Issue 3

Raven Report Sequoia High School

Volume Viii, Issue 3

1201 Brewster Ave. Redwood City, CA 94062

November 19, 2014

Little Rock Nine member Minnijean Brown Trickey takes Sequoia to past and discusses present

By IRIDIAN VILLANUEVA Staff Reporter One of the first students to desegregate Little Rock Central High School in 1957, Minnijean Brown Trickey came to Sequoia as a guest speaker Friday, Oct. 31 during sixth period.

More than 700 students attended in Carrington Hall to listen to Brown Trickey speak about her experiences and answer questions students had, particularly about the N-word. “[Slurs] were designed to hurt people and to justify owning property,” Brown Trickey said. “Part of the reason we allow words like this is we are profoundly, intentionally ignorant. What other group takes a word symbolic of the most disgusting time period and tries to say, ‘We made it affectionate?’”

In the assembly, Brown Trickey recalled the silent witnesses, peer pressure and bullying that turned into terrorism when she attended Little Rock Central. However, she also spoke of the nonviolence and persistence of the human spirit displayed by the Little Rock Nine.

She discussed how the N-word and other racial slurs have become an issue specifically in schools. These words are sometimes used by people in a casual way to address their friends without realizing the effect they can have.

History teacher Uel Jones grew up in the South.

“When I was raised I was always taught that that was a word that was terribly derogatory and that I was not to use it,” Jones said. “I know the way

Photo by Emily Ducker

Minnijean Brown Trickey spoke to a crowd of over 700 students about racism and other forms of prejudice in Carrington Hall Friday, Oct. 31. it was used by adults years ago. People have died, people have been beaten, people have lost jobs to overcome that kind of prejudice.”

Brown Trickey is a social activist and has won awards such as the Lifetime Achievement Tribute by the Canadian Race Relations Founda-

tion, International Wolf Award for contribution to racial harmony, the Spingarn Medal from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and many more.

She has also been part of Sojourn to the Past, a civil rights education program that takes juniors and seniors on a 10-day trip through the South, where they learn about civil rights from movement leaders at the actual historic sites.

Senior Gerard Chi attended the Sojourn to the Past program last February and had the chance to meet Brown Trickey.

“She is a fun, spirited person, energetic and strongly opinionated,” Chi said.

Sequoia got to hear her personality when Brown Trickey recalled how she would go home from school and watch TV every night.

She recalled, “I wonder if they got the side with my dimple.”

After the assembly Brown Trickey met with a group of students during seventh period to continue the discussion in a small group setting.

“It surprised me how she got back at those girls who were harassing her, then later on got expelled because the adults said that they didn’t see anything happen,” senior Dizjon Reed said.

The assembly ended with students giving Brown Trickey a standing ovation. “[There are] so many heroes.

Find them. They are more you than the people they put on magazines,” Brown Trickey said.

Freshmen in physics will miss Dances to be funded two weeks for Teen Talk course by new student store

By SAMANTHA CASWELL Staff Reporter For the first time, freshmen in physics will take the twoweek Teen Talk sex education course in April. The 71 freshmen in physics this year, the highest number ever, will be joining existing freshman biology classes to take the mandatory curriculum.

“[Teen Talk information] physical to mental health and is important later in life,” hopes to cover even the more freshman Jonasensitive subjects.

“I think it’s really great than Heist said.

“I think it’s reSex education that we’re having [the sex ally great that we’re of some kind is ed] conversation some- having [the sex required by Cali- place really informed.” ed] conversation —Allison Stafford, someplace really fornia Education physics teacher informed,” physcodes. Teen Talk’s goal is to educate ics teacher Allison high school students about a Stafford said. wide variety of topics from See TEEN TALK, page 2

Feature:

GSA works to make Sequoia safer for everyone

Page 6

Sports:

Day in the life: cheer

Page 8

By LILY FRIEBEL Sports Editor ASB opened Sequoia’s first ever student store Monday Oct. 20. The store launched its opening with new Sequoia apparel and school supplies.

Leadership teacher Corey Uhalde thought of the idea to open a store so students

By the numbers

could buy clothes not only at football and basketball games, but also at school.

On top of new clothing, there will be special sales of t-shirts for specific sports games, like the ones sold for the football games against Palo Alto and Carlmont.

See STUDENT STORE, page 2

applications in progress on 1,989 college Naviance to be sent to 267 schools

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News

Math masters multiply knowledge in advanced college-level classes

By SUNAINA BUTLER Staff Reporter Calculus as a freshman. Linear algebra at Stanford. Multivariable calculus in high school. Many more students are Forty-eight Sequoia students are enrolled in an accelerated math class taking math classes that are years above above their grade level. And even more are taking classes like Algebra II their grade levels. and Trigonometry at the same time.

Senior May Martinho is in Ordinary Differential Equations, which is Pre-calculus as freshmen, and end up in understand the concept and be able a college level class. It is taught by Dr. Higher Level (HL) math year two as a to apply it” she said. “It’s always been Teresa Bittner, senior. something I’m more confident in.” and has six peoForty eight Sequoia students Math teachers encourage students AVERAGE ple enrolled. are enrolled in an accelerated to rise to their personal best.

MATH PATH math class above their grade Martinho started “I would ask students to do their her acceleration level. And even more are taking personal best, because everyone is difearlier than most classes like Algebra II and Trigo- ferent,” math teacher Steven Wong in the fifth grade nometry at the same time. said. ”I cannot ask everyone to cross Algebra I when her teach“Truthfully, I didn’t the finish line er recommendlike fourth grade math ADVANCED just to meet my ed that she take because it was just memThey MATH PATH standards. both fifth and orization,” said freshman should just keep Geometry sixth grade math Ellis Spickermann, who challenging in one year. is enrolled in Pre-Calcuthemselves.”

