Redwood High School 395 Doherty Drive, Larkspur, CA 94939 www.redwoodbark.org Editors-in-Chief:
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Volume LXIV, No. 6 • June 3, 2022 • Larkspur, CA
States’ Rights
11
Prep of the Year
20
Research Projects
26
redwood high school ● 395 doherty dr., larkspur, ca 94939 ● volume LXIV, no. 6 ● June 3, 2022 ● www.redwoodbark.org
Lauren Duncan declared class of 2022 valedictorian By AnnaLise Sandrich “It feels weird. I didn’t think I would get it. I feel like so many people at this school are much more on top of stuff and take so many harder classes,” senior Lauren Duncan, who was recently declared the class of 2022 valedictorian said. While at Redwood, Duncan took 11 Advanced Placement (AP) classes and three honors classes, earning her a total academic weighted GPA of 4.52. This year alone, Duncan took six AP courses. On top of a challenging academic course load, Duncan has run on the track team for three years and on the cross-country team for four. Though Duncan may have been surprised to earn the title of valedictorian, her coach Nicole Graydon has seen how her effort translates outside of the classroom. “When [she] is racing, this girl puts so much into it. In race pictures, you can see how exhausted she is, but how hard she’s fighting. She loves it, and she wants it, so she goes for it. That tenacity is probably a quality that really helps her [academically],” Graydon said. Duncan’s teammates have also noticed her persistence and effort. According to Duncan’s friend and fellow runner Ava Converse, she always pushes herself to work harder during practice. “One time, when we were doing a workout around the track during practice,
coach gave us the [option to do between] eight and 12 [laps]. Everyone decided to do eight or 10, but, [Duncan] decided to do 12. We were all cheering her on because she wanted to go the extra distance,” Converse said. This sense of community and support within the team has been Duncan’s favorite part of running. “I loved the really supportive team … I think the sense of community was my biggest takeaway [from running]. I don’t think I would be running every single day on my own if it wasn’t for the team,” Duncan said. According to her teammates, Duncan herself has always been supportive, helping to create an uplifting environment for the team. “She is always cheering everyone on. At the races, she will be on the sidelines screaming her lungs out,” Converse said. Next year, Duncan will be attending Brown University, and though she has considered trying to walk onto a varsity team next year, Duncan will likely continue running in a more casual, intramural setting. Duncan is also looking forward to the school’s unique academic opportunities. “[The open curriculum allows you] to study from different fields. I want to study environmental science, which is already a very interdisciplinary subject, but [the open curriculum] means I could take
Photo courtesy of Nicole Graydon
EARNING A CUMULATIVE grade point average of 4.52, valedictorian Lauren Duncan balanced academics with track and cross-country. more classes in biology or the humanities, so I learn more about policy along with instead of only doing [environmental] actual science, ” Duncan said. science classes, which I really loved. I also At Redwood, Duncan has been able really want to learn more political sciences to pursue her interest in environmental science as president of Climate Now, an environmental action club. Redwood’s Climate Now club, a chapter of the global organization started by junior Sarah Goody, seeks to educate on environmental issues while also providing students with opportunities to take action. In the past, this has included beach clean-ups and native plant restoration projects organized by the club. Additionally, Duncan has worked at Jamba Juice and Sweet Things, an internship at the Marin County Board of Supervisors and a research learning program at the Buck Institute Mentor Program. Though her schedule has often been demanding, Duncan has always found ways to manage. “When you do a lot and you are really into it, you find ways to cut down on time,” Duncan said. “Despite [some of] it being stressful, it wasn’t all stressful. I had fun even when I was doing a lot of work.” Photo courtesy of Nicole Graydon
POSING WITH HER teammates after winning an invitational race in her sophomore year, Duncan says the strong sense of community is her favorite part about running.
August 29, 2021 Deadly and destructive hurricane Ida hits the state of Louisiana. August 18, 2021 The class of 2022 begins their first day of their senior year.
asandrich@redwoodbark.org
September 14, 2021 Redwood holds its first in-person club day since the spring of 2020.
August 30, 2021 The United States withdraws their remaining troops from Afghanistan.
October 18, 2021 After a spirited week of events, the class of 2022 attends their second homecoming.
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June 3, 2022
Photo Survey “Who is someone who has impacted you at Redwood, and how?”
“Mr. VP. At the beginning of the year, he made me feel so comfortable, and he created a community. It was so much fun.”
“Tami, the attendance [clerk], because she always cheers me up. Also, Mr. Lovelady because he’s been my favorite teacher I’ve ever had.”
Lulu Hemley
Raine Conti
senior
senior
“Tom Sivertsen. We still keep in touch, and he is just one of the most insightful people I know.”
Asal Takesh senior
“My coach, [Lochlan McHale]. He really influenced me to join wrestling. It really taught me about perseverance and working hard.”
Marcelo Concalves senior
TUHSD Board postpones voting on anti-racism policy By Caitlin Beard and Ava Razavi
On May 24, 2022, the Tamalpais Union High School District’s Board of Trustees conducted a second reading of the Racial Justice Task Force’s (RJTF) Anti-Racist Policy. The RJTF is a committee of parents, students, staff and community members that collaborate to promote and advance racial equity within the district. The creation of the policy was mandated by Resolution No. 20-1 in support of antiracist education, which was passed by the Board of Trustees on Sept. 8, 2020, with a unanimous vote. The resolution called for the formation of the RJTF as well as an anti-racist policy. This new policy was generated over the past two years by the RJTF, with significant contributions from students, staff, community members and racial equity consultants. The policy establishes procedures for administration and staff members to rectify acts of racism and white supremacy on district campuses and also contains a concise statement that expresses zero tolerance for racism. Ultimately, the Board elected to move the vote of approval to the next meeting, June 14, 2022, when Board of Trustees President Karen Loebbaka, who was absent at the recent meeting, will be in attendance. The first reading of the policy was at a Board meeting on May 10, 2022, in which the policy and its purpose were briefly introduced. A two-week period between the first and second reading allowed for Superintendent Tara Taupier to consult legal counsel on the language that may present legal liabilities. The counsel found only one minor legal issue with the wording of the policy, though additional, non-legal edits were made.
Trustees Dan Oppenheim and Kevin Saavedra took issue with several other aspects of the policy, particularly the glossary and bibliography included in the conclusion. “I wouldn’t support anything with the bibliography or the glossary at all,” Saavedra said. “I don’t think we should be outsourcing our opinions to a bunch of books that I haven’t read.” Echoing Saavedra’s sentiments, Oppenheim stated that the glossary included “non-standard definitions.” The second reading was scheduled as one of the last items on the agenda and was dedicated 30 minutes of time, prompting both Saavedra and Oppenheim to motion to postpone the policy’s vote to a later special meeting dedicated exclusively to a discussion of the policy. “I think this is one of the more consequential things we’re going to do this year. You think it needs to be [voted on] now; I disagree. I think current events warrant a larger conversation about this policy and racism in general. I don’t think we should [decide] in 25 minutes,” Saavedra said in the meeting. “I would like to actually spend more than a half an hour talking about this. I’m not ready to take any action here.” In contrast, Trustee Cynthia Roenisch, who has attended multiple RJTF meetings, believed that the urgency of the topic was enough to forgo edits to the policy. “I think it’s disrespectful to the work that the subcommittee has done. I think it’s disrespectful to students’ experience and staff’s experience. I’m going to call it a delay tactic,” Roenisch said. Approximately a dozen current and former TUHSD students were in attendance at the meeting
Infographic by Caitlin Beard
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Jan. 20, 2022 Principal David Sondheim announces his retirement from Redwood, effective July 2022.
Nov. 10, 2021 Redwood hosts the first Back to School Dance since 2019.
Nov. 1, 2021 Global COVID-19 death toll surpasses five million.
in support of RJTF’s policy, along with numerous community members and District staff. Within the first minutes of the discussion, one fact was clear: the Board was split. During the public comment portion of the discussion, many community members gave testimonials on their experiences with racism within the district in the hopes of swaying members of the Board. Among them was co-leader of the RJTF’s policy subcommittee Ruby-Rose Amezcua, a student of color at Tamalpais High School and President of the Students Organized Against Racism. “The systemic issues have been in place for so long that we cannot wait to find a solution,” Amezcua said. “Please help us. We are imploring you to do something.” Archie Williams alumnus and active member of the RJTF, Jack Parnell-Wolfe, also spoke at the meeting over Zoom. “White supremacy is very much alive in all of our spaces … If we can’t support things that [students] are asking us to support to change that reality, then we are actively harming them,” Parnell-Wolfe said. After several emotional statements from community members and lingering debate among Board Trustees, Superintendent Taupier concluded the discussion by validating students’ hard work to produce the policy over the past two years. “[The policy] is the delivery of a promise we made to the community with our resolution and I think it’s really important that it passes,” Taupier said. Board member Leslie Harlander’s final remark was a statement directed to the students that promised to continue fighting for the RJTF’s policy. “I think we’re doing harm by not taking action tonight,” Harlander said. “We heard you loud and clear when you said ‘help us.’” Students in the Tam Union High School District can attend the Board of Trustees meeting on June 14 at 6 p.m. at the Krepps Conference Center to voice any opinions on the policy, or join the meeting linked on the online version of this article. Please note that all the quotes included above were sourced from the meeting recording which can also be accessed on the Bark website.
Nov. 20, 2021 Girls’ varsity volleyball becomes California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State champions and boys’ varsity water polo becomes the CIF Norcal champions.
Feb. 24, 2022 Russia begins its invasion of Ukraine in efforts to “demilitarize” the country.
bark Safe and Sober Graduation Night returns after two years Page 3 • News
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Article and Infographic by Sarah Goody Redwood traditions are an integral part of school culture, from the Back to School Dance to class skits at the Homecoming rally. One spring tradition that has been carried through the years is Safe and Sober Grad Night. First implemented at Redwood in 1998, Safe and Sober Grad Night is an annual event for seniors to celebrate a pivotal moment in their lives. The night is intended to create a fun atmosphere for graduates without substances. Over the many years, Grad Night has become a beloved event for seniors. After a two year hiatus due to COVID-19, Grad Night is scheduled to be held on June 9 from 8:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. On Grad Night, students will be transported by bus from Redwood to the party, where they will participate in activities put together by a committee of parents and community partners. One of these parents is Mandy Downing, a member of Redwood’s Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA). Downing is co-chairing the event and has spent the past month planning event logistics and organizing activities for the night.
Image courtesy of Business Insider
GRAD NIGHT WILL be hosted at the San Rafael Osher Jewish Community Center. Seth and Kelli Anderson Graham Banks The Beard Family The Belger Family Kristin Bennett The Bishop Family Leanne Bober Colleen Bourke Barbara Bradley The Braff Family Donal and Brenda Brown The Buckholtz Family Devon Caron Lucy Churton Greta Cifarelli Sonya and Greg DeForrest Nick Desin The Elliott Family Naz Erickson Hali Croner and Eugene Palmer Courtney Finnegan The Fisch Family Erin Fish The Fishburne Family Rod and Hannah Fliegel Cathy Flores
“It is going to be so much fun this year because there are a million things to do. There’s a pool and hot tub, casino games, fortune tellers, raffle prizes, unbelievable food, a chill zone with massages and movies and a huge surprise entertainment at the end of the night,” Downing said. In prior years, the celebration was held at the Mount Tam Racquet Club; this year, the venue will be the Osher Jewish Community Center (JCC) in San Rafael. Grad Night Committee member and entertainment coordinator Jennifer Reese is excited for the opportunities the larger venue will provide. “Because of COVID, we’ve decided to revamp the whole event and make it an even more special and wonderful night. … There are just so many different activities at this location that every kind of kid is going to find something fun to do,” Reese said. Senior and leadership student Sarah Steele plans to attend Grad Night after having heard about the event from past graduates. “It is a really fun bonding experience with our class — kind of like one final hurrah. I know I’m going to miss everyone when I go off to [college], so I’m really looking forward to spending some time with my class before we all go our separate ways,” Steele said. While Steele is looking forward to the night, she recognizes that many other seniors may not know about the event. “There’s no institutional memory of Grad [Night for current seniors] because the last Grad Night was in 2019 when the [now] seniors were freshmen. So unless you have older siblings, there’s no real memory of Grad Night,” Steele said. While Safe and Sober Grad Night is a Redwood tradition, it is also a police initiative. In the years leading up to 1985, California Highway Patrol saw an increase in fatalities on nights of high school graduations. In response, they created Safe and Sober Grad Night to keep intoxicated drivers off the road. High schools across the country have since adopted the tradition, including the schools in our district. “The PTSA foundation and the people who are putting on [Grad Night] really emphasize the safe and sober [aspect] because they know that graduation night is a
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March 10, 2022 Redwood organizes a support Ukraine drive in the midst of their devastating war.
February 25, 2022 Judge Kentanji Brown Jackson makes history by becoming the first Black, female Justice on the Supreme Court.
really big night for kids to go out and drink,” Steele said. While Grad Night has a focus on sobriety, Downing reiterates that it is about more than just safety. “Some of the seniors have known each other since kindergarten; some of [them] just formed [friendships] four years ago. It’s really important to celebrate [their] achievements and [their] accomplishments and [for them to] spend time together one last time in a safe environment,” Downing said.
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March 28, 2022 Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Florida’s Parental Rights in Education into law.
March 14, 2022 The Marin County mask mandate is lifted for Redwood students.
April 16, 2022 First junior and senior prom since 2019.
June 3, 2022 bark Page 4 • News Potential abortion restrictions attract national attention In fact, Governor Gavin Newsom reported on social media on May 3 that he is “proposing an amendment to enshrine The bell rang, signaling the end of sixth period on the right to choose in the California constitution.” Friday, May 11, 2022. This seemingly normal occurrence Locally, members of the Redwood community have marked something different that day, initiating a student had strong reactions to the leaked document. English walkout from the front of the school, to Corte Madera and Advanced Placement (AP) Capstone teacher Emily Town Center and back to protest for abortion rights. This LaTourrette had mixed feelings when she found out about demonstration was in response to an initial draft majority the draft being leaked. opinion to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling. “I think there are layers to it. On one hand, I’m not The draft, written by Supreme Court Justice Samuel completely surprised by the content of it, given the Alito Jr., was leaked by Politico, a national political political climate and gridlock our country is in on this publication, on May 2, 2022. Vice President Kamala Harris particular issue. The fact it was a leaked document … the confirmed the legitimacy of the draft the following day. intricacies of the content [and] the actual language in it This draft, if it became final, would ultimately overturn the was more surprising,” LaTourrette said. precedent of the Roe v. Wade case which protects citizens’ According to the May 2022 Bark survey, 72 percent federal right to obtain an abortion within the first trimester of students heard discussions of the draft circulating of pregnancy. The draft suggests the federal government around Redwood in the days following its leak, and many will pass down abortion legislation to the discretion of have participated in these conversations. The May Bark state governments. Five out of the nine Supreme Court survey also showed that 78 percent of students opposed Justices support this opinion, but no decision is final yet. the overturning of Roe, 11 percent supported the opinion This controversy exploded as a result of arguments draft and the rest had no opinion on the matter. Seniors regarding a Mississippi abortion law from 2018. Those in Lola Zirpoli and Gwen Kallmeyer were both personally favor of maintaining the law are requesting the Supreme horrified by the news. Court “uphold the constitutionality of [this] law that “I saw it on the news and immediately went into a rage. generally prohibits an abortion after the 15th week of I texted [Kallmeyer] and all I said was ‘Gwen, I’m going pregnancy,” according to Alito’s draft. The Mississippi to cry,’ and she said, ‘I know.’ Immediately, we knew we law contradicts the ruling in Roe, and thus inspired a were talking about the same thing,” Zirpoli said. “It was resurgence of debates around Roe’s original constitutional not surprising, but [it was] disgusting at the same time.” interpretation. Zirpoli found herself inclined to take action against This is not the first time Roe has been disputed in the the draft immediately. The day after the leak, she attended Supreme Court. In the 1992 case of Planned Parenthood a protest in San Francisco. Kallmeyer and Zirpoli, along of Southeastern PA v. Casey, four members of the Court with many other Redwood students, were touched by how suggested an overruling of Roe in its entirety. According many people they witnessed supporting abortion rights. to the draft opinion by Alito, two other members of the Zirpoli recalls her experience with one woman who Supreme Court initiated a debate about whether or not opened up about her abortion. Roe is upheld by the Constitution. The draft also states “I haven’t talked to that many people who have openly politicians in 26 states have requested both Roe and Casey said they have gotten an abortion. That’s still not the be overturned. culture we Handing live in. It a federal Infographic courtesy of Bloomberg was super power to state empowering to listen legislatures is to her nothing new in talk the U.S. The about draft cites her Brown v. abortion Board of experiences Education and how as a Supreme she was so Court case that thankful overruled a to have prior one, Plessy that right v. Ferguson, because which upheld the she was a “separate but equal” victim of sexual principle on the assault,” Zirpoli said. basis of race. Kallmeyer In overturning learned the Plessy, the Court woman was simultaneously part of a knitting overruled six group who makes other Supreme Court precedents upholding hats for protests and has been doing so for a while. the same standard. Alito uses this reasoning to defend “It was super devastating for her to go through her the decision to overrule Roe and hand down the federal whole life [and still be fighting] as an elderly woman,” government’s power to regulate abortion to the states. Kallmeyer said. Should the abortion decision be granted to state The protest was filled with people furious with the governments, the nation will see a dramatic shift in access opinions of the draft and driven to incite change. Zirpoli to contraceptive services. According to the Guttmacher was touched by another emotional speaker at the protest Institute, a reproductive health research facility, about two who recalled Roe’s impact on the generations of women dozen states have current abortion bans, known as “trigger in the U.S. laws,” that would be implemented immediately if Roe is “She [said], ‘When I was born, Roe was a law, and overturned. Currently, California is not one of these states. when my daughter was born, Roe was a law, but when my By Chloe Bishop
Photo courtesy of Liv Holscher
SHOWING OFF HER women’s rights shirt, Zirpoli attended the San Francisco protest with pride. grandchild is born, it will not be a law for her. She will have to fight, and we don’t know how easy it’s going to be for her,’ and that gave me the chills,” Zirpoli said. Even though the opinions in the draft are not yet official, concerns regarding its potential have been circulating. LaTourrette has seen news outlets discussing the draft and what it could mean for the country in the future. “People are concerned the dismantling of [Roe] could have implications for other things like same-sex marriage [and] access to contraceptives, not just abortion,” LaTourrette said. The basis of such concerns stems from the fact that the ruling in Roe is based on the constitutional “right to privacy,” founded in the 14th Amendment. History shows plenty of past Supreme Court rulings where the right to privacy was used: Griswold v. Connecticut in 1965 upheld the ability to purchase contraceptives, Loving v. Virginia in 1968 outlawed bans on interracial marriages, Lawrence v. Texas in 2003 established citizens cannot be punished for sodomy under the Constitution, protecting homosexual citizens rights and Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015 legalized same-sex marriage. The Politico draft cites some of these cases, suggesting they too were based on faulty constitutional reasoning. However, Alito claims because these decisions do not involve a “potential life,” cases based on Roe and the right to privacy will not necessarily be impacted by this overruling. However, many have proven reluctant to such affirmations, worrying that should the right to privacy be adjusted in the overturning of Roe, a door is then opened for revisiting a wide range of current rights. According to CNN Politics, Alito himself voted against the right to same-sex marriage in 2015. Analysts studying the leaked draft have also discussed how the death of Ginsburg in 2020 during the Trump administration paved the way for right-leaning Amy Coney Barrett’s appointment to the Supreme Court, which may have impacted the formation of the draft. An opinion article from The Daily Beast writes, “Ginsburg alone couldn’t have saved the court, but in giving up her seat she could have stalled its transformation into the conservative juggernaut that is about to achieve the Republicans’ ‘Holy Grail.’” That being said, Ginsburg was within her rights to remain in her Supreme Court seat until her passing and remains highly respected for all that she did for numerous marginalized communities. Refer to the editorial on page 8 and feature article on the website for more on student reactions to the draft, and the digital version of this article for additional photos. cbishop@redwoodbark.org
May 24, 2022 Families are left heartbroken after a gunman opened fire at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, leaving 21 dead.
