Raven Report 2021 - 2022 Issue Cycle 1 by Sequoia High School Raven Report

RAVEN REPORT SEQUOIA HIGH SCHOOL NEWSMAGAZINE VOLUME XIV, NO. 1 // NOVEMBER 2021

TABLE of

CONTENTS Ethnic studies enters schedules 4 ................................................................................................................................................... Impending vaccine mandate stirs discussion 5 ................................................................................................................................................... Schedules changed to ease student workload 6 .................................................................................................................................................. Contrast critical thinking in AP vs IB 8 ................................................................................................................................................... Peril with pests 10 ................................................................................................................................................... Veganism creates community at Sequoia 12 ................................................................................................................................................... The SAT is just a number 13 ................................................................................................................................................... Following your yellow brick road to education 14 ................................................................................................................................................... Reading into the changes of COVID-19 and convenience 16 ................................................................................................................................................... Teachers make it more difficult to steal ideas 18 ................................................................................................................................................... Volleyball setting up the absence rates for seventh period 19 ................................................................................................................................................... Student Spotlight: Zoraya King 20 ................................................................................................................................................... Opening up the conversation 21 ................................................................................................................................................... The importance of challening one’s perspective 24 ................................................................................................................................................... Indigenous literature removed from curriculum 26 ................................................................................................................................................... Is cheerleading a real sport? 28 ................................................................................................................................................... As school starts, so does the anxiety 30 ................................................................................................................................................... Queer dating vs. heterosexual dating 32 ................................................................................................................................................... Ben’s burger stop 36 ................................................................................................................................................... Searching for good music... 38 ................................................................................................................................................... Celebrity criticism, helpful or harmful? 40 ................................................................................................................................................... Get hooked on books 42 ...................................................................................................................................................

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Recognizing various opinions at Sequoia From distance learning to hybrid to inperson, the last two years of learning at Sequoia have not been the most consistent. Students have surely gained resilience and flexibility through these changes, but not without a price. Student mental health is at an arguably all time low and lack of motivation, attention and attendance is seen throughout all four grades. As students return to in-person learning as our “newest normal”, staff work hard in order to continue extracurriculars and other school traditions. Still, sports teams are missing coaches, school dances are not allowing outsiders, food isn’t allowed inside, and obviously, masks are required. At the Raven Report, we’ve had our struggles as well last year. Covering inperson events suddenly became a risk to our staff ’s safety and we were unable to distribute physical copies of our magazine, which we worked so hard to create. However, as we returned to school, we continued to adapt to new changes in our everyday lives. We did our best to cover these changes and communicate what it means for students and other members of our community. We also did our best to cover all perspectives of controversial but significant and relevant lifestyle changes. This is especially difficult when covering opinions regarding COVID-19. Disagreement over health issues is especially sensitive for us to cover because it has a very direct impact on students, staff and the rest of our

Printing and web posting funded by

community. Because everyone’s experience in the COVID-19 lockdown has been different for every individual, so have the opinions surrounding it. It is well known that the controversy about vaccines, shutdowns and the mask mandate has become an all encompassing conversation that sometimes seems to lack logic, reasoning and empathy on various sides. We encourage our readers to recognize that the opinions we cover in our magazine do not represent the opinions of every single staff member. We purposefully have a large variety of opinions within our staff so we can represent the differing opinions of Sequoia. For example, on our website, we published an article about one of our staff writers’ opinions on a vaccine mandate at Sequoia. We held a staff discussion where we shared opinions and talked about how to address this topic in our magazine. Ultimately, we decided to publish the article because after considering the double standards that less popular opinions face. For example, when we cover common opinions in our magazine, we rarely feel the need to publish a counter opinion to accommodate different perspectives. Thus, we stand by the importance of publishing different opinion equally, unpopular or not. Sincerely,

Hope Callaghan and Madeline Carpinelli

ABOUT

THE RAVEN REPORT IS A Sequoia High School student publication produced in the journalism class through the efforts and decisions of the staff and the publication’s editors and adviser. The Raven Report is a public forum for students, staff, parents and community members. THE RAVEN REPORT STRIVES TO provide Sequoia High School with informative, engaging and relevant news. The staff will exercise integrity and adaptability while promoting justice and transparency through professional reporting about the school, the community and the world.

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RAVEN REPORT // 21-22 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Madeline Carpinelli Hope Callaghan MANAGING EDITOR David Ramirez FEATURE EDITOR Greta Reich OPINION EDITOR Vivian Krevor

COPY EDITOR Abby Aguayo A&E Editor Rylan Butt SPORTS EDITOR Oscar Nolf STAFF REPORTERS Amara Bakshi Maricela Cruz

Colleen Diether Zoe Dufner Ethan Fletcher Tyra Gurtierrez Stan Hamelin Ariana Hernandez Haylee Huynh Nabil Irshad Zoraya King

Ruth Lax Pofa Lealamanua Mateo Mangolini David Raymond Ben Schwartz Angela Soria Lucie Tenenbaum Daisy Torres Arroyo Zachary Tyson

Allison Wang Tyler Zarganis ADVISOR Diana Nguyen

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

E thnic studies enters schedules BY GRETA REICH Feature Editor

centers on the intersection of ethnicity with other social categories, and how different ethnic groups have been treated throughout history, with a focus on the history of local ethnic groups, such as the Ohlone tribe. The class will be split into four units, starting with Introduction to Ethnic Studies, Origins of Race, Migration and Diaspora, Gender and Sexuality, and lastly, Power Movements, Transformation, and Change. Its goal is to teach students about the cycle of oppression through a critical lens so they can not only understand how identity relates to power, but Chapter 1 be inspired (and know how) to make change. It will not be a complete shift from World Studies - more accurately, it will dive deeper into the As Sequoia history of oppression students return to and resistance. campus, a course for Freshman history the last two decades teacher and Ethnic is not coming with Studies curriculum them. Over the Ethnic Studies will link up the developer Melissa online school year of stuff that we talked about Díaz explained how 2020-2021, Sequoia the curriculum will in World Studies, and link it Union High School transition. “World District teachers, to the local, making it really Studies isn’t going including Sequoia’s relevant to students. to go away, it’s going own history teachers to be incorporated Diana Nguyen, into the 10th grade Melissa Díaz, Ethnic Studies teacher Melissa Díaz, and curriculum [of Claire Kerby, helped Modern European to implement History] that has Ethnic Studies in place of World Studies in already begun to move towards World district high schools, beginning this year. History…Ethnic Studies will link up the stuff The Ethnic Studies curriculum at SUHSD that we talked about in World Studies, and

What is Ethnic Studies?

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link it to the local, making it really relevant to students,” Díaz said. Previously, World Studies focused mainly on imperialism in Latin America and the US impacts, as well as the colonization of Africa. The sophomore history class, Modern European History, was unrelated to World Studies. The change in curriculum plans to integrate the two classes more, giving a more cohesive understanding of history as well as more perspectives.

Content Check: 1) What is Ethnic Studies? 2) Who originated the curriculum? 3) Why is it being implemented at Sequoia? TOK: How do we define ethnic? Is it possible to define? Youth Board of San Mateo member Zara Ahsan shares Díaz’s belief that Ethnic Studies is more relevant. As a senior at Sequoia herself, she remembered her freshman World Studies class, but not in high regard. “We don’t really analyze from different points of view. Maybe we focus a bit on apartheid but we don’t focus on all the other cultural history that we have, what we focus on is basically wherever Europe had an impact. I think it needs to be more comprehensive, because people in our school are from all different backgrounds and they don’t learn anything about their history,” Ahsan said. Understanding parts of one’s own culture and history can be very important. Learning about the oppression faced by certain groups is just as important as learning about the joy of their culture. Where World Studies taught students about the hardships of different groups of people throughout history, Ethnic Studies will try to teach students how to relate this to their own ethnic racial, gender, and class identity, examining what role they can and do play in making history. Student counselor Melissa Perez, who took a Latin American studies class as a student at Sequoia in the early 2000s, described how this class inspired her. “Learning about Latin America was really

From left to right: Melissa Díaz, Claire Kerby, Diana Nguyen Photo by Greta Reich helpful, and empowering to know that we eyes to new perspectives - while [Latinos] have cultural heroes, and that we also questioning where these also made an impact not only in our Latin perspectives are coming from and American countries but in the world,” she why they hold, or don’t hold, value. Gutierrez committee to include Ethnic Studies. “When said. “I definitely think that having classes continued, “A lot of people of color… have we were trying to get it passed in previous where you’re able to explore different cultures contributed in a lot of ways and they’ve been years, we faced a lot of opposition. Whether it and ethnicities is really valuable, versus only involved in a lot of historical events, so that was based on, ‘Oh, it’s too difficult to include,’ focusing on one country’s history.” intersectionality [of race and history] is really or if they just didn’t want to include it. So Though it is true important, and that’s we’re definitely trying to get past that,” she that World Studies something that said. “What we want to do is have all schools focused mainly on hopefully freshman mandate, or at least include, an ethnic studies European countries students this year course.” Sequoia is an important part of this or the effects that understand a lot fight to put Ethnic Studies in more districts, white countries had That intersectionality [of more.” on other places, race and history] is really While the Ethnic with students like Ahsan, teachers like many students still Studies curriculum Díaz, Nguyen, and Kirby and a supportive important, and that’s feel that they got a lot only started at community to back them up. something that hopefully Danny Bliss, head of the History out of it. Sequoia on Oct. 12 S o p h o m o r e freshman students understand because the first department at Sequoia said, “I think that Mariah Gutierrez quarter of freshman Sequoia is at the vanguard of the ethnic studies this year. said about her World history is Life Skills, movement - I know that we are in this district, Studies class from students and teachers and that’s mostly a credit to those teachers but last year that the class Mariah Gutierrez, sophomore are already trying to also speaks to how our school community, “really opened [her] get it implemented in other teachers, administrators, parents, and eyes up to a lot of other school districts. students of course, are ready for, welcoming things and also [she] learned a lot more about However, this may not be so simple, as it did and excited for this long overdue change.” current events like BLM and other important take some convincing to get it introduced in issues that [she] never learned about in past SUHSD, being called controversial and drastic classes.” by some parents and teachers. Ethnic Studies is being introduced because San Mateo Youth Board member Ahsan it will do all of these things - opening students’ recalled this difficulty as she was a part of the

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RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

Impending vaccine mandate stirs discussion BY DAVID RAYMOND Staff Reporter Over a year ago Sequoia, and many other schools around the nation, closed their doors. This fall Sequoia opened fully in person for the first time since March 2020, but, with the new delta variant, COVID-19 seems to be mounting a comeback that could shut down schools once more. On Oct. 1 California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he will implement a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students in California once the vaccine is fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for minors. “The state already requires that students are vaccinated against viruses that cause measles, mumps, and rubella – there’s no reason why we wouldn’t do the same for COVID-19,” Newsom said. Tyler Wilson, a freshman at Sequoia, stated that he was unvaccinated for COVID-19, but that he would be open to receiving the vaccine in the future. Wilson has not been vaccinated because he sees the COVID-19 vaccine as a risk reward equation. He is weighing the risk of the COVID-19 vaccine in comparison to catching COVID-19. Right now he sees the vaccine as a bigger risk then COVID-19 itself. “When Covid killed 150 kids in 2020 the flu actually killed 450,” Wilson said. “I’ve had the flu and I don’t see it to be that bad.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 killed 377,883 Americans in 2020 alone. The CDC also states that the COVID-19 vaccine can prevent you from getting and spreading COVID-19. So even if students are not deemed to be at high risk for COVID-19, getting the vaccine can help protect those in their community. Right now the main concern for many unvaccinated Americans, including Wilson is the long term effects of the vaccine. “It was created in like a year, right and it usually takes longer than that for other vaccines,” Wilson said. “COVID-19 vaccines have been rapidly developed and distributed to help fight the pandemic. During this process, all steps have been taken to ensure their safety and effectiveness,” the CDC claimed. As for the side effects of the vaccine the CDC also stated that “serious side effects that could cause a long-term health problem are extremely unlikely following any vaccination, including COVID-19 vaccination.”

Photo taken by David Raymond There are some possible side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, including swelling at the sight of vaccination, fever, headache, tiredness, muscle aches and nausea. These side effects are similar to other vaccines and should wear off as soon as 12 hours after vaccination. Newsom’s proposed vaccine mandate won’t come until a COVID-19 vaccine is fully approved for minors.

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I think a mandate is important to keep people safe, I think it’s important to think of those around you. Gigi Odom, junior

“Based on current information, the requirement is expected to apply to grades 7-12 starting on July 1, 2022,” the office of Governor Newsom stated. “However, local health jurisdictions and local education agencies are encouraged to implement requirements ahead of a statewide requirement based on their local circumstances.” Newsom implied that he is heavily encouraging local lawmakers at the county, city, and district level to employ their own

vaccine. Kristen Coronado, Sequoia Union High School District nurse, believes the vaccine mandate could happen at Sequoia Union High School District. Coronado had high praise for Newsom’s vaccine mandate proposal. “I think it’s smart and wise for him to do,” Coronado said. Somes school districts in California have made the decision to require a COVID-19 vaccine for eligible students, such as Los Angeles and Oakland. Students at Sequoia have varying opinions about a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. “I think a mandate is important to keep people safe, I think it’s important to think of those around you,” junior Gigi Odom said. Coronado shared similar thoughts. “We have mandated vaccines all the time for students, if they don’t want to come to school they have the option to do homeschooling.” Unvaccinated students have a much different perspective on this issue. “I would probably protest,” Wilson, who is against the mask mandate, said. “You know I’d probably be staying home at that rate.”

Schedules changed to ease student workload

Sequoia students working outside in the Tea Garden during flex period. Photo by Lucie Tenenbaum BY LUCIE TENENBAUM Staff Reporter Intended for success, the block schedule has students attending every class for 40 minutes on Wednesdays. Students are becoming more and more stressed with work from their classes and Wednesdays were made to ease the workload. “I actually like having short periods instead, because it feels exhausting being in the same class in the same spot for a long time when you’re in a longer class for more than like 30 minutes or something,” junior Genesis Miranda said, “so I actually do like on Wednesday scheduled better.” Other students had many positive things to say about the Wednesday schedule so far. They enjoy having the short periods since they’re able to see all of their teachers and check in with them. Some students also talked about how teachers use that time as catch-up work days or days for students to be able to get help on subjects that they’re working on. Ethan Rudy, a sophomore at Sequoia said, “I think that the Wednesday schedule, it’s good because you get to go to all your classes, but you don’t get a lot of time in, in all the classes you only get 40 minutes, so it’s not enough time to complete long assignments.” Sophomore Natalie Ciraulo similarly said, “I like having every class on one day because then it feels like I get to check in with each teacher during the week versus being like, only every other day.”

