Issue8

Raven Report Sequoia High School

Volume Viii, Issue 8

1201 Brewster Ave. Redwood City, CA 94062

May 20, 2015

Construction plans pave way for major changes on campus

By CLAIRE BUGOS and REBEKAH WESTERLIND Managing Editor and Staff Reporter Construction plans for the 2015-16 school year, although still in early phases, outline vast changes on campus such as the addition of a parking lot, a new culinary arts room and the conversion of the current culinary arts room into a multi-use room for teachers and students.

The current culinary arts room (Room 128) was closed in late February due to health concerns related to mold. It will be repurposed as a multipurpose room complete with large grid-lined whiteboards, dividers to split the larger space into rooms for smaller groups, and alternative seating. Teachers will be able to reserve this room for a class period as they would a computer lab or Chromebook cart.

The interior of the Speedway in the breezeway by the senior lot will be converted into a new culinary arts room with the addition of deep fryers, industrial-sized cooking appliances and “home cooking” style stations similar to those in the old culinary arts room. Early January is the target date for the finalized room, which would allow the cook-

Photo by Claire Bugos

Principal Sean Priest judges the Foods II final in the faculty lounge, which the class had to relocate to after their original room was closed in late February for renovations. The new culinary arts room will be opened in January 2016 at the earliest. ing classes to move in for second semester.

The windows for lunch and brunch distribution facing the

quad adjacent to the dance studio will remain open as will those connected to the cafeteria, and new windows will be

added near the field.

Construction of a new academic, two-story academic building will begin this summer as will the replacement of the bus depot near the James St. entrance with a new parking lot, but it will not be ready until the 2016-2017 academic year.

“I’m very excited that the focus of the construction has been on what’s best for the teachers and students,” principal Sean Priest said.

In response to a proposal letter to administration from the Gay-Straight Alliance Club, Sequoia will make the two bathrooms in the M-wing gender-neutral.

The single-stalled bathrooms are already identical on the inside, eliminating the need for construction. To complete this conversion, the gendered signs on the door would be switched to genderneutral signs, which GSA has offered to pay for.

This addition would allow for students to use the bathroom more quickly and make all genders feel more comfortable at school.

“We were really happy with the way they made the proposal,” Priest said.

Administration has decided to act on the proposal and has already begun the conversion process by ordering the signs.

PC Gaming Club plays up social side of gaming

By NORA FOSSENIER Staff Reporter Gamers are stereotypically thought of as awkward people who sit alone in their house all day playing games, but Sequoia’s PC gaming club hopes to bring together fellow gamers.

PC gaming is a form of video gaming that is played on a personal computer instead of a console like an Xbox or Playstation. Some advantages to PC gaming are that it is easy to access anytime one wants and that the games tend to be cheaper, compared to console games. “[My favorite part of the club is] just getting to meet new people,” club co-president junior Michael Ma said.

“You really get to understand people from a different perspective and what games they play.”

During club meetings, members discuss various games or recommend strategies. They sometimes have “gaming nights” as well, have also hosted several tournaments, and hope to partake in more in the future.

PC gaming club meets on Thursdays at lunch in room 123.

First ever ASB convention modeled after electoral college

By LAUREN CRESTA Staff Reporter The first Associated Student Body (ASB) convention was held Friday, May 8 to elect officers in addition to the usual class and officer elections held in class on Thursday, April 31, and Friday, May 1.

Votes cast after the videos broadcasted in history classes counted for half of the total votes. The other half came from votes cast at the convention, inspired by the Democratic and Republican conventions.

Students representing the US states heard candidates’ speeches, attended a debate and Q&A, and cast two votes which could be split between

Feature:

#IWishMyTeacherKnew

Page 2

two candidates, or both towards one.

The keynote speaker, Jeff Gee, mayor of Redwood City, suggested students take leadership positions in their community to make a difference, regardless of whether or not they hold an officer position.

“Don’t close the door on yourself,” Gee said.

“Because there are many other people around to close the door for you.”

After the speech, festivities included a structured Q&A, in which candidates were asked about their qualifications and inspiration for leadership.

Next year’s ASB president, Manny Ortega, won on a vote of 31 to 29.

“Thank you Sequoia,” Ortega said. “It’s time to work.”

Special:

Senior college map

Page 4-5

Class of 2018

President: Katie Uthman Vice President: Maya Metro Secretary: Sammie Ellard

Class of 2016

Class of 2017

President: Brennan Catalini Vice President: Evan Isenstein-Brand

President: Liam Menendez-Brennan Vice President: Jackson Peyton ASB Officers Secretary: Maya Ebrahimpour President: Manny Ortega Vice President: Brianna Rosales Treasurer: Shayan Weera Secretary: Leah King Activities Commissioner: Lauren Berrys Commissioner of Community Service: Caitlin Gilbert

—Infographic by lauren cresta and jasleen pelia-lutzker

By the numbers

62

Seniors attending college outside of California

2

Feature

May 20, 2015

Juniors see the world with Global Glimpse

By CARMEN VESCIA

Managing Editor

Twitter movement reveals struggles

A Stanford study showed that 56 percent of students feel stressed by homework and and MADALENE SCHORR 33 percent feel pressured to get good grades.

