Raven Report Sequoia High School
Volume XI, Issue 2
1201 Brewster Ave. Redwood City, CA 94062
October 18, 2017
Voting assembly brings politicians to Sequoia By NICHOLAS ABRAHAM Opinion Editor
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla and Assembly member Kevin Mullin visited Carrington Hall Sept. 26 to celebrate Voter Registration Day. The main goal of the assembly was to encourage 16 and 17-year-old students to pre-register to vote, allowing them to be automatically registered once they are eligible. “If we can pre-register, that [gives students] one less thing to worry about when [they] turn 18. Once you’re on Photos by Aviva Futornick the list, you’re going to start getting In accordance with National Voter Registration Day, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla visited Sequoia’s own all the information [about upcoming Carrington Hall to discuss the importance of voting, among other politically based topics, with future Sequoia voters. elections],” Padilla said. The event was hosted by senior Dez is showcased in the main hallway near tion. According to the Public Policy Ashley Gray was also commended by Institute of California, funding for the speakers for organizing the assemFrazier, who presented the speakers the College and Career Center. and moderated the question and an“The fact that [Sequoia has] a higher education—the UC, CSU and bly and continually encouraging his swer session that folVoter Hall of Fame community college systems—has fall- students to vote on all levels and on all lowed Padilla’s speech. “My hope is that we can alone shows that this en from 18 to 12 percent of the state issues, from local to state to national Topics such as racism expose our young people to the school values the role budget in the last 40 years. elections. and racial representa- role of local governments.” of young people in “The [state] legislature actually has “My hope is that we can expose our —Kevin Mullin, the political process,” more of a say in funding for the UCs, young people to the role of local govtion, gerrymandering and voter suppression California Assembly Member Mullin said. the CSUs and the community colleges ernments, like city councils and school were discussed. One of the most than our members in Congress do,” boards, which make decisions that afBoth Padilla and Mullin commend- pertinent issues Padilla discussed with Padilla said. fect [students’] lives on a regular basis,” ed Sequoia’s Voter Hall of Fame, which students was the cost of higher educaHistory and government teacher Mullin said.
New legislation keeps California Wine Country fires wreak pedestrians focused on the road havoc on bay air quality By MACKENZIE CLARKE Managing Editor
At a meeting on Sept. 12, San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa and other Supervisors voted unanimously in favor of a resolution to ask state lawmakers to pass the requisite legislation necessary for the enactment of a distracted walking law to mitigate distracted pedestrian street-crossing and subsequent safety hazards. The ban on cellphones came to fruition amidst Pedestrian Safety Month. The effort to protect pedestrians has recently become more important due to an increase in pedestrian fatalities in the state. According to the Office of Traffic Safety, 892 pedestrians were killed on California
roadways in 2016, accounting all the time, and they’re comfor 24 percent of all roadway municating on a very high volume with them.” Canepa fatalities that year. While the law has been met said. “If you’re staring down mostly with approval, there at your phone, you can’t look are still some who view it as both ways [when crossing the another example of the intru- street].” As Redwood City increassion of the government on people’s everyday lives. The ingly becomes more of a miproposed ban has been likened crocosm of the bustling clito the seat belt legislations of mate of the Silicon Valley, distracted 1983, which is enforced the “This is a 21st century so- walking necessity of lution to a 21st century prob- subsequently also on the wearing seat- lem.” —David Canepa, rise. With belts for all San Mateo County the number passengers in Supervisor of new busia car. Similar nesses and to this law, the cellphone law is not intended startups downtown, there is to inconvenience pedestrians, a high density of pedestrians, bikes and cars during combut rather protect their lives. “This is a 21st-century so- mute hours. lution to a 21st-century probSee PHONES, page 2 lem. People use their phones
Spread:
One nation completely divisible. The Raven Report examines the political conversation.
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By MACKENZIE CLARKE Managing Editor Fires which ignited due to high winds and dry conditions throughout Wine Country Oct. 8 have spread to consume around 160,000 acres of homes, nature and vineyards. As of Sun Oct 15, 400 people in the region have been reported missing, and 40 are confirmed dead. The Air District, an air quality assessment system under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency, deemed Redwood City air unhealthy Oct. 12 due to smoke with a score of 165 (a score over 150 is considered unhealthy). Napa and surrounding areas were assigned air quality indexes of “hazardous”. The entire town of Calistoga was evacuated,
and residents of various other communities whose homes were destroyed have been displaced to shelters. Many Sequoia and Redwood City alumni attending Sonoma State University were forced to return home. The fires created the worst air quality ever recorded for smoke in the Bay Area. After winds shifted Oct. 10, a higher density of smoke blanketed Redwood City the next day, and as a result all Sequoia sports games and practices were cancelled, along with the IB Environmental Systems and Societies field trip. 80 flights were cancelled at SFO due to thick smoke in the skies. Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in Napa, Sonoma and Yuba counties, stating “we’ve had big fires in the past...this is one of the biggest.”