Some students talked about the downsides of Wednesdays, one fact being that students get overloaded with work since the periods are so short they aren’t able to complete all of their work. “I think it’s harder to get work done. But it gives teachers time to let us catch up on the work in their class, which is helpful, because sometimes projects or assignments will continue on to Wednesday. And so it gives us time to continue work, which I think is helpful,” Ciraulo elaborated. Some students proposed changes that could be made to the schedule in order for them to maximize their learning time. “I think that if the periods were changed into days like flex period it would help me get more work done,” sophomore Renée Van Vliet said. Last year’s distance learning schedule included an asynchronized day where students were given a set amount of work by their teachers and they could complete it all on their own time. “I think that asynchronous days would be a good option as well, [like last year’s schedule] where they gave you the work and you worked at your own pace,” Rudy said. While, Wednesdays could become essential work days for students especially when it comes to them being able to completely understand a topic being taught or them being able to finish work for a certain class due to a heavy workload, there are no plans to return to asynchronous Wednesdays. To provide further student support,

Sequoia introduced more time for students to catch up on work and get extra help from teachers by adding flex periods into students’ schedules on Thursdays and Fridays which allow students to go into any class and get help from their teachers or work on assignments for that class.

Wednesday Classes Period

Times

7:40-8:20

8:30-9:10

9:15-9:55

Break

9:55-10:05

10:10-10:50

10:55-11:40

Lunch

11:40-12:10

12:20-1:00

1:05-1:45

1:50-2:30

Staff Collaboration

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

Contrast and critical thinking in and

IB logo credit: IBO World School programme logos AP logo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Exploring the differences between Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate high school programs BY ALLISON WANG Staff Reporter International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) classes are both touted as college-level preparation for high school students. In Sequoia Union High School District, Sequoia is the only school offering IB. Locally, there are only six IB schools. The AP program is run by the United States based organization, the College Board. Their courses are the most widely honored classes at four-year universities in the United States. “Students wanted to do more advanced work in high school…it’s now not only something that can give you college credit and college placement, but it’s also something that makes your high school transcript look like you took the highest possible classes,” said Woodside AP coordinator Stephanie Finader. “Students that take AP tests actually do better in college, even if they do poorly on the AP tests.” AP curriculums push students to learn at The many types of AP test preparation books available for students. Photo by Allison Wang a deeper level than traditional honors classes. “In AP, students have to develop their own things from multiple perspectives. minded people who, recognizing their personal understanding of the subject matter, Understanding that other people can be right. common humanity and shared guardianship rather than just parroting back what the The curriculum is not just through an American of the planet, help to create a better and more teacher said. And that’s very much this college lens or a Eurocentric peaceful world.” style of learning lens,” Sequoia IB The program was adopted in 2002 to help that you have to coordinator Lisa Sequoia gain more students. really internalize McCahon said. “Through the late 90s, Sequoia had AP the subject matter… Contrary to AP classes and it was pretty good but they were In AP you have classes that are only studying students, [and] Sequoia’s reputations to connect what offered in the United was faltering...The district decided to adopt In AP, you have to connect you’re learning to States, IB classes [IB] in 2002 and since then, Sequoia’s everything else that what you’re learning to are administered reputation has improved and now people from you know and make everything else that you know globally. More other high schools [are] trying to get into it part of the way you and make it part of the way colleges and Sequoia for that. So it helped turn around and think,” Finader said. universities abroad revitalize Sequoia,” said IB graduate Andrew The IB program you think. recognize IB and is run by the reward credit. I n t e r n a t i o n a l Stephanie Finader, Woodside AP “In general, if Baccalaureate Coordinator you’re applying as Organization, a full IB Diploma located in Geneva, student [to colleges Switzerland. It was abroad] you’re more of Sequoia seniors pursued founded because of a lack of standardized competitive,” McCahon said. the IB Diploma in 2021 curriculum across the world. From the IB Learner Profile, “The aim of all “There’s a focus on international IB programmes is to develop internationally mindedness. There’s a focus on understanding

Mancini. for some people who are better test takers and academic independence. The IB Diploma is another unique IB seemingly worse at writing long term papers, “My AP class taught me time management, component, where students can take a it’s a problem for them,” Olson said. and being more independent in motivating specified set of classes and earn an IB Diploma Olson has also taken AP tests that Sequoia myself, because I think that AP teachers expect along with a regular high school diploma. offers. you to motivate yourself to do well. And they “There is a lot of data that shows how “I think AP is a lot more formulaic, there’s still offer help, but they expect you to be more participating in the IB Diploma Program can certain types of problems you know you’re academically mature, as opposed to my other lead students to going to see on the normal classes,” Warren said. “So I think that’s enroll in 4-year exam, whereas in taught me a lot about holding myself to a universities, and IB it’s a lot more of higher standard and getting on top of all my graduate with a trying to interpret the work.” bachelor’s degree, problems…AP is easier IB and AP are equally rigorous and the statistics are to study for.” beneficial, but Sequoia staff and students The curriculum for each [IB] higher for IB Regardless of the prefer IB, for the experience it gives beyond students versus a subject really focuses on differences, both coursework and credits. national cohort,” critical thinking, not just sheer IB and AP students “The most important thing to me about IB McCahon said. interviewed said is the experience, the learning, the growth, and memorization of content. IB places a classes were useful. the preparation you have and if it does happen higher weight “Most of the [IB] to lead to college credits, great, but it’s still on developing Lisa McCahon, Sequoia IB projects were these worth it if it doesn’t,” McCahon said. critical thinking Coordinator long term projects that in their students. were assigned and then All curriculums t h e y ’d are reviewed on a be due seven-year cycle to make sure they reflect the in a month or two. I think changes in educational research and the world. having time management and “The curriculum for each subject really planning out little, if not mini focuses on critical thinking, not just sheer deadlines, steps along the way memorization of content, but critical thinking that I wanted to do to make skills like analyzing information, making sure that over the c o u r s e connections, synthesizing and questioning,” of a month or two McCahon said. months I was “They care about making this world better. making progress. And they care about instilling characteristics That’s definitely and skills in young adults that will give them coming in the tools to grow up and make a difference in h a n d y , ” this world.” Mancini said. The skills learned through IB may help Woodside through high school, but could also transfer to senior Lizi college. Mancini graduated from Sequoia with W a r r e n an IB Diploma in 2021, and has already seen is taking benefits, only two weeks into the school year. three AP “As far as the skills, whether it be analysis classes this and critical thinking, … [are] definitely year, and something I’ve noticed…I think even just she also giving me the confidence in terms of writing c r e d i t s and research with the Extended Essay and the t h e s e other internal assessments… I definitely feel c l a s s e s it’s useful [in college],” Mancini said. t o This goal is also reflected through exams. higher Most IB exam questions are written and openended, while AP tests have a larger multiple choice section. The different styles of tests can be an advantage for some, and a disadvantage. This can be based on a student’s learning and study styles and, for senior Marta Olson, confidence somces from writing longer papers, so IB testing is a better fit. “I think it’s a person by person thing. For me, because I am a pretty decent paper writer, it’s been helpful because I know that I’ve gotten at least some part of my scores A multitide of IB subject texts. Photo and editing by Allison Wang locked into being pretty good right now, but

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

Peril with pests BY MATEO MANGOLINI Staff Reporter As Sequoia High School returns to its regular rhythm of in person learning, the school’s administration continues its endless fight against rats, mice, and other vermin on school grounds. But despite the presence of pests, the administration continues to come up with novel strategies to combat them. It’s no secret that rats, mice, and other small pests have been in close proximity to those on school grounds. In fact, Sequoia has experienced an issue with pests for decades. “Ever since I’ve been here I’ve seen a

problem with rats,” said Cherry Stephens, Sequoia’s plant manager with a tenure of 20 years, and an additional 10 years in other positions at Sequoia. “I think we’ve got a pretty good hold of it now though”. Though the school appears to be past the worst of its war on rodents, when a rat went as far as to create a “nest inside [the] desk” of International Baccalaureate (IB) History teacher Teresa Yeager, staff members found that isolated incidents with them continue to occur. Junior Sarah Hansen reported that she and other students who were in physical contact with the lower floor of gym three observed fleas and flea bites on their bodies and bed

sheets for some months, quite possibly originating from rodents. “We weren’t talking about it at first, but pretty soon we all kind of realized that we all have them, and so everyone changed their [bed] sheets and they mostly went away,” Hansen said. The disappearance of fleas is also due in part to a fumigation effort by Sequoia’s administration, who worked in conjunction with the extermination company Clark Pest Control. Since then, fleas have only made occasional appearances in gym three. Across the state of California, schools have been shut down after rodents and fleas descended upon them, such as the case of

Room 250, where a rat was found decomposing within its walls a month ago. Photo by Mateo Mangolini

Schurr High School in L.A. These incidents come after a panel of pest control experts, led by Carl Demaio, published a report in 2019 declaring an surge in the population of rats in Californian urban centers. There are theories abound as to why this is the case: one is that rising housing prices, and the subsequent rise in homelessness in cities and towns across the state, has helped to create conditions that allow rats to thrive. Another theory is that since California has banned many carcinogenic pesticides in the aptly named Healthy Schools Act of 2000, there is no feasible way to exterminate rats en masse. Though these chemicals are incredibly effective at exterminating rats on an industrial scale, toxic residue can linger around the site of fumigation for a while after. Amidst the reports of increases in California’s rat population, Sequoia High School’s administration has remained vigilant in its fight against the rodent threat. Due to the ban on pesticides, a new strategy known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has become the administration’s primary defense against the tide of vermin. Combining the scientific method with traditional strategies for pest trapping and control, along with extensive research of the push and pull factors that may cause an infestation, IPM’s primary goal is to mitigate pest infestations without the use of harmful pesticides that could harm both humans and the environment. “Part of the strategy is removing that attractive lure for the rodents,” explained Gary Gooch, administrative vice principal and a wildlife ecologist by degree. “Our biggest challenge is that we have students leaving food all over the place”. Rats, though solitary, find it difficult to resist the temptation of a half eaten lunch meal left to rot, which is found in abundance on Sequoia grounds, especially after lunch periods. This is especially true for the Norway

ly active d l u o knew s, we w t becomes a a w e “If we c i r he sou urce before t t a h w so al s that Princip e c i V addres ” e m istrativ proble och, Admin Go -Gary

Rat, or Sewer Rat, Sequoia’s most common rodent and a surprisingly nimble creature. They, along with incredibly flexible mice and squirrels, are constantly finding ways to enter the upper levels of Sequoia, often through holes opened up in the 100 year old main building. “Once we plug [the holes], the enterprising rodents just open them back up or find a new way to enter,” Gooch added. Though it has not come to using pesticides with the exception of gym three’s fumigation nearly a month ago, Gooch affirms that less lethal pesticides are still on the table in cases where an infestation becomes unmanageable through Integrated Pest Management. The administration’s cause has been aided by an unexpected ally: Redwood City’s still thriving wildlife. According to Mr. Gooch, a breeding pair of hawks, which are natural predators to rats, have made Sequoia’s campus their home. Wild ravens, Sequoia’s mascots, also act as a threat to rats on campus. In addition to that, a rather large band of feral cats has steadily amassed itself through indirect encouragement by a local custodian. “We had a custodian named Cliff… he

began to take care of the cats and leave food and water out for them,” Gooch recalled, as the start of the cats’ relationship with the school was some years ago. Though the cats are far from a solution to Sequoia’s issue with rats, they are a welcome addition to the school’s pest control arsenal, despite the fact that they are rarely seen during school hours. Even though the rats are kept largely suppressed by the administration’s careful planning, and predatory animals are happy to do their part, Gooch argues that Sequoia’s student body could also play a part in making its campus even more hygienic for all. “I feel like communities are most successful when all members of the community have a common goal… in this case we want things to thrive and grow in a positive way,” Gooch said. Since a major part of pest control is the elimination of the pull factor for the pests in question, he believes that a major step toward doing that is educating the wider school community on the importance of keeping the campus clean, comparing collective action to traditional mousetraps. “Ideally we would come together as a community, we would take care of the place we go to school and work, and everyone would pitch in. It’s the only way.”

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

Veganism creates community at Sequoia BY STAN HAMELIN Staff Reporter When Liam Russell pressed play, he saw something he was not expecting. It changed his life. Dominion, an Australian film, displays behind-the-scenes footage of the dairy, meat and egg industries - with an emphasis on the cruelty inflicted upon animals. Although all footage is from Australia, there is a notice at the beginning of the movie that “all material, … in most cases, represents the industry standards across the world.” Russell had been vegetarian for a few months before watching it; watching it was the we’ve proven that they can feel pain.” reason he became vegan. He is open to talking about it to others. “So “I had kind of heard that, you know, the egg industry and the dairy industry are also kind I would invite anyone, if you’ve tried going vegetarian, and it just sucked, give it a month, of screwed up,” he explained. He felt angry and sad about how animals at the very least just give it a month, your body are treated, and about what happens to them. will adjust.” Spanish teacher Scott Stalder agrees He learned a lot from seeing the documentary, he took in and seemingly memorized a few with the difficulties of going vegan and demonstrates that going vegan is a process for statistics. “Greenhouse gases from animal farming some. “[My wife and I] went back and forth - on make up 15% of all greenhouse gases, it’s some ridiculous number. It takes huge swaths of land and off vegan. [We would] even go vegan at and so much water that we really don’t have. So home but when we went out, we would say ‘oh we’re going to literally run out of water if we this looks good, but it has grilled cheese’, or whatever. And then we went vegan.” keep doing this.” To Russell, going vegan is the right choice. Russell’s statistics seem to line up with well“Number one, it’s good for your health, it’s known sources. been proven that eating less meat and dairy A ‘Humane Society’ fact sheet reads, the animal agriculture sector makes up 18% of all and eggs and all that stuff, has many health benefits. [...] It expands your lifespan, it gives greenhouse gas emissions. Watching the film made Russell realize you more energy, it’s just good for you overall,” that there is “an unimaginable amount of he explained. Stalder seems to agree. He sees a lot suffering going on in the world right under of pros his diet brings. our noses that most “It’s low people don’t really impact on the think twice about. I environment, it thought it [all] was [reduces] problems just really, really that people have disgusting.” It made me realize that there with their health. He thought is an unimaginable amount of I won’t have high about the animal cholesterol, I won’t cruelty above all. “I suffering going on in the world have diabetes, I don’t think it’s very right now that most people won’t have a lot of strange to look at an don’t really think twice about. things that a lot animal and say ‘you of people would deserve to not live normally have.” a miserable life and Liam Russell, sophomore Stalder. [not] be tortured or But Russell does killed.” Russell summarized his point of view: “I admit that being vegan is not 100% beneficial.

