Issuu

By Sasha Efimchik and David Raymond

By Caroline Sieling and Reese Silva

DEAR Raven Report...

Dear Raven Report,

I am writing in reference to the Raven Report overall. See, I think it’s cool Sequoia has a newsmagazine, but I feel that there’s no realism in the articles. Too much praise. Too many recycled topics. Too much filler. It doesn’t highlight our whole school. It’s supposed to give students a voice, but I believe the only voices we hear are of the typical popular kid at Sequoia. ASB, dance, sports. Not the everyday student. For that reason, most people don’t care. I suggest covering interesting topics people may not know about, something fresh.

Sincerely,

Luis Rodriguez

Dear Luis,

Thank you for your thoughtful feedback.

The goal of the Raven Report is to cover diverse topics, representing groups, grades and ethnic backgrounds as best as we can. Our staff reporters select article topics that interest them and they strive for articles that will engage the entire student body. For each issue cycle, we work diligently to produce and write articles that show diversity and inclusion. However, one of our biggest challenges is getting interviews on sensitive topics, as many students don’t feel comfortable sharing their names or experiences with all of our readers. Because of this, we haven’t been able to cover all of the stories that we think should be told.

We would love your feedback on how topics that you think we should include in the Raven Report. Please send us an email with article ideas at ravenreportseq@gmail.com.

Additionally, if you would like to help the Raven Report come up with stories ideas, please come to a meeting in room 237 during flex on March 6th.

Sincerely,

The Raven Report Editorial Board

Layout design by Cameron Reynolds

After every publication, we send out a reader survey, asking for feedback on what articles you enjoyed, and more importantly, what articles you would like to see featured in upcoming issues. Below are the responses we recieved from the January reader survey.

We would love to know your thoughts. Please consider taking a minute to fill out the survey that will come to your inbox in early March.

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

After looking at the past through our childhood nostalgia in our last issue, we thought that we should also look toward our future. In this issue cycle we considered sophomores’ IB futures, people’s preparation for a future doomsday, and upcoming games. We also chose this theme because of the future’s uncertainty, which is more prevalent now than ever after our new administration. Our editorial board comments on the new policies and executive orders in our editorial.

We also feel the need to mention that upon encountering monetary issues, we made the difficult decision to downgrade to a lower quality paper so that we are able to print the number of times we want to. This makes our advertisers even more important, and

we’d like to extend a big thank you to them.

As always, the magazine wouldn’t be possible without the diligent work of our hardworking reporters. Without further ado, we present the third issue of the Raven Report.

Sasha Efimchik

David Raymond

ABOUT

THE RAVEN REPORT IS A SEQUOIA High School student publication produced in the journalism class through the efforts and decisions of the staff and the publication’s editors and advisor. The Raven Report is a public forum for students, staff, and community.

THE RAVEN REPORT STRIVES TO provide Sequoia High School with informative, engaging and relevant news. The staff will exercise integrity and accountability while promoting justice and transparency through professional reporting about our school, community and the world.

CONTACT

THE RAVEN REPORT STAFF welcomes signed letters to the editor so that readers might share in the opportunities of the scholastic free press in open forum. The written views of students, parents or community members must be responsible, in good taste and free from libel, slander or obscenity. Letters may be edited for grammar or content if necessary; furthermore, editors will not guarantee that letters will be published.

The Raven Report staff welcomes signed letters to the editor so that readers might share in the opportunities of the scholastic free press in open forum. The written views of students, parents or community members must be responsible, in good taste and free from libel, slander or obscenity. Letters may be edited for grammar or content if necessary; furthermore, editors will not guarantee that letters will be published.

1201 BREWSTER AVE. REDWOOD CITY, CA 94062

WWW.RAVENREPORT.ORG

RAVENREPORTSEQ@GMAIL.COM

RAVEN REPORT // 24-25

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Sasha Efimchik

David Raymond

FEATURE EDITORS

Reese Silva

Cameron Reynolds

A&E EDITOR

Priya Ansnes

COPY EDITORS

Sarina Sanghvi

Change

Raymond

Chang

Lucie Archambault

Matteo Aala

Yamir Benitez-Ventura

Victor Bravo Vasquez

Noah Chevillet

Maeva Guillaume

Marlene Lopez

Isabelle Padilla

Mia Ramirez Garcia

Michelle Recinos-Pare -

des

Angelique Silva Lucero

Yuliana Soto Lopez

Conor Villaroman

Alexander Corpus

Sofia Ferrante

Daisy Torres Arroyo

Johnny Lehman

Maren Ocken

Mary Diepenbrock

BODY ART

BY YULIANA SOTO Staff Reporter

For most people, the teenage years represent a new chapter in their lives. Because of this, people tend to find themselves longing for a change in their appearance to represent growth. Piercings show a path for self-discovery and hold different meanings for many people.

“When I got my septum piercing, I was in ninth grade, and I was just trying to figure out who I wanted to be and where I wanted to fit in. It made me feel more comfortable with myself having something that was different from other people,” senior Cassidy Watson said.

As said before, people who get piercings usually hold a story behind them, though many people get them just for their aesthetic as well, often inspired by others.

“I just think they look really cool. I’ve always wanted piercings ever since I was 14. It’s also just people online showing their own cool piercings that inspired me to get my snake bites.” senior Habib Parduhn said.

For a first-time piercing, the most recommended one is the septum piercing, as it’s the least painful and leaves no visible scarring. A septum piercing is a piercing that goes through the center of your nose’s cartilage that separates the nostrils.