May 2, 2022 Leaked Supreme Court draft indicates the overturn of Roe v. Wade.
May 11, 2022 Redwood students participate in a school walkout for abortion rights.
June 9, 2022 The class of 2022 graduates!
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Marin’s facade: Hiding poor health under wealth By Chloe Bishop
*Content warning: Mention of suicide* Marin County is known for its picturesque landscapes and thriving community members that foster a lifestyle second to none. The endless trails tucked away in the mountains create perfect locations for hiking and biking, and the waterfront paths are optimal for dog walking with a view. Many residents of our affluent county belong to clubs such as the Bay Club, Mt. Tam Racquet Club, Tiburon Peninsula Club or the Meadow Club, where members can exercise on their choice of elaborate gym equipment or use the golf course. Houses are worth millions and the public schools are top tier. While not all residents experience Marin in the same way, there is a clear overarching trend of physical health and prosperity among those who live here. In fact, Marin was ranked as the healthiest county in California in the official 2022 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps on April 27. Marin has held this position for “12 of the 13 years the rankings have been compiled,” according to the County of Marin. Since the rankings are based on the quality of life, clinical care and social and economic factors, I was not
initially surprised that Marin came out on top. However, upon further thought, I realized that while Marin may check all the boxes for this annual survey, it simultaneously lacks in so many areas of human wellbeing and is far from the picture of health based on its substance abuse and poor mental health rates. But the issue here isn’t in the survey itself. Rather, the problem lies in the ideas of health that it’s based on, which are deeply ingrained in society today. As a community, we must redefine health to include a broader picture of wellbeing that is both external and internal. In Marin, mental health issues tend to stay under the radar or get pushed to the bottom of the priority list when academic competition is so strong among students and financial pressure is so prevalent among adults. This pattern is reflected in annual statistics. According to the 2019 Community Health Needs
Illustration by Julia Frankus and Cub Reporter Carsen Goltz
Assessment (CHNA), the percentage of adults in California taking daily medication for mental health issues is 11 percent; in Marin County, it’s 15 percent. While this difference in percentage may appear small, this deviation in mental health needs is worrisome, particularly because of its apparent correlation with suicide rates. The suicide rate per capita in California is 9.8; in Marin County, the rate is 15.6. The Marin County Coroner Division Annual Report showed that Marin faced 51 suicides in 2021 alone. Devastating statistics like these serve as a wake-up call. Marin County cannot exist under a facade of good health when its residents are deeply struggling on the inside. Additionally, when people hide their mental health needs due to the flawed norms that exist in Marin, they become more susceptible to the phenomenon of self-medicating. Selfmedication, along with other reasons that people experiment with drugs or other substances, has led to catastrophic and horrifying trends in Marin. The aforementioned CHNA deduced that the per capita rate of teens who have been high from drug use in California is 38.3, while Marin County boasted a rate of 48.7. This difference is alarming, given the stereotypes that Marin residents tend to place on those addicted to drugs and living on the streets — stereotypes that develop from privilege and denial that one’s drug use could ever suffer the same fate, of course. The Marin Coroner Report cited 61 overdose-related deaths and 34 fentanylrelated deaths, all in 2021. As startling as those statistics may be, Marin’s high rates of substance abuse do not end there. Twenty Marin residents died of alcoholism in 2021. California counties
averaged 1,203 alcohol-related arrests in 2019, while Marin County had 1,501. This implies severe danger for people both on and off the road, as a portion were a result of driving under the influence. However, the least surprising yet petrifying statistic is that the per capita rate of teens who reported binge drinking in 2019 was 5.8 in California; in Marin County, the rate was 16.2. This is almost three times what other California counties experience. Further, there is no debate on alcohol and other substances’ damage to young brains, so how can a community with such poor numbers in this regard be rightfully placed on a pedestal of health over and over again? The answer is simply that it shouldn’t. Not until a change is made. While I feel remarkably fortunate to live in a place like Marin, where the hiking trails really are endless, the dog walking is unlike any other and the opportunities inside and outside of school seem infinite, every year it becomes clearer that these attributes mask the unfortunate undertones of our county. I urge people to acknowledge the shortcomings of such health assumptions presented in county rankings and consider how they can assist Marin in truthfully achieving that top spot — one that reflects well-being on paper and within each individual. The ranking itself suggests that we have the financial and physical means to initiate a cultural shift, so now is the time for Marin residents to step up. If you or loved ones are in need of help: Marin Suicide Prevention & Crisis Hotline 415-499-1100 Alcoholics Anonymous SF/Marin 415499-0400 Marijuana Anonymous: California, North Bay 707-583-2326 Narcotics Anonymous 877-612-7837
cbishop@redwoodbark.org
Satire: Fake country girl or 24-hour gamer...
How to avoid choosing the wrong college roomate By Allie Vasquez
As seniors commit to future colleges and universities, a new life-changing choice arises: who will be your freshman roommate? Needless to say, you don’t want someone weird or messy. You don’t want a roommate who never goes out, but you also don’t want a person who constantly comes back home at 6 a.m. from a long night out. To be honest, you have to be pretty selective when choosing roommates. Those seemingly petty or mean reasons not to message someone are what will save you in the long run. To find the best roommate, you have to intensely examine hundreds of posts on multiple different class Instagram pages. Yet, scrolling past countless posts on a “____ Class of 2026” Instagram page is monotonous and boring. So, to speed up the process, here are a couple of tips to maximize your roommate options and help you pick the best one. First things first, yes, the pictures matter. Pictures are the first impression that people will have of you, and they will be how you are immediately judged. Think of it like Tinder. That first picture makes the other future student either click to see their caption or swipe left to find someone else. If their first picture is in an awkward location or a self-timer photo, immediate red flag. IMMEDIATE red flag if the rest of their pictures are only of them with no one else. Unfortunately, this gives the impression that they are lonely and have no friends, a major turn-off. Secondly, if they are a girl and all of their photos are just with guys, or vice versa, red flag. It is understandable that they may only have guy friends, but from the outside, it seems much more likely that they are a “pick-me girl.” The last major picture red flag is the “silly” pictures. If their previous photo includes a weird face, Snapchat filter or an “off-
guard crazy girl” pose, sadly you will not be getting many students will only look at the post on the Class of ‘26 messages from potential roommates. It may seem like a page. This is a fatal move. When clicking on someone’s fun personality picture, but Instagram profile, the first instead, it makes everyone else thing to consider is if they cringe. have stories on their page. The next thing to be cautious Anything about friends, of is the biography that people birthdays, traveling and such submit to the Class of ‘26 are perfectly acceptable page for their post caption. highlight reels. But anything The beginning will usually go like an entire highlight dedicated to working something like “Hii, my name o u t or something that you would is ____ and I’m from ____. usually not post on your I’m not fully committed yet, story, is an immediate red but ____ is def one of my top flag. Not having any posts is choices!” However, once you a major red flag and should be read further into the caption, avoided at all costs. Having things become complicated. “I under 200 followers is also love to party with friends” is questionable. Similarly, an automatic red flag. Seeing having a multiple thousand that they like to work out following is an immediate red is a green flag. Any type of flag too. Following too many emoji is a red flag, especially people seems excessive and if seen in a DM from another is unusual, creating a sense of prospective student. Whether unease. it be the laughing-crying emoji, Now, as extreme and the sideways-tongue out or the superficial as they may sound, singular tear, it is best to steer all of the red flags in this article clear of any and all emojis to stay are crucial to avoid when safe. choosing a college roommate. The final essential to finding One missed flag, and the a future roommate is what their possibilities for a strange personal Instagram page looks roommate are endless. like. Most people forget about this avasquez@redwoodbark.org Illustration by Julia Frankus part, assuming that other future
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The racist origins of the SAT and ACT Story and Illustration by Claire Silva More than half of the nation’s universities are now standardized test-optional, according to the National Center for Fair and Open Testing. The purpose of the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and the American College Test (ACT) became frequently questioned at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to health safety issues regarding accessibility and administration. However, despite easy access to in-person testing returning, universities continue to dismiss testing from admission requirements, an action that has prompted significant controversy. Critics argue the tests provide additional evidence of academic success for those who lack proof in their transcripts. Yet, this perspective often excludes the horrific history of standardized tests. The requirement of standardized testing, especially when applied to the college admissions process, should be completely eliminated due to its historically marginalizing effects on racial minorities. While both the SAT and the ACT have similar trends of negatively impacting racial minorities, the SAT’s history is especially jarring. The SAT was first created in the early 1900s by Carl Brigham, an American eugenist and psychologist, when the U.S. was flooded with immigrants and internal migration increased. This demographic change resulted in many white Anglo-Saxon Protestants, like Brigham, feeling threatened by the presence of new races in the American gene pool. Brigham described his eugenist ideas in his book A Study of American Intelligence, in which he claimed: “AfricanAmericans were on the low end of the racial, ethnic, and/or cultural spectrum.” The SAT was designed to identify people of color who would “lessen” American intelligence using test results, initially for the U.S. Army during World War I, and then for university admissions. In addition to the discriminatory motivations for the creation of the SAT, each question was masterfully manipulated to benefit white test-takers. Jay Rosner, a national admissions test expert, examined how Brigham narrowed the questions, selecting the ones that white students did better on. In Rosner’s report, he explains that questions correctly answered by Black students more than white students were discarded during the test’s creation, while questions that white students did better on were kept. Essentially, Brigham’s test affirms knowledge typically held by white people and discourages people of color from succeeding. Since the SAT’s creation, the College Board has attempted to combat prejudice in its standardized tests, such as the new “adversity index,” which places SAT scores in the context of students’ socioeconomic status for colleges receiving scores. Yet, disparities between scores are still, and possibly more, prevalent. The gap between the scores of Black students and white students is sixteen points greater now than it was in 1992. Additionally, the SAT and ACT perpetuate pre-
existing racial disparities in the American education system. According to the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, students of color, on average, score lower on all standardized tests beyond just the SAT and ACT. These capable students are then commonly denied merit scholarships, contributing to the large college enrollment gap in the United States. Testing also encourages the use of costly tutors and test-prep programs, a tool exclusively accessible to the wealthy, and most commonly, the white. The CEO and founder of the online SAT and ACT testprep program Green Test Prep, Anthony-James Green wrote that he made $1,000 an hour by tutoring a wealthy child in an article for Vox. The 2019 Varsity Blues Scandal, where wealthy parents bribed college admissions officers to accept their children, exemplifies the intersection of wealth and racial disparities in college admissions, as all but one child involved in the scandal were white. However, despite their history, it is important to acknowledge that standardized tests do offer some benefits. Those who disagree with going test-optional or testblind point to the fact that high test scores can make up for those who have a poor grade point average. Sean-Michael Pigeon, a contributor at USA Today and a college graduate who relied on his test scores to get into college, claims that standardized tests actually offer additional support to poor students. Pigeon argues that the issue lies within educational resources at high schools that result in worse test scores. While Pigeon is not wrong, greater resources would not reverse the inherent bias that is buried in test questions. Additionally, eliminating standardized tests is not an action that serves all, such as those with limited resources that need to prove themselves to colleges. However, neither tests nor grades accurately demonstrate intelligence to schools due to additional factors. In order to truly combat disadvantages in the admissions process, additional actions must be taken, such as financial support for disadvantaged schools and families. These acts are not mutually exclusive. Education is one of the most necessary institutions in the nation. Despite this, it often excludes or discriminates against over half of the population. And, unfortunately, a university education is still commonly deemed necessary for a successful career in the U.S.. While this supposed prerequisite for an accomplished adult life is outdated, education should be accessible to everyone, and removing the requirement of standardized testing in the college admissions process is the first step to take. Standardized testing is not only a poor representation of intelligence, but it is a creation of a philosophy that blatantly considers people of color intellectually inept. To continue requiring the SAT and ACT is to continue repressing people of color in America.
csilva@redwoodbark.org
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Illustration by Julia Frankus
An open letter to teens from a graduating senior By Samantha Elegant Dear Redwood students, When I started my freshman year at Redwood in the fall of 2018, I entered the building clueless, not knowing what to expect at all. As the oldest sibling, I’ve always been the one to test the waters first, not to mention, I went from a tiny, cocooned private school to crowded hallways filled with 2,000 unfamiliar faces. That transition was abrupt and difficult. It made me want an older sibling who could have prepared me for high school and all that it entailed. So, as a graduating senior, I’ll now try to be that older sister I never had. Here are some pieces of advice and lessons I’ve learned over the past four years. First off, while trying to maintain high grades and getting into a “good” college is important, they are truly not everything in high school. Looking back, I put way too much unnecessary pressure on myself, and I wish my younger self could know that a couple of bad test scores had no influence on my current success. Furthermore, it’s far more valuable to study what you are actually passionate about rather than forcing yourself to take difficult classes simply for an Advanced Placement (AP) credit. I know that parents and teachers say this already, but as someone who has taken many AP classes, some that I loved and others that I didn’t, I can verify that they are right, at least in my experience. Although academics were a large stressor, I found that the social aspect of high school was by far the hardest. People change a lot over four years, and that can make relationships difficult at times. Don’t worry though; struggling with social situations is completely normal. Whether people will admit it or not, almost everyone has had some sort of issue with their friends or within their friend group. Although it seems from the outside that every person or group is perfect, they each have their own hidden difficulties, so try not to compare or think you are in the “wrong group.” You are an individual with unique problems, but you are the same as everyone else when it comes to having them. What’s more, pay attention to how you treat others, even those outside your social circle. Little words can mean a lot, and while people might not remember what you did, people will remember how you made them feel. Make an effort to talk to the people who seem different. It might surprise you how similar you actually are. Additionally, it’s important to have some sort of outlet from school. For me this was ballet, but it can be anything you want: a sport, a job, an activity, a hobby, you name it. It’s even better, in my opinion, if this outlet removes you from the Redwood community. We are there most of the day, five times a week, so having some space from school is a necessary break. Along those lines, it’s vital that you take care of yourself. This can be something different for everyone — mindfulness practices, time in nature or even taking mental health breaks from school — but learning the value of taking time for yourself is one of the most worthwhile lessons I have learned over the years. You can’t push and push and push without allowing yourself to take a break every now and then. Believe me, I’ve tried. It only leads to burnout. Also, as cliche as it sounds, stop trying to be someone you’re not. I know that we all try to conform to some nameless mold, but by senior year, I’m realizing more and more how ridiculous that is. I’d say this understanding only comes with maturity, and I’m still working on it. High school is something to enjoy, and no matter how hard you force yourself, you’re not going to enjoy high school if you don’t lean into who you actually are. Finally, while I may be writing this letter, I’ll admit that I don’t know all the answers. I’m honestly still learning to take most of my own advice, and while this is my truth, I cannot speak for others. However, I do know that high school can be challenging sometimes, and the best wisdom I can give is to have grace. Have grace for others because everyone is just trying their best, and even more importantly, remember to have grace for yourself. Signing off, Samantha
bleslie@redwoodbark.org
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Redwood High School 395 Doherty Drive Larkspur, CA 94939 www.redwoodbark.org Editors-In-Chief Hollis Belger Taylor Elliott Kent Goodman Head Copy Editors Casey Braff Samantha Elegant Annie Goldstein
The threat of a post-Roe America
editorial “Taking your rights with you.”
POLICY: All editorials are unsigned and have been approved by the majority of the Bark staff.
On Monday, May 2, 2022, a Supreme Court draft written by Justice Samuel Anthony Alito Jr. was leaked. Sparking outrage, the draft exposed that the precedent set by the 1973 case, Roe v. Wade (Roe) could potentially be overturned, making abortion rights a matter of state policy rather than secured under federal protections. Currently, as students in California, we have the privilege of not worrying about whether we have access to safe abortions. However, it is our job to ensure that women and individuals in other states have the right to choose. To guarantee that women’s rights are prioritized, we must contribute to organizations that support the pro-choice movement and elect officials who advocate for women’s bodily autonomy. Overturning Roe poses a serious threat to the health and safety of those seeking an abortion, especially in conservative states. Many of these states have enacted “trigger laws,” legislation that effectively bans abortion. According to The World Health Organization, legal restrictions on abortion typically do not result in fewer abortions but force pregnant people to pursue riskier abortion services. Lesha McPeak has been a nurse practitioner since 2010 and currently works at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. As a medical professional, McPeak recognizes the damaging outcomes overturning Roe could create for women. “[Abortion bans as a result of overturning Roe] would be a danger to human life in the sense that women would likely seek out alternative ways to end a pregnancy that are far less safe … This will likely lead to death in many cases,” McPeak said. Not only will unsafe abortions and resulting deaths become more prominent in states where the procedure may be banned, but this legislation could pose accessibility issues in states where abortions are legal. “If [Roe] becomes a state by state accessibility problem … more people will come [to California] seeking abortion, and if we do not have enough providers to meet the abortion demand, people in California may try to seek alternative ways to end their pregnancy out of desperation,” McPeak said. If Roe is overturned, the majority of states banning abortion plan to prohibit the procedure even in cases of rape or incest. Due to these restrictions, many people are outraged at the conditions that could potentially force a sexual abuse victim to carry a child to term. Along with women who are victims of sexual violence, those in lower-income communities will be disproportionately impacted by abortion bans following Roe’s possible repeal. “Unfortunately, the people that are affected are typically lower-income, [as they] have less accessibility to be able to travel or pay for abortion procedures. … This is devastating to a community of people who are already underprivileged,” McPeak said. Additionally, decreased access to abortions puts marginalized groups at an even greater disadvantage
“A BARK to Quote Club.” A BITE to no one understanding the Met Gala theme... well except for the Supreme Court, who revisited a different era of U.S. History. A BARK to the girls’ lacrosse team for winning NCS. They are making history one Minturn at a time. A BITE to people who take
than at present. According to a 2019 Center for Disease Control and Prevention report, white women had the lowest rate of abortions while Black women had the highest rate, This is a direct result of an absence of quality healthcare and access to contraceptives for Black women. Oftentimes, pro-life arguments suggest that abortion is immoral and unjust, as it is depriving an innocent embryo of a life. However, these arguments do not address the very real implication that pro-life for a baby may not also hold true for the mother. In fact, a July 2020 New York Post article details an experiment named the “Turnaway Study,” where researchers followed two groups of women who sought abortions. The results of the experiment found that “the women who were denied abortions were on average more likely to live below the poverty line than the women who managed to get them.” Along with this “the women who were denied abortions had worse mental health—higher anxiety and lower self-esteem.” Although the pro-life argument would suggest that by not getting an abortion, women are fulfilling a moral responsibility, their lives and mental health may be worse off. As high school students, our generation will be primarily affected by these laws. Therefore, in our lifetime, we may continue to see an increase in illegal and unsafe abortions and pregnancy-related deaths. While seniors look forward to their final months of high school, many prepare for their next chapter, and some even plan to move to new states where abortion could be banned in the future. According to a senior post-graduation survey, 15 percent of Redwood seniors are planning to move to states that will certainly or likely ban abortion if Roe is overturned. As we are the generation that will witness the long-term, harmful effects of this potential Supreme Court decision, it is our responsibility to take immediate action. A precedent must be set that women are entitled to make reproductive decisions regardless of where they live. So, as many seniors prepare to move out of state, it is imperative that they are conscious of the impact their voice can have in other states. By utilizing their vote in the state of their college, they can potentially save women from losing their right to choose. This amount of influence will bring us closer to women having control over their own bodies. See the QR code to the left to donate to some of many organizations that provide resources to those in need of an abortion. Have an opinion regarding anything that appears in the Bark or in general? We encourage our readers to submit letters to the editor. Letters to the Bark should be 500 words or fewer, typed if possible and signed. They must be submitted to room 177 or in the Bark mailbox in the facility. They may also be emailed to bark@redwoodbark.org.
fourteen tries to post their BeReal. If you want to BeFake, kindly go back to Instagram. A BARK to the TUHSD Board passing the District Antiracism Policy. Oh wait... A BITE to senior semester grades. We can “C” the end. A BARK to the Warriors. Now we have the Splash Brothers and a Poole party.