SPECIAL FEATURE: The Rohingya Crisis: Silent suffering speaking loud volumes
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Feature
October 18, 2017
Alternate transportation reroutes students’, teachers’ schedules Over an Hour By HANNAH KLONINGERSTEVER Staff Reporter Even though Sequoia is a public school, many students and teachers commute long distances or take public transportation to school, which can affect their work, sleep and even social life. One problem for those who have a long commute is attendance—missing a train or bus can be detrimental to getting to school on time. “You have to be very aware of the train schedule. I have an app that helps a lot,” said senior Julia Nemeroff, who lives in San Francisco. “They recently changed the schedule from [arriving] at 8:17 to 8:23, so now when I take the train, I’m a couple minutes late. It obviously takes a lot longer than just living close to school, but you can get things done a lot faster [working on the train].” This is also the reason science teacher Debolina Dutta prefers the train over driving. She lives in San Francisco, and
1%minutes commuting impacts her ability to pick More than 30 up her kids from school. 30-60 Minutes an hour to an hour Based on a survey “Ironically, the train is more reliable 1% 9% 9% of 245 students than traffic. It seems like there’s an acUnder 10 Minutes 10 to 20 cident almost every other day, and all of a sudden you’re stuck there,” Dutta said. minutes 37% “Commuting takes almost 2 hours out 53% Less than 10 of my day, but the train gives me back at minutes least 45 minutes each way.” 37% As well as work time, a long commute can also affect one’s sleep schedule. “I’m up at 5:30, leaving home at 6:30 —Compiled by HANNAH and here at 7:00,” said Cameron Dodge, 10-20 Minutes KLONINGER-STEVER a Computer Science teacher who bikes. Dodge lives in San Mateo and has a 53% 30-minute ride to get to his zero period. “I’ll work until ten o’clock, but then have difficulty finding time to hold ofEarly mornings are an issue for stu- I’ll sleep after that, because [if I worked] fice hours or attend conferences and staff dents as well as teachers. any later then I would wake up too meetings. According to GOOD Magazine, teens tired,” Kenyon-Ortega said. Dutta holds her office hours at lunchshould be getting eight to ten hours of Even social situations are impacted by time because of her commute and schedsleep per night, but for some students, living further away. ule. this is simply not possible. “My mom doesn’t like me hanging Despite the limitations, Nemeroff Junior Emanuel Kenyon-Ortega re- out with friends because then it messes finds that public transportation is helpsides in the Sequoia district, but mainly up the train schedule and I have to find ful to her. stays in San Francisco with his uncle, a a new train,” Nemeroff said. “The train, for me, is a really good teacher at Sequoia. Similarly, teachers who commute may tool, and public transportation is too.”
Shadow Program illuminates introductions to Sequoia life By JAY TIPIRNENI Staff Reporter Hundreds of eighth graders shadow at Sequoia every year, but some are prepared by siblings or friends. Others come with nothing. Many of the shadows that eventually attend Sequoia see a completely different setting than what they initially saw from their shadow experience the previous year. Because of Photo by Lauren Stevens this, there are new initiatives The Sequoia Shadow Program exposes perspective students to the to help give a more accurate realities of life on campus even before they choose to attend. look at Sequoia. These improvements in- experience as eye-opening and campus layout, but the shadow clude allowing students in enjoyable. Some of the classes experience can help them. “My host gave me a strong all grades to be shadow hosts they previewed as shadows are and allowing Mondays to be now classes they are taking, and idea of the campus. It helped shadow days rather than only some even attribute their shad- me in the first week of school block days. Even post-shadow ow experience as to why they when everyone else was lost,” surveys and reviews are being are able to integrate well into freshman Andres Baisch said. As for how teachers and stuimplemented for students and those classes. “I have a class that my host dents want Sequoia to be preparents to help understand had when I shadowed him. See- sented, both have similar opinwhat could be done better. “We’re always trying to im- ing the class then really helped ions. Uhalde emphasizes that prove the [shadow] program,” me get the feel of it and is prob- Sequoia should try to present itsaid Student Activity Director ably why I already know some self as a welcoming community. “I am really, really proud and Shadow Coordinator Co- of the stuff they’re teaching,” freshman Josue Sandoval said. of what we’ve built to be our rey Uhalde. An aspect of Sequoia that motto and image of Sequoia—a Many former shadows who freshmen struggle with is the place of friends.” attend Sequoia think of their
PHONES from page 1
“My hope for this is to bring awareness to the public safety issue and make sure that people are aware and just being safer. This is going to ensure that pedestrians have to look up before entering the street,” Canepa said. “When you men-
tion a fine, it goes to the top of the list of people’s priorities.” Because California does not enforce laws on a county level, this issue is not solely of the concern of San Mateo County—but the entire state. The ban is currently in the process of being proposed in Sacramento. Additionally, the state
is governed by the California Vehicle Code, so the bill cannot be implemented if it preempts state law. The long and arduous process begins with the proposed law being taken to a California Assembly member in January 2018 along with other bills, and if it passes through multiple Assembly and
Senate committees and approval, the bill will become a law in January of the following year 2019. In all, Canepa hopes for a safer environment for both pedestrians and drivers. “I want this to make people think twice. You hate to legislate common sense, but in this case, we did it.”
