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Volume LVIV No. 4 • December 16, 2016 • Larkspur, CA
Murphy caps off remarkable cross country career p. 14
Photo by Catherine Conrow
Editors in Chief Gregory Block Emily Cerf Sarah Kimball Rebecca Smalbach
Copy Editors Review Editors Caleigh Stephens (Head Copy Editor) Carolyn French Gemma Calandra Sam Sheridan Josh Cohen Adam Kreitzman Spanish Editors Heidi Roenisch Shannon Donelan Christine Watridge Data Analyst Adam Kreitzman Feature Editors Sydney Soofer Video Editors Pearl Zhong Garet Jatsek Sam Slade News Editors Catherine Conrow Art Consultant Anne Pritikin Maxime Kawawa-‐Beaudan Opinion Editors Business Manager Daniela Schwartz Grant Barnes Alicia Vargelis Social Media Manager Sabrina Dong Lifestyles Editors Annie Forgarty Survey Manager Andrew Hout Charlotte Seton Sports Editors Advisor Max Josef Erin Schneider Mary Winnick Reporters Sabrina Dong Tilly Friedlander Eric Ahern Julia Jacoby Kendall Rhoads Kaelin Kragh Henry Tantum Alexandra Lee Luke Dahlin Brendan Winters Michael Benz Amanda Trusheim Hayden Blum Hallie Fox Rachel Schten Kevin Gao Maggie Smith Jocelyn Overmyer Caroline Cummings China Granger Christine Watridge Jordan Overmyer
redwood
bark. redwood high school
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CustodianPreview profile Wrestling
395 doherty dr., larkspur, ca 94939
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14
World Wrapps 2.0
volume LVIV, no. 4
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18
December 16, 2016
Beloved softball coach passes away
Paragliding
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21
www.redwoodbark.org
Vantrease retires
By Sarah Kimball
By Lauren Conrow
Varsity softball coach Gary Casassa died on Dec. 7 at the age of 61. In the beginning of August, Casassa was diagnosed with melanoma. Nearly two weeks ago, Casassa lost his five-month battle with cancer. Casassa coached softball at Redwood for 27 seasons, during which he led the team to 12 MCAL titles and two first place NCS finishes. Casassa was also inducted into the Redwood Athletic Hall of Fame earlier this year for his softball coaching career. Emily Atkinson, who served as an assistant coach for Redwood’s softball team and has known Casassa on a personal level for the past nine years, credits his success to the relationships he built with his players. “[Casassa] cared about the girls and made it personal for them. He shared real information about himself when he was in high school, and he wasn’t afraid to open up and really let the girls see the real stuff,” Atkinson said. Atkinson also shared that Casassa not only influenced his players, but also enabled her to become a better coach. “I’m so glad I had the opportunity to be able to coach with him, because he showed me that it is so much more than just teaching them the fundamentals of the sport. He showed me that you can have a good program, and have a good team where the girls really buy in, and not have to be super strict or serious,” Atkinson said. “You can have fun and enjoy yourself, and still get what you need to get done.” In the spring, Atkinson will serve as the head coach for the varsity softball team. She hopes to use some of the skills she learned from Casassa for coaching this year’s team. “I learned from him that it is more than
“With coaches, when you walk on, you know if you are going to have a relationship with that coach or if you are just going to play the sport. With Gary, you knew it was going to be much more than just playing softball. He would do anything. I have never had a coach like him before,” Lee said. On Friday afternoon, a group of Redwood softball players gathered on the Redwood field with flowers to honor Casassa’s life. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the California Pacific Medical Center Foundation to support melanoma research. The local softball community plans to hold a public memorial, though no plans have been set.
College and Career Specialist Paula Vantrease retired on Dec. 2 after 11 years as a college counselor and valuable resource for Redwood students. According to Vantrease, December is the perfect time for her to step away from her responsibilities because she has finished helping most of the senior class with their college applications, but has not yet started working with the junior class. In addition, Vantrease wants to spend more time with her family, as her oldest son is getting married later this month. “I chose to retire now because my husband has been retired for 13 years,” Vantrease said. “I’ve been getting up and going to work everyday because I truly enjoy what I am doing. But it’s time that we start another phase of our life now.” Although she is excited for her retirement, Vantrease said it will be difficult to leave Redwood because she wants to ensure that students will continue to get the support that they need. In addition to helping students with their college applications, Vantrease administers work permits, organizes campus visits for college representatives and creates the seating chart for graduation. “I want to make sure that there is somebody here in this room to work with students. I don’t want to see the door be closed,” Vantrease said. The day before Vantrease retired, the staff threw a going-away party in her honor. Vantrease plans on starting her retirement by taking a 15-day cruise to Hawaii with her husband and friends. Vantrease will be replaced by Meg Heimbrodt, who will begin working in the College and Career Center at the start of spring semester.
skimball@redwoodbark.org
lconrow@redwoodbark.org
Cub Reporter
Photo courtesy of Grace Marshall
CELEBRATING THEIR 2016 MCAL win, varsity softball coach Gary Casassa gathers with members of the team. Casassa passed away on Dec. 7 after a five-month battle with melanoma. just the game. It is more about these girls and where they are at and what they want to do, and what they need on an individual basis versus what the team needs all the time,” Atkinson said. Senior Ali Lee, a three-year varsity softball player, will miss Casassa’s ability to balance fun and hard work. “He was a coach who valued a relationship with the players more than winning. He made sure to make relationships with everyone, whether it was a huge one or a small one,” Lee said. “He included everyone in everything. For example, at one point we had 20 people on the team, when only nine girls play, so that was a huge team, but he was just so nice that he didn’t want to cut anyone.” Lee knew from the beginning that Casassa’s coaching would be different than anything she had experienced before.