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mean sure, [animals] are not as intelligent as we are. But they have nerves. They have brains. They’re not too different from us. We’ve shown,

“[Going vegan ] kind of sucked at first, because there [were about] two or three weeks

where my body was still adjusting to it, I didn’t really know how to get enough protein. So I felt kind of tired and lethargic. After two, three weeks, ... a month, or even less than that, your body gets used to it. And you start feeling fine. And all of a sudden, it was like, ‘Oh, wait, I could do this.’ With all these emotions swirling, he decided to create something that could help his community - he would start a club at school. The club is now established at Sequoia and holds weekly meetings in front of the school. The requirements of the plant-based eating club are simple, Russell said. “There are none. Zero. You don’t have to be a vegan, you don’t have to be a vegetarian. If you have expressed any interest in it, just come along.” Chloe Johnson, an active club member and senior at Sequoia, seems to be an example of this statement. She explains, “I love fish, I’ll eat chicken…” “Right now a lot of it is just sharing vegan recipes that went really well for us, or what didn’t go well, because there’s a lot of trial and error and cooking. ... So [the club] just makes it a lot easier and more accessible to be vegan -we have a community around being vegan… We’re also trying to find a way to get vegan cafeteria menu options. ... I also want to show movie screenings of, you know, all the slaughterhouse videos, that kind of thing - if school lets me, which I’m going to try to make them,” Russell explains. Stalder, who became the club advisor, thinks the vegan club can bring community to Sequoia, which the vegan world lacks. “Even now, there is a lot online, but then we’ll go to restaurants and other places and talk to other people but we don’t really have ... much of a community,” Stalder said. “I hope that it can just really bring community to people that are already either eating one day without meat, eating no meat at all, experiment, vegan pescetarian, or something to bring those people together, make them have some support.”

The SAT is just a number BY VIVIAN KREVOR Opinion Editor Society has a habit of making people define themselves by numbers; how much money you have, your weight, how many friends you have, how old you are, your grades, and your SAT score. It is undeniable that some students live in an environment putting them at an automatic disadvantage-or advantage-for the SAT, a test that uses academic language to ask questions separated into three topics: writing, reading comprehension, and math. There is a strong correlation between SAT scores, family’s income, and race, according to several sources including The Washington Post. When students’ self perception of intelligence depends on a testing number- that isn’t even fair-there can be negative impacts on confidence. As the SATs have become a more controversial topic, the College Board has diminished the value placed on student’s test scores in their application. Now, over half of U.S. colleges will be ‘test optional’ for 2022 applicants, further diminishing its importance “I fully disagree with standardized testing, I think it’s the worst way to show someone’s capability of learning, and I think that the College Board, honestly shouldn’t even look at it,” said Junior Kate Burnett. “It’s too much in too little time, there’s not enough breaks, and there’s a lot of pressure on it, so of course everyone is going to get all in their head and stressed out. Especially when they’re in the middle of taking it.” Burnett acknowledges that scores don’t necessarily translate to intelligence, especially

“I think that the general population thinks that you’re smart if you can do well in general on standardized tests...I can’t actually imagine an educator that thinks standardized tests actually show true intelligence...I would wager a guess that most parents, not knowing a lot about education... probably put more weight on standardized tests than is necessary.” Jasmine Schimek, English teacher when considering how stress can impact performance. While I recognize that the SAT can measure some form of intelligence, environmental factors and learning styles influence SAT scores too much to be considered an accurate depiction. “Everyone is sorta different in their own way. Everyone learns at their own pace. Like teachers expect you to use one algorithm, and then when you use a different one, they don’t freak out, but they sorta expect you to follow in their footsteps,” said sophomore Juan Chavez. In addition to differences of learning styles, home situations are very impactful

on test scores. Certain families place a lot more pressure on their children to do well on tests. Wealthier school districts tend to have more SAT prep courses available, and be more advertised. As a result, how well a student does on the SAT corresponds to how affluent their area is. SAT prep is expensive in general, for example Princeton Review with the program “SAT 1500+ Guarantee Tutoring” has a rate of $233 an hour. And get this-this is the starting price that also happens to be on sale. Claiming to guarantee its students above a 99th percentile SAT score, this is a prime example of an extremely advantageous program only available to the affluent. “The SAT is a business. It’s not like it’s a nonprofit, you pay for the test, you pay for the prep, it’s money that goes to a company. And so, it’s literally profiting off of students, and sometimes students take it five times because they want to get a good score on it,” English teacher Jasmine Schimek said. “They’re profiting off of students ‘needing’ to take this test to get into a good school, to spend more money...That’s another reason why I just like don’t like [the SAT] in general.” Shimeck brought a new perspective that I hadn’t thought of before. Last year, my sister constantly studied and took plane flights on two separate occasions to different states to take the SAT. While I commend her for working extremely hard to get a score that she wanted, this raised a question for me: how can the SATs be fair when not all students have family that raised them with more academic language, put a lot of emphasis on standardized tests, and are affluent enough to pay for taking the test multiple times?

Statistics from The Wall Street Journal, infographic by Vivian Krevor.

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

Following your yellow brick road to education BY HOPE CALLAGHAN Co-Editor-in-Chief Sequoia is well known in its community for its various education options and opportunities. These include special classes that build community such as AVID, higherlevel classes such as ICAP and IB, and programs that offer catered experiences in the Digital Arts Academy (DAA) and the Health Career Academy (HCA). These classes and programs allow for specific and tailored learning pathways to students that allow students to chose their desired high school education experience.

Freshman Ares Sosa is one of the majority of new students that have little experience with the educational opportunities at Sequoia. He said, “I know about all of the IB classes offered here mainly because of my [siblings] but I don’t [ know about the diploma or other programs].” “Right now, I’m in mostly ICAP classes [but] because I am a sophomore, I’m not sure if I’m going to do the IB diploma or not,” Adam Trinklein said about his current and future plans for his high school experience. “My decision was kind of just: ‘what do I really want out of my high school experience [...] I wanted to take these classes because I wanted the challenge,” junior Madison Duran

said about taking IB classes but opting out of the extra activities required for the full diploma. Senior Roxanne Dobre is taking several IB classes but opted out of the full diploma to prioritize her passion for dancing as well as stress management. “It’s way more important to take classes that [you are interested in] because if you are [taking] those classes to get into a good college, then you are going to get into a college where you are just expected to take the same kinds of classes. The way you schedule your life around certain courses should be within reasonable levels of stress,” Dobrer said.

“IB classes have really helped me for college because they are pretty much the exact same college class kind of style and structure,” Megan Kelly said, a senior who is taking both IB and HCA classes. The IB diploma program is notoriously difficult and time consuming since it is the most advanced level offered at Sequoia. When comparing experiences of past students as well as the advice of teachers, it is important to highlight the differences in the IB experiences that vary from person to person. “I think that a lot of the advertising is done by past diploma students, and so if anything, it’s not as bad as you expect it to be. Maybe [the hard part] is coming later but they definitely tend to say that it’s really bad

but it’s not going to be like that for everyone.” Junior IB diploma candidate Aiden Jackson said. The two academies, the Health Careers Academy (HCA) and Digital Arts Academy (DAA) provide a unique and personal experience between students and teachers as well as give students the opportunity to explore a potential interest. “I think that if you want to do the full IB diploma, the HCA isn’t for you, but especially if you value stronger bonds with teachers and smaller classes, it’s a great option and also if you’re interested in any of the stem options in college,” Kelly said. Sophomore Liam Coan is a DAA student and shares his thoughts on the program and

his experience in it so far. “The teachers in the DAA do feel more organized and coordinate with other teachers [and we get to] interact with other people so it’s really fun,” he said. AVID is another program offered both here at Sequoia and throughout the country that gives students a unique space and opportunity to connect with others and build community. “I would absolutely [recommend AVID] because the opportunities AVID gives is amazing,” Junior Francisco Salvador said. Salvador is also taking some IB classes this semester. “I think it’s a nice challenge [for] yourself, especially because there are some perks to it,” he said.

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

Reading into the changes at of bookstores COVID-19 and convenience

Photo caption & credit Interior of Friends’ Community Bookstore. Photo by Haylee Huynh

BY HAYLEE HUYNH Staff Reporter

rooms, the front four dedicated to shelves full of books, CDs and records, while the back two Media outlets blew up with regards to are for inventory and general management. supporting small, local businesses during the It is positioned at the corner of a small plaza pandemic. But how did in Marina, those businesses navigate surrounded by the ‘new normal’ to be local restaurants accessible for customers and ethnic in the middle of a global markets. Racks You just don’t know what’s lockdown? and tables full Located 80 miles away around the corner, you’re of books are from Redwood City, placed on the gonna be surprised, you’re Friends’ Community outside of the Bookstore of Marina, gonna find something that store, inviting California first opened shop you end up loving that you customers into in November of 2017. Fully were meant to find somehow. the charming run by volunteer work, the shop. group first started doing T e r r i book sales in the front lobby Terri Wheeler, Friends’ Community W h e e l e r of the Marina Library; With Bookstore volunteer is a core book donations rapidly volunteer for increasing, the store moved the bookstore, from community rooms of h o n i n g the library to classroom portables from local her position as member of the bookstore schools, eventually leading to leasing their committee and co-manager of the physical permanent residence on 330 Reservation shop along with another volunteer, Gail Road. Youngblood. The store is comprised of a total of six Days before the county lockdown, Wheeler

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and the rest of the committee decided to close the store due to safety concerns, especially with the majority of the volunteers being older and at higher risk for COVID-19. During that time, the committee met through Zoom and came up with innovative ways to keep the store running, including personal book shopping. “We had two to three volunteers working on it, and eventually one volunteer,” Wheeler said. “But we set up an email that I’ve managed and, you know, reached out on facebook and things like that. And so people would email me and say, ‘I’m looking for this particular book, do you have it?’ or ‘I just, I want some biographies to read, I need something to read.’” However, this process was not meant for permanent residence; With their reopening on April 20, the community bookstore canceled the personal shopping. “That was to kind of get us through, to be able to sell some books, and get books into people’s hands during the pandemic when the store couldn’t safely be open.” Wheeler said. Convenience was another major influence on consumers during lockdown, which turned many people to online shopping platforms like Amazon and Instacart. Along with the personal shopping, Friends’ Community

Interior of Friends’ Community Bookstore. Photo by Haylee Huynh

Bookstore is also a regular vendor through Amazon, working with the site since 2016. “When we get book donations we look up prices and ratings on Amazon, and anything that meets the parameters of something that would be profitable for us to sell through Amazon goes to be listed.” Wheeler said. Currently, tensions are high between small businesses and e-commerce retailers like Amazon, so seeing these two competitors work together is atypical. “I think for us, we can reach a bigger audience through Amazon,” Wheeler said. “Sometimes we get books that are-like we got a bunch of magic books and things like that. There may not be somebody locally who’s interested in those books, especially spending a little more money on those books. So by putting it on Amazon, we open up to the whole world.” But however instantaneous online shopping can be, everything always has its drawbacks. “There’s that kind of human interchange and it’s just a, I don’t know, a richer shopping experience.” Wheeler said. “Because if you go online to purchase something you probablyyou’ll purchase it, but you’re not going to find out what else is out there, you know. Here,

you might come in looking for something in particular and you don’t find it but you find, you know, a bunch of other stuff you didn’t even know about. I don’t think you do that online.” Shopping small and locally can also be a rewarding way to make a statement.

“It is a way to support the community that you’re living in and that feels really good to me to know that I’m purchasing something here,” Wheeler expressed. “That’s why I would come here and buy things before I would just go to a big box store and buy something, you know, so the CEO gets richer.”

Members of the Bookstore Committee. Photo via Haylee Huynh

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

Teachers make it more difficult to steal ideas BY AMARA BAKSHI Staff Reporter

“[Online school] made it way too easy for kids to cheat. It made the answer so available.” sports leadership teacher and Athletic Director Here at Sequoia, both Canvas and Google Melissa Schmidt said. Assignments have plagiarism checkers that There is a difference between teachers of are attached that show teachers what work separate subjects as well. A science teacher is the students’ own, and what work is from may have a different experience with academic the internet when you disonesty turn an assignment in. than a foreign Although this has helped language many school students and or English administrators, there are I feel like students who are teacher does. is still a certain amount of plagiarizing are mostly due to “I feel like worry that comes along them feeling overwhelmed. at least the with it. It may help a lot of Like they don’t have time to do classes that I students with their work, something, they weren’t able taught didn’t yet it still does not eliminate to give the assingment the time have as many all of the dishonesty in the and thought that was required to issues with classroom. [plagiarism] get it done, so they will result to After doing distance cheating in some way. because I learning for almost two wasn’t giving years, teachers and students Hannah Singh, English teacher like reading may not see eye to eye on q u i z z e s ,” the subject of academic E n g l i s h dishonesty. Even some teachers at Sequoia I-ICAP teacher Hannah Singh said. “I don’t have a different view on whether plagiarism is typically give tests like you would see in a a big issue in a learning environment. While math class, all the assessments are very much schooling online, teachers across the United authentic in the sense of their writing of States ran the risk of students looking answers some sort or presentation of some sort and of up online to tests and papers. course.”

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Teachers and school administrators are putting more thought and effort into the content that they are assigning to their students. “What changed for me is my approach to assignments. I had to do a lot of thinking about how I could design assignments. It was hard.” Schmidt said. “[Being online] really put into perspective for me like, why I am assigning, what I am assigning, is it actually going to help students practice the necessary skills to the best of their ability online, or is it just busywork,” Singh said. “I think a lot of students benefited from getting rid of some of that busywork.” Even with all of these precautions, students can still cheat in their writing. Another reason students tend to turn to cheating in an academic setting is the pressure of failure. Some students become too involved with their schoolwork that they forget the actual content of what is being learned. It becomes too much to take on and tudents can easily get overwhelmed. “I do have a lot of work and sometimes I think it’s easier to look up the answers.” freshman Charlotte Dugoni said. “But then I’m gonna get in trouble from teachers and that stresses me out.”