Wi-fi block disconnects students dent ID number is recorded, and, if it is particularly worrying, the student is called in. This is meant to keep students safe. There are some problems, though: Students “The wi-fi block allowed looking up these things for me to accidentally come school projects are occasionacross pornography, but ally flagged, as well. Though many students stopped me from looking at Pinterest for art,” senior Ellis believe the wi-fi block is controlled by the principal, the Spickermann said. Wi-fi is a centralizing force block is entirely controlled by in most students’ lives. It the District, which acts under makes sense, then, that many the guidence of Child Interstudents would be bitter net Protection Act, a law that about the district monitoring requires schools to put these and controlling what they ac- blocks in place. A prevalent misconceptions is that Snapcess on the internet. Spickermann’s experience chat was blocked because isn’t unique. While marijua- authorities didn’t want students using na-delivery it while at and more “The wi-fi block censors a school. This worryingly, K u - K l u x number of legitimate news sourc- is not true: Klan sites es, is easy to circumvent and is es- S n a p c h a t was blocked are not sentially arbitrary,” blocked, —Michael Yu, because it, certain news senior along with Instagram, sites are. which was “We try to catch everything,” said recently unblocked on school Robert Fishstrom, Director of wi-fi, was using one third of Educational Technology for the server’s bandwidth. “[The block] is annoying the Sequoia High School District. “But some things will al- because it just means we pay ways get through the firewall, more for data,” said junior [the technology used to block Tom Woodward, who logs sites], which blocks websites off the wi-fi to access sites. [containing] certain words. “They’re not stopping anyone We can also block and un- from accessing anything.” Though the wi-fi block block sites by hand, of course, but there will always be sites is intended to improve wi-fi that should be blocked that speed and protect students, we just don’t know about yet.” some still find that it has The firewall also notes problems. “The wi-fi block censors which students search ‘flagged’ terms, like weed, a number of legitimate news breast, bomb or suicide. Es- sources, is easy to circumvent sentially, whenever they are and is essentially arbitrary,” searched, the searcher’s stu- senior Michael Yu said.
By RIO POPPER and LAUREN STEVENS Copy Editor and Staff Reporter
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Opinion
October 18, 2017
Anti-social social media plagues students out onto the stage if you spent the entire time experiencing it through your Snapchat camera? Teens lose awareness for Finish your home- the world around them when work, check they are tuned into their deInstagram, vices all the time. They ignore finish eat- important things because their ing, send eyes are so focused on the tiny streaks, go screen in front of them. Travel to the beach, is marked by Snapchat geopost a cute pic. Whether or not tags and exotic experiences are we want to admit it, teens’ lives proved with a lavish Instagram revolve around social media. post. People can no longer exist Some stress about keeping their without social media. The term feed or losing their streaks, and “Pics or it didn’t happen” must almost every teen has some con- be what teens think as they film and document everything they nection to social media. When you’re at a concert experience in life. It’s as if a and you’re only focused on get- memory is not valuable enough ting pictures to post of you and to remember. “Mindfulness is lacking your friends in tube tops and flannels, then there’s a prob- when you’re looking at your lem. It stops you from living in life through a screen,” Youth Development the moment Sending a snap or a text is just C o o r d i n a because you’re more a substitute for talking to the person tor Whitney Fitzgerald focused on face-to-face. said. documentAdditionally, social media ing experiences on your phone. The memory of dancing to the creates a mask which allows music, screaming every word to students to say things that they your favorite song in the album may not say to someone’s face. is much more valuable than Not only is this a communicasome blurry videos of the peo- tion barrier, but it is a way for ple’s heads in front of you. How teens to bully other teens with will you remember that feeling less consequence and often with when the lead singer walked harsher words. Cyber bullyBy SAM BROOK Staff Reporter
ing is normally not reported because it can be as subtle as a malicious comment on a post. Because people are already trying to present their best selves online, mean-spirited comments can hurt even more. The photography based app Instagram is one of the most popular social media apps for teens in 2017. The app provides profiles highlighting the best moments of a person’s life, subsequently creating a false image of the perfect life. Many teens compare themselves to others their age with ‘Instagram-perfect’ lives who post images that make their lives look flawless, therefore making teens feel bad about themselves. This creates lower self esteem and, overall, is a bad habit for teens. In an article from the Atlantic, Jean M. Twenge said “the effect of screen activities is unmistakable: the more time teens spend looking at screens, the more likely they are to report symptoms of depression.” Another popular app is Snapchat, where teens communicate with pictures and short messages. The barrier that teens don’t see while they’re using these apps is that they are creating more and more of an inability to communicate in person with
Photo by Sam Brook
Teens typically spend nine hours a day on their devices— more than double that of the average American. people. Though the argument could be made that snapchat is better than texting, because you see the person’s face, calling and FaceTime both serve as better alternatives to snapchatting. Sending a snap or a text is just a substitute for talking to the person face-to-face. If distance is the problem, then pick up the phone instead of Instagramstalking your friend to see how their life is going. It is most likely a false image of how their life currently is. Teens also lose meaningful connections because they stop having the need for human contact. The value
Don’t let science draw you from art By SHANNON COAN Feature Editor