TUHSD substitutes protest wages Local documentary
explores topic of suicide
By Luke Dahlin and Hallie Fox On Dec. 1, substitute teachers in the Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) were notified that they would not be receiving a pay raise after a group of substitutes pressured the Marin County Board of Education to increase their wages, on the grounds that they have been receiving disproportionately low wages relative to surrounding districts. In previous years, the TUHSD offered some of the highest daily rates for substitute teachers, according to Jes Richardson, a substitute in the district, as compared to other school districts in Marin. However, other local districts have since raised their rates, and the TUHSD has not. This has created an increasing wage gap between districts has provoked a group of substitute teachers to request higher wages from the district office. Lars Christensen, the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources of the district, said that the TUHSD has a lower substitute pay rate than other school districts in Marin, as of recent years. “What’s ironic is that the [TUHSD] used to pay the best. I was the principal at Terra Linda
By Sabrina Dong
Photo by Hallie Fox
INSTRUCTING STUDENTS ON the day’s lesson plan, substitute teacher Lazlo Toth believes that subs deserve an increase in pay. High School for almost 10 years, prior to coming here as the Assistant Superintendent, and I had been on the other side of the argument,” Christensen said. “‘Why can’t you pay as much as the Tam District?’ They would wave that in my face all the time that Tam always paid the most.” Since 2008, the daily rate for substitutes in the TUHSD has been $100 for teaching four class periods, $120 for teaching five class periods, $130 for teaching five class periods and an advisory period and $140 for six or seven class periods. Substitute teachers
in the TUHSD have to work four consecutive blocks in order to earn $140, the already standard rate in the San Rafael City Schools District (SRCSD). And because most full-time teachers in the district teach a five-period day, and according to Richardson, five periods is standard for a substitute, the substitute receives between $20 and $30 less to teach in the TUHSD than they would in another Marin County district. Continued on page 3
On a Wednesday in November, Redwood students chattered excitedly, working on projects, filling out worksheets or writing essays. Amid all this, however, one class fell silent. In room 521, the fifth period students of Ms. Maxwell’s AP Photography class and Mr. Hirsch’s Psychology class sat captivated by a film rolling from a projector at the front of the room. The mood was somber as they listened to firsthand accounts of depression from teens who lived in the Bay Area. On Nov. 16, “Not Alone,” an independent documentary about teen suicide and depression in the Bay Area, was screened for the first time to Redwood students. The film featured students from local schools and was produced by Kiki Goshay, the mother of a Redwood alumnus, and St. Ignatius student Jacqueline Monetta. “It was definitely a learning experience and it’s the type of film that makes you surprised, that makes you sad. It takes some time to let the stuff that you just watched marinate and really it
takes a little time to let you think about it,” said Monetta, who watched the screening via Skype from her current residence in Italy. “We had some great feedback from a lot of the students. Some talked to the counselors after and some came and wrote us notes and some came and talked to Kiki.” The film touched on how depression is actually common in the Bay Area. In an interview format, the film consisted of Monetta talking to several students from schools all around Marin County about their experiences with depression, self harm and suicide. Although many students at the screening didn’t recognize the people being interviewed, seeing familiar faces in the B-roll of schools around Marin seemed to create a deeper connection to the film. “Even though it was just people in the background and even though I didn’t know the people, there were still familiar faces. I thought that it was especially relatable because it was in the Bay Area specifically,” said junior Timila Clark-Shrestha. Continued on page 2
bark
Page 2 • News
December 16, 2016
Photo Survey What do you NOT want for Christmas this year?
“Clothes because I already have a bunch.”
“A plastic water bottle. I hate plastic.”
“A dog.”
“A leather-wrapped rock from Nordstrom.”
Ethan Roman
Nicole Johnson
Mason Marotta
Clea Upcher
freshman
junior
sophomore
senior
• Suicide documentary Continued from page 1 This relatability was part of Monetta and Goshay’s goal with the film: to make talking about depression and suicide less taboo by showing how depression is very common. “The goal of the movie is to spark conversation amongst teens in mental health and to help other teens realize that they are not alone,” Monetta said. When making the film, the pair found that there was a stigma attached to being depressed or anxious. “[Having depression is] not so unusual. There isn’t something inherently wrong or weird about you if you’re feeling depression or anxiety,” Goshay said. “They’re just conditions and sometimes they come and go. Some people have to work on some things forever. Some people are going to be constantly working on their mental health.” Many students who saw the screening reported afterward that they felt that depression was a common problem in the Bay Area. “I’ve learned that depression can come in a bunch of different ways,” said senior Cameron Breck. “It’s not a black and white thing—there’s a lot of gray.” The film, which featured work from past AP Photo classes at Redwood, took more than a year to make. Monetta first approached Goshay, a complete stranger, with her idea, knowing that Goshay had worked as a filmmaker before on other projects that included a documentary. “I didn’t know her at all. When I first had the idea of making the film, I really just reached out to everyone I knew,” Monetta said. “[Goshay] actually lives a couple streets up from me in Kentfield so I drove up one day, knowing she did all of these films before, and we ended up talking for three hours about the film and about the topic and she jumped on board and the rest is history.” Production was difficult because before meeting Goshay, Monetta found it hard to get people to take her
Photo courtesy of Kiki Goshay
ATTENDING A FUNDRAISER, supporters of “Not Alone,” an independent documentary focused on teen suicide and depression in the Bay Area, watch a clip of the film. seriously as a young teen wanting to make a movie. “I think the other part was being taken seriously in this film process. Once I met [Goshay] it was a lot easier, but when I first got involved in making the film it was really difficult to get people to want to invest in a teen-made film,” Monetta said. Another goal of the film was to spark discussion and raise awareness about the signs of suicide and depression, so that teens can know what to do when their friends are exhibiting these signs.
Through all of the hard work and effort put into the film, Monetta and Goshay just want to see a conversation started on the topic, and they want teens to learn how to help themselves or their friends. “If even just one student helps save their friend from harming themself, this will all be worth it,” Goshay said.
sdong@redwoodbark.org
Advanced Performance Workshop concert goes out on a high note By Pearl Zhong Guitar riffs, piano melodies and vocal harmonies, all thoughtfully produced by students in the Advanced Performance Workshop class, filled the Little Theater the evenings of Dec. 7 and Dec. 8. The two-night concert provided students the opportunity to perform multiple original pieces, as well as covers in both solo and group performances. Senior Noa Zimmerman, who is a guitarist, bassist and vocalist in her third year of Advanced Performance Workshop, believed there was a different atmosphere compared to previous concerts she has performed in. “The group of seniors that graduated last year were big leaders in the program and everyone really aspired to be like them. This semester I think everyone had more of an opportunity to show themselves more. We didn’t have [the seniors] be the obvious forefront so everyone was working more together, which I like,” Zimmerman said. Zimmerman especially attributed the vocalists, who performed many complex pieces with intricate harmonies. Junior Dani Nollenberger, a singer and pianist, described performing onstage as euphoric and unparalleled to anything else. “It’s the best feeling in the world to me. The first song is kind of always the highest the moment because you’re like, ‘Okay here we go!’ and you just jump right into it,” Nollenberger said. A successful concert requires months of preparation, according to junior Jane
Photo by Pearl Zhong
PLAYING THE GUITAR, senior Matty Michna performs in the Advanced Performance Workshop’s last concert of the semester on Dec. 8. Burke, who is a singer and a pianist in the class. “We call the songs for the concerts ‘projects,’ so when projects time comes around in September, you think of a song you want to play, and then you gather people of all different instruments to play that song with you,” she said. Burke also mentioned that while the Advanced Performance Class is very
structured, it is also very free-flowing, which allows students the flexibility to play a myriad of different pieces. “Mr. Mattern has a big influence on us. He really likes 70’s rock and country rock. He gives a list at the beginning of the year of a bunch of songs that he recommends for us,” Burke said. The majority of November was dedicated to in-class group practice. Most
students perform an average of about five to eight different songs, according to Zimmerman. “There’s a lot of coordination involved because every song has different groups, so if you want to get your song good you have to make sure everyone is making the time and being committed to it,” Zimmerman said. Naturally, there were pre-show nerves prior to the concert. But, the community nature of the class seemed to help mediate some nervous energy, according to Zimmerman. “It’s a really fun setting in terms of because it’s a really supportive community. Everyone is very complimentary towards each other,” she said. According to Zimmerman, Advanced Performance Workshop teacher John Mattern is a significant driving force in the class. “Mattern pushes us a lot and in a really good way. He encourages us to go to the next step, and not do what’s easy but to try and make us go beyond our comfort zone, which I think makes it a really good environment because everyone is trying out new things,” Zimmerman said. The Advanced Performance Workshop class hosts concerts once every semester. The next concerts are set to be on May 23 and 24 at 7 p.m. in the Little Theater.
