55 minute read
Fast fashion or fatal fashion
BY VIVIAN KREVOR AND LUCIE TENENBAUM
Opinion Editor, Staff Reporter
Fast fashion is a phenomenon that many, including ourselves, are guilty of contributing to. The term was coined to describe the fast production and marketing method used to produce a large amount of clothing, usually using low quality materials. Upholding fast fashion may look like someone purchasing a lot of cheap clothes online to only wear a few, videos of massive SHEIN hauls, wearing clothes a few times before throwing them away, or only wearing half of the clothes in their closet. We have made many of these mistakes, but are navigating ways to decrease our contribution to fast fashion with smarter purchasing decisions. These shopping habits, encouraged by society and what we see in the media, are rapidly worsening the climate crisis.
The History of fast fashion
Historically, fashion designers produced clothes according to the four seasons and weather patterns. Designers took months to devise new collections. In comparison, many brands now produce clothes according to 52 “mini-seasons” according to TheGoodTrade. This is equivalent to one new “collection” from a certain designer per week. The first fast fashion trend was in the 1960s, where millions of dollars of paper clothes were purchased. The somewhat peculiar and colorful trend included an infamous zebra-print pantsuit.
The clothing brand Zara was somewhat of a pioneer for fast fashion, shifting to releasing new collections to consumers every two weeks in the 2000s. They were able to produce clothes more quickly as fast fashion trends cycled at quickening rates. Companies started to think of ways they could earn more money from sales, which meant lowering materials costs. As the products prices lowered, so did their quality. The amount of time that clothes withstood typical use decreased drastically, meaning that consumers started to buy clothes at a much faster rate. This led to fast fashion
today, reflected heavily by Zara, H&M, Shein, Victoria’s Secret, UNIQLO, Topshop and numerous other brands.
In a report by The Good Trade, fast fashion produces around 10% of the world’s total carbon emissions, meaning that clothes produce more carbon dioxide than plane travel and cargo shipping combined. The fashion industry is the second largest consumer of the world’s water supply due to textile dyes and pesticides contamination. Water used to produce clothes is polluted with dyes and harmful chemicals. According to Forbes, over 79 billion cubic meters of water were used for clothing production in 2015. This is incredibly concerning considering the United Nation’s estimation of 80-90% of waste water being untreated and recirculated into the environment.
Fabrics such as polyester, nylon and acrylic use a lot of fossil fuels to be produced and release tiny microplastics-most of which end up in the ocean-that can not decompose.
Along with their carbon emissions when creating and exporting their clothes, a study by FastCompany, an American business magazine, found that around 100 billion clothes are produced each year; keep in mind there are only around 7 billion people in the
What is the history of fast fashion? Negative impacts of fast fashion
world. The same study said that H&M had over $4.3 billion worth of overstock clothes that they acquired after months of markdowns. The company ended up incinerating the clothes, leading to the release of over 2,988 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt hour, a much greater rate than that from the burning of coal, in 2018. People consider H&M’s actions as the “great bonfire of 2018”.
In addition to the extensive environmental impact, many clothing workers are in other countries without humane working rights. Selling cheap clothing or generally adhering to fast fashion requires the exploitation of workers. According to Sustain Your Style, these workers typically have a 96 hour work week, and work through the weekend. Many companies advertise that they pay their workers minimum wage, also inferring that other companies pay below minimum wage.
However, minimum wage can be as low as 19% of the living wage, or the wage required to sustain basic living needs of a family. Presenting paying workers at minimum wage in the fashion industry as an achievement can be deceptive.
The working conditions are unsafe the majority of the time, regularly involving interacting with toxic materials for clothing production. There is often no ventilation within the workplace. When they don’t achieve their fashion brand’s production goal for a given time period, workers may face abusive punishments. Examples of this include not being allowed to take breaks, or even refusal to drink water.
People buy fast fashion because they woud like to keep up with the latest trends and styles with a low cost, or because they can’t afford to shop sustainably. Many fast fashion campaigns can place an unfair social and environmental responsibility on those that have financial struggles. For those that can only afford cheaper clothes, fast fashion may be their only option.
We empathize with those who buy into fast fashion as a necessity, but as fast fashion upholds inhumane labor in other countries, the lower income people in more stable countries are supporting a system that negatively impacts low income people in unstable countries. This can raise the question of whether this is prioritizing the low income people of stable countries, over those of unstable countries.
Another reason people buy into fast fashion is to keep up with trends and the idea of getting large amounts of clothing for low cost is appealing. People feel less pressured to wear a cheap article of clothing many times. They don’t feel as if they are wasting their money by wearing a low cost item only a few times, although this comes at the expense of the climate and industry workers.
The media normalizes supporting fast fashion. Fashion trends can recycle every few weeks on social media platforms such as TikTok or Instagram, and buyers may no longer like their clothes a month or two after purchasing them. Viral videos of massive clothing hauls-normally purchased from unsustainable brands such as SHEIN-can be seen on the For You or Discover page and as pop-up ads in apps such as TikTok, Instagram and even Snapchat.
“In terms of media coverage, I feel like [awareness of fast fashion] it’s pretty limited right now...for like the average person, average consumer, it’s really difficult to know the signs of fast fashion,” said senior Gregory ParmerLohan, president of the Sustainability Club. “Companies won’t be like, ‘oh, yeah, this is our environmental report.’”
In addition, people may not want to wear an article of clothing ‘too many’ times because many celebrities and influencers are almost never seen wearing the same thing twice. This enforces the societal idea that wearing the same articles of clothing isn’t fashionable. With little coverage on the topic and seeing this behavior regularly online, it’s sadly easy to see why people, despite having steady incomes, continue to support it.
“Slow Fashion” is a term referring to sustainable fashion, and the opposite of fast fashion. The term advocates for buying higher quality pieces of clothing that will last longer, without the expense of unfair treatment to people, animals and the planet. It refers to wearing more high quality, natural and sustainable materials like recycled cotton, hemp and linen. There are other futuristic types of sustainable fabrics such as cellulose fabric, vegan leather, recycled fabric and synthetic spider silk. “Slow fashion” supports the idea that people should buy more locally produced garments with cleaner materials, and that the clothing people wear should reflect the cultural background that the clothes have come from.