We live in a tech bubble. Within a quick drive are the campuses of Google, Facebook, Apple, and so many other tech giants, creating an abundance of Computer Science and engineering jobs, which seem to be the only paths anyone is considering. But living in Silicon Valley should not limit our options to only going into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Many parents in our area put pressure on their kids to go into STEM even if the student is passionate about something else. Our society places a greater emphasis on STEM and constantly makes it seem as if it’s the only viable option. When adults talk to us about college, they repeatedly use going into STEM as the example major and only mention majoring in something else as a side note. While this is fine in theory and probably really helpful to a lot of my peers, it seems as if it’s just another thing pushing the fiction that STEM is the best option. “There is a lot of societal pressure, not necessarily explicit, but there’s this attitude where people who are smarter are expected to become doc-
tors or engineers, and it’s just seen as a your clothes. The true marker of sucnormal thing,” said senior Zachary Lo, cess is pride, happiness and passion who is considering majoring in Cre- for your work. Aren’t these qualities ative Writing or Screenwriting, despite way more important than a number? excelling in higher level math classes. Now don’t get me wrong, earning Following your passion is not a stu- money and making a living wage are pid idea. In 30 years, when you’re sit- still important, but there are options ting in your office and work is no lon- for humanities and arts majors that ger new and exciting, will you still be don’t include being a struggling artist. interested in your job? Chances are, if The Hollywood depiction of anyone you followed the dough and not your who goes into the arts being miserpassion, you won’t be. able and living in a crappy apartment If you listen to any conversation isn’t true. Sure, not everyone will beabout college, I bet the majority of the come the next George Clooney or students in the group will say they in- Beyoncé, but not becoming the next tend to go into STEM. Those who even famous celebrity does not equal a life mention the posof poverty. sibility of followThe next time In our materialistic, capitalist ing their passions society, success seems to only be mea- you’re talking about in the humanities sured by the make of your car, the what you want to do are repeatedly told size of your house or the brand of in the future, don’t by their parents your clothes. demean someone or peers that they who says they want won’t succeed beto go into the hucause, in society’s mind, one’s success manities or arts—you’re not helping is defined by their paycheck. anyone. And when it’s your turn to Yes, STEM majors do tend to earn talk, don’t just say you’re going to bemore money than other majors. Ac- come an engineer or doctor because cording to a 2014 study from the you feel like that’s what’s expected United States Department of Educa- of you. Say what you’re actually intion, STEM majors make an average terested and passionate about. Never of $65,000 per year, while non-STEM apologize for who you are or what majors make an average of $49,500 per you’re interested in. year. But that shouldn’t sway anyone passionate about the arts to go for the higher paying job. In our materialistic, capitalist society, success seems to only be measured by the make of your car, the size of your house or the brand of
of intimate connections is lost because now, the words ‘I love you’ on a screen mean the same thing as someone looking you in the eyes and saying them to you. Learn how to speak a new language. Go outside and relax. Have a meaningful talk with a family member. There is so much you could do with your time that would be more memorable than commenting on a post. Real relationships are based on actual human interaction, and life’s experiences should be seen through your eyes, not a lense.
SEQUOIA HIGH SCHOOL RAVEN REPORT 2017-2018 Executive Editors Trevor Crowell Maddie Pei Zack Rosenblatt
News Editors Beatrice Bugos Benjy Jude
Managing Editor Mackenzie Clarke
Copy Editor Rio Popper
Feature Editor Shannon Coan
Sports Editor Brighid Bugos
Online Editor Aviva Futornick
Opinion Editor Nicholas Abraham Social Media Editor Madeleine Reynolds Entertainment Editor Dario McCarty Staff Reporters Soana Afu, Edward Aguayo, Sam Brook, Simon Clarke, Sarah Fazio, Taylor Gayner, Jonathan Guzman, Hannah Kloninger-Stever, Christian Pardo Villa, Ysa Punzal, Lauren Stevens, Jay Tipirneni, Sione Tuiaki, Krista Weaver Adviser Minu Dave
Send letters to the editor or requests for advertisement to ravenreport17@gmail.com Masthead by Darien Daly
Special
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Knowing new events fosters new views By BEATRICE BUGOS News Editor
Every day since fifth grade, I’ve come home to the San Francisco Chronicle to fuel my procrastination of homework. As the years go on, I’ve gotten further into the depths beyond just the first-page captions. Maybe it’s just because I’m a journalist, but I’ve come to actively search for news outlets to feed my need for staying updated on current events. However, I know for most students this isn’t the norm. Based on a Raven Report survey with 238 responses, we found 63 percent of students considered themselves to be less knowledgeable than average, after taking a short current events quiz. Although a lot expressed how they think students should be informed, as we are the next generation and will be entering the real world soon, they aren’t seeking out information to educate themselves. Sure, current events are briefly referenced or discussed in classes, but I believe students need to pay more attention to what is going on. There could be so many issues that anger you, but you don’t even know they’re happening. Do you know about all the environmental rules President Trump has repealed or is in the progress of repealing? What about
the independence referendum in Barcelona that became violent? Or the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar? How are you going to have a voice in the world if you aren’t up to date with all the events happening? According to the Education World, the benefits of knowing current events for students include having higher tests scores, becoming effective readers and improving vocabulary and comprehension. Also, most of you are going to vote soon, so you should be educated about these issues. Another statistic found through our survey is that 87 percent of students use social media for news. While this may be the best way to see all those weird Buzzfeed stories, it is not the most accurate source for learning what happened in Texas, Florida and what continues to happen in Puerto Rico. The problem with only getting one news source is you only ever get one view. Yes, journalists are supposed to be objective, but everyone has their biases which can change the information they put into an article or even a tweet. It is very important to read sources with differing views from yours so you can learn to understand the opposite sides of the argument. Understanding there is no answer to the issue that caused the event, will enrich student’s mind to be aware there is never a right answer. Like history teacher Lydia
DeVos wages war on campus sexual assault policy
What is being repealed and why are people upset?