pzhong@redwoodbark.org
Page 3 • News
www.redwoodbark.org
bark
• Substitute underpayment Continued from page 1 In comparison, according to the Novato Unified School District 2016-2017 Certificated Salary Schedule for Teachers and School Nurses, the daily rate in the district for day-to-day substitute teachers is $150. The daily rate for a substitute teacher in the SRCSD is $140, according to the Certificated Salary Rates for Substitute Teachers document put out by their district. Lazlo Toth, an educator of 25 years who often substitutes in the TUHSD, said that it is very rare that he makes as much money in one day in the TUHSD as he could in the San Rafael Unified School District. “Now, the San Rafael District pays $140 a day and I can have a day that is shorter. I have to work four blocks [in the TUHSD] to make $140. That happens maybe once or twice a year because the most you would get is three blocks and an advisory; Very few teachers have four [classes] in a row,” Toth said. Richardson was among several substitutes advocating higher pay in the district. At a district Board of Education meeting on Oct. 4, Richardson read a letter as a member of the public, asking the Board to consider raising pay for substitute teachers. Additionally, Richardson, among other substitutes in the district, created the Sub Club, a group pushing for higher wages for substitute teachers in the TUHSD. “There just hasn’t been any pressure from substitute teachers, so if there’s no pressure then there’s no reason for [the Board of Directors] to give us a raise,” Richardson said. “Districts like the San Rafael District, which doesn’t have nearly as much money as the Tamalpais district, are paying their subs $140, and generally you’ll get $120 at Tam, which just doesn’t seem right to me.” Toth stated that there is value and skill associated with substitute teaching and raising the wage could, potentially, maintain relations and attract more substitutes to the district. “To be a good sub, I think, is worth a lot of money,” Toth said. “He has to execute the lesson plan and he’s gotta keep order in the classroom. It takes, I think, a tremendous degree of skill to pull that off, to things get done.” Christensen explained that the Human Resources department of the district is currently engaged negotiations with Tamalpais Federation of Teachers, the teachers union
Photo by Hallie Fox
HANDING OUT PAPERS to his students, Toth has been working in education both inside and outside the Tampalpais Union High School District for more than 25 years. of the TUHSD and the California School Employees Association, which includes employees including food service workers, clerical support, custodians and maintenance workers and computer specialists. “We are in the middle of salary negotiations with them, so it would be very very inappropriate to consider any kind of raise or pay increase for substitute teachers who do not work for us—they are independent contractors, they don’t work for us—without first working with our own employees,” Christensen said. Christensen explained that it is protocol for school districts to work with their own employees to discuss the terms of payment before negotiating salaries with an outside vendor. “They’re not our employees; they’re on a sub list with the County Office of Education. We call upon them if we need them, we value them, but we need to take care of inhouse matters first before we work with external services,” Christensen said. Christensen believes that substitutes are receiving just pay, but he also thinks that the TUHSD Board needs to look at what other districts are paying and remain competitive
with them. “I do believe that they are receiving a fair wage today, at the same time I think it behooves us to take a hard look at what other districts are paying and make sure that we remain competitive. I don’t know that we have to pay more than anybody else to be competitive, but I do think that we should all be within a very similar range, so we will take a look at that,” Christensen said. Christensen said that he thinks the Board could, at some point, change the rate of pay for substitutes, but not until they have come to agreements with the employees of the district, including teachers and classified employees. “I’m not saying that the Board won’t eventually choose to make an adjustment to the salary schedule, but at the same time it would be disingenuous for me to say anything other than that we first need to settle with our two bargaining associations and our management group before making any decision, one way or the other, with subs,” Christensen said. bark@redwoodbark.org
Marin County waits to decide if sale of marijuana will be legalized By Alicia Vargelis Despite California’s passage of Proposition 64, which legalized the usage of recreational marijuana for adults above the age of 21, the entirety of the bill and its ramifications will not be considered by the Marin County Board of Supervisors until 2018. Marin County’s cannabis webpage has an announcement that states, “The County of Marin does not accept, approve, license, or authorize commercial sale, commercial cultivation, or manufacturing of any cannabis or cannabis related byproducts for non-medical use at the present time.” Although possession is legal at a state level, a local jurisdiction or a county can ban the recreational sale of cannabis within its limits. “Under both medical and recreational laws the state will only grant licenses if local cities and counties will give approval for that type of use,” said Tom Lai, Assistant Director of Marin’s Community Development Agency. “In other words, there is a lot of local control.” After Governor Jerry Brown signed the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act of 2015, which regulated the taxation, transportation and licensing of medical marijuana, Lai also worked with the Board of Supervisors to create a license to allow the county to grant permits to medical cannabis dispensaries. The license was approved last December and limits the number of new dispensary licenses the county can grant to four—two in urbanized areas along Highway 101, and two in rural West Marin, according to Lai. The board is currently reviewing eleven different dispensary applications, and will grant the licenses in March or April. “It sets up this competitive process because we have more demand than supply,” Lai said. “The board wants to grant the license to the best locations and operators. In a way it’s providing for more
Map courtesy of County of Marin
WAITING TO DETERMINE if Proposition 64 will be enacted, Marin County has marked potential marijuana dispensaries with green spots. local options.” Local jurisdictions control how much of Proposition 64 they want to implement. A county can either accept the bill in its current form and follow the state’s set regulations, create an ordinance that prevents medical dispensaries from also selling recreational cannabis, or regulate certain aspects of the bill such as having sale front permits or banning cultivation of recreational marijuana. Counties can also benefit from the additional 15 percent tax collected for the sale of recreational marijuana as mandated by the proposition. “Some jurisdictions welcome business and opportunity because they look at potential self tax windfall that they could get, but I suspect that most of Marin will not look favorably at opening up storefront and commercial areas for recreational marijuana,” Lai said. “It really depends on what each city and town council wants to do.” The Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act has created a safer, more regulated system for all parts of the