“My mom lus. “But now, I like math Advanced Pre-calculus wanted me to be a because you can use it to math is not just Algebra II/Trigonometry very cool and hip find or solve things.” part of high kid by learning By choosing to skip a school, either. math,” Martinho class, these students give “I’d like to Calculus SL said with a laugh. themselves the opportunipursue a career Pre-calculus Students can ty to learn more each year, that relates to take combined instead of being stuck. math,” Spickclasses, setting themselves ahead of their “I get all the other subjects out ermann said. “I peers in math. Generally, students take of the way when I’m doing my enjoy math. It is Calculus HL geometry as freshmen, then Algebra II, homework so I can do math last,” one of the things followed by Pre-Calculus and Calculus. Spickermann said. “It’s my favorI would like to However, middle school teachers ite”. continue doing recommend some of the advanced stuInstead of taking classes that throughout my Ordinary Differential dents skip seventh grade math, going might be an easy A, students like Equations/ Multivariable life.” straight to Algebra. Then some of the Martinho chose to try something Calculus/ Linear Algebra “I think more most advanced students take Geome- challenging, something that will knowledge is try/Algebra II/ Trig as eighth graders, really force them to think. more power,” or Geometry and then Algebra II/Trig “With math, I feel like if I study Martinho said. “It doesn’t hurt you.” over the summer. These students take something hard enough I’ll eventually

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November 19, 2014

Teen Talk continued from page 1

Stafford said.

The science department decided this in a department meeting, after realizing the increase in the number of freshmen in physics.

“I didn’t realize that by not having freshmen do teen talk that I was preventing comprehensive sex education at Sequoia, and that is something that is really important to me,” Stafford said.

All freshmen in physics will be excused from the activities conducted in class during the time period that they are absent, and the rest of the students will be doing a project during that time.

“I’m kind of worried, two weeks is like an entire unit for us, so it’s like missing that much [material],” freshman Kriti Shukla said.

There are no singularly freshmen science classes, so the freshmen in each physics class will be joining an existing Biology class to take Teen Talk.

Student store continued from page 1

The highest price of clothing is $30 for sweatshirts and the lowest price is $5 for a t-shirt. Additional merchandise, like rally towels, are sold for $1.

All ASB and leadership students have to work at least 20 hours per quarter, selling tickets at football games or working the student store at lunch.

The money made from the store will go towards upcoming dances, such as Winter Formal, which will take place on January 17.

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The Raven Report is underwritten by the Sequoia High School Education Foundation

After-school jobs demand work-school balance

By CHAZ ROSADO and ERIK WEST Staff Reporters Students under 18 years old can work up to four hours on school days and up to eight hours on weekends.

Senior Jasmine Cardenas works at Toys “R” Us as a cashier and guest services aid, totaling an 18 hour work week.

Cardenas said that she applied for three jobs and got two, but ended up deciding on Toys ”R” Us because they paid better.

“The hardest part is either not [getting] enough sleep, or not [having] enough time for homework,” Cardenas said.

California students are lucky because only Washington ($9.32) and Oregon ($9.10) have a higher minimum wage than California. The lowest minimum wage in the U.S. is $7.25, which is the minimum wage in 26 different states.

The average working teen will work 17 hours a week, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, and makes around $10 an hour according to a class survey conducted in two senior

Photo by Erik West

California’s minimum wage is $9 per hour, and many students work upwards of 24 hours a week, forcing them to make time for homework. government classes.

Music teacher Daniel Broome has been the go-to teacher when a student wants to find a job. He has been running

the work permits for two years. He says that the biggest disadvantage to having a job is having to make decisions.

“If I’m going to have this job, I’m

not going to be a member of this sports team; I may not be able to do this or that other activity because I’ve decided to work,” Broome said. “That is a choice you would have to make in most jobs. It is actually helpful because it helps you learn how to budget time.”

Senior Nathan Porter coaches kids at Legarza Basketball Camp.

“Even though it is only six hours a week, it can still get difficult to manage school and work,” he said.

Senior Sam Singh works 17 hours a week at Speederia Pizzaria’s two locations in San Carlos and Redwood City.

“My friends complain that I work too much,” Singh said. “I guess the biggest disadvantage is less time with friends.”

Senior Sara Uribe works 24 hours a week at Safeway, but struggles to manage her time.

“I can honestly say my grades are not as good as they used to be, due to working,” Uribe said. “I try to make school my number one priority, but sometimes with no extra time and always being tired from work can be hard. Balancing both work and school can be hard.”

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Feature

November 19, 2014

Restaurants offer a variety of delectable delights Sakura restaurant cooks up a show Sakura Teppanyaki & Sushi 2198 Broadway Street Redwood City, CA 94063 (650) 369-4350

Service: Location: Price: Ambiance: Food:

Overall, Sakura impressed me.

Though we didn’t receive the warmest welcoming, they made up for it with their impressive show and delicious food.

You can sit at a table or around the chef, watching him make your food. We started with the Sushi Appetizer ($9.50) and the Sashimi Appetizer ($11.95).

Both were enjoyable and they were large portions, making it worth the somewhat high price you pay. After appetizers, we tried the supersized and shareable Spider Rolls ($11.95); they included the perfect balance of crab, avocado and cucumber.

We concluded our meal with California Rolls ($5) and a side of Chicken Fried Rice ($2), which was definitely one of their best creations.