“For first-time people, I recommend a septum because there’s no visible scarring, I’d also say for beginners and for people who want something new, a septum is good,” Parduhn said.

Teenagers with facial piercings often feel like they’re being judged by adults because their appearance can be seen as unconventional or rebellious. Many adults may view piercings as a sign of nonconformity, which can lead to negative assumptions about the teen’s character or behavior.

“After the fact that I’ve been around adults, I feel like they are treating me weird and giving me really weird looks. And so I wonder if it’s because of my piercing because I never noticed it at the moment that they’re looking at my nose.” Watson said.

Other ways students like to express themselves are through tattoos. For most people, tattoos are more extreme and permanent so they tend to hold deeper meanings for people than piercings do.

Cassidy Watson, senior

“

I just think they look really cool. I’ve always wanted piercings ever since I was 14.

Habib Parduhn, senior

“I’m planning on getting a dragonfly tattoo to match some of my family members and also a butterfly to represent change because I’ll be 18 and it’ll represent a new period of my life,” Watson said.

Piercings and tattoos serve as a powerful form of self-expression, especially during teenage years.Whether inspired by a desire for change, a connection to personal meaning, or simply for its aesthetic, body modifications like these allow people to express their journey to their identity.

As teenagers process self-discovery, choices like piercings and tattoos offer them a way to reflect and celebrate who they are and who they are becoming. Ultimately, whether it’s a simple septum piercing or a symbolic tattoo, these forms of expression hold personal meaning, marking important milestones in their lives.

Habib Parduhn, senior

Art Bias youth mentorship program

BY ANGELIQUE SILVA Staff Reporter

interest and dedication, according to Niño-Sears.

Nestled in San Carlos,Art Bias stands as a beacon for artists seeking to advance their careers within a supportive and diverse community. Art Bias values inclusiveness, creativity, exploration and multiculturalism, according to Art Bias Executive Director Terra Fuller.

With 50 art studios available for rent, the space caters to both beginner and intermediate artists, offering a collaborative atmosphere where creativity can flourish. However, the community extends beyond just studio space, providing shared art tools and fostering a culture of exploration. One of its notable programs is a Youth Mentorship initiative, where students are encouraged to explore their artistic potential without rigid guidelines.

“We not only explore new techniques and mediums they haven’t tried before, but we also introduce students to various artists, their backgrounds, skills, and experiences,” leading mentor artist Yucali Seki said.

Sequoia student, Lex Lopez, mentions that the program offers students a chance to learn art techniques by holding a mandatory art session each week.

“One of the most fun projects was working with wool,” Lopez said. “We had various colors and textures. I created a landscape with bushes, clouds, and a bright blue sky. It was amazing to feel the wool and watch my piece come together.”

Additionally, Art Bias collaborates with Sequoia’s IB Coordinator Elisa Niño-Sears to select students for the program. They are identified in their beginning art classes as promising individuals who demonstrate curiosity,

The selection process involves art teachers nominating students who show a strong commitment to the yearlong program. Preference is given to those who have not participated in external art activities in recent years, ensuring opportunities for students who might not otherwise have access to such resources, according to Mrs. da Costa Pinto and Ms. Waters who encourage students to join the program.

In addition to our own Sequoia teachers, Fuller also pushes for people to participate in Art Bias as exploring creative outlets such as art, music, writing and crafting can greatly impact a person’s life. She expresses that opening creative pathways of the brain at a young age can have immense positive effects. Our teachers and Fuller share the same reason for creating the

We not only explore new techniques and mediums they havent tried before, but we also introduce students to various artists, their backgrounds, skills and experiences.

Yucali Seki, Artist leading mentor

program itself.

“Some of the Sequoia art teachers and I wanted to make a program we wish we had as students--to work directly with professional artists across a variety of less common mediums, to be provided introductions and welcome to artist studios,” she said.

Overall, Art Bias’s initiatives highlight its mission to empower emerging

artists, providing them with the tools and mentorship needed to explore and grow their artistic talents in a welcoming and inspiring environment. As a long-term goal, Fuller wishes to implement more programs with a desire for community outreach, fundraising, marketing and sharing invitations, all with the hope of demonstrating art’s positive impact on society.

Art Bias youth mentorship workshop

Art from students in Art Bias

Stepping up to IB

Advice for those transitioning from mainstream to IB

BY CAROLINE SIELING & REESE SILVA News Editor & Feature Editor

Most Sequoia students start with IB classes in their junior year and some transition from a schedule of entirely

communication with teachers the IB curriculum is prepared for that first panic.

Although tenth grade classes are made to prepare students for the IB workload they tend to move at a slowand you’re figuring out how to learn it. The downside is that you have to be patient with yourself.”

How Sequoia is addressing rising student absence

BY DAVID RAYMOND & MARLENE LOPEZ Editor in Chief & Staff Reporter

According to the American Enterprise Institute, chronic absenteeism nationwide has risen from 12 percent before the COVID-19 pandemic to 30% following the pandemic.

This nationwide trend of increased truancy has affected Sequoia directly. Sequoia Union High School District defines truancy as a student who is absent or tardy for more than 30 minutes on three separate days in a school year without a valid excuse. One hypothesis for the increase in truancy is that students got used to working from home and not having to come to school because of the online classes during quarantine.

to make sure to welcome them back and let them know that the reality is different,” attendance officer Gerardo Moreno said.

Moreno is the district’s bilingual community liaison, responsible for managing student absences and providing resources to support students.