Many Sequoia students have siblings and famStaff Reporters ily at home to take care of. Sometimes family After hearing about a trending Twitter takes priority over education.

“I would want to know that there is somehashtag called #Iwishmyteacherknew, which one here at school who actually cares what’s encouraged teachers to learn more about going on in my life, their students’ lives that doesn’t just care outside of school, the about me academiRaven Report decided cally,” junior Valeria to replicate the experHernandez said. “It’s iment. not their main job Six random classes since their main job of different subjects is teaching, but it is and levels were chosomething that they sen to participate, and should feel like doteachers were asked to ing.” simply read their stuSequoia students share what they It is important dents the prompt and wish their teachers knew about them. that someone recoglet them respond: what nizes that students do they wish their deal with things you teachers knew about can not learn in a them? classroom.

The responses “[Teachers] should ranged from the usube required to care al sports practices and about their students, dealing with homethey are their parents work to coping with away from home, they are the people who help violence and death of those around them.

“I wasn’t surprised,” said teacher Eric Ko- raise them alongside the parents,” freshman brick “[I] realized that kids are involved in Joshua Crosby said.

Kobrick agrees. more things now,” “A good teacher knows how to, even in very The original #Iwishmyteacherknew has demanding classes, balance the rigor of the sparked conversations on Facebook and subject with knowing the students,” Kobrick Twitter concerning little kids’ problems of not having friends to play with. The issues said, “[and] allow for a certain level of comfort for them to be known as people.” are much larger for high school students.

By SAMANTHA CASWELL

After six months of going to meetings, fundraising and preparation, the only thing left for the 15 juniors and two teachers who are travelling overseas with Global Glimpse to do, is pack their suitcases.

Through the non-profit organization Global Glimpse, these students, along with English teachers Justine Rutigliano and Jose Rosario, are traveling to Ecuador, Nicaragua or the Dominican Republic to do sustainable service work and expand their horizons.

“It helps you appreciate things, or that’s what they’ve been telling us—that you’re going to come back a whole different person,” said junior Andrea Marquez, who will go to the Dominican Republic.

“I’m really excited to go make an actual change.”

Teachers made nominations at the beginning of the school year. Out of the nominated students who applied, the program accepted a total of 750 participants from the Bay Area and New York.

“What I hope to get out of it is to go and get the sense of reward for helping the people there and actually making something that will help them in the long run,” said junior Genaro Solorio Cisneros, who will travel to Nicaragua. “I feel like it’s a good program to help us become more aware of the world around us.”

The volunteer teams will be led by Rutigliano, among other public school teachers, and no more than two Sequoia students will be in any one group.

“I feel like it [will] help me make new friends,” Marquez said. “That’s what I’m most excited about: actually coming out of my shell.”

Once at their destination, the groups will work with the community to decide on a service project and will teach English to locals. Previous student groups have done projects including refurbishing a local museum and starting a cooperative, community farm. Upon returning, participants also must work on a year-long service project in their local communities.

Rutigliano helped bring Global Glimpse to Sequoia this year after she met the CEO of the non-profit by chance last summer.

The program costs anywhere from $500 to $3,500, based on financial need, so she hopes that it will provide a more accessible opportunity for students who want to see the world than existing exchange programs at Sequoia currently do.

“It’s not so much, in my opinion, about going and helping other people who are less fortunate. For me, that charitable piece is not super important,” Rutigliano said.

“It’s about seeing another way of living and understanding the world through another lens. It’s more of a cultural exchange. That’s why I’m doing it.”

Conducting classes, concerts and plays: Broome does it all

By ISABEL DECASTRO

Staff Reporter

Photo by Isabel DeCastro

Daniel Broome teaches Guitar, Piano and Stagecraft, as well as conducts orchestra and directs plays. He’s been teaching at Sequoia since 2002 and has directed 26 plays since then.

Teaching Orchestra, Stagecraft, Piano, Guitar. Checking work permits. Directing plays.

Conducting concerts. Daniel Broome does it all. He’s on campus from 7:30 a.m. up to 10:00 p.m. during tech week.

“He’s good at teaching orchestra, and teaching us about music, but he’s also really good as a person,” said junior Reid Dounias, an orchestra student.

His students think of Broome as one of their favorite teachers because he helps them go out of their comfort zone.