There was an estimate from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 35% of all microplastics [in the ocean] come from the laundering of synthetic textiles like Polyster,” Parmer-Lohan referenced. Basically when you washnot even when you throw it away-when you wash certain textiles like with polyester or plastic materals, it’ll actually come off in the wash, and then end up in waterways, which eventually ends up in the ocean as microplastics.
Why do so many people purchase from fast fashion? What is “slow fashion?”
What is greenwashing?
A strategy called greenwashing markets environmentally friendly products to customers without the products actually being sustainable, prioritizing their reputation over the environment. Many companies make this decision, even if it requires blatant lies. Around 66% of consumers have been reported to pay more to companies presented as more sustainable or going sustainable, according to a study by NielsenIQ.
Forms of greenwashing include the changing of a companies’ name or slogan or rebranding to seem more appealing to sustainable customers. Companies may use complex technical terms with customers to make their products seem more environmentally friendly. They may use phrases without a legal definition, like ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘all natural.’ Companies accentuate their sustainability, when in reality their products are just as harmful towards the environment as other companies’ products are.
Many claims by companies to sound more sustainable can be vague or can’t be proven with accurate or trustworthy sources, and yet the brands present the information as true despite the lack of legitimacy. Some of the companies that greenwash include, Lululemon, H&M, Zara and IKEA. These big brand companies have started “becoming green” at the expense of the environment and consumers’ trust.
It may be overwhelming to hear about the various components of fast fashion, although there are a few simple steps you can take to minimize your contribution. Making a few small changes in your shopping habits is much better than nothing.
A general motto used by environmentalists all around the world is “buy less, choose well, make it last.” Be thoughtful in purchasing clothing articles that you will actually wear, and can be paired with multiple outfits. Choosing clothes that can be worn for a long time is a major way to lessen personal contributions to fast fashion. In addition, you can be aware of repurposing or recycling your clothes after they are no longer wearable, especially if you didn’t wear them for a long period of time. You can also research the ‘eco-friendliness’ of brands and avoid synthetic materials like polyester. With the QR code at the bottom right of this page, you can search for the sustainability ratings of most major fashion brands. You can also shop secondhand. Some of the stores in the Bay Area that are great places to shop at include GoodWill, Savers, Thrift Center Thrift Store, Family Tree, Pick of the Litter Thrift Shop and St.Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores. If you’re not able to purchase at in-store places, you can always go online to stores like Poshmark, thredUP, Depop, The RealReal, Tradesy, Urban Renewal and Patagonia Worn Wear. “[Shift] your value system...consumerism is a big part of our culture, and that is definitely driving the problems of fast fashion,” ParmerLohan said. “There are so many people buying pieces of clothing all the time... trying to unlearn the things that marketing and companies told you to do. Like, ‘go on a shopping spree Black Friday,’... and move towards... making purchases that are more thoughtful for the future.”
[Companies] don’t want to tell the consumers ‘Hey, like we don’t pay our workers anything,’ Because then they won’t buy any clothes from [them],” Parmer-Lohan said. “It’s pretty deceptive and it’s like the only presented things [are] the good sides of their operations.
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How to not contribute to fast fashion
Above is a QR code for Good on You, where you can look at the sustainability ratings of most clothing brands.
Artwork by Hope Callaghan
Distractions throughout school but music is not one of them
BY ZACHARY TYSON AND ABIGAIL AGUAYO
Staff Reporter and Copy Editor
Teachers at Sequoia High School have different approaches on listening to music during class, and we believe that it is completely fine to listen to it, however only during independent work time.
As sophomores, we believe being able to use your phone for music in class allows you to have more freedom. It’s the student’s responsibility to demonstrate they will not abuse the privilege of listening to music during class.
However, some teachers have a different approach. For example, Spanish teacher Martha Sigala will send your phone immediately to the AVP (Assistant vice principal) office as soon as she sees your phone out. English teacher Timothee Allen and Chemistry teacher Johnathan Holcomb are a bit more lenient with music and phone usage during class. Either way, teachers agree that if having our phones affects our behavior or quality of our work, it will be taken away.
We agree with Holcomb and Allen’s strategy because their strategies allow students to have freedom and an opportunity to have music to help them focus and get work done more productively but they also are being fair if students take advantage of it.
Teachers who aren’t so fond of having music during class face the frustration of headphones being used during class.
“A portion of it can be disrespectful because I cannot tell if you are paying attention to me or not or just listening to your music,” Sigala said.
It’s hard to tell when students are using music respectfully during class but I would say, from my perspective, that there are about half of students who use it respectfully and half of students who don’t.
Some teachers do give students access to music and cell phone usage during class. They understand that it does help some students focus and helps them be productive while in class. However, once it turns into a distraction and gets taken advantage of while affecting your learning time, teachers actually do students the favor by asking them to put it away or take it away to help their students get back on task.
“I treat my students as adults, and that means I’m not going to tell you a whole lot of can and can’t do’s. However, when your work starts suffering or when your behavior starts suffering, that’s when I will step in because you have lost that privilege,” Allen said.
For teachers who aren’t so fond of music during class, one of the main reasons is because they want their students to focus.
“When I need students to focus on me and teaching and understanding that’s when I [would] rather have them be capable of not having that stuff in class,” Sigala said.
As the school year goes on, more rules are made to improve learning and help students focus and this can be seen with a new phone rule Holcomb created with the students. The students have to either put their phone in a pouch on a cabinet, or use the yellow card given to them by
Holcomb and put that into the pouch. This is used to take attendance in his class and if you don’t have anything in the pouch you are marked tardy. “Most students have phones, and if they don’t want to put their phones in the pouch then they have the yellow card because it should stay in your class binder always,” Holcomb said.
This specific rule that only Holcomb uses still gives some freedom to the students because it is not an order to put their phone in their pouch, however if one person keeps on pulling it out and it is a distraction then they should switch the yellow card with their phone to improve their focus in class. This rule is a lot more lenient than other teachers, because some teachers take the phone away and give it to the administrative vice principal until the end of the day.
This is why we agree with Holcomb’s approach because it gives students the freedom to still have our phones and listen to music when we can.
“When we have independent time and students want to listen to music and their phone is in the pouch then it is fine to take it out so if they want to listen to music they can during independent time,” Holcomb said.
