and career. He is a man who embraced his rebellious traits and channeled them into his occupational life, which he took advantage of and brought great success to himself and the ones around him. As Caterina Fake, the entrepreneur of Flickr, once said, “So often people are working hard at the wrong thing. Working on the right thing is probably more important than working hard” (Business Insider). Sudhir found the niche that resonated with his specific personality and passion. Additionally, Sudhir’s journey is not only entrepreneurial-related; he has also immersed himself in community philanthropy.

In the rapidly changing world of business, SimpleSoft was no exception. Sudhir states, “Every business goes through transitions, and if you do not navigate these transitions well, the business flounders and dies” (Pendse). The company, which started selling perpetual licenses, found itself in a situation where it needed to switch to a subscription-based licensing model to adapt to the changing market. This transition was not just a reaction to the changing models of business. However, it was a calculated risk that took advantage of another pattern happening among their customer base: the move from hardware to virtual-based machines. His dedication to the consumer’s choice also set Sudhir’s approach apart. He believed in “Always giving the customer a choice and allowing them to decide instead of forcing a decision on them” (Pendse), an approach that supervised essential decisions and added to the business’s longevity. Sudhir’s business journey shows the importance of adaptation based on your ever-changing environment and consumer-based decision-making in business. As Michael D. Watkins from Harvard Business Review states, “Leaders in transition reflexively rely on the skills and strategies that worked for them in the past. That is a mistake, says Watkins, whose research shows that executives moving into new roles must understand and adapt to the situation at hand and adapt to it.”

His dedication to the consumer’s choice also set Sudhir’s approach apart. He believed in “Always giving the customer a choice and allowing them to decide instead of forcing a decision on them” (Pendse), an approach that supervised essential decisions and added to the business’s longevity. Sudhir’s business journey shows the importance of adaptation based on your ever-changing environment and consumer-based decision-making in business. As Michael D. Watkins from Harvard Business Review states, “Leaders in transition reflexively rely on the skills and strategies that worked for them in the past. That is a mistake, says Watkins, whose research shows that executives moving into new roles must understand and adapt to the situation at hand and adapt to it.” His entrepreneurship journey grew and evolved after SimpleSoft transitioned to a subscription-based model. Once a startup, Pendse’s company had become a known business in Silicon Valley. As the business grew, Sudhir’s role as the CEO also grew. He was now not only the creator and innovator of the company but also more of a leader who led his team through the difficulties of Silicon Valley tech. However, as Sudhir navigated the highs and lows of entrepreneurship within his business, he began to notice some of the troubles some were having in society: food insecurity and financial instability, specifically during COVID-19 and lockdown. Once he realized that these problems were surrounding him, it marked a turning point in his life, which led him to start on his path toward philanthropy and his involvement with Hope’s Corner. Sudhir aimed to impact both the digital world of Silicon Valley and the physical world. As Peter F. Drucker, a renowned management consultant and educator, once said, “. . . The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.” During the peak of the COVID-19 unbalanced situation in the

falling society around him. While Sudhir and his tech career were not impacted strongly by the economic repercussions of the pandemic, he saw a significant difference in the lives of those working in the physical labor industry and the nontech world. As more and more people lost their jobs and their emergency savings started to drain, the difference between the lives of people whose careers were based in the digital world and the physical world became highly prominent. Despite being spared the economic hardships of the pandemic, Sudhir felt a sense of responsibility to help those less fortunate and struggling because of the pandemic in his community. Pendse recalls, “. . . I knew I had to do something for the other group, but I did not know what.” His path to philanthropy was unclear until he learned about Hope’s Corner, a Mountain View nonprofit serving the underprivileged with hot meals, clothes, and many other necessities. He was sparked by Hope’s Corner when he saw vast lines of cars lining up to pick up food. He realized the insecurity and need for basic amenities in his community and knew from then on that philanthropy would be something he could take on himself.

In terms of the future, Sudhir is in a great place. He has fulfilled most of his business aspirations and wants to focus on the minor things in life. As Sudhir says, “Now the challenge is to use the remaining time wisely to stay healthy, support business customers, make impactful philanthropic contributions, and grow spiritually” (Pendse). His future is unknown, but he is bound to contribute great things, as his past pattern shows.