“He has us sight read a lot in orchestra, and then in the last musical [All Shook Up] he gave me one of the leads and he real-

ly pushed me to be better than I thought I was,” Dounias said.

Broome was nine when he decided he wanted to be a teacher, after watching his elementary band teacher and realizing that was what he wanted to do.

Since that day, Broome played music and participated in theater until graduating at Chico State with a bachelor’s degree in Trumpet Performance.

In 2002, he started teaching band, choir and drama here.

Posters in the M-wing hallway show how many plays and concerts he’s directed since his very first, Once Upon a Mattress.

He has directed 26 plays.

Dracula was one of his favorites, and he and the actors showed at midnight on Halloween. His second favorite was Cabaret, which Broome and actors did

two years ago.

Being able to enjoy orchestra and the plays wasn’t the only thing that made Broome want to stay and do all of the hard work involved in theater. Britt Broome, his wife, was right next door and wanted to make costumes.

“We met at school [as teachers], just not at the same time as most people meet at school [as teenagers],”Broome said.

They started dating and then a few years after that, they got married on Christmas Eve. Broome has many stories about his past and about his life he tells during class. Many favorites include the sheep story, stories about his wife, past years teaching, how his daughter called at midnight to say she was engaged and his childhood.

3

Feature

May 20, 2015

Seniors Say:

What was your favorite year of high school?

“Senior year is definitely my favorite by far because I got to connect more with my friends on a deeper level.”

— Aram Haghighi

“My favorite year of high school was junior year, because you’re an upperclassmen so you get all the privileges, but you’re not sad that you’re leaving next year.”

—Rachel Paul “My favorite year was freshman year, because we did not have cars [so] we walked everywhere and it was fun to explore everything new.”

—Jonah Walker

— NORA FOSSENIER and MADDIE PEI

Marching into an alternative future

By MARS

SVEC-BURDICK Staff Reporter The U.S. spends $700 billion on the military each year.

That’s more than the military expenditures of the other 15 top-spending countries in the world, combined.

For some Sequoia students, the military is not just a presence on the six-o’clock news and an investment of their tax ing at first,” Habecker said. dollars, it’s their future.

His next step, after gradu“I joined the Marines because ating, will be attending boot they’re more focused on mental camp in San Diego this sumdevelopment than on sending mer. you into service,” senior Dylan “Boot camp is thirteen weeks Habecker said. of being yelled “I was not feeling “I didn’t want to live a at, and being interested in col- standard life, what everyone on a really tight lege at the time, always does. I want to do sleep schedule. and I wanted to more.”

We measure do something time by when — Joseph Avila, senior that would be we eat. Physiproductive.” cally there’s not For Habecker, being enrolled as much weight training as PT, in the marines for almost a year but more obstacle courses and means biweekly Physical Train- mental training,” Habecker ing (PT) and occasional check- said. ins by his sergeant commander.

Being part of the military “I see him a lot. At first, it does not automatically mean was every day, he’d show up deployment in actual war. Seat the school randomly. He nior Joseph Avila, however, bought me pizza once, and Chi- knows what his service in the potle. He was a little intimidat- army is going to entail.

Graphic by Mars Svec-Burdick

“My job is actually 19 kilo, which is an M1A1 armored crewman. So basically, I get to be in a tank,” Avila said.

Senior Ana Soava is enrolling in the army for a different reason.

“I chose to follow in my grandparents’ footsteps. My grandpa was an army colonel and my grandma was a nurse; I want to carry on my family tradition,” Soava said.

The benefits of being in the military include job security and financial support for college, but enlisting can mean signing up for 20-30 years of service. It can be hard for family and friends to hear that their loved ones have made the commitment.

See MILITARY, page 7

Schmidts transition from wombmates to roommates

By SUNAINA BUTLER

Staff Reporter

Hannah and Kaitlyn Schmidt operate in the ‘we.’ They spend 24 hours a day together. From the moment of their birth, they have spent their days together, going to the same schools, playing the same sports, participating in the same extracurriculars, even having the same exact class schedule. They even have a joint Instagram account (in addition to individual accounts), specifically for the pictures of the two of them.

“Being twins has defined us as people.

It’s part of who we are,” Kaitlyn said.

“She’s half of me, and I know that I’m my own person but if something were to happen to Hannah I don’t know how I would go on.”

Not only do they live life as a pair, they also have been together so long that they can finish each other’s sentences, and even more than that.

Kaitlyn and Hannah identify as ‘fradentical,’ because they don’t know if they are fraternal or identical twins.

“I’ve introduced myself as Kaitlyn before and it was really embarrassing because I didn’t realize it,” Hannah said.

It is a different experience than just having a sibling. Neither has known life without each other.

They even plan on studying the same field (becoming physician’s assistants) and rooming together next year at Chapman University.

“We get a lot of joy out of helping people,” Hannah said.