[Students] might be struggling with food, money, bills, a place to live. We can help them find all sorts of [those] things.

Gary Gooch, AVP

“[Students] went to school because it was expected and then all of a sudden COVID came along, and it’s like, oh, you don’t need to go to school.You can do this at home,” Administrative Vice-Principal Gary Gooch said.

The pandemic disrupted routines and caused mental health issues for many students. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 37% of high school students reported they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. As students return back to school, staff has played a crucial role in easing the transition back to in person learning.

“After the pandemic, there’s a lot of mental health issues that came up, and people have been affected. It’s my job

This includes reaching out to teachers, counselors, and the TRC, as well as assisting students who lack basic necessities. The goal of Moreno’s work is to promote attendance and support students academically. However, achieving perfect attendance is not always possible. For example, some students struggle to attend school due to long commutes to Sequoia.

“One of the reasons [I don’t show up every day], is I live so far away from school, in the East Bay. So I have to come over here, wake up early, and then just have a lot of traffic, so it’s just so difficult to come,” senior Yovani Cruz said.

Absenteeism can have effects on students’ academic performance. Students who frequently miss class miss key instructional time and assignments. The consequences of this can be detrimental.

“If a kid doesn’t show up a lot, they usually end up failing the class,” math teacher Fidel Mora said.

Sequoia attempts to resolve the issue of absenteeism using a MultiTiered Systems of Support (MTSS) which has three levels of intervention ranging from universal and noninvasive measures, to specific direct measures.

The first level encourages attendance by creating a fun and welcoming campus by having events at lunch, rallies, football games and clubs.

The second level occurs when Sequoia recognizes a student’s frequent absences and schedules a meeting with the student. Administration seeks to understand the reason for students’ truancy. Whether that’s because there’s a struggle in an academic class or troubles at home, they want to provide support.

“They might be struggling with food, money, bills, a place to live, we can help them find all sorts of [those] things,” Gooch said.

The last level is the most severe. If a student continues to display chronic truism after meeting with school admin, Sequoia will call the student’s parents and mail a letter. The information attached states that if the student doesn’t show up to school, the student’s guardians are actively breaking the law.

If the student is continuously not present in school then the problem reaches a serious legal level. At this point, the County of San Mateo Student Attendance Review Board is given the authority to intervene legally to hopefully address the truancy. Overall truancy has a multitude of causes and presents itself in different levels of severity. School administrators use different methods to attempt to not only address the truancy, but also support students academically and personally. Even with this effort, truancy has continued to be an issue, likely due to larger factors such as mental health or students’ personal struggles.

cal divide, natural disasters, wars and risk of nuclear war - all plague the lives of humanity. After the devastation of the 2020 Covid pandemic, many believed the worst was behind us. Unfortunately, the next five years brought more fear and uncertainty as violent crimes increased by 3.3 percent. More recently, the devastation of the California wildfires has left tens of thousands of people without homes. Additionally, global warming is causing an increase of natural disasters with record-breaking temperatures contributing to wildfires, droughts and high winds that cause destructive hurricanes and tornadoes.

With many taking the current state of the world into account, the idea of disaster readiness has begun to resemble the Cold War era of fallout foods and bunkers. While the majority of Americans cannot afford an underground bunker costing thousands, the top 1 percent have begun purchasing these bomb-proof bunkers. Is this a luxury or a necessity considering the current state of the world? If you had the money, would you buy an underground bunker, completely prepared for the worst natural or man-made disasters? Is this paranoid behavior or logical in such times of uncertainty?

dents worry about the possibility of wars, climate change, disease and other disasters leading to the downfall of humanity, far less, 31.6 percent of students have a prepared go-bag in case of emergencies. Similarly, 85 percent of students responded they would invest in an underground bunker if they had the money.

This data reveals our fear of the world’s end, yet our inaction in ensuring our survival. Furthermore, some believe a simple go-bag is not enough in the event of disaster and spend their life savings on the ultimate survival plan; an underground bunker supplied to last for decades.

“I think it’s important, because you never know when a disaster can occur, and you need a safe place to take shelter,” sophomore Naomi Avalo said. In contrast, some students are skeptical of the need for such extreme survival prep.

“I’m sure they’re very useful if the time ever came for [it], but I think the set of examples of when you would need an underground survival bunker are pretty limited,” senior Justin Schernig said.

The actual protection these bunkers provide varies depending on how much one is willing to spend. For short

term protection, underground bunkers at least 20 feet below can provide shielding from earthquakes with their reinforced structures and even sustain a volcanic eruption for up to three

However, in the event of a nuclear explosion the bunker should be 30-40 feet underground, or more if possible. Due to radiation and aftermaths of such bombings, a two week minimum supply of food and water should be stored in the bunker.

These motifications can rack up millions of dollars, making them virtually impossible for the average American to purchase. A regular underground bunker costs anywhere between $200,000 to $400,000. The ultimate luxury version includes custom kitchens, full plumbing, a greenhouse for renewable food sources, temperature regulation, and even a bowling alley and pool, all resembling a real home, with costs reaching up to $9 million. With concern of catastrophe on the rise, various governments developed underground safe havens for government officials.

Beneath the West Virginia wing of the GreenBrier resort lies a nuclear fallout bunker originally constructed to shelter 535 members of Congress. Built during the Cold War’s atomic scare, the government rushed for ways to preserve its officials. This bunker is one of few publicly known government shelters, highlighting the ‘me-first’ mentality of the rich and powerful.