medical cannabis business which shows in their motto: “seed to sale.” “The government has stepped into what has really been a grey market and start putting in some structure and order to it,” Lai said. This regulation was needed due to the fact that cannabis production is often done illegally in California, resulting in both environmental and health consequences, according to Lai. “People are willing to go out into national forests or public land and start cultivating the plant which has environmental consequences such as erosion and draining water from creeks,” Lai said. “There are also problems with people using private homes as grow houses, because of potential fire hazards. These are health, safety, and environmental considerations that the state wants to get a handle on and give local counties and cities a say on that matter.” The legalization of recreationa marijuana in Marin County for adults over 21 could impact the curriculum of classes such as Social Issues at Redwood that have
units on drugs and alcohol, according to Jon Hirsch, a Social Issues teacher at Redwood. Due to the fact that students are able to use the drug when they are 21, teachers may need to alter the way they teach the class about recreational marijuana. “It’s been a topic of conversation to a limited extent among the Social Issues teachers in general, addressing what is going to be inevitably at least a rise in availability if not a rise of consumption in youth,” Hirsch said. Hirsch has been teaching Social Issues for 12 years and has learned to be flexible in adjusting his course based on changes in drug availability. “We need to make sure that we’re addressing student needs not just what we are comfortable teaching,” Hirsch said. “When prescription medications started really hitting the scene (opiates, oxycontin, vicodin, etc.) that was something we had to start addressing because it just wasn’t part of the drug landscape before in the same way, and that’s what we’re having to do now [with marijuana].” Other than medical marijuana dispensaries, all cannabis businesses are currently prohibited in the unincorporated parts of Marin County. Starting in January, Lai will be meeting with the Board of Supervisors to discuss how Proposition 64 should be handled. “With Proposition 64 passing, we now have clarity on what the state wants to do and what the citizens want to do, so it’s prime time for us to talk to the board,” said Lai. There will also be public workshops where residents can voice their opinion as well. “We want to engage the public in the discussion about how the Board of Supervisors wants the county to handle these new laws,” Lai said.
avargelis@redwoodbark.org
December 16, 2016 bark Page 4 • News Surfrider club members compete in North Face Endurance Challenge By Jocelyn Overmyer Early in the morning on Dec. 4, the stunning hills and serene beaches of the Marin Headlands served as the backdrop for the 10th annual North Face Endurance Challenge Series as hundreds of racers ran through the numerous dirt trails woven among the scenic terrain. Sophomore Carmen Monroe-Watts and junior Inés Schwartz participated in the race, representing Team Surfrider. Monroe-Watts and Schwartz placed third and fourth among females under the age of 19, both with a time of 23.53 minutes in the 5-kilometer race. Fellow Redwood Surfrider Club members and Erika Canales, who coordinated Redwood’s involvement in the event, cheered on the girls throughout the race. Starting on Dec. 3, the two-day running event put on by The North Face attracts trail-runners from all around the Bay Area to participate in a varsity events, and offers a platform that allows runners to raise money to contribute to non-profit organizations. However, the two runners only participated on the second day. “We participated in the race because we are part of the Surfrider Club and [The North Face] was hosting this race where you are sweating for a good cause,” Schwartz said. The Surfrider Foundation is an organization whose goal is to preserve the coastlines and bring awareness to the problems that face the ocean. The foundation is composed up of chapters, including one at Redwood and creates a global network to help tackle their ambitious goal. On Nov. 28, the Surfrider Foundation launched Team Surfrider to promote youth to get active and involved with the environment. Planning for the month prior to the race, the Redwood Surfrider chapter, along with chapters from Drake High School and UC Berkeley, fundraised for two runners from each school. The money went to the recently launched Team Surfrider by the Surfrider Foundation. “It showed that the Surfrider Club doesn’t just mean being part of the ocean, it’s just being part of the environment in general,” Monroe-Watts said. Monroe-Watts is on varsity cross country for Redwood and has competitive racing experience. However, for both runners, the Endurance Challenge series was their first large-scale race that contributed to a charity cause. Team Surfrider started its program ambitiously with the esteemed Endurance Challenge Series. Schools were
The Ahern Family The Alioto Family The Alliston Johnson Family Cynthia Altman & Malcolm Brenner Susan & Mark Anderson Laura & Mark Anderson Anonymous (2) The Arnowitz Family James & Katheryn Baldwin Barnes Family Stephanie & Brad Bennett Lisa Bernardi The Bialek Santas Family Tonya Bjornson & Don Roelle The Blazei Family The Blixt Family The Block Family The Blum Family Hannah, Lauren, & Ella Blazei Bill & Kathleen Brady Mimi & Bill Breck The Briggs Family The Brostoff Family Donal & Brenda Brown The Brune Deuss Family Jim & Carrie Burroughs The Byck Family Thom Calandra & Maura Thurman The Callaway Allen Family The Carswell Family The Cerf Family The Chou Family The Christman Family The Churton Family The Cico Family The Cohen Family Jody Coker & Mark Dosker The Colicci Family Rebecca & David Conant The Conner Family The Conrow Family Fred & Lara Conte The Cook Family The Cooperband Family The Corn Family Beth & Chris Cummings The Cusack Family
Photo by Jocelyn Overmyer
COMPETING IN THE North Face Endurance Challenge Series 5-kilometer race in the Marin Headlands on Dec. 4., sophomore Carmen Monroe-Watts and junior Ines Schwartz raised money for the Surfrider Foundation. required to raise a minimum of $250 for each runner. Redwood satisfied the goal by raising $550, trailing Drake’s impressive $1,286.30 for their two runners, Zoe Miller and Shannon McKillop-Herr, who placed second and third in the overall women’s 5k. “We did some fundraisers, a bake sale, and we both individually donated and got people to donate,” MonroeWatts said. Team Surfrider is partnered with Positive Tracks, who will match the U23 runners’ donations up to $230. Monroe-Watts and Schwartz both agree that being immersed in scenery during the trail-course and the supportive racers added to the fulfilling experience. The Endurance Challenge Series, partnered with
The Dabora Family The Dahlin Family The Dalzell-Piper Family The Desin Family Will & Milena Dixon The Dong Family Laurie Dubin The Dudgeon Family The Edington Family Naz Erickson The Evans Family Ewry Family John & Deirdre Evershed Dee Ann & Gus Ezcurra The Fargo Family Sara Fargo The Felder Family Jill & Jeff Finegold The Finkbeiners The Foehr Family The Fogarty Family The Fragakis Family The French Family Steven Fulton Eva Geitheim Lynn & John Gerson Elon Ginzburg Emily Glidden Donna Ellison Goldman The Goldwasser Family Cindy & Chad Goodman The Graf Family James E Granger & Yu-ling Wang Brenhan & Katherine Green Francesca Greenberg The Grujic Family Tom Guarcello The Gustafson Family Catherine Guthrie The Hackett Family Dominique & Neil Halilej Joe & Debby Hanssen The Hankin Family Kevin Haroff & Donalyn Pryor Peter Henry Caroline Henry The Henry Family
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Crowdrise, allowed the runners to choose from a variety of nonprofit organizations to support. The local event raised a total of $18,130. The Endurance Challenge Series is a running event hosted in six states, and offers seven demanding races. After running their event, Team Surfrider racers and volunteers were ushered to Sports Basement in the Presidio where they celebrated their hard work and awarded the Drake runners for placing.