Twins usually have to share a lot of

Photos courtesy of Nancy Schmidt

Hannah and Kaitlyn Schmidt have both been on the cheerleading squad for three years, as well as Advanced Dance since junior year. what they have, like rooms, phones, clothes. For the Schmidt twins, this was an everyday thing.

“People ask us all the time if we share a boyfriend,” Kaitlyn said.

Of course, they do not. But they do share their interests. They have both been on the cheerleading squad for three years, as well as Advanced Dance since junior year.

“We’re still independent but we like to do the same things,” Hannah said. “It’s fun to go around and do things with your best friend. I don’t really know what to do when she’s not there.”

Even teachers can see how Hannah

and Kaitlyn play off each other, while still possessing a uniqueness that only comes from themselves.

“One thing that was really fun for me was that through writing their recommendation letters, I got to reflect on the individuality of both Hannah and Kaitlyn and to speak to their different academic strengths and aspects of their character,” Jane Woodman said, who has been teaching the twins all four years. “It was a great experience for me to write them as individuals and to confirm that I see them as such.”

But being in the same room has disadvantages. People mistake them for one

another.

“It’s fun to play tricks on people, and most of the time if people get us confused we just go with it. We don’t like making people feel badly. If they tried, they tried,” Hannah said.

But people who have known them for a while can tell them apart with ease.

“I could tell them apart since fifth grade, so it took awhile,” Meg Sillivos said, who has been friends with the Schmidts since kindergarten.

They’re personalities can be distinctly defined too, even if they keep switching.

“Kaitlyn is usually the first one to burst out laughing—by a mili-second—while Hannah might be prone to stay in contemplative mode for just a smidge longer,” Woodman said. For the better or for the worse, the Schmidt twins will always be such.

“We’re twins but we have this mindset that we’re not. That we’re like normal people. We’re kind of freak shows, if you think about it. People look at us differently,” Kaitlyn said. “People will see us for the first time and just watch us.”

“And then we hear whispers,” Hannah added.

Special

4

That’s al

University of Washington Claire Casey Claire Grossman Taylor Madsen Rayna Schlossberg Keith Sungail

Gonzaga University

University of Puget Sound

Emily Crew Angela Rae Sabrina Villanueva Avalos

Tyler Ikeda Julia Masur

Washington State University Lily Friebel

Willamette University

Samantha Dueñas Benjamin Johnston

Western Oregon University Chaz Rosado

University of Oregon

Kayla Funk Steve Ramirez Gonzalez Marissa Martinez Meg Sillivos Robert Vogel

Humboldt State University

University of Wisco

Natalie Dubbel

Elliott Sisk

Chico State University Alby Calles Sydney Carroll Kevin Gonzalez

Butte College

Rachel Linnea Alves Anthony Pellizzari

Amanda Martin Danny Rosenmiller Brandon San Juan

Northw

University of Nevada, Reno

Sacramento City College

Zachary Jagannathan Michelle Jakoby

Rita Salama

Sacramento State University UC Santa Cruz Carson Blumen-Green Trevor Fujimoto Serena Galindo Clark Hilbert Raveen Johal

Blake Cudworth Elijah Hatch

Issamar Morfin Sam O’Neill Jose Soto Ramirez Emma Worthey

Cal Poly SLO Makayla Arvin Connor Carroll Megan Day Ariandy Jimenez Andy Rios

Cuesta College Ismael Avila

UC Santa Barbara

UC Merced

University of Colorado Boulder

Carson DeMiroz Haley Evans Ben Hagenau

Saurav Bhandari

Northern Arizona University

Arizona State University Austin Baker Aram Haghighi Nathan Porter Taylor Reeves

San Diego State University Megan Campbell Anayesi Castañeda Billy Crusick

Sarah Gilbert Dylan Lubeck Rachel Paul

SCHOOLS IN THE BAY AREA

University of Arizona Alex Alfadel Fabian Caballero Martin Mylod Yee Samuel Singh Jonah Walker

UC Davis

Krista Anderson Carly Aozasa Karla Delgado Nathan Gee Ella Groff

Sonoma State University

Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising University of San Francisco

Karina Rueda

City College of San Francisco

UC Berkeley Eamonn Carson Alexandra Croft Sara Dugan Cara Green Kate LaMont

Saint Mary’s College of California Danielle Bourque

Jasmine Cardenas Simran Chaudhry Jennifer Gallardo

Jennifer Molina Marissa Veroushka Garcia

Sean Decker Nani Friedman Alicia Menendez-Brennan

Angelica Salto Noelany Vides

SCHOOLS IN T

Cogswell Polytechnical College

Azusa P

Quinton Richter

Abby Mejia

San Jose State University

Stanford University Sean Milburn Lily Moncayo Alejandro Montes Cristian Montes Misael Montes Matthew Morrow Alexandra Nava Alejandro Ortiz Liliana Peralta Maria Perez Sella Rios Jose Rodriguez Paula Rojas Audel Salas Angelica Sanchez Khoi Tieu Ethan Urbina Alex Valverde Jaime Vargas Salceda Noelany Vides Logan Viglienzoni Iridian Villanueva