This is what we want and a great approach to listening to music during class and phone usage because during independent time students should be able to listen to music because it helps productivity. However, since we’re still learning about responsibility this is why there is still a rule in place.
“I think students need to learn and practice how to self regulate their phone, because when you go to college or to work or whatever you do, you’re not going to have people pushing you to concentrate and if you haven’t learned how to do that it’s going to negatively affect you,” Holcomb said.
Additionally, some teachers have absolutely no rules regarding phones, and they teach you responsibility which is a necessary skill used in college and later in life.
“Part of the thing you’re supposed to be learning here is personal responsibility, and how to manage your time and stuff like that. Phones, headphones, all that they’re a fact of our lives. As soon as you leave high school, there’s [not] gonna be anyone really around to say, ‘don’t do this or don’t do that’. So part of it is that I want my students to have autonomy,” Allen said.
While new ways are being created to help students focus and make learning better and more efficient, teachers have to always keep in mind that social media and the digital age is taking place as more and more advances happen.
“Well, I try to keep that in mind with social media. And for better or worse your attention is divided. And so, keeping that in mind, I try to make my class engaging. I try to keep it relevant, but I also try to deliver things like bite-sized pieces of information,” Allen said.
Hangout with Sequoia students
BY NABIL IRSHAD
Staff Reporter
L-wing area where students hangout, photo and edits made by Nabil Irshad
Students hangout at the base of the stairs or at the top, some under the gazebo at the Tea Garden
Students hangout here by these benches either sitting or standing
Every student at Sequoia hangs out at a different spot during brunch & lunch even before school starts. Does the area students hang around have any significance to them? Do they like other spots more than others?
“A lot of my good friends used to hang around the same area so I would see a lot of my good friends” Senior Derek Hyunn, a student who freqquently hangs out in the breezeway, the popular archeway located close to classroom 100, said. Students like to be in a space where “ there are a lot of friendly faces or people they know, a place where it’s comfortable and not unknown territory. Oftentimes this happens to be the same, consistent spot that students attend throughout highschool. Most people stay in or around the same area because it has sentimental value to them, the place they stay at has memories and events that they have witnessed since freshman year.
“The weight room has been a place that has allowed me to have a platform to express
my experiences with school and life in general. I’ve had students come for tutoring in the gym because they feel comfortable in those surroundings,” Luis Ledezma, a paraprofessional, said. when asked about his favorite building on campus.He also does the speed and power class at the gym after school Tuesdays and Thursdays. When Ledezma is at the weightroom, so are students. “[It’s] varied, but since freshman year, most of the time we would hang out here or near here,” senior [In the ] B Quad there is a ring Dylan Smith said. He around the center of it with steps often frequents the that serve as seating. I like the fact front of the school that everyone is facing one another and around the main which is a good way to communicate. entrance onto campus. Places to hangout can also be a place Luis Ledezma, Para professional where you can talk with lots of people. “B Quad there is a ring around the center of it with steps that serve as seating. I like the fact that everyone is facing one another which is a good way to communicate,” Ledezma said when asked about his favorite spot on campus.
HEADLINE HERE STACKED
BY OSCAR NOLF
Staff Reporter
Photo By Allison Wang
Teachers impose memorization
How school has become about memorizing content for a test - and forgetting it for a lifetime
BY STAN HAMELIN
Staff Reporter
for class and forgetting that content as soon as I finished the test was in 5th grade. It was when myself and my entire grade took the 50 Some students at Sequoia, myself included, feel as though school has become about memorizing content out of a textbook - “ When the whole class revolves around United States and Capitals test. I went to Roy Cloud for 5th grade, but this is a very common test in all curriculums in the United States. and then it being of no use afterwards. [memorization], The test consisted of filling in all the state It feels as though school is only for it becomes very and capital names in the right spot on the good test scores, and nothing else. tedious. map. I got a full score on the test, because
I’ve seen examples I simply memorized of this throughout Stephanie Weden, AVID teacher all the content, but my schooling, from I forgot most of the 5th grade to 10th states and capitals grade, and my classmates have as well. We very soon after taking the test - and I believe would learn something in class for a bit of most students did, and still do. So I wonder, time, memorize dedicatedly for the test and isn’t this a problem? Does this happen more then forget all the content as soon as we had often than that one test? taken it. So I thought about it for a while, and “When I’m told to memorize something, I thought it made no sense - what is the point it definitely doesn’t stick with me, it’s like a of all the stress if we’re going to forget about ton of vomiting information during a test and whatever we’re learning? then completely forgetting it,” Emily Cooney, a
The earliest I recall memorizing content senior who has talked about this issue among friends, said. Cooney has been at Sequoia for four years, and she has seen a lot of different teaching styles. This goes to show that, even in classes with seniors present, memorization is utilized to teach content.
Some teachers disagree that memorization, as a learning method, is present at Sequoia at all.
“In the math department and particularly in my classes, I always allow students to write down things that they would have had to memorize instead. I allow everybody to use calculators as much as possible,” IB Math and Algebra 2/Trigonometry teacher Subathra Ramanathan said.
On paper, this teaching method makes sense. It sounds as though it would eliminate memorization for tests in schools. In my math experiences personally, I have seen less memorizing than in other classes. For example, in my IB Analysis class, we receive formula packets for every quiz we take. This helps with test-taking greatly, because I think it makes us students understand that knowing how to use said formulas is important, knowing the concepts is important for the course.
Outside of the math department however, students have to memorize content simply for a test.
memorize memorize memorize memorize memorize memorize memorize memorize memorize memorize memorize memorize memorize memorize memorize
Photo By David Raymond
“When the whole class revolves around [memorization], it becomes very tedious,” AVID teacher, Stephanie Weden, said.
Cooney seems to agree with this: “My teacher, she tells a story. So of course, I’m gonna remember because I think it’s engaging. It’s interesting, ” she said. When students in AVID need help with a certain concept, “ they are encouraged to explain their problem specifically, along with their thought process and ideas. Once they understand the concept, they have to teach it to a peer. This seems to be a process that works for AVID, Weden explained. She said this enables “the student who has that problem now to know how to apply it in so many different ways.” Maybe this would work in other classes at Sequoia, but teachers do have to get through the curriculum and introduce new topics, units, formulas and concepts. AVID is for concepts that have already been covered in class. Teachers most likely wouldn’t have time to consider other student’s needs, if students don’t understand concepts. So this method will most likely only work for AVID. Weden spoke about content taught in the Health Careers Academy. “There are some Latin based words that you need to know. But we focus on roots and prefixes and suffixes very much like a language class. And if you know those, then you’re able to apply them as opposed to memorizing all of the cardiac vocabulary and all of the respiratory vocabulary,” Weden said.