In brief, the possibility of world disaster is a justified fear many Americans and Sequoia students share. While an overwhelming number of students express interest in investing in underground bunkers, few have an emergency go-bag. Unfortunately, the government has not extended the same underground protections to citizens as they have for themselves. For the vast majority who do not have millions to spend on a survival bunker, preparing a go-bag with clothes, shoes, food, flashlights, and important documents is a practical step.

Art by Isabelle Padilla

We stand together

BY SASHA EFIMCHIK & DAVID RAYMOND Editors-in-Chief

On Jan. 21, 2025, the Trump administration removed internal limitations on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) put in place under the Obama administration. The new guidance allows and even encourages ICE to target sensitive areas, such as schools and churches, to locate, remove and arrest those to whom the federal government refers as “criminal aliens.”

“This action empowers the brave men and women in [...] ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens—including murderers and rapists—who have illegally come into our country. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said.

Since the policy change, students, teachers and others at Sequoia have been at risk of being raided and detained by ICE on suspicion of being undocumented criminals. Fortunately, in spite of the new guidelines, schools are still afforded some protection. For example, ICE agents are not allowed to enter private areas like classrooms. Schools in the Sequoia Union High School District are under agreement that if ICE comes to a school, teachers are to direct ICE to the principal’s office.

Still, the policy change has sparked fear within the student community at Sequoia. Instagram stories featuring suspected ICE sightings in Redwood City have proliferated since the announcement.

“Many immigrants live on edge, and certainly undocumented people are always scared. Social media news headlines that [say ‘we] are coming for you’ [...] make people really scared and paranoid,” Jane Slater, English Language Development (ELD) teacher and Dream Club advisor, said.

These sweeping and jarring executive actions are not merely incoherent or cruel policies. They are designed to create fear and chaos in the enemy, a tactic referred to by political commentators and as “shock and awe.”

The recent policy shift also serves to dehumanize individuals in our community. The intentional classification of a part of the population as “aliens” or “criminals” based on their immigration status serves to stoke division and hatred, as does the conflation of immigrants with organized violent crime.

“

We’re stronger together. Keep informed, and don’t spread fear and rumors.

Megan Gosch, overseer of Immigrant Services at the office of San Mateo County

During his presidential campaign announcement speech on June 16, 2015, President Trump stated, “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. [...] They’re sending people that have lots of problems. [...] They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.”

In this quote Trump classifies immigrants, particularly from Mexico, as criminals and dangerous, attempting to sow fear about immigrants and to creative division in our communities.

Ten years later, Trump is in office again and is doubling down on this rhetoric with official directives and policy changes. Incidentally, neither then nor now has there been any evidence to substantiate the administration’s assertions that undocumented immigrants are disproportionately responsible for crime in the United States. On the contrary, multiple studies indicate that

immigrants, including undocumented immigrants, tend to have lower crime rates than native-born citizens. For example, research by the National Academy of Sciences has shown that both violent and property crime rates are generally lower among immigrant populations.

This overall culture of dehumanization is appalling to see.

“Everybody is human, everybody’s trying their best, and every family wants what’s best for their kids. That’s the same, no matter who you are, in our society, and certainly in this school,” Slater said.

The Raven Report Editorial Board condemns the executive policy shift and sees places of education as sites that should not be targeted by immigration enforcement. As a community, we need to band together, not letting fear paralyze us into inactivity, not letting this narrative destroy our communities and our humanity.

“We’re stronger together. Keep informed, and don’t spread fear and rumors,” Megan Gosch, a management analyst with the Office of Community Affairs and overseer of Immigrant Services at the office of San Mateo County, said.

Many undocumented students, or students who are directly affected by this policy by way of familial or fraternal relations face added pressures as a result of executive actions. Recognizing the detrimental effects on members of our community and offering support when helpful is paramount.

The district-wide student walkout on Feb. 6, 2025 was an important demonstration of unity and love at this time of spreading chaos and hate. On that day, students from high schools across the

Peninsula gathered in downtown Redwood City to show support and solidarity for undocumented individuals.

“[This walkout] means everything. We’re supporting immigrant families, my parents, [and] representing every Hispanic out there,” senior Christian Mendoza, an attendant of the walkout, said.

Students and community members can find information regarding their rights from San Mateo Resources, school officials and reputable 501(c)(3) organizations while

staying mindful to avoid fear-mongering on social media and through word of mouth.

Photo by Christine Chang

Edited by Sasha Efimchik

SHS club spotlight

BY SOFIA FERRANTE Staff Reporter

Astronomy Club

Astronomy Club, photo by

President: Kennedy Silva 817450@seq.org

Right now, we are trying to do something for Earth Day. We are organizing a composting competition between us and Carlmont and maybe some other high schools.”

Junior Ava Curry, president of Climate Club

Students in Climate Club are passionate for the environment and do many exciting activities that help care for it. Members can cooporate with Carlmont’s green team, an environmental group, for an Earth Day event or raise money to go on a field trip. At the moment, students in Climate Club can participate in a composting competition between Sequoia and other high schools. If a student is devoted to protecting their environment, Climate Club is a great place to start.

I wanted to teach students, especially first-generation students who don’t have a lot of STEM opportunities and affordable opportunities […] and also just teaching them astronomical opportunities they can pursue in the area and what they can be in the future, where they can work, etc.”

Joining the Astronomy Club is a great opportunity for students who don’t have access to resources or other ways to learn about astronomy. Activities and lessons in the club are customized to club members’ interests, such as galaxies and dark matter. Slideshows, presentations, related games and volunteer opportunities at schools for younger children help members prepare for astronomy college classes and careers in the future.