Overall, our visit left us full and satisfied. This restaurant is not necessarily PHOTOS BY SABRINA VILLANUEVA AVALOS a dinner that teenagers can afford, but Sakura’s sashimi and sushi appetizers include luscious fish and crispy crab. for a nice meal every now and again, it is your eyes and the waiters welcoming you wide variety of luscious fish as does the sucertainly delicious option. with a friendly smile. shi appetizer. The spider rolls are delicious —SABRINA VILLANUEVA AVALOS The restaurant’s prime location makes with crisply cooked crab, cucumber and Sakura has an it easy to access by foot, but finding a avocado. incredible am- parking spot near the restaurant at dinHowever the most scrumptious item biance; with the ner time is highly unlikely. However, on the menu is the fried rice, both chicken chefs who prepare there are parking garages that are near and vegetarian. Their fried rice has a delithe teppanyaki, the restaurant. cious subtle tanginess to it, is inexpensive Sakura’s menu offers sashimi, sushi, and is served in a very reasonable portion grilled Japanese seafood and vege- and a variety of rolls as well as the teppa- size. tables, right before nyaki. Their sashimi appetizer includes a —JASLEEN PELIA-LUTZKER

Young’s scoops up bowls of delicious sweets In general, Young’s ice cream leaves all its customers jumping up and down like children.

Their scrumptious ice cream mixed with exciting toys all around makes one enjoy their dessert even more. The most exciting part is getting to pick out all your toppings while getting a nice cherry on top from an all

Young’s Ice Cream

2020 Broadway Street Redwood City, CA 94063 (650) 364-7500

around nice server. Even after receiving your amazing treat you get the joy of walking around and falling in awe of the unique setting in which you can feel comfortable to relax and unwind. Although the walk is great especially if you are trying to burn the calories, its location makes it a bit difficult for someone driving to get their midnight ice cream run. I honestly think Young’s ice cream is the perfect way to finish off any meal.

Service: Location: Price: Ambiance: Food:

—DOMINICK GRAHAM

Glasses trend transitions from sight to style

By EMMA BLUMENGREEN and PHILIP TYSON Staff Reporters Today glasses not only help people see better but are also becoming aspects of style. Students and teachers alike are now aware of the opportunity to have their own fashion through them.

“When I first got my glasses, it was more about practicality and just being able to see,” English teacher Nichole Vaughan said. “But because glasses have become such a fashion statement, I look forward to getting new glasses every two years; it’s so easy to find things that reflect your personality now instead of just the basic frames.”

Vaughan has now been through seven pairs of glasses, and she continues to shop for a new pair every once in a while. Although her glasses are prescription they have also be-

come a statement of her identity through their style and type. “[Glasses are] kind of like a piece of clothing. You have to wear [them]—don’t let [them] wear you,” Vaughan said.

Senior Alex Lukas wears prescription glasses and believes that glasses are used more for style than actual sight.

“Glasses are just fun,” Lukas said. “I see them as more of an accessory now than actually fixing your vision because people wear these rip-off 3D glasses [that are] not prescription; they’re just there to look cool.”

Sophomore Jared Peterson has paid attention to style and has developed his own over time.

“My first glasses were really dorky; they were like Harry Potter glasses,” Peterson said. “So every time I get new frames, I think about how it looks on me.”

Peterson said that it wasn’t

Photo By Emma Blumen-Green

Sophomores Jared Peterson and Litzi Mendoza work with each other to complete their history assignments. this comment that bothered him, but the repetition that annoyed him.

“I didn’t like people calling me Harry Potter, so I switched to rectangular-wired glasses; I wanted to have a new look.”

This style continued to change as his identity developed over the years, but he has now settled for a pair of plastic, rectangular glasses.

Another teacher who cares about the style of his glasses is math teacher Timothy Spence.

“I have blue glasses which I suppose must make a statement,” Spence said. “I’m an adult now, so I think maybe glasses are something that can make you look better—when you’re a teenager, you [may] think the opposite.”

Spence initially got his glass-

es when he was twelve, and his feelings about them changed since.

“I thought that people were going to make fun of me,” Spence said. “I guess I was young, so I was like: ‘Does this look good?

Does it look stupid?’ I couldn’t really tell.”

When he became a teen, he switched these glasses for contacts due to his insecurities.

“When I was a teenager, I thought that I looked better without glasses; I stuck with contacts,” Spence said. “I think it made me more confident to get rid of the glasses.”

The self-consciousness Spence felt in his teen years transformed into pride when he remembered that his glasses took part in defining who he is today.

“My glasses are almost part of my identity,” Spence said.

“When anyone draws a character of me, that’s the first thing they put in there.”

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Feature

November 19, 2014

Surviving holidays with dietary restrictions

health benefits.

“I think there might be a lot of bell peppers, squash [and] starches. I actually really like eggplant, brussel sprouts, asparagus. I basically like American holidays are often synonymized with every vegetable people hate.” platter of foods, and Thanksgiving is at the center Not only do some students at Sequoia have of that. With dietary restrictions such as vegetaricertain dietary restrictions, but some of our facanism, veganism and celiac disease, a disease that ulty do as well. limits the ability to process gluten, the traditional Spanish and AVID teacher Scott Stalder is vegturkey and stuffing are no longer options. an and gluten-free.

“It is hard to be spontaStalder often finds recneous, when your friends ipes on the Fat Free Vegan say, ‘Let’s order things,’ and “Thanksgiving is all about the spirit, and website. you really have to think, helping the community and being thank“It started [over] ani‘Can I eat that?’” said junior ful, not just about food.” mals, and that is still our —Martina Silberman, freshman foundation, but the health Kate Heller, who was recently diagnosed with celiac disbenefits are more what ease. we see now. [My wife and It is American instinct to wonder how ThanksI] have kids so we want to think about keeping giving could be delicious without the presence of them healthy,” Stalder said. turkeys and pumpkin pies. For those who cannot But no matter what you eat, Thanksgiving is a eat these Thanksgiving staples, creativity is their time of being thankful. only option.

Freshman Martina Silberman, who has been “For the holidays, I was going to experiment vegetarian for three years, said, “Thanksgiving is with a vegan pumpkin pie,” said freshman Morall about the spirit, and helping the community gan Taradash, a vegan for animal rights and and being thankful, not just about food.”