“Sudhir is very hard working and diligent. He puts his customers first and is willing to go to any lengths to help them succeed. He welcomes feedback and strives to improve”

- Mughda Pendse

About the Author

Samay is a Mountain View High School junior in the Freestyle program. Beyond the classroom, Samay finds his passion in the exhilarating world of sports, particularly lacrosse and basketball. He enjoys spending quality time with his furry companion, playing and bonding with his beloved dog when he’s not on the court. His interests extend to entrepreneurship and marketing, and he’s always eager to delve into the intricacies of business. Another facet of Samay’s creativity shines through his love for creating meaningful digital art.

Stella Cedar

A Remedy For Neglected Minds

by Stella Cedar

How one student escaped the throes of the long-outdated American school system

Introduction

It’s Monday, the beginning of the school week. August Spies sits down in his sophomore history class and prepares to listen to today’s lecture. At some point during the day, he fills out a math worksheet. His chemistry class involves a lab. In his English class, he’s instructed on close reading techniques, or something like that. The bell rings, and August waves goodbye to his teacher. On his way out, he looks at the calendar. It’s Friday, and August wonders where the time has gone. Since his first day of high school, August has experienced a personal Groundhog Day; the routine of going to class, waiting for the bell to ring, and taking care of his homework in the evening is his modus operandi. August doesn’t know when this cycle began or when it will end, and the monotony is getting to him. In and out, in and out; with every passing day, August felt as if he was trapped in a world awash with gray, holding on dearly to whatever color he had left. For him to continue, something needed to change.

In a 2020 study conducted by the Yale Child Study Center on 21,678 high school students, 80% of all participants reported to attribute negative emotions– such as stress and boredom– to school. Additionally, of the group that reported a positive attribution, researchers found that their descriptions of their positive emotions were often vague. There is growing discontent amongst high school students with the quality of their education and their school environment. This comes as a result of years and years of federal budget cuts to public education all across America. As such, the American public school system currently exists in a state of limbo, caught halfway between falling apart and barely functioning. However, amongst community colleges, a new program is making its foray into the world of education, offering an alternative learning environment for those, like August, who feel underserved by their traditional high school environment. This program goes by many names– pre-college,

early college, dual enrollment; in August’s case, it is Middle College. These programs give middle school and high school students the opportunity to experience a curriculum that is tailored to their interests and needs, as opposed to a standardized set of subjects and schedules. It also offers students of the program a pathway to continue their education at said community college after they finish. Like many others, August’s academic journey is a testament to both the failures of the traditional school system and successes of pre-college programs.

How It Fell Apart

August’s downhill relationship with school began some time during his sophomore year. He, like many others during the 2021-22 school year, was returning to in-person school after the end of the COVID lockdown. However, unlike many, August didn’t exactly find himself happy to be back. He described his then-daily routine as “superficial,” lacking engagement and interpersonal connections. He laments the separation he felt from others. He struggled socially at school, citing the hecticness of having 7 or more classes in which there narrow windows of time to spend with his peers; once their interactions were over, there was no incentive to continue connecting with them. Additionally, the material he was presented with in his classes felt lackluster and unchallenging– often resulting in him waiting for the bell to ring– driving him to feel as if he was trapped in a daily cycle of going to school, completing arbitrary assignments, then going home and doing homework before repeating it all over again.

“It’s a system designed to reward people for dulling themselves,”

he describes. Neglected and let down by the school, August quickly fell into anguish

and found himself in and out of local psych wards– which, for August, only exacerbated the conditions he already was at odds with in school. “At the first place I was staying at, they had this open air area. Maybe once or twice a week you could go there and it was the only place in the entire facility that was outside. I remember it was just a square vista, straight up, and it didn’t even look like it was outside. There wasn’t anything living inside of it and it was like you were in a cubicle. I keep that with me because I remember spending so much time just looking up, and then… I don’t know. It was a strange experience and that seemed to kind of encapsulate a lot of what school was to me– cold, lonely, and distant.”