Climate Club

Climate Club, photo by Mr. Rivera

President: Ava Curry 817196@seq.org

Kennedy Silva

Junior Kennedy Silva, president of Astronomy Club

Garden Club

Garden Club, photo by Athena Haberlach

President: Athena Haberlach 816627@seq.org

“I think this campus is so beautiful, people should take more advantage of it. I mean, it’s truly stunning out in front of the school. And so I’ve taken a couple of beautiful pictures out there.”

Sophmore Matthew, member of Photo Club

Someone who’s looking for a smaller community to join might consider being a part of photo club, the smaller size makes it easier for members to connect and communicate. Some weekends students will go together to a place rich with beautiful photography subjects. For example, there was a trip to a pumpkin patch in october. Other days they venture around Sequoia, capturing its beauty with their cameras. Club members easily express their love of photography as they share their photos and methods; they work together to become better photographers.

““We’re currently waiting for plants to put into our native plants garden bed, which we have designed so that it’ll attract pollinators and that’s one of our goals. And in the future, we plan to make one of the raised beds a pollinator garden as well.”

Junior Athena Haberlach, president of Garden Club

Garden Club is recommended for anyone looking for a laid-back community to connect with. In some meetings, members plant seeds or weed the gardens. During other days, they chat and relax while enjoying the sight of the plants they’ve grown. Some fully bloomed flowers are left to thrive in the beds, others sold or given away in the quad, and some go home with members to be further nurtured. The Garden Club community is a great experiennce for anyone looking to grow through each planted seed.

President: Marcello Caruso-Turiello 814861@seq.org

Astonomy Club, Climate Club, Garden Club and Photo Club are only four of the amazing communities students can join at Sequoia. If interested in becoming part of one of these many groups, a student can check the Sequoia Clubs web page (on the school website) for more information and opportunities. Being an active part of the Sequoia is a great way to raise school spirit.

Photo Club

Photo by Cameron Reynolds, member of Photo Club

The fear of

distancing again.

BY VICTOR BRAVO Staff Reporter

2025 marks the five-year anniversary of many people’s worst nightmare: COVID-19. This pandemic was awful for many people, and at the time, many other people felt like the world completely stopped and was never going to recover. But after five years are people still worried about COVID or are they worried about being isolated from the world again?

returning.

“[I’m not worried], because it’s been five years and now we have a lot more vaccines,” freshman Joaquin Boja said.

There are also people who agree with Borja’s statement and said something similar to what he stated.

worrying to people anymore, there are some habits that I, along with others, brought with us from it. I am now much more laid back, and sadly, I am also a bit of a procrastinator which I am trying to work on.

Jada Crockett, senior “

I’m just more scared of things going back to how they were in 2020.

“[I’m] not really [scared] because at least we know more about it now and there’s the vaccines and stuff. So the fact that there’s more knowledge about it now makes it a little less of a worry,” Crockett said.

Personally, I am more scared of being isolated from the world again if there is ever another pandemic such as COVID. But what about now after COVID, does it still have an effect on people?

While COVID was not a pleasant experience, now that it has passed, we’ve seen that humans are capable of overcoming the challenges that life throws at us. I believe that people are now more scared of being isolated than a new version of COVID making a comeback.

“I think [people are scared about] the isolation part for sure. I know a lot of people [who] experienced trauma and stuff with relatives dying, or friends, but the isolation affected everyone,” senior Silvana Ochoa said.

There are others who agree with Ochoa’s statement about isolation being the scariest part of COVID.

“I’m just more scared of things going back to how they were in 2020,” senior Jada Crockett said.

In a survey of 81 students, 73 said that they are not concerned about the reappearance of COVID itself. Students claimed that they aren’t as worried anymore because now there are more solutions to preventing it from

There is also evidence that shows that during COVID-19, there was a 25% increase in mental health problems, mostly affecting younger people. Not only that, but according to the World Health Organization there was a 25% increase in depression and anxiety after the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although the pandemic is not very

“I would say [COVID still affects me] a little bit because I was pretty social before COVID, and then I became pretty introverted because I couldn’t be with my friends or anything, and that kind of stuck with me.” Silviana Ochoa said.

Overall, COVID was not the best experience in 2020, and people being isolated made it way worse and some probably haven’t recovered. However, I believe that while it is not easy we should go out more often and become more social or we will become what we used to fear in those dark sunny days of 2020.

A tale of two cities

BY MAREN OCKEN & MIA RAMIREZ Staff Reporters

Sequoia students hail from two cities, Redwood City and San Carlos, that blend into one school, sparking diverse thoughts and opinions.

Since the demolition of the San Carlos high school in 1982, students who live in San Carlos are now sent to either Belmont or Redwood City schools such as Carlmont or Sequoia.

San Carlos is known for its affluent population, while Redwood City is often characterized as an economically diverse community. Students at Sequoia come from both San Carlos and Redwood City, bringing a variety of backgrounds with them. These differences include variations in race, ethnicity and household income.

buildings, businesses and nicer homes,” Castillo said.

San Carlos is widely recognized as a smaller and wealthier community, with a population of approximately 28,862, while Redwood City has a population of about 84,292. According to Census data aggregated by DataCommons. org, the median income in San Carlos is $101,699, compared to $62,368 in Redwood City.

Valentina Valencia, sophmore “

I think that the people of both communities are pretty different.

“Redwood City has a lot more businesses and is busy while San Carlos has more homes and communities,” sophomore Redwood City resident Jocelyn Castillo said.