jocelyn.overmyer@redwoodbark.org
The Middleton Family The Mikolon-Gomez Family The Millers The Mogilnicki Family The Morse Family The Mowbray Family Stephen P. Mulcahy The Neustaetter Family Christine Nguyen The Noble Family Mark & Donna Norstad The Notter Family Dennis & Jude Oh Ilissa Oulch The Overmyer Family Barbara Owens Vera Palczynski Kurt Paul The Peppel Family The Perczek Family The Peters Family David Peterson & Lynn Soper The Petri Family The Pole Family The Polidora Family The Porter Family The Pritikin Family Manny Ramos & Robin Snyder The Rankin-Williams Family The Ratcliffe Family Diane Rittenhouse & Charles Sakai The Robinow Family Jill Carole Robinson The Rocha Family Frank Rollo Stacy & Jack Rose Allison & Andy Ross Christy Seidel & Peter Stock Chris & Corinne Seton Jane Sherman & Paul Smith Tom Sivertsen The Slade Family The Smalbach Family Louis Smith The Soofer Family The Sperlings Dana Linker & Rich Steele
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opinion
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Anti-Semitism: It still exists and it’s time we address it By Josh Cohen
It all started with the phone call. “Josh, did you hear what happened?” my little brother Ben, an eighth grader, asked in a trembling voice. An anonymous kid had drawn a swastika on a piece of paper and put it into Ben’s backpack earlier that week. He opened that binder and found the drawing in the middle of first period. “Josh, it has completely ruined my day. Can you come home please?” he asked me timidly. “Yes, of course. I love you. Hang in there, I’ll be home soon,” I replied. I was angered by what happened to my brother, but not necessarily surprised. Before getting in the car to drive home, I reflected on my own experiences with this sort of blatant anti-Semitism, such as an instance in eighth grade when I was called a “Jew rat.” By the time I arrived home, I rushed upstairs to find Ben lying in his bed, visibly still in shock from what occurred earlier in the day. I spent the rest of the evening with him in his room, consoling him whenever he wanted to talk about it. I’ve known this person my whole life, yet I still didn’t know how to comfort and support him in this situation.What was the right thing to do? What could I say to him to make it better? We ended up talking about how all that he can do is to focus on his school work and athletics. But we couldn’t ignore what happened earlier that day. At the end of the night, Ben and I discussed how going forward, he shouldn’t let situations like this bring him down. Just a few weeks later, anti-Semitism surfaced once again at Hall Middle School. Ben was walking back to the lunch tables after picking up his lunch, when another immature middle schooler walked past my little brother and formed a swastika with his fingers.
The kid ended up only being suspended for one day, despite the seriousness of his actions. Twice in three weeks, at just 13 years old, Ben had to deal with antiSemitic encounters. As I comforted my brother once again, I realized that these seemingly isolated anti-Semitic incidents reflected a larger problem within our
and talked to him about the incidents. The conversation concluded with him deciding to write a letter in response to the hurtful acts. “...I am extremely sad and disappointed,” Ben wrote. “You may think I’m sad, but I’m really more disappointed that this is even going on in our community today.” As a proud Jew and a protective brother, I am disappointed too. Anti-Semitism is prevalent not only in our community, but also in our world as a whole. According to a survey conducted by the Anti-Defamation League, 1.09 billion people are anti-Semitic— more than one-seventh of the world. Anti-Semitism in our community normally occurs in ways of rude humor, commonly known as “Jew jokes.” But if people truly understood the meaning behind their words and the history of antiSemitism and the Holocaust, they would realize that the suffering that occurred is not something that should be belittled. The reason these attitudes exist in our community is because there is too little education on the topics. Do we have to educate more? Teach about the Holocaust in more depth? The important thing to do is to accept that anti-Semitism is present in our community. Just because the topic isn’t usually talked Illustraabout, doesn’t mean it’s not a significant issue. tion by Maxime Kawawa - Beaudan Ben’s encounters with anti-Semitism were just two of the countless others that occur every day. Anti-semitism is not only part of our history, but community—a lack of awareness and understanding in regards to the a current issue that needs to be addressed in every circumstance that emerges. Holocaust and Judaism in general. One reason these types of behaviors could exist in a middle school is because children may not have been properly educated, and therefore do not understand the magnitude of their jokes and insults. Following the second incident, Ben called our Rabbi jcohen@redwoodbark.org
Listening to others can improve your relationships and your holiday season Story and Illustrations by Hallie Fox As we delve deeper into the holiday season, we are reminded of an important theme of the season: the value of love in close relationships, especially family. During this time, have you ever asked yourself how we make and maintain these loving connections between family and friends? Listening to each other helps us establish and strengthen those loving relationships. Miscommunications can be avoided by actively listening to each other. Learning all you can about another person can help improve relationships, which can be achieved through careful listening.
It is important to listen to each other in order to learn who someone really is, create stronger relationships with the people in our lives and understand different perspectives to avoid conflict.