In 2011 the Obama Administration proposed a plan on how to carry out sexual assault investigations and allegations on college campuses. A lower standard of evidence was introduced, meaning that universities had the option of using a “preponderance of evidence”—essentially, a lower standard of proof needed in deciding whether a student is guilty of sexual assault. It was intended to hold schools to a higher caliber of integrity and force fair trials, and, indirectly, further protect victims. Prior to the implementation of these ruling guidelines, many schools were continuously accused of mishandling sexual assault cases.
Cuffman has written on her wall, “Nothing is unbiased.” Sure, in a lot of classes, teachers talk about current events, yet they aren’t always talked about in depth. From my personal experience, teachers and students are mostly never on the same level of knowledge about topics, which doesn’t allow us to have enriching discussions around the event. However, most teachers only ever present their view on the event instead of presenting both sides so students can’t form their own opinions on it. This causes students to believe the only correct view is the teacher’s view instead of focusing on what they themselves believe in. Especially if most of the class agrees with the teacher, it singles out the students who don’t believe in the same view, thus making them feel out of place and not wanting to share their views again. I think if students are to read up on current events, they will be more likely to offer differing opin-
ions when current events are discussed in the classroom. When talking about current events it should be done carefully so we don’t cause homogenization of ideas. If classes brought in more stories having to do with current events, students would become more informed about the world so when they’re at a boring adult dinner party they can relate the topic on the table to what they have learned in the classroom. Teachers should be pushing their students to read up on topics that interest them whether it may be sports, politics or the latest award show. I mean, after all, knowledge is power.
Administration’ So what is the Trump Administration doing and why is it important? Amidst some bipartisan resistance to the severity of the “preponderance” ruling, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos took a strong stance on protecting students “wrongly accused” of campus sexual crimes. She made it clear that the harsh disciplinary actions, sometimes including expulsion, could devastate the life of a student who had been “failed by the system”—in other words, unfairly found guilty. Sept. 22 DeVos announced reforms to the Obama Administration’s campus sexual assault policies. Under these changes, DeVos hopes to better protect the rights of those accused of sexual crimes on college campuses. Additionally, her plans also include eliminating the requirement that campus investigations be completed in 60 days. By lengthening the statute of limitations, she hopes to eliminate hasty decisions which could be detrimental to the accused.
—Compiled by BEATRICE BUGOS, MACKENZIE CLARKE, TREVOR CROWELL, AVIVA FUTORNICK AND ZACK ROSENBLATT
Feature
5 Why is it being repealed?
The Trump administration’s decision came after a group of Republican state officials threatened to sue the administration if they did not begin taking steps to end it. Although DACA was originally largely unopposed, it changed in 2014 when Obama proposed loosening DACA’s age restrictions and a new program, Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA), which would give immigrants parents of US citizens the same protections. This would have expanded the potential pool to over 4.5 million immigrants. The implementation of DAPA was stopped in court, but arguments were drawn on where the line between DACA and DAPA is drawn.
What is the future of DACA? Congress has been given a six-month window to either find an alternative plan or the repeal becomes permanent. The window ends in March 2018. If Congress does not pass a bill protecting DACA recipients before then, many of their fates are up in the air. A recipient who is currently covered in the program, can retain their protections until they expire. Recipients whose protections expire before March had one month to renew their protections, but the government will not accept new applications. The state of California and several other left-leaning states sued the administration to try and stop their decision. If no decision is made, all 800,000 DACA recipients will once again be subject to constant uncertainty and fear.
daca repeal: facts and figures
’s Deliberations
Cartoon by Leigh Alley
Ego should not trump facts when talking politics Divisiveness and polarization have grabbed this country by the you-knowwhat. There is no middle ground, no chill and no standard. Everyone hates half the country. The west is out of touch with the south, the south is out of touch with the east and the east is out of touch with the north. Under no circumstances should disagreement over sociopolitical issues make one group of people want to spray pepper spray into another group’s eyes or drive them over with a vehicle. This country that we all have the pleasure of living in is inextricably linked to the ideals of embracing our differences—religious, social, political and otherwise. It is quite saddening to see this very same country be torn apart by these differences. But why do we allow ourselves to become victims to such a depressing fate? No one is forcing us to act and think this way. No one is forcing us to hate our neighbors because their political affiliation differs from our own. No one is forcing us to write off half of
the population as ignorant, uneducated cated and have quality ideas is one thing, or misinformed. but to effectively and eloquently commuKicking those who don’t agree with us nicate those ideas is another. to the curb and refusing to acknowledge This is where you come in, and the enthat there are other sides to the story is a tire country is depending on you to do dangerous game to play. Doing so only your part. It all starts with the amount perpetuates the intolerable issue of poor of effort that you are willing to put in to communication between opposing sides educate and inform yourself. Read the in this country and will inflict nothing news from sources with different stances but more damage in the long run. on certain issues, talk with people who Not only should disagree with you differing views and and be willing to This is no longer about being a opinions be encouraccept that your Republican or a Democrat; this is aged, they are vital beliefs may change to the survival of about being a part of the solution as a result of these our country. If our or a part of the problem. conversations. overarching goal is Above all, keep progress, then lookan open mind. An ing at an issue through a single lens and open mind is one willing to listen, to see refusing to acknowledge the existence of where others are coming from and then other ideas and policies is both counter- form an appropriate response either in intuitive and ineffective. agreement or in opposition. Whether or But embracing our differing views is not you like what someone else has to say, only the first step. With differing views you must acknowledge their 1st Amendcomes paramount importance the need ment rights that allow them to say what for civil, educated discourse surrounding they do, just as they must support your those disagreed-upon views. To be edu- 1st Amendment rights to disagree with
their point of view. The time has come to swallow our pride and make a decision for the betterment of the entire country. It’s time to leave our political preferences, our biases and our preconceived notions at the door for good. Just as we made these conscious decisions to push away those who differ from us, it is now time to make the conscious decision to once again embrace our differences and come together as a strong and unified nation. This is no longer about being a Republican or a Democrat; this is about being a part of the solution or a part of the problem. Do yourself and everyone else a favor: forget your political affiliation, sit down and discuss the issues in an educated and civil manner. It only takes one conversation to bring about an infinite amount of positive change. The sort of change that this country needs. The sort of change that will make America great.