A BITE to having homework! It’s June. A BARK to Senior Skip Day. But isn’t that everyday? BARKS and BITES are the collective opinions of the BARK staff concerning relevant issues. BARKS are in praise of accomplishments, while BITES criticize decisions or events.
Copy Editors Alex Coe Justine Fisch Nina Geoghegan Ella Kharrazi Calla McBride Kate McHugh Bella Piacente Lily Reese Claire Silva Maddie Sofnas Gemma Strauss Allie Vasquez News Editors Rori Anderson Kelly Chuang Ava Razavi Opinion Editors Chloe Bishop Shyla Lensing Declan McDaniels Feature Editors Stella Bennett Sam Kimball Natalie Tress Sports Editors Julia Frankus Libby Hughes Sophie Smallhorn Review Editors Sophia Buckholtz Gemma Favaloro Chris Vargelis Lifestyles Editors Charlotte DeForrest Ingrid Houtkooper Dani Steinberg Video Editors Sylvan Gordon-Wagen Hannah Morgan Spanish Editor Gillian Reynolds Podcast Editors Nathan Ash Dylan Zorn Business Managers Caitlin Beard Samantha Michaels Anna Royal Keegan Williams Survey Manager Hannah Sellers Art Consultants Peter Biss Keely Ganong Brooke Leslie Social Media Managers Caroline Scharf Natalie Welch Multimedia Editor Sydney Liebhauser Web Developer Sterling Lazarus Development Director Arjun Aujla Senior Staff Writers Avery Aguero Will Baker Caroline Goodhart Ava Koblik Annalise Sandrich Abby Shewmaker Reporters Matt Benbow Chloe Craft Emilie Erickson Alex Fisch Sarah Goody Sabrina Kizer Sofia Ruliffson Cole Seifer Ani Svendsen Adviser Erin Schneider
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Days before my 13th birthday, I found myself in a San Francisco Giants dugout, cameras rolling as I interviewed Buster Posey about his family foundation supporting pediatric cancer causes. I held tightly to my list of questions, in case my excitement and inner fangirl got the best of me. I had applied to be a Sports Illustrated Kids “Kid Reporter” in hopes of telling stories about sports celebrities making use of their platforms for the greater good, and the Buster Posey interview was exactly what I’d envisioned. My early introduction to the world of journalism also happened through the unexpected newsworthiness of my own fundraiser for kids with cancer. I loved being interviewed and became curious about the questions reporters asked and the content they ended up publishing. Eventually, this led me to pursue a role in the Bark. I do a lot of public speaking about the importance of cultivating purpose in adolescence. Too often, I’ve witnessed teens’ passions take a backseat to what I
call the “achievement hustle,” an overly eager pursuit of good grades and high test scores at the expense of personal meaning. Part of what I think makes being involved in the Bark special comes from each of us finding purpose in our work. We generate content to ignite change, to explore a genuine interest in a topic or to share a story that is so compelling it simply needs to be told. We’ve interviewed narcotics detectives to investigate the severe consequences of fentanyl poisoning for local teenagers. We’ve asked questions of Olympians, health directors, politicians, and parents of suicide victims. We’ve celebrated accomplishments and mourned losses. Through Bark, I heard firsthand perspectives of anti-vaccine advocates and gained an appreciation for the hazing epidemic pervading college campuses nationwide. I consumed the breathtaking experiences of Marin resident Douglas Brown, who was in the Twin Towers when the fated plane hit on Sept. 11. We
from them and everyone who knew about my situation in Bark was overwhelming. In those first two weeks, not only did my fellow Barkies stand up and fill in for me, but they made me feel included from 2,000 miles away (cheesy, I know). But it’s true. I remember Face-Timing Kent and Hollis and getting every detail about how it was going, from what the kids in my class were like to their reactions after showing some less than flattering photos of Barkies in our introductory presentation. And when I finally made it home with my family and had my first day of Bark, it was just as amazing as I had imagined. And that feeling of support never left. Once I had found my bearings, new, more Bark-like, challenges surfaced. Like when Principal Sondheim invited me to speak about my article on the fentanyl crisis to a panel of more than 70 administrators, teachers and law enforcement officials. I wasn’t sure what to say or how to be a voice for students on the issue. But my fellow Barkies did. My co-writer Keely
and I had a conversation in each Advanced Journalism class and received feedback that made us confident in our speech. So to my fellow Barkies and the generations of Bark writers to come, I leave you with this advice: take advantage of this community and the solace it gives. Use your next year or two to take risks, lean on your peers through emotional hardship, go to People’s Park and approach its inhabitants (or make another bold move in the name of journalism). I think about the confidence that Bark has given me a lot. The ability to walk into a room and command a group of people, to call the shots and field questions coming at me in every direction. Now reflecting back, I see that this confidence relies on feeling supported, knowing that if I fail or can’t be there, I’m not any less of a leader. So thank you, Bark. We made it through.
Growing up, I absolutely despised reading and writing. I was always the slowest to finish, and yet I still couldn’t comprehend the book right before me. The 30 minutes of required reading each night was utter torture, and my mom had to quite literally pin me down to the floor for me to finish a mere chapter. Coming to Redwood as an incoming freshman, I thought my luck would change. I saw the plethora of STEM classes available and nearly fainted from the excitement. Up to this point, I thought I would never use English in the future and wholeheartedly believed I could fill my schedule with math and sciences while only taking the required languages. To my chagrin, my dad and I did not see eye to eye. He explained to me that my brother had taken non-fiction, and the class improved his English skills immensely, so I should follow suit. While I was not happy about taking non-fiction —I was self-proclaimed illiterate —my dad had a pretty ironclad
argument. Taking non-fiction and Bark was, in short, the best decision of my life. While I could talk for hours about the incomparable community or my most memorable relationships formed in the class, the largest impact Bark had on me was showing me how to love something I’d hated forever: English. My love for writing was not immediately apparent after starting the class, but instead, arrived by an epiphany when writing one of my first investigative features. In an interview I conducted on the shut-down of San Francisco businesses, my source broke down in tears describing the boards placed on the windows of a long-loved restaurant. While she spoke, I realized why writing was so powerful. This woman had a heart-wrenching story, and through journalism, others would be able to hear it and make a change within our community. To me, writing means telling stories and sharing unforgettable moments
can study second-hand sources depicting historical events, but nothing compares to the kinds of present-day investigation and human connections made through Bark. Through these experiences, my fellow Barkies and I have shared stories that need to be heard and perspectives that need to be recognized, and we’ve spoken out on issues that beg for reform. Our content—whether delivered by video, podcast or traditional written format—is driven by purpose. For me, writing for the Bark became yet another manifestation of finding meaning in however I chose to spend my time. If I could leave you all with a parting message as someone who has always strived to be a purposeful storyteller, participant and leader, it would be this: seek purpose and meaning in what you do, with the eventual goal of contributing in ways that move, inspire or benefit others. There’s a Buster Posey experience waiting for you. Go out and find it. hbelger@redwoodbark.org
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My first day as Editor-in-Chief (EIC) was something I spent countless hours imagining. I practiced my introduction to the class in my bathroom mirror a million times — “Hey guys, my name is Taylor, and I’m one of your EICs this year. Welcome to the Bark!” That was my line (with adjusted inflection and added hand gestures, of course). Needless to say, I was determined to make the right impression. But, as fate would have it, I wasn’t there on that first day or even for the first two weeks. Instead, I spent the beginning of the year in Memphis, Tenn. visiting my mom in a rehabilitation hospital after she had an unexpected stroke. It was really hard. I can’t even begin to describe my fear. A fear for my mom’s health mixed with the looming feeling that I was disappointing everyone who had chosen me for this role. So, as I sat down to explain myself over text to Erin, our Bark advisor, and my co-EICs, Kent and Hollis, I was anxious for their response. But I didn’t need to be. The support I received
EIC Farewell Letters ‘Managers of the Year’
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telliott@redwoodbark.org of someone’s life, and there is no other action as meaningful as that. As I continued writing for Bark, I found my niche within reporting. To this day, I have never written a review and rarely write sports articles; instead, I opt to highlight as many personal tales as possible with lifestyles stories and investigative coverage. Bark has, without a doubt, become my favorite class, even though I am still a die hard STEM student at heart. As we seniors depart from high school half-matured and ready to embark on the next stage of life, we’re all hoping to leave a legacy or mark on Redwood. I’m not entirely sure if I’ve made any lasting impressions at this school, but I can say with certainty that the Bark left the best impression on me, and I’ll cherish my new mindset towards journalism and writing for the rest of my life. kgoodman@redwoodbark.org
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Últimas Noticias de la temporada de fútbol una temporada exitosa. El segundo en la Conferencia Oeste es el Austin FC que terminó en el 12º lugar el año pasado y busca una mejor temporada este año. Actualmente el LAFC tiene la mayor posibilidad de ganar la Copa MLS con un 20 por ciento de posibilidades mientras que el Houston Dynamo FC tiene la menor posibilidad de ganar la copa.
Por Sam Kimball En todo el mundo el fútbol sigue reinando como uno de los principales deportes. Según Statisa hay 265 millones de jugadores de fútbol en todo el mundo pero cada año esa cifra aumenta. La Major League Soccer (MLS) comenzó su temporada el 16 de abril y el corto comienzo plantea aspectos negativos y positivos para muchos equipos. La Premier League inglesa (EPL), que concluye su temporada en breve, ve a muchos de los mismos equipos de las clasificaciones más altas, así como de los equipos más nuevos. El fútbol lo juegan jóvenes y mayores, grandes y pequeños y es parte de la cultura de América Latina. Muchas festividades y celebraciones están asociadas a este deporte, ya que es frecuente que familias y amigos se reúnan después de un partido. El deporte une a las familias y actúa como inspiración para los niños de América Latina. Si bien provino de Buenos Aires, Argentina en el siglo XIX, el juego ahora es completamente global y la popularidad continúa aumentando debido a su ritmo de juego.
Liga Premier
MLS Desde el 16 de abril 2022 la MLS continúa su temporada actual. Los 27 equipos intentan luchar por ser el campeón y ganar la Copa MLS. La principal competencia es el New York City FC. Tras quedar en segundo lugar la temporada pasada el Philadelphia Union lidera el pelotón de la Conferencia Este y ha empezado con fuerza ganando cinco partidos contra el actual campeón, así como contra San José, Montreal, Charlotte y Columbus. Liderado por el actual portero del año de la MLS Andre Blake, el Union busca continuar su búsqueda del título a lo largo de la
Dibujo por Julia Frankus
temporada. Un séptimo puesto en la Conferencia Este el año pasado, los Red Bulls de Nueva York buscan un cambio de rumbo en la temporada y actualmente ocupan el segundo puesto. Lewis Morgan lideró el equipo con cuatro goles, en busca de un repunte de la temporada y de un intento de saltar en la clasificación. En la Conferencia Oeste, el LAFC busca un repunte similar al de los Red Bulls, ya que actualmente ocupa el primer puesto tras un fuerte comienzo de temporada. Diego Rossi, el mejor jugador de la MLS del año pasado busca llevar al equipo a
Imagen cortesía de Getty Images
A LA ESPERA del ganador de la Copa MLS, el brillante trofeo está actualmente en posesión del New York City FC.
Imagen cortesía de Getty Images
Imagen cortesía de Getty Images
DIEGO ROSSI, EL mejor jugador del año pasado en la MLS, busca seguir mostrando sus habilidades esta temporada.
CRISTIANO RONALDO BUSCA terminar la temporada con fuerza en el Manchester United.
La Premier League, que finaliza el 22 de mayo, ha visto un muy buen conjunto de partidos este año. El Manchester City FC ocupa el primer puesto tres puntos por encima del Liverpool FC. El tercero es el Chelsea FC que está a 16 puntos del Liverpool FC. Actualmente el Manchester City FC tiene un 86 por ciento de posibilidades de ganar la Copa de la Premier League, mientras que el Liverpool FC tiene un 14 por ciento de posibilidades de llevarse el premio a casa. Mohamed Salah del Liverpool FC lidera la liga en goles con 22, seguido por Son Heung-Min del Tottenham Hotspur. Tras ellos está Cristiano Ronaldo del Manchester United FC con 18 goles, y Diogo Jota y Sadio Mané con 15 y 14 goles respectivamente. En asistencias Salah lidera con 13 seguido de Trent AlexanderArnold con 12. Mientras el Manchester City busca alzarse con el título de la Copa de la Premier League, sus estadísticas le avalan, ya que es el equipo que más goles ha marcado en la liga, con 89, y el que más pases ha dado, con 24.047. A medida que el fútbol se vuelve más popular en todo el mundo, seguirá prosperando y siendo una parte vital de culturas específicas.
