High Tide: December 16, 2022

Whether you practice or not, religion permeates our lives, building community or causing divisions. Living in an increasingly diverse generation, teenagers interact with their religion in diferent ways, facing varying degrees of tolerance.

Redondo Union High School Redondo Beach, CA

REDONDO

Over winter break, students celebrate holidays through various traditions

by Calvin Bonn

high tide staf

:

“My mom is Guatemalan, so every winter break we go to Guatemala. On Christmas, there's La Posada, where the whole town gets involved and reenacts the nativity scene of Jesus Christ and his birth. There's a feast held to celebrate the scene and Christmas time. We usually give out food to all those who are hungry and give out school supplies, clothes and candy to anyone who might need it. We also eat tamales, and my mom makes a lot of hotdogs that she gives out to the public. My favorite part of the celebration is being with my family in Guatemala because I only see them for two weeks each year, so being with them is really special.”

- Marco Foster, 12

Q: How does your culture infuence your holiday traditions?

A: “I used to go to Vietnam every winter and summer, and my cousins and I would decorate my grandma's tree. Because we all lived in the same neighborhood, my family would go to [my grandparents’ house] on Christmas night or Christmas Eve to have a gigantic dinner with everyone. Instead of having an American dinner, we had spring rolls, rice and a potluck style meal with traditional Vietnamese food. My family is very family-oriented so it's a really big thing for us to be together. [We are] Buddhist, but we celebrate Christmas because we were born in the US and wanted an American childhood [in addition to a Vietnamese one.]”

- Michelle Ngo,

11

Q: How does your religion infuence your winter break celebrations?

A: “We celebrate Hanukkah as a family, starting of by putting nine candles [on our menorah.] Then, we light another candle and get a present each night. On the eighth night, we get the biggest present, which is usually something pretty expensive. We celebrate, have a good dinner, and it's really fun. [Through celebrating Hanukkah,] I feel more connected with my culture and my grandmother who grew up in a very religious Orthodox Jewish household. When she comes over, it's really great to celebrate Hanukkah with her, [eat] her food and hear her pray.”

- Amelia Lewis, 10

A: “We always travel to be with my [extended] family for the holidays. My family celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve and each year, we roast a pig, stay up late dancing and have a huge party. Then, at exactly midnight, one of the older cousins dresses up as Santa Claus. It’s really cute seeing all of my little cousins’ faces light up as they get their gifts from Santa. Then on New Year’s Eve, each of my family members eats 12 grapes. Each grape represents a month of the year, and with each grape we eat, we make a wish for what we want the next year to bring. The holiday season is really special for my family because we live across the country from everyone, so it’s the one day a year when everyone’s together. It feels like home when I’m with them.”

- Jess Alvear, 12

editors-in-chief Katarina (Haven) Beches Ruby Crosthwait Elise Haulund online manager Zelia Lerch news editors Erika Glass Sara Miyake-Singer features editors Mia Dowdell Emilie Takahashi Marley Van Pelt

opinion editors Scarlett Mische Romi Riss entertainment editors Allie D'Amato Sydney Lamich sports editors Ethan Chi Ty Soria copy editors Marin Cantrell Cristina Couch Stavyah Naveen Zoe Rossi

writing editors Lauren Greene Ethan Lerner Simra Zargar online editors

Cristina Couch Lucy Davis Rena Felde Lauren Greene Ria Lopresto Stavyah Naveen Troy Nevil Kat Otey advisor

Kerri Eastham

staf writers Ariya Anvari Ava Anzivino Luca Artiga Hadeel Azzam Danielle Bellamy Calvin Bonn

London Carbone Nicholas Carrozza Lauren Choy NyAire Davis Charlene Elam Izzie Escobar

Yasmeen Ford Daniella Gross Scarlett Kindt Isabella Kohler

photographers

CaraMia Leal Valentina Masoni Andrew McKenna Summer Puterbaugh Amina Raïss

Priya Ramcharan Avery Rapoport Aaliyah Roberson Mia Schrift Sam Schwartz Victor Simoes Sadie Simmons

Aidan Tseng Claudia Turner Sofa Villanueva Malina Young

Anthony Biedenbender

Marin Cantrell

Olivia Flanders

Jazmine Jimenez

Pete Paguyo Sascha Perdue

advertising, circulation, & distribution manager Nicholas Tomsio

illustrators

Esperanza Carolipio

Allie D’Amato

Lola Diehl

Kaitlyn Hodac

Bella Langa

Scarlett Mische

Samarah Nuques

Q

: Where do you go over winter break? How does it afect the way you celebrate the holidays?

A

Q: What holiday traditions does your family have?

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARCO FOSTER

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMELIA LEWIS

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHELLE NGO

PHOTO COURTESY OF JESS ALVEAR

KILLED IT!

by Summer Puterbaugh

Ogres, elves, cheerleading devils and one homicidal fairy came together to tell a story of exploration, grief and identity in Theatre Arts’ latest production, “She Kills Monsters.” Showcased less than two months after the department’s premier of “Chicago,” actors had just six weeks to prepare for the show, which ran from Dec. 1-4.

According to stage manager senior Clio Philp, the “quickly” put-together show required full efort from the cast, who did not disappoint.

“Everyone worked really hard outside of school,” Philp said. “It was a big commit-

ment and people put their blood, sweat and tears into it. They always took things home to work on alongside their schoolwork.”

A major feature of the play was stage combat, with students dedicating their time to learning proper weapon use from professional combat actors. The production required actors to be aware of their body language on stage, according to director Melissa Staab.

“I was looking for students [to play leading roles] who understood their physicality and could move well. I wanted people who were good storytellers with their body language, who could understand the fantasy

genre as well as the real world,” Staab said.

Practicing for hours after school built up a sense of trust and community within the cast and crew, which helped with their performances, according to senior Kate Turner, who played the role of half-demon Lilith.

“We all get along really well,” Turner said. “And I think that’s important, especially for a show where you’re doing a lot of stage combat. It’s really important that everyone trusts each other and is there to lift each other up after every scene.”

Just as many cast members have found community within the department, Turner believes that for other students who feel misunderstood or underappreciated, the show could be a source of comfort or relatability; one of the main themes concerns struggles with sexual identity.

“I think [the show has] a super powerful message that’s really important to communicate. Seeing that there are people like you is so important, and that representation can be really powerful and inspiring for people who haven’t found themselves yet,” Turner said.

Staab believed the popu the game “Dungeons and ons” resulting from the recent season of “Stranger Things” would make the play more intriguing for audiences. She also felt more drawn to it due to the heartwarming message it could deliver to students struggling with their own identi ties.

“There’s a lot of hate in the world

right now. The show’s messages can hit home with serious issues that we have while doing it in a fun way that brings lighthearted comedy to a piece,” Staab said.

According to Staab, the cast did an exceptional job understanding and executing sensitive content, a matter that she discussed with actors before rehearsals.

“Many students at the school have experienced bullying and the feeling that they can’t be their true selves,” Staab said. “We had to have a lot of conversations with students who were in those [sensitive] scenes to establish safe boundaries and to make sure we communicated before we ran the scenes.”

The “unique” combination of comedy, adventure, romance and self-expression set the play apart from other student productions, according to Staab. The play also saw a record-breaking audience turnout for the department, with over 1,000 people in attendance over the four days of performances.

“The previous record was [made] back in 2019 with ‘The Crucible’ when the seniors were all freshmen, so I think it’s pretty cool broke their own record their year. I think the show was

joyed it and laughed and

Philp believes the mixture of diferent themes and genres in the show helped to draw in a er crowd than usual and

“I think the one thing that’s really thing for everyone,” Philp said. “No matter what you’re into, you’re going to like

1. Agnes (Lilly Kruk) fghts one of the dragons towards the start of the fnal fght sequence.

2. The dragon heads are highlighted with a red background to build anticipation for the fght.

PHOTOS BY MARIN CANTRELL

Theatre Arts put on "She Kills Monsters"

After killing the dragon, Agnes (Lilly Kruk) holds up its head as a victory prize. PHOTO BY MARIN CANTRELL

There's a lot of hate in the world right now. The show's messages can hit home to serious issues that we have while doing it in a fun way that brings lighthearted comedy to a piece."

MELISSA STAAB DIRECTOR

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SWORD GRAPHIC VIA PIXABAY

DON'T MISS YOUR REPS

by Aidan Tseng

In a school with over 3,000 students, it may seem difcult to make your voice heard at school, but the RUHS Student Site Council ofers a plat form for students to shape their community. The RUHS Student Site Council (SSC) recently announced its three elected representatives for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school year. The representatives include Priya Ramcharan, parliamentarian; Thi Chan; and Roman Miller, co-vice chair. According to the RUHS, the SSC gathers three times per year to go over and modify Redondo’s Single Plan for Student Achievement. The SSC is made up of the principal as well as faculty, stu dents and parents within the school.

For freshmen Priya Ramcharan’s desired career in politics, the SSC is the perfect

“[The SSC] is a bureaucratic environment. So I get to learn about how bodies of people work and have to go over meeting minutes and [the SSC] is focused on change, brainstorming and infuencing the world around them,” Ramcharan said.

Overall, Ramcharan aims to make RUHS a more appealing

“I want to see test scores go up. It’s not the greatest measure of intelligence but it’s still important. When you’re looking to send your kid to RUHS you look at test scores so you want them to see what it’s like as a kid at school,”

Ramcharan encourages others to apply for the SSC.

“It’s nice to see behind the scenes work in schools, being in the boardroom and talking to the principals and vice principals. So it was just fun to see how the board works,” Ramcharan said.

Ramcharan has worked with the Beach Cities Youth Advisory Council as well as the League of Women’s voters and has worked with congressman Ted Lieu on his advisory board. But her biggest calling card is women’s rights. She says it all started with the 2016 election which propelled her into doing more work with women. She started volunteering with Planned Parenthood soon after.

“There’s that idea that it’s admin versus students. [Admin] enforces rules and expects us to conform to them, but it should be the school that is working to make sure that the students get good grades and succeed. It should be propelling students forward instead of fghting,” Ramcharan said.

Senior

by Scarlett Kindt

Joey

Junior Thi Chan’s role on the SSC is fueled by her passion for suicide prevention.

“In 2020, my friend died by suicide and that led me to want to fnd ways I could prevent such things from happening again,” Chan said. “I was hoping that I could highlight the importance of suicide prevention programs at our school and make sure that we’re actually addressing these problems.”

According to Chan, the public speaking and leadership skills she learned from her work with the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), helped with her work at the SSC. She believes playing lacrosse helps too; Chan plays defense for the Redondo girls lacrosse team.

“Before lacrosse, I was in individual sports like tennis or swimming. So I didn’t really have a chance to work with other people in a team environment. I think that with being on a team I got to learn how to collaborate better and how to be patient,” Chan said.

It was Chan’s AP US History teacher that frst inand from there her decision making programs and [the SSC] would troduce more suicide grams and grams into great way to with the Chan said.

For Ju nior Roman Miller, doing good isn’t a choice, it’s a responsibility.

“I think if you don’t impact our community in some way, we’ll be forgot ten eventually,” Miller said. “I wanted to join the SSC because I feel like it is my re sponsibility for making the school a better place.”

Miller is an active member in his community. He plays defensive end on Redondo’s varsity football team. Of the gridiron, he volunteers for the National Honor Society, homeless shelters and soup kitchens.

“You can see more of the world than what you’d see if you just went around life normally,” Miller said. “When I volunteered at the home less shelter, I went to see what it’s like for all these people who can’t aford necessities of life and how we had to provide for them as a whole community.”