Volleyball setting up the absence rates for seventh period BY ZACHARY TYSON Staff Reporter Mikaila Miller, a sophomore, plays varsity volleyball and while it is the second month of school she already has 17 absences, which are excused but not her homework. These absences can lead to a lot of built up work for the student to do because of the missing class time and all the classwork done in class turning into homework. Seventh period occurs at the end of the day when most students get out at 2:40 p.m., others stay around for their last class of the day and get out at 3:40 p.m. However, some students who have seventh period also play school sports and this causes some students to miss many seventh period classes. At Sequoia High School these students are still required to get the work done for the classes. “I always try to get my work done as quickly as possible in class, and if I don’t I get it done at home, and if I miss anything I communicate with my classmates and teacher to see what I’ve missed and to get it done as soon as possible,” Miller said. Sometimes though, a student can’t do it all at home because it is a test given in class. Teachers who teach seventh period classes take into consideration the students missing classes for school sports and how to get around this so students get the full learning experience. “I’ve definitely had to extend deadlines for assignments, along with having make-up quizzes. Doing these things are all fine as long as the student communicates.” history teacher Dustin Waters said. Students can still struggle with missing class time because some things happen in class that only happen in class and can’t be made up at home. “There have been times where I just completely miss what happens in class and it’s hard to catch up on the days I’m in class, and have to ask friends for help,” Miller said. Sometimes schedules get complicated and some classes are dropped or moved around throughout the early months of school. “I’ve never actually had someone drop the class, as long as they are organized and communicate well with me, things tend to work out and students do well in the year,” Waters said.

Sports and school are constantly conflicting with each other, but it teaches things that are used later in life. Nardini is a junior varsity volleyball player for Sequoia High School. Not only time management, and advocating

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I think 7th period is pretty manageable while also playing sports, it teaches you great time management, and how to advocate for yourself. Emma Nardini, sophomore for yourself, but communicating as a whole is an important aspect. “Communicating with your teacher is very important, because I miss many days because of volleyball, and if I don’t know what I’ve missed then I’ll be very lost and won’t

understand what I’m doing in class,” Miller said. “I took seventh period freshman year but it’s a lot more different now because last year was online school, however it’s manageable just gotta make sure to communicate with my teacher,” Nardini said. Everyone, Miller, Nardini, and Waters emphasized the importance of communication while playing sports and taking a seventh period. Juggling academics and sports is not new, as Miller expects it to happen throughout high school and has experience from middle school. “I have taken a zero period in middle school, but this is the first time I’ve ever taken a seventh period class and along with missing some class time it’s stressful, but doable,” Miller said. In the conversation with Miller and Nardini they both provide tips to future students in this situation. “Get as much work done as you can in class, and make sure you communicate with your teacher well, and don’t get lazy because you’ll fall behind, and maybe keep a planner to be on top of everything.”

Mikaila Miller finishing up classwork as she missed class the day before for her volleyball game.

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

We are NOT Here for Your Viewing Pleasure

Illustration by Zoraya King “I have always found creative outlets as the best way for me to express myself and how I feel. My artwork is often rooted and inspired by personal experiences and the stories of those around me. As a queer person, I am very passionate about issues within the LGBTQ+ community and bring awareness to them through my art.

This piece is focused on the sexualization of lesbians in society. The message and title, “We Are NOT Here For Your Viewing Pleasure,” speaks on how lesbian relationships are fetishized and are personal experiences that are not to be exploited by the media.”

OPENING UP THE CONVERSATION

Trigger warning: sexual assault/harassment

Sexual harassment stories

BY ZORAYA KING Staff Reporter

Sequoia High School, “a Place of Friends,” has contributed to the silencing and dismissal of sexual harassment. Our school that prides itself on its safe and supportive motto needs to take more action on protecting students and listening to victims. Sexual harassment is a behavior that is rooted in sexual remarks and actions, most commonly towards women, according to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), a website dedicated to assault information and relief. Sexual harassment manifests in many forms, one of which is catcalling. This variety of sexual harassment is classified by small and quick remarks with sexual or demeaning connotations. Oftentimes, catcalling occurs by strangers and is a fast interaction, but has long-lasting effects on the victim.

Many woman-identifying and femalepresenting students have attested to having been catcalled by strangers or even by students near and on Sequoia’s campus. “I’m on the cross country team and I’ve noticed a pattern of specifically men looking or saying random things to me and the girls I run with,” sophomore Alex Parker Rogers said. “One guy said something like, ‘you better run faster if you’re gonna beat the boys!’” Even while running in her own neighborhood, Rogers reports that she still experiences feeling unsafe. “One time when I was running alone, a car pulled up to the sidewalk and stopped for a minute before a masculine voice yelled, ‘last place!’ at me, followed by other laughter from inside the car,” Rogers explained. “Kinda funny, but I got scared knowing the car was almost at a stop close to where I was running and [was] full of young men.” Students that walk to and from school sometimes hear sexually driven comments or have noticed body language that suggests similar intentions. “I felt unsafe a lot while walking. I’ve definitely been catcalled,” junior Rowan Jones said, a student who wishes to remain anonymous for their own safety and comfort. “A few times they’ve been like, ‘hi sweetheart,’ or, like, commenting on what I’m wearing when they’re driving fast which is really weird.” Even with Sequoia’s Unaliyi motto, students have turned against each other and contradicted the slogan that we so strongly stand for. “Sometimes around Sequoia, like, because there have been Sequoia students who have catcalled me and said weird, horrible things about my body to me, I can feel unsafe, even in ‘safe’ spaces,” Jones expressed.

The impact The ramifications of sexual harassment, and its more common derivative of catcalling, have severe negative effects on a students’ mood and performance in school settings. “It definitely would [really] negatively affect my day, I don’t think I would be able to do work or really focus on anything,” Jones said. “I would definitely go and talk to someone but it would just kind of ruin my day and probably the days after when I was sort of dealing with the aftermath of it.” Judy Romero, a Teen Resource Center (TRC) specialist at Sequoia, works to help support and aid Sequoia students who are in need. Romero has heard stories and reports from students on sexual harassment and has seen firsthand how such cases can influence a student. “It affects their self-esteem. It affects their self-confidence. It affects their body image. It affects their [...] relationships with other students, their peer relationships,” Romeo continued. “Especially, for example, if it’s a friend and their friend group that’s making comments. Then they feel kind of stuck because they feel like, ‘oh, you know, my friends are gonna be like ‘come on, [they’re] just joking.’” Even outside of school, sexual harassment can affect the well-being of a person and change how they feel and act in public spaces. “I couldn’t walk anywhere alone for a while, and I had several panic attacks while trying to walk alone, even in the middle of the day, when nobody was around and it was like I didn’t even see anyone,” Jones said. “[Walking alone] definitely has made me afraid of that feeling again, and I feel very unsafe when I do that. And it’s not just that but like all the catcalling when I’m walking, running, or all those things.”

The importance of education Often, Sequoia students don’t know the resources our school provides and are hesitant to report their experiences. “I know we have a sexual harassment policy, but I’m not sure if that’s only for incidents that happen on campus,” said Rogers. “Anyone who harasses someone could face school punishments like suspension or expulsion.” “I know that there are, there’s a policy in place to deal with things like this, and sort of know kind of how the procedures go [...], [But] I know that that’s not really well known information,” said Jones.

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

As questioned by Rogers, the harassment Sequoia hosts an annual health fair that professionally by the school, and oftentimes policy at Sequoia can be unclear to many focuses on providing resources and education the administration fails to take it seriously. students. The sexual harassment policy on multiple topics, “The previous stated that it covers the sexual harassment of including sexual school I was at, any students at school or at a school-related harassment. Due the administration activity. Though as Jones stated and Rogers to COVID-19 and tried to also make confirmed, the details and acknowledgement distance learning, me believe it It affects their self-esteem. It of the policy is unknown to many students. the health fair was didn’t happen, and The unclarity and unavailability of the cancelled. Romero specifically the affects their self-confidence. It sexual harassment policy was tackled by cautioned that, counselor told me affects their body image. And Sequoia’s Young Feminists Club (YFC) in even though we about ‘how nice of it affects their [...] relationships a boy he was’ and the 2020-21 school year, gaining approval for are back in person their adaptations of the policy. Though even this year, she finds with other students, their peer how she ‘couldn’t with their efforts, communications were cut that the health believe he’d ever do relationships. short when students returned to campus in fair may not even anything like that,”’ the spring of 2021 and Sequoia has yet to take happen, limiting the Jones reported. Judy Romero, TRC specialist in the YFC’s edits, resulting in the harassment education on sexual For every reason policy remaining outdated. This issue is a harassment. a person chooses project that the club is continuing to work not to report their towards this school year. case, Romeo stressed Additionally, an unfortunate truth finds Contemplating reporting the importance of supporting the victim and that the majority of these victims don’t realize understanding their decision. they have been sexually harassed until long Although these resources are helpful and “I would acknowledge how difficult it after the incident; thus, tying into the idea that can ease the emotional distress after being is and just validate their feelings. And also, sexual harassment is not an open conversation sexually harassed, many students find it find out as to what their hesitation is [with] at Sequoia. difficult to report their story to the school and reporting. Because, we shouldn’t assume why Romeo stressed the importance of take action against their harasser. someone might not report, [...] there might be education, finding that informing students on Here, Jones explained the challenge [...] reasons for that. So there’s no judgment on the matter of sexual harassment can help in between wanting and supporting others to our part,” Romeo said. ending the cycle. report their case, and actually having to report “You know, I think it goes by each “Sometimes people don’t realize the impact one themselves. individual case that reporting it might create that their behavior, their actions, their words, “Sometimes it feels like that’s gonna cause some initial anxiety– some initial stress about can have on someone. And, I think learning more stuff to happen and sometimes it’s like, it,” Romero stated. “But eventually, I think it about that, I think, would help decrease I don’t know if I want all these extra [steps] would be more beneficial for that person. I that behavior around the school,” Romero to be taken. If I felt like I needed protection think they would end up feeling better [...] claimed. “And because it’s just like any other then I would [report it], but in some cases, it’s that they spoke up, [...] that this person’s going issue, you have to raise the awareness for it like– it feels like that’d be more of a hassle and to stop, and that they have the support of the and educate people so that they can make a process for me to do that,” Jones said. “And school.” informed decisions. even though I, So if you are aware– of course, want Protection Tactics so you’re educated everyone to about the impact of report [assault Sometimes around Sequoia, sexual harassment, cases], I can see Outside of school resources, there are like, because there have been you might think twice myself being plenty of ways that you can protect yourself if about what you say like ‘well that you ever feel unsafe while alone or have been Sequoia students who have to others, you might situation could harassed by anyone. Many Sequoia students catcalled me and said weird, think twice about have been worse have already found strategies to defend horrible things about my body saying something to a [...], I don’t know themselves in “worst-case scenarios.” student.” “I don’t know, when I walk to school, I don’t to me. I can feel unsafe, even in if I could identify “That education the person, I listen to music and if I do, I only have one ‘safe’ spaces. piece is also really don’t know how headphone in,” said sophomore Ella Sullivan. important because I this would help “My biggest piece of advice is to not go on Rowan Jones, junior (pseudonym) want students to step me,’ or etc. [...] your phone or look super distracted because forward, you know But little cases of that’s when you become a target to men,” she because if they don’t catcalling, or like continued. “So they can see that you can’t– you step forward, nothing will change,” Romero bad jokes, [...] that unfortunately happens to aren’t aware of your surroundings. [If] you said. “If they don’t step forward, then whoever women so much.” can’t hear someone approaching, then they’re might be sexually harassing them might then A second conflict that victims face is the more likely to do something to you.” sexually harass another student, right, and will feeling that their sexual assault story is not A professional self-defense teacher, Dawn continue that behavior.” serious or important enough to be handled Hofmeister, trains young individuals on how

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to protect themselves against strangers if they ever feel threatened. She encouraged educating youth and working to help stop the cycle of all forms of harassment. Here, Hofmeister gave her strongest tips on self-defense and explains the importance of each. “The first one is voice, voice, voice, voice, voice,” Hofmeister repeated. “Practice using your voice, your voice is super important. [...] They’re looking for a quiet, compliant target. And so if that’s not what you are, they’re not going to want to spend time on you, it’s too much work.” “So if you think about ‘worst-case scenario,’ what are your plans? What are you equipped with to help yourself? How do you get out of that situation? Who do you call? Do you have money in a list account set up for you that you can use to get yourself home? Can you call a parent?” Hofmeister asked. A lot of women suggest carrying selfdefense items such as pepper spray, tasers, knives, etc. Although these are useful and effective tools, they have their drawbacks and can even be harmful to the user. “We would suggest, if you decide that you’re going to carry one of those things that you practice with it under adrenaline,” Hofmeister said. “Unless you practice doing some of those things under adrenaline, it’s going to be very difficult to do. So, flipping that switch and pressing that button for pepper spray, are fine motor movements. Though it’s really hard to do if you’re under adrenaline, you’re fumbling, you’re like, ‘why won’t my fingers work?’”

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The SUHSD Board prohibits the unlawful sexual harassment of any student by any employee, student, or any other person at the Sequoia High School campus or any schoolrelated activity. Sequoia High School Sexual Harassment Policy

Effective Change Sexual harassment is an underlying issue at Sequoia, often unheard and muted. Though the school advocates for safety and friendship between students, we are not doing enough to protect them. Female-identifying and presenting students can learn ways to protect themselves and maintain their own safety; however, real change starts with the education of students and actively opening up the conversation of sexual harassment at Sequoia. Additionally, we, as a school, need to take a bigger stance against sexual harassment and ensure that Sequoia is truly “a Place of Friends.”

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

The importance of challenging one’s perspective BY OSCAR NOLF Sports Editor

This year’s club day featured fewer clubs than years previous to the pandemic; one of the clubs that did not have a table this year was t h e Young Republican Club. The Young Republican Club was formed to give students a place to talk about Republican issues and beliefs following the 2016 election. But shortly after its creation, the club ceased to exist. A multitude of people at Sequoia, including myself, believe that one of the main reasons for the short lifespan of the club is More then the students’ reluctancy to challenge others’ of the ideas. Clubs are votes in the last a chance to election were for e x p e r i e n c e new things and a Democrat in ideas with other San Mateo people, as well as a chance to find County a community of things you enjoy. From the lego club to the business club, the wide variety of clubs at Sequoia helps students explore these ideas. “It only existed as a young Republicans club for one year and then maybe two more years as a political debate club,” teacher Bradley Ramezane said. At Sequoia, we are taught that we need to be inclusive and treat everyone with respect, even if other’s ideas are different from ours.