skimball@redwoodbark.org
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Supreme Court v. the States: The debate over abortion By Ella Kharrazi On May 2, 2022, a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion stated that the majority of the court voted to overturn the 1973 court case Roe v. Wade, sparking a variety of reactions, both jovial and discontented. While some protested, calling for the right to abortion, others used this as an opportunity to further pressure the courts to follow through with their decision. Abortion can be seen as a polarizing topic, with conservatives and liberals generally favoring one side over the other. Technically speaking, conservatism is defined as a “tendency to preserve what is established,” and the Republican Party views typically correlate with this notion. According to a 2021 study of political typology by Pew Research Center, U.S. adults who identify as Republican or Republican-leaning are typically more conservative, while those who consider themselves Democrat or Democrat-leaning are more liberal. Junior and president of the Democrat Club Athena Raskin also correlates conservatism with the Republican Party. “I would say that conservatism is just the general political view of God and in keeping with old traditions,” Raskin said. “The Republican Party has recently shifted to [become] more conservative in recent years.” As the leaked document signals the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision regarding liberty and the constitutional right to privacy, the U.S. as a whole may seem like it is shifting towards more conservative values. According to a May 2022 Bark survey, 32 percent of students feel that the U.S. is turning more conservative, while 25 percent think the U.S. is becoming more liberal. However, the U.S. population is becoming more liberal socially. Support for same-sex marriage has increased by 43 percent from 1996 to 2021, and the majority of Republican citizens supported gay marriage for the first time in 2021. Opposition to gay marriage has long been a conservative view, but the growing support from the Republican Party displays a clear shift toward more liberal values. Furthermore, 2021 was the first year that less than 50 percent of Americans belonged to a house of worship, such as a church, synagogue or mosque. In contrast, membership in 1999 was at 70 percent. Religion is strongly tied to conservative values, as expressed in the Religious Right movement of the 1970s. During this time, religious leaders responded to the counterculture movements by advocating for a return to traditional views of nuclear families and bans on abortion as well as samesex marriage. Evangelicals are a major force in the antiabortion movement, as 74 percent of white evangelical protestants in 2022 believe abortion should be illegal, according to Pew Research. The decline of religious affiliation may contribute to the rise of social liberalism in the U.S. and greater acceptance of abortion in the U.S. In fact, most U.S. citizens do not support a full ban on abortion. According to a March 2022 survey by Pew Research, 61 percent of Americans said abortion should be legal in all or most circumstances, while 37 percent believe it should be illegal in all or most circumstances. Despite this general data expressing the majority opinion, there are numerous factors woven into each side, such as how far along the pregnancy is and how the baby was conceived. Given that most Americans support the legality of abortions, the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion does not reflect the views of the majority of people in the U.S., an idea that may extend further than just the topic of abortion. “I think [President Donald] Trump got a lot of support from the pro-life movement and from the conservative movement in general, as they were one of his big blocks of voters. I think that he appointed judges that he knew would satisfy conservatives in America,” Raskin said. Three out of the nine current Supreme
Court Justices were nominated by former President Wilkinson further claims that the 1973 Roe Trump. This indicates that one-third of the highest court v. Wade decision was “flawed” and “faulty that claims to “protect civil rights and liberties” was put in from the start” in terms of constitutionality. power by a singular president. Furthermore, this president “The Supreme Court never should have did not receive the popular vote when elected, falling made that decision because they made a law, short of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton by [which the Supreme Court is not supposed almost 2.9 million votes. The Senate that approved to do]. This violates the Constitution and justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney violates the three branches of government. Barrett was also not representative of the U.S. majority. [Abortion] is not mentioned in the During Trump’s presidency, the Senate majority Constitution at was Republican, while the all,” Wilkinson voter majority remained more said. “[Abortion] Democratic. The Supreme is a states’ rights Court’s purpose is to act as a issue, and [the nonpartisan interpreter of the Roe v. Wade Constitution who is not affiliated ruling] never should with a particular political party, a have been established.” concept now threatened by these actions. Although the decision to allow abortions The Republican Party also presented inconsistent would be voted on by the states, Raskin procedures for appointing justices in the last highlights a possible caveat of this system. months of the Trump presidency. In February 2016, “A lot of the states where there are risks during President Barack Obama’s last year to abortion rights have very unfair voting in office, Justice and conservative Antonin practices, such as not enough Scalia died, leaving a vacancy for Obama polling stations in areas with to fill. However, conservative Senator predominantly people of color Mitch McConnell led a successful or not allowing voting by block on Obama’s nomination of mail. I think that is very Merrick Garland stating, “The skewed,” Raskin said. American people should have a In the 2021 legislative voice in the selection of their next sessions, more than 440 Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, bills restricting voting this vacancy should not be filled access were introduced Illustrations by Calla McBride until we have a new president.” in 49 states, while at least In contrast, when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died 19 states passed 34 laws restricting voting between Jan. in September of 2020, less than two months before the 1 and Dec. 7, 2021. In states such as Texas and Arizona, 2020 presidential election, McConnell supported Trump’s which enacted restrictive voting bills of this nature, nomination and agreed to replace Ginsburg with anti- state elections may not be representative of the citizens’ abortion conservative Amy Coney Barrett. Raskin points opinions, as people of color are often disproportionately out various flaws in the Senate and Supreme Court systems. affected by these laws. A study published in American “I don’t agree with the fact that in the Supreme Court Politics Research found that voters of color typically lack judges can serve for life. I think that there should always be access to necessary IDs, and a study in the University rotation so that there are new and fresh perspectives,” Raskin of Chicago Press Journals expressed that “strict said. “For the Senate, I do not think that it’s representative. identification laws will disproportionately stop a minority, I think the House of Representatives and how it represents otherwise willing set of registered voters from voting.” each state’s population is much more democratic.” As states regain the power to make decisions Each state receives two seats in the Senate despite regarding abortion, and the Supreme Court acts on more ranges in population size. For instance, a state such conservative values, the increasingly socially liberal as Wyoming, with a population of approximately people of the U.S. will inevitably invoke push-back. 600,000, elects the same number of senators as “I think that one implication [of the possible Roe California, with a population of about 40 million. v. Wade overturn] will just be a larger outcry from However, the Chairman of the Republican pro-choice people in the government. Especially with Party of Marin, Jack Wilkinson, expresses an the election of Joe Biden and how Democrats hold opposing view of the Senate’s equal distribution. the majority in both the House [of Representatives] “If all of [the government] was based on population, and the Senate, it shows that most Americans don’t then we’d have a tyranny of the majority, which is why agree with [the decision in the draft],” Raskin said. we have the Constitution and the way it was constructed Although the decision is not yet finalized, the 6-3 to avoid the tyranny of the majority,” Wilkinson said. conservative majority in the Supreme Court is “pulling the United States back into a prior era without regard for changing notions and understandings of equity, equality and fairness,” according to Sarah Warbelow, the legal director for the Human Rights Campaign. “By declaring its intention to reconsider earlier rulings on abortion …, the GOP majority is inverting the Court’s usual motivation for revising precedent,” Warbelow told The Atlantic. “Historically when the Court has done so, it has been to rectify past wrongs in a way that creates greater rights for all Americans. But the cases that the Court is now considering … are not about expanding rights; they are about restricting rights [and] perpetuating a very narrow view of who should be able to operate fully within the world.” ekharrazi@redwoodbark.org
bark Page 12 • Feature Senior staff: Classrooms without four walls Learning with nature By Avery Aguero What does one’s ideal learning environment look like? Does it look like a classroom, furnished with rows of desks, high-tech projectors and decorative art on the walls? Or perhaps, a student’s ideal learning takes place in nature, where the classroom is not bound by walls hung with whiteboards and small rectangular windows, but rather immersed in the great outdoors. When I picture a “school environment,” I do not think of the latter scenario. For almost 12 years, I have become accustomed to a traditional indoor academic experience. Oftentimes, I question whether or not my outlook on my education and life for that matter would be improved in some way if I had changed my learning environment. For some students, enrolling in outdoor education programs, focused on providing experiential learning opportunities, helped them discover how they learn and live best. While the experiential learning model varies widely, many offered to students in Marin County include backpacking trips, community service engagement, wilderness survival skills and small-sized classes for core academic subjects. As a Marin native, I have felt the pressure to conform and follow the same educational path as everyone else in my community despite wanting to engage in experiential learning programs. I now recognize the fear of missing out on a “traditional” high school experience has been a factor preventing me from pursuing what I really want to do with my education in order to fit in. I have come to learn that this is not an uncommon narrative. In my quest to answer the question of how student’s lives have been affected by outdoor learning, I decided to create an interactive photo essay that could accurately speak to the unique stories of those who have participated in outdoor learning programs. Continue reading to learn about three students in my community who each have their own experiences with and perspectives about learning in the wilderness. In the fall of 2018, just before he entered his junior year of high school, Lucas Roy heard about Team, an academic experiential learning program offered at Tamiscal High School previously open to all juniors in the Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD). Roy was first drawn to the program’s unique backpacking expeditions and decided to apply for a spot in the 20182019 class along with 24 other students. A typical week in the life of a Team student includes two days of academic instruction in a classroom, while the other three are spent preparing for backpacking trips, engaging in community service, attending internships or
conducting independent study time. Although hands-on high school semester programs and found that HMI’s learning remains at the core of Team’s values, the program emphasis on place-based learning through backpacking also recognizes the importance of college preparatory ventures fit her best. Turner enrolled and spent four education for students who plan on furthering their months venturing outdoors to places like Bears Ears education after high school. National Monument in Utah and establishing friendships For two years, the future of the Team program with 45 other teens from all over the country. remained uncertain. After the 2020 Measure B parcel As Redwood students were adjusting to a new tax was defeated by TUHSD voters, the program got school year with masks and full-time in-person learning, suspended for the 2020-2021 school year due to budget Turner was also adapting to a new way of school as constraints. However, a recent announcement from lead well. She believes the small and intimate dynamic of teachers Diana Goldberg and the community at HMI helped Jasper Thelin confirmed that her become more comfortable Team will be returning to Archie with participating in class Williams High School in the fall discussions and collaborating of 2022. Operating under a new I think my experiences in Team with peers. name, the Team Academy will provided an emotional bonding Due to the structure of now only be offered to students with the outdoors that was way the program, HMI was able at Archie Williams High School. stronger than I had [before]. It gave to remain in-person while Despite these changes, the extent me focus and direction, being able following health guidelines of Team’s impact on former to [ask myself] ‘I like nature, but when many schools grappled students has remained powerful. what do I really like about it? with the reality of online learning Roy, now a sophomore Lucas Roy, during a global pandemic. at Colorado State University Team Participant Grace Gassel, who is studying Watershed Science, currently finishing up her senior accredits Team for igniting his year at Marin Catholic High fascination with water and its School (MC), was one of those importance as a natural resource. From backpacking trips students who chose HMI because it offered a semester of to the Lost Coast in Humboldt, Calif., all the way down in-person school in the fall of 2020. After spending three south to Joshua Tree National Park, Roy was exposed to summers at a month-long sleep away camp where she different types of terrain that opened up many research discovered her passion for outdoor adventuring, Gassel opportunities for him. He continues to reflect on the time heard about HMI from a former student and later applied. he spent studying in nature by expressing his gratitude for Gassel found the social and academic climate at HMI to the friendships and life skills he developed through the be more conducive to establishing genuine relationships program. with her classmates and teachers. She believes the Each year, a non-profit, independent school and gap emphasis on limiting screen time throughout the day, year provider called the High Mountain Institute (HMI) engaging in hands-on schoolwork and using teachers selects students from all over the country together to as resources for emotional support were all factors that engage with the natural world. About 150 students and 30 made her HMI experience memorable and worthwhile. adults participate in HMI programs each year, combining After Tuner and Gassel completed their location-based learning with backpacking, rock climbing respective semesters exploring nature, both felt and backcountry skiing expeditions. From the central challenged by the process of transitioning back into their campus located among the Rocky Mountains in Leadville, high school routines. For Turner, planning out her class Colo. to programs traveling as far as the Patagonia schedule so that her credits from HMI would transfer mountains, HMI students build strong communities of smoothly and meeting her teachers halfway through the responsible young adults through experiential learning, school year was a hard adjustment. However, Turner intellectual inquiry and travel. believes the support she received from her counselor During the months leading up to her junior year, Adeline and teachers eased the transition from two completely Turner began rethinking her school plan for the 2021 fall different schools. semester due to the sustained COVID-19 restrictions. To read more, visit redwoodbark.org Motivated by a deep admiration for the outdoors and a desire for change, Turner began researching abroad aaguero@redwoodbark.org
Photo courtesy of Grace Gassel
Photo courtesy of Lucas Roy
“BEFORE TEAM, I definitely liked nature and I was certainly going to try to do something related to that [in] college or my career field, [but] I think my experiences in Team provided an emotional bonding with the outdoors that was way stronger than I had [before]. It gave me focus and direction, being able to [ask myself] ‘I like nature, but what do I really like about it? What do I specifically want to do?’ and I started thinking about water. When I toured Colorado State [University], I heard about the programs that they have at the Warner College of Natural Resources, and it just felt right immediately. … I really do not know where I would be right now if it weren’t for Team,” Roy said.
June 3, 2022
Photo courtesy of Grace Gassel
“THERE WAS A huge emphasis [at HMI] on focusing on the quality of your work, critical thinking and collaboration. I was definitely able to slow down and enjoy what I was doing, especially because nearly all of the work was collaborative. … I really appreciated doing work for the sake of educating [myself], not only [with] schoolwork, but I also learned how to set up a tent, do laundry, cook and clean campus, because there was no cleaning or cooking staff,” Gassel said.
“I FEEL LIKE doing HMI opened up a door for me to try new things with less fear than I would have had before [going to] HMI, which is really cool because now I have more confidence in myself and [know the] direction I want to take things. I’ve definitely used my experience at HMI as a jumping off point for what I want to look for in my college experience. I don’t really know what I want to do after high school, but I do want to go to a college that has really cool outdoor programs. … The majority [of MC graduates] go straight to college, and I wish it was more common for people to do other things. …You don’t have to go to college at all to be successful,” Gassel said.
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www.redwoodbark.org
Rejection is redirection A new perspective on college admittance By Stella Bennett College, college, college; the subject that appears to be on every high schooler’s mind. While students may not think about it the moment they walk through the doors of high school for the first time, they surely will by the time they reach their junior year. With college constantly circulating student’s brains, 83 percent of teens think about their education and career path weekly, and 53 percent think about it daily, according to Insider Higher Ed. Michael Danne, a 2021 Redwood graduate, had a similar trajectory to that of many students since he began thinking about college at an early age. When he first began to look at colleges, Danne quickly set his sights on Dartmouth University. “[After] the Dartmouth admissions representative came to Redwood and gave a presentation about the school, I did a lot more research about [Dartmouth] and ended up doing a virtual visit [and had] the opportunity to go visit the school [in person],” Danne said. “I had my mind set on going to Dartmouth, and that was my number one school.” Many high schoolers, similar to Danne, center their academics around their dream school, leading to enrollment in a number of Advanced Placement courses and rigorous schedules to “stand out” in the eyes of colleges. However, these courses often come at the expense of one’s social life or take away from other extracurriculars. “I remember when I was a freshman, I had this weird urge to plan out all of my classes, so I figured out [which classes] I wanted [take throughout] high school,” Danne said. “My social life was definitely impacted by the amount of time I spent at school. Looking back, I don’t think this was necessarily a bad thing because I wouldn’t be where I am now, but it had its pros and cons.” However, not everything always goes according to plan. Sometimes students hit a bump in the road, but instead of dwelling on their loss, they may have to redirect themselves. This bump can come in many forms, but one prevalent type is rejection. College rejection can be hard to overcome and can put a dent in a post-high school graduate plan, especially one which has been formulated since freshman year. When Danne was rejected from Dartmouth, he altered his path by choosing to attend Middlebury College, a private, four-year university in Vermont, similar to Dartmouth in location and size. “When I didn’t get [into Dartmouth after] I applied Early Decision one, I was honestly pretty disappointed,” Danne said. “I ended up submitting my Middlebury College application Early Decision two, and I got [into Middlebury in] February, but I wasn’t super excited about it. I didn’t know if I wanted to go.” This experience occurs frequently, according to Becky Bjursten, Redwood’s College and Career Center Specialist. Bjursten regularly manages rejections but has seen students use them as an opportunity to move forward. She suggests that instead of taking rejection personally or giving up, it is important to view it as a positive change and redirection from prior plans. “[Getting rejected] might be an indicator [that the school], for some reason, wasn’t the right match for you,” Bjursten said. “It might be a healthier choice to move in a direction that is still going to support where you would
like to be a year from now. Sometimes things work out for a reason.” The phrase “rejection is redirection” has been increasing in popularity and offers a new perspective as to how to view these setbacks. As stated in an article by Sutton Full Potential, a foundation created to help people find careers, “Rejection is not meant to push you behind, but to push you forward with even more vigor and zest. It is a way of redirecting and saying: ‘You got to be smarter than this, try something else.’” This new way of thinking is prevalent when it comes to college season and receiving admission updates. Rejection can be viewed as a door to new and better opportunities. For instance, Danne was accepted into Middlebury and thoroughly enjoys himself there, ultimately happy he had to redirect his educational path. “I have no regrets whatsoever. I am 100 percent happy here, [and] I absolutely love Middlebury,” Danne said. “Now that I am here and have had a year at Middlebury, I honestly cannot consider going to a different school. I have had an amazing time at this school, and the people are fantastic. I cannot imagine myself at Dartmouth.” Not only does rejection serve as a great opportunity for a new educational path, but it can also open one’s eyes to a new reality. Christian Royal, a Redwood 2021 alum and current freshman at College of Marin, had this realization and took a different educational path than he had previously planned. Since he did not get into his top choices, the University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley) or the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Royal adopted the “rejection is redirection” mindset. “[When I was rejected from the UCs], I became more realistic and optimistic. [Rejection] acknowledges the fact that, although it sucks I didn’t get into these colleges, there are actually a lot of opportunities here at College of Marin,” Royal said. “Our tuition is paid for [by College of Marin or is significantly lower than other colleges], we have top-notch professors and we have smaller classes. There are a lot of advantages in going to College of Marin and any community college in general.” According to various career specialists, including Bjursten, everyone ends up in a place that works for them. Both Danne and Royal are satisfied with their college decision, even though it looks a little different than they imagined in high school. “I 100 percent believe [that there is a place for everyone after high school], and I think that there is not just one place but a lot of different great opportunities,” Bjursten said. “Give yourself the flexibility to change your mind. Even after you get admitted to a school and try it out, a lot of people transfer if it is not the right match. If you are super happy where you are, that is awesome, but it doesn’t have to be this weighty, all-in-one decision like you have to make this perfect choice. You can find what is right for you.” Although there is a school for everyone, it is important to love where you attend. Bjursten suggests applying to a variety of schools that students could see themselves at to enable numerous opportunities and security in the college