Miller sees his role as the bridge between students and adults.

“I think sometimes a student’s wants and needs go unanswered by the adults because they don’t have a proper view. [The adults] are not down on the ground with us. [The adults] are not in class with us, they are not going through the things we’re going through. I think someone needs to be there to represent [the students] properly,” Miller said.

Wang's love of history shapes the way he

Dusting of the history books and delving into ancient time periods, senior Joey Wang’s passion for history has shaped not only how he thinks, but who he is.

Led by curiosity, Wang expanded his range of history knowledge by researching back into Greco-Roman civilization, pre-medieval China and the Persian community.

He fnds the Persian language, on stones and tablets, “absolutely fascinating,” and has found that history has taught him to be open minded to all that the world has to ofer.

“I am Chinese and actually don’t know very much about Chinese history as I would like, so there’s an identity crisis. But, by losing myself, I gained the world. I’m not bound to just one perspective,” Wang said.

Not only has Wang learned historical facts, but also life lessons that are relevant to him today. Some of these historical fgures that have infuenced him are Julius Caesar and Ulysses Grant.

“[Historical fgures have] told me to prevail regardless, no matter what you feel. It will always get better,” Wang said. “Despite how diferent [humans in the past and present] are, there's still so much we have in common because they're human

after all.”

Wang shares his passion for history with the many students in History Club, of which Wang is the President. Wang describes how they learn about a variety of time periods including ancient history, Asian history and African history in the club.

According to Wang, “History Club is the place of knowledge [and] a place for inclusivity where we try to really diversify to the best of our ability to incorporate the history of all people.”

Nicholas Sklarenko, AP European History teacher, is the club’s advisor. He supports the students in their passion of history, and wants to keep seeing people excited about the subject as well as see the club grow even further.

“I think history is important and I certainly think that the lessons of history are a window into understanding humanity [which] transcends time periods. So [the club is] a good medium to do that,” Sklarenko said.

The club caters to a wide range of historical interests of each person and helps people become more involved in the subject. According to Sklarenko, the club is an “open opportunity for students to investigate new areas of history.” He believes that Wang inspires other students to be more interested in history.

“He certainly has a personal passion for history and you can tell he loves the subject. When you see peo -

inspires others

ple that are passionate about what they’re into, it's inspiring,” Sklarenko said.

Although he knows a future in the profession won’t provide vast income, Wang wants to pursue a doctorate in history.

“It’s [going to be] a lot of essays [and] a lot of papers, but I just love [the universality of history]. We can appreciate how we transcend cultures [and] time and space,” Wang said.

Wang’s initial interest in history was sparked when he was in frst grade listening to his dad tell him a story. Since listening to this story, Wang has been passionate about the subject ever since.

“My dad was telling me a bedtime story about World War II. I started there and I got curious and kept learning [by] asking questions,” Wang said.

Starting from an early age, Wang and his family have moved to various location in China, Australia and California due to his dad’s job.

“All this moving around opened my mind to the world. I‘ve seen both the East and the West and how big this world is and how rich the history is. That is partially why I'm so keen on reading the histories of others. The world is so big and I want to learn so much,” Wang said.

S. Romm,

Senior Joey Wang reads and annotates his non-fction books. His favorite is "Ghost on the Thone" by James

which he recommends to even those who aren't avid history book readers. PHOTO BY INGRID SOMMERER

SOMMERER

WAR-TORN

Sophomore Yara El-Hasan speaks about visiting her family in Palestine

by Aaliyah Roberson

A“powerless” reality set in for sophomore Yara El-Hasan as she sat on her home’s roof in Palestine after being told soldiers were coming, seeing tanks getting closer and closer to her location and “willing” them to go away.

Right after school ends for summer break, El-Hasan fies to Jordan to visit her family, then crosses the “hostile” borders of Jordan, Israel and Palestine, at which point guns are pointed at her head, and she is told “not to look the soldiers in the eye [for] fear they are having a bad day and take it as a challenge.”

“I never listen. I always look them in the eyes because it’s really my only means of rebellion. I can pretend that their eyes are the same as mine, and they shouldn’t scare me. So I look the soldier in the eyes. Apparently he was having a bad day. Nothing happened, but it really showed the power diference. He had the power to end my life,” El-Hasan said.

According to El-Hasan, checkpoints are posted along the way as visitors enter the state of Palestine where soldiers stand in towers, overlooking the lines of cars with guns strapped to their backs, waiting to search the people passing through with their identifcation.

“Sometimes they kill. But we pray every time that they don’t. It just really shatters my heart. There’s nothing I can do, [and] that’s really depressing,” ElHasan said.

A week ago, when Israeli soldiers killed a distant family member of El-Hasan’s, it was “disturbing,” but she had experienced many instances of death before. These experiences shaped her views on the “fairness of life.”

“No matter how much I scream, how hard I cry, how many of my family members are murdered in the streets, or how much I beg, I will never be able to change the fairness of the world. That's something I've accepted," El-Hasan said. “I’m getting more and more desensitized to [death] because it happens so often. Hearing about all these tragic events constantly puts a damper on everything.”

El-Hasan has been visiting Palestine since she was 7 months old after unexpectedly moving to America to receive proper health care when her brother fell sick.

“[Since my parents] never meant to have an American life, it really makes us want to go there more, despite all of the obvious roadblocks. That was supposed to be their life,” El-Hasan said.

Her family makes a point to try to visit at least every two years, and El-Hasan is accompanied by her mother and siblings. This past summer, however, just ElHasan and her mother went.

“Palestine is where I connect to my culture. That’s where all of my roots are, where all of my family is. We try to uphold that as much as we can. So it’s important culturally that we go there often,” El-Hasan said.

During her time in Palestine, El-Hasan sees her extended family, including her 20 cousins, and spends time in her family’s land, orchard and home. According to ElHasan, there isn’t much to do there, so she makes the best of it.

“My favorite thing to do is tend to the little farmland we have there. We have acres of trees and plants. I like going there with my aunt. It makes me feel really connected to Palestine, which is something I crave, especially being so far away from it most of the time,” El-Hasan said.

Much of her time is spent on a hill overlooking an Israelian

soldier settlement implemented in the area. She gathers fruit she can fnd and throws it over the fence, pretending she can hit the settlement.

“I know it will never go that far. It’s not humanly possible for it to go that far. But it makes me feel a little better,” El-Hasan said.

As tensions have risen in Palestine, El-Hasan ex periences many ing

sonally and second hand.

“Sometimes my nights end with hearing about people’s deaths. I wish that death wasn’t such a big part of my life, but it is. It’s an interesting journey to have to accept and understand that. There needs to still be hope,” El-Hasan said.

These “uncomfortable” realities have followed ElHasan since she was a young girl and will continue to be a big part of her life as a Palestinian.

“I think simply existing in the midst of a war and being told that I shouldn’t exist is a really formative experience that has impacted me in so many diferent ways. It has shaped my hopes, fears, anxieties and my view on life,” El-Hasan said.

Although El-Hasan has experienced many deaths, she believes that there is beauty within Palestine. Due to the number of Arabs being “sparse” in America compared to Palestine, there is culture that cannot be adequately replicated here.

“It’s so nice to feel connected to your people, especially because you have this one shared experience that brings everyone together. As morbid as it is, it’s a comforting thought because misery likes company,” El-Hasan said.

El-Hasan knows she can’t stop the war but even when she feels like there’s “no hope left,” she believes that she has to be open about her experiences, even if they can make others uncomfortable.

“I might not be able to will the tanks away, but I can speak, and words are very powerful,” El-Hasan said. “If I don’t talk about it, then who else will?”

The culture shock of going from a “desensitized” life in America to being around war in Palestine has given El-Hasan a new perspective on life.

“I love being surrounded by my culture, but being surrounded by my culture also means being surrounded by guns. And if that’s the price I have to pay to be able to exist, then there’s going to be a lot more guns held up to my face for the rest of my life,” El-Hasan said.

editor's note

The High Tide recognizes that confict in this area of the world is complex and other Redondo families have lived diferent truths.

Our goal in publishing this piece is to provide El-Hasan space to tell her story as opposed to providing political commentary.

2.

1. Sophomore Yara El-Hasan holds fgs, the fruit she threw over the a wall at her home in Palestine, at an Israelian settlement.

El-Hasan stares just as she stared at Israeli soldiers.

PHOTOS BY INGRID SOMMERER 3. Sun setting on El-Hasans's family property in Palestine. PHOTO COURTESY OF YARA EL-HASAN

of four simple chords, a musical tune fnds its words, which might describe love, sadness, anger or even chicken nuggets. For senior Alyson Young, this is just the beginning of another original song.

Playing piano turned out to be second nature for Young, who grew up surrounded by her uncle, who composes jazz, and her father, who is a songwriter.

“I quit piano lessons in ffth grade, and I actually got better when I quit, which was surprising,” Young said. “I don't know how that worked, but I learned every other instrument [that I know] from Ultimate Guitar Tabs [an online website for guitarists and musicians]. I like to learn everything on my own, and I think that builds my character.”

Although piano is Young's main instrument, she also plays the ukulele and guitar and hopes to learn bass in the near future.

Young aspires to be an independent artist in writing, producing and composing music. When writing originals, Young expresses feelings that she doesn’t always vocalize.

“Sometimes I'll ask a friend for topic suggestions, because I always like to spark fun and new ideas. That’s how I decided to write a song about chicken nuggets,” Young said. “However, most of my inspiration comes when I'm refecting on myself or things around me. The more meaningful songs come from emotions that myself

balances her job as a barista and cashier at Boba Loca Cafe Gourmet with performances at a local cofee shop in Manhattan Beach, Sloopy's Cafe.

I usually perform on Fridays or Saturdays for two hours every month, and I sing a bunch of covers and play originals on piano, or whatever I'm feeling. I get paid to sit and sing with a piano and I absolutely love it.”

ALYSON YOUNG SENIOR

“I usually perform on Fridays or Saturdays for two hours every month, and I sing a bunch of covers and play originals on piano, or whatever I'm feeling,” Young said. “I get paid to sit and sing with a piano, and I absolutely love it.”

by Daniella Gross

With the help of her best friend, senior Mia Wildenhain, Young recently resumed a project that she had put on hold due to the pandemic. Young collaborated with a family friend of Wildenhain, Michael Volk, to write a love song and record a music video for it.

“It was a cliche love song called ‘In Color,’ about a girl who sees everything in black and white, but sees one person in color,” Young said. “I ended up writing music for it and sitting down at my friend’s piano, playing chords that came to mind.”

Volk enjoyed Young’s melody, and he ofered to pay for studio time. For Young, this “amazing experience” served as an opportunity for her music to be featured. After spending hours recording in the studio, the music video was ready for flming.

“Right before Thanksgiving break, Alyson had to go on a trip, so I subbed in for her in the music video along with [senior] Pete Pagayo. The music video was flmed at the Hermosa pier,” said Wildenhain.

Friends with Young since sixth grade, Wildenhain has “never failed to be impressed” by Young’s talent and passion for

music.

“I am so proud of Alyson, and I love her. I've seen her do several performances, produce many songs and make her frst music video,” Wildenhain said. “I have watched her develop her love and passion for music even further than before we met. She’s really involved in music and has mentioned becoming a music producer in the future.”

Young balances her musical passion with hard work on assignments and extracurriculars in hopes of attending UC Berkeley. She plays for the fag football team, sings in choir and works to maintain good grades.