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“We’re told to be open minded all the time so to actually put that into action would be to join a club for the political minority of the Bay Area, and I just wanted to hear their perspectives on things,” senior Wilson Crum said, a former member of the club. According to the County of San Mateo, 77.9% of people in the county voted for President Biden in the last election while 20.2% voted for former President Trump. The percentage of people who voted for a Republican in 2016, when the club was created, was even lower at 18.4%. Ramezane argued that “[there are] kids that may be politically involved but they’re not going out to challenge ideas, they’re just going in a way to reinforce [these] ideas”. He pointed out that one of the root causes of this is the education system. “I think one fault we’ve had, not here at Sequoia specifically, but in education overall, is we haven’t presented [the] idea of challenging ideas,” Ramezane said. “I think there’s a certain anxiety or fear about being part of that challenge.” While we are presented with different views on things at Sequoia, they almost always

are not too far from the common liberal values that people at Sequoia hold. We, as students, cannot grow both intellectually and as people

“I think the most important thing [is that the Young Republican Club] made me realize is that no matter your political beliefs, we’re all just people” Wilson Crum, senior if we only engage with like minded people, on the same topics we already believe in. Having a conversation with someone who’s views you disagree with, or learning about a way of thought which contrasts yours; these are incredibly powerful ways to learn as well as broaden one’s perspective.

“If you’re not going to be open to the idea of considering others perspectives, if you are incapable of considering other people’s perspectives, then this becomes a one sided conversation,” Theory Of Knowledge teacher Robert Moaveni said. Although respectfully listening to other people while they are sharing their views on something is incredibly important, Moaveni brings up an equally important fact. “Not every single perspective is appropriate, not every single perspective is ethical, not every single perspective is even accurate. We can have physical perceptions, for example; you’re under the influence of any sort of substance, and you imagined stuff, that’s your perception, that’s your

“If you’re not going to be open to the idea of considering others’ perspectives, if you are incapable of considering other people’s perspectives, then this becomes a one-sided conversation” Robert Moaveni, teacher

perspective, but that’s not true. Then we get into the more politically heavy ideas as well,” Moaveni said. “There are Holocaust deniers, who make factually untrue statements. When we have someone that’s approaching us and trying to come into a conversation. When they are ill informed. When they are believing untruths. And when, essentially, the predicates, on which their knowledge is based. If those things are false, then we have to recognize that their knowledge that they hold is also false.” Clubs are a perfect way to listen to others and widen one’s perspective. We are extremely lucky to have such a wide range of clubs at Sequoia. I hope students will always have a place to express their opinions and listen to others like we have now. “I think the most important thing [the Young Republican Club] made me realize is that no matter your political beliefs, we’re all just people,” senior Wilson Crum said.

Scan this to learn more about clubs at Sequoia

Graphic by Oscar Nolf

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

Indigenous literature is removed from curriculum BY MADELINE CARPINELLI Co-Editor-In-Chief National book award winner. Taught in schools nationwide. Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a truly well-loved book because it talks about the often silenced perspectives of Indigenous communities today, as well as struggles with identity and bullying throughout adolescence. Freshman English classes at Sequoia have been teaching it for years. No matter how much praise it gets, it doesn’t change the extremely triggering themes and ignorant ways it talks about disabilities, mental health, misogyny, homophobia, alcoholism and more, as well as the author’s multiple sexual assault allegations. This year, the ninth grade English teachers, excluding some English support classes, decided to remove The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian from their curriculum. One theme that led to its removal was its unintentional enforcement of harmful stereotypes about BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People Of Color). This book both covers dark topics of oppression and their effects on people of color. Learning about these everyday struggles is clearly important, but when we only choose literature that covers the suffering of BIPOC and nothing of the joys and triumphs of their cultures, we reinforce

the idea that they are nothing more than their oppression. “It’s my commitment but it’s also our school’s commitment to make the curriculum more relevant to [students’] lives and also take into consideration how to engage in difficult conversations that don’t necessarily center

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How can we celebrate and appreciate people of diverse backgrounds but not necessarily learning thorugh only traumatic experiences that oppressed groups experience? Hannah Singh, English teacher

the trauma and pain of a person of color,” freshman English teacher Hannah Singh said. “How can we celebrate and appreciate people of diverse backgrounds but not necessarily learning through only traumatic experiences

that oppressed groups experience?” Although Alexie’s novel brings up several important topics for discussion, it does not use the gentleness and patience that talking about issues of marginalization and mental health require. An example of this is on page 106-107): “‘I’m not anorexic,’ she says. ‘I’m bulimic.’ She says it with her nose and chin in the air. She gets all arrogant. And then I remember there are a bunch of anorexics who are PROUD to be skinny and starved freaks.” This is just one of many examples of the unnecessarily aggressive ways that Alexie addresses these sensitive topics. Many students at Sequoia and all over the country struggle with issues like eating disorders, mental health, homophobia, racism and more every day. Talking about the impact of these issues in class can help students feel recognized and seek help. But when characters demonstrating these issues are portrayed as dramatic, onedimensional and self-absorbed, it only worsens and internalizes the struggles for individual students. There’s no doubt that The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian starts conversations about significant topics, but the way they’re addressed destroys any potential for healing communities through conversing and only silences people more.

Alexie’s novel is taught in schools because it’s humorous, relatable and accessible to teens while still including themes like marginalization and identity. It can be argued that Junior’s ignorant inner dialogue adds to his authenticity as a character and that his ideas are meant to be interpreted as naive and wrong. Nevertheless, these ideas can be easily misinterpreted by young students. Considering the author’s history of sexual abuse against women, it’s clear that Alexie participates in the inappropriate sexualization of women in our society. Many argue that one can still appreciate his literature without supporting his ideology through separating the art and the artist. Nevertheless, his ideology will inevitably be conveyed when he writes female characters through his lens of objectification and hypersexualization. A quote on page 109 from the same chapter demonstrates this: “How is it that a bulimic girl with vomit on her breath can suddenly be so sexy? Love and lust can make you go crazy.” According to the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 35-57 percent of adolescent women engage in crash dieting, fasting, selfinduced vomiting, diet pills, or laxatives. The way Alexie jokes and romanticizes bulimia completely ignores the fatal repercussions of eating disorders and even encourages this kind of self-harm in order to please male peers.

In addition, Junior’s characterization as relatable and realistic depicts this behavior as acceptable to young readers. I focus on the portrayal of eating disorders in this novel just as an example, not because they are more important than the other issues addressed. The truth is the fatal flaws in this novel are seemingly endless, which is why the ninth grade English team made the right decision to remove this book from their curriculum. The next question is what to replace it with; the teachers collectively chose to teach The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros and Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng instead, and they kept Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. These newer novels reflect the student body and still address the important themes of marginalization and identity without the flaws of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Nevertheless, Sequoia’s entire English curriculum is now missing one thing: Native American literature. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian was the only novel with an indigenous main character taught at Sequoia across all four years. Sequoia has a long history with indigenous culture. Our school motto, Unaliyi, belongs to the Cherokee. Our dehumanizing and appropriating mascot was a Cherokee for almost a century. Controversial murals remain on campus. We all live on stolen land of the

Ohlone and Ramayatush peoples. There’s no doubt that Sequoia has grown over the years and reflected on past actions. Sequoia has made many important changes out of respect of indigenous peoples, which has often led to backlash from alumni (referring to Aviva Futornick’s 2018 Raven Report article on Sequoia’s mascot name change from Cherokee to raven). Nevertheless, now is not the time to stop. It is not enough to declare ourselves allies and call it a day. Sequoia must actively engage students with indigenous culture through literature and other forms of media that demonstrate not only the struggles of indigenous peoples, but the joys of their cultures. In this way, we can create a new generation of culturally informed students and activists who understand the intersectionality of marginalization and how to approach social issues while still respecting the boundaries of different groups. Through including indigenous literature in the curriculum at Sequoia, we demonstrate to students, staff and families that indigenous culture and history matters and must be respected. Through centering indigneous people in our discussions of race and marginalization at Sequoia, we give ourselves a chance to reflect on the social issues of today productively and make a change.

Other indigenous indigenous books: books: Other Tommy Orange There, There

is a story that follows 12 different indigenous characters, of various generations and genders, and their experiences as urban Native Americans. The story delves into the dark impacts addiction and abuse have had on indigenous communities while also exploring the joyous spirituality of their culture. Orange’s poetic and complex writing is filled with pain, rage and love. Darker themes require more mature audiences.

Cherie Dimaline The Marrow Thieves is a

young adult fiction novel that portrays the joys and pains of indigenous culture with important historical allusions and an all indigenous cast, including strong female and LGBTQ+ characters. Accessible for students in 9th to 12th grade, it has wonderful and vivid prose for students to analyze and a dystopian setting that keeps students engaged.

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

JV cheer after their performance in the rally

Is cheerleading a real sport? BY MARICELA CRUZ Staff Reporter As a senior in my first year of cheer, it makes me frustrated to think that high schoolers say that cheerleading is not a real sport, especially when we put our all into making sure people like our routines and get hyped up. When we do our stunts our arms, legs, and backs end up sore the next day. Senior Gabby Ake who is a captain in the varsity cheer team stated, “It is a sport in the sense that we do hard labor and have to have a positive attitude even if the team is losing. We do routines that are really hard that other people wouldn’t be able to learn”. Cheerleading requires a lot of physical contact which can result in very serious injuries, depending on trust between the teammates and yourself.

According to Geisinger, a Pennsylvania health care provider, “another recent study found that cheerleading is the most dangerous sport for females because of the high risk for concussions and “catastrophic” injuries, which are classified as injuries that result in long-term medical conditions, permanent disabilities or a shorter lifespan. As a result, more than 30,000 cheerleaders go to the hospital for cheerleading-related injuries every year.” This article, titled “Jump, Stunt And Tumble: The Dangers Of Cheerleading,” is basically stating how cheerleading can lead to very serious injuries more than any other sport ever known. Cheerleading causes 30,000 people to go to the hospital every year that not only affects the person injured but also the parents because those injuries can cause

them to not make it out alive. If you don’t trust yourself or your teammates there is no way you can pull off the stunts that require a lot of strength. Your flyer,the person that is being lifted up in the air, is not going to trust that you will have the ability to catch her. Along with that, cheer is not all about thinking about yourself but thinking about everyone as a whole. Every voice and idea matters in cheer because then we would not be able to create all the amazing dances that we design. One person’s mistake can impact everyone else in the team. For example, there’s times where me and my teammates don’t show up to practice because of life reasons and that causes the team to not be able to practice fully or do stunts because every person’s position in the team is very important.

JV cheer in their 2nd home game

As a result, I have been able to create a stronger bond with the girls in JV. I feel like I can trust them because each and everyone of them have been able to create a community of love and respect for one another. Cheerleading coach Linda Carrier said that what makes a cheerleading team successful is, “Team work, partnerships, and bonding”. Showing the importance of Linda Carrier’s priorities for the team, leads to the time we were trying to do a stunt and the bases, the people who hold the top girl in the air, were not lifting the flyer up at the same time. The flyer ended up falling on me, because as a back spot I spot the girl from the back. The back spot’s responsibility is making sure the flyer never falls on the ground. This is tricky because sometimes you’re not strong enough to keep the girl from falling, or you’re so distracted by putting the girl in the air that you forget to actually catch her. Carrier stated, “Getting the team to the point where they understand that they’re responsible for everybody’s else’s success so

that their actions impact everybody else”. Next, not only is it hard to trust your teammates but also learning dances in a short amount of time is very stressful. For example,

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My best memory in cheer would be when I saw my JV girl go from having little skill to mastering the dance moves as a team. Linda Carrier, cheerleading coach

when we do the rallies where we perform in front of the whole school and we show them the new stunts and dances we put together as a team. To learn the dances we have an estimate

of two practices in one weeks to put the dance together. JV throughout the August and September games have to stand in 90 degree weather in the hot sun for four hours making sure the football guys know that they are being cheered on. But me and my team still manage to enjoy doing what we do because it allows us to make a deeper connection with one another. When me and my JV team first joined cheerleading we were confused on what to do. But we started to get better each and every day with our practices. When we did our first performance we were nervous we were gonna mess up. But we did better than we expected. Overall, cheerleading is a more serious sport than football because imagine you putting a girl in the air and her falling on your head, or pulling your jewelry trying to not touch the floor, or sometimes getting hit in the face.

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

As school starts, so does the anxiety BY ABIGAIL AGUYAO Copy Editor

Art by Abigail Aguayo

With school starting back up again students anxiety… Before my first year of teaching I got at Sequoia are around a group of people for so anxious about being a teacher for the first the first time in a while. Students don’t have time as the school year was approaching that I very much privacy to themselves and with stopped eating and sleeping and I ended up in no privacy, students with anxiety have no a psych ward for four days,’’ chemistry teacher room to comfort themselves the way they Jonathan Holcomb said. Teachers have gone could when doing distance learning. For the through this experience themselves and have younger generation, had a glimpse of there has been little what some students practice how to are going through communicate and especially at such a operate in a sudden young age. social setting. The Anxiety, in general, sucks, “I try to feeling of anxiety is especailly when you’re a remember that I like having everyone know how it feels so I teenager in high school. watching you when hope students know they’re not and that I understand thinking that people Jessy North, sophomore and they feel that I are making fun of you am someone they every move you take. can talk to,” Holcomb At least for me that’s said. what the first day of H o l c o m b school was like. understands and even has ideas on what Research says that 7.1 percent of children causes students to have anxiety and wants ages three to 17 have been diagnosed with them to feel that they understand and wants anxiety and since Feb. 2021 a Pew survey students to know that they know that they showed that 70 percent of teens say anxiety is a have other responsibilities other than just major problem, with an additional 26 percent school. say that it’s only a minor problem. “Students are so young and you’re dealing I wasn’t too pleased with the idea of school with so many different things in your lives, starting back up again. The large percentage of school, making friends, your familys, some teens who said that anxiety is a major problem, students have jobs, or sports so I think that are probably with me on this. the pressure to be successful in many different “When I’m in really big crowds, especially areas of your with people I know and school just in general, my anxiety really gets to me,” sophomore Jessy North said. Students that struggle with this mental illness affects them in many ways socially and maybe even academically. “Sometimes when I get too nervous or anxious it affects me to want to leave the class and I don’t want to be near anyone so it just causes me to have social problems,” North said. Despite, anxiety being a very serious thing because it affects so many kids, it can be not talked about even if so many deal with it at school. Many students don’t feel comfortable with sharing their illness to others, especially with them having this mental illness just having to deal with this in silence. “I’ve told some teachers but others I haven’t told becauseI personally I feel like they won’t understand,” North said. Some teachers want students to be comfortable with the idea of sharing with them what they are going through because they might have gone through it themselves. People who have anxiety and have very social jobs, especially like teaching, can really affect them. It can get to the point where it gets harmful and takes the fun out of their job. “I have had to be hospitalized for my

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life, like successful with friends or being socially successful because that is important,” Holcomb said. “I think all these pressures that students face to get good grades and be really involved and on top of that to help out their families, I think that that’s a lot for students to deal with.” People who have anxiety often finds that anxiety can get in the way of stuff they do in their everyday life. Doing something simple can turn into something difficult. It affects your confidence, academics, social life and more. For some people there is no way to help calm or stop it but for others some have methods to help calm and relax themselves from the chaos that is going on in their minds. With that being said, teachers like Holcomb wants this topic to be more normalized by schools and want schools to start being more open-minded when it comes down to mental health . They also want the staff to be prepared for situations when it comes down to anxiety. “I believe that schools should encourage their teachers, their counselors and all of their administration to recognize signs of mental health crisis for an emergency and then have some training for that, the other thing is I think the schools need to keep establishing that it is ok and normal to talk about these things and that they happen to everyone because the more that we can show students that these issues are normal, the more we can make students feel more comfortable,” Holcomb said.