By LAUREN CRESTA and MADDIE PEI Staff Reporters

Season of Stuffing: Time to test traditions With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, we examined how members of our community celebrate the foodie holiday despite dietary restrictions, as well as other aspects of Sequoia students’ lives to be thankful for.

Teacher’s gratitude overshadows lack of meat Spanish teacher Scott Stalder, who follows a vegan and gluten-free diet, discusses the challenges and benefits he faces during Thanksgiving.

Q: What does Thanksgiving mean to you?

A: To me it means getting together with family and

your loved ones, trying to feel thankful for the things you have and not miss that​point, trying to realize​ that some people aren’t as lucky as you. We realize how lucky we are. So many people call [Thanksgiving] turkey day, [but] the point of it is to be thankful for being with your family​and loved ones.​

Q: Why do you think veganism is worth the commitment?

A: I think that it is about your mindset. [My wife and I] had times when we ​“​tried”​to go vegan. But we would always think about the things that we were missing. We all have comfort foods, so feeling like we are limited or depriving ourselves was part of the “try” and then when we committed to doing it, it was all about​finding all of the things that we liked.

Q: What have you found people expect ‘vegan’ to mean?

A: Vegan is a really loaded word now. People think

[vegans] are in your face about their decision. If people know we’re vegan, they feel like they have to try to defend their decision to eat the way they do, instead of [the fact that] we all have differences. Being vegan is very extreme for our society, and people ​should​ make decisions on what’s better for them, healthier for them, and sometimes that can mean one day they don’t eat meat.

—LAUREN CRESTA and MADDIE PEI

Gratitude shouldn’t be confined to Thanksgiving table

By DALIA JUDE Editor-in-Chief T h a n k you, Sequoia.

Despite your fluorescent, smelly, overcrowded hallways, you provide students from all walks of life—past, present and future— with a high school experience that goes unmatched.

Thank you Sequoia for being the oldest and most visually appealing high school on the Peninsula. Thank you Nicotine Field for providing hundreds of students with possibly the prettiest backdrop for lunch that one will find, and for painting the perfect, ideal scene for students’ favorite words: class outside.

Thank you Leadership and ASB stuOf course this recognition of Sequoia’s beauty should not neglect the hardwork- dents for all that you do behind the ing souls that clean our hallways, desks scenes trying to expand our memories of and lunch tables day in and day out. high school beyond the classroom.

Thank you for inspiring students to So thank you Maria Peña, Pastor Guzman, Victor Ramirez, Alex Pito, Marcus wear their purple pride; Sequoia’s school Bridges, Alyce Spruell, Ramiro Macias, spirit is headed in the right direction with your guidance.

Sergio Gonzalez and You deserve a Cliff Kranz.

Thank you for being diverse, so we all In addition to know what the real world will look like round of applause for all of the time thousands of stuwhen we get there. and effort you dents, Sequoia has spend at school prean abundance of teachers that not only have extremely paring for spirit week, rallies, dances and qualified backgrounds (I’m talking Stan- fundraising.

In the theme of giving thanks where ford, Princeton, Duke, University of California at Berkeley and many more) it is due, I would like to take this opporbut ones that truly care about their stu- tunity to thank Redwood City for truly dents and stay for countless hours before having the best climate.

As we seniors consider where we will and after the bell to help them. Thank you Sequoia for giving us great teachers, spend the next chapter of our lives, we and thank you teachers for pushing us to know that wherever we end up will not have as good a climate as 94062. our utmost abilities.

Lastly, thank you Cherokees. Thank you for making Sequoia a pleasant place to spend four years.Thank you for embracing the awkwardness and the drama that is high school and for choosing to fight the good fight together.

Thank you for being diverse, so we all know what the real world will look like when we get there. Thank you for being passionate and dedicated. Thank you for caring, caring about your friends, caring about your future and caring about our community. In a word, thank you for being unaliyi.

With a few weeks left until Thanksgiving, we can spend our time complaining about the looming finals or the college application process that is in fullswing, or we can take a moment to say two words that have lost some meaning over time, but with the right motivation can carry the weight of one’s day: thank you.

Opinion

November 19, 2014

Sequoia pride not limited to purple

By MARS SVEC-BURDICK and ISABEL DECASTRO Staff Reporters

5

Learn your terms

Lesbian. Gay. Bisexual.

Transgender. Queer. In a classroom of thirty, an estimated one to three students are one or more of the above.

Every Friday, members of all sexual orientations and gender identities meet in the Gay-Straight Alliance Club to discuss what it means to be LGBTQ. GSA’s overall goal is to create a safe space for LGBTQ students, away from the ram- and arm you would be called a pant homophobia and trans- ‘dyke’ or a ‘fag,’” Nguyen said. phobia that has always pervaded Thanks to GSA, things have high school hallways and locker changed. rooms. For students struggling “Now, homophobia doesn’t to find acceptance, the club is a mean bashing my skull against a comfortable place to express the trash can. It mostly means queschallenges that come along with tioning me in a more friendly coming out. manner, trying to understand,” “GSA is always there to give sophomore Brandon Henriquez support,” senior club board said. member Carson Blumen-Green Over the past decade, in consaid. “We’re happy to help.” junction with the legalization Sequoia has not always had of same-sex marriage pending a space for in 32 states, such ac- “You see all these clichés in movies, of popularizac e p t a n c e . that one gay kid that always gets bul- tion of Pride T w e n t y lied, but then there’s Sequoia which parades and years ago, is always very welcoming.” the introthe hallways duction of —Brandon Henriquez, sophomore echoed GSA, being with bigotgay in high school is becoming ed slurs; there was no safety for less controversial. queer students.