“I tend to either be at 110% in my life or 0%,” Young said. “Right now I’m at 110%, so it’s defnitely difcult, but reminding myself to push through and be grateful for the opportunities I've been given is most important to me.”

Sophomore Anh Dao starts to make a career out of singing and songwriting and meets with a record label

by Avery Rapoport

Singer-songwriter sophomore Anh Dao few to San Francisco in November to meet with a record label. By doing so, she took the step away from singing to friends and family and towards putting her music out to the world.

“I felt like I was having a heart attack when I met with the people who could make my dreams possible,” Dao said. “I used to think of music as more of a hobby and didn’t think it would go anywhere, but now it’s exciting that this career is a possibility.”

After hearing all her songs, “1166051 Records,” who usually sign with Indian artists, ofered to sign with Dao, meaning they would help promote and distribute the music she records for them. As she is a minor, Dao needs her mom’s permission to work with the company. However, her mom wanted Dao to focus on school and declined the ofer, saying she will reconsider when Dao graduates high school.

“I was bummed that my mom said no, because I feel I could

do school while being signed,” Dao said. “I would have a better chance of making it [in

I felt like I was having a heart attack when I met with the people who could make my dreams possible. I used to think of music as more of a hobby and didn’t think it would go anywhere, but now it’s exciting that this career is a possibility.”

ANH DAO SOPHOMORE

the industry] because I would have years of experience and exposure.”

Aside from school, Dao’s top

priority is music and she focuses much of her time on writing new songs.

“Whatever I’m feeling, I put it down on paper, and from there, I make songs out of those emo tions,” Dao said. “I am pretty emotional and to channel that into something I enjoy is truly amazing.”

Although writing the lyrics takes longer, Dao “en joys it” more than coming up with the instrumen tals, since instrumentals lack the emotional fac tor. Dao typically writes about her current life and relationships, spending anywhere from hours to weeks constructing each song.

“I showed the label a song about a relationship that ended two months ago,” Dao said. “It focuses on being with someone that doesn’t show you their true self and how hard it was to deal with that.”

Dao’s aunt, a singer-songwriter by the name of “Thuy,” helped her get this record label opportunity. Thuy’s music is based in the Bay Area, and Dao was inspired by her aunt’s R&B style of music, which became one of her favorite genres. “To see someone that I am close to make it so far in the music indus-

try is inspiring and shows me that anything is possible,” Dao said. “Hopefully my future career is similar to hers. After talking to the label that got her started, I believe that can happen.”

Dao began songwriting when she got a keyboard piano in middle school and upon realizing how much she enjoyed it, she asked for a guitar as well. COVID-19 played a big role in Dao fnding her passion for music, since she was stuck at home and found songwriting as a way to cure her boredom.

“Having an endless amount of time to work on my music really helped it come to life,” Dao said.

Dao has shared her song drafts with close friends, including sophomore Kate Jacoby. Jacoby found Dao’s songs to be a “perfect resemblance” of what it is like to be a teenager in high school and enjoys how they “underscore the struggles of young love.”

“Her songs are so heartwarming and endearing, with a bit of melancholy,” Jacoby said. “The romantic aspects of her music really highlight the livelihood of her youth.”

Aside from sharing her music with her friends and family, Dao has yet to sing in front of anyone since she doesn’t feel comfortable in front of large crowds, however she plans on overcoming this and eventually going on tour.

“Making music is such a big stress outlet for me,” Dao said. “Now that I can make a career out of it, I’m really excited, and I can’t wait to see where it all goes.”

“

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1. Young in her music room composing music. 2. Young in her music room programming the music recorded.

PHOTOS COURTSEY OF ALYSON YOUNG

Young

KINDPNG

Senior Alyson Young's work gets featured in a music video, putting her musical talents on display

A Ligean ar

RINCE

by Danielle Bellamy

As the lights pour in and a rendition of a traditional Irish song begins, dancers enter the stage and smile at the panel of judges before them, seconds before they give their all into the number they’ve been practicing for months.

After spending time putting on updo wigs, slipping on costumes covered in rhinestones and stretching out their muscles, they take a deep breath and gear up for the intensity of the competition. For a number of high schoolers across the South Bay, Irish dancing keeps them occupied during the week, on the weekends and even during school breaks.

The Debarra Academy of Irish Dancing, located in Manhattan Beach, has been open since 2018, training up to forty kids of all ages in the art of treble jigs, shufes and breaking in hard shoes.

Freshmen Reeve and Jola Phelan have been participating in Irish dancing since they were in second grade. Reeve notes that there are a lot of complications and “intricacies” within the art of Irish dancing, and, according to Jola, the sport is more difcult to master than what meets the eye.

“With Irish dancing, the steps are so diverse and everyone struggles with something diferent. A dance that’s supposed to

be the same throughout can be so difer ent for so many diferent studios and lev els. That’s what often makes Irish dancing complicated,” Reeve Phelan said.

With the discipline and rigor of the art form comes an immense amount of pres sure, according to Debarra students. Of ten the competitiveness can really “get in your head,” according to freshman Hayden McMahon. However, freshman Kyle Smith and Jola Phelan note that there are ways to get in a good head space and manage your nerves before walking on the stage and performing for the judges.

“I usually listen to music to warm up; it helps me get prepared to dance a little bit right before I go on stage. I don’t look at my competition, I face the wall, jump up a little bit to get warm and then I go right on and do it,” Jola Phelan said.

With high stake competitions, Tara Barry-Phelan, the studio’s instructor, points out that it is necessary to teach kids to be focused, prepared and motivated during their dances. To stay prepared, students practice four to fve days a week and leading up to their recent regional competition, Oireachtas, they spent every Sunday at the studio from 10 am to 3 pm.

ier on them, but not going easy on them is how we produce results,” Tara Barry Phelan said.

Since the Phelan family began their studio endeavors, over thirty additional dancers have joined their company who share the same “love and passion” for Irish dancing that they do. The Debarra dancers report that each and every member of their company has assisted in creating a “community” within the studio.

“We’ve all been [dancing] together for a long time, and we’re also very good friends with everyone there so it's just a big family. We all support each other and if one of us does better than the other in the same competition, we still think of that as a win for the team in general,” McMahon said.

Barry-Phelan opened the academy four years ago after having had an immense history with the dancing form herself. After moving to the United States from Ireland with the infamous Riverdance dance group’s North American tour at eighteen, Barry-Phelan has used her passion to create a studio that emphasizes “discipline” and “focus” in Irish dancing. Coupled with her work in television and flm industries, choreography for schools across the country and even her classes given to professional football players, Tara Barry-Phelan has made Irish dancing her “entire life.”

“The skills I was taught growing up carried through into the way I teach today. The strict discipline my teachers had with their warmups, how to take care of your body, how you know which muscles to stretch for certain movements. All of these elements have become staples of my school,” Tara Barry-Phelan said.

The students agree that Irish dancing is not a sport for the weak and to truly ex-

cel they must be “strong and mentally pre- pared,” according to Kyle Smith. However, when students fnally showcase the dance they worked and improved on, the feeling is absolutely “incredible.”

“I love going on stage after so many months of hard work and feeling good about my dances. That’s what makes me happy. When I get on there and I know I did well that’s the best part for me,” Reeve Phelan said.

The Debarra students say that putting their all into learning the steps can improve their abilities, allowing them to excel in Irish dancing. According to Smith, observing himself getting better is the most “rewarding” aspect of the process.

“When you see your hard work actually pay of in class, like your stamina getting better or your jump getting higher or your fexibility improving, it’s awesome,” Smith said.

Despite the “stress and rigor” that can come with competing in Irish dancing, Debarra dancers, as well as their teacher, recognize that the ability to perform on stage, coupled with the friendships they create along the way, make the sport valuable and keep the dancers passionate. For Debarra dancers, Irish dancing is rooted in not only “valuable Irish tradition,” according to Tara Barry-Phelan, but “friendship and valuable bonds.”

“The community is the best part of it. You compete with these people and all of a sudden they create a line of 30 world champions and you look around and realize you have to learn to get along with them. I went from being scared to death of these dancers to becoming best friends with them,” Barry-Phelan said.

In second grade, Reeve and Jola Phelan stand with their mother, Tara Barry-Phelan, and fellow Debarra students. PHOTO COURTESY OF REEVE AND JOLA PHELAN

“We all support each other. If one of us does better than the other in the same competition, we still think of that as a win for the team in general.

HAYDEN MCMAHON FRESHMAN

Freshmen Reeve and Jola Phelan have competed in Irish dancing championships since second grade

Reeve (left) and Jola (right) hold their certifcates for the qualifying round of the Oireachtas North American championships.

PHOTO COURTESY OF REEVE AND JOLA PHELAN

Dancers must earn a 1st place prize in their dance category prior to entering Oireachtas.

INFORMATION FROM 2022 OIREACHTAS

Ethnicity and religion: related but not mutually exclusive

Volumes of

“During the meetings, it's less about Greek Or thodoxy and more about how we can preserve it. There's not a lot of people that maintain traditions as the Greek culture does, so it’s harder to preserve the culture as it was from so many years ago,” Rich mond said. “Most of the things we do with GOYA are meant to help connect people from the community together, so we know who we are and who each oth er are, so we can work together to both maintain and

Junior Micky Arbarello has also found communi ty through her religion, Judaism, which she started practicing more seriously as a means to stay con nected to her family “legacy” after moving from Ita ly to Connecticut at age 13. When Arbarello’s family moved to Redondo Beach this year, they ended up with an Israeli family that is “more educated” about Judaism as their neighbors, which “brought the re ligion to life” for Arbarello, despite their diferent

I'm kind of envious of other people and how they can live in a place with people of the same ethnicity and religion. I know a few people at school who are either Palestinian or Muslim, but I don't know a lot. It has been hard, but I've also gotten used to it because I've never had that before."

RANYA GHAZAL JUNIOR

either Palestinian or Muslim, but I don't know a lot. It has been hard, but I’ve also gotten used to it because I've never had that before,” Ghazal said.

According to the Population Reference Bureau, over 90 percent of Palestinians are Muslim. For Ghazal, staying connected to her cultural identity has been difcult, but community activities working in tandem with religious activities like daily prayer connect Ghazal with “something greater than [herself].”

“One daily practice is that usually, you’ll say a phrase before you do something that keeps whatever you're doing positive. For example, you say ‘Bismillah’ before you drive so you stay safe while driving,” Ghazal said.

Ghazal speaks Arabic “well enough to communicate with family,” but reads the Quran with an English translation. Similarly, senior Konstantino Richmond, who devotes 14 hours weekly to his Greek Orthodox church and understands Greek, but “can’t respond [to others] as well.” On Pascha, the Orthodox Easter celebration, Richmond attends church from 7 a.m. until past midnight, singing, listening to sermons and praying, all in Greek.

“I can't imagine any other way to spend Easter. Being able to celebrate as a community and knowing there's other people all the way across the world that are doing the same makes me happy to feel connected to everyone that is Greek,” Richmond said. “When I go to Greece, I use what I've learned throughout the years at [my] church.”

As president of the Greek Orthodox Youth Association (GOYA) club at his church, Richmond organizes service opportunities such as making cards for veterans, as well as fun, non-religious activities like bowling for members of the church.

“It took me a while to fnd my people. I always com plained when I was a little kid about how much I hated moving, but at the end of the day I really didn't, because as long as you fnd the people that love you and you care about, you’re good. Not only did my [Jewish school] help me learn, but it also helped me form new friendships and connect with people,” Ar barello said.

For Arbarello, being Jew ish and being Italian “don’t really” connect.