Memorization in schools should be reduced, so that this is less present in schools. I’m sure that other methods of teaching and learning are implemented in schools, but
memorization seems to be too big of a part of school. The emphasis should be on teaching concepts that you can apply anywhere in that course. I believe that finding ways to go around memorizing, like applying concepts and formulas, to real life is the way to teach. That way, kids would memorize without realizing it - and the facts would stay. I have a I took a test today personal instance I’d like to share that proves how relating concepts to real life helps learn that I studied for this them. When I go sailing during the summer, we have to rig and de-rig the boats, and for morning. I haven’t that you need to memorize a few basic knots. When my mentors teach me these knots, taken it yet, but they give me a story along with every step to I definitely don’t make the knot - and that way, I memorize the knot quite easily. remember much. Teaching concepts and bringing them to life seem to work well for students and teachers alike. I think we should implement Emily Cooney, senior more of that in schools and in tests, because it would be a more accurate representation on whether the students learned the material. So the students agreed with the claim that there is too much memorization in schools, but the teachers disagree. Is this because they see it, but don’t want to admit it? Or is the claim simply untrue? What do you think?
Welcome to the
DUNIVERSE
BY MADELINE CARPINELLI
Co-Editor-in-Chief
After two years and $165 million dollars in production, director Denis Villeneuve’s Dune has awed watchers worldwide with its oneof-a-kind audiovisuals and shocking story. Starring heartthrobs Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, Dune (2021) is an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel, published in 1965.
The movie:
There’s no doubt that what truly makes this film special is the audiovisual experience created by Villeneuve and film score composer Hans Zimmer. Every single shot was a new stunning and captivating visual for viewers to feel engulfed in, and Zimmer’s audios only made scenes more mesmerizing. Hilbert’s dark and meaningful story combined with Villeneuve’s eerie and magical landscapes creates a deeply immersive world for watchers. A fan favorite is the gom jabbar scene; an eerie setting with mystically ancient props conveys the terror and mystery of the Bene Gesserit powers.
“I loved the visuals,” senior Leo Rava, who read the original novel, said. “I don’t know where they filmed it, but they chose an awesome location. [It] was gorgeous.”
The ornithopters’ dragonfly-like design in the film were especially fun to watch. I really appreciated how Dune avoided that minimalist futuristic aesthetic that so many sci-fi movies use. Costumes and sets were incredibly immersive because they had this modern medieval look, or as costume designer Jacqueline West calls it, “mod-ieval” (Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter). The action in this movie was especially mesmerizing due to its magnitude, especially in scenes including the infamous sandworms. For me, every scene with a sandworm had my heart pounding in an instant. On the other hand, the knife fight scenes weren’t as wellchoreographed as I had hoped. In some particular scenes, fighting felt comical; watching Timothée Chalamet spin and jump didn’t feel quite as authentic as I’d hoped. In a Marveldominated film industry, most audiences expect more action and violence than what Dune delivered. While readers of the original series know that Dune: Part Two has the conflict that watchers are craving, this could be one of the reasons Dune: Part One might not do as well as it hoped.
Dune’s very dark and serious plot also contributes to this potential dissatisfaction within newer audiences. Other than Jason Momoa’s few moments of teasing Timothée Chalamet, this movie has no comedic relief of any kind. While this stays true to the original novel, new audiences are much more used to quirky and hilarious side characters to lighten the mood, like Awkwafina’s character in Marvel’s Shang-Chi: The Legend of the Ten Rings.
Finally, Dune’s narrative can be very easily interpreted to be the white savior trope, a theme where a white main character enters a struggling community of indigenous people or people of color and “saves” them, because they are too “weak” or “uncivilized” to help themselves. Paul’s instant position as a messiah and leader when he arrives on Arrakis can be interpreted as portraying the Fremen, the
native people of Arrakis, to be too weak to save themselves.
Despite criticisms, director Denis Villeneuve has a different point-of-view: “It’s not a celebration of a savior. It’s a condemnation and criticism of that idea of a savior,” Villeneuve tells Mike Manalo at The Nerds of Color. “Of someone that will come and tell another operation how to be and what to believe… it’s a criticism.”
The adaptation:
Dune is an undeniably difficult novel to bring to the big screen due to its abstract power system of the Bene Gesserit and unique narration through the use of streamof-consciousness. The story has had many previous adaptations, including a television drama from 2000, a film from 1984 and a failed film adaptation by Alejandro Jodorowsky from the 1970s. The most famous of these is David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation; while it follows quite true to the story, calling the film’s special effects outdated is an understatement.
“[The newer Dune] has a lot more diversity and the CGI is a lot better,” senior Dylan Iki said. “It also takes the time to explain everything so you feel a lot more immersed in it.”
Therefore, fans around the world were ready for a new film to give Dune the adaptation it deserves. Still, for new watchers, the lore of Dune remains complicated and difficult to follow.
“I feel like you have to have some background knowledge [to understand the movie],” senior Sophia Doyle said.
“I did have to explain a bunch of it to [my friend],” senior Leo Rava, who read the original novel, said. “But I think if you pay attention hard enough, then you’ll get most of the story.”
The Voice, shields, and other “unfilmable” aspects of this story were brought to life beautifully by Villeneuve. Shields were futuristic and simple and much more visually pleasing than the chunky ones from the 1984 adaptation. The Voice, a power that Paul and his mother share which allows them to manipulate the pitch of their voices to control others with words, was especially unique in this movie, with intense effects that conveyed the absolute terror of the phenomenon.
“I think the visuals really enhanced [the story],” Rava said. “[Before,] I had no vision
of what everything looked like and I think the movie did a great job with that.”