The economic differences between the two cities are frequently cited as a major difference.

“I think a lot of people see Redwood City as [a low-income neighborhood] and San Carlos as a nice city with

San Carlos has a poverty rate of 2.93%, while Redwood City sits at 6.27%. In the neighborhood of North Fair Oaks, located in the southern end of Redwood City, the poverty rate is notably higher at 11.17%, according to DataCommons.org. The difference in poverty level demonstrates the vast economic standings of Sequoia students. However, even with these economic disparities, residents from both cities have vibrant cultures.

“[North Fair Oaks] is still full of culture and community despite the struggles,” Castillo said.

Even with the different levels of income, rent in both cities is nearly identical with San Carlos’ average rent at $3,300 and Redwood City’s at $3,295.

There is a stereotype at Sequoia that students from San Carlos do better academically than their Redwood City peers. This is largely due to the middle schools that feed into Sequoia. According to GreatSchools.org, San Carlos schools have an average rating of 8.5 out of 10, compared to Redwood City’s average of 5.25, with North Star, a historically selective public charter school, as an exception with a rating of nine.

“We had options to do higher math classes which helped prepare us for high school,” junior Parker Waddell, a San Carlos resident, said.

Having the choice to take a higher-level math class in middle school helps prepare students for high school. Although there are some schools in Redwood City that have the option to take an advanced math class, not all offer this.

The differences ranging from economic standing to middle school education quality can cause differences in culture as students come to Sequoia.

“I think that the people of both communities are pretty different,” said freshman Valentina Valencia.

These differences in reality and perception are visible at Sequoia, even with these differences, students come together to form a holistic community.

Border of San Carlos and Redwood City

Photo by David Raymond

Fantasy Fatigue

BY NOAH CHEVILLET Staff Reporter

With incredible levels of access to every form of literature, the digital age has made reading easier than ever. However, despite these benefits, fewer people are choosing to read fantasy novels.

I have two theories for the decreasing popularity of fantasy and fiction books. Primarily, what I’ve realized is that as social media catches more attention, novels struggle to compete with the appeal of screens. In my opinion, access to short-form media such as TikTok, where you can gain instant gratification from scrolling, has nullified the desire for anything else during downtime.While digital media can have negative effects, fantasy reading has some positive mental health benefits.

In 2020, 17% of 13-year-olds read on their own more than twice a week according to a NAEP survey. A UC Davis Health study found reading for even 15 minutes a day is proven to improve empathy and social cognition while scrolling through social media is correlated with anxiety and depression. From my perspective, trading short-term gain for an overall negative lifestyle seems to fall short of enjoying a drawn out adventure full of magical weapons and terrifying beasts, with added mental health benefits.

Following a general trend, social media and smartphones have been described as full of addictive potential by Stanford Medicine. In my experience, overindulging in digital media can lead to the ignorance of healthier alternatives for passing the time. Additionally, there are proven benefits to reading fantasy writing specifically. According to a paper published by

Dalhousie University called The Psychology of Fantasy, fanta sy can be used as a form of escapism to push back anxiety and help cope with stress. For those who don’t wrestle with those kinds of problems, putting yourself in abstract situations can help your mind adapt to whatever life throws at you in the future and allows flexibility.

Now that’s not to say you have to enjoy reading fantasy, or even at all, but it’s worth giving it a try. It might not be an instant favorite, but exploring different styles and subge nres can help you discover what you truly enjoy. I’ve been reading fantasy since first grade, but I know people who only recently picked up a fantasy book in adulthood, when they hadn’t before, and loved it.

recently are “Iron Widow” by Xiran Jay Zhao and “The Half King” by Melissa Landers, which both have strong fe male protagonists.

Fantasy can be used as a form of escapism to push back anxiety and help cope with stress.”

Mynra Allen, Dalhousie University

My second theory as to why fewer people are reading fantasy books is because the genre tends to have a certain reputation among writers and readers alike. Lots of people love it, but there are a lot of misconceptions around the genre. One of the biggest complaints I found while researching online is the lack of female representation in fantasy literature. This is a big problem for many because if a character isn’t somewhat relatable, it’s going to be less engaging for the reader. Recently, I’ve noticed a large

To do more research, I went to the Go odreads list of the top 100 adult fantasy nov els published in 2024. I found 16 books pub lished with only male protagonists, 53 books with female protag onists and 27 books with multiple protag onists of varying gen der. To reinforce this data further, I went to Barnes and Noble and read the summaries of every book they had in stock under the adult fantasy section. Out of 308 books, 64 had pro tagonists of multiple

genders, 84 had male protagonists and 160 books had female protagonists. In short, simply thinking about quantity, there is no current shortage of fantasy novels with female representation.

Another big complaint I came across was the extreme length and time commitment that comes with absorbing these pages. While many fantasy books are often long, detailed, and at times boring, I see it differently. If the story seems to lose its spark, it will either only be for a chapter or two, or perhaps exploring a different book could better match your interests. Although trying new things can be challenging when books are so pricey, the Redwood City Public Library offers an amazing catalog. It might not have the same diversity and progressiveness as popular bookstores, but it’s an amazing

place to start.