“When I came back to Se“Outside of school the jocks quoia two years ago, it was wa would beat up the only four big shift. I didn’t hear ‘that’s so kids who were out [as gay],” gay’ almost at all,” Nguyen said. said Michael Weitzel, a Sequoia “Teachers, principals, staff, stugraduate of 1991. dents, we all don’t think [being GSA faculty adviser Dy LGBTQ] is a big deal.”

Nguyen, who also teaches EngComing out is tough, but belish and Special Ed, remembers ing out might not be. a culture of intolerance at her “[Sequoia] is always very high school. welcoming,” Henriquez said. “I “There was definitely a lot mean, it’s not like, congratulaa stigma around it. Even if you tions, you’re gay! It’s more like were just sorta hanging out with ‘oh, you’re gay, whatever, you your friends and hooking arm still need to do your homework.”

Bisexual: Being romantical- Genderqueer: A person ly and/or sexually attracted who identifies as both male to people of both sexes and female or neither despite their biologically assigned Gender neutrality: An idea sex; also known as gender that avoids discrimination fluid or gender non-binary based on one’s sex or gender Transgender: A person Queer: Can describe anyone whose gender identity does who does not identify as het- not match their biologically erosexual and/or cisgender assigned sex Photo by Mars Svec-Burdick

Gender-neutral bathroom is a first step, but more awareness is needed material around her chest to flatten her breasts.

One might bind because having breasts could make them feel dysphoric.

From cramming As administration has stated, a new building for finals to worrying will be constructed in the space that is currently about Cornell note taken up by the portable classrooms. Phase Two formatting, all stu- of these plans will include projects essential to dents feel stress. But providing students with a top educational expegender- neutral stu- rience, which I believe can be achieved by creatdents deal withtotally ing a space for non-binary students to change different problems. comfortably.

They may be bullied and Imagine a new area with feel uncomfortable in rest- Imagine a new area with private private showers, lockers and rooms and locker rooms. Se- showers, lockers and ample space ample space to change in, quoia has taken notice and to change in...this would elimi- hooks on the walls, a bench, put in the two gender-neutral nate some of the daily stress non- a clock, and an actual mirror bathrooms on campus. The binary students endure. in the bathrooms. This would bathrooms fulfilled a student eliminate some of the daily request as well as a legal responsibility. stress non-binary students endure.

These bathrooms are a step in the right diThere is currently an option for students to rection when it comes to improving the high change in one of the bathroom stalls in their school experience of gender-neutral students, assigned locker room, but those stalls are small but the bathroom near the B- Quad has boxes and taken up mostly by the toilet. It’s a hassle of cleaning supplies and many other things in for the students, and might even make them feel it. It seems as though it is being used as stor- like they are outcast and don’t belong. age.

Feeling out of place is a hassle which can Just having the bathrooms isn’t enough. cause stress. As the stress builds up, it may affect Non-binary students report that changing a student’s grades and mental health. The school clothes makes them very uncomfortable, pos- can minimize student stress by providing spaces sibly because they bind. Binding is when a for everyone, including gender neutral students, biologically female person wraps or wears a to feel comfortable and that they belong.

By CAMRYN HABECKER Staff Reporter

Taking a leap: clubs should work toward membership diversity

By ABIGAIL WANG Feature Editor Imagine walking into a club meeting and seeing five people from every grade, every race and from both regular and IB classes.

It seems like a very plausible concept, and at Sequoia where the population is so diverse, it almost seems inevitable.

Yet our clubs are filled with the same types of people: IB students with high socioeconomic status looking for an extracurricular to improve their college apps.

Clubs should be a gateway to new friendships with people of totally different backgrounds, but they only seem to lead to more segregation.

As a club president myself I am baf- low their friends, which happen to be fled by this concept, but at the same time mostly the same race as them. This in efI can’t help but look to myself and my fect leads to a wider racial gap in clubs.

I too, joined clubs my freshmen year friends.

The members of my club, the Hap- because I knew the people involved and piness Club, are very much like me. It only realized the extent of this problem seems like the leaders of Sequoia’s clubs last year when I sat in a club surrounded by my friends and sudare a factor when it comes denly realized they were all to who chooses to join Clubs should be a gatewhite. these clubs. way to new friendships In addition, the perI admit that I too fall with people of totally centage of white students under the category of IB different backgrounds who enroll in college is students involved in clubs. but it only seems to lead still more than Latinos.

This could be an active de- to more segregation.

Though the numbers terrent for many potential are rising, it may not be members who feel internally uncomfortable because of our dif- enough to encourage students to attend clubs because they feel they have no ferences.

This leads me to think that both our need, if they are not even going to attend race and our cultures directly affect those college or highly competitive schools that look into extracurriculars. who attend our club.

So if students want to follow their Many students in clubs at Sequoia decide to join because they want to fol- friends and do not plan to apply to com-

petitive colleges, then what do we expect?

To dissolve the racial gap in clubs there are multiple changes that should take place. Firstly club day should not be influenced by outside factors such as candy and peer pressure. Students should be given a survey at the beginning of the year similar to that of the one regarding SAFE programs that require students to check off clubs they are interested in and have space for their contact information.

Secondly, Spanish announcements should be utilized to target multilingual students whose English is limited to make them aware of different opportunities in regards to clubs.

Clubs should be used for self-development and students should join them because they are passionate about the cause or simply because they enjoy the environment. A club you joined in high school should shape more than your college application.

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Feature

November 19, 2014

Looking back:World War II’s lasting impact

By XAVI BOLUÑA and SAMANTHA CASWELL Staff Reporters

With Veteran’s Day just last week, it’s important to recognize the brave men and women who lived during the chaotic events of World War II nearly 75 years ago.

All of the following information was amassed with first-hand reports and other information from the time period.