Villeneuve truly takes his time with this adaptation. At two hours and 35 minutes, Dune: Part One still only covers the first half of the first book in the Dune series. It feels wrong to criticize this film for straying slightly away from the original plot (since it was quite accurate), but there are some aspects that I was sad to see missing (warning for spoilers). First of all, most readers would notice that Dr. Yueh’s betrayal was much less shocking on screen. A significant conversation between Lady Jessica and Dr. Yueh was missing, where Yueh revealed his hatred for the Harkonnens for taking his wife and Jessica empathized with him. In addition, in the book, Leto and his family already knew there was a traitor among
I think the visuals really enhanced [the story. Before,] I had no vision of what everything looked like and I think the movie did a great job with that.
Leo Rava, senior
them before Yueh’s treachery. I understand Villeneuve’s decision to remove this, but I also think it would have helped new watchers understand the Atreides family’s pain and betrayal much better.
“[Dune] is so long and there’s a lot of moving parts, which is why I have a little bit of a problem with the movies,” Rava said. “It missed a lot of really important character building.”
Additionally, Paul’s Mentat abilities are completely neglected. There’s a period of numbness that Paul goes through, starting when he learns of his father’s death. It creates a rift between him and his mother as he struggles with learning how to grieve. During this time, we can really see Paul’s Mentat abilities grow as well as his reliance on them to escape from difficult emotions. Fans can only hope that his budding Mentat abilities and their effect on his character growth will be included in Dune: Part Two.
Other smaller aspects were still missing, despite some being great artistic opportunities for Villeneuve.
“The books had songs in it that the characters sang and they didn’t have any of that [in the movie],” Rava said.
The sequel is scheduled to be released in 2023, assuming that it isn’t delayed by almost a year like part one was (due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the complications it created). With the missing scenes and cliffhanger at the end of the first movie, new and old fans alike are anxious for Part Two’s arrival. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s overall impact on the film industry, the movie’s future is still unpredictable at this point. Overall, this movie deserves all the praise it’s getting, but that doesn’t make it feel any less unfinished to audiences.
“The first [movie] left things hanging… it just laid the setting out,” Iki said. “[I’m ready] to see the actual action [in Dune: Part 2].”
1984 2021
Live music returns with a bang
BY GRETA REICH
Feature Editor
After far too long of being quietly isolated during the pandemic, live music has returned with a crash and a bang. Practically every artist you can think of is back on tour, selling out venues with Sequoia’s students attending.
It’s not just the artist that draws crowds though - it’s the atmosphere. Fans packed into a venue, speakers blasting at full volume, every word to a song screamed at the singer by everyone around you with absurd amounts of enthusiasm. Concerts bring people together, giving fans the freedom and energy to love something to their fullest ability.
“There’s something about musicians and artists being able to perform in front of people that is just a special feeling. It just gives you energy… it’s in this collective experience too. We all either like to make music or listen to music or dance to music. So I think that’s an important human connection that we need,” math teacher, and concert lover, Joshua Yezerski said. “There’s just no feeling like being at a show or listening to music and hanging out with friends. It’s great.”
But with the comeback of concerts has also come the dangers of mosh pits, the chaos of crowds, and now the threat of COVID-19. While a few of these scares already existed, some people seem to be re-contemplating concert going, taking more precautions than they previously would have. For example, GoldenVoice, an organization that owns multiple concert venues in San Francisco, Los Ángeles, and Santa Clara, says on their website that they “will be requiring all attendees and staff to provide proof of full vaccination for entry into our owned & operated venues unless medically or religiously exempt.” Countless other venues require vaccines too, and many indoor venues also ask that masks be worn during the duration of the concert. After having waited so long to return to concerts, people are eager to return, but an unexpected ramification of this is that some are more reckless at concerts. Especially after the events of AstroWorld, where eight people died and hundreds were injured in a stampede after the crowd surged forward as Travis Scott performed, safety should be taken more seriously than ever.
Freshman Iris Dobrer, who regularly attends punk rock concerts in San Francisco explained, “I’m really excited about all the concerts coming back, but I’m also nervous because some artists aren’t taking the time to keep their audiences safe or keep their staff safe. And I feel like that’s really important right now.”
For some however, safety is more about how the fans act rather than the artist. Taking the necessary precautions to feel safe while at a concert is dependent on how safe you feel around the other people there.
“I feel like if you’re going to a concert that’s indoors, and then they have you going
through metal detectors and things like that - at those kind of concerts where there’s a lot of security, I don’t worry at all, I’m enjoying the show,” chemistry teacher Jonathan Holcomb said. “I did not like Lollapalooza because it felt like people would just shove their way through the crowd, even if you’ve been waiting in line… that did not feel as safe as if I’m going through a metal detector, and it’s like a big crowd and people maybe just got patted down a “ little bit. That makes me nervous because I’m always worried about gun violence.”
The fear of rude crowds and dangerous fans is especially prominent in outdoor venues. In the Bay Area, the indoor venues have proven to uphold stricter restrictions on being vaccinated, wearing masks, and items allowed into the venue. For example, the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View does require vaccinations or a
negative COVID-19 test, but has a much smaller list of banned items than indoor venues like Fox Theatre in Oakland or The Warfield in San Francisco. Also, the Shoreline Amphitheatre, and other outdoor venues, lack metal detectors that everyone must go through before entering indoor venues to add another level of safety and protection to these concerts. Even with these risks, the love and need for live music There’s just no feeling like draws crowds. being at a show or listening to music and hanging out with According to a survey of about 200 Sequoia students, 71 friends. It’s great. percent say they are fans of concerts, and Joshua Yezerski, IB Math teacher about 40 percent plan on going to at least one concert this year. The energy that performers have and that radiate back at them from the crowd is special to live music, and as the audience, we are eager to get it back. “I’m about safety but I also really want everything to start going back to normal. So I think that concerts [show] that we’re turning a page and we’re starting to do live events and I think it’s gonna be good.” sophomore Ella Satterwhite said. “I’m excited because it’s just gonna open the door for a lot of other things to do live and in person.”
Raven review: the best tortas in the Bay
BY DAISY TORRES AND ARIANA HERNANDEZ
Staff Reporters
Tortas are a delicious food that we think the Sequoia community should know about.
La Vera Cash Market is located at 400 Vera Ave in Redwood City and the store is family owned. They have a variety of snacks, food and drinks. Inside the store they have a market, liquor and restaurant all in one spot. Their freshly cooked food includes tortas and hot dogs. For the tortas they offer a variety of options to add to your torta starting with, cubana, pollo (Chicken), pork bbq, ham/ turkey, salami, and combination of all the meats. They also offer veggie Tortas all for the cost of $9.09. Their customer service is very good, their owner is very friendly, patient, and very organized.