The final misconception I want to address is the general consensus that fantasy books are surface-level. Many advanced readers view the genre as close-ended and not as deep as other forms of fiction. They argue how mysteries, romances, historical fictions and even sci-fis delve deeper into philosophical concepts, while fantasy is occupied with magic explosions and greatswords. While I can see how this can be true for young adult fantasy and a few other subgenres, many fantasy books have underlying or obvious moral questions. For example, books like “The Licanius Trilogy” by James Islington explore questions of the morality of using religious faith as a motive for genocide. Many books explore coming-of-age stories coupled with themes

of familial challenges, regicide and nuanced relationships. While I could list numerous examples, the point is, fantasy is full of deep and thoughtful writing, the key is finding the right author.

In conclusion, the takeover of social media has led to an alternate more tempting form of time consumption that proves unhealthy without moderation. Additionally, many readers have developed misconceptions about reading fantasy, some of which hold truth but most can be disproven in my opinion. Additionally, These two factors have distracted the overall population from a source of wonderful entertainment and incredible storytelling that fantasy books encompass.

Art by Noah Chevillet

How to Train Your Dragon: The next chapter

Art by Priya Ansnes and Lucie Archambault

The Marvel IP is recognized worldwide with movies like Iron Man, Captain America and The Avengers. But when it comes to the video game world, they have struggled to meet the standard that other triple-A titles have set. Apart from the two Spider-Man games that are subsidies of the Marvel games brand, they have had miss after miss with releases like Marvel’s Avengers and Midnight Suns.

But with the recent release of their new hero shooter, “Marvel Rivals”, the company has knocked it out of the park. While “Marvel Rivals” doesn’t reinvent the hero shooter genre, it creates competition with their competitors that hopefully elevates their games to be as fun as possible.

The hype behind Rivals goes back as far as their closed beta in July 2024. This offered an early look into what the new hero shooter was going to look like. The game allows players to use over 30 iconic Marvel characters such as Iron Man, Loki and

Assemble or Abandon

BY NATE GOTELLI Multimedia Editor

modes and a ranked system with a top 500 leaderboard every season.

My personal favorite characters to use in the game are Doctor Strange, Iron Man and Mantis. Doctor Strange is a Vanguard with large amounts of health and he is currently agreed as the best Vanguard in the game. He offers a large shield to block up to 800 incoming damage, portals to teleport teammates and enemies, an area of effect attack and a flying ability. Dr. Strange’s Ultimate uses his Eye of Agamotto, the time stone in the Marvel universe, to stun enemies and allow his team to do large amounts of damage. These abilities allow for a great offensive and defensive playstyle in any mode.

him increase the damage of his hand blasts and arc reactor. His maximum pulse ultimate does insane amounts of damage and will instantly eliminate any one within its area of effect.

Lastly, Mantis is Rival’s best strate gist, offering strong healing capabilities along with damage-boosting her team mates. She has an ability that stuns her enemies for up to three seconds, along with the best healing ultimate in the game that gives her team infinite health if they are near her for a long duration of time. In my opinion, this makes Man tis the best strategist in the game for ranked and unranked gameplay.

Iron Man is a duelist character with a very dynamic movement that sets him apart from others. Iron Man is able to constantly stay in the air and fly around and his regular attack sends out a hand blast that does decent damage. One of his specials allows him to use his arc reactor chest beam to do extreme amounts of damage to enemies. Another special lets

“Marvel Rivals” incorporates new mechanics into the hero shooter genre such as team-up abilities with different heroes. This means if two or three he roes team up together, they get bonus es such as extra health or increased damage. Along with team-ups, Rivals introduces a destructible environment to the genre, allowing new strategies for teams to use in the game. These mechanics make this game extremely fun to play by yourself or with a group of friends.

With the developers of “Marvel Ri vals” stating that they plan to release new characters every month and a half, Users across the globe are excited for what’s to come in the new seasons ahead. From the art style to the fun gameplay, the hype for “Marvel Rivals” seems to be never-ending, and plans to be a giant in the gaming industry.

Gotta go fast!

Review of Sonic the Hedgehog 3

BY ALEXANDER CORPOS Staff Reporter

Releasing in December 2024 the beloved franchise starring the supersonic blue hedgehog has stunned audiences worldwide with the movie’s quality and its phenomenal performance in the box office.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” builds off of the success and the hype of the first two movies in the franchise. This movie centers around Sonic and his friends first teaming up with and then battling the antagonist Dr. Ivo Robotnik, along with his grandfather Gerald Robotnik and their companion Shadow the Hedgehog. Together they antagonize Team Sonic, which I had tons of fun watching.

As well as creating some of their own lore, the creators of this movie researched and used a lot of the same edge-of-your-seat entertaining backstory from Shadow the Hedgehog’s first appearance in “Sonic Adventure 2”. A new story idea created was that Shadow, the ultimate life form, emerged from a meteorite instead of Gerald Robotnik creating him.

The actors’ performances were extremely memorable and the voice actors had so much passion. Jim Carrey, the famous actor from “The Grinch”, came out of retirement to play both Dr. Robotnik and Gerald Robotnik. No matter the reason why he came out of retirement for this movie, I was overjoyed to see his portrayal of Dr. Robotnik again. Fans were ecstatic for the

actor of Sonic returning once more for his third Sonic movie. Ben Schwartz gave a performance that made me desire to see more of his character. Idris Elba had a somewhat small part in the movie but did an exceptionally high-quality job voicing Knuckles again. It was exciting to hear the voice actor of the fan-loved character Tails, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, once more in the theater. Keanu Reeves as Shadow was an exciting surprise. He fit the role perfectly as he has a gravely voice to play a very edgy and dark character.

The human characters were also done really well in this movie because there is no “human side-plot,” meaning a smaller plot that revolves around the humans of the movie. Having a human side-plot makes the human characters have too much of a role in the movie.