The December Bark survey found that 78 percent of Redwood students think listening can strengthen all kinds of relationships, but only seven percent said they always listen to someone who is talking to them. As a Redwood community, we do not pay attention to the people around us as much as we should. Our community can be made stronger if we are attentive and actively listen to each other. If you’re talking to someone, would you prefer them to stare off into the distance, thinking about their weekend plans, or for them to be looking you in the eyes and responding to what you say, whether it be with a simple nod or a, “Yeah, I agree?” According to the Conflict Research Consortium at the University of Colorado Boulder (CRC at CU Boulder), active listening is a type of communication in which a person attends to and responds to another person to help improve mutual understanding. We should actively listen to our friends, family and peers in order to strengthen the relationships with the people in our lives. Many times when a person is “listening” to someone, they are not actually paying attention to what the other person is saying, but instead are thinking about what they are going to say next. We must alternatively listen to each other actively and let the other person know we are truly listening to them. The CRC at CU Boulder writes that in active listening, the listener should fully attend to the speaker by repeating back to the speaker in their own words what they heard. Active listening allows for the speaker to feel understood, thus improving communication, a key factor in relationships, according to the Love and Communication Health Research Center at California State University at Long Beach.
Active listening commonly allows for people to open up further in a relationship because they feel more comfortable, strengthening the connection within the partnership. Listening to the people around us helps us learn who they are. Fully and carefully listening to another person allows for you to get to know them on a deeper, more personal level. E m p l o y i n g active listening skills and paying attention to the emotion behind people’s words can help you encourage a person to open up to you. The listener in active listening should interpret the speaker’s words in terms of feelings and add into the conversation these interpretations, according to the CRC at CU Boulder. This includes using empathy statements like, “So, I gathered that you feel frustrated,” and, “I understand now that you feel upset about this.” By using these statements, you can make the speaker feel empathized with and acknowledged. These statements let the speaker know that the listener was not only listening, but also understanding the emotions behind their words. It is important to listen to each other in order to learn new perspectives. Learning new perspectives is important to avoid conflict and to gain more exposure to how other people think. The same Bark survey found that 70 percent of Redwood students believe that it is very important to learn and listen to other people’s perspectives. Additionally, 62 percent of Redwood students think that listening to others’
perspectives can help avoid conflict. When we listen to people with different perspectives than us, we learn the reasoning behind those attitudes. Once we understand their reasoning, it is easier to coexist with people of differing viewpoints because even if we do not agree with their opinion, we understand why they hold that opinion. When you have a holiday dinner with your family this year or when you are conversing with a friend at a holiday party, try being thoroughly attentive to them. Try to see if you can pick up on the undertones of their words and the true meaning behind what they say. Use an empathy statement or two. When your mom opens the handmade present you sloppily wrapped for her, smiles and sheds a tear, hit her with a, “Mom, I can see you look happy. I am really glad that my appreciation for you shines through in this gift,” to see if you can add to her happiness just a little bit more. hfox@redwoodbark.org
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Page 6 • Opinion
December 16, 2016
Recreational marijuana has more benefits than meet the eye By Heidi Roenisch On Election Day, marijuana enthusiasts, liberals and Libertarians alike rejoiced as Proposition 64 passed, legalizing the use of recreational marijuana for those 21 and over in California. However, while possession of the substance is now legal statewide, it is up to individual counties to determine if or when they will allow the sale of recreational pot. Currently, its sale within Marin County limits is banned until 2018, at which point the Board of Supervisors can choose to extend or modify the ban, or to begin issuing permits to allow its recreational sale. Regardless of one’s personal view on whether recreational marijuana should be legal, the Marin County Board of Supervisors should not vote to extend the ban on recreational cannabis sales for both economic and regulatory reasons. Imagine that you are craving a burger but there are no such restaurants open in your town. Luckily, just 15 minutes away in the next county over there is an In-n-Out ready and waiting to satisfy your fast food fix.Would you make the trip, or would you give up? A similar situation exists with Marin. Neighboring cities such as Oakland and San Francisco have already established that they will begin issuing permits for the sale of recreational marijuana beginning in 2018. These locations, just a short drive or a bridge away, are not far enough to be a significant deterrent to lower cannabis consumption in Marin. According to the Denver Post, this scenario exists in Vail, Colorado, which does not permit the sale of recreational pot. However, towns just five minutes
away from Vail have legalized recreational sales and reaped hundreds of thousands in revenue benefits. They have also seen business growth across all sectors from the patronage of Vail residents and tourists alike. Instead, Marin will lose out on revenue generated by the 15 percent tax on all recreational marijuana transactions as mandated by Prop 64. Manitou Springs, a town just outside Colorado Springs, has seen a 64 percent increase in sales tax revenues since they started selling recreational marijuana in 2014, from $2.4 million to $3.8 million, according to the Denver Post. This has allowed them to fund flood mitigation projects, road improvements and add to emergency reserve funds. Marin County could similarly benefit from an influx in sales tax revenues, whether by using this money to fund public facility improvement projects, increase spending on local schools or contribute to an earthquake relief fund. Moreover, the majority of Marin, specifically 69.75 percent, voted for the passage of Prop 64. Therefore, the county’s policies should accurately reflect the will of its constituents and not be overridden by the Board of Supervisors, who represent the voice of the people far less directly. However, all of this is not to say that Marin County should not heavily regulate the sale of recreational marijuana.
Illustration by Heidi Roenisch
The opposition to legalization presents valid issues, like the concern that marijuana-laced edibles such as candy or fruit flavored joints could unfairly target children and teens. But the solution to this is not a blanket ban. Instead, it makes more sense to legalize the sale of recreational pot in Marin so it can be tightly regulated and directly controlled as we see fit. The alternative is to force Marin’s residents to patronize other towns and cities that may have much looser regulations or none at all, which would arguably pose
more of a threat. It is now no longer a question of whether recreational marijuana should be legal in California, it is where. Whether you were an original supporter of Prop 64 or not, it is time to legalize recreational marijuana sales in Marin both so we can benefit economically and regulate as we see fit.