bark
Photo courtesy of Christian Royal
STANDING IN FRONT of College of Marin, Royal positions himself for a photo before proceeding to his classes. admissions process. “A gap year is a great option, [and] community college is a great option, but do not settle for something that is less than what you want,” Bjursten said. “I think it is really important to only have schools on your college list that are schools you are interested in. So what does rejection even mean? You are still going somewhere that you thought was awesome for one reason or another. Even if it is not your first choice, it can be your 10th choice, but it shouldn’t be on your list unless it is somewhere you are interested in.” Safety schools can often be overlooked, but finding these colleges are important because each year, colleges become more competitive. Data from the national 2022 admission results show a significant drop in acceptances, according to Prepory, a college admissions and career coaching company. For instance, Northeastern University’s acceptance rate dropped from 20 percent to seven percent this year, displaying this increased competitiveness. Although attending prestigious universities is realistic for some people, it is recommended that students adopt the “rejection is redirection” mindset and become okay with the fact that rejection is something everyone faces. According to a May 2022 Bark survey, 48 percent of seniors at Redwood were rejected from their top college, causing them to pursue a different path than originally planned. “I think that failure is really important. It is not like failure [does not] suck, because it obviously does, but your successes are [not] measured in terms of your failures. I have had my fair share of failures, … but you really just have to revel in your defeat and bounce back from it,” Royal said. “Redirection from rejection is a really important skill for making students much more resilient both during college [and] outside in their lives and their careers.” sbennett@redwoodbark.org
Illustrations by Julia Frankus
ARIZONA University of Arizona Kendall Templeton CALIFORNIA California College of the Arts Holly McDow California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Avery Aguero Bodhi Bartle Maxwell Dubow Nicholas Gehrman Cassady Haan Vaila Heinemann Jackson Kipp Avary Lazarus Julian Macdonald Kate McHugh Wyatt O’Connor Sky O’Donnell Sophia Pero Meghan Roy Lyla Runkelshortall Grant Stoll Luke Trusheim California State University, Fullerton Katherine Berkowitz California State University, Long Beach Lauren Woods Cañada College Arya Shadan Chapman University Raine Conti Ray Hettleman Zack Klopukh Brooke Leslie Declan McDaniels Kate Olson Kayla Pineda Chico State University Gabriel Clavijo Benjamin Filler Claremont McKenna College Grace Minturn College of Marin Fernando Alcala Andre Bermudez-Rodriguez Shelby Karraker Shannon Lafon Andy Nguyen Sirena Power Loyola Marymount University Alissa Dubrovsky Jory Kursh Alexander Maher Dylan Zorn Occidental College Travis Hughes Orange Coast College Elizabeth Johnson Christopher Merron Pitzer College Ashley Fliegel Andrew Palmer Pomona College Charles Treene Saint Mary’s College Briana Salvetti San Diego State University Kai Auran Shiloh Beattie Lindsey Beauchamp Brodie Beckham Caden Bennett Nathalia Bernstein Jeremy Chan Patrick Cullen Clayton Grace Lydia Kallas Xochi Komarmy Nathan Laury Gwyneth Liebhauser Joshua Marrero Tara Moran Yur Majesty Valentino Starbird Santa Barbara City College Cyrus Alavi Annika Kettunen Santa Clara University Ida Sharafsaleh Santa Monica College Paul Lecellier Scripps College Ava Koblik Stanford University Hollis Belger Juliette Lermusiaux
University of California, Berkeley Spencer Barnes Tyler Blair Luca Bove Lucy Carruthers Richard Cherry Sophia Chung Hailey Connery Katherine Connors Byron Finley Isabella Lombardo Denia Mittleman Natalie Oh Elena Wang Lola Zirpoli University of California, Davis Miles Barry Zeeva Chaver Sanah Keswani-Santiago Maya Nordin University of California, Irvine Tibo Bonte Cole McGowan Sabrina Wallace University of California, Los Angeles Cassidy Allen Jenna Benyon Henrik Brockman Lauren Cheng Alexander Coleman Charlotte Deforrest Emily Fee Rachel Katz Isabella Lonning Maisie McPeek Hannah Morgan Morgan Moseley Beatrice O’Brien Madeline Redmond Bridgette Ryning Abigail Shewmaker Olivia Timpson University of California, Merced Joshua Liu University of California, San Diego Ciara Auran Hasti Ferassat Jackie Halberstadt Ian McGregor Sven Neuschul Sydney Nichol University of California, Santa Barbara Lucy Downing Keaton Fargo Samuel Gu Margaret Johnson Hannah Jones Agneya Poduval Haley Rothbart Christopher Vargelis Damian Wabl University of California, Santa Cruz Alexander Aghili Helena Janku Aidan Ngo University of San Diego Kylie Bogert Ava Converse Angelica Gauptman Reid Willens University of Southern California Casey Addicks Lair Champion Jordyn Solter
CONNECTICUT Yale University Juan Flores DELAWARE University of Delaware John Dempsey ENGLAND Nottingham Trent University Jamie Randel Royal Holloway, University of London Charlotte Casey University of the Arts London Jackson Brown FRANCE American University of Paris Julian Belzer GAP YEAR Sterling Lazarus Cate Sullivan- Italy Jack White HAWAII University of Hawaii at Manoa Oliver Howard
Data Organization by Case Graphics by B Data Collection by the Co
CANADA Western University of Ontario Katherine Norris COLORADO University of Colorado, Boulder Brooks Allen Eva Behrens Alyssa Cook Margaret Haack Sydney Liebhauser Isabella Micucci Charles Mitchell Rex Rodgers Nick Scott Skylar Solle Devon Soofer Eli Whitney Keegan Williams University of Denver Sydney Kaster Mary Sharon
IDAHO Boise State University Raine Baker ILLINOIS University of Chicago Katherine Ritter INDIANA Butler University Pilar Goodman Indiana University at Bloomington Mark Butler Braden Cook Kitt Fricke Gianna Ghio Matthew Jessen Dylan Lauchle
University of Notre Dame Colin Cunneen Alexandra Odland Purdue University Leo Siminoff Purdue University Northwest Olivia Bixler Zachary Wexler JAPAN Waseda University Nina Geoghegan LOUISIANA Tulane University Sophie Deglau Natalie Tress
Catherine Clark Luke Stickley Brandeis University Alex Rose Lesley University Zoe Curtaz Massachusetts Institute of Technology Kent Goodman Northeastern University Kiley Giordano Brooke Holmstrom Camille Macmillin Tyler Von Pervieux Tufts University Joshua Blum Williams College Sadie Leonard
ey Braff and Natalie Tress Brooke Leslie ollege and Career Center
MICHIGAN Michigan State University Zachary Johnson University of Michigan Nathan Ash Avery Bowman Kayleigh Docherty Dylan Finnegan Keely Ganong Kaitlyn Hartka
Sophia Mendoza Peter Biss Columbia University Joseph O’Neill Cornell University Claire McKechnie Lauren McKechnie Caroline Scharf Fordham University Cleo Barden Connor Bennett Eric Sunshine Alexandra Vasquez New York University Colton Berger Noah Ong Bamola Gemma Strauss Asal Takesh Parsons School of Design Robyn Stephens Syracuse University Caroline Goodhart The New School Isabella Piacente NORTH CAROLINA North Carolina State University Alejandro Zayas Ramos University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Carmen Sagues Wake Forest University Riley Anderson Sarah Steele Alexandra Winter NORTH DAKOTA University of North Dakota Jackson Page OHIO Denison University Sophie Smallhorn Karl Svallin Kenyon College Owen Peterson Ohio Wesleyan University Dennis Van Der Wal OREGON Lewis and Clark University Sophie Blauvelt Mia Curtaz Reed College Maccallum Olcott University of Oregon Hayden Abbott Joaquin Ames Lucas Atherton Spencer Barras William Davis Harper Fong Aidan Gossett Olivia Holscher Logan Kaminski Aidan Kim Caroline Lewis Louis Columbo Brianna Ortiz Katie O’Shea Olivia Ragsdale Margot Schulz Ella Stoterau Brian Suchodolski Zachary Suckle Kamala Tippo
MAINE Colby College Annie Goldstein Caroline Reidy
Samantha Michaels Alexandra Sessions Jordan Vasquez Colette Walravens
MARYLAND U.S. Naval Academy Gavin Green
MINNESOTA University of Minnesota Lena Shuwayhat
MASSACHUSETTS Babson College Sophia Shaw Boston College Catherine Hackett Georgia Harms Boston Conservatory at Berklee Elizabeth Lauter Boston University Arianna Ayaz
MISSOURI Washington University in St. Louis Samantha Elegant NEW HAMPSHIRE Dartmouth College Avery Jones NEW YORK Colgate University
PENNSYLVANIA Bucknell University Gwen Kallmeyer Carnegie Mellon University Kai Collins Haverford College William Baker Annalise Sandrich Lehigh University Casey Braff University of Pennslyvania Nicole Hoelzle Thayer Schwartz RHODE ISLAND Brown University Makena Corsiglia Lauren Duncan James Phelan Hannah Sellers
SCOTLAND University of St. Andrews Simon Cohen Libby Hughes Kate Lynch Julia Milani SPAIN IE University Alexander Ornellas TENNESSEE Universitty of Tennessee, Knoxville Georgia Larson Vanderbilt University Blake Langs TEXAS Southern Methodist University James Givas Kendall Givas Harper Glass Wendell Laidley Texas A&M University Nia Zwiefelhofer Texas Christian University Lauren Carbullido Claire Kulperger Caroline McCulloch The University of Texas at Austin Alexa O’Callaghan UTAH University of Utah Sydney Finnegan VERMONT Middlebury College Clayton Joseph Hinnant Dylan O’Connor University of Vermont Cooper Smith VIRGINIA College of William and Mary John Stolte George Mason University Molly Pitts Washington and Lee University Taylor Elliott WASHINGTON University of Washington, Seattle Jeffrey Dyer Emily Fieber William Fitzgerald Peirce Glassman Mia Hamant Pia Ong Bamola Jake Ures Charlotte Wolfert Connor Yang Washington State University Western Washington University Whitman College Aidan Tribolet WASHINGTON D.C. George Washington University Alexander Fisch Olivia Letts WISCONSIN University of Wisconsin, Madison Jack Barnes Hudson Brekhus Lavinsky Caden Cook Greer Diaz Sean Harper James Kellerman Nicole Shane Aiden Squiers Abigail Viola Renee Wahbeh Elizabeth Walsh Ruby Wolfers The students listed have self-selected to share their future decisions with the Bark.
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June 3, 2022
Senior staff stories
Senior staff stories are extensive features written over the course of a semester. Each writer dedicates themself to a story about a complex issue, investigates and reports the matter in an accurate fashion. The following samples are blurbs that introduce each piece. Read more by scanning the QR code or visiting www.redwoodbark.org
Classrooms without four walls: Learning in nature Avery Aguero
Women make waves in the local surfing community Ava Koblik
How does stepping away from a traditional high school experience enhance one’s life? This interactive photo essay attempts to answer this question by highlighting the unique stories of three students in the community who participated in outdoor learning programs.
Throughout history, surfing has been a typically male oriented sport. However, women are dominating in the water today shredding both records and stereotypes. To learn more, visit the photo essay using the QR code on the right!
Passion and resumes: Why do students start nonprofits?
Connecting and growing through literary canons
There are dozens of studentfounded clubs and organizations in Marin proclaiming to dedicate themselves to charitable causes. When teens start nonprofits, what are their real motivations? How does Marin’s wealth impact its philanthropy?
This semester, I became fascinated with how literature impacts people, the way they live, their choices, in the moment and years later. Books matter, and their significance and history in society varies between cultures and generations.
AnnaLise Sandrich
Abby Shewmaker
Culture v. commerce: The ceaseless battle of West Marin Will Baker and Caroline Goodhart
To most, West Marin is a destination. It is a refreshing look back in time, where old customs of preservation and subsistence are carried on by values renewed through generations. The land is not untouched, but it comes close. By law, Point Reyes National Seashore is the most protected of any region in West Marin. Still, though, the cattle ranches, which legacy families have managed since the mid 19th century, remain. The cows idle within a stone’s throw of the water, grazing in the windswept grasslands that conjure up images of a romanticized Irish landscape. To say that this coexistence of industry and preservation is the source of controversy is an understatement. Nonetheless, the land-use conflict characterizes the struggle West Mariners face: the attempt to preserve a land, culture and way of life whilst maintaining financial stability. This idea is explored further in this article, use the QR code on the right to learn more information!
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Say ‘aloha’ to the newest Hawaiian restaurant in Marin By Sofia Ruliffson
On April 7, 2022, Oha Hawaiian barbecue (BBQ) opened in downtown Sausalito. The grand opening caught the attention of many Marin County residents, especially those who love Hawaiian cuisine. You are greeted with a friendly “aloha” from the restaurant workers immediately after entering. After picking the items you want to order on the overhead menu screen, your dishes are quickly whipped up and ready to go in approximately 20 minutes. Once ready to dig in, you will be amazed by the aesthetically pleasing display of each dish. All plates contain a meat or seafood choice, including rice, macaroni salad, veggies and spicy BBQ or teriyaki sauce to pull the whole dish together. The large portion sizes and reasonable prices make Oha Hawaiian BBQ the perfect place to have a family meal. Dish 1: Chicken Katsu, $10.99 One of Oha Hawaiian BBQ’s most popular dishes is the Chicken Katsu which is prepared with bread crumbcoated chicken laid on top of cabbage, rice and macaroni salad. The restaurant recommends dipping all bites of chicken into the spicy BBQ sauce for extra flavor. The fried crust has a satisfying crunch and you are left with the taste of juicy, tender chicken cooked to perfection. While the description of the Chicken Katsu had veggies included, I was disappointed to find pieces of bland and unenjoyable cabbage stacked underneath the crispy chicken. It had an odd and rubbery texture
that was fairly unsatisfying. However, the sticky rice and macaroni salad went extremely well with the protein in the dish. After eating the Chicken Katsu, it’s easy to understand why this dish is so popular at the Oha Hawaiian BBQ restaurant. The meal might, unfortunately, make your mouth dry, leaving you in desperate need of water so make sure you have a glass by your side. Given the portion size of the dish and the well-cooked chicken, it is worth $10.99 and three out of five stars. Dish 2: Shrimp and Chicken combo, $12.49 The second most popular dish at Oha Hawaiian BBQ is the shrimp and BBQ chicken combo. Both these proteins in the meal compliment each other well. The sweet BBQ chicken and crispy, perfectly fried shrimp make for a delicious combination. The BBQ chicken is very well done and coated with a layer of teriyaki sauce. The shrimp has an authentic, crispy outside, however, I was unhappy when I passed the fried layer because the shrimp was plain, hard-to-bite and rather tasteless. The BBQ chicken was definitely the star of this dish, bringing the overall meal to a four out of five stars. Dish 3: Chicken Breast with Lemon and Pepper, $11.49 It was hard to understand why the Chicken Breast with lemon and pepper seasoning is considered popular at Oha Hawaiian BBQ. The dish consists of a plain chicken breast with a choice of lemon pepper or teriyaki
Photo by Sofia Ruliffson
COMBINING A SWEET and salty flavor, the Shrimp and Chicken combo will leave you satisfied. sauce layered on top. The chicken was juicy and grilled nicely, however, it had a very unsatisfying texture that was not enjoyable to chew. Overall, the dish barely had any noticeable flavor, which disappointed me because there was nothing special about this Hawaiian dish; it just tasted like chicken. I highly recommend trying this dish with the teriyaki sauce instead of the lemon pepper. I'm sure it will add more flavor and spice to bring everything together, maybe bringing the rating up from three out of five stars.
meal with your family or friends, Oha Hawaiian BBQ is definitely the place for you. Several of their popular dishes, such as the Chicken Katsu and Shrimp and BBQ Chicken, are the highlights of the menu and will make you feel as if you are enjoying a delicious meal with your family on the beautiful islands of Hawaii.
If you feel like sharing a Hawaiian
sruliffson@redwoodbark.org
Add these dorm room essentials to your shopping list! By Calla McBride As many seniors prepare to embark on their college experiences, the process of planning everything dormrelated quickly rises to the top of their to-do lists. Moving up to thousands of miles away and living with a stranger (or two or three) while attempting to find everything you will need in your new home away from home can be incredibly overwhelming. Aside from the long lists of required essentials, there are many obscure items that can make dorm living much more bearable. Some of the following overlooked gadgets make dorm living more practical while others simply provide a decorative element to counter the dullness of a traditional college dorm. So whether you’re looking to spice up your new home or make your new life a little easier, here are a few ideas to consider adding to your dorm room shopping list. Mini Portable LCD Pocket Projector, $74.99, Amazon The first on the list of obscure dorm gadgets is a mini projector. This mini projector might not have come to mind at first when buying dorm room essentials, however, it shouldn’t be omitted from your list. Whether it be for “The Bachelor” marathons or binging new Netflix shows, this mini projector is perfect for movie
Photo courtesy of Amazon
THIS MINI PROJECTOR is perfect for movie nights with new friends.
nights and easy to hook up to your phone or computer. Not only is it super simple to use, but it can also double as a way to make friends. Leave your dorm door open, project a classic on the wall and watch your neighbors roll in. This mini projector can be bought on Amazon and can be projected at any time of day on any surface, not to mention, it won’t take up much storage space in your already tiny room, making it a great investment. Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser and Alarm Clock, $59.99, Amazon You may need a little relaxation after a long day of sleeping through your morning classes, so, why not get a diffuser? The lavender and chamomile scents will eliminate the stress of your new workload. Even better, this diffuser doubles as an alarm clock. You may not be able to wake up to the smell of homemade pancakes anymore, but this Breakfast Club Fragrance Oil is a worthwhile stand-in. Additionally, a diffuser can be a great alternative to burning candles in your dorm without having to worry about burning the whole building down. Definitely a plus! This diffuser/alarm clock duo can be purchased on Amazon and will be the perfect addition to your new room. Felt bedside caddy, $22.95, Indigo With most dorm rooms measuring roughly 12 by 19 feet, storage space very quickly becomes limited. These bedside pockets conveniently tuck into the side of your bed, creating storage for shoes, technology, snacks, books or anything else you may regret bringing from home. Also, for those who have the misfortune of getting the top bunk without a bedside table to store your stuff, these double as a great place to put your belongings. Bedside pockets are available to purchase on Indigo and are a great way to maximize your space. 4-Piece USB Bed Lift Set, $49.99, Bed Bath & Beyond This four-piece USB bed lift set, available at Bed Bath & Beyond, is extremely practical and perfect for optimizing storage space. Lifting your bed up, these small blocks allow for additional storage and minimize the excessive amounts of extension cords needed. Simply plug your phone, computer or your new diffuser into the outlet attached to these lifts for a convenient way to power anything you may need. These are a great
Photo courtesy of Bed, Bath & Beyond
CHARGE DEVICES AND lift your dorm bed with this convenient set from Bed, Bath & Beyond. alternative to those already planning to buy bed lifts as they have the addition of a built-in USB. The more storage space you can create in that small room, the better! Shower Speaker, $15.00, Indigo Honorary mention: a Shower Speaker. While not exactly an essential for your dorm room, this inexpensive and waterproof shower speaker may make this quintessential college experience of the dreaded communal showers a little better. With the assumption that you plan to get most of the communal shower essentials (shower shoes, a shower caddy, etc.) this speaker is a nice finishing touch to your shower shopping list. It can conveniently be attached to any wall and easily connects to your phone, so you can blast your tunes (although not too loudly). This speaker is only $15 and can be purchased on Indigo. While the transition into college and dorm living can be hard, these overlooked additions will make your new room feel like home. All while practically adding storage space, making the place smell better and helping you enjoy movie nights with your new BFFs.
cmcbride@redwoodbark.org
June 3, 2022 bark Page 18 • Review Kendrick Lamar takes big steps with his new album By Declan McDaniels and Gemma Strauss
“One-thousand eight-hundred and fifty-five days, I've been going through something, Be afraid.” These first words on Kendrick Lamar’s new album “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” set the scene for an hour and 13 minutes of a deep dive into Kendrick’s mental state as he contrasts focused emotional expression with a frantic and complex structure. For over five years (specifically 1855 days, as Lamar points out in the first line of “United in Grief”), Lamar’s fans and the hip-hop community have been eager to see what the Compton-born artist has in store following his Pulitzer-Prize-winning record, “DAMN.” As usual, Lamar did not disappoint. The two disc, 18 song album was released on Friday, May 13., vividly communicates themes of spirituality, love, relationships, trauma, societal views and more. He combines a heavy jazz and funk sound with elements of R&B and trap, using dynamic beat switches and powerful production to consistently keep the listener on their toes. While he is known as a rapper, Lamar transcends all the boundaries and categorizations of the genre, and he has carved out a high standard for himself. Lamar created a separate, unique category within the hip-hop industry; the result of his choice to make cultivated and intricate artwork instead of a mere collection of songs. Reviewing Lamar’s music, especially within the first weeks, is an impossible task; to quantify and judge art of this caliber is to disregard everything that Kendrick as an artist stands for. In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe following the release of DAMN. in 2017, Lamar spoke on his desire to make music that has substance and longevity. “I like to put a lot of different wordplays and messages in my music because I want it to live further than two weeks. … I want it to live for the next 20 years,” Lamar said. “You have to listen to it over and over and over again to fully understand the direction and the message I put in there, the execution of it. I want you to do that. I want to challenge the way you think and challenge the way you take in music.” While this is technically considered an “album review,” it should instead be looked at as a collection of our first impressions and an informational guide for listening to “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers.” Lamar has evolved as an artist since his first mixtapes under the moniker “K-Dot.” With each new album released, he has unraveled a new layer of his thoughts, views and experiences, adding more complexities with every drop. In his 2012 album “Good Kid, m.A.A.d City,” Lamar explicitly takes the listener through his memories of growing up in Compton, outlining his struggles and the lessons he learned through forceful and profound storytelling. In his 2015 album “To Pimp A Butterfly,” Lamar experiments with elements of jazz and funk to create an influential masterpiece that conveys his perspective on the state of our society, specifically his concern for issues of justice and equity for Black Americans. In his 2017 album “DAMN.,” Lamar examines his place in the world as a leader and a prominent voice for his people, using his poetic lyricism to distinctly articulate his conflicting emotions and priorities in his new life of fame and fortune. All of these albums are highly acclaimed and have had a significant influence on the music industry, hip-hop culture and society as a whole. “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” is no different from Lamar’s previous projects, as he continues to improve his craft and go deeper with each one . If anything, it may be the most heavy and complex project in his career; the album contains some of his most personal and emotional messaging, as Lamar puts his full genuine self out for the world to observe, learn and reflect. Lamar’s albums often consist of an array of
Photo courtesy of Spotify
ADORNED WITH THE crown of thorns, Lamar holds his daughter on the cover of his new album.