—Raven Report Editorial Board
6
Opinion
Movie Review:
October 18, 2017
The Bad:
Just under three decades ago, moviegoers across the country were instilled with clown phobia after enduring the visceral 1990’s original adaptation of Stephen King’s novel “It”. Just as the original’s initial horror and suspense is giving way to cheesiness due to the adverse effects of time, a new revival of Stephen King’s novel has hit movie theatres across the country, giving this generation a healthy fear of murderous men with red noses. After seeing the movie, here are my thoughts.
The Good:
Bill Skarsgård’s performance as Pennywise the Dancing Clown is perfect to a T. It’s the small details that secure this as one of the greatest horror movie performances in recent memory. From the foreboding drool dripping from Skarsgård’s mouth to the haunting vocal performance and the inauspicious line delivery, all the details come together to create an incredibly insidious creature. Skarsgård’s performance makes something quite ridiculous feel real, and he will make you fear it. Literally. “It” is a horror movie, make no mistake, but it is genuinely funny—enough so that you might find the laughs more enjoyable than the scares. The R-rated movie received works in it’s favor in this case, allowing the writers to cram as many asinine and offensive (but hilarious) moments that are truly representative of the potty-mouthed humor indigenous to teenage boys. Much of this is thanks to the roles of Finn Wolfhard as the crude loudmouth Richie Tozier, and Jack Grazer as the hilarious germaphobe Eddie Kaspbrak. The movie offers a kid’s-eye view of the entire story, and truly taps into the primitive and raw fear that we know so well from our childhood. “It” is a story about the unadulterated childhood horror that our parents so often dismissed without thought. The movie begs the questions: What if we weren’t just imagining things? What if there really was a monster under the bed at night? Or in our closet? The only thing to fear is fear itself, and that’s what’s terrifying about the it.
A horror movie about a clown who can shapeshift and move through sewer systems requires a certain level of suspense in order to be successful and truly instill fear in the viewer. There are certain moments in the movie that take you out of the moment—whether it be so ridiculous it’s funny or that it simply doesn’t make sense. For instance, towards the end of the movie, the clown launches into a jubilant jig that will probably leave you laughing and hoping that the movie makers didn’t actually think that was going to scare you. The majority of the scares all occur in such rapid succession in the middle of the movie, as all the characters encounter Pennywise for the first time individually. Each scare becomes a bit cheaper with each successive appearance of Pennywise, and by the fifth or sixth time in 15 minutes, it starts to get a little bit old. This movie could have definitely benefited from some proper pacing. The movie relies too much on a garden variety of jumpscares. The ever looming threat of Pennywise on his own should be enough to instill suspense and blind terror in the audience. There is no need to utilize the gimmick jumpscares that the other dime-a-dozen horror flicks use as a crutch to scare their audience.
Conclusion:
“It” has been smashing the box offices with a $50 million opening weekend and it’s for a good reason. If you’re looking for an incredibly nuanced display of layered cinema, this movie is not for you. But, if you’re looking for an expeditious, adrenaline pumping delineation of pure and unadulterated horror, look no further. The movie has a small assortment of nagging issues which I wouldn’t say detract from the overall experience.
—Compiled by DARIO McCARTY, Entertainment Editor
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7
Opinion/Sports
October 18, 2017
Benefits of music reach far outside the band room By TAYLOR GAYNER
Staff Reporter It isn’t a coincidence that the violin player in your math class understood the quadratic formula before anyone else did. Recent studies from Northwestern University show student musicians are more likely to learn and perform better in school due to their musical training. When I started sixth grade and was new to the flute in the school band, I couldn’t think about anything else except the upcoming Winter Concert. All of my focus was on practicing the songs over and over again until I could play them while spinning in circles with my eyes closed. The feelings I were left with after the concert were enough for me to know that music was my passion, and it gave me a new way to look at everyday tasks. For example, while studying for an English test the week after, I realized I could prepare the same way I had prepared for the concert, and knew I would succeed. There are many benefits to studying music—one of the biggest ones is the way that music and other school subjects impact one another. Senior Grayson Haaga has played percussion since he was in fifth grade and is currently taking Calculus and IB English at Sequoia.