hroenisch@redwoodbark.org
Cartoon by Aidan Ferguson
Page 7 • Opinion
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Redwood High School 395 Doherty Drive Larkspur, CA 94939 www.redwoodbark.org E ditors -I n -C hief Gregory Block Emily Cerf Sarah Kimball Rebecca Smalbach
Head Copy Editor Caleigh Stephens
Copy Editors
Gemma Calandra Josh Cohen Adam Kreitzman Heidi Roenisch Christine Watridge
News Editors
editorial Fake news necessitates a new approach Fake news, real issues
Barks & Bites
Here’s the deal: Hillary Clinton is running a child sex trafficking ring out of the back of a Washington D.C. pizzeria. Or at least that’s what Edgar Welch believed after he read a fake news story that circulated on Facebook and Twitter. On Dec. 5, Welch drove six hours to investigate the restaurant and took out a semi-automatic rifle before being cornered and arrested by the police. The event gained real news headlines for its absurdity, but it also happens to reflect a more serious problem in our society—the ubiquity of fake news and the challenge of trying to discern the credibility of news sources in our high speed, information-heavy culture. Sixty-two percent of American adults get their news from a social media site, according to a 2016 Pew Research study. And it’s likely that this number will increase as social media continues to replace news outlets as a more convenient source for most Americans. In the last three years alone, according to Pew Research, the percentage of Facebook users that get their news on the site has increased by nearly 20 percent. As student journalists for the Bark, we have been trained to assess news sources for their validity. But we also understand how difficult it can be to determine the trustworthiness of a source, especially when the majority of our news reading occurs as we scroll rapidly through headlines on our Facebook feeds. While many of us hope that we would be able to distinguish fake from real, that doesn’t seem to be the case. In a 2016 Stanford University study, less than 20 percent of high school participants questioned the credibility of a false statement from a fake news source, proving that we are not as capable of deciphering the reliability of news sources as we might think. For that reason, it is important now more than ever that we are diligent in our news reading. The rapid pace at which our lives are flooded with information not only creates a culture in which fake news can develop easily, but one where it can be spread quickly and unintentionally with potential serious social and political consequences. Fake news is not as harmless as it may seem. Take, for example, legislation that was recently introduced to the Colorado House of Representatives on the basis of a viral conspiracy theory that claimed welfare recipients were using food stamps to buy marijuana. Although many fake news stories fizzle out after public scrutiny, the
A BARK to the Performance Workshop students’ concert. Music is definitely their forte. A BITE to school ending right before Christmas. Listening to Michael Bublé while studying for finals just isn’t the same. A BARK to menorahs. Thanks for keeping all eight nights of Hanukkah lit. A BITE to those who forget the true meaning of Christmas. Is it Mariah or Messiah? A BARK to final exams. It’s the only time we like getting (note) carded. A BITE to the cost of ski passes. Those prices need to go
fact that some are able to lead to political action serves as evidence of the impact the fake news epidemic is having on our society. Although social media companies are partly to blame for the fake news swirling through our social media feeds, a lot of responsibility also falls on our shoulders as informed and educated American citizens. It is our duty to assess news sources as we read and to think critically about how credible a source truly is. This is not an easy task, especially as the line between real and fake becomes increasingly blurred. But before we quickly share an article with a catchy headline or a Facebook post with an attention-grabbing image, we must carefully make sure the source is valid. Fortunately, progress is being made to hinder the flow of fake news. After public pressure, Google has refused to sell ad space to websites that provide fake news, and Facebook has also said that it will not show ads from sites with misleading content. These are first steps, and should be treated as such, as fake news extends far beyond advertising. The most dangerous fake articles are those that seem most real by mimicking the style and diction of real news articles. While social media has led to many of the problems with media in our society, it can also be a powerful tool for social change by spreading hard-hitting, grassroots journalism. Utilizing social media as a vehicle for journalistic change, however, starts with careful analysis of news sources. We are the ones who control what we believe and spread. So, next time you see an article about the Pope endorsing Donald Trump or Ireland accepting American refugees (both of which were popular fake news stories this year), take a moment to consider the source before spreading it through social media. Otherwise, we may be headed for a society where nobody can tell the difference between what is real and what is fake. 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 the Bark mailbox in the facility. They may also be emailed to bark@redwoodbark.org.
downhill fast. A BARK to the Dakota Access Pipeline being rerouted. We’re pretty piped up about it. A BITE to Houseparty. Don’t complain about that bad test score - we know you’re always in the house. A BARK to underclassmen getting excited about their admittance into leadership. Count your acceptances while you still can. A BITE to this 50 degree weather. Feliz Navidad? More like fleece Navidad. A BARK to Donald Trump. He gives us endless bite
material. A BITE to college decisions coming out. We can’t wait to tell all our extended family where we got rejected from before the holidays.
Catherine Conrow Anne Pritikin
Opinion Editors Daniela Schwartz Alicia Vargelis
Feature Editors Sydney Soofer Pearl Zhong
Sports Editors Max Josef Mary Winnick
Review Editors Carolyn French Sam Sheridan
Lifestyles Editors Annie Fogarty Andrew Hout
Spanish Editor
Shannon Donelan
Video Editors Garet Jatsek Sam Slade
Business Manager Grant Barnes
Social Media Manager Sabrina Dong
Survey Manager Amanda Trusheim
Art Consultant
Maxime Kawawa-Beaudan
Data Analyst
Adam Kreitzman
Reporters
Eric Ahern Michael Benz Hayden Blum Caroline Cummings Luke Dahlin Jason Fieber Hallie Fox Tilly Friedlander Kevin Gao China Granger Jack Green Julia Jacoby Kaelin Kragh Alexandra Lee Jocelyn Overmyer Jordan Overmyer Kendall Rhoads Rachel Schten Charlotte Seton Maggie Smith Henry Tantum Brendan Winters
Adviser
Erin Schneider
B A R K S a n d B I T E S a re t h e collective opinions of the BARK staff concerning relevant issues. BARKS are in praise of accomplishments, while BITES criticize decisions or events.
POLICY: All editorials are unsigned and have been approved by the majority of the Bark staff.