Searching up on Google and scrolling down you can see all the facts about tortas originated from, and how they are made. Tortas originated from Mexico and the Philippines. While tortas in Mexico originated from Puebla, but it was Mexico city that introduced their culture into the tortas. Mexico City turned tortas into something unique even if it had many variations already made. In the Philippines, the tortas are known as omelette instead of tortas. The omelette includes eggs or eggplant, ground meat, (beef or pork), and sometimes minced onion or potatoes.
At La Vera Cash market, we both decided to try different tortas, we both ended up trying the Hawaiian and the chicken torta. They had some very good tortas, they looked very appealing. The price was $10 for each torta. We saw our food being made and the wait wasn’t long about 10-15 minutes. As we were waiting, we were looking at the variety of snacks and drinks that were there. I, Daisy, was so glad with my decision because it ended up being so good and added the best amount of sauce and it really made the torta so good. My torta’s ingredients included tomato, jalapenos, mayo, chicken, lettuce and cheese. My favorite part is that they added mayonnaise to the torta which made it better. It put everything together. I ordered my torta without jalapenos. I would end up not eating them if they were inside. They were really flexible with the toppings that were added or changed to the torta.
We ended up having two different opinions on what we should rate La Vera Cash Market. I gave it a 10/10 simply because the torta to me was much better than the other one made from La Casita Chilanga. We liked the design inside of La Casita Chilanga. In the other restaurant we liked that they weren’t just a restaurant but they also had options for snacks and drinks. Apart from having a lot of lettuce, next time I would ask for them to not add as much. Maybe it was the chicken and the really good flavor that was added, such as a lot of mayo. Ariana gives it a 9/10 because she didn’t like that they added a lot of mayo and because she liked the torta made in La Casita Chilanga better. We did take a lot of funny pictures of ourselves in the aisles while we were waiting for our food to be made which made the wait really short.
La Casita Chilanga #2 is located at 761 El Camino Real, Redwood City a street down from Sequoia High School, they have been known for having the best tortas and serving tacos in the bay. They were founded in 2003, and have been serving torta since.
La Casita Chilanga #2 had some really good food, the torta was so cheesy that when you separated the two pieces off the torta the cheese stretched out. It had more flavor that combined all the categories of food together. The menu was given to us before ordering, instead of going up to the cashier--that way, we had a look before we ordered our food. We both got Hawaiian tortas and they were very good and looked very appetising. The food inside the torta includes ham, pineapple cut into tiny rectangles, so much cheese, jalapeno (I, Daisy, didn’t eat), and a type of sauce that seemed homemade. They had some beautiful pictures about Mexican culture that really showed a part of where the tortas originated from.
The overall review that we give La Casita Chilanga #2 is 10/10 because first of all, the food was bomb because it had so much flavor and juiciness. Secondly, the customer service was really good, they were very polite and asked us to sit at a table of our choice. The time that we were at the restaurant, it was very quiet since we were the only people there. It was around 3 to 4. They waited patiently for us to pick our food and then the food came… and when we were gonna pay Ariana raised her hand instead of calling the waiter over. Then we noticed she was raising her hand and we bursted out laughing because we weren’t at school anymore.
Photos by Ariana Hernandez
Crossroads of cultures: cuisines from the far corners of the world
Mantoo with bread and cardamom tea
Megruli Khachapuri and Eggplant Rolls. Photos by Mateo Mangolini
BY MATEO MANGOLINI
Staff Reporter
Living within the metropolitan San Francisco Bay Area, it is not uncommon to see restaurants and cafes with inspirations from other countries and continents. From Chinese to Pakistani to Mexican, there is a range of cuisines to choose from when looking for some place to eat. There are, however, some unexpected additions to this culinary roster that have new and refreshing flavors on their menus, reflective of the diverse nature of this megalopolis. My father and I set out on a tour of San Carlos’ foreign restaurants with this nicheness in mind, hoping to break out of our typical diet. My father tends to gravitate towards cooking dishes inspired by Korea, Vietnam and Mexico, mirroring the dominating flavors on this side of the Bay Area. Though we have sampled a number of cuisines during our travels across five continents, we are always on the lookout for exciting opportunities to expand our culinary horizons.
When walking down Laurel Street in San Carlos, cross the street at the Starbucks and take a right. Next to the Carlos Lighting Company, you’ll find Tamari: Authentic Georgian Cuisine. Named after Tamari II, a Georgian national hero, Tamari brings a host of cuisines from the Western Caucasus. The dishes draw on influences from Russia, the Middle East and the Balkans. When eating at Tamari, it is important to remember that this food is authentic to what is found back in Georgia: traditional Georgian food is dominated by beef, lamb, cheese, yogurt and bread. Though there are vegan options, such as Phkali (a vegetable pate) and Lobio (beans served within a clay pot), their meat-based options are their true claim to fame. During my visit, I sampled a number of dishes, starting with Tolma. Tolma, similar to the Turkish dish Dolma, puts a spin on the rice filled grape vines by using spiced beef as filler. The contrast of the meat with the yogurt sauce that it was served with made for an excellent first course. Another stand-out dish is Megruli Khachapuri, or Georgian cheese bread. With an incredibly fluffy texture, this bread made for a surprisingly heavy eating, with its rich composition of bread and smoked Georgian cheese. Though there are only two basic ingredients, the cheese certainly dominates with its smoky flavor. This was my favorite dish during my meal (primarily from the smoked Georgian cheese’s incredibly rich consistency and strong flavor), and its status as vegetarian makes it especially accessible to non meat eaters.
My final two dishes were Chakapuli and Khinkali. Chakapuli is a traditional lamb stew, seasoned with green plums, tarragon, and herbs such as mint. The mint featured quite heavily within it, so those who love the herb will love this dish.For me, the mint clashed with the taste of the lamb, which created an awkward eating experience. The mint also acted as an aromatic agent, filling my nose as well as my mouth with that herbal scent. Khinkali, on the other hand, is a traditional Georgian soup dumpling with a rather unique method of consumption. The dumplings, made from soft dough, are filled with meat and, surprisingly, soup. The broth absorbs the flavor of the spiced lamb meat, and combines it with onions and paprika to make a strong, somewhat salty aste. You eat the dumplings by making a hole in the dough and sucking out the broth, which makes for a fun (albeit tricky) experience. Khinkali comes as a close second to Khachapuri for me in terms of enjoyment. Overall, Tamari is a must-visit, with a wide selection of traditional flavors that certainly add to the repertoire of San Carlos’s downtown restaurant scene.