The Big Switch

It’s January, 2023. The clock is ticking– August is running out of time to find a remedy for his struggles in school. Stressed and anxious, August knows he has, at maximum, another year left in him before he loses his drive completely. Enter the deus ex machina of August’s story– Middle College. During an info session at Mountain View High School with Middle College’s coordinators, August found himself infatuated with the program’s prospects. Here was the

solution to his frustrations, laid out in front of him in a complete package deal. Although he was originally unsure of whether or not he wanted to join the program– he’d have to bear the burden of a lot more responsibility in regards to his education– he eventually spoke to his parents and signed up for an interview with the Middle College faculty. “As a kid who was decidedly running out of options,” August explains, “I was like, ‘yeah, sure, I’m gonna bite the bullet.” At the start of the 2023-2024 school year, August fully made the transition to Middle College. Initially, he found it difficult to acclimate to the new space he found himself in. The coursework was harder, time management and schedule building was a necessity, and the unfamiliar classroom environments all contributed to that feeling of anxiousness he felt. However, August believes that those initial few challenges were just a small hurdle to get over in what would ultimately be a liberating experience for him. “For those first couple of weeks, I was paralyzed by choice,” he said, “but that choice was freeing.”

For The Future

August now is on the cusp of completing his second and final year at Middle College, and is as firm in his confidence about the

switch as he was the first time he stepped foot onto the Foothill campus. To him, Middle College was his ‘Mecca’ of sorts– a place where he made peace with education and found the interpersonal closeness he craved. August believes that, thanks to the small class size and discussion-based class style, he has felt much more inclined to get to know the people around him, “The first week I met Mars and Eli, who are two of my best friends, even though they’re a grade above me.” He also appreciates the style of teaching Middle College offers, citing his two teachers Mike and Sophie as, “moreso personalities than teachers who are very much your friends.” In general, he feels more in tune with his class environment than he did at Mountain View– describing his classes as “more human than standard school practices” and their project-based curriculum as “actually doing work under meaningful circumstances.” Additionally, learning at Middle College has reshaped August’s perspective on community colleges; he feels confident that he’ll continue to take classes at Foothill before transferring with a full scholarship to a UC sometime in the near future. He explained, “When you think of community college, it’s not a flattering thing, is it? It’s like it’s usually like, ‘Oh, you’re going to get stabbed in a toilet’ or something and a lot of that is just not true. There’s probably schools somewhere where it’s like that, but it’s a lot rarer than anyone would like to believe. And I don’t know. It makes me a lot happier to know that the colleges which are available to most people, which work for people who aren’t as lucky as I am, are still very good and are sometimes even better than UCs.”

While August is immensely grateful for the opportunity he had to turn his educational life around, he argues that there are many more students like him who are also underserved by a traditional high school environment, yet aren’t aware of or lack access to a program like Middle College. Indeed, it is estimated that in the entire state of California, less than 100 of these

programs are operating at community colleges; of the ones that are operating, due to their unique nature as highly variable alternative learning programs, the state Board of Education finds it difficult to adequately fund them. Thus, it is generally left to the boards of local school districts and their administrators to oversee the creation and implementation of middle college programs which, much like the standard public school system, leads to large amounts of inequity in the availability and quality of these programs between wealthy and less wealthy districts. However, August firmly believes that through advocacy for educational reform, supporting local community colleges, and raising awareness about alternative education, programs like Middle College could become more commonplace. “I think there needs to be large, sweeping changes more focused on growth rather than performance. I think ultimately that these programs should be available to everyone because there is always going to be someone who is incapable of fitting within the slim margins of what the current education system wants for us,” he explains, “I think no matter how monolithic these things seem,

It is always worth it to keep pushing for some change, even if you know it might be hopeless.

If you know anyone who would benefit from Middle College, I would say tell them, give it a shot. Maybe if you think you could benefit from Middle College, you should give it a shot. If you know people who can’t really get anything out of both, then you should work to change the systems yourself. And it’s difficult, but telling people about these issues and being aware helps.”

About the Author

Stella Cedar is a junior at Mountain View High School and an Animation student at Freestyle Academy. They enjoy listening to and composing music in their free time, and they currently aspire to be a producer or sound tech. When not making music, Stella can be found binging YouTube documentaries ad nauseum or enjoying a variety of video games.

About the Cover Designer

LuluDuarte is a student at Mountain View High School, and a Design student at Freestyle Academy. She enjoys going to the beach, shopping, and sharing time with her family and friends. Her dog and cat take up a big portion of her time. Lulu loves art, specifically digital art through programs like Procreate and Illustrator, and plans on studying graphic design in college.

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