“I was kind of clueless when I was in Italy about my religion. The only way that I stayed connected or knew about the religion in the frst place was because my moth er and father tried to keep me connected,” Arbarello said. “I was surrounded by my family and family friends who were Jewish, but not my school friends or

Though her dad’s side of the family isn’t Jewish, Arbarello’s family celebrates together as they did in Italy. The family partakes in the Shabbat every Fri day, lighting the candles at sundown and singing a prayer.

“All of the celebrations help me stay connect ed with my culture and heritage,” Arbarello said. “Knowing your religion opens your eyes. It's another way of being you, and it’s something unique about you that you should know.”

“Sadly,” according to Arbarello, young people might be “embarrassed” to learn more about their religion because of how others may react. For junior Espy Carolipio, who “inherited” Catholicism from her Filipino family, the opposite is true: her de creased attendance at church due to a busy sched ule causes her to fear judgment from her extended family.

“I’m more religious than my immediate family, but then my distant family is more religious than I am. So I'm in the middle. I'm not not religious, but I'm not religious religious,” Carolipio said. “I've grown to accept that even though I don't go to church every week, I'm still religious. I’ve accepted that this is how I choose to worship God, and I'm not any less [for it], but there will always be that divide.”

According to the Pew Research Center, 81 per cent of Filipinos are Catholic. For Carolipio, Cathol icism is paramount to Filipino culture.

“If I wasn’t raised Catholic, then I’d be even more Whitewashed and Americanized than I already am. I'm not fully disconnected, but if you compare me to one of my relatives who lives in the Philippines, yeah, I don't feel Filipino. I feel like if I were to talk to my relatives, I wouldn't connect with them,” Car olipio said.

Religion

Someone came up to me, hailed Hitler, and walked away.”

It’s lunch on a Wednesday. Junior Jacob Dorfman is sitting in the student union with his friends, smiling at something his girlfriend said, when another student approaches him. The exchange is over in a moment, but Jacob’s smile is gone.

This isn’t Dorfman’s frst in-

The issue of religious intolerance and discrimination on campus

by Lucy Davis

teraction with antisemitism on campus. Last year, Dorfman’s rabbi, who had previously heard rumors about swastikas graftied on campus, asked Dorf-

“I went in to go look for him, and I saw [the symbols] drawn on the bathroom wall. We ended up having a big discussion about it [in Jewish Cultural Club], because that's obviously not okay by any

Over the past few months, “casual intolerance” on campus has risen as infuencer Kanye West garnered international attention for his antisemitic re-

“With the whole Kanye thing going on, people are restating [his comments], and it's really messed up. He's making it much worse because people listen to what he has to say. It’s all over the news, and people are using that as [grounds to] joke around, but it's really serious stuf,” Dorfman said. Dorfman is president of the campus’s Jewish Cultural Club, which was founded to educate students about Jewish religion and culture in hopes of promoting religious tolerance. Every Monday in room 803, a rabbi from Chabad of the Beach Cities (a local synagogue) comes to talk to members of the club, and—as kids walk out the door— everyone gets free

“Even if [attendees] are only thereza, to some extent they have to pay attention or listen to what the rabbi has to say, what I have to say, or the video that we're playing,” Dorfman said. “I think [society] puts [color-based racism] on aform than they put antisemitism, but antisemitism is still very prominent in and outside of school. We’re trying to shine a light on that and make sure students know that it's still there; it’s hurtful to a According to Principal Anthony Bridi, RUHS’s zero-tolerance policy for religious hate and discrimination are both formal, via ofcial reports, and informal, by fostering what he

calls “positive campus culture.”

“If I see it, I address it—it's almost like the trash issue, right? If I see a piece of garbage, I don't walk over it. I just pick it up. Do I have a sore back every single day from picking up trash? I do. But it's something that needs to be addressed, so I address it,” Bridi said. “It's worth the efort because not only am I picking up trash, I'm modeling [positive behavior]. When students treat each other with respect and they treat each other with understanding no matter who they are, that culture is established.”

Students, Bridi explained, are the leaders of this movement.

“If students address poor behavior with their peers, like, ‘Hey, I don't like when you call me that name,’ or ‘That's not cool,’ or whatever it is, and walk away, that snufs out the problem immediately. But the minute someone doesn't address it up front, it continues to happen,” Bridi said. “So if you see something, say something.”

But it isn’t always so simple. Anonymous sophomore Olivia, whose name has been changed to preserve anonymity, practices Islam and often encounters Islamophobia in passing.

“I hear the word ‘terrorist’ used very loosely. I've heard people say that Islam is oppressive to women, it's a dumb religion or that all Muslims are terrorists and they're dangerous. I hear a lot of [those comments] just living my life. People feel free to say it because they don't think that I am Muslim. They don't think that I would be afected by it—but I am,” said Olivia.

By personal choice, Olivia doesn’t wear a hijab, so “most people just assume that [she is] Christian” because there is no visible evidence of Muslim customs.

“It's a weird feeling. I do feel disconnected from my religion, but it is a pretty big part of my life. It's what I believe. And when I hear so many people attacking [Islam] and making assumptions, it just feels like the whole world is just attacking me. And that feels really unfair; it makes me sad,” Olivia said.

In a predominantly white, Christian school, Olivia noticed a “big power dynamic” that complicates her willingness to advocate against Islamophobia.

OLIVIA ANONYMOUS SOPHOMORE

“I don't feel like I am powerful enough to change their mindsets. If you hear something and you say something, there's always that fear: ‘What's going to happen to me? Are they going to be mad?’ I don't feel comfortable raising my voice to that injustice when I could so easily be crushed by a white man,” Olivia said. “In a small religious minority it can be hard to [raise my voice].”

In an efort to empower Muslim voices, Olivia wants to start a Muslim-Arab culture club.

“I think a lot of the comments directed towards Muslims are simply caused by a lack of education and a lack of information about the religion. And I don't blame people; there isn't much correct information foating around. The most that I can do as a Muslim in school with so few of us I think that I can step up my role, use the power that I do have and educate people and reforming the dynamic,” Oliva said.

Though RUHS will “never be perfect,” Bridi said that he is “proud” to represent so many diferent religions on campus.

“We're an institution of learning and an institution where teenagers are learning how to be better people. There are going to be issues that we need to address when it comes to this topic. There will always be work to do, ways we can be better. Those are things I’m going to continue to fght for,” Bridi said.

I hear the word 'terrorist' used very loosely. I've heard people say that Islam is oppressive to women, it's a dumb religion or that all Muslims are terrorists and are dangerous."

“

“

Here's the Kicker

Zelia Lerch

oday, it seems like the only thing people can talk about is who’s advancing to the next stage, Ronaldo vs. Messi, and even Neymar’s best haircut. Whether you’ve willingly (or unwillingly) watched a qualifer during class or tapped through Instagram story endorsements, the 2022 World Cup, a quadrennial international soccer tournament, feels impossible to avoid.

But as the World Cup fnal approaches this Sunday, it's important to understand the context behind the competition this year. Rumors of corruption and protest have swirled around practically every game so far, which begs the question: Is it ethical to watch the World Cup right now?

The debacle regarding this year’s tournament began in December of 2010, when the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) surprised the international sporting community by announcing that the 2022 World Cup would be hosted in Qatar. What amenities did this tiny desert country have over the economic capabilities and resources of larger countries such as Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United States? What appeal did Qatar have, considering it lacked the infrastructure and space for stadiums, transportation and hotels, much less the capacity to control the travelers that fock to the World Cup games?

Qatar was cleared of a two year investigation after representatives were accused of a 3 million pound bribe to those deciding on where the 2022 World Cup would be held. However, the report stated that there were “certain indications of potentially problematic conduct of specifc individuals."

Sports Washing, the practice of using sports as a coverup for corruption or wrongdoing, is common in these competitions. Just this year at the Beijing Winter Olympics, the Chinese government and Olympics ofcials came under criticism for the lack of regard to Hong Kong controversies and the horrifc treatment of Uyghur Muslims. Qatar, in this case, is no stranger to similar human rights violations, including those against the LGBTQ+ community and its migrant workforce. It is estimated that in 2021, 50

foreign laborers died, over 500 were seriously injured and another 37,600 sufered mild to moderate injuries building Qatar soccer stadiums, as reported by the Guardian. As of Tuesday, Dec. 13, two journalists have died “suddenly” covering the games: Khalid al-Misslam and Grant Wahl, although their deaths are still under investigation.

TSome teams intended to protest the human rights violations in the country by wearing rainbow armbands during games, but were denied by FIFA, who threatened sports sanctions as punishment for any protest defying Qatari laws. The German national team made a weak statement by posting a photo on Instagram with their hands over their mouths and the caption, “Denying us the armband is the same as denying us a voice.” In spite of this, the team continued playing in the tournament.

To me, protesting means risking something—if you’re going to commit to condemning the actions of Qatar, then use your infuence on an international stage to do so. A halfhearted attempt followed by a continuation of the norm upsets the, albeit honorable, message the German team was trying to get across. The Iranian national team, on the other hand, actually took a risk by refusing to sing their national anthem as a stand against their own government and their role in the death of Mahsa Amini, who was killed in custody after being arrested for “inappropriate attire.”

The World Cup is an international platform—an opportunity to broadcast a message to the world about the injustice that you want to see resolved. The Catch-22 is that no matter how much these teams and managers may care about the moral issues of the host country, they cannot resist the prestige that comes with worldwide recognition, which is clear, as no qualifying countries made any efort to boycott. If the “traditional” soccer countries—Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, England, etc., had collaborated and planned to boycott this year’s games, FIFA and Qatar would have been forced to make real changes.

Fans have expressed their opinions and taken action. Many have quietly tried, with varying degrees of success, to wear rainbow clothing to games. One Italian man broke into the feld before the Portugal vs. Uruguay match wearing a shirt with “RESPECT FOR IRANIAN WOMAN” written on the back and “SAVE UKRAINE” on the front, fying the rainbow fag between his outstretched hands in his sprint before detainment. Japanese fans cleaned the stadium of trash after the game against Germany. These risks

and kindnesses alike show the beauty of the tournament in its innate humanity—the unifcation of people beyond nationality or borders.

But despite the courage of individuals during the World Cup so far, there still remains the fundamentally immoral backbone. What’s especially ridiculous to me is the guise that the current FIFA administration presents, in order to tone down the seriousness of the decisions that have been made in the past 15 years. Previous members of the FIFA board have already been charged with crimes of corruption and bribery, and the current president only feels half as tone deaf as Blatter.

“The only thing I’m asking you. Engage. Help. Don’t divide, try to unite. The world is divided enough. We are organizing a FIFA World Cup, we’re not organizing a war. We organize a FIFA World Cup where people who have many problems in his or her life try to come and enjoy,” current FIFA President Gianni Infantino said at the opening press conference.

I agree, Infantino. You didn’t organize a war. But you did push the blame of political division onto World Cup fans when the entire problem wouldn’t exist in the frst place if FIFA had fairly chosen a bid. It’s ridiculous and foolhardy to assume that people will suddenly be okay with the Qatari government just because they’re hosting the tournament, especially after the means in which they won the bid. FIFA's actions did unite people, just against the legitimacy and reputability of your organization.

As viewers and fans, I don’t blame you if you want to support your favorite team or players. In the long run, one person tuning in or out doesn’t make a diference, or convince the Qatari government to “allow” their citizens to be gay, or bring back the lives of the workers lost to construction. What’s non-negotiable is that you understand and stand behind the risks that others have taken to protect their beliefs, their families and their identities, and stay educated on the causes behind each defance. The tournament is an international competition, but what’s the point if we aren’t coming together as an internation - al community, at least for a few weeks?