Photo by Soana Afu
Students in Daniel Broome’s seventh-period Orchestra class will apply the skills learned there to the sciences and the humanities. “[When] playing percussion and and music students across the globe to drums, it’s a lot about the multi-tasking spot number and counting patterns within going on; you’re thinking about several math. Every piece of music has a differdifferent aspects of muent count, which is sic,” Haaga said. “Be“Practicing a part in music over essentially a different ing able to think about and over again is like when I have division of time. One several things at once to study, and I do word problems must be able to underis useful when you’re over and over again until I get it stand and count the writing and when you song’s set time to be right,” are trying to think how able to play it. —Marco Pretell, this sentence [is] going “The greatest scienjunior to fit in the larger pictists are artists as well,” ture of this paragraph in scientist and violinist the larger picture of this essay.’ Same thing Albert Einstein said. He would refer to with math: you have to think about differ- his music when he was troubled by his scient ways to get from point A to point B.” ences. Practicing and figuring out the rhythms “Music helps him when he is thinking and beats in music pieces has helped me about his theories. He goes to his study,
comes back, strikes a few chords on violin or piano, jots something down, and returns to his study,” said Einstein’s second wife Elsa to National Geographic. Junior Marco Pretell has played the oboe since sixth grade and is now part of the Peninsula Youth Orchestra. Pretell has formulated some of his study habits through learning music. “Practicing a part in music over and over again is like when I have to study, and I do word problems over and over again until I get it right,” he said. TheHumanist.com conducted a 10year study that tracked over 25,000 students ending in 2015 and concluded that those involved in music programs scored higher on standardized tests than those without musical education. The study showed an increase in percent from music students in the math and verbal portions of the SAT. Musical students around the world are showing a much bigger improvement because of the critical thinking, creativity and counting skills music teaches. Music and IB English teacher Jane Woodman began playing piano and saxophone in fourth grade. “The type of work you put into getting better at an instrument is the same type of work and discipline you can put into studying and breaking your work down into small parts,” Woodman said. Now is the time to pick up an instrument because music has more of an impact on you and your life than what is seen just in the band room.
Ravens leave the nest, flock to alternative sports What are the first sports that come to your mind? Is it football, basketball or baseball? Part one of this two part installment highlights a few students and teachers who prove there are sports beyond the ones offered at Sequoia.
Gymnastics:
“I wanted to do a cartwheel,” freshman Myles Bryant said. “Also I saw it on the Olympic[s] and I was like ‘wow that’s really cool I want to do that.’” As a late starter, Bryant began gymnastics at nine and a half, in comparison to most people who start around age five. He doesn’t mind that gymnastics isn’t offered at Sequoia, as he has three hours of practice, six days a week, which already fill up his schedule. Every year he participates in seven competitions that include the events: parallel bars, high bar, vault, floor, rings, and pommel horse. “[Gymnastics] is a challenge,” Bryant said. “It’s not just a girls sport.”
—Compiled by BRIGHID BUGOS and KRISTA WEAVER Hiking:
“I realized I was just bored of being at home and doing nothing,” senior Cailey Horan said. “I live really close to Eaton Park so that [has] made it sort of convenient to go out and hike.” Horan frequents the trails about three times a week with her mom and her friend. Recently she has joined Sequoia’s hiking club in hopes to go with other students and encourage hikers to leave no trace. You can find her at Eaton Park, Wunderlich Park, and Pulgas Water Temple. “[Hiking] makes you more aware of yourself and your thoughts. I think often people don’t give themselves time to think,” Horan said. “It’s just ‘I finished my homework, let me watch Youtube or go talk to somebody,’ you never actually sit with your own thoughts.”
Photo Courtesy of Mac Rienhoff
Fishing:
“[When I was four or five] my dad took me out to a pond, and I caught my first fish; it was just so exciting,” junior Mac Rienhoff said. “I think [fishing is] nice because I get to be by myself in really beautiful places.” Rienhoff is starting a club at Sequoia, where a group would learn the basics of fishing and go out on the weekends. The fisherman has caught a seven-foot shark and hopes to catch a tarpin in Florida. You can catch him fishing in Sacremento, San Francisco and anywhere else there are fish. He won a world record in 2016 for catching a black and yellow rockfish. “By the time I’m 20, the goal is to have 10 world records.”
Photo Courtesy of Cailey Horan
Photo Courtesy of Ashley Gray
Surfing:
“I’ve always had a deep affinity for the ocean and all of its creatures,” History teacher Ashley Gray said. “It seemed inevitable that I would be in there and start surfing. I just love the mental freedom that surfing provides.” Sitting in his classroom decorated with posters of ocean creatures, Gray, a self-identified board sport athlete, said he hits the waves almost every Friday afternoon and Sunday morning with his teacher friends. The recreational surfer began in 2003 and frequents beaches in San Mateo County, Santa Cruz, Mexico, Hawaii and is looking forward to Nicaragua. “It’s a terrific and tremendous opportunity to kinda get away from everything, because the ocean is so dynamic. When you’re out on the water, you have to be so present and it’s just a really cool, almost spiritual place to be,” Gray said. “As somebody who’s not religious, that’s as close to religiosity as I think I would get.”