Gerard Chi Leal

Luis Perez Ortiz

CSU East Bay

Kevin Bautista Riley Talain

Notre Dame de Namur University

Ivan Aguilar Jacqueline Aguirre Arnel Baarde Moncerrat Barriga Manuel Benitez Bella Buenrostro Joel Castillo Karen Colocho Yamileth Colocho Eduardo Nuñez Pereda Erik Estrada Maria Figueroa Alejandro Garcia Marisol Garcia Mehida Gonzalez Margaret Haddad Tyler Lawrence Matt Lopez Alex Lukas Saul Luna Cesar Guzman Maldonado Saira Medina Manuel Michel

Tulan

Julia Maimone May Martinho Maddy McKee Sophia Navarro Isabella Schreiber

Lluvia Garnica Mele Lauese

San Francisco State University

CaÑada College

Sarah Huber

University of the Pacific

Ruth Hernandez Fangupo Moeaki

Ricky Jimenez Claire Maurel

Texas Christian University

Mia Groff Amirnikan Jalali Sasha Levin-Guracar Danielle Schwartz

Melissa Hernandez

Jesus Acosta Maria Agustin

Benjamin Morrison

Brittany Piazza

Anthony Gonzalez Alex Kurland Jasmine Simmons Ryan Willett

Mario Martinez Facundo Ortega Michelle Quintero Stephanie Rosas Samantha Sanon Victoria Stefanczyk

Colorado College

Southern Illin

UC San Diego

McKenzie Anderson Antonio Arellano Samantha Ayala Araceli Flores Mendoza Gray Lara Karina Marquez

Jose Teje

Jenette Masarie

Grisell Cañas Michaela Frates Aileen Macias Jazmin Nava

Santa Barbara City College

Tessa Fayerweather Becca Melmon Jameece Pennix

Iowa State Universit

Colorado State University

Foothill College

Marcela Bonilla Aaron Castillo Sonya Diaz Zaida Garcia College of San Mateo Tommy Lopiparo Mario Archini Pharoah Myles Morganne Ardwan Araceli Ramirez Darleen Arteaga Jennifer Reynoso KC Calderaro Kevin Sandstrom Jenifer Callan Yarelly Santiago Jonathan Contreras Amy Shinshiro Diana Díaz Ben Shinshiro Kenya Franco Lauren Spurlock Adriana Fernandez Leeann Spurlock Liam Finn Silvia Tapia Brandon Fletcher Eddie Tatola Jake Frey Angel Gonzalez-Prado Charlie Utecht Marlon Vela Cristal Guizar Avila Ashley Vizcarra Emmalee Holmes Jeremy Woodbury Jeffrey Kaddas Megan Young Max Lazo Ismael Lopez

Josephine Byrnes Ann Garcia Maria Garduno Arthur Hardy

Nayeli Magaña Erick Rosas Erik West

Santa Monica Co Jason Beard

De Anza College Tyler Beth Heidi Jazmin Torres Prieto

Pepperdine University

Diana Kim Kalmia Weerasekera

UCLA

Taylor Muñoz Nicolette Norgaard

Occidental College Wyatt Duncan

CSU Dominguez Hills

Monique Bridges

15

Feature

5

ll fo k ...

class of 2015 majors

Tufts University Carolyn Burtt Maddy van der Rijn

Colgate University

Brandeis University

Ada Gao

Nina Rosenblatt

University of Michigan

consin-Madison

Cole Driver Phoebe Hopp

Julia Addis Aidan Pierce

Wellesley College Steffany Poveda

Saint Francis College

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Angela Hudelson

Thomas Richards

Wesleyan University

western University

Samuel Medrano

Dalia Jude

Pace University

Dickinson College

Lily Leib

Selena Gould

ty

New York University Evan Hart Marijke Silberman

eda

Indiana University Paul Kiraly

University of Virginia Livia Richards

nois University

Matt Marino

Spelman College Taylor Barbour

Xavier University of Louisiana Tiffany Hogan

ne University

Madigan Griffin

University of Miami Jordan Hurwitz Lucas Sahn

THE LOS ANGELES AREA

Pacific University

a

ollege

Scripps College Emma Elliott Julia Griffin

Pomona College Alondra Soto

CSU San Bernardino Jazmine Castro

University of La Verne Eduardo Miguel Barrera

Military-Bound seniors Joseph Avila—Army Dylan Habecker—Marines Nicolette Merritt—Navy Christopher Shane—Marines Nicolas Sigala—Navy Ana Soava-—Army