Photo courtesy of YouTube
KENDRICK LAMAR RELEASED his latest studio album, “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers,” on May 13, 2022. different styles of music, often contrasting mainstream hits with heavy and complex records. The first track, “United In Grief,” introduces some of Lamar’s thoughts and concerns in his life, profoundly exemplifying his inclination to deal with grief through consumerism and lust. Lamar has rapped extensively about the dangers of prioritizing money and material goods, but this powerful track gives a diverse personal and emotional outlook on Lamar’s life. This intro track transitions to “N95,” currently the most streamed song on the album, where Lamar raps about the extremes people will go to for money, looks and power, Kendrick Lamar, over an energetic drill beat. artist In the next track “Worldwide Steppers,” we are introduced to one of the main themes of the album when rapper Kodak Black mentions Eckhart Tolle in the first lyrics of the song. Tolle is a writer and philosopher best known for his 1997 book “The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment,” so it is no surprise that he was included in the album given Lamar’s history of spirituality in his music. In this somewhat ominous track, Lamar raps, “Writer’s block for two years, nothin’ moved me; Asked God to speak through me, that’s what you hear now; The voice of yours truly.” Lamar has brought up the idea of his words and messages coming through him from God in his previous music, but rarely this explicitly. Additionally, “Worldwide Steppers” introduces a theme that will carry throughout the album: Lamar’s problem with lust and infidelity. One of the great things about this album, and most other albums by Lamar, is that his sonic diversity allows everyone to pick out songs that they enjoy. “Die Hard,” featuring hip hop’s Blxst and Amanda Reifer, and “Purple Hearts,” featuring Summer Walker and Ghostface Killah, are two songs that could be appreciated by both your kids and your grandma, as Lamar raps about forgiveness and love in between fantastic features from some talented artists. In contrast, Lamar scatters more hip-hop influenced songs around the album, such as “Rich Spirit,” “Silent Hill” and “Savior.” These tracks all have their own meaning in relation to the entirety of the album, and while they are all songs that can be bumped in the car with friends or in a boundless stadium tour, Lamar uses complex structure and consequential ideas to convey his outlook on loyalty, balance and his place in society. Black has one of the best features on the album with his lengthy verse on “Silent Hill,” while Lamar’s cousin and collaborator, Baby Keem, holds his own on the chorus of “Savior.” Even though there are songs that will get radio play, if you are judging Lamar’s music based on the amount of hits he creates, you are looking in the wrong place. At this point in his career, Lamar has long proven his ability to make mainstream music. If he wanted to make a bunch of songs that would skyrocket onto the billboard charts, he would do the same thing he has done in the past. But Lamar wants
to challenge himself and push his own limits, making music that touches people’s heart and soul with its deep meaning and personal connections. The songs that make this album a masterpiece, “Father Time,” “ We Cry Together,” “Crown,” and “Mother I Sober,” exemplify this quality. While Lamar has always put complex messages in his albums, he has never been this vulnerable and emotional. Lamar has long struggled with being a martyr for his community; the “Good Kid” that made it out of the “m.A.A.d city.” Throughout his career he has continuously rejected the label. On “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers,” Lamar is the most “human” that his fans have ever seen him. Addressing controversial political views, cheating and mental health, Lamar is showing his listeners his flaws. The album’s imperfection is also reflected in the scattered, surfacely incoherent style. Instead of making a sonically perfect, catchy album, Lamar is producing lasting art that will influence perspectives and provoke thought for future generations.
Writer’s block for two years, nothin’ moved me; Asked God to speak through me, that’s what you hear now; The voice of yours truly.
bark@redwoodbark.org
Photo courtesy of YouTube
WEARING THE BIBLICAL crown of thorns, reminiscent of Jesus, Lamar sinks back into his chair for his album photoshoot.
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Time to Phil(z) your cup with these fun drinks By Natalie Tress Philz Coffee has been a high school student favorite since it opened in Town Center in 2017. The close proximity to Redwood and easy online ordering app allows students quick and easy access to caffeine. However, Philz has a very niche menu and ordering process, making it intimidating or difficult to order for those who may not be aware of all available options. Having worked at Philz for practically a year, I’ve learned all the tips and tricks to find the perfect cup of coffee, and I am here to tell you all about them. At Philz, you can either pick a signature drink, such as the Iced Mint Mojito, or pick from one of the many blends
Photo by Natalie Tress
INDULGING IN HER Oatmeal Cookie drink, a customer gets ready to take a sip.
bark
of coffee. Customers also have the option of choosing their level of cream (or non-dairy alternatives) and level and type of sweetener. Aside from the signature drinks and single coffee blends, there are various other options that many are not aware of and may be a game changer for avid Philz goers and new customers alike. Oatmeal Cookie The Oatmeal Cookie drink is one of my favorite offmenu items and it is very popular among Philz customers. This drink is a mix between the Julie’s Ultimate coffee beans and the Hazelnut coffee beans, with cinnamon added to the filter before it is brewed. While the cinnamon addition is an acquired taste for some, the mixture of cinnamon and hazelnut creates a flavor very similar to that of an oatmeal cookie. This drink is usually preferred iced, and I recommend it with medium cream and medium sugar. For a similar flavor combination as the Oatmeal Cookie but with different blends of coffee, try the Cinnamon Toast Crunch or the White Christmas! Honey Haze While the elements of this drink have been a longtime favorite of mine, Philz just released them as a new drink called Honey Haze. The Philtered Soul Cold Brew is my personal favorite coffee at Philz, and when it is mixed with Creamy Oat Milk and Sweet Honey, as the Honey Haze does, it is simply to die for. If you prefer your coffee less sweet, ask for Medium or Light instead of Sweet Honey. Cinnamon Additions Asking for added cinnamon in drinks at Philz is a Photo by Natalie Tress great way to spice up your daily coffee. If you prefer SHOWING OFF THE sweet honey drizzle, Philz caffeine free options, Philz’s new decaf blend, Luca’s advertises the new Honey Haze drink. Unplugged, is delicious, and adding cinnamon helps enhance its flavor. If you prefer a stronger, more uniform dark). Additionally, if you desire less caffeine, you can ask cinnamon flavor, ask for cinnamon in the filter. And if for any coffee blend Half-Caff, which will mix your blend you are craving a more subtle cinnamon flavor, you can of choice with half Decaf. To order these blends through simply ask for cinnamon sprinkled on top. Additionally, the mobile app, choose one of the coffee beans and specify adding cinnamon into iced or hot chocolates at Philz which blend you would like to mix it with in the notes adds depth to the chocolate flavor, a reasonably popular section. While this guide to ordering at Philz may seem like it is practice among hot chocolate lovers. coming at an unfortunate time for seniors who are getting Blends If you like several blends of coffee and cannot make ready to leave for college, don’t worry! You can ask for a decision, it is always an option to ask for half and these blends of beans in pound bags which you can pack half blends, creating a customized cup of two different away and bring to your college dorm. In the meantime, types of coffee. Particularly popular half and half blends enjoy trying these new drinks at your nearest Philz! Philz include the Silken Soul, which is a mixture of the Silken has become close to my heart after working there for the Splendor and Philtered Soul beans, or the Soul Train, past year; hopefully, with these tips and tricks, Philz will which combines Philtered Soul and Hazelnut. If you be able to provide you with the perfect cup of coffee, just want to devise your own half and half blend, I recommend like they have done for me. mixing blends from the same roast level (light, medium or ntress@redwoodbark.org
Looking ACROSS and DOWN to find the best crossword By Casey Braff
as they go have to stop and check every time they fill out a square, which makes it take much longer to fill out. While the clues are definitely well thought out, some are too confusing or require really niche knowledge to complete them. It has the option to look at archives and do mini crosswords as well, and it also shows you a score and your time at the end so you can compare past times and scores if you want to. Another bonus is that it is free, but you have to watch ads if you play any crossword game unless you pay for a subscription. USA Today The USA Today crossword is perfect for a casual crossworder. The clues are simple and the crossword only takes a few minutes to complete. Personally, I prefer crossword puzzles that require a bit more brainpower that are a bit more complex, which made this crossword lower on the list for me. There are some other pitfalls as well. The interface makes it difficult to see the clues for the box that you are on, and it is also too easy to delete letters you’ve already put down (for comparison, the NYT doesn’t let you delete correct letters). It automatically auto-checks, so if you don’t want to autocheck, you can’t choose to turn it off. It is also free, but you do have to watch ads to play. In conclusion, the best crossword puzzle is definitely the New York Times. But, if you don’t want to pay, the LA Times and USA Today are both great options. Below is a crossword puzzle themed around the Class of 2022’s past four years at Redwood if you want to give it a try.
After buying Wordle, the word guessing game that has become increasingly popular during the past few months, the New York Times (NYT) has another game taking many by storm: The Daily Crossword. As an avid player of the NYT Crossword, I wanted to compare the other options there are to get my daily crossword fix. The New York Times The NYT crossword is simply the best. It is easy to use and has clues that are tricky without being impossible. The ability to check your puzzle as you go is definitely a bonus if you are like me and appreciate knowing if you’re doing it right. Many of the crosswords are themed with connecting clues and ideas, making it a lot more interesting. Additionally, it shows you stats of your average time and how your speed compares to the past crossword puzzles you’ve completed. The only downside is that to play the full-size crossword you need to pay $5 a month. The price is definitely worth it because the subscription gives you access to many other games within the NYT Games section. Additionally, you can go back and look at archives and replay old games. The Mini, which is a quick crossword that only takes a few minutes, is a great option if you don’t want to pay the subscription. Overall, the NYT crossword is my personal favorite and the best game if you’re willing to pay the price. Los Angeles Times The Los Angeles Times has a more difficult format which makes its crossword less fun to do. The most frustrating aspects are that you can accidentally delete letters you’ve already put down, and you can’t use auto-check. People who want to check cbraff@redwoodbark.org
Crossword by Caroline Scharf and Casey Braff
ACROSS 3. Who defends Redwood and the SF baseball team? 4. How many years of COVID-19 school? 6. PE test and blockbuster film 7. Baby’s first AP class 8. “I dunno about you, but I’m _____ 22.” 9. Every Algebra II student’s favorite app 11. Every freshman English teacher’s favorite play 12. Every senior’s favorite Instagram account 14. Return to dances with a new name
DOWN 1. Parking nightmare for seniors 2. #1 Girls’ sport team in the state from Redwood? 3. Culmination of four years of hard work 5. Cause of a canceled sophomore year homecoming dance 10. We showed our faces when we took our _____ in March. 13. Class with the most unexcused absences
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PREPS OF THE YEAR
Megan Minturn By Hollis Belger
For many aspiring collegiate athletes, COVID-19 threatened their recruitment journey. The fate of high school sports was uncertain, and for even the most dedicated prospects, motivation waned. But, after some sadness and reflection, senior Megan Minturn seized the moment, turning quarantine into an opportunity to be the best lacrosse player she could be. In fact, the pandemic halting the sport she loved ended up being her ticket to greatness. Admiring her older brother’s drive and passion for lacrosse, Minturn followed in his footsteps, joining a club lacrosse team in fourth grade. Minturn’s commitment grew from there; moving from Wolfpack Lacrosse to Tenacity to other Bay Area travel teams, she ended up on the first West Coast Steps Girls Lacrosse (STEPS) team at the end of 2019, when her athletic career began accelerating to the next level. Minturn’s skills carried her to great success in high school. Making Redwood’s girls’ varsity lacrosse team as a freshman validated Minturn’s athletic abilities and gave her reassurance on the field. “[Being on varsity] definitely boosted my confidence a little bit. I think that [during] my freshman and sophomore year I wasn’t very confident in lacrosse at all, and I struggled with that on the field,” Minturn said. “But being on varsity kind of showed that I'm not as bad as I maybe thought I was. It hyped me up a little bit... I think that helped with my stability and play in general.” Minturn has not embarked on her lacrosse journey alone. Her twin sister Grace has been by her side every step of the way. Having played together on club teams in elementary school, Grace and Megan now dominate Redwood girls' lacrosse, capitalizing on their twin connection to keep each other, and their teammates, on their toes. Grace recognizes that her success in lacrosse is partly derived from the dynamic between her and her sister. Their mentality has pushed each other to great athletic achievements and has enhanced their play overall. “We’re both pretty competitive. If I know she's going to go out and do wall ball for 10 minutes, maybe I should go out and do wall ball for 10 minutes. ‘Oh, she's doing a
30-minute run? Well, I'm going to go do a 30-minute run. …’ And it goes both ways. I think we motivate each other to do things that we may not want to do. That definitely makes us stronger, both mentally and physically,” Grace said. Both Minturns took advantage of their downtime during quarantine, training intensely in order to prepare for whenever their next lacrosse season would happen. For Megan, this period of time helped her transform from a primarily defensive player to a diverse and dynamic offender. “I had nothing else to do [during COVID-19]. So I live right next to a little park and my sister and I would drive to the park, bring a portable goal and set it up. We'd literally be out there shooting all the time, doing one-v-ones and working on our shots,” Megan said. “Before COVID-19, I was a sole defender. I hated going on the offensive end. But COVID-19 was when I really worked on my shooting ... and my fitness started to get a lot better.” Megan’s work during the pandemic improved her play significantly. Unable to travel to showcases or tournaments for scouting opportunities, Megan invested her time into developing film to send to potential recruiters. On July 12, 2021, Megan officially committed to play Division I lacrosse at the University of Michigan. Although she will be playing far from home, Megan is ready to embrace the academic and athletic opportunities she will find at Michigan and looks forward to more inspiration from her new teammates. “[The girls on my team] are probably going to be my best friends. But I'm definitely intimidated because you might be a star in Marin or a star somewhere else, but then you go somewhere, and that isn’t really applicable anymore. All the girls I'm going to be playing with are insane,” Megan said. On her way out, Megan is leaving her high school lacrosse career on a high note. After scoring the winning goal in the Marin County Athletic League Championship (MCALs) game at the end of April against Marin Catholic, Megan, alongside Grace, subsequently led the team to Redwood girl’s lacrosse’s first North Coast Section (NCS) title earlier in May, a huge thrill. “Our freshman year we won MCALs, so even just winning MCALs [this year] was a total full-circle moment. But [back in 2019], we lost in the NCS quarter round. We didn't make it very far my freshman year ... It's insane. I
Photo courtesy of Sam Kimball
RACING PAST DEFENDERS, Megan powers down the field towards the goal during the NCS championship game. think we're all really excited just to embrace it for the last time. It's our last show,” Megan said. Grace is committed to playing Division III lacrosse at Claremont Mckenna College. This means that for the first time since middle school, the Minturns won’t be playing on the same team, and they will find themselves on fields on the opposite sides of the country. Grace is confident that Megan’s spirit and determination will carry on into her collegiate career. “The mindset of ‘the grind never stops’ is something that [Megan] portrays ... I mean, we're both very likeminded but she's definitely on one-hundred percent of the time. She’s a big part of my motivation,” Grace said. “It's going to be weird, but, I’m going to think ‘Megan's out there hitting the wall in Michigan, then I’m going to be hitting the wall down here in Claremont.’” hbelger@redwoodbark.org
Gavin Green By Arjun Aujla
Ever since moving from New York to Marin in 2017, Redwood senior Gavin Green has used his dedication and determination to establish himself as a dominant force in the pool. Green swam for North Bay aquatics and at the varsity level all four years at Redwood and was named captain his senior year. Green’s accomplishments, however, were not achieved with ease. He worked constantly and tirelessly to improve his times in the pool while maintaining a difficult course load. As a middle schooler, Green won most of his races with North Bay Aquatics and was viewed as one of the best swimmers in the Bay Area. In 2015, he swam in a meet in Greensboro, North Carolina where he won eight out of 12 events that he participated in. However, at the beginning of his high school career in 2018, Green’s times did not improve at the same rate as his competitors. He did not grow as he had hoped and his times struggled to improve. “I had a little bit of a rut. I wasn’t growing and my times weren’t [improving]. That is [when] I had to persevere the most, and I learned a lot,” Green said. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Green turned to weight training and gained a lot of strength as a result. The combination of weight training and a long-awaited growth spurt allowed Green’s times to improve drastically. North Bay Aquatics coach, Don Schwartz, has worked with Green for the past five years and commends Green on his work ethic. “Gavin has grit; it’s that simple. He has
Photo courtesy of Gavin Green
POSING WITH HIS Redwood teammates, Green (far right) smiles to celebrate their strong win at North Coast Section (NCS) championships. goals, and he is willing to work towards them even when [his goals] are frustratingly close and not attainable today,” Schwartz said. Starting his junior year, Green began to see his hard work pay off. After he returned to competing after the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020, he continued to struggle in short course events (25 meters) but excelled in long course events (50 meters). While Green had fast times in longer races, college coaches were not drawn to his talent because collegiate scouts only consider short courses. During his senior year, however, Green tried different training techniques which were more sprintfocused rather than endurance-focused. In turn, he saw his short course times
diligent worker and takes on the hardest sets with the most enthusiasm in order to push himself to the limit. “We have an iconic set called the Simon Burnette kick set (a high-intensity kicking exercise). Gavin chose an interval that was extremely difficult, and he was barely making it through the rounds. He was perfectly able to go to a slower interval that would have been less painful but he chose to stay on that interval. He was dogged. When he gets his teeth into something he doesn't let go easily,” Schwartz said. “He just doesn’t quit. I don’t know where that comes from, but he just has grit.” This fall, Green will be studying and swimming at the Naval Academy in the fall, which is respectively known as one of the most prestigious schools in the country. “Signing with the Naval Academy is an honor [because] you are helping your entire country. I can continue the grind while excelling academically as well as in the military, which I think is one of the highest honors because I love this country,” Green said. Looking back on his high school career, Green has enjoyed his time at Redwood and is ready for a new challenge. As he looks back at his career he appreciates the adversity he faced and remains proud of his hard work. “If I could say something to my 13-year-old self, I wouldn’t say that we made it because I am not there yet,” Green said. “I would definitely say that I’m glad that we kept going.”