Troy Nevil

In some cases, you can separate the art from the artist. But this isn’t one of them.

To be brutally honest, I’ve never been the biggest Ye (Kanye West) fan. Maybe it's because rap music isn’t my thing, or maybe it's because of his egotistic personality. And while I cannot deny that he has created some of the best rap music to date, it's time to put it away. For good.

In just the past two months, Ye has made some of the most disturbing comments and posts that I have ever seen from a mainstream celebrity in recent years. His antics started at the 2022 Paris Fashion Week where he was seen wearing a “White Lives Matter” t-shirt. While I myself do not support or understand the “White Lives Matter” movement, simply because I do not believe white people have been racially discriminated against since the beginning of time, I can accept the fact that this is a form of free speech, and that Ye had every right to do this. But that doesn’t make it unproblematic.

Just weeks later, Ye went back to his playground, also known as Twitter, and tweeted away as he typ ically does. But this time, he tweeted something unimaginable—something so vile and disgusting that it's difcult to understand why. He tweeted, “I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE.”

It didn’t stop there. Just one week ago, on Dec. 2, Ye tweeted a swastika on his Twitter page—one followed by millions of his fans, many being teenagers that are easily infuenced by his actions. And if you thought his previous tweets may have been a joke or a fuke, this

swastika sure says otherwise.

I don’t care if he’s still recovering from his divorce with Kim Kardashian. I don’t care if his music is the best you’ve ever heard. I don’t care if he’s going through a tough time. I care about the fact that he is exposing millions of people to antisemitism, racism and misogyny, just to name a few. And what’s worse is that people are giving him a platform to explain himself because they know it will attract views and attention.

The Holocaust was a genocide that led to the death of over six million Jews. It was by far the darkest time in history, one that most of us—if not all of us—have learned from. However, we’ve seen a growth of antisemitism in recent months; according to Spectrum News, “the number of hate incidents in [Los Angeles] is on pace to surpass last year’s record high.” And for someone with such a large following to perpetuate such behavior should be a genuine concern for all of us, beyond only our Jewish peers.

In many ways, celebrities and name-brands have done job condemning Ye’s actions, cutting ties with him and making the public aware of his toxic behavior. However, the issue lies with those who continue to give him a platform that he no longer deserves, simply for the media attention and internet clicks.

I would even argue that those listening to his music are somewhat of a problem, as the money goes towards him and his agendas. And the more money he has, the more likely he is to continue these horrifc acts of antisemitism.

letters to the editor

The High Tide encourages greater input of perspectives from both students and staf. If you have an opinion about one of the articles, letters can be sent to the editor at hightideonline@gmail.com

We reserve the right to edit for content, grammar and space constraints. Letters must be signed and are not guaranteed to be printed. Please keep letters to a maximum of 250 words. Longer guest opinions are also accepted.

voice column

The High Tide aims to share the voices of a wider swath of the RUHS student population, beyond just our staf members.

If you have a story to share, a unique outlook on something, or a personal opinion, fll out the form linked at the QR code.

Although Ye has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, that does not excuse his actions; he is well-aware of his infuence, and he should have stayed of of Twitter and his social media platforms to avoid harming others. In order to prevent future outbursts like this, I urge him to seek the help he needs and refect on his actions, and I urge the rest of you to hold him accountable.

In the meantime, stream Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Playboi Carti or any less problematic rapper out there. It’s difcult to accept change, but sometimes we have to let go of the things we no longer recognize. And Ye is no longer the person he used to be.

It is important to educate yourself on the contreversies behind the World Cup before watching it, especially this year

In the case of Kanye West, separating the art from the artist is not the way to go

Photo via iStock images Photo

Taking a stance against anti-semitism

by an anonymous student

AGerman ambassador advised my grandfather to leave Lithuania in 1945, saving my family from the catastrophic fate of Nazi concentration camps. I grew up as a reformed Jew, taking pride in my culture and being extremely vocal about my heritage and religion.

My childhood friends were mainly of Jewish descent. Whether they were Persian-Jews or Israelis, we all shared one thing in common: a love for who we are and where we came from.

Upon moving to Redondo in my pre-teen years, I faced open prejudice that left me shocked. I’ve had multiple experiences with anti-semitism, whether in person, social media or even on campus.

Once, I was sitting with a group of older boys who had no knowledge of my religious background. They began to mimic Nazi salute, their hands outstretched as they said, “Heil Hitler.” This enactment left me uncomfortable and apprehensive. I told them that I was Jewish in hopes that they just made an ill choice for a “joke.”

To my disbelief, they laughed and made jokes about gas chambers. It escalated to texts: “This is the deal we made, all of us, if ur a girl n ur a Jew but ur hot we won’t say nun abt the Jew part yk.”

I have scrolled through social media and witnessed many of my peers post pictures of Swastikas,

ADAM and STEVE

When people fnd out I’m Christian, they’re shocked. The most common remark I’ve heard is “You don’t seem like that” with a fabbergasted, sometimes judgemental tone.

I don’t blame them.

In this society, false truths spread faster than wildfres. Navigating opinions interspersed with facts in the complex, nuanced world of religion is not only challenging but at times impossible. There are so many misconceptions about religions, whether it be about Christianity, Judaism, Taoism, Hinduism, Islam, or one of the 4,000 other recognized religions in our world.

It doesn’t

The false stereotypes of Christians being homophobic and judgemental harms both the Christian and queer communities

by Katarina (Haven) Beches

matter that the Bible reafrms, time and time again, the value of diversity and acceptance of love when stereotypes swarm. It doesn’t matter that Romans 8:38 professes that “Nothing can separate us from the love of God” if one decrepit minister screams that he hates gays and it’s nationally televised.

The sad truth is that Christianity has been reduced to minority-fueled stereotypes, giving those who believe and identify as Christians a bad reputation.

I can acknowledge that there are certain groups of Christians that have rightfully earned the damaging, harmful stereotypes that have dominated its reputation. I’m not proud of them.

Organizations condemn LGBTQ+ groups, reinforce racist, harmful beliefs and more—all behind the facade of being “supported” by the Bible, and thus God.

Groups led by ministers, hiding behind “traditional moral values” preach love in one sermon and work to combat the “homosexual agenda” in another. Such is the case for the American Family Association, formed by Methodist minister Donald E. Wildmon, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLA).

American Vision, spearheaded by the “doctrine of ‘Christain Reconstruction’” whose goal is “restorning America’s Biblical foundation,” even “backs the death penalty for practicing homosexuals” (SPLA).

The hypocrisy of these groups is that while they cite biblical works as a justifcation for their claims, in actuality, they are

going against the very core of Christianity.

Christianity is not the minority’s warped interpretation of it. Rather, it is believing in Jesus Christ, believing that he died for our sins on Earth and because of that, we have a direct connection to him. At the risk of oversimplifcation, it’s treating others with the kindness, forgiveness, and care he demonstrates in Scripture.

In the Bible, Galatians 3:28 states: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

It pains me that such a beautiful religion that brings millions joy, solace and connection has been reduced to homophobia, racism, and hurtful stereotypes.

I’m Christian, but I’m bisexual. I’m Christian, yet I believe in woman’s autonomy, gay marriage, and the value of diversity. I can stand for equality and still be Christian.

It’s easy to call a group racist. It’s easy to call a group homophobic. Yet, the easy way is not always the right way.

Even so, religion doesn’t have to be the core part of one’s identity. Like all dynamic individuals, we are multifaceted and religion is just one of the many puzzle pieces that shape our identity, character, and sense of self. The next time a person confdes their religion to you, I challenge you to abandon your preconceived conceptions.

Don’t judge. Don’t turn your nose down. Rather, have an open mind. Who knows? You might be surprised at what you think.

VIA FREEPIX

by Hadeel Azzam

Judgy Judgy aunts, weird uncles and mean ten-year-olds are the frst thing that comes to mind when I think of my neighborhood mosque. They are also number one on my long list of reasons why I haven’t been to the mosque in years.

Many places of worship have long since been forgotten to their initial purpose and have reclaimed a new one, one where God is defnitely not in the picture.

ten or because they did not attend an Islamic school. Saying these things only discourages others from going to the mosque and may be hurting their own faith. These kids had to learn from somewhere, and I blame their upbringing.

and plain disgusting. Teaching these young girls to put the opinions of these much older men above their own makes them vulnerable to their manipulations.

ANONYMOUS STUDENT

numbers on their arms and blatant stereotypical memes about Jewish culture. Disturbed, I express my concern, but the response is always, “You know they were just joking right?”

Anti-semitism is so normalized now that people have no shame in openly posting anti-semitic symbols and comments. I’ve even noticed Swastikas etched into different parts of our campus and students joking around casually.

Although the openly ignorant behavior may come from a minority of individuals, it is the majority that is tolerating it; it feels like no one cares. Anti-Semitism exists and thrives in American culture, and it takes active efort to dispel rumors and defend Jewish people. Action is required from more than just Jews; allies and friends of our community must take a stance.

While God can forgive, many of his believers do not forget. The smallest mistake, mishap, or even some type of uniqueness can alter one’s image in the eyes of others at their place of worship. The Puritans did it best, but alas, the time of dunking people in rivers has instead been replaced with sideways glances and whispers.

With this judgment comes intense homophobia. There are much older girls who refer to the girl who dresses in baggy clothes and has short hair as “lesbian” or use homophobic slurs against her.

Homosexuality is not explicitly forbidden in the Quran. Many interpret the story of Prophet Lut (peace be upon him), as one that prohibits gay sex, but that is not the case here. The TDLR (too long didn’t read) is that many travelers that visited the city of Sodom were often victims of robbers, rape and murder. The rape in question was men against other men. The story condemns rape more than homosexuality, and while there are restrictions on diferent forms of sexual acts, none of them explicitly say between two men or two women. But people will still turn this story around to ft their own beliefs, using their religion to justify their bigotry.

Other than bigotry, many of these people are just mean. They will fnd an excuse to use one’s faults to make themselves feel better and more secure in their faith. Starting of young, there are ten-year-olds who tell others that “they are not good Muslims” because they do not visit the mosque as of-

I was not exaggerating when I said judgy aunts were on the top of my list; they even made the list of reasons where I do not attend regular gatherings other than Islamic ones. What makes them worse is that their judgments spread like wildfre. “Did you see what Suhaila’s daughter is wearing? She looks like a man.” “What a mess. It’s deen to dress like a girl.” The Quran states that clothing should be modest, for both men and women, and there is no other restriction. But people keep twisting the word of God to ft their own. If anything, my jeans that are three sizes too big are more in Allah’s (SWT) image than their daughter’s super skinny hollister jeans. But I do not ft their own image and that is what makes it wrong. What sets an extra judgmental eye on me and what I do is my gender.

Many of these parents know of the very non-Islamic things that their sons are doing but decide to turn a blind eye. Girls are meant to be innocent and pure but the boys are allowed to run wild. One wrong move or rumor and these girls' lives can be ruined.

Honor killings are a very real thing. The UN estimates that 5,000 girls and women are murdered each year in honor killings. Those are the ones that are that reported. Many of these crimes go unreported and these killers run free.