On Dec. 8, 1941, more than 133 million Americans sat in disbelief around their radios and televisions as they listened to the shocking news. Pearl Harbor marked the U.S.’s entry into World War II, and for many coastal areas, that meant radical changes. Redwood City was no exception.

In a swift reaction, the Redwood City Council passed several measures intended to protect them from invading forces and calm the masses. They even went so far as to allow officials to shut down public buildings — including Sequoia.

“Clear-headed preparations for defense [are much-needed],” the Redwood City Tribune wrote in their Dec. 8 issue. “The ordinance [will grant the Redwood City Council] power to close all schools and public buildings if deemed necessary as a defense measure.”

One new challenge students had to face were mandates against light. Japanese bomb-

Infographic by Claire Bugos

ers, flying nearly two miles in jail. As a result, more than overhead, could easily see any 12,000 Redwood City residents lights in the city below. In or- spent their nights in absolute der to solve this problem, city darkness. officials put regular blackouts Weather reports were also in place. banned out of fear that weather During these times, all conditions could help enemy forms of light forces decide were prohibit- [Weather reports and] news when to ated. Something broadcasts were placed under re- tack.

News as simple as strictions to prevent production of b r o a d c a s t s a candle in anything that could possibly aid were placed a dark street enemy spies. under restriccould cost the tions to preowner up to $500 in fines, vent the production of anyabout $7,300 today or 90 days thing that could possibly aid

enemy spies.

Blackouts and weather reports weren’t the only things on students’ minds however.

Many Japanese-American students were scrutinized for their Japanese descent, even if they had no relation to the country. Some were sent to concentration camps in neighboring states.

Several air raid alarms were installed across the coast including one in a Redwood City fire station. The city government requested newspapers

Custodians work to keep campus clean half of their assigned classrooms on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the other half on Wednesdays and Fridays. On Mondays, the custodians do a deep cleaning of cerThousands of feet walk and hundreds tain areas. Despite the long hours, the of kids eat lunch on the Sequoia campus custodians are still inspired to come back every day. Yet, it somehow remains clean. every day.

“I like knowing that the school needs This is thanks to the unrecognized heroes: the custodians. Their work provides stu- me,” Guzman said. “I know that I am dents with a nice campus 180 days a year. making a difference.”

Guzman himself attended Sequoia Seven custodians work together to clean up the campus by vacuuming and from 1976 to 1980 and remembers the picking up trash. The custodians work campus with fewer buildings. He wanted to come back and work from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., here in addition to the five days a week. Dep- “I like knowing that the great benefits offered by site their long hours and school needs me. I know that the job. are crucial to the clean- I am making a difference.”

“Twenty years ago, I liness of the school, the —Pastor Guzman, applied for a position that custodians don’t receive custodian was open,” Guzman said. many thanks.

“I was interviewed and “It makes you feel good about what you do,” chief custodian chosen for the position. I had come to school at Sequoia so I wanted to see what Pastor Guzman said.

Each custodian has a set route and it was like many years after.”

Interview translation by freshman Noah specific classrooms that they are responsible for. They split up the work and cover Masur.

to distribute instructions on “Eight Things To Do In Case Of An Air Raid.”

The Sequoia Union High School District Board of Trustees even discussed replacing the normal physical education class with a first aid class to prepare students for possible enemy attacks, according to information published in the Tribune.

These strict rules made it hard to get work done on time.

Daily schedules were flipped on their heads and sports and jobs lost precious time during winter months in order to get home in time for blackout drills.

The need for able bodied soldiers was at an all time high, and many citizens were becoming malnourished and unfit for duty. Much of the U.S.’s resources, including food, were being diverted to war effort halfway across the world.

In order to fix this problem, Sequoia physical education teacher Frank Griffin created a program similar to army readiness boot camps.

The program rewarded students for physical fitness and even exceeded the army’s standards for acceptance.

Through Griffin’s efforts, the program supplied more than 1,300 Sequoia students to the armed forces, according to “Redwood City: A Hometown History.” Of those, a shocking 97 percent made it home safely in a war that claimed more than 60 million worldwide.

Sequoia High School

Raven Report 2014-2015

Editor-in-Chief Dalia Jude

By ERIK HUISMAN and ZACK ROSENBLATT Staff Reporters

Managing Editors Claire Bugos Carmen Vescia News Editor Emily Ducker

Feature Editor Abigail Wang

Opinion Editor Sports Editor Sabrina Villanueva Avalos Lily Friebel Online Editor Glenn Billman

Staff Reporters Emma Blumen-Green, Xavi Boluña, Sunaina Butler, Samantha Caswell, Lauren Cresta, Trevor Crowell, Isabel DeCastro, Nora Fossenier, Dominick Graham, Camryn Habecker, Erik Huisman, Maddie Pei, Jasleen Pelia-Lutzker, Cam Rebosio, Chaz Rosado, Zack Rosenblatt, Madalene Schorr, Mars Svec-Burdick, Philip Tyson, Iridian Villanueva, Erik West, Rebekah Westerlind Adviser Kim Vinh

Correction: The news story published in Issue 2 titled “Class overcrowding leads to additional summer courses,” contained an inaccuracy: class sizes are not related to summer course offerings.

November 19, 2014

7

Feature

Horseback riders hop into the saddle

By MADALENE SCHORR and CARMEN VESCIA Staff Reporter and Managing Editor Saddles, boots, reins, bridles, grooming, mucking stalls, feeding, vet visits, competitions and countless hours. All of this makes up daily life for competitive horseback riders sophomore Rosie Harkola and senior Livia Richards.

They each have a horse and compete multiple times per year against other young riders from around the state.

Harkola has been riding with her current horse for just six months, while Richards bought her horse a year and half ago.

“It’s all about the partnership. That’s basically most of it for most riders, I think. They’re all there because they love the horse,”Livia Richards said.