UC Riverside Tony Galvan

Chapman University Laura Jackson Natasha Kervick Hannah Schmidt Kaitlyn Schmidt

UC Irvine Edgar Aguirre Alleah Aliakbar

$1,271,194 Total scholarship money awarded

Internationally-bound Seniors Isabelle Vauclair—University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Data based on 323 survey results

CSU Long Beach

Jacqueline Vargas Molina

Cal Poly Pomona Emanuel Botello Urbina Sebastian Castrillo

—Compiled by Editor-in-Chief DALIA JUDE and Opinion Editor SABRINA VILLANUEVA AVALOS

6

Opinion

Senior turns tables and gives the grades: overall 2.4 GPA Hallways C

Sports

A

Sequoia students love their sports teams and show their support and excitement consistently. The rowdy crowds at games help hype up the action and excite everyone.

Bathrooms

D

Going into the bathroom with clean shoes and walking out with sticky ones isn’t very fun. Also to the people who sit in the stalls on their phones, get out.

Use your phone elsewhere; people have business to do.

Campus

B

Magnificent trees, beautiful rose gardens, and a pile of half-eaten lunch and plastic surrounded by a horde of crows. Do everyone a favor and throw your trash away.

Unless you’re here before 8 a.m., you’re going to bump into a few underclassmen who don’t know how to walk. Getting around isn’t the easiest thing when everyone has to walk around clumps of students standing in the middle of the hallways.

Yo freshmen, step aside. Stop cluttering the hallways you make people late to places.

Parking

C

Don’t sell parking permits for spots that don’t exist. The parking lot is too tiny for all the students with cars here.

Spirit

C+

If it’s not a sporting event, don’t expect to see much school spirit. It’s hard to tell a spirit day apart from a regular day.

Classrooms

B

If you don’t get one of the few rooms with air conditioning, you’re going to sweat. Bring a towel, deodorant and some water because it’s going to get hot.

—CHAZ ROSADO

May 20, 2015

Editor’s farewell

By DALIA JUDE Editor-in-Chief

While I think everyone should take journalism, I know it’s impossible, so I would like to take this opportunity to share one lesson it taught me: everyone has a story.

Looking back on my three years in journalism, I can attribute so many aspects of who I am today to that fourth period class: my inquisitive nature, my work ethic, my interest in current events, my OCD and my utter disorganization (sorry mom). Journalism made me a better writer and strengthened my leadership skills, but the most important thing journalism taught me is how to see the world around me.

Two people can have the same exact classes at school, but their lives outside are anything but identical. Once the bell rings after seventh period, one of them will be heading to work their first of two jobs of the day and

the other will go to bed early me about him, though I don’t enough to wake up for daily know what he noticed about morning religious services. me. Through my own life exJournalism not only allowed periences, I see certain parts me to meet these people, but of his as extra fascinating. it gave me the platform to tell It’s easy to realize that evtheir stories. Our class con- eryone is different, but it’s stantly strives to feature new just as important to realize people with different pas- that you are included in that, sions and backgrounds, and and that your mom is right though interviewing a com- when she says that you’re speplete stranger is no easy feat, cial. sharing these stories is well This experience made me worth the awkward silences. realize that there are probably About a month ago we countless other people with switched seats whom I will in my science be graduatclass, and I was Journalism made me ing in a few seated next to a better writer and weeks who a boy I had strengthened my leader- I have never never seen, ship skills, but the most crossed paths had a class important thing journal- with and I with or heard ism taught me is how to will never of. I’ve gone see the world around me. learn their to school with stories. him for four For those years, walked the same hall- returning next year, take ways and gone to the same the time to meet the peorallies, and yet I knew more ple in your classes who you about my Starbucks barista wouldn’t necessarily talk to than I knew about him. outside of them. Ask them After one period of sit- about their interests, their ting next to him, all I knew dreams, their lives, and tell was his name and that he has them about yours. really good handwriting. A And for my fellow seniors, week later I asked if he has as we enter the “real world,” any siblings—apparently, he we leave knowing that the has eight. I saw him doodling people we met here come during class and while that’s from different places as us just something he does for and are going on different fun, he wants to work in con- paths than us, but all of our struction after high school. stories overlap in these past I know what stood out to four purple years.