While the consequences are not as drastic in America, they can still be damaging to young girls. Their “innocence” is valued more than their personality or beliefs. There are thirty to forty-yearold men who look for wives that are around 18 or 19-years-old because they have “less world experience” and “are more pure.” Their way of thinking is predatory

The manipulations do not start with the man, it is usually his mother. “He’s an engineer, he has his own house, he's a very successful habiti,” That's expected, Khalto, he is 38. Of course I’ve never said that to anyone’s face, but I stick to the basic well known excuse of “I still need to fnish school,” but even that won’t get you too far. People will respect a man’s ambition but shoot down a woman’s. Some women will limit their ambitions for fear of making their husbands insecure. The Quran talks of the importance of equality for all, regardless of race, ethnicity or gender. People choose to forget all about this and replace it with their own misogynistic ideals.

People have intertwined their cultural and personal beliefs with their religion to justify their own wrongdoings. They refuse to believe that their religion goes against their bigotry and twists it to ft their beliefs.

Judgemental and toxic religous communities alienate younger generations and can cause resentment towards their religion

Sometimes, it actually is

IMAGE

Although the openly ignorant behavior may come from a minority of individuals, it is the majority that is tolerating it; it feels like no one cares."

Anything but a weak-day

Ortega showcases her talent in Netfix's new drama "Wednesday"

by Lauren Choy

In a winter white-themed dance, Wednesday Addams catches everyone’s attention as she is in all black, amidst a crowd of countless students dressed in white. She’s unique and nothing like the average girl, which is exactly how the new Netfix show “Wednesday” stands out from other teenage television works.

Known for his terrifc gothic fantasy works, director Tim Burton’s new take on Wednesday Addams in the remake show called “Wednesday,” brings a wave of nostalgia along with a new teenage version of Wednesday (Jenna Ortega). Two generations of Wednesdays, Christina Ricci and Jenna Ortega, perfectly represent the overwhelming amount of talent in the show, which makes it memorable. I was stunned, to say the least.

The show follows the main confict of humans continuously being attacked by an unknown creature with which Wednesday unknowingly gets wrapped up. With psychological visions fueling her investigation, Wednesday seems to be stopped at every lead she obtains and faces reality when people undermine teenage intellect, as no one will listen to her leads. Audience members are able to connect this with their own lives, which naturally makes them more drawn to Wednesday. The additional twists are what moved the confict from an average detective case to a unique confict that perfectly fts into the setting and characters. The investigation tied all aspects of Wednesday’s life together which served as

the underlying glue to the show. Burton did an excellent job of diverting viewers' attention away from the actual antagonist, which in the end left viewers’ jaws dropped.

The opening scene begins with all heads turning as Wednesday walks down the high school hall to fnd her brother, Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez), tied up in a locker. Once she touches Pugsley, her head is thrown

Nevermore, the school of outcasts and her mother’s alma mater. This beginning encapsulates Wednesday’s rock-hard heart and allows the viewers to glimpse her personality.

Wednesday develops immensely from this sadistic, unemotional girl as represented in Wednesday and her roommate, Enid Sinclair’s (Emma Myers) relationship. As representations of light and dark, the two start on a rocky path with a physical tape line dividing their shared room. However, as they face challenges, they put aside their diferences and fnd an unlikely friendship. Ortega’s duality from cold-hearted to at times vulnerable emulates Wednesday’s journey to accepting and expressing emotions. Ortega portrays Wednesday’s gradual vulnerability with Enid by fnally embracing in a hug. Her portrayal allowed viewers to realistically see Wednesday’s emotional growth throughout the show.

ting her emotionless character to a tee. In fact, Ortega only blinks a handful of times in the show and saves her blinks for when she is emotionally challenged. The seemingly small detail was the detail that pulled me in even further. I found myself actively counting her blinks while watching, and this made me more invested in the show because I was attentively searching for her rare vulnerable moments.

incident, she is sent to

Ortega’s commitment to Wednesday keeps viewers hooked until the very end. Because the whole show revolved around Wednes - day, the pressure was on for ga to perform well. And oh, did she pull through. Ortega’s neatly placed hair, eyebrows, eyes and body positions embodied the character of Wednesday fawlessly, expertly immersing viewers in her every move. Not once did she break out of Burton directed Ortega to do the classic “Kubrick spooky she glares through her eyebrows, ft-

Surprisingly, not only is the show a dark fantasy, but also a romance story with Wednesday involved in a love triangle between an outcast, Xavier Thorpe (Percy Hynes White), and a normie, Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan). Viewers also see a rivalry between the Nevermore “queen,” Bianca Barclay (Joy Sunday), and Wednesday. Ultimately, after countless disagreements and fghts, the two manage to put their egos aside to become friends, which is a huge step for Wednesday. As she navigates between her love life and rivalries, Wednesday’s relationships that develop fully add to the depth of the show. Instead of just seeing her action side or her emotionless side, viewers see every aspect of Wednesday’s life. This all-rounded knowledge helps the viewer feel emotionally attached to Wednesday and root for her.

Even though she has incredibly unique characteristics, in the end, Wednesday is still human. From the start, Wednesday has longed for a supportive mother that doesn’t undervalue her capabilities. Similarly to no one listening to her detective leads, teenagers watching are able to relate to her struggle with underestimation. As Wednesday and her mother, Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) go through bonding experiences, they realize that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. Because of their growing alikeness, this connection brings the two together in a tear-jerking relationship that previously seemed impossible.

Devoting eight hours to this show will be something you won't regret. The number of subplots doesn’t override the main confict, but instead, supports it even more. The intentional camera angles, ftting set designs, excellent casting choices and unexpected twists at the end boosted the show even more, and fully exceeded my expectations.

These flms will get you in the spirit this holiday season

As the season changes, the cool air sweeps in, freplaces turn on, decorative lights show up on the roof and music travels throughout the house. Even better, it’s the time when people can come together to celebrate on the couch to relax and watch flms, new and old, that make the eggnog and hot cocoa taste even better.

This year, a newly released Christmas movie, “Spirited,” features two prominent comedians, Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell. “Spirited” follows the duo traveling in an adventure much like the classic Dickens story, “A Christmas Carol,” but as a musical. Ferrell has had experience with past holiday movies, known for his performance in the popular Christmas movie “Elf.” And he did not disappoint with his role as the Ghost of Christmas present and his co-star Reynolds, whose role mirrored Ebenezer Scrooge, and both gave this movie a comedic spin.

Each actor performed numerous songs weaving in hilarious lyrics and playful choreography which had myself replaying scenes just to laugh again. The moments in this movie, both sarcastic and endearing, were a great refection of these skillful actors’s ability to take what would’ve been another cringy musical scene, into an excit-

by Marley Van Pelt

ing dance number flled with humor. This movie, as funny and exuberant as it was, also had an underlying sentimental message of unity. “Spirited” took the spirit that comes from Christmas to encourage the importance of having joy in your life and spreading it to others.

Similarly, in the animated Hanukkah movie “Eight Crazy Nights,” viewers see a similar message of happiness as “Spirited”—but not until the end. There are times when a movie starts out slow and your expectations drop, but then you give it time, and you fall in love; this happened to me when I watched this flm.

This movie also features another famous comedian, Adam Sandler, and if you are a big fan of his, as I am, it’ll help you to stay long enough to love this movie since you’ll understand his comedy. If not, then it may be a struggle since his humor often comes in the form of some inappropriate language and irreverent jokes. However, the sentiment of this movie has sweet undertones and leaves you with a lighthearted impression, as all holiday movies should.

The initial reason for Davey’s reluctance for the holidays is the fact that his parents passed away during Hanukkah. It took committing misdemeanors for him to eventually reconnect back to the sport he

loved, reminding him of the love his parents had for him.

Made over two decades ago, this movie still had good animations and relatable characters that had you interested to watch more. I enjoyed the character development throughout this movie and though it may sound cliche, this movie represents the love in people, regardless of their situation. It took a criminal with a disregard for anyone but himself and gave him a story that revealed his true admiration for the holidays.

“The Black Candle,” a documentary narrated by Maya Angelou, takes this message of community celebration to heart while telling the history of Kwanzaa.

This flm gave a historical account of Kwanzaa, starting from it's origination in California, helping me to have an in-depth understanding of this holiday. Kwanzaa centers around seven guiding principles, known in Swahili as Nguni Saba. A Kinara, candle-holder, holds candles representing these principles: three red candles symbolizing the ancient struggle endured, three green candles for hope and one black candle to represent the community’s unity.

Angelou also guides viewers through the principles of Kwanzaa: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa

(cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) and Imani (faith). Diferent stories of Kwanzaa celebrations around the world were featured and Angelou defnes Kwanzaa as “a time to honor [the] heritage” and celebrate the best of “what it means to be who we are.”

Kwanzaa is a cultural celebration for African-Americans to identify with their African roots. Angelou explains how Kwanzaa serves as a way for people to celebrate their accomplishments and identity as well as to connect with their African descent, regardless of the country in which they live.

Watching this documentary provided much-needed insight for a holiday that is underrepresented in American popular media. Even though it wasn’t a movie with fctional characters, it kept me just as entertained as any other holiday flm. It took storytelling to a diferent perspective by showcasing real-life stories and it built a history for the holiday.

In the end, holidays are a celebration of various beliefs, cultures, and events in which people can share joy and spend time with those in their families and communities. Watching movies can be a great looking glass to seeing independent holidays still linked through celebrations, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or culture.

PHOTO VIA NETFLIX TUNDUM

Religious Book Reviews Religious Book Reviews

"Elatsoe" and "Becoming

by Ariya Anvari

Searching for a book that accurately represents a religion and is still fantasy is practically impossible.

In most cases with fantasy stories the religious aspect is a footnote, and when it comes to that of religious books the majority are monotone biographies or some weird romance where a hallmark movie lady has to decide between her religion and some supposedly hot guy. Between all the boring and messed-up stories, “Elatsoe” truly was a godsend. The story itself was written by Darcie Little Badger, a member of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas. While there are fantasy aspects, the story touches upon the traditions and religious practices in a positive and accurate way, by delving into the importance of nature as well as the stories of far-gone relatives being passed down generations. The novel tells a wonderful story about a Tribe that is not often well-represented in the media.

The short novel is not only a quick read that’s perfect for fans of fction, but it also manages to represent the traditions and religion of the Lipan Apache Tribe without falling into any stereotypes.

The story focuses on “Elatsoe,” Ellie, Bride, a 17-year-old girl who is part of the Lipan Apache Tribe. Ellie attempts to uncover the recent and mysterious death of a family member in a magical world unlike ours. Despite the fun and lighthearted tone the book begins with, darker parts are present as well. The story focuses on dealing with the loss of a loved one and the traditions of those in the Lipan Apache Tribe when someone does pass.

In regards to the characters themselves, they are just as incredible as their relationships to one another are. The characters are all unique and realistic. First, there is the loveable Kirby, Ellie’s lifelong

Eve" are insightful reads

companion and pet ghost-dog. Secondly, there is Jay, an oddly optimistic cheerleader who has been Ellie's best friend since childhood. Then there's the woman, the myth, the legend herself, Ellie Bride, the determined and somewhat nerdy protagonist, who makes the story feel like home with her relatability and witty nature. Beyond the characters, in terms of fantasy, “Elatsoe” has almost everything. From

story that delves into religion but still has a plot aside from bashing or praising it would be, “Becoming Eve.” Although it certainly difers from the fantasy nature of “Elatsoe,” due to the fact it is a biography and focuses more heavily on coming to terms with a religious background, it still incorporates that meaningful and readable nature one looks for in a religious book.