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

Queer dating vs Heterosexual heterosexual dating BY DAVID RAMIREZ AND ZOE DUFNER Managing Editor, Staff Reporter Dating in the queer world involves complicated hurdles to go through, hurdles that aren’t imposed on straight dating. Queer dating is a victim of judgment, fear, hatred and harm. While our local community of Redwood City is progressive, homophobia tends to lurk around keeping queer love from reaching its full potential. As queer teens grow up with the realization that queer dating is not all sunshine and rainbows, their picture-perfect love stories remain practically unattainable through realistic means. This is a result of ongoing issues such as homophobia, expectations

stemming from social pressures derived by family, media, etc. The impact unwelcome harassment has had on queer dating will be long-lasting. Society has made it extra difficult for queer teens to get into romantic relationships that we all deserve to have without judgment, oppressive behaviors, family exclusion and hate crimes. “Straight dating is definitely more socially accepted and easier, I hate to say that but it just is because it’s the social norm. It’s like you can have a crush on someone and have something happen fairly easily. At least compared to if you were queer,” senior Sarah Suarez said, a student who’s been in heterosexual relationships. For queer teens, the journey for love will almost always be a weary one. Throughout

history, society has been accommodating to straight relationships that overall fit the standard and norm imposed by our culture. Being straight is generally considered the default, so dating in the straight world doesn’t often require playing guessing games with someone’s sexuality or having to ask someone if they’re straight or queer. So of course, since most people are heterosexual, and many queer people are not out, it is more difficult to find people around you to date. Unfortunately for the LGBT+ community, the end goal of true acceptance still has a long way to go. While many classrooms around Sequoia campus wave around pride flags to show acceptance and display forms of progression, majority of people have always

struggled to be accepting of queer relationships in which they have no business to talk down upon or intervene in any way. “I’ve had people say [homophobic] things to my partner and me before when we are minding our own business,” senior Sheila Perez said, a queer student who has been in queer relationships. “You have to be very careful in who you confide in, I mean I’m pretty out but every once in a while I see people making weird remarks at me and it reminds me that not everyone is accepting.”

Media Representation Romantic films have played an immense role in queer dating as well. Film in general has been very hetero-centric throughout the decades. While heterosexual audiences have gotten the luxury to see a relationship that fits the straight standards play out in film, queer audiences for a long time have felt sidelined and unrepresented. “I think heterosexual norms are always being represented whether it is through video content or couples in the public eye. The more we can [publicize] queer couples and experiences, the more we will be able to make them visible and give queer communities hope,” Kristen Anthony said, IB English teacher who identifies as queer. Critiques and perspectives in terms of queer relationships will always be in play, however, some of these opinions stem mainly from an intention to censor and oppress. At what point do we just have to accept that queer people exist and seeing themselves be represented is not only vital to queer audiences, but to straight as well? Surplus amounts of straight romance films have often shown a standard in which many queer people don’t seem to fit. Not only does film in general have the power to impose positive morals and ideals, but it has the ammunition to do the opposite as well. Straight romance films also tend to portray very stereotypical forms of gender identity, such as a cliché macho man saving the pretty and pink princess’ day. “Seeing romances on TV just didn’t appeal to me. I didn’t want to be a damsel in distress or only care about superficial things, which was how women were presented in these relationships,” Leah Thomas said, a queer and engaged Biology teacher. However, boundaries that confine

gender identity and queer romance have been gradually shutting down to allow more representation. Tremendous progress has been made but there is still so much more to do, especially more to do correctly. “I’ve noticed that a lot of things seem heavily based on stereotypes based on behavior. Things that concern me for teenagers are these ideas of how people are supposed to act,” Thomas said. “Teenagers and adults both kind of have a hard time identifying what they want personally, versus what society wants for them.” The yearning for queer representation in film is mainly for a hope to spark, to finally see queer romance normalized and to help those who are ignorant, view queer dating as average and less taboo. Never seeing someone in a queer film have a love story just isn’t right and often makes queer

teens feel hopeless. The power that the lack of representation has, along with societal norms, can very easily make queer dating even more troublesome. “When there isn’t mainstream queer media, it can be really alienating for a queer person. There is a hunger for queer representation and I definitely feel that,” Anthony said. There has been a big cultural shift in California which we can’t ignore. Films in general, such as “Love, Simon,” “Booksmart” and “Call Me By Your Name,” have finally started to highlight queer romance and allow both audiences and producers to craft a love story in which a queer person won’t have to feel like a happy romance is only for straight people. After having such a lack of representation over the years… we are now faced with a lot of misrepresentation. Many times, shows portray

queer dating as being as easy as straight dating. It’s good to frequently show diverse relationships to cement in people’s heads that queer love is here to stay, but we also want queer love to be more genuine, real and raw. “I think one of the things that a show like ‘She-Ra’ did right was that it wasn’t just two lesbians who were magically going to date. It isn’t just the one lesbian who’s with the other lesbian, queer people come in a pack,” Thomas said. Queer media has done a good enough job to get out the fact that queer love is here, but it is not uncommon that queer films fall short, not being genuine enough, and subsequently leaving impressionable queer teens to feel as though love is not attainable for them. “Any relationship in [any] queer movie or story is totally about them being gay. I have never seen a queer couple that’s genuinely, solely just like any other straight couple in the media, except it’s two women or two men or two nonbinary people or anything,” senior Nicole Miller said, queer student. “It’s always about being queer or coming out, or it always fits that sort of storyline. And honestly these producers probably think what they’re doing is so good because queer people are seeing themselves in the media but, I don’t.” It furthers the question if straight people are even paying attention. Or perhaps just catering for the sake of tokenization. Dating is a process, but for queer people, it is just a more difficult thing to achieve.

Queer Dating It can be extremely difficult for queer people, more so queer teens to find someone to potentially start a relationship with. Because of this, many in the community turn to online spaces, oftentimes unsafe to find a partner. “I think the positive of online dating for queer people is that if they live in an area where there’s not a huge fully supportive LGBT+ community that maybe they can find a date more easily online,” Thomas said. While many positive online communities could give queer teens a place of refuge, the intense feelings of desperation many queer teens feel often leads them to venture into less positive and safe spaces online. Since the majority of online spaces aren’t specifically catering towards queer people seeking a

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

relationship, especially underaged teens, many feel the need to look in spaces where they feel they may have more luck. “I think it’s very sad that some younger queer teens go into these adult dating apps because they feel hopeless, either because they don’t really know anyone else who is queer in their school or maybe just don’t know because others haven’t come out yet,” Suarez said. History has shown the queer community to be strong-willed and to keep pushing towards the end goal of acceptance. While we have made undeniable progress over the years, being queer is still, to this day looked down upon. Queer teens can’t really go up to a person and ask for their number or ask them on a date. A lingering voice of anxiety, shame and fear to a possibility of harm will reside in the back of their heads. This creates a lot of vulnerability. The fear that homophobia incites does not allow for queer teens to find other queer teens in public spaces. Many times queer teens are pulled into adult dating apps because of how much easier it is to find someone, this yearning can lead to low self-esteem and negative states of mind, this can provoke a lot of possible dangers such as rape, assault, kidnapping and trafficking. “I taught in San Francisco and I would notice that students who were not publicly out, but were to me, would kind of whisper in between classes about being on Tinder and stuff like that. I mean it is dangerous first of all because you’re underage and you’re using this website where people might think you’re a different age than you are,” Thomas said. “Beyond that there is vulnerability in being a young person who is in a relationship with an older person, since you sort of have to lie to be on these websites then you might end up with someone who is 25 or 26 and has money and power over you. It can lead to something more dangerous. Adults can prey on people who are younger.” Many queer teens don’t have the luxury to go on and about their lives with dating, too many times queer teens are left hopeless and feeling undesirable because of what society has confined gender identity and sexuality in. “I hope people are being careful because you have to be aware that these teens could be hurt and are most likely in a state of depression,” Perez said. “There is a lot of

internal dangers too, a lot of manipulation that can happen online and it is very easy for queer teens to get taken advantage of.” Due to the limited amount of support that the queer community gets, it is very easy for them to spiral down this rabbit hole and construct a lot of their self-image through very manipulative types of people who take advantage of minors. “You’re pushed into peripheries even digitally and you find yourself navigating like the ether in ways that you know you probably shouldn’t be, but also shouldn’t have to be, all I can do is empathize,” Anthony said.

Hate Crimes Hate crimes often rear their ugly heads when it comes to queer dating. Homophobia runs rampant throughout local areas very predominantly to a point where straight people have used queer dating apps to lure members of the LGBT+ community to harass, humiliate and harm them. “It seems scary to go on queer dating apps because the other person behind the phone could just be this very vicious homophobe [masquerading] themselves as queer to attract actual queer people just to assault them and even in some instances, kill them,” Suarez said. There has been an allotted amount of coverage and reporting on these types of situations, very recently on Oct. 14, an article published on USA Today reported that a Texas man with accomplices has used apps such as “Grindr” to draw gay men and hold them to gunpoint, assault them and rob them. These issues course throughout daily life either to or not to our knowledge, however, the reality is that queer people will often be unsafe when looking for relationships or casual meetups. “I’m really scared [for] some queer teens. I’ve seen on the news that this queer person had scars all over him because he was tricked into a date when the other person was really just trying to harm them,” Suarez said. It’s heartbreaking how queer people face tribulations such as these involving their personal romances and lives that certain people feel the need to do harm to. An article published on the Human Rights Campaign

website titled “New FBI Hate Crimes Report Shows Increases in Anti-LGBTQ Attacks,” shows that a little over a year ago, hate crimes among LGBT+ people have increased. In the article, recent reports show hate crimes are based on sexual orientation with 16.7 percent while another research shows an increase in gender identity-based hate crimes rising from 2.2 percent in 2018 to 2.7 percent in 2019. Transgender individuals face possibly the hardest situations when it comes to seeking love and just existing. Another article published by the HRC shows that as of October of 2021, at least 41 transgender and or gender non-conforming individuals had been killed or assaulted. The LGBT+ community faces possibilities of death, assault and discrimination because they alone are perceived differently. These types of perceptions lead to catastrophic consequences, consequences that float within the head of queer youth when not only looking for a relationship, but also being in fear of just being who they are. You can’t say all lives matter and then turn around and be homophobic, or in that matter feel as if anyone else’s lives mean less because of race, sexuality, etc.

Complications Something that happens quite often in queer dating is where straight people feel the need to matchmake queer people together. “It is pretty annoying when a straight friend pushes you to go talk to this other person solely because they’re queer, it is better if it’s just mentioned but when it is very pushy then it feels so forced, almost as if they’re playing cupid and it is just really frustrating,” Perez said. “Just because they’re queer or match my sexual orientation, it doesn’t mean I’m automatically attracted to them. They’re a complete stranger, it is very weird behavior for friends to play cupid in [queer] scenarios.” Queer relationships aren’t flowers just waiting to be blossomed by anyone else’s gardening, being queer doesn’t automatically link two queer people together nor does it allow heterosexual people to make any decisions for queer people in terms of their own dating. While these suggestions can come from good intentions, such as hoping to see queer family or friends fulfill the desire to form relationships, there resides ignorance behind these initiatives because it isn’t taking into account all of the aspects that go into starting a relationship, especially in the shoes of a queer person. Though this experience can be frustrating, the idea that a queer teen needs to date the only

other queer person in their area, can extend to people often face. queer teens themselves as well. “A lot of my own struggles have to do “There [aren’t] many people to date, I have with internalized homophobia, since I grew a lot of queer friends who are always saying up in a very conservative family I considered there is no one queer in my school to date and myself straight, but when I found myself I relate to that,” Perez said. “The main reason attracted to another woman, my own sense of I really dated someone [queer] was practically self-identity was thrown up into the air. I because they were, at the time, the only person had to dismantle, reconstruct and I knew who was queer and close to me.” accept my new identity,” Anthony After facing the difficulty of finding a said. “Being able to come partner in the first place; once you do finally out to friends and find another queer person that you feel a family and saying genuine connection towards, and decide to ‘Hey guess what, I’m start a relationship with, there is the possibility experiencing this really that they aren’t out. new and exciting but also This additional hurdle makes queer scary change, I’m attracted relationships all the more challenging. With the to a woman.’ Having to issue of telling others about your relationship, explain that to them and even specifically family, a new, happy relationship in some instances negotiate with can very quickly turn into a stressful one. those who were encouraging or “Queer dating is more taboo, I mean you fearful was hard as well.” can have a partner but if they’re closeted then Family acceptance is something it is a completely different story,” Perez said. many strive for, but what happens “It makes me feel like maybe they’re ashamed when a homophobic family sees their child of me and then it’s going to be even more with another queer person, dynamics are complicated with their family.” completely transformed and turned upside Being in a relationship with someone who down. Parents could be unsupportive of queer isn’t out can not only leave their partner feeling dating and express it through harmful means, as though they may not be enough, but can queer teens could be physically abused, kicked also pose an issue in terms of family dynamic. out and ignored by family. “My parents for sure “My cousin came aren’t very accepting, out and all of my even if I was interested family looked down in a girl, I don’t think I on her for it. When could ever introduce her she came to family to them or vice versa,” A lot of the fear and trauma reunions and brought Suarez said. “History has of being sexually attracted her girlfriend, no built a predetermined family members to either the same sex or idea in dating which talked to them and isn’t very progressive just someone queer, doesn’t they wouldn’t even with queers and those apply to straight people. look at her. This is a ideas I find instilled in family member and my parents.” they’re treating her Sarah Suarez, senior Even if your identity like this just because is not something you she is queer,” Suarez explicitly have to hide from your family, said. “A lot of the fear and trauma of being the experience of telling them still has the sexually attracted to either the same sex or potential to be awkward, uncomfortable and at just someone queer, doesn’t apply to straight times dangerous. people.” “I think a lot of people have trouble telling Queer dating to many queer people is a their parents about their significant others, struggle to have to tell family, the job falls onto just because it’s an awkward thing. In my case the queer individual to really prove and justify it was especially awkward and uncomfortable, to, not so understanding family members. not because it was a queer relationship, it just Having to teach, hope and find levels within wasn’t something my parents expected to hear family about queer love will always be a about or encounter,” Miller said. struggle that straight people don’t typically Coming out alone will always play a big have to deal with. role in the LGBT+ experience. Being straight eliminates the need to come out. Queer teens that come into question of queer identity oftentimes experience a new sense of selfAs accepting and endearing as films like image that poses itself as a challenge to “Love, Simon” or “Alex Strangelove” portray overcome and accept. Dating single-handedly queer dating to be, with its limits of course, becomes one of the more weary topics queer there is just a much more raw and real side