Harkola has been riding for seven Photos courtesy of Livia Richards years. She rides an average of 2-6 hours Senior Livia Richards has been riding since 14 and owns her own horse. per day at Webb Ranch in Portola Valley bought her horse, while Harkola focuses because you have this half ton animal, and works out to stay in riding shape.

“I wish people knew how difficult it on three day eventing which includes and you don’t have a clear idea of how they’re going to behave out there,” Richis because so many people think it’s not jumping, cross country and dressage.

Cross country involves and jumping ards said. “You have to be prepared.” a sport and you’re not doing anything.

Richards and her horse travel to about To actually be a good rider, you have to over a natural course, and dressage infive competitions during the year, often be extremely physically fit and take time cludes the horses footwork and style.

Out of all three events, Richards finds causing her to miss Fridays at school. to understand the animal,” Harkola said.

“It can be stressful. I do spend a decross country the most challenging yet “You don’t get a break with riding.” cent amount of time doing homework at Richards, who started at the age of rewarding.

“It’s exciting, but you also get nervous shows,” Richards said. “The bad thing is 14, started competing just before she

Junior sets up for success with male volleyball club ways motivated him to find time to play, but this spring, his season ended early when he injured his knee.

After rehab and therapy, he tried to The ball is served and clears the return but discovered he needed surgery net, flying straight towards the middle for a torn meniscus in his knee that had of the court. “I got it, I got it!” calls flipped and was causing the bones to his teammate. A perfect pass. Junior grind together.

Vaughn White looks up to see it drop“There’s nothing worse than going to ping straight down towards him. He something you want to do and then just takes a deep breath. watching,” he said.

He hears his teamItching to get back mate yelling and, “There’s nothing worse than goto on the court, White with steady hands, ing to something you want to do went to physical therhe flicks the ball into and then just apy for his knee. He the air. His team- watching.” just recently returned mate springs up and —Vaughn White, junior to competing when he slams the ball. Point, successfully tested out Kamikaze. his knee at a tournaWhite inherited his love for volleyball ment. from his parents, who met playing in White plays for the badminton team college. He began competing three years for school sports credit. He and a group ago when he discovered Kamikaze. of friends who asked if the school could “It’s not as difficult doing stuff with create a boys volleyball team discovered the ball—you learn how to bump, hit that because there must be an equal and set pretty early on—[as it is] learn- number of boys and girls team, it wasn’t ing where you need to be, where other possible. people are going to be, and building White’s bond with his teammates and connections with teammates [comes the excitement of competition motivates with time]” White said. him to continue playing despite the time White’s team often has to travel far commitment and the hard work necesfor competition because there aren’t sary to recover after his injury. many mens clubs in the area.

“I think when you really work to get “You either drive up the night before a point, and everybody is really trying and stay in a hotel, or you get up at 3 their hardest and you can tell everyin the morning and drive to these tour- body is trying their hardest...when you naments that are four hours away some- have that moment, when the ball finally times,” White said. lands, and you finally get the point it’s White’s passion for volleyball has al- really gratifying,” White said.

By MADALENE SCHORR AND CARMEN VESCIA Staff Reporter and Managing Editor

that my horse usually comes before my homework.”

Harkola also faces the challenge of balancing riding and school and sometimes wakes up early to ride before school or doesn’t get home from the ranch until it’s dark, but she claims it’s worth it.

She and her mom share the horse and the responsibilities that go along with it, and Harkola believes riding has taught her important skills she can apply to all aspects of her life.

“What I’ve learned from it is patience because you’re working with this gigantic animal,” Harkola said.

“Sometimes it’s annoying to ask them for something and [have them] not know what you want because they can’t understand you.”

She hopes to continue riding in the future and join an eventing team in college, possibly bringing her horse with her.

For both girls, bonding with their horses is the highlight of riding and keeps them motivated, even when life gets crazy.

“The hardest part right now is to come out after school,” said Richards. “You can’t get lazy on them and give them 50 percent. They definitely deserve to get 100 percent whenever you ride them. It is definitely a commitment, but you do it because it’s still a lot of fun.”

Student athletes balance school and sport in hopes of getting recruited said, “but if the coach likes me, he can help support me get in.”

Since only about 6 percent of Emails. Calls. Official visits. high school athletes end up playUnofficial visits. Videos. Face-to- ing in college, training is often not face contacts. Evaluations. Eligi- enough. bility. Dedicated student athletes Athletes must also advertise go through all these steps, often themselves to colleges if they hope numerous times, trying to get to be recruited. recruited by col“I probably talked leges. with 40-50 coaches “Anything you do can C o l l e g i a t e be evaluated and that’s over the phone. It was sports are increas- kind of scary.” crazy,” said senior Aningly competitive —Ben Ladabaum, gela Hudelson, who as more athletes junior has accepted a 4-year get involved with full-ride scholarship to their sport at a very early age. play volleyball at a small college “I’ve been training my whole in New York. “I would be sending life to try to get a scholarship be- emails all the time. It was a lot of cause we can’t afford the money work.” to go to college,” junior football To regulate college interactions player Alani Pohahau said. with high school athletes, the NaWith so much time devoted tional Collegiate Athletic Associato sports, homework and other tion developed an extensive set of school-related activities must be guidelines for recruiting. These fit in wherever they can. rules dictate when coaches are al“It has to be school and foot- lowed to call, email, or contact ball,” Pohahau said. “You don’t athletes. However, these rules are really have time for other stuff.” constantly changing and are often On the flip side, some athletes slightly different for each sport. use sports to get into a better Even the athletes to which the academic college than they oth- rules apply do not always undererwise would have. Senior Ben stand the guidelines.

Hagenau is looking to row at a “I still don’t know all the rules,” competitive academic college. junior, Ben Ladabaum, an aspir“University of Pennsylvania is ing collegiate soccer player, said. a reach school for me,” Hagenau “I don’t know if I ever will.”