Better to be busy, not idle, during summer break dents attend summer learning programs, so potentially

By PHILIP TYSON 37.35 million people are at risk of summer learning Staff Reporter loss. Although summer school isn’t necessary for everyBy early May, students one to take, students should at the very least find some are already eagerly await- way to keep their brains active—we need a balance of ing a school-free summer activity to make the most of break. in the sun. However, the Volunteering is also a great option. Not only does large time span from June it help if you have required service hours, it also allows 4 until the new year does students to impact their community positively and dilinot justify unproductivity. gently. Getting a part-time job is another example of The summer is an oppor- a summer well-spent. Students can earn money, stay tunity, and students are busy and gain experience. better off keeping busy for Besides the obvious “no homework” and sleepingthe majority of their break. in mentality, summer is very different from school in Don’t get me wrong. Summer break is needed, and terms of structure. From fall to spring, students have I’m glad it’s as long as it is. But once school is out, I find a set schedule to their days, while in the summer—at the amount of free time I have surleast for most students—there is Although summer school isn’t necprisingly much, to the point where an increase in freedom and a lot I get bored after two weeks of do- essary for everyone to take, students less structure. Just because we should at the very least find some way ing absolutely nothing. There’s have no structure doesn’t mean so much I’m able to do—lying to keep their brains active. we should slack off. Rather, sumaround all day is relaxing, howmer gives students the freedom to ever, it is NOT a beneficial use of this time. create however loose or strict a structure for summer, One major issue with summer is the fact that every- with a combination of both busy and lazy days. body’s academic development declines. It has been eviI’ve had my fair share of lazy summers, and I find dent for over a century to scholars that summer vaca- that my summers are more meaningful when I do tion is an interval in the year when this decline is most things that will prepare me for the future. Summer frequent among students. Research and Development should be a lot of fun, but fun does not mean all play Corporation released a report in 2011 saying that ap- and no work. proximately one month of math and reading skills are Summers should be memorable. It’s really easy to lost over break. remember a ten-week period of sleep and food, but it’s A 2010 report by the Afterschool Alliance found harder to forget a few months of fresh, exciting and that about 25 percent of America’s 49.8 million stu- dynamic experiences.

Sequoia High School

Raven Report 2014-2015

Editor-in-Chief Dalia Jude Managing Editors Claire Bugos Carmen Vescia News Editor Emily Ducker

Feature Editor Abigail Wang

Opinion Editor Sabrina Villanueva Avalos Sports Editor Lily Friebel Online Editor Glenn Billman Staff Reporters Xavi Boluña, Sunaina Butler, Sam Caswell, Lauren Cresta, Trevor Crowell, Isabel DeCastro, Nora Fossenier, Dominick Graham, Camryn Habecker, Erik Huisman, Maddie Pei, Jasleen Pelia-Lutzker, Chaz Rosado, Zack Rosenblatt, Madalene Schorr, Mars Svec-Burdick, Philip Tyson, Iridian Villanueva, Erik West, Rebekah Westerlind Adviser Kim Vinh #ByeFelicia

7

Feature

May 20, 2015

How free are we?

MILITARY

To answer this question, I assembled major documents, laws and cases to gauge the quality and quantity of freedom afforded to students of high school or college age in countries across the world. This “freedom-meter” uses a five-point scale where five is the highest possible score and zero is the lowest.

California, United States European Student Union* Romania**

—Compiled by XAVI BOLUÑA

Keyishian v Board of Regents (1967) 2008 Students’ Rights Charter The Supreme Court Students have the freedom recognized that the to express themselves and classroom is the to challenge knowledge that “marketplace of ideas” exists today. and the importance of the free-flow of ideas.

5.0

5

5.0

2

2.5

3.0

Freedom of Expression

4.5 3.5

3.0

2.5 1.5

1

Vernonia School v Acton (1995) Court used loco parentis (a school’s right to stand in place of your parents), a lowered expectation of privacy for athletes and the need for deterrence of drug use as justification for forced urine testing of high school athletes.

4.5

4.0

4 3

Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities (2012) Students have the right to create organizations in compliance with the law and use facilities for internal activities.

1.0

Freedom of Inquiry Right to an Adequate Environment Protection & Privacy

*The ESU is a student organization with a student bill adopted or modified by some European countries. **Romania was recognized by the ESU as the first country to adopt a Student Statute written completely by students.

To see more, visit ravenreport.org/freedom-meter where I break down my process and explain our choices.

Fifth annual Stampede fundraiser a success

wrote in an e-mail.

This year’s stampede was the 5th anStaff Reporter nual race supporting all Sequoia sports This year’s Sequoia Stampede, held and the cheer program through the May 9, had a first place time of 17 min- Boosters Club.

Each year about 200 people come utes and 19 seconds. The 5K race’s winner was 42-year-old Bernardo Tapia, to participate in this fundraiser to run, who lives just a few blocks from Se- socialize and support their local high school. quoia.

After raising about $20,000 last year Tapia, who started running competitively in high school, took a break from the Sequoia Stampede, The Boostersw Club is looking from running for around $21,000 after he had a child. He “It’s really nice to see students out there to $22,000 from this then gained and I think it’s interesting for students to year’s stampede.