Abby Stein focuses on her own journey as a trans woman who grew up in a Hasidic Jewish Community and was seen as a future Ultra-Orthadox Rabbi by all her peers. It explains her journey in a family where no one really understood what it means to be transgender. Though the story does focus on the trauma and pain of growing up in that situation, she doesn’t blame or diss her religion or family. She notes the truth of what happened to her rather than assigning blame.

an adorable ghost-dog to cursed men/vampires to elf-descendant cheerleaders this story brings the fantasy aspect home. By bringing several well-known folktales and myths to life, Badger makes this story thrilling and memorable. Being immersed in a world where fantasy is the norm (and being told “don’t go near the cannibal caves” is practically the same as “don’t take candy from strangers”) creates a beautiful escape from reality. From foating whales to willo-wisps, there is truly a sense of magic that creates this escape. Additionally, the use of both a magical world and a mysterious murder mystery plot makes the story incredibly enticing and one you can’t put down even if fantasy isn’t entirely your thing. Beyond “Elatsoe,” another amazing

At frst my expectation was to hate this book as I’ve never been one for biographies, but the story is genuine and an important one to hear as it spreads awareness of those in the trans community and isn’t a monotonous biography flled with hate but rather the experiences of a transgender woman who didn’t even know about the existence of the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, she grew up with the pressure of being the only possible future Rabbi to carry her parents' lineage, and her parents both came from rabbinic dynasties (making them the equivalent of Hasidic royalty.)

Not only is the story meaningful to those of the trans community but it also acknowledges that one can be religious and true to themselves even if it seems impossible or unheard of.

Though they do have major diferences, ultimately both “Elatsoe” and “Becoming Eve” tell important stories of religion that are unforgettable.

by Stavyah Naveen

This book was just as dramatic and hyperbolic as its title.

“Everyone in This Room Will Someday be Dead," written by Emily Austin, follows the life of a 27-year-old woman named Gilda who sufers from severe anxiety and an onset of depression as well as a morbid preoccupation with the notion of death. To top it all of, Gilda identifes as a lesbian and holds a job as a receptionist in a Catholic Church that is completely clueless about her sexual orientation.

The novel predominantly speaks to Gilda’s severe anxiety, and how the unfortunate predicaments that she often fnds herself in only worsen her condition. Written in the frst-person point of view, readers are given an in-depth look into Gilda’s internal thoughts and feelings, most of which have to do with the larger universe and the purpose of life. However, when Gilda stumbled upon a job at a nearby Catholic church that was unaware of her sexual orientation and, not to mention, immensely homophobic, she questions why a belief system that is theoretically created to help people feel safe “takes away one of the few things that make [her] feel like [her] life is worth living at all.” Love.

Initially, the signifcance of this plotstruck me as formidable, yet enticing. However, I couldn’t help but wonder whether the “homophobia of the Church”

was really all that it was made out to be in the novel. Some of the outrageous, and frankly, rude gestures that Gilda witnesses from her fellow employees include church fyers being put out for parents to “SAVE [THEIR] CHILDREN FROM HOMOSEXUALITY”. And while this was certainly a common occurrence in the church towards members of the LGBTQ+ community in the past, it is worth acknowl-

mosexual tendencies must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity [...] Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” This statement from the Pope was heavily contradicted by the actions of the Church employees in this novel, who portrayed the general Catholic population in a negative light, as immensely discriminatory and hostile towards members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Additionally, according to The Human Rights Campaign, many Catholic lay organizations, such as Catholics for Marriage Equality, played a key role in the United States during the 2012 elections and have increasingly voiced their support for same-sex marriages. In consistently portraying the Catholic church as inhibiting and restrictive, the novel is insulting towards the majority of United States Catholics who do support homosexuality, and thus misinforms its readers.

edging that this novel takes place during a time of smartphones and Twitter, implying same-sex marriages were either prevalent or even legalized by this time.

In questioning the reliability of this novel, in its regard to how Catholic communities actually treat members of the LGBTQ+ community, I learned that about three-quarters of the U.S. Catholics actually believe that society should be accepting of homosexuality, according to a global survey performed by the Pew Research Center in 2019. A statement made by the Vatican also proclaims that “men and women with ho-

Although there are still dioceses and parishes of Catholic communities that are less accepting of same-sex relationships and marriages, I was still hoping for the author to acknowledge diversity among dioceses, and how not all Catholic churches are hostile towards the LGBTQ+ community. After portraying one church that was disrespectful towards the LGBTQ+ community, I was hoping to read about another church that featured an opposite perspective. I yearned for the story to be a more wholesome representation of the Catholic community, rather than a lazy and stereotypical jab at what is really just a minority of the catholic community.

All in all, in spite of the novel addressing other pressing matters including a realistic perspective on anxiety and depression, it missed the mark when it came to an accurate and wholesome representation of the Catholic religion.

"Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead" misses the mark

PHOTO FROM GOODREADS

The use of both a magical world and a mysterious murder mystery plot makes the story incredibly enticing and one that you can't put down."

“

I was still hoping for the author to acknowledge diversity among dioceses, and how not all Catholic churches are hostile towards the LGBTQ+ community."

“

PHOTO FROM AMAZON

PHOTO FROM SIMON & SCHUSTER

Setting Future Goals

Boys soccer loses to West Torrance 0-3, yet to win this season

by Summer Puterbaugh

Following a loss to Roosevelt and a tie to North Torrance, boys varsity soccer fell short to West Torrance in a 0-3 away game on Friday, Dec. 9.

Despite the “slow” preseason, the team believes they can bounce back in their upcoming tournament over winter break, according to sophomore goalkeeper Kieran Davidson.

“I feel we’ve outplayed the teams that we went against, but we just slacked of in the end. If we can consistently keep our energy up against tough competition, we’ll be fne when it comes to the actual season," Davidson said.

According to Davidson, the team “eased of” too much and lacked the energy that West possessed, making it harder to compete with them.

“Starting out, our attitude coming into the game was poor," Davidson said. "We didn’t want it as much as we did during other games, and I feel like it was refected in our game because we made a lot of mistakes.”

One of the team’s biggest challenges is their team chemistry, according to senior center-back Ryan Wood, a consequence of the members’ conficting schedules.

“We have a lot of talented players, but a lot of players play for diferent clubs and we haven’t had the chance to get to know each other well [on the feld],” Wood said.

Davidson notes that the team is skilled at passing the ball to each other and playing ofensively but occasionally struggles to stay consistent when scoring goals.

“I believe that one of our weaknesses is our lackluster playing when we’re in the box and trying to fnish because we can’t seem to score a lot. Sometimes we slack of on defense, too, but I think we just need to play together more often to raise consistency,” Davidson said.

Although the team’s strategy could be

“improved,” according to Davidson, the team was still able to learn from their mistakes and use them to make improvements to their strategy throughout the game. The team strengthened their defense in response to West’s strong ofense in the second half to prevent West from scoring.

“We didn’t score, but we started to gain a little more confdence,” Davidson said.

The game against West taught the boys a lesson about the importance of attitude when playing, according to Davidson, which is essentially the foundation of the game.

“If you don’t come in ready to play, you won’t play well. We just need to get in the right mindset before we start and that will help us improve throughout the season,” Davidson said.

Junior center-back Jeremy Beauchamp claims that while the team is still “ironing out the kinks,” they remain close and spirited, feeling ready to come back this season.

“We all know each other really well. We’re friends on top of being on the same team, which I think is going to help with our communication. A lot of people are just playing positions that they don’t normally play, so it’s been an interesting start,” Beauchamp said.

According to Wood, the team has high hopes for the rest of the season and seeks to follow in the footsteps of last year’s team, who won the CIF Division 2 Southern Section championships.

“I think there’s a bit of nervousness because we have such big shoes to fll,” Wood said. “But once the whistle blows, everyone starts to think ‘Alright, I know what I’m doing. I know how to play soccer.’ And then the nerves disappear.”

Girls water polo loses to Long Beach Poly 6-12, looks forward to Bay League

by Malina Young

The varsity girls water polo team traveled to Long Beach Poly High school (LB Poly) on Dec. 12 for their second non-conference game of the season. Coming of the Villa Park Classic tournament the weekend before, Redondo was looking for a win. However, despite their determination, LB Poly proved to be a tough opponent, and Redondo, unfortunately, lost 6-12.

With LB Poly’s fast defense and strong counterattack, Redondo had to prepare themselves for intense competition. LB Poly put a lead on early in the game 8-1 in the frst half.

Senior and Captain Sofa Pinto believes LB Poly was “beatable,” however, as a young team, there are external aspects outside the game that the team still needs to develop.

“Every girl on the team knows way more than they think they do. I think sometimes the girls tend to psych themselves out a bit,” Pinto said. “Every girl has the skill,

talent, and determination to succeed and play well in a game. Sometimes you just get in your head and that prevents the way you play from the way you want to play.”

With only three returning varsity players in the starting rotation, Pinto says that communication is crucial as they learn the strengths and weaknesses of one another.

Playing in an indoor pool escalated the amount of noise, testing the team’s ability to communicate during dire times.

“It showed us maybe we over-rely on our coaches a little bit too much, and we need to be able to absorb what they’re teaching us in practice, so we don’t panic when it is really loud,” Pinto said.

However, during the third quarter, Redondo quickly adapted, scoring fve goals, and catching up to LB Poly 6-9. Senior and

utility player Mia Calvo’s ofensive capabilities were highlighted as she led the team with three goals in the game. She believes that communication led to their success in the third quarter, which opened up more opportunities to score.

“We worked our drives and we kept moving constantly. The girls [LB Poly] ended up losing track of us, which allowed us to score,” Calvo said. “We communicated with all the defenders where we wanted them to be and whether they should be helping us out with our girl or when they should be pressed on their girl.”

Maintaining the momentum, freshman Remi Errett scored a goal in the third quarter. Errett drew an exclusion on an LB Poly player, kicking her out, and leaving the team with a 6-on-5 ofensive opportunity. There, Errett shot the ball directly into the high corner, scoring for her team.

“I was really proud of her because she is a freshman. When I played freshman year I wasn’t on varsity and lacked that confdence. I know she really believed in herself,

that she could shoot that ball,” Pinto said. However, by the fourth quarter, LB Poly continued to score three more goals. Pinto believes there was a shift in their mentality during the fourth quarter, and although the efort was prominent, it would’ve been hard to come back.

“I think there was a mental switch from where in the third quarter we would look up a be like, ‘Look how close we are. We can do this,’ to ‘I’m tired. Look how far away we are. They just scored on us again,’” Pinto said.

Pinto hopes to use this loss as motivation for their following home game on Dec. 14 against La Serna High School. She believes that losses like these are necessary to learn and motivate them during practice.

“The mistakes we made or the things we wished we did better do not defne us as players," Pinto said. "What defnes us is how

push ourselves during practice and use those things that we’re mad at ourselves for during the game, to help us during practice."

we

The mistakes we made or the things we wished we did better do not defne us as players. It's how we push ourselves during practice and use those things that we’re mad at ourselves for during the game."

SOFIA PINTO SENIOR

PHOTOS FROM GAME ON DEC.6 VS LEUZINGER. 1. Senior Kyan Panis heads the ball againt Leuzinger. 2. Senior Peyton Bobbitt steals the ball and passes it to senior Tyler Busse. PHOTOS BY MARIN CANTRELL.

The girls water polo team before a game. PHOTO COURTESY OF SOFIA PINTO

One Hoop Away

Girls varsity basketball loses to Lynwood high by a narrow three points ending the game with Redondo

by Andrew McKenna

Looking to bounce back from a rocky start to their season, girls varsity basketball took to the court for their sixth game of the season on Tuesday, Dec. 13. They faced Lynwood High School, who had also struggled as of late, losing three of their last four games. Still, Lynwood is a Division 1 program, so Redondo knew they had their work cut out for them, but they also felt motivated to capitalize on the opportunity to win.