8
Special Feature
October 18, 2017 –Compiled by Nicholas Abraham and Benjy Jude
The Rohingya Crisis in Myanmar:
Genocide is not a remnant of the past The History
Sources: Al Jazeera, BBC, PBS, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal
The State of the Genocide
Multiple governments and international groups say the Rohingya people are facing a genocide. They’re a majority-Islamic ethnic group predomThe militant Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army inantly living in the Rakhine state in Buddhist-ma- (ARSA) formed four years ago as an attempt at a jority Myanmar (previously called Burma) Rohingyan resistance and made a deadly atand throughout Southern Asia, and tack on Myanmar’s security forces Aug. The have been subject to frequent discrim25 of this year. That led to the newest Human Rights ination. Ruled by Burmese and Eumilitary crackdown on the RohingWatch claimed on ropean colonialists since the 1700s, ya population, intense harassment Sept. 25 that crimes the Rohingya have left and returned and the evacuation of half a milagainst humanity to Burma. A 1972 law revoked their lion refugees to camps in neighborhave been comcitizenship, rendering them stateless. ing Muslim Bangladesh. The United mited. Since then, allegations of forced labor, Nations (UN) Human Rights Chief rape and abuse on account of religion have has called this a “textbook case of ethnic driven violence between the Rohingya and the cleansing,” or the elimination of an ethnic or reliBurmese military. The newest conflict seems to be gious group from an area. Over 200 villages have reaching a tipping point, despite international praise been burned behind the fleeing people and the Roof success of democracy in recent years. hingya claim that the increased brutality and religious persecution comes not only from the military and police, but also from their Buddhist neighbors.
The Exodus
The Stories
Bhutan China India Myanmar Bangladesh
Vietnam Laos
The Rakhine State has Thailand
been occupied by the
Rohingya since it was known as the Arakan Kingdom. It hasn’t been autonomous since, and is occupied by Buddhists and Muslims.
Cambodia
The Leader and her History
Aung San Suu Kyi, the daughter of one of the founding fathers of Myanmar, won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1991 “for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights” in her country. She was infamously put under house arrest in 1989 and remained there for 15 years in the 21year span from then to her celebrated release in 2010. The 1990 election was the last that her anti-military party won, despite not being allowed to govern. In 2015 her party won around 80 percent of the vote, and hence a supermajority to rule the parliament, and has led with a military dictatorship in what was supposedly a victory for democracy.
If you visit the websites of the Human Rights Accounts of arsony, gang-rape and infanticide Watch, the UN, Amnesty International and more have been reported throughout the media, from international bodies and organizations aimed at alleinterviews with the refugees. The New York Times viating humanitarian crises and human rights violareported that “soldiers clubbed [a woman] in the tions, you will be peppered with an array of articles and statements discussing the Rohingya crisis. If face, tore her screaming child out of her arms you go to museums and study history, you and hurled him into a fire. She was then will know of the genocide of the Armedragged into a house and gang-raped.” Alnians, Jews and Rwandan Tutsis. If Al Jezeera reported that “the village though it’s you consider yourself an activist, or men and...some boys were beatdifficult to be sure, one who cares about human rights, en, then told to run. Some made the UN estimates 1000- and you weren’t aware of the recent it, others didn’t. [One Rohing5000 have been killed Darfur cleansing in Sudan or of this ya man] was lucky. A bullet only Burmese cleansing, the least you grazed his right shoulder. He could by the military. can do to reclaim your identity is to still walk.” TIME Magazine reportspread the word. ed that “flames engulfed [a woman’s] Let the first step be reading this article. home, she just about managed to escape Let the next step be reading even more. From there, with her six children...when the family was confronted by a Burmese soldier. He snatched the flee- talk about it: tell your friends, your family, your ing 8-year-old, separating him from his brother and loved ones, even your friends and family you don’t consider loved ones. Tell them to donate money and sisters, and flung him into the blaze.” These are just three of the countless stories unique time. Tell them to tell people. And practice what you to every Rohingya, with shared themes between preach. Most importantly: never forget that “Never them. Again” means to do all you can to stop these tragedies at their root causes. This means standing up to injustice wherever and whenever you can. Genocides and mass killings like these don’t just happen spontaneously: they start with small instances of bigotry and hatred that amplify themselves to irreversible damage to the human race. And we musn’t let that persist.
The newest UN estimate of the number of fleeing Rohingyas is around 519,000. Because of inadequate conditions—including lack of space, food, supplies, clean water and healthcare for women, the elderly and the he tatements and the esponse ill—the Bangladeshi Prime Minister said they would move the 800,000 total refugees into Of The government repeatedly denies any wrongdoing in dealing with the Rohingone large camp. The trek to Bangladesh the 1.1 million ya crisis and are steadfast in their statements, despite reports contradicting them. is no better than the arrival; the refugees Suu Kyi, behind a stoic demeanor, has been relatively quiet on the subject unRohingya who live either go by foot and risk attack, or by til her Sept. 19 speech at the UN General Assembly. She has invited countries and in Myanmar, 47 boat and risk drowning, as at least 60 international organizations into Rakhine State to examine the alleged genocide. percent fled. already did on Sept. 28. Conditions in Suu Kyi’s actions and words have received immense international criticism by fellow Nothe refugee camps are not healthy either. bel Peace laureates and human rights groups. Some have even called for the revocation of her The Bangladeshi Prime Minister, among othNobel Peace Prize, although there is no process for that to happen, nor likelihood. The United ers, called upon the international community for aid. Kingdom has rescinded their funding of the Burmese Military in light of the recent allegations against them.
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The Lesson we must Learn
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