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Final Thoughts

about queer dating that often feels swept under the rug or just not celebrated as much. Films like “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” and “God’s Own Country” portray much darker scenarios as well as what it is like to navigate within our, typically homophobic and genderconforming society. These types of movies aren’t as recognized nor celebrated enough as it’s happier counterpart set of films. Matters, such as how queer teens are often pushed to online dating and face a new set of dangers, or being tricked and bullied because of who they love and want to date and or having the fear of being hate crimed or murdered. These are the type of aspects that straight dating doesn’t face that queer dating comes across on a daily basis. Queer dating has been sidelined from hope and representation as well, however now that there is more conversation about it, there are many old and new issues that arise. Issues that can be avoided by treating queer people like they’re normal and exist with a valuable purpose just like anyone else. Homophobia, carelessness and socially accepted films have stigmatized queer dating for far too long, to a point that queer dating always seems different and full of taboos to delve into. What is presented on silver screens creates a dissonance on how queer teens experience hardships within their families. Thus creating stigma within queer dating that must be put to an end. The worldwide issue of homophobia is coercing the LGBT+ community and preventing queer relationships to bloom as normally compared to heterosexual relationships. You see these coercions implimented in media and you also hear about these coercions happen in real life, coercions consisting of murder, traps, homophobia and hatred. All of these contribute to the fact that queer dating is chained to a wall, in a seemingly never ending attempt to break their bounds in order to fit the standard and simplicity of straight relationships. “I still don’t see a lot of [public queer] dating necessarily because I think people are still pretty uncomfortable with that. I’ve seen here and there more people holding hands with their partner and talking about dating, which didn’t happen a lot during my time in high school,” Thomas said. “But I think now the perception is that queer dating is the exact same thing as straight dating and I think that isn’t always true. There is a lot of backlash to people whose relationships look different or act differently and so it’s like people are only accepting one type.”

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

Ben’s burger stops

New Yorker, Sneakers, Photo by Ben Schwartz

BY BEN SCHWARTZ Staff Reporter I love to go to restaurants and review their food. I went to three burger places, The Office, Refuge, and Sneakers, to see what the best burger places near Sequoia, although limtied to San Carlos area. All of these restaurants have different options and specialties when it comes to burgers and I wanted to try them all, but I couldn’t, however, I tried to eat one burger from each restaurant that I believe showcases that place the best. Each restaurant is in a different part of San Carlos and even though almost all of them showcase the same general features, they each cater to a slightly different crowd and bring different things to the table that make each of them unique.

The first restaurant I went to was Sneakers. The first thing that you will notice when walking into Sneakers is the environment they have created, with a great outdoor area and an indoors that is connected to the outside with an open wall. They create a COVID-19 safe and friendly environment that is very inviting. At Sneakers, the right thing to order is a burger, because although they have many different enticing options on the menu for many different types of food, their burgers are by far the best thing there and it is the thing they are most known for. The burgers at Sneakers are above average; I would not label them as anything special, but if you are craving a nice warm burger with somewhat unique toppings, Sneakers is the place to go. They have a wide variety of sauces and

toppings that cater to everyone. In particular, I opted to get the New Yorker Burger, topped with pastrami and swiss cheese with everything on top, I splurged getting a delectable meaty meal. On the side, I got fries which are a must-get because even though they are not the best out of the restaurants they are still very good and if you get the chipotle aioli on the side with them, they are well worth the extra calories. The burger was very good for what it was and how busy the staff was at the time, they gave a nice amount of topping and everything came out fresh, I asked for the burger medium-rare, and it was overcooked a little which was a bit disappointing but it did not take away from the taste and the burger was still very solid. The burger and pastrami may have been average by themselves but came together to create a very delightful flavor and the aioli and fries created a nice flavorful balance with the burger and it left me feeling satisfied with my meal. Overall, between the staff, the vibe, and the food I would rate Sneakers a solid 7/10. The second Burger place I went to was The Office. Located near the Baskin Robin in San Carlos. The Office is a bit more of an adult-centric place compared to Sneakers, it’s almost like a bar in that way but it’s not. The

The Morning After, The Office, Photo By Ben Schwartz

Office is also known for hosting get-togethers for big groups such as sports teams, big friend groups, or a group of coworkers. They, unlike Sneakers, are pretty much centered all-around their burgers, they do have many different appetizers and a few other main courses but the main attraction is the burgers. Speaking of burgers, the one I got at The Office is called The Morning After. This burger is a beautiful creation that has a balance of sweet and spicy and has a nice crunch to it. One of the best things about The Office is that they do not shy away from given good portion sizes. The burger I got was stacked with toppings starting with lettuce at the bottom and ending with a top of a sunny-side-up egg. The idea for the burger was great in general as it has all of the great normal toppings of lettuce, tomato, pickles, and red onions and then they add their special chipotle aioli which is delicious and fits perfectly, then they top that with a good size burger patty topped in cheddar, bacon and the aforementioned sunny-side-up, served open face on a nice lightly toasted brioche bun. If you are a picky eater they can make the burger without whatever you don’t like with no trouble. Lastly, you have the fries, with any good burger must come a good side of

fries and The Office completely delivers on that front as well, I also highly recommend ordering a side of chipotle aioli as a dipping sauce for the fries as it is just as good if not better than the one at Sneakers, but the fries are nice and crunchy and they serve a good amount in a tin cup making the fries easy to eat as they won’t fall off your plate. The Office in my opinion is a step above Sneakers and certainly with dropping by and a great place for a gathering, I give it a 9/10. The third burger place I went to was The Refuge. Located on a strip of San Carlos with many tasty restaurants, The Refuge is a standout. They are perhaps most famous for Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives coming and having their restaurant on his show and showcasing their pastrami, but there is much more to this restaurant as well. The Refuge has a great environment, it has good outdoor seating and a cool sports bar-like environment inside. The food is topnotch too and the place is always busy so you know it’s good. When I went to The Refuge I could not resist getting their Pastrami Burger, It is essentially a Reuben with a burger patty and a russian bun instead of rye bread. It has pastrami, sauerkraut, swiss topped onto a nice juicy burger patty between two perfectly

toasted buns and it comes together in a sweet harmony of flavors. Sauerkraut is not for everyone but to me it creates a nice tangy taste to offset the sweet-savory taste of the perfectly cooked pastrami. The Refuge fulfills all of your expectations and then some, their burgers are out of this world, and that combined with the best Pastrami in the Bay Area creates a combination of flavors to die for, all of this at a good location with professional staff and The Refuge gets a perfect 10/10 from me.

Sneakers: 650 Laurel Street San Carlos, CA The Office: 1748 El Camino Real San Carlos, CA The Refuge: 963 Laurel Street San Carlos, CA

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

Searching for good music... tune into classical music radio 90.3 KDFC BY NABIL IRSHAD Staff Reporter Students at Sequoia should give classical music a chance and listen to it. Modern music has beats and tunes but classical music is a whole different plane. Modern music lacks some qualities that classical music has like the timing and synchronization of multiple instruments that make a rhythm of a great song. I’m Nabil and I’m a senior, I like to drive my car even though gas prices are high and I do wrestling. I have always been aware of classical music but never paid attention to it and never gave it a chance until I listened to String Quartet No. 3, “Mishima”: VI. Mishima / Closing - Philip Glass, the Modern String Quintet, and that’s when I realized that there could be so many variations, different ways and new sounds that I have never heard before coming from violins and cellos. I always had an idea of what these instruments sounded like and heard small snippets of them before but never in depth which made me excited to hear more and explore different instruments. It was a great learning experience to listen to many different sounds of one function of an instrument. It was very exciting hearing stuff that I would have never considered before. I was really into rap and R&B but I slowly got distasteful and discovered classical music. Classical music can be listened anywhere,. Mainly, I listen to it in my home and while I do homework or workout. The best time for me is when I’m lying down on my bed or outside with one earphone listening to the wind brush the leaves of trees whilst listening to music. I stare at the ceiling and think about goals and what I have to do. Classical helps me organize my thoughts and dig deep into what I really want to do and why. The roots of my thinking process begin with, “What do I have to do today? Is it homework? What assignment is late and needs to be done first before something else?” Listening to classical has helped me prioritize

things and really narrow down the list to one objective and applying myself to complete it. Listening to classical music creates a space for me to stay calm and keep my sanity while being overwhelmed with life. Inside, or outside classical music can be listened to anywhere. The only difference is my cats come to me and I have a buddy. It is a feeling of self awareness. Some days I would listen to rap and other days classical music. It’s like a mood. Something that I do in my playlists is I add almost an interlude, where it’s a break from what I was listening to previously. I call it a musical roller coaster-- I could be listening to Marvin’s Room by Drake and then the next song is a song with more energy like Advantage Point by Chilly Gonzales and there is a sudden change of setting within your ears

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Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. Berthold Auerbach

and it causes goosebumps. You never really know what’s going to play next thats what it’s like switching between music styles that makes it fun. I suggest adding classical music to your interludes just as I add rap and R&B to my classical playlists. What’s nice about classical music is it’s longer than three minutes most of the time and it has so many different sounds makes me feel elated and inspired. I like the way how not every song sounds the same, every single song has a different sound, a different feeling. This song may be very fast and transitions between high notes and low notes really well, meanwhile another song has a solid and consistent pattern and fluctuations of notes that sound nice to the ear. It brings a space of nothingness where all you are doing is being in the present to listen

to the intricacies of sound. My piano teacher, Othello Jefferson said, “I remember I was really angry, something had made me really upset at school. I came home and I played [the piano] for an hour. And I felt better. Music was a healing thing, it was a way for me to kind of deal with whatever I had gone through that day and it helped me.” Under stress or even non stressful situations classical music, too, never fails to relieve me of tension. Compared to modern music I could do all of the things I said while listening to it but it’s not the same. It’s difficult to put into words, but it changes the way I process things. I believe that classical music is something that should be more known throughout Sequoia and given a chance. Here are a couple of pieces that I would recommend you listen to, all of which are available on Spotify and can be accessed by scanning the codes below. The pieces vary from composer to composer. Below are all my own reviews of these songs.

My top 20 classical songs

My entire classical music playlist

Sicilienne, Op. 78 - Gabriel Faure & Steven Isserlis I would listen to this one while doing homework. It should be played in the background. Sounds like a bunch of loops until (1:53). This is definitely something that would be played while you’re on hold talking to a bank. All In Theme - Park Joung Won This is definitely one of the first songs you want to listen to when doing an exercise warm up like stretching or rolling out or hamstrings. It’s not too intense to get you pumped and excited to workout, but it’s something that will set you up for a better performance. Nocturne No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 9 No.2 - Frederic Chopin, Daniel Barenboim It drags you into a space where you don’t want to be bothered, it is so calming that when it’s interrupted it aggravates you a wee bit. Something like your earbud falling out could offset the balance of the song and evoke some emotions.

a steady momentum gradually increasing. A good place to listen to this is when driving in the background and in the midst of going 65 - 70 MPH on the highway. It’s definitely something that makes it easier. Liebesleid (Love’s Sorrow) - Fritz Kreisler, Sergei Rachmaninoff, RueiBin Chen Kind of sad but it’s emotional. This can be listened to any day but I recommend it on rainy days or night time. It’s not something meant for a mind that’s still waking up.

Requiem K. 626: Lacrimosa - Wolfgang Amedeus Mozart, Academy of Ancient Music, Stepehn Cleobury, Choir of King’s College, Cambridge This is the only song on this list that has vocals. I really like this one even though I don’t understand what’s being said but there’s so much inspiration and power while this song is being played. It’s good for studying or when you are making your breakfast before school.

The Four Seasons Recomposed: Spring I This song really feel like spring in your ear. It can be played when a friend hands you the AUX cord and you don’t have any heat to play. The car will be so heated they will need a Extinguisher to calm speakers down.

Palladio: I. Allegretto - Karl jenkins. NDR Radiophilharmonie, Ben Palmer During a cruise around your neighborhood practicing for the DMV test it would be a good time to play this or while you’re stuck in bumper to bumper traffic on the highway.

String Quartet No. 3, “Mishima”: VI. Mishima / Closing - Philip Glass, the Modern String Quintet This was one of my first songs I listened to and it resonated with me. A great time to listen to this is while you do homework or walking around campus getting to your next class with one ear phone while talking to your friend in the hallways played in the background.

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, Violin Concerto in G Minor, Op. * No. 2, RV 315 “Summer”: III. Presto - Antonio Vivaldi, Nigel Kennedy, English Chamber Orchestra This one is intense and I don’t know where or when you would listen to this other than when you feel like it. It would be a good background track to play while hardcore documentary is happening, like someone who achieved a lot in a sport or business talks about how they overcame challenges and it shows clips of them throwing a javelin or playing football and he slams into someone and the action shot shows their dominance as a athlete or a super successful businessman.