Math teacher Laualmost 100 see teachers out there as well.” pounds and —Laura Larkin, math teacher ra Larkin has run in the stampede all five knew he had years now and is one to get back to of the many repretraining and racing in order to stay healthy. For the sentatives from the math department. past two years, Tapia has been training The math department is leading all everyday and is now competing in run- departments with three participation ning and cycling competitions almost awards.

“There are a lot more people in the every weekend. He decided to run in the Sequoia Stampede in preparation stampede running these past years than for the Mountains to Beach Marathon ever before. It is very professionally done,” Larkin said. “It’s really nice to May 24.

“It is a training philosophy of mine see students out there and I think it’s that doing short races makes you faster interesting for students to see teachers in the long ones and vice versa,” Tapia out there as well.”

By ZACK ROSENBLATT

from page 3

“It was shocking to my dad because it’s losing me as the oldest daughter, but he let me go,” Soava said. “It’s my choice.”

As math teacher Jim Karditzas would know, not just anyone has what it takes. A graduate of West Point Military Academy, Captain Karditzas commanded 14 tanks back in the ‘80s.

“To do this job, the first quality [someone has to have] is integrity.

You have to be able to count on every other person. Another quality is timeliness. To be late could mean someone else’s life if you’re stationed in a critical role overseas,” Karditzas said. “What the military did for me was broaden my perspective and open my eyes to a world greater than my neighborhood.”

History teacher Danny Bliss cautions students considering enlisting to look beyond the glorious and heroic depictions of military in movies and recruitment ads.

“It might not be the best path because it might entail risking or losing one’s life,” Bliss said. “Military service is potentially one way to achieve discipline and structure, but for most people there are less dangerous paths out there.”

Whatever the moral and physical challenges it poses, the military promises adventure unequalled by the average career path.

“My options as a civilian were standard,” Avila said. “I didn’t want to live a standard life, what everyone always does. I want to do more.”

8

Sports/Feature

May 20, 2015

Spring season

wrap-up

Varsity Girls Swimming 1-5 Boys: 2-4

“We had a really young team this year with a lot of freshmen and that gave us a really engetic vibe. Although it was a growth year for varsity, our JV did super well in our league.”

—junior Abby Hartzell

Varsity Boys Lacrosse 3-7 Photo Courtesy of Abby Hartzell

Junior Abby Hartzell has been a varsity swimmer for three years. The varsity boys finished the season at 2-4 and the varsity girls team finished fourth at PAL Bay Division Championships

Varsity Girls Track 1-4 Boys: 1-4

Varsity Baseball 7-7

“We had a new coach this year, so it’s kind of hard to have expectations for the team with the head coach changing so many times because half of the season is getting to know the team, [but] we pulled together at the end of the season.”

—junior Emma O’Hara

Varsity Badminton 3-10

“We lost a bunch of our seniors, so it was a challenge for [the upperclassmen] to take charge and help the freshmen and sophomores develop their skills, but there was clear improvement. [The underclassmen] stepped up to the challenge and fared pretty well.

—junior Kubilay Agi

“[The season] went pretty well. We finished 7-7 league, which was much better than people would think we do at the beginning because we graduated 13 seniors last year, so our team [had] people from all levels and most of our starters are non-seniors.”

—junior Renic Sloan

Varsity Softball 0-14

“[The season] was really bad because we had a horrible coach in the beginning, but then we got a good coach, that was lucky but we still didn’t have the start we should’ve, so it ruined our entire season.”

—junior Nicole Bourque

— compiled by LILY FRIEBEL and REBEKAH WESTERLIND

“Initially we weren’t playing as a team. Teaching all of the new kids how to play lacrosse against other varsity teams was really difficult but overall we got a lot better as the season progressed.”

—senior Jeff Kaddis

Varsity Girls Lacrosse 12-0

“There were a lot of issues that different members of the team had to deal with throughout the season, and they were obstacles we had to overcome but I think they also helped us grow closer as a team and that helped with our success.”

—junior Teagan Webb

Varsity Boys Tennis 10-2

“The season was great, we were undefeated for a while, we had some slip ups, but we came back together as a team. We had a lot of new people this year, but we s really worked with them and they actually proved themselves in a couple games and showed how skilled and dedicated they were in the sport.”

—senior Sebastian Castrillo

Sequoia Says: What are your summer plans?

“The one thing I paid attention to [in the brochure] was the design program where you actually build real things,” — Junior Sarah Swinnerton, Engineering program at Santa Clara University “I’m looking to go into computer science for a major so this is a good start.”

—Sophomore Spencer Bravo, IT intern at Palo Alto Weekly

“ I just love to share my passion for the water.”

— Freshman Isabella Yee, Lifeguard at Red Morton Park

— MADDIE PEI and ERIK HUISMAN

— Compiled by CAMRYN HABECKER