improve immensely. From 2020 to 2022 Green's 100-yard freestyle race time went from 51.06 to 44.92: a huge improvement. Green also set a new personal best in all of his events from 2021 to 2022, proving the progress of his new training. Another leading aspect of his success was Schwartz, who always had full confidence in Green’s abilities. “Coach Schwartz is the one who always believed in me,” Green said. “When I swam a fast time he [was] not even surprised because he knew how I worked and that when you grind pay attention you can really achieve amazing things. He put that into my mind and told me that I can achieve those amazing things.” According to Schwartz, Green is a aaujla@redwoodbark.org
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Preps of the year: Honorable mentions Margot Johnson
Charlie Treene
“I black out and go into my own world [when I’m dancing]. I’m completely unaware of the audience or [the] people in the wings. When the music starts, I feel nervous, and then as I start moving, everything goes away,” senior Margot Johnson said. Johnson first took to the stage at age seven when she started performing in musical theater. Her love of theater drew her to explore dance, and Johnson has continued to do so competitively at the Performing Arts Academy of Marin (PAAM) for over a decade. From the beginning of Johnson’s dance career at PAAM, owner and director Annie Thistle knew that Johnson would thrive at her studio and saw her potential and drive for dance early on. “Since the very first day I met her, I knew [Johnson] was destined for big things. She was the only child at age seven that took it upon herself to submit an audition video when she missed her mini-musical audition,” Thistle said. “She was so put together, so enthusiastic and had a ton of potential.” Participating in dance classes and summer intensives, Johnson joined PAAM’s pre-professional training program, the highest level of dance offered at the studio. Additionally, Johnson was selected to attend the Preprofessional Dancer Institute over Labor Day in 2021, a program run by Francisco Galla that selects only 80 to 90 youth dancers in the United States. Over the years, Johnson has attended many dance competitions — typically five to six per year. Johnson has placed first overall with several group dances at Break The Floor conventions and RADIX Regional Competitions. This year, she was awarded the first place overall senior soloist award at Kids Artistic Revue
“I remember in one game against Tam, one of our players was getting heckled. In the next play, Charlie Treene went on to dunk on somebody and then pointed to the crowd, which was probably the coolest thing that [our team had] ever seen,” Brooks Allen, a senior basketball player and teammate of Charlie Treene, said. Senior Charlie Treene started playing basketball in the Christian Youth Organization (CYO) after watching his older sister play in the same league a couple of years prior. After three years at the CYO level, he decided to focus his athletic pursuits strictly on basketball and joined the North Bay Basketball Academy (NBBA) travel team, where he significantly improved after playing the sport all year round. “I like playing the games, but I also [value] the smaller things like working out and shooting,” Treene said. “It’s a very peaceful and meditative thing in my life and just having that dedication of something to work towards really helps to give [me] some sort of purpose.” After a year of individual achievement for the 6’7” power forward, the season remained far from over. With personal successes and a collegiate opportunity at Pomona Pitzer under his belt, Treene was able to shift his focus towards a goal that the team had been training for all year: winning a Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) Championship. Along with leading his team to a pennant, Treene’s career at Redwood is filled with other impressive achievements. Despite an injury that kept him out of the season for three months, Treene left off right where he started and rallied his team through two important wins against Marin Catholic and Tamalpais by scoring over 20 points in both. Through his valiant return, he fought his way back into being named to
By Annie Goldstein
By Sam Michaels
Photo courtesy of Cassi Lee
(KAR), a dance competition in Burlingame. Not only has she excelled technically as a dancer, but Johnson has found unique ways to express herself through her craft. “I feel very connected to whatever music I’m performing to, and that’s why I enjoy [dance]. It is more than just dancing. It is very much like an expression, and it’s very freeing and exciting. It feels really good to be on stage and to strive to get better,” Johnson said. Thistle has witnessed Johnson’s growth as a dancer and admires her ability to connect her personality with the choreography. “[Johnson] can [perform] pieces that move people. She’s not only an amazing athlete and dancer, but she’s a really great artist because she truly understands what a piece is about.” Although she did not anticipate dancing in college until her sophomore year of high school, Johnson embraces her next step as she heads to the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) to major in dance. agoldstein@redwoodbark.org
Photo by Allie Vasquez
the 2022 All-MCAL first team. However, the most impressionable part of the senior’s career was the lasting impact that he made on his teammates. Allen, who grew up playing against Treene in CYO and travel ball, switched from his opponent to teammate during their freshman year. Now, finishing their final season of playing together, Allen highlights an aspect of Treene’s character that only adds to his impressive background. “I think that Treene has always had a competitive spirit,” Allen said. “I’ve played against and with him for most of my life... he continues to grow as a person, on and off the court.” Next year, Treene plans on continuing his basketball career at Pomona Pitzer College in Claremont, California. “The way I think I fit into the program and what position I’ll play is what I wanted,” Treene said. “After visiting it and talking to the coaches, I can definitely picture myself there with the coaches and it just seemed like the right place.” smichaels@redwoodbark.org
Sadie Leonard
Charlie Welch By Annie Goldstein
By Sam Michaels
The lights at Moody Field flicker on, illuminating the diamond as the day fades to night. It is the bottom of the eighth inning and the Giants have a narrow lead. The opposing pitcher winds up and throws the ball, which hits the aluminum bat, cracking as the line drive shoots straight into the mitt of senior Charlie Welch. He catches the ball and launches it to first base where the final out is secured. The dugout storms the field, and the stands go wild. At the age of five, Welch was drawn to baseball in admiration of his older brother. Starting in Ross Valley Little League, he proceeded to play for Bombers Baseball Club, a travel baseball team. After years of playing, he is committed to California Polytechnic State University to play Division I baseball. After learning the ropes of high school baseball during his first year on varsity, he went on to start in his next three seasons. Welch’s role as a captain and leader was shaped by his experience playing with upperclassmen, something he tries to pass on to the younger players. “You have to work hard every day. Practicing and getting in the weight room in the off-season is what sets you up for success in the season. I have tried to lead by example and push my guys to work hard,” Welch said. Welch’s dedication has not gone unnoticed. He has the highest batting average of 0.439 and the highest on-base percentage of 0.505, and he leads the team in hits (36) and runs batted in (20). With no surprise, his success on the field led him to be named the 2022 Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) Player of the Year. He was additionally awarded the E.E. Boyden Award, given to “an outstanding senior male athlete” at Redwood’s Athletic banquet. Cole McGowan, who has been Welch’s
Walking up to her teammates, a sense of calm fills her body in the midst of all the pre-game jitters. One by one, she greets every teammate with a special handshake, each one different, but meaningful nonetheless. Senior pitcher Sadie Leonard’s love of softball stems back to her early adolescence. What started as a low-stress activity in elementary school soon turned into an ever growing passion that led her to join the Marin Tremor’s travel ball team in middle school. However, it wasn’t until her freshman year, that she realized softball was the sport she couldn’t imagine herself living without. Her new focus on softball has elevated her game significantly. This year alone, she has pitched 124.2 innings, thrown 272 strikeouts, and accumulated an earned run average (era) of 0.84. All of which contributed to Leonard being named the 2022 Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) Softball Pitcher of the Year. As she reflects on her final season in the Giants uniform, it is not her personal recognition that she acknowledges, but instead two highly valued regular season wins against Marin Catholic (MC), on March 28th and April 27th. “Both of them were extra inning games and [they] were so intense that every single second, it felt like everyone was holding their breath from all of the anxiety and excitement,” Leonard said. “It wasn’t until the last pitch of both of those games when you could feel everyone breathe for the first time [since the start of the game] and it’s the best feeling ever.” Redwood varsity head coach Emily Atkinson has been able to experience all of the ups and downs alongside Leonard. Atkinson first met Leonard during her freshman year season and was drawn to her unrelenting drive. As Leonard’s skills have improved, so has an important part of her
Photo courtesy of Brett Crawford
teammate for nine years and co-captain of the team this year, has witnessed Welch’s development firsthand. “[Welch] is definitely one of the smartest players I’ve ever played with [because of] his in-game decision-making and ability to know what to do and read situations. I have not seen too many players who can do the things that he does in-game, like picking apart defenses and understanding what to do in the right situation,” McGowan said. Since he started playing, Welch has been a shortstop, the position that drives the communication among the other infielders. Even in the most nerve-racking situations, Welch has found ways to lead with ease. “He’s in charge of running a ton of plays throughout our infield and keeping all [the infielders] in order during the games,” McGowan said. The skills that Welch has learned from his time playing baseball serve as invaluable lessons that can be utilized as he transitions into playing at the collegiate level.
agoldstein@redwoodbark.org
Photo courtesy of Sadie Leonard
mental game, which Atkinson believes has been the key to her success. “She has grown so much in every aspect of her game, but her confidence is [definitely] one of the things that has grown massively,” Atkinson said. “[Her confidence] has impacted all of her different skills and her decision to want to play softball in college… over the [past] year, she believed in herself so much more and [was like] “okay, I can actually do this.’” In the fall, Leonard will be attending Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, where she will be playing softball at the Division III level. Her decision to do so was based on her instant comfort with the team and her connection with the morals of the program. As she begins a new chapter in her softball career, Atkinson only hopes that the pitcher’s love of the game only continues to grow. “I want her tomake sure that she keeps loving the game because when it stops becoming fun, it feels more like something you have to do versus something that you enjoy doing,” Atkinson said. smichaels@redwoodbark.org
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Page 22 • Sports
June 3, 2022
www.redwoodbark.org
Page 23 • Sports
Infographic by Julia Frankus
Information and photos courtesy of Sam Kimball, Maxpreps and the PE department
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lifestyles
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Local organizations inspire the next generation to take action By Sam Kimball Focusing on leadership development and philanthropy, hundreds of mothers along with their sons and daughters make up two local leadership organizations. The Marin chapters of the National Charity League (NCL) and National League of Young Men (NLYM) both strive to create an impact on the community, specifically one that lasts throughout their lifetime. Partnering with local charity and nonprofit organizations, students learn philanthropy skills and become involved in the community to make an immediate impact. Co-founder and current President of the Marin Chapter of NLYM, Soo-Ah Landa, created the Marin Chapter in 2020 following a family visit to La Jolla, Calif. where Landa’s family resides. Landa credits her nephews for inspiring her own sons to take part in the community and make a difference, after they experienced an NLYM event firsthand in La Jolla. “During our time in La Jolla, my nephews were taking part in an event, delivering food to those in need, for their local community organization, NLYM,” Landa said. “I loved seeing my boys and their cousins making a difference and going door to door. Following our visit, I decided to research NLYM and learn more about the organization and how philanthropy and community service are [the focus of the program]. I believe that when you are busy [serving the community] tends to fall to the wayside, but I liked that these aspects were embedded into the program.” After extensive research about the program and sharing the idea with her friends, Landa and three other moms created the NLYM Marin Chapter, working countless hours on the necessary paperwork to solidify the chapter. The 9th-12th grade program focuses on four main pillars which include leadership, community service, culture and protocol education. Additionally, the program expands and touches on aspects of bonding because of the close-knit feeling between the mother and son. Throughout the process of building NLYM’s first roster in 2020, Landa consulted her two high school sons. After initially struggling to motivate other Marin boys to join, the Landa family continued reaching out, finally creating a group of about 120 mothers and sons to serve in the organization. “It is hard to convince young men to
come to an organization to learn about tying a tie, etiquette, making agendas and executing a meeting, but once they become involved, they are here to stay. The philanthropy and leadership skills come in handy in the young men’s futures, from interviews to jobs; the impact lasts years,” Landa said. Sophomore Cooper Wilson is the current president of the NLYM Class of 2024, yet, before joining, Wilson was unsure of how it would be to work hand and hand with his mom. “At first, I really did not know. I was not sure of the service aspect and of having my mom in the organization, but I am so glad that I made the decision to join,” Wilson said. “Learning leadership and community service skills have been great and having this organized setting to learn from each other makes the program unlike anything I have ever done. The roles that the mothers take on [in the program] help us with our own responsibilities.” Unlike NLYM, Marin’s chapter of NCL has been around for many years, focusing on similar aspects of leadership and service, including communication, organization and philanthropy skills and doing it with mothers and their daughters beginning in 7th grade. Parents Stacey Crawford and Elizabeth Grasso currently serve as the chapter presidents, working to ensure that all daughters in the organization develop and self-progress from the moment they step into the NCL community. “All of the girls are required to take on a leadership role in their six years in NCL, so it is wonderful to see how they transform and grow in the program,” Crawford said. “This organization is an opportunity to have mothers and daughters do good for the world, model by example and be involved in the community.” According to Crawford and Grasso, each year a new focus is chosen for the organization, which not only sets the tone for the year, but also sets a goal for the daughters. While not yet confirmed, Grasso believes that the focus for next year will bond the group, which is something that was lacking while conducting NCL virtually. “Our last themes have been about ripples and waves, meaning starting small but making the wave to change. This theme is implemented into our programming and is really the basis for what we do. This year we are looking at the theme of reconnecting; getting to know each other and starting fresh after a difficult couple of
Photo courtesy of Soo-Ah Landa
PACKING BOXES FOR a philanthropy event to help those who suffer from food insecurity, the NLYM Class of 2025 takes part in one of its many opportunities to make an impact.
Photo courtesy of Sterling Lazarus
THE NLYM MOTHERS gather together during the annual Compass Dinner to celebrate the work of their sons throughout the year. years online,” Grasso said. While the organization hopes to increase its social aspect, one such member who has enjoyed the connections she has made through service opportunities is senior and NCL Class of 2022 Recording Secretary Claire Kulperger. Throughout her time in NCL, Kulperger has worked to meet new people and increase the bond with her mom. “Working with my mom has brought us closer together. We have worked so many hours on helping give back to the community and coordinate events,” Kulperger said. “I have overall enjoyed doing NCL with my mom. I’m going to miss having these opportunities and I am really grateful for them. It is a special organization.” In addition, Kulperger states that one experience in particular really changed her mindset on giving back to the community and that her future outlook on helping
others has been shifted. “My mom and I have led NCL events with ExtraFood, an organization that helps those who are struggling with food insecurity,” Kulperger said. “With this opportunity, I have been able to learn about how my actions directly impact those in need. It has been truly heartwarming to see.” As both programs continue for the rest of this school year and into the next, sons, daughters and mothers alike, hope to grow, learn and give back to the communities that they all call home. For Wilson, the program is one that he believes has made a difference and he is extremely grateful. “Fulfilling. That is the program in one word,” Wilson said.
skimball@redwoodbark.org
Page 25 • Lifestyles
www.redwoodbark.org
His legacy at Redwood Sondheim says goodbye after 13 years on campus By Charlotte DeForrest “The magnitude [of being principal] often didn’t hit me until I would go off campus for a meeting and I’d come back and all the cars would be in the parking lot. Somehow, I looked at all the cars and thought, ‘Okay, I’m actually responsible for all of this.’ It’s weird that it was cars, but I think it was a visual reference…There’s an overwhelming sense of responsibility [being principal],” Principal David Sondheim said. On Jan. 20, 2022, Sondheim sent an email to the Redwood community informing them that he would be retiring at the end of the school year. This announcement follows his 13 year career at Redwood; his first two years as vice principal and the last 11 years as principal. Before coming to Redwood, Sondheim worked for 18 years as a science teacher and in several leadership roles at Archie Williams High School. “I’d done leadership roles previously when I’d been at Archie Williams but [Redwood] was my first administrative job. [The new position] brought on some insecurity and nervousness. I wanted to do well, especially at a school that had done so well before,” Sondheim said. “I felt like there was support among the staff and the folks at the district office when I came, so I felt pretty comfortable coming, but nervous.” Since becoming principal in 2011, Sondheim notes that some of the biggest changes he’s seen at Redwood are the rapidly growing student population, the increased presence of technology in the classroom and a greater emphasis on student mental health. “Trying to minimize the impact of [student population growth] was one of the biggest challenges. Keeping Redwood
a school where you are not a number, but you’re a student that we know and we care about, is also a challenge as [the school] gets bigger. It gets harder to do that with every student,” Sondheim said. Sondheim’s administrative assistant Dina Craft believes that he has been a successful principal due to his emphasis on student success and his flexibility when it comes to administrative obstacles. “He’s always there to help. He doesn’t just stay in his lane as an administrator. If someone spills something and we call for the custodians, he’s ready to pick it up with paper towels. If a teacher is out, he’ll jump in the classroom. And if I need help with setting up for subs, he’ll help me. He’s always here to help everybody. He’s just so easy to work with,” Craft said. “He’s willing to do anything to make anybody’s job easier or to make it work out. He just wants every kid to succeed. Whatever their success looks like to them. He wants to see every student’s goals become attainable.” Senior class president Claire McKechnie has been able to witness Sondheim’s focus on supporting student goals firsthand through her work in Leadership. She believes Sondheim is always willing to listen to student ideas or input and never lets setbacks disrupt his positive demeanor. “As a student walking through the hallway after class, sometimes I can be in a bad mood. But, when I see Mr. Sondheim walking in the hallway, everything lights up because he is always trying to say hi to everyone and saying ‘Hello, how are you? How was your weekend?’” McKechnie said. “He greets everyone and treats everyone with really positive energy and you can just tell that he cares for each and every student. I think that’s such a valuable quality of a principal and he’s definitely going to be missed because of outreach and
impact on each student.” Similar to McKechnie, Craft also admires Sondheim’s positive attitude and ability to be a source of constant optimism. “Sometimes in between tasks, Mr. Sondheim comes out of his office and stands here when the bell is ringing because it has a little bit of a tone to it and he does a little bell dance and it always makes me laugh when he does that,” Craft said. While she is sad to see him go, she is excited for him to have the opportunity to spend more time pursuing his other hobbies and with the people he loves. Sondheim hopes to travel more with his wife, sleep, learn to play the saxophone and practice golf. Although he will miss the Redwood
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community and the opportunities he has had to improve each student’s experience, Sondheim respects that it is time for him to move on. “I don’t think someone should be a principal for 25 years somewhere because it needs change. I’ve come and done what I can and now it’s time for someone else to hopefully try to do what they can and hopefully succeed where I haven’t or improve on whatever I’ve been able to do. You have to have the stamina to do this job and I don’t have the stamina I used to. I think it’s the right time to [retire],” Sondheim said. cdeforrest@redwoodbark.org
Photo by Charlotte DeForest
PREPARING TO RETIRE at the end of the school year, Sondheim has been a positive presence on campus for the past 13 years.