The action scenes in “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” were phenomenal. The CGI used in these scenes was very well implemented thus making for stunning visuals and amazing fights. The good CGI hasn’t been a staple from the beginning though, in the very first trailer for “Sonic the Hedgehog”, the CGI used to make Sonic was nightmare fuel. This “ugly Sonic” design caused outrage among fans and caused the movie’s team to completely change the way Sonic looked. Without the massive glowup in the CGI, the Sonic movie franchise would not be where it is now. The CGI and action in these scenes are part of what makes this movie an absolute sensation.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” is a great movie all around with fantastic actor performances, CGI, action scenes and overall plot. With a fourth installment on the way, Sonic 3 is recommended for people of any age to watch.

Although having main human characters takes attention away from Sonic and his friends, the human roles kept me at the edge of my seat with the main human protagonist, Tom Wachowski, played by James Marsden’s sensational acting. Tika Sumpter played Tom’s wife who acts as a good parental figure for Sonic and his friends. Dr. Robotnik’s assistant, Agent Stone, known for being constantly abused, is played by Lee Majdoub. Agent Stone had a performance that made me feel bad for his character throughout the film because of how poorly treated he was. For not having much of a role, all these human characters do end up having big impacts on the plot, and the potential future of the Sonic movie universe.

Upcoming Games of 2025

BY JOHNNY LEHMAN & YAMIR BENITEZ Staff Reporter

1. GTA 6 - Fall of 2025

The ever-popular “Grand Theft Auto” franchise is set to release its newest game in the fall of 2025: “Grand Theft Auto 6,” otherwise known as “GTA 6”. Similar to “GTA 5”, this will be an action game that is primarily a first-person-shooter game, though it can also be played in third-person mode. The “GTA 6” trailer was released on YouTube on Dec. 3, 2023, and has received over 233 million views to date. The Financial Times predicts that “GTA

6” will exceed $1 billion in pre-order sales before the game even launches, which would blow past game sales out of the water. The best part is that it’s going to be available on most major platforms, aside from the Nintendo Switch. The interactive storyline and action of the game keep millions of players engaged.

2. Ghost of Yotei - Late 2025

In “Ghost of Yotei,” players will take control of Astu (Erika Ishii), a female warrior. This game is a sequel to Sucker Punch Productions’ first game, “Ghost of Tsushima,” which has sold 13 million units. “Ghost of Yotei” centers around the theme of “underdog vengeance,” meaning that the character you play is the underdog. While details of the game’s story have not been released, it has been disclosed that the story is set in Hokkaido, Japan, in 1603, 329 years after the events of “Ghost of Tsushima”. The cover

of the game displays numerous ginkgo leaves, which are a symbol in Japanese literature of peace and hope. The ginkgo leaf may lead players to assume that Yotei’s story will focus more on the theme of peace and hope, but there is a slash through the ginkgo leaf, causing some internet theorists to think that this slash will represent that Yotei’s (Astu) story might not be peaceful. The game overall seems to have a great storyline that will engage players and keep them playing with a new take on being the ghost.

3. Assassin’s Creed Shadows - March

The “Assassin’s Creed” franchise was first released in 2007 and has won multiple Game of the Year awards. Its newest game, “Assassin’s Creed Shadows,” will be available on all major platforms (aside from the Nintendo Switch) on March 20. It will be the 13th “Assassin’s Creed” game created by Ubisoft in the past 18 years. The “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” trailer was released on YouTube on May 14, 2024, and has received over 10 mil-

lion views. Many people believe that this “Assassin’s Creed” game can “revive” the franchise. Even though the game has never been “dead,” as thousands of players consistently play “Assassin’s Creed,” its numbers have been dwindling. It is expected that “Assassin’s Creed Shadows,” like the other games in the franchise, will have alternate histories, detailed characters and intense missions that keep players invested in the game.

20, 2025

4. Elden Ring Nightreign - Late 2025

“Elden Ring” sold 28.6 million copies worldwide and is regarded as one of the best open-world games, so when a sequel was announced along with the trailer on Dec. 12, 2024, it blew up, gaining 3.7 million views. “Elden Ring Nightreign” is a standalone adventure within the “Elden Ring” universe, crafted for players to take on the creeping night and the dangers within. The game will feature a three-player co-op, which means that up to three people

can play online or locally. Players will be able to take command of eight different pre-made characters, who all have their own unique abilities, to take on bosses and compete to see who can defeat them the fastest. Although the game looks promising, it has sparked controversy, as this is not the type of game that FromSoftware has made before. Some suspect this is just a quick “cash grab.”

5.Monster Hunter Wilds - Feb. 28, 2025

There is much fanfare surrounding the upcoming release of “Monster Hunter Wilds”. The game has five trailers, which have collectively gathered 69.3 million views. The “Monster Hunter” franchise is extremely popular, selling 97 million units to date. Both previous games, “Monster Hunter World” and “Monster Hunter Rise”, are considered some of the best games made in the franchise; “Monster Hunter World” was a nominee for Game of the Year in 2018 and won Best Role-Playing Game that

year. Because of this fame, there is a lot of excitement from its dedicated fan base that is anticipating a high-quality sequel. “Monster Hunter Wilds” will be set in a fictional place called the “Forbidden Lands,” letting you and your party hunt and track monsters and craft gear to get stronger and take on bigger threats, such as dragons and other mythical beasts. It’s expected that this new release will improve monster behavior, hunt length and other quality-of-life features.