The next stop on my tour was Kabul: Afghan Cuisine. Located on the border between Belmont and San Carlos, this restaurant presents a variety of flavors from the Afghan highlands, which are sandwiched between Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan. Like Georgian cuisine, Afghan food is very savory, and is dominated by bread, meat and various dairy products, though there is also a large quantity of ingredients from the onion family. Additionally, Afghan cuisine has a variety of inspirations from its neighbors,
TAMARI: GEORGIA
KABUL: AFGHANISTAN
Bread served with Kabul’s saucier dishes SIRAYVAH: THAILAND
namely Iran, Central Asia and Pakistan.
I found the food at Kabul: Afghan Cuisine to be a nice middle ground between the savory flavors of Georgia and the incredibly spicy cuisine of Thailand. The Bulanee, a plate of turnovers filled with leeks and spring onions, reminded me of the Croatian dish Soparnik, and was similarly able to taste flavorful with relatively few ingredients. The spring onions had a mild flavor that didn’t clash very much with the dough. I washed it down with a cup of cardamom tea before heading onto my entree, Mantoo. Mantoo consists of dumplings filled with onions and ground lamb, topped with yogurt and even more ground lamb. The eating experience greatly reminded me of lasagna, though the yogurt made for a unique taste in place of cheese. The lamb was especially high quality: it was neither tough nor dry, and almost had the consistency of ground beef. This restaurant receives my full recommendation, and it’s warm ambience, lovely food and excellent service make it an enjoyable experience for those looking to step outside their culinary comfort zone.
The last stop on my tour provided a variety of flavors from Thailand. Thai cuisine is famous for its spiciness, in addition to the dominating ingredients of shrimp, coconut milk and chilis. A lesser known fact, however, is that various other South and East Asian cuisines have found their way into the Thai palette. From Indian Roti to Taiwanese Boba, Thailand has a rich tradition of absorbing and reinventing flavors from across the continent. Sirvayah: Organic Thai Cuisine carries on this culinary trend.
Sirayvah takes the cake for atmosphere when compared to the other restaurants on my tour. Seated in warm cushioned chairs among carvings in the traditional Thai artstyle, this restaurant works to make you feel at home. Within the cozy confines of this establishment, you’ll find a host of traditional dishes and drinks, each more enjoyable than the last. I started my dinner with a Thai iced coffee, a splendidly sweet beverage with a brew that seemed to originate from somewhere in the Southeast Asian region. The almost nutty flavor of this light beige coffee is iconic to brews from Indonesia and Southeast Asia, and is a must-try for any enthusiasts of the drink. My palette was certainly balanced with the arrival of my spicy main meal, Jan Pad Poo. A combination of chilli peppers, noodles, crab meat, egg and green onions, I knew that I would enjoy this dish from the smell alone. Despite the wide variety of ingredients, the meal had a consistent and soft texture that greatly complimented the symphony of flavor I found myself enjoying. The chili peppers really added a kick to the dish as a whole, and certainly took me off guard. For those in the market for a hot and spicy entree, this dish is for you. My second dish, the Prih King Prawns, proved to be a milder, but equally delicious, dish. According to my father, my partner on my tour and an avid lover of Thai cuisine, the Tom Yom soup from Sirayvah: Organic Thai Cuisine
Mutan white tea and jasmine green tea pair well with the food on the menu, in addition to the fried banana with honey. It should also be noted that there are a plethora of vegetarian and vegan options to choose from, so there’s very little inconvenience for non-meat eaters. I highly recommend Sirayvah for those looking for a delicious eating experience in a cozy setting.
Breaking out from the status quo often yields unexpected and niche experiences ; from savory cheese bread to spicy noodles, the establishments I visited took great pride and care in their work, which certainly reflects within the quality of the food. I give a full recommendation to those who wish to break outside the bubble of Silicon Valley restaurants, and into a range of new and exciting flavors.
Parents’ pressure affects high school sports
BY AMARA BAKSHI
Staff Reporter
Club sports have created a pressurizing environment, caused by overly involved parents and unrealistic expectations, which ends up impacting the Sequoia High School athletic program, as well as the students participating in the sport. Some of these parents add more pressure in
numerous ways, by “threats of financial investment, and even distracting athletes on the field. These parents may drive their children to resent their sport so much they abandon it.
A loss of willpower to participate in the sport from the athlete and the constant pressure put on them can drive both the athletes and the parents to not want to play or support a team sport.
“I don’t really have the motivation for [basketball] like I used to,” freshman Shawn
Royer said. Royer’s dad, Brendan Royer, coaches boys golf at Sequoia. “My parents really wanted me to do it to stay involved with the community, but at the same time I feel like I don’t want to do the sport. I don’t feel like I should be pressured into playing,” Royer said. Some parents and guardians can’t tell the difference between supportiveness and pushiness, sometimes driving the line too far and causing their student athletes to I think a big part of parental support is listening and finding compromises and solutions to problems you might have. Pushing is more of, ‘My way or the high way,’ ‘This is what I expect from you, and I give up sports. “I think a big part of parental support is listening and finding compromises and solutions to need this now.’ problems you might have. Pushing is Josh Yee, Varsity Basketball Coach more of, ‘My way or the highway,’ ‘This is what I expect from you, and I need this now,’” girls varsity basketball coach Josh Yee said. One way that parents add extra pressure to athletes is the threat of financial investment. It may be associated with unrealistic parent expectations. When parental spending goes up, it can increase the feeling of pressure to the athlete, or the parent may add more of it.
“[Parents] can say, ‘I paid for you to take privates, why aren’t you putting in the work?” said freshman Dani Pardini, whose mom coaches volleyball.
Depending on what sport is being played, some coaches have different opinions on if this added pressure is actually there or not, specifically comparing high school level sports and club level sports.