Paganini: 24 Caprices, Op. 1: No.24 in A Minor(Tema con variazioni. Quasi Presto) - Niccolò Paganini, itzhak perlman I like this one because if you really pay attention to it there’s 11 variations of the violin Air on a G String - Johann Sebastain Bach, in this piece. Theres a whole ton of scales in HAUSER, Robert Ziegler, London Symhere, a scale is where the notes escalate and phony Orchestra Definitely something that would be played descend and it could be a lower note rising in a waiting room to a high note and while you wait descend or a high for your doctor note that goes down to call you in. It’s and then goes back very soothing and up. There’s different I remember I was really angry, you can fall asleep scales played in something had made me really upset listening to this. this song. They are at school. I came home and I played not all the same [the piano] for an hour. And I felt Advantage Point but they are played - Chilly Gonzadifferently. This song better. Music was a healing thing, it les, NDR Radiotransitions between was a way for me to kind of deal with philharmonie, the scales very whatever I had gone through that day Sebastian Knauer, smoothly. And after and it helped me. Michel England every scale the song After your walk, changes, the tempo Othello Jefferson, Piano teacher stretches or warmand rhythm changes up on the treadmill between every scale this song could help it alternates between slow and fast tempo. Also, it can be played in pump you up for your actual split work out any setting. I find it easiest to listen to while session whether its leg day, back day it can be looking outside of the windows of Sequoia played anyday. and appreciating the trees and the sky and thinking nothing. Only listening to the song Sonata For Violin in E Minor. K.304: 1. Allegro - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Hilary and seeing nature. Hahn, Natalie Zhu Study music for sure, although it can be Handel / Orch. Hale: Keyboard Suite No. something you play to your indoor plant that’s 4 In D Minor, HWV 437: III. Sarabande by the window getting sunlight. Amongst that - George Frideric Handel, Alexander action you can read a book to your plant as Briger, Academy of St. Martini the Fields I also picked this one for its ability to have well it will grow wonders with the amount of

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care you give your plant.

Piano Concerto No. 2 Op. 102 in F Major: II. Andante - Demitri Shostakovich, Alexander Melnikov, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Teodor Currentzis This is something that would be played while your playing Assassins Creed Valhalla and you have all the good gear and your power level is 151 and your at a plateau to getting better and all you have to do is play the game and do quests to increase your power lv and farm loot to progress in the game. Another place you could listen to this is after a workout and you want to cool down and relax.

KDFC San Francisco Radio Station (90.3)

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

Celebrity criticism, helpful or harmful? release of her new and upcoming music was highly anticipated. However, the details and nuances found in the music video’s content led fans and LGBTQ+ activists alike to accuse her of queerbaiting, a marketing strategy BY HAYLEE HUYNH used in the entertainment industry to lure Staff Reporter queer audiences into consuming content Billie Eilish, 19 year old singer-songwriter without giving actual representation of queer and beloved amongst all generations takes a characters and relationships. misstep with the release of her music video for This controversy created a divide in single “Lost Cause” Eilish’s fanbase, as a part of her latest some refusing to album “Happier Than participate in any Ever.” media she produces The controversy while others stemmed from continue to support the content of I watched her music video and defend her. the music video, and I didn’t understand why “I was like a really which portrayed a big fan, you know, people were mad at it [...] group of women, and then after the including Eilish, mainly because she’s definitely ‘Lost Cause’ music playfully hanging not the first person or first like, video and [...] her out in a cliffside Instagram female I guess to have a music recent mansion, singing posts and stuff saying along to the song video like that. like ‘I love women’ about an ex partner and all that it was who was immature Anais Guillaume, junior kind of like, I was like and irresponsible. really confused by The scenes span that,” said freshman out over different times of the day, all the Bee Wiggin, queer student and former fan of women clothed in silk nightwear with sexual Eilish. implications in their body language. Here, Wiggin is referring to the behindWith Eilish being an award winning artist the-scenes photos Eilish posted on her with millions of fans around the globe, the personal Instagram account with the caption

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“wish you were gay” by Billie Eilish March 29, 2019

Eilish’s British Vogue Cover May 2, 2021

“i love girls” eight days following the release of the music video on June 2. Wiggin also highlighted how Eilish has an unnoticed history of queerbaiting. “I feel like she gained a lot of queer fans from like, various things she’s done,” they expressed. “And like the song ‘wish you were gay’, I feel like everyone looked at that and was like, ‘oh my goodness, is this another queer artist?’ But then it actually wasn’t and she kind of was like, abusing the term.” Though this sentiment is valid and shared amongst many people, there are other listeners who don’t think Eilish’s behavior was deserving of the level of outrage it received. “I watched her music video and I didn’t understand why people were mad at it [...] mainly because she’s definitely not the first person or first like, female I guess to have a music video like that,” said junior Anais Guillaume. She mentioned instances of Rihanna and Shakira in “Can’t Remember to Forget You” and Cardi B and Normani in “Wild Side” where their music videos would also be categorized as queerbaiting if they were held to the same standards Eilish is. “In the Normani music video with Cardi B, there’s a scene where they’re also super close and like the music video with Rihanna and Shakira where they’re all close and stuff [...] it’s like super hyper sexualized. So like I said this is not the first case of [queerbaiting] nor the worst like when you compared to those two

“Lost Cause” music video June 2, 2021

other music videos,” Guillaume said. Fans’ reactions to the “Lost Cause” music video ranges from displeased to neutral between different generations, and Guillaume gave insight on why that might be the case. “In the last couple, like, two or three years there’s [been] like teenagers growing up because of COVID and stuff, they’re like, on the internet more than ever. So people who are older who didn’t grow up that way, aren’t, yeah, have a different perspective and they’re not as like, I guess conscientious of that type of stuff.” “I feel like, people like my age would have the common sense to not really [queerbait] if you’re kind of world famous.” Wiggin said, confirming this theory of younger generations becoming more ‘conscientious’ of the media that they view and consume. This enlightenment can be seen as both beneficial and harmful, creating space for inclusivity and comfortability while also adding even more criticism to an already stressful industry. “I also understand, sort of, how people hold up celebrities to another standard, like, what you do impacts a lot of people,” said Dy Nguyen, Special Education teacher and Gender-Sexuality Alliance Club advisor. “I don’t know if it’s always necessarily fair, especially with young celebrities. There’s already a lot of pressure on young people and I already see how much pressure you guys have, as young people just growing up and not being under the limelight, let alone being under the limelight for something that you just, it’s a passion of yours.” Calling out celebrities or generally anyone present in your life on their mistakes is definitely okay and encouraged, but being

“i love girls” Instagram post June 10, 2021

mindful about the whole situation is just as over the content of her music video while important. other artist collaborations like Rihanna and “I think it’s okay Shakira or Normani to say ‘okay I can and Cardi B showed see why this might the same content and have, you know, received none of the upset some people’ backlash. but I think to throw Women of color, a label on it without People hold up celebrities to especially Black and fully understanding, another standard, like, what Latinx, have a history kind of, [Eilish’s] you do impacts a lot of people. of being fetishized situation, that’s in the media; with I don’t know if it’s always perhaps going a little historical examples bit too far,” explained necessarily fair, especially with and trends like the band director Jane young celebrities. ove rs e x u a l i z at i on Woodman. “I think of their bodies and people are really stereotypes that quick to kind of jump Dy Nguyen, Special Education are perpetuated and have reactions teacher and GSA advisor by Westernized and things and I ideologies. think sometimes In opposition, that’s really warranted because there’s a lot of white women have been commonly linked issues that we should be getting upset about. with qualities of innocence and purity; the But yeah, it’s sort of like [...] what does someone phrase ‘white women tears’–a tactic used by intend versus how it actually comes off.” white women to weaponize their privilege– being an example where this profile has been Message from the Reporter applied. So when Eilish stepped out in a lacy pink The contemplation of Eilish’s actions being corset for her “British Vogue” cover and silky categorized as queerbaiting is a great step nightwear in the “Lost Cause” music video, she forward into the discussion of honest queer challenged that white woman typecast, and her representation in the media and exposure audience became confused and upset. of different types of relationships. However, But with Rihanna and Shakira or Normani we also need to collectively recognize the and Cardi B, their behavior and clothing racial divide in this discussion and how choice didn’t receive the same ‘shaming’ or representation isn’t always given to people of outrage because the sexualization of women color, specifically women of color. of color has become so normalized it seems Guillaume made an interesting comment almost expected. about the reaction to Eilish’s ‘queerbaiting’, What others don’t realize is that this highlighting how the media created outrage oversexualization can be overshadowing other aspects of identity that artists are trying to express. “Wild Side” music video Cardi B has been continually open about July 15, 2021 her bisexuality throughout her career, and Normani regularly alludes to queerness in her performances while also being a constant ally. But no matter how much they affirm their queer identities, their actions are always oversexualized before they are seen as queer expression. This actively excludes women of color from queer representation in the media, when in reality they are the forerunners of the entire LGBTQ movement. This statement wasn’t made to victimize Eilish for being categorized with white women qualities or begin to assume every woman of color who is comfortable with their body is queer. I am writing this because I want to bring attention to the inequity of queer representation between white women and women of color, giving space for honest and real representation without the need for outrage or controversy.

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RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

Get hooked on

s k o Bo BY RYLAN BUTT A&E Editor In recent years, many high school students don’t read outside of their literature pieces and classic books taught in their English classes and either don’t know or want to read for pleasure. A survey done of 80 Sequoia students from various grade levels shows that roughly 50 percent of students don’t read outside of school. Students may feel like reading is a chore since they have only been exposed to

about the world from just reading,” San Carlos Librarian Deidre Brill said. One student who reads outside of school is freshman Axel Larson, who shared his opinion on the difference between reading in a classroom and reading for fun. “When you’re reading for like an English class, you’re reading a different way, you’re reading for content knowledge[...]” Larson said, “but when you’re reading for pleasure, you’re more focused just [on] getting wrapped up in the book instead of trying to remember special events.”

When you’re reading for pleasure, you’re more focused just [on] getting wrapped up in the book instead of trying to remember special events. Axel Larson, freshman

one form of reading and have never read for pleasure on their own. Reading has a wide variety of benefits that many students neglect as they have only been exposed to reading they don’t enjoy. It can be very interesting and open up new opportunities for learning. “It provides windows and mirrors. So the idea is that you have the window into somebody else’s world, you get to learn more

Med ia Ce nt e r

of the brain that’s activated when we read for pleasure can also be activated when we’re listening to podcasts, or when we’re reading the news or even reading the internet,” Media Specialist Elizabeth Snow said. Students sometimes may dislike reading classic books such as “The Great Gatsby,” “To Kill a Mockingbird” or “Of Mice and Men,” which makes them dislike reading as a whole. These students should know that the “great” books aren’t the only books they can read. “And you should read the great books, but it’s also okay to just read something that you connect with, like it’s perfectly fine to not enjoy ‘Catcher in the Rye’. So my suggestion is to try something else,” Brill said. For students who don’t enjoy reading, it is important to pick a book about a topic that they will enjoy reading about, otherwise you may have a bad first impression of reading. Finding books on topics you enjoy will make the experience more fun and personal. There are many resources available to highschool students that will help you find books such

According to a blog from Business Insider, a global news website, consistently reading has been proven to strengthen neural pathways, increasing our memory and empathy capabilities. I would advise students who don’t like to read to try it out so they can take advantage of some of these benefits while diving into a story they enjoy. “I’ve learned over the years that that part

S M CL

Junior Aiden Jackson reading in the Media Center. Photo by Rylan Butt

Books featured in the article and available in the Media Center. Photo by Rylan Butt as the Media Center, San Mateo County Libraries, and various accounts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok that can help students find books that they will enjoy. “I love the different social media book strands so there’s Bookstagram and my new favorite is Book Tok, TikTok. And there’s tons of librarians there’s tons of kids on there that are just reviewing books,” Snow said. Trying different formats such as graphic novels, comic books, short stories, or audiobooks are also a great way to keep reading as they keep things fresh and interesting. Graphic novels especially can reduce the feeling of reading being a chore with the addition of images and a faster read due to the lesser amount of words. One graphic novel that I really enjoyed was “MAUS”, graphic novel about a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor depicted as mice.

“I happen to super duper love the ‘Ms. Marvel’ series. So if people are into specific series, that’s always a good way to jump in,” Brill said. “As far as in general graphic novels, there’s one called ‘Hey, Kiddo’, that I really love. It’s about the author’s life. He grew up with parents and substance abuse[...]There’s a lot of good graphic novel memoirs out there.” After you start reading, it is also important to continue reading and find ways to stay motivated instead of finishing a book and then not reading anymore. Finding a series that is interesting is one way to keep returning to reading after finishing a book. “Getting a [student] hooked into a series is like, absolutely the thing that will work every time. there’s so many spin off stories, too. So if you really identify with one character, there’s a good way to find other characters and similar stories that you can kind of go off of,” Brill said.

Having topics or genres that interest you are also very important when it comes to picking books to read. Using other forms of entertainment such as the movies, or the things in the news are great starters for finding books that will retain a student’s interest. For me, I really enjoyed Sci-Fi and video games, and after seeing an ad for “Ready Player One”, I decided to give the book a read. It started off a bit bland but when it dove more into the SciFi virtual reality part, I couldn’t put the book down. It also has a sequal, “Ready Player Two”, which I plan on reading soon.

In my personal experience, I would try to allocate at least 15 minutes a day to read a book or the news. Putting my phone and other distractions down definitely helped me stay focused so hopefully this strategy can help you as well. Once you follow these strategies you can try incorporating your own methods to make the reading experience even more personal. There are QR-codes to the resources mentioned throughout the article.

Creating a schedule can also be very beneficial to deal with distractions. The only key is setting one that you are sure you will be able to uphold. Starting with a small amount of reading and working your way up is one way to build a consistent schedule. “Really try to dedicate half an hour, start with a half hour or 15 minutes. 15 minutes we’re gonna put your phone down, you’re going to actually read a physical book,” Snow said.

Sequoia’s Media Center. Photo by Rylan Butt

RAVEN REPORT | NOVEMBER 2021

a a i i o o u u qq nndd e e S S a a y y s s e e r r H H iittee ttss!! r r s s i i w w arrtt We want to showcase a your wo rk in our

magazine

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Raven Report 2021 - 2022 Issue Cycle 1

Articles inside

Celebrity criticism, helpful or harmful? ...................................................................................................................................................

Get hooked on books

Searching for good music ...................................................................................................................................................

Ben’s burger stop ...................................................................................................................................................

Queer dating vs. heterosexual dating ...................................................................................................................................................

As school starts, so does the anxiety ...................................................................................................................................................

Is cheerleading a real sport? ...................................................................................................................................................

Indigenous literature removed from curriculum ...................................................................................................................................................

The importance of challening one’s perspective ...................................................................................................................................................

Opening up the conversation ...................................................................................................................................................

Teachers make it more difficult to steal ideas

Volleyball setting up the absence rates for seventh period ...................................................................................................................................................

Student Spotlight: Zoraya King ...................................................................................................................................................

Reading into the changes of COVID-19 and convenience ...................................................................................................................................................

Veganism creates community at Sequoia ...................................................................................................................................................

Following your yellow brick road to education ...................................................................................................................................................

The SAT is just a number ...................................................................................................................................................

Impending vaccine mandate stirs discussion ...................................................................................................................................................

Schedules changed to ease student workload ..................................................................................................................................................

Peril with pests ...................................................................................................................................................

Contrast critical thinking in AP vs IB ...................................................................................................................................................

Ethnic studies enters schedules