Scoring goals and friends: college sports foster communities By Ingrid Houtkooper
The transition into college is known for being an exciting yet challenging time. Plenty of students excel in their new environments, but for some, the adjustment can be difficult. One activity that has helped many freshmen adapt to college has been participating in athletics. While it is challenging to play at the varsity level in college, many schools offer club and intramural sports that differ in competitiveness and skill. Club sports are college teams that aren’t regulated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), but are still high skill-level and require lots of commitment for travel and tournaments. Intramural sports, on the other hand, are much more casual and do not require much prior knowledge of the sport one plans to play. Providing students with a way to exercise and meet new people, sports build bonds between team members and create an environment that many high school athletes miss once they are at college. Ryo Weng, a former Redwood lacrosse player, attributes meeting some of his closest friends through the University of California, Berkeley (Cal) Men’s club lacrosse team. “I absolutely recommend [playing
Photo courtesy of Ryo Weng
club sports in college] because it has helped me meet my best friends and it has honestly set up my entire college experience,” Weng said. “I couldn’t ask for anything better.” After graduating from Redwood in 2020, Weng was excited to play lacrosse at the collegiate level since his senior season was cut short due to COVID-19. Weng received a position on the team after talking with the Cal coach, Ned Webster—a connection his Redwood coach, Blake Atkins, set up. Weng is currently a sophomore at Cal and vice president of the lacrosse club. In this position, he handles equipment, sets up the field and manages rookies (new players). Not only does Weng have a leadership position on the team, but he also has many friends and fraternity brothers on the team. Having enjoyed time with his friends on the Redwood lacrosse team, Weng looked forward to joining a similar team culture at Cal. “What’s similar about [Redwood and Cal lacrosse] is the people. At Redwood, a lot of my best friends were also on the lacrosse team with me and I think lacrosse brings in a lot of great people. You’re meeting people, you’re traveling [and] you’re having fun with everyone. I think the culture is pretty similar in that sense,” Weng said. “[Club lacrosse] was a great opportunity for me to jump on board and I’m glad my experience at Cal has been just as good, if not better, than my time at Redwood.” Finding a group of friends at college is something many seniors have on their minds. For senior Ray Hettleman, the social aspect of club sports is one of the main reasons he is considering trying out for Chapman University’s men’s club lacrosse team. “I want to meet a lot of new people at Chapman. That’s kind of my main priority, just finding a group that I can be with for four years. I think that lacrosse would be a great way to meet new people and also stay active,” Hettleman said. Another part of club sports that is appealing to many athletes is the health factor. Going to college without everyday practices can be a big shock for many former athletes. For Weng, playing club lacrosse was a good way to keep exercising. “Coming from high school, I didn’t realize that practicing every single day was a great way to stay in shape. My freshmen
year when I didn’t have lacrosse I was like ‘wow, I really have to work out on my own to try to stay in shape.’ But playing club sports is a great way to stay healthy,” Weng said. According to both Weng and Hettleman, who have played lacrosse for several years, having prior experience with a sport is typically necessary in order to make a club team, especially at Chapman and Cal. However, for college students looking to try something new, intramural sports are also available. Elsa Davis, a 2021 Redwood graduate, played intramural ultimate frisbee in her first quarter at the University of California (UC) Davis. Davis attended one of the team’s practices for fun and decided to join, despite having little experience with the sport. “That’s what’s great about [ultimate frisbee,] it’s not one of those sports that many people go into knowing a ton about, or having a ton of experience with, so everyone’s learning together and in it for more social reasons,” Davis said. Now Davis plays on the UC Davis women’s club soccer team, which she says is a much different experience than the ultimate frisbee team. “Club soccer is very serious. My teammates are very talented. It’s the best team I’ve ever played on,” Davis said. “It’s definitely more competitive and intense than frisbee. That’s one of my favorite things about frisbee, it is very chill.” Davis grew up playing soccer and is excited to continue playing for the women’s club team. Although she enjoys the high skill level of her soccer team, she also enjoyed the relaxed environment of her ultimate frisbee team and thought it was a great way to meet new people. “I’ll probably keep playing soccer, but I really enjoyed frisbee, so I might try to double up in the next few years,” Davis said. For students looking to continue playing their high school sport at a higher level, club sports are a great way to do that—especially if you are able to make a big commitment. But, for those who are looking to simply meet new people and get some exercise, intramural sports, like ultimate frisbee, are a great route to take. Either way, both club and intramural athletics foster close communities for students to be a part of and bring some familiarity to a student’s new campus.
ihoutkooper@redwoodbark.org
June 3, 2022 bark Page 26 • Lifestyles Passion becomes reality through AP Research projects Photos and story by Shyla Lensing Redwood is home to one program that is unique from any other in Marin County: Advanced Placement (AP) Capstone, a diploma program conducted over two year-long interdisciplinary courses that develop students’ research, writing and presentation skills. Rather than being subject specific, AP Capstone allows upperclassmen to design projects around their own interests, first in AP Seminar, devoted to building foundational research analysis, and then in AP Research, where seniors culminate their skills in a year-long project centered around a topic of their choice. Throughout their second year, AP Research students prepare a final 4,000 to 5,000 word academic paper and 15 to 20 minute oral presentation on their topic to submit to the College Board. Here is a look at three seniors and their projects. Elena Wang Sustainable Agriculture at Local Farms Elena Wang took a scientific route in her research, leaning into her aspirations of pursuing biology in the future and her interest in sustainable agriculture. She sought to know how sustainable farming techniques on a local farms affect nutrient leaching into nearby wetlands. Though Wang had some early issues with developing her methodology in AP Research’s year-long time constraint, she eventually found data from local farms to use. “Essentially, what I ended up doing was collecting old chemical data on nitrogen [runoff] from this water quality [online] portal. I found [sustainable] data for Green Gulch Farm, which is located near Muir Woods, and I also found data for a farm in Ventura County because it uses non-sustainable techniques. [The Ventura farm] was a great comparison because it was about the same size, produced the same goods and sold to local farmer’s markets, like Green Gulch, so the only difference was it wasn’t organic,” Wang said. After an in-depth statistical analysis, Wang did find that there was a significantly higher number of chemicals entering the water near the conventional farm in Ventura than near Green Gulch, due to the agricultural techniques used. A large takeaway for Wang from the process was new connections she was able to make with other professionals in the natural sciences field. “[Because] my topic moved more away from social sciences and towards a really specific niche topic, like hard sciences, I reached out to several people, like my AP Biology teacher from last year, Living Earth teachers … and professionals in the field. I now have a contact in the National Parks Service who showed me how to use the water quality portal. At the end [the contact] was like, ‘Can I see your presentation of your paper?’ So, those real world connections [were] a really cool takeaway,” Wang said.
A HUGE FAIRYTALE fanatic, senior Jackie Halberstadt examined various Cinderella adaptations and their presence in the modern world. Jackie Halberstadt Cinderella Adaptations Jackie Halberstadt has always loved fairy tales and has been reading and watching reiterations of them since she was little. This childhood nostalgia and fascination with the many Cinderella remakes led Halberstadt to analyze them as part of her AP Research project. “My hypothesis was that [Cinderella adaptations] got worse as more were created. So I wondered, ‘What do people see in this storyline?’ The plotline is a little outdated, especially for modern times. So, [I asked myself.] ‘What about this appeals to audiences, and do people even want more Cinderella?’” Halberstadt said. Halberstadt watched a total seven movies for her project, intensively taking notes and eventually examining each on the Cinema Scale, a ranking system for films that uses subcategories like acting, directing, cinematography and sound effects, to give each a definitive ranking from one to ten. After successfully completing all seven films, including the original animated Walt Disney “Cinderella” from 1950, 20th Century Studios’ medieval 1998 “Ever After” with Drew Barrymore and Nickelodeon’s TV gender reversed 2012 version “Rags” starring Kiki Palmer, she would eventually find Warner Brothers 2004 “A Cinderella Story” adaptation with Hilary Duff to be the most successful. Halberstadt gave the movie a nine out of ten on the Cinema Scale. In the end, she discovered a clear answer to her hypothesis after connecting the adaptation ranks with the year they were made. “I found that they should not continue making Cinderella. Basically, as I watched more of them, it was the same exact story, but with minor differences. It felt very forced [in the newer ones] because there wasn’t much left to work with to make it ‘new.’ And for some reason, the acting got so much worse too, and I think that stood out a lot,” Halberstadt said. Jacob Smith Toxic Athletic Environments As someone intensely involved in athletics throughout his life, senior Jacob Smith came into AP Research knowing he wanted to focus on sports. After analyzing his own experiences and noticing gaps in current research, Smith narrowed his scope of inquiry to the culture around teams. “In the past, I was part of some [sports] teams that were pretty toxic. ... that somewhat affected our team’s overall performance. So, [because of my experience], I was curious if having a toxic locker room could correlate to a team’s overall success,” Smith said. According to Smith, “locker room” is a loose definition that encompasses a team’s environment on the benches, track, sideline or field. To answer his question, he sent out a 17 question survey to Redwood student athletes, asking about people’s personal team experiences, and found some interesting results. “Most of the participants that I surveyed credited most of the negative experiences and decreased performance to a coach’s negative environment. I feel that really impacts a team, a coach who, as an authority figure, has power over the athletes,” Smith said. “If they have a negative attitude and are bringing the
kids or athletes down, that really affects [the athlete’s] performance.” With these final results in mind, Smith hopes that his findings might contribute to a new, more positive culture in sports, one that he’s already encountered. “[On] my [club] hockey team, we had to go through a program called Safe Sport Training, which taught us the importance of being respectful in the locker room,” Smith said. “So, I am hoping that my research can inspire other people to further research on this topic but also increase funding in our sports and to have programs like Safe Sport that teach all athletes and coaches the importance of being respectful in their team environment.” Smith aims to continue his research on toxicity in sports into college, especially when he has a larger sample size and perhaps access to Division I athletes. Almost a month ago, Smith, Wang and Halberstadt submitted their final research papers to the College Board, ending their year-long journey within their respective projects. As they transition to life beyond high school, the skills that AP Research has fostered will also carry over into that next stage. “I loved [AP Research]. The class is set up a lot like a college class, so you really manage your own time,” Halberstadt said. “You [also] learn not just about your project, but about [other] methods of research. For example, even though I didn’t use human subjects, I learned about [them]. Even though it wasn’t applicable to my project, I still got the information. So in the future, I do know how to [conduct many levels of research].”
slensing@redwoodbark.org
Page 27 • Lifestyles
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Seniors map out their gap years By Caitlin Beard As Redwood’s Class of 2022 spams social media with celebratory college commitment posts, and Instagram bios change from “RHS ‘22” to “@ uofmichigan ‘26,” the convincing illusion that every senior attends college in the fall is easy to believe; however, seventeen percent of current lowerclassmen are considering a gap year before they head to a four-year college and three percent of this year’s seniors plan to take a gap year, according to a Bark survey. Among them is former Redwood student and current Tam senior Samantha Smart, a competitive rower at the Marin Rowing Association with a verbal commitment to Princeton University. With several national titles, Smart will return to selection camp this summer to hopefully compete in the U-19 World Rowing Junior Championships. Her crew also recently qualified for the U.S. Youth National Championship which will be held in Sarasota, Florida in June. “Going from Nationals, to selection camp to Worlds, straight to college would be extremely hard, so I think a gap year would be good. I have a lot of random goals that I really want to get done before going to college,” Smart said. To train for rowing, Smart runs
ultramarathons: distances over a standard 26-mile marathon. So far, Smart has run a fifty-miler and several thirty-milers, including a 28.4 mile Quad Dipsea spanning 12 hours in which she ran from her house to Stinson Beach and back four times. She will spend her gap year training for the HURT 100 in January 2023, a 100mile endurance run in Oahu, Hawaii. “There’s an aspect I really like about ultra running,” Smart said. “I get my best thinking done during those 12-hour runs.” In addition to rowing and ultra-running over her gap year, Smart wants to work part-time at REI to get discounts on gear for ultra-running. She also hopes to lay the groundwork for a non-profit organization dedicated to combating and researching drug addiction in America. “I want to have a basis of a non-profit and get more expertise and build on that so that I can come out of college hopefully taking [action] on more of a legislative level,” said Smart. Unlike Smart, Redwood alum and current freshman at Duke University (Duke), Lauren Steele, did not take a gap year by choice. Graduating from Redwood in June 2020, COVID-19 rendered the chance of a “normal” first year of college impossible. Hoping that school would return to in-person in the fall, Steele was initially reluctant to defer her enrollment and debated for months whether or not to
take a gap year. “I felt like I was ready to go to college, so I wasn’t taking a gap year because I thought I needed time. I graduated from Redwood and I felt super ready,” said Steele. “I was really nervous to be a year behind my friends. I was also nervous that I wouldn’t find things to do on the gap year. …It was just a lot of uncertainty. I didn’t really know what to expect from a gap year, I didn’t really have people to reach out to to ask what things would be like. No one had lived through a pandemic before.” In the end, Steele’s fear that she would not find things to do during her gap year did not come true in the slightest. Her gap year itinerary consisted of everything from a backpacking trip around the Western United States, to moving to Hawaii with two other deferred Duke students where she worked at a scuba diving shop to a Spanish language program in Costa Rica to an internship in Israel. Absolutely jampacked with travel, meeting new people and experiencing new things, Steele could not be happier with her gap year. “It was a really incredible year and looking back, I would do it over again. It was a ton of unique experiences … I’ve lived on my own, not in a dorm, not going to work and I got to do programs and meet other kids from all over the world,” Steele said. “... COVID-19 was the reason that I took a gap year, but looking back I should
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have done it regardless. I’m glad [I was] prompted to do that.” Although both Steele and Smart share incredibly ambitious gap year plans, Redwood’s College and Career counselor Becky Bjursten explained that gap years can look different for every student. “It can be something as simple as having a job like working at Trader Joe’s for a year and earning money to help pay for college, or it can be traveling and adding something to your overall applicant perspective.” Bjursten said that “losing momentum” is a common fear among Redwood students deciding whether to take a gap year. “You’re going to stop high school, have that in-between, and then have to start learning again. So I think defining what that gap year means to you is really an important part of it,” Bjursten said. “A gap year is a time to grow, to pursue things that you’re interested in, to have new experiences. …You’re going to be so much better and more mature of a student if you have this extra time to pursue something that’s important to you.”
cbeard@redwoodbark.org
slensing@redwoodbark.org Photo courtesy of Lauren Steele
BUNGEE JUMPING IN Monteverde, Costa Rica, Lauren Steele spent several weeks abroad doing a Spanish language program.
Photo courtesy of Samantha Smart
WITH SEVERAL NATIONAL rowing titles, Smart will attend selection camp this summer to try and make the U-19 World Rowing Junior Championships team.
Senior musicians showcase their skills By Sterling Lazarus and Hannah Morgan The lights dim over the stage in the Little Theater already filled with sheet music stands, a piano and seats for the musicians. Students march out from backstage, lining up their instruments to begin their pieces. This is a typical beginning to the recent performances from the variety of upper-division music classes such as Advanced Performance Workshop (APW), Intermediate Performance Workshop (IPW), Symphonic Band and Jazz Band. These give a spotlight for students to showcase their skills both individually and as a group. Some students, such as Charlie Freiburger, Jack White, Joey O’Neill and Asal Takesh, have taken it upon themselves to develop their craft outside of the classroom as well. Charlie Freiburger and Jack White Freiburger and White are both members of Redwood’s Advanced Performance Workshop (APW) class, a class centered around selecting a variety of songs and working in groups to perform them at the end of the semester. Freiburger and White both compose their own music, drawing inspiration from pieces that already exist. The collaboration, not only between the pair, but with the APW class as a whole, leads to experimentation with the pieces they work on. It creates something entirely new, as Freiburger and Whites’ own personalities and styles combine to take their own unique spin on songs that may previously exist. Joey O’Neill A cacophonic cascade of piano keys sings through the air as O’Neill begins his solo amidst a Jazz Band
performance in the Little Theater. The other instruments grow quiet as O’Neill’s music fills the room. O’Neill is a part of Jazz and Symphonic Band and beyond Redwood, is a member of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, which performs at the Louise M. Davis Symphony Hall in Hayes Valley. It boasts hundreds of musicians from across the Bay Area. A key component of O’Neill’s success is his focus on technical skills, rehearsing and rehearsing until he is able to exhibit a song as perfectly as possible. Asal Takesh From Takesh’s very first musical theater production of In The Heights at Mill Valley’s Throckmorton Theater in eighth grade, she knew she was meant to pursue a career on the stage. Takesh’s love of music originated from her father, a musician. She was able to develop her own voice and passion through exploring songs and the culture surrounding music. Alongside her participation and key roles in Throckmorton Theater productions, Takesh has been singing and performing with the American Conservatory Theater’s Cabaret program since her sophomore year. Also a member of APW, Takesh collaborates with other Redwood performers to expand her vocal and technical repertoire, all while producing her own music outside of class.
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Learn more about Freiburger and White’s musicmaking process in the video below.
Learn more about O’Neill’s musical ventures both in and outside of Redwood in the video below.
Learn more about Takesh’s long-standing relationship with music as well as her future ambitions in the video below.
Paying tribute to Myles Kawashima By Declan McDaniels When this school year started on Aug. 18, a special piece of the Class of 2022 was missing. It had been 44 days since 17-year-old Myles Kawashima passed away, yet somehow it felt as if his lively spirit and infectious smile would still be greeting students and staff as they started the 2021-2022 school year. Inside and outside of the Redwood community, Myles’ genuine kindness, unique intellect and contagious energy could brighten the day of any community member who crossed his path. Whether he was throwing splitters on the pitching mound, working in the trenches with walking through the halls giving a friendly “hello” to every familiar face, Myles’ presence was a gift. His legacy at Redwood and beyond will live on through both his loved ones and the positive change he brought to life every day. attending Bacich Elementary School and Kent Middle School before arriving at Redwood in the fall of 2018. He was known as lively, honest and hardworking, and he brought those qualities into his academics, athletics and relationships. English teacher Jon Hirsch taught Myles freshman and junior year and described him as one of the friendliest and most enjoyable students in his teaching career. “In a word, he cared genuinely deeply. But it wasn’t just that he cared on the inside, it was that he so frequently and consistently put other people’s needs before his own,” Hirsch said. were recognized by many, in class with his peers and at home with his family. Myles’ mom, Caroline Kawashima, said that she learned the beauty of openmindedness from her son’s exceptional character. “What I learned from him is to see people for who they are, not how you want them to be or how you think that they should be. I think that was his gift: he could look at somebody and say, ‘I see this person for just who they are, and I’m not going to judge them,’” Caroline said. Myles’ ability to be altruistic and nonjudgmental with anyone who crossed his path seemed instinctive. Whether helping a classmate with homework or guiding a freshman in football drills, Myles always
wanted to support the people around him. Hirsch also spoke extensively on Myles’ sincerity and kindheartedness. “I don’t know if he was consciously aware of it, but he was so committed to building strong relationships and to committing himself to causes that were greater than himself,” Hirsch said. teenager with such a mature sense of the world around them, but Myles’ heightened awareness and sophisticated demeanor were beyond his years in a number of ways. A longtime friend of Myles, Jack Cunningham, outlined the positive outlook Myles had on himself and the people surrounding him. “He was never attached to who he was at the moment; he knew he could be a better version of himself,” Cunningham said. “A reason why people liked him is that he would talk to people, and he would imagine them as the best self they are, right then and there, and he encouraged them to be that person.” This perpetual positivity made Myles a person that everyone wanted to be around. He was someone who truly saw the best in people, and he was gifted at effortlessly making others feel seen or heard. According to Cunningham, it was rare to see Myles in a bad mood, and it was hard to contain his humor. Myles was always optimistic, allowing him to face and overcome any adversity in his path. “No matter what type of hardship he faced and what type of effect it would bring on his person, he was really good at extracting all of that negative feeling in his soul and replacing it with a drive to be better,” Cunningham said. Myles’ level of intellect both inside and outside of his education was distinctive. He was always content with his identity, but he continuously wanted to improve all aspects of his life to the best of his ability. Caroline detailed the unique perspective and passion that he embodied each day. “Not just academically, but also athletically, he always wanted to do it all. He couldn’t just be a pitcher, he had to be a switch hitter. He couldn’t just do a fastball and a changeup, he had to perfect the splitter and the cutter,” Caroline said. “That was Myles … I think that he lived his life to the fullest as much as he could.” During his three years on the baseball team and two years on the football team,
he was often the teammate that people gravitated towards. Varsity baseball coach Mike Frenzi, who coached Myles for his junior season, shares a similar perspective with Caroline, as he recalled a practice where determination and work ethic. missing the ball by a foot or two every time. I walked out to him and said, ‘What is your deal?’ And he tells me, ‘I just got my COVID shot a few hours ago, I’m not feeling too good.’ ‘Sit down!’ [I said]. He should have told me! But that’s it, he never mentioned it. … He went right out there and did his job,” Frenzi said. Myles’ lightheartedness was evident day after day, and he was the quintessential example of a person who wanted the best for everyone. Nothing will ever take Myles’ place, but his life will live through the memory and the actions of those he impacted. He will forever be remembered as a kind soul who did not fail to take advantage of the opportunities he was given and used his positivity for good. “His impact will be measured not in the depth of the suffering people felt in the moment, but how they carry his legacy with them,” Hirsch said. “It’s going to be measured by this senior class looking back in June and asking themselves, ‘How did I carry on Myles’ legacy this year and make my world a better place?’” dmcdaniels@redwoodbark.org
Courtesy of Caroline Kawashima