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Grupo de estudiantes recauda miles de dólares para el Pulsera Project Por Gemma Calandra Entre la semana del siete al 14 de noviembre cientos de estudiantes llenaron los pasillos de Redwood con pulseras de colores hechas a mano que fueron vendidas por el club nuevo de Redwood llamado Color the World. Se vendían las pulseras con el “Pulsera Project,” una iniciativa de la organización Color the World que inspira apoyar a artistas en Guatemala y Nicaragua y sus comunidades. El grupo de estudiantes vendió más de 500 pulseras y algunas bolsitas, recaudando más de $3000. Las ventas ocurrieron durante el almuerzo en el Mosaic Stage y antes de la escuela en el estacionamiento delantero entre los días 14 y 15 de noviembre. Según una estudiante de último año Sydney Abrams, un miembro del club, las estudiantes comenzaban a preguntar sobre las pulseras en cuanto el club las recibió, entonces empezaron a vender las pulseras una semana antes de lo planeado. “Vendimos tantas [pulseras] en las primeras 24 horas que no tuvimos suficientes para hacer una venta completa durante la semana de la venta oficial. La venta solo duro el lunes y martes por la mañana”, Abrams dijo. Cada pulsera que se vende tiene una foto del artista que lo hizo, y las escuelas que participan en el proyecto reciben materiales educativos que están disponibles para profesores. La inspiración para participar en el “Pulsera Project” vino del profesor Todd Van Peursem, quien ha presentado un video corto sobre el proyecto en sus clases en años pasados. Este año un grupo de estudiantes decidió finalmente involucrarse con la organización. El dinero recaudado con el “Pulsera Project” se utiliza para pagar los salarios de los artistas y para financiar otros proyectos de la comunidad como el desarrollo de las viviendas, el cuidado de salud, y becas para los artistas para asistir a la escuela. “Eso permite vislumbrar una esperanza para la movilidad social”, Van Peursem dijo. “Puedes trabajar las horas que quieres, con un horario flexible, haciendo algo con lo que estás familiarizado, que te encanta, y puedes compartirlo con el mundo”. Según Colin Crane, cofundador del “Pulsera Project,” se compran las pulseras de los artistas al doble del valor comercial. “Los artistas que trabajan están ganando un verdadero ‘salario’, y no sólo uno de día a día, que es una realidad lamentable para muchos artesanos de los países en vías de
Foto cortesía de Todd Van Peursem
VENDIENDO PULSERAS, SYDNEY ABRAMS Y Devon Cusack ayudaron a recaudar más de $3000 para el “Pulsera Project.” desarrollo”, Crane escribió en una entrevista por correo electrónico. Van Peursem dijo que lo que le atrajo a la organización fue que es impulsado por la juventud, es intercultural y es inspirador para los estudiantes. “No estás robando, usted no estás estáfando a nadie— usted está compartiendo un arte vistoso y el dinero ha creado ahora una economía sostenible y la capacidad de crecimiento”, Van Peursem dijo. Además, él espera que los estudiantes aprecien el modelo de negocio sobre el cual se basa la organización. “Se trata de amor, se trata de respeto, [y] se trata de dar”, dijo Van Peursem. “Es cómo, en 2016 y en el futuro, vamos a empezar a desarrollar los países en desarrollo. Quiero que los estudiantes miren este modelo y digan, ‘Wow, esto es algo que nosotros podríamos hacer en cualquier lugar”. Ambos Van Peursem y Abrams dijeron que recibieron
muchos comentarios positivos de la comunidad de Redwood. “Esperábamos que [el proyecto de Pulsera] iba a ser muy exitoso, pero no pensábamos que venderíamos todo. Al final pensamos que tendríamos que decir, ‘ vengan todos, a comprar nuestras cosas ‘, pero fue tan rápido; no nos dimos cuenta del gran impacto que tiene Redwood”, Abrams dijo. Según Van Peursem, el club espera establecer el proyecto de Pulsera un evento anual y posiblemente pasar la iniciativa a otras escuelas del distrito. Al final de la primavera, el club posiblemente pondría hacer llamadas de Skype con algunos de los artistas y también explorar la idea de acoger a artistas en Marin como un intercambio cultural en el futuro. Editado por Bea Cazares y Oliver Sagastume gcalandra@redwoodbark.org
Proposición 58 se predice para tener poco efecto Por Kaelin Kragh
El 8 de noviembre, la Proposición 58 que permite a idiomas distintos al inglés ser utilizados por los estudiantes de inglés en las escuelas públicas de California, pasó en las elecciones con el 73 por ciento de los votos, según la elección General de California. Según la Web de la Elección General de California, Prop 58 requiere que las escuelas públicas garanticen a los estudiantes obtener el dominio del idioma inglés. Al aprobar esta propuesta, las escuelas públicas podrán tener la opción de elegir cómo enseñar a los estudiantes de inglés. Pueden ofrecer los programas de sólo inglés o bilingües. Sin embargo, según lo dicho por la profesora de ELD Debbie McCrea, Prop 58 probablemente tendrá un impacto menor en la escuela porque la clase de desarrollo del lenguaje inglés (ELD) en Redwood no tiene una alta población. “En el corto plazo, Prop 58 realmente no afecta a los estudiantes de Redwood”, dijo McCrea. “A menos que un grupo grande de padres empujen para que la clase de su hijo se imparta en su lengua materna, no veo que suceda en el futuro inmediato”. McCrea solamente tiene 20 estudiantes en su clase de ELD predominantemente nativo-hablantes de español. Sin embargo, según algunos alumnos de la clase de ELD, Prop 58 les permitirá entender el plan de estudios y conceptos más fácilmente.
Foto cortesía de Debbie McCrea
LA CLASE DE ELD experiencia la cultura estadounidodense en su excursión a Muir Woods. “Aprender inglés ya es difícil, pero si el maestro enseña en inglés es aún más difícil de aprender,” dijo un estudiante de ELD que quiso permanecer en el anonimato. “Ahora, si mi clase de ELD fuera impartida en español, podría entender las cosas más fácilmente”. Según McCrea, Prop 58 proveerá recursos adicionales para las diferentes lenguas que hablan los estudiantes en el programa de ELD. A partir de ahora, hay algunos materiales educativos en español, que sólo puede beneficiar a los estudiantes de habla hispana. “No hay muchos recursos en francés, ruso o chino. Creo que ampliarán los recursos disponibles a los maestros,
para poder enseñar a los estudiantes con diferentes antecedentes”, McCrea dijo. Según la señora McCrea, el área principal de preocupación es que el programa de ELD no reciba apoyo económico suficiente. Aplicar la Proposición 58 en Redwood, tendrá como consecuencia aumentar los fondos para salarios de maestros, libros y otros materiales. “La idea es tratar de profundizar en el conocimiento del contenido,” dice La Directora de Cursos e Instrucción de TUHSD, la señora Kim Stiffler. Pero es un reto porque a veces no podemos encontrar los libros en el idioma correcto y hacemos todo lo posible para que tengan tanta comprensión como un nativo-hablante de
inglés”. Según la señora McCrea, la calidad de la educación es el aspecto más importante en un entorno educativo. Se podría añadir más fondos de la Fundación como un recurso para los alumnos de la clase ELD pues el distrito no puede pagar maestros de más alta calidad. Muchos estudiantes que vienen a Redwood de otros países sin hablar inglés luchan enormemente, según el Coordinador del programa de ELD en Tam, Mike Levinson. “También hay un gran número de ellos que realmente se esfuerzan por pasar sus clases y no avanza con respecto a aprender inglés”, dijo Levinson. Si bien la señora McCrea no cree que la Prop 58 tendrá tanto impacto en Redwood como en otras escuelas con comunidades mayores de habla hispana, todavía cree que la reforma en ELD es algo positivo. “Yo creo en la educación bilingüe, así que estoy contenta que la Prop 58 pasó porque creo que eliminar las barreras para la educación bilingüe beneficiará