According to Greg Markoulakis, the boys varsity soccer coach, “Parents paying for more is 100 percent added pressure to both coaches and athletes. When I have a group that is playing at a high school level, you know, I just tell them that no one is telling me to keep anybody on [the team]. I mean, it sounds brutal, but it resonates with the kids especially when you have to make difficult decisions.”
The world of club sports can be vastly different from high school in the sense of parents adding unnecessary pressure to athletes. Parents give up their time and money to support their child in a sport, whether giving up their weekend to drive to tournaments, or paying for team dinners, yet expect a greater performance in return.
Photos by Ben Haslam, Edited by Amara Bakshi
Parental pressure varies per sport, while basketball is more laid back, soccer has a higher demand for student athletes.
“I think that, with the kids who play club sports, they see that a lot. But with [school] teams, we do not see that as much. We don’t have that many girls that are club basketball players. But, the pressure does build with [money], hands down.” Yee said.
Because of this, the added pressure is the few times parents may show up to the games, athletes can think, “My parents are here so I have to play the best,” and might end up disappointing themselves if they are not played by coaches in a specific game.
“[What’s] definitely going through my head is, ‘I’ve got to play well because my dad is here,” Royer said.
This level of pressure is not healthy for the athlete’s mental health. Without an equal balance of athleticism and mentality, athletes may crack under the pressure of expectations to perform well.
If a family member is coaching the same sport that you play, there can be an even greater amount of pressure added to athletes to perform well. Some athletes feel this pressure, but others may not as much.
“From my perspective, I didn’t feel this pressure as much, because I just don’t really see it that way. But I do see it as my dad grew up playing sports and stuff; he was really into sports as a kid,” Royer said.
“My mom coached me in middle school. It made me feel like I should be the best on the team. It would just feel weird if I was one of the worst and my mom was the coach,” Pardini said.
Along with this added pressure of being the so-called, “coach’s kid,” pressurizing encouragement can upset many youth athletes in their sport. In baseball, parents yelling at the pitcher to “strike the batter out!” or in basketball, where there’s a penalty shot, parents can often go overboard with what they think is helpful, but in reality, may not be.
Parents may take away privileges, for example, friends, and electronics, due to their ways of discipline on the sport. Every family is different, so different responsibilities and punishments may be enforced to show authority. More importantly, they can take away the ability to have fun while participating in the sport that they might have once loved, without even realizing it.
“[Parents] can take away things, like their phones or stuff if they don’t succeed, or if they are watching their child’s game and they’re not in the starting lineup,” Pardini said. “They start to believe that they are not good enough.”
I have seen other parents on the court shouting out to their kids from the stands or from the bleachers, saying that their kid messed up. I could tell that that kid did not feel good and I knew that once they got home, their parents are probably going to take away lots of stuff and be mean to that child. I also think that parents shouldn’t discipline kids for for their [athletic] performance because it doesn’t depend on how good you are, it just matters how much you try.
Dani Pardini, freshman
A concussion boxes out Campbell’s future
BY RUTHIE LAX
Staff Reporter
Sequoia’s athletic department supports student-athletes in staying safe and avoiding injuries. But sometimes, basketballs fly.
Head pounding, eyes blurry, the room was spinning. February 2020 everything changed. Junior, Fiorella Campbell was bounced out of reality.
“I was just standing around gym two and people were playing basketball and then a basketball out of nowhere hit me in the head,” Campbell said. This was the moment her normal life as a high school athlete became another statistic. As stated in Michigan States’ health article, 3.8 million sports-related concussions happen a year with five to ten percent in any given sport.
Innocently standing in the gym, the impact of a basketball was enough to derail her dayto-day life. Any loud noise, abrupt movement, or bright light increased Campbell’s pain. The risk of relapse in her everyday activities was high. Standing in the kitchen making food
one morning, Campbell turned around and walked into a cabinet.
“The kitchen cupboard kind of hit me in the head, and all my symptoms came rushing back,” Campbell said.
Campbell’s academic path was greatly impacted by her brain injury. Taking a rigorous course as a junior and being a student-athlete changed more than just her athletic skills. Campbell is a water polo player at Sequoia and with the Mayfield water polo club. This sport has a high-concussion rate, which negatively affected Campbell’s career, she had a hard time returning to the water. The intensity of her concussion resulted in her having to sit out of the season, as well as decrease her workload.
“I dropped three IB classes, Math, History, and English,” said Campbell.
A year and nine months after her basketball accident, Campbell is still struggling to complete everyday tasks. Having modified school work, getting assignments printed, and receiving extensions. Campbell’s injury had flipped her life around, changing every aspect. Giving her a new look at the world as well as disabling her from so-called easy activities. Attending Osteopathy therapy weekly, Campbell has hope in her recovery. Osteopathy therapy is a treatment that can promote health and mobility while easing pain. The use of hands-on technology and massage therapy can aid the recovery process of cranial injuries, as stated in an article written by the American Osteopathy Association.
“They just feel through your skull, spine, and like up to your head and then fix things,” said Campbell.
Attending this therapy once every two weeks, combined with resting and drinking lots of water, Campbell is seeing results.
“Headaches are less on the screen, so now I’m starting to do more on the computer,” said Campbell.
Freshman Jack Kempton was also a victim of basketball. His passion for the sport led him to a concussion. His injury caught him off guard when he was going down to get a basketball and when he came up someone was doing a layup and kneed him straight in the side of the head. At this moment, everything changed. His symptoms at first were moderate - constant headaches, dizziness, and he was drowsy.
“I couldn’t look at any screens at home and at school, which made it very difficult to work,” Kempton said.
When a student is concussed the first person they see is Sarah Diaz, Sequoia’s Athletic trainer. Being experienced in her field she can evaluate the concussion victims by their symptoms. The severity of the impact can cause confusion, dizziness, and paranoia. There are several different levels of concussion,
Sarah Diaz, athletic trainer
in several different sports, both contact and noncontact. Most Sequoia sports are required to take an impact test, they evaluate the function of the brain and give a baseline.
“If I suspect something, they either take their impact test as a post-injury, because we have the baseline to compare it to,” said Diaz.
Concussions are serious injuries that can negatively impact a student’s life. Both Kempton and Campbell are serious examples of impactful concussions. A basketball turned their lives upside down.
Diaz added, “Last spring there were about nine total with all of the sports. But so far since winter sports have started basketball has the highest amount and football only had two all season.”