“Coming into the game, we knew we wanted to make a statement tonight,” senior shooting guard Kyra Arakawa said. “We’ve been playing a lot of high-level Division 1 teams even though we are a Division 2 team, so we wanted to prove that we can play well against strong competition.”

Redondo came out aggressive early, forcing a Lynwood turnover in the opening possession of the game. They were able to convert the turnover into points, as a transition layup gave Redondo the frst points of the game. Before they knew it, Redondo was up 15-7 after fve minutes of play.

“At this point in the season we’ve already lost a lot of games, so we knew that we had something to prove,” senior guard Brillana Boyd said. “We came in with a refuse-tolose mindset, and that helped us come out strong in the beginning of the game.”

Unfortunately for the team, this success would prove to be only temporary. Lynwood adjusted to Redondo’s aggression, and were able to counteract it with a sufocating full-court press. Redondo struggled to break the press early on, and before they knew it, their lead had shrunk down to just three points by the end of the quarter.

“We need to work on our reactions to pressure and double-teams,” Boyd said.

“Instead of moving the ball and passing out of the traps they set, we tried dribbling out of them, and we lost a few turnovers because of it.”

Over the next two quarters, the team struggled to keep pace with Lynwood. Getting outscored 31-17 in that time span, all of the aggression and physicality that Redondo started the game with had seemingly disappeared.

A full-court press turned into a standard halfcourt defense, and Lynwood took advantage.

“I think we shied away from the press because we had a big lead. We got so caught up in the score at the time that we relaxed our pressure, and that allowed them to come back,” Arakawa said.

BRILLANA

“We didn’t come out strong in the second half, so they quickly became the aggressors, and we weren’t able to respond.”

With time scarce, Redondo needed to fnd an answer to the score issue and they needed to fnd it quick. Then, suddenly, something clicked for the team. With just a few minutes left in the game, Redondo made a late comeback push to erase a double-digit defcit and pull within one point of tying the game up. Although there was only just over 20 seconds left in the game, Redondo fnally were in a position to win.

“You have to accept that the game isn’t over. Even though it’s tough, you need to have a short-term memory and focus on creating energy for your team to get back into the game,” Boyd said. “People look at our record and don’t take us seriously because of it, especially because our best player was out. Feeling like we had something to prove defnitely was our main motivation to come back and do all we could to win.”

After a quick foul and two converted Lynwood free throws, Redondo now found themselves in a three-point hole with just a handful of seconds left. They quickly pushed the ball up the court and found an open shooter in the corner with the chance to tie the game, but the shot didn’t fall. With a fnal score of 51-48, Redondo fell to a 1-6 record on the season.

“I think that holding onto the feeling that we all had when we lost that close of a game is important,” Boyd said. “Nobody likes to lose; especially when you fght as hard as we did to give ourselves a chance to win, but you just need to hold on to that momentum and focus on doing better next game.”

Girls varsity soccer defeats South 5-3

by Aidan Tseng

After losing a game Redondo “never expected to lose” against North Torrance High School the week prior, girls varsity soccer looked to get back on track this week against South Torrance High School. The defending CIF Division Two champions took the feld on Wednesday, Dec. 7, scoring fve goals in their frst win of the season, beating South Torrance High 5-2.

“It was rough starting of [the season] with a loss. So much of our team couldn’t play that game because they had a club showcase. I think we were all kind of shocked and we didn’t expect [to lose]. I think everybody just realized they need to put in a little bit more focus into high school soccer,” sophomore wing player Haidi Schoenberger said.

The girls played an aggressive style of ball, shooting twenty-one shots and scoring fve times. Once the clock hit zero, Redondo had ofcially gained their frst victory of the season with a fnal score of 5-2. “In high school, soccer keepers have tendencies to just hit the ball rather than fully catch it. The most important thing is to crash the box and get in when people take shots,” Schoenberger said. “[South] has a pretty good goalie so we were concerned about that. There were a couple of shots that were super close and the keeper made some pretty amazing saves.”

Redondo scored the opening goal in the third minute of a pass from senior Keira Wagner to junior Ally Minestrella making it 1-0. They then conceded a goal in the 14th minute, tying the game at 1-1. They regained the lead with goals in the 29th and 33rd minute by sophomores Vailana Tu’ua and Shannon Davidson, respectively taking a 3-1 advantage into halftime. Redondo swarmed to the ball on defense and only allowed three shots, keeping the ball away from South’s strikers.

“[South] dropped back so we had to adjust to that and instead of forcing things, draw pressure and play through them and keep attacking because they were just dropping of,” senior center back and co-captain Elisa Forino said.

The girls kept possession for most of the second half and found the back of the net in the 66th minute on a tap-in via Minestrella for her second goal. Redondo concded their second goal in the 68th minute as South’s center forward got one of their only good looks of the night making it 4-2.

“We were concerned about the center forward. [South] had a good center forward so for us to concede two goals was a pretty big investment,” Schoenberger said.

They scored their ffth and fnal goal in the game's closing minute as Minestrella chipped it over to Tu’ua, who ficked the ball over the goalkeeper’s outstretched arms to make it 5-2.

“We had team talk on Tuesday before practice just emphasizing communication and talking to one another,” Schoenberger said. “Since there are so many newcomers this year, I think everybody felt a little separated from one another. So we really just wanted to go into the game all working together and feeling comfortable with one another.”

According to Forino, the Sea Hawks know they can go far, but still need to improve.

“We want to take every game seriously and create a really positive and supportive team environment. No matter if you’re playing 90 or fve [minutes] starting, not starting, everybody supports each other, being positive and giving 100%. We know we have the abilities and we know we can go as far as we want.”

You have to accept that the game isn’t over. Even though it’s tough, you need to have a short-term memory and focus on creating energy for your team to get back into the game,”

BOYD SENIOR

1. Sophmore post Oliva DiNisco jumps for the rebound after Lynwood attempts a two-point layup PHOTO BY CATHERINE WONG 2. Junior guard Elyse Cho Shoots three-pointer in third quarter after being pressuered by Lynwood point guard PHOTO BY CATHERINE WONG 3. Bench cheers on team while Redondo takes the lead in the second half. PHOTO BY CATHERINE WONG

e religion decision

by Emilie Takahashi

In a room of 200 people, sophomore Chloe Caywood was alone. Her Christian church was not accepting of her polysexual identity, and although she had heard that ideology before, she had to ask herself, “What’s going to happen to me? What are other people going to think of me?”

Even recently at her great-grandfather's funeral, the service presented that “homosexuality is a sin” and that “the sexually deviant are going to Hell.”

“It didn't get to me that much because I'm used to it,” Caywood said. “It reminded me that these people, who are so close to me, are going to be affected if they ever fnd out.”

Caywood knew that the service was going to be “a very Christian funeral” from the start, but never wavered on attending.

“We went over to my great-grandpa's house all the time. He was one of my best friends in the entire world,” Caywood said. “He'd give me $1 every time I left the house. I thought I was so rich.”

Even with their bond, Caywood knew that if she ever came out to her great-grandfather, it “wouldn't have gone well.”

“I'm not mad at them for it. is is how they grew up,” Caywood said. “I know I'm not going to change their mind, so I don’t mention it to them and just go on with how they view me.”

Attending Bible school and frequenting church, Caywood found it “clear” what she “should,” and for a while, did, believe. Caywood considered staying religious to please her family, but now considers herself an atheist, describing it as a “freedom.”

“There were defnitely a lot of thoughts going through my head, like, ‘Should I stick to religion? Should I stick to what I know?’” Caywood said. “Eventually, when I was secure with my sexuality, I realized religion wasn't important to me, and truly, I didn't believe in those things.”

Senior Tivana Flickstein also grew up with a belief in God in a Jewish household. During her childhood of long dresses and sleeves, Flickstein was “always curious” and could not grasp the idea of an “unknown omnipotent power.” She recalls changing the “He” of God to “She” in the prayers in her head at Hebrew school.

When Flickstein started to question her belief, she turned to online forums for guidance, posting, “I don’t believe in God, but I still feel Jewish, how does this work?” The answer was that however she practiced her Judaism, it made it Judaism for her.

“Religion tells me one thing, but science tells me another, and science has more proof,” Flickstein said. “I want to believe in God. It would make religion so much easier to believe my prayers were going to God, but I don't.”

Flickstein still practices Judaism because she “feels a strong connection” to being Jewish as her ethnicity. Flickstein describes herself as “culturally religious” and considers her temple a second home.

“It's a part of me. If someone asks me ‘What’s something about yourself?’ I say, 'I'm Jewish,’” Flickstein said. “If there is a God, then I've prayed. If there isn't, then I've spent a few hours in a temple forming a family,” Flickstein said.

The path toward self-discovery was especially non-linear for freshman Audrey Cox, who moved away from her Episcopalian church and is now agnostic. Her “Christian girl phase,” jokingly nicknamed by Cox and her friends, is what she describes as one year in sixth grade of wanting to attend church every Sunday.

“I wanted to believe, but I just didn't and I don't know why. It didn't click with me,” Cox said. “I wanted to have something to bond with on my dad's side of the family. I wanted to have this thing to share.”

Although Cox grew up with infuences from her father, she “always felt like an outsider” and never “part of the real thing.” She saw how going to church made her father “extremely happy,” but for Cox, church started feeling “very black and white” at age 10 when she frst learned about sinning.

“I was scared to death that if I did anything wrong, I was going to be a sinner, and I wouldn't be allowed in the church,” Cox said.

Hearing that God had a plan for her was “overwhelming.” After being diagnosed with obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD) in 2021, Cox found both her OCD and her religion “controlling.”

“When I believed, or wanted to believe, [God’s plan] was something I could fall back on. But for the good things that happened in my life or the gray area, it was controlling,” Cox said.

Unlike Cox, who felt controlled by religion, sophomore Chetan Chatterji found his way to Hinduism, which he practices “just in case.”

“[I practice Hinduism] not to impress anyone or make my parents proud, but so that if it does have a positive impact, I’m doing it with just 15 minutes out of my day,” Chatterji said. “I have anger issues, and when I meditate, they don’t afect me as much. It calms me down.”

For those 15 minutes a day, Chatterji meditates. Meditating has been part of Chatterji’s morning routine for the past four years, but he started praying and actually practicing Hinduism a year ago.

Raised by an Indian father and White mother, Chatterji fnds that people are often surprised that he's Indian and practices Hinduism. After he wakes up, gets out of bed and showers, he meditates and prays to the Hindu Gods Kali, Ganesh, Hanuman and Shiva, sometimes lighting incense.

Although he was exposed to Hinduism through his father, Chatterji practices on his

own and wasn’t “forced” to. When Chatterji was on the wrestling team, his father encouraged him to pray to certain gods. When he did, he described getting “really lucky” at his next match.

“It’s helped my dad and so many others, and he seems to get through life easier this way,” Chatterji said. “Better safe than sorry.

ere's no harm in doing it. I’m doing it on the o chance that it has a positive e ect.”

According to Caywood, the “fne line between religion and family” can get jumbled. Over time, she learned to separate the two.

“I thought, ‘Maybe I can make them happy by staying religious.’ Maybe I could get the best of both worlds,” Caywood said. “It turned into more of a self journey. Originally I started out thinking, ‘What’s my family going to think of this? How can I make them happy?’ And then I realized it's about me, not them.”

More than past generations, teenagers exercise autonomy over their religion, facing the choice to embrace or reject the religion of their family