By REBEKAH WESTERLIND Staff Reporter

8

Sports

November 19, 2014

Day in the life: flexibility, flips and falls

By XAVI BOLUÑA and TREVOR CROWELL Staff Reporters Upon first glance, the elegant art of cheerleading may not seem much more than excessive flexibility and school spirit. Unfortunately for us, the hard truth was much more painful and complex than anything we could have expected.

Walking onto the warm up circle, we reasoned that stretching, the easiest portion of the day, couldn’t be too bad. After all, what could go wrong?

What happened next could only be described with one word: how. These acrobatic athletes could do the splits like nobody’s business, but what astounded us the most was how they could touch their heads to the ground while doing it. Not only that, some cheerleaders casually passed the time walking on their hands. No big deal, right?

To us, this level of trickery seemed like showboating. Coming from a domain where hitting balls with sticks is the norm, we could hardly put this into the same category as “taking a break.”

To our dismay, this break had simply been the beginning of our time as cheerleaders. Now we were off to start our jumps and other routines. A ten second introduction to the art of toe touches couldn’t prepare us for the outcome that our lack of flexibility brought as we floundered about while our peers executed every move with style and finesse.

Without understanding of the art of the simple cartwheel, we were painstakingly taught to the amusement of everyone else watching. Minutes later, we were up for roundoffs, a challenging combination of a cartwheel and handspring.

Photos by Xavi Boluña and Trevor Crowell

Luckily for our bodies we chose to sit back and watch the professionals do their work, and passed up the opportunity to take a first class trip to the ER. As skyscrapers of cheerleaders were built, we sat in awe, wondering if the laws of gravity only applied to us peasants of the field sports. As these works of art towered over us, it seemed that nothing crazier could be up these acrobat’s sleeves. And then the throwing began.

Cheerleader upon cheerleader was lofted into the air only to land safely in the strong arms of a teammate. Eventually, we discovered that there is an actual scheme behind the dare-devilish flips and throws that miraculously amounted to each cheerleader landing safely with their necks intact.

Sequoia Says:

What is a tech invention you think will exist in the future?

“Self-driving cars. Also voice control will be more common, so you can just tell your coffee maker to make you coffee.”

—Julianna Porter, freshman

“I think the technology of the future will be teleporting, I’m just hoping.”

—Emma Cromwell, junior “Students will be able to play connected to a device that spawns their own [personal] avatars, [whose] strengths will depend on the subjects that they are good [at].”

—Theo Darmayudha, sophomore

—Compiled by Lauren Cresta and Jasleen Pelia-Lutzker

Cheerleaders simply don’t get enough respect for the tremendous athleticism that is required in the day-to-day activities they do. After we spent a day twirling with the best of them, the strength, skill and balance necessary for even the simplest of cheer moves is lacking in our flimsy bodies Our grasps on reality stretched, unAfter several tries to simply stand up like our bodies, as we pondered how this straight and several terrifying moments, acrobatic madness was even humanly it was over, and we returned to the safety possible. Fortunately for us, our feet of the solid ground. Our success was evistayed firmly planted upon the ground dent as the cheer team clapped enthusias stunt after stunt was showcased just astically. Well, the ones who had not fallfeet away from our gaping mouths. To en over laughing at our feeble attempts us, it seemed like we did nothing more to make it up there in the first place. than take up precious real estate.

We finally bade our farewells, atAfter the team finished their half-time tempting to walk off the mat as mascuroutine, it seemed that our time as cheer- linely as possible. We were beaten men. leaders was drawing to a close. We said Cheerleaders simply don’t get enough our farewells and reassured some that respect for the tremendous athleticism it was a good thing that we wouldn’t be that is required in the day to day activijoining the team as actual members. ties they do. The next time you think Just before we could crawl back to our about judging a cheerleader or for that worlds as changed men, we were offered matter any sport that involves throwing a chance to experience another raw feat human beings into the air, take a page of cheerleading: the human pyramid. from our book. Try a day in their life.

Staff Editorial

Spread the love to other sports: keep the purple pride past football season As football season comes to a close, students basketball, but a significant number of students often feel lost as they look for a new outlet for couldn’t care less about the game-changing their bursting Cherokee pride on Friday nights. touchback or the three-point foul shot.

This is why Sequoia is so fortunate to have If this is you, fear not. Sequoia has more than one sport. In fact, there are five different teams such a large variety of sports. If you want to learn whose games can entertain you on those cold, more about sports like lacrosse, badminton, tennis and water polo you have so many opportunilonely winter nights.

We are glad that students come out to sup- ties to check them out. You might end up enjoyport the team, but what makes football games ing it so much that you try out next season.

Another reason people go to football games is so much more attractive than every other sports simply that others go. Yet many game? After all, soccer and lafootball-goers don’t even know crosse both have night games on Be the beginning of a revolution.

Make badminton what a running back is. If this is Terremere Field, but the crowd you, go to some other sporting is often an embarrassingly small the new football. event and get all your friends to smattering of parents braving go. Be the beginning of a revothe cold.

Unless you were one of the few students who lution. Make badminton the new football.

All sports deserve the attendance and support supported the soccer teams last year, you may be unaware that the boys’ were ranked fourth in of their fellow Cherokees. Every sport requires long, arduous practices. If you are not one of the highest division.

So, by attending one of these matches, you these athletes (and even if you are), dedicate two are destined to see an invigorating game for the of your precious hours a week to cheering on Sewhopping price of $0. That’s right folks, you get quoia’s athletes. You will find it a fun and thorthe real futbol experience for exactly $8 less than oughly unproductive break from studying, and you might expect at an American football game. best of all, you get to sport all of your fantastic Many people enjoy watching football and purple apparel to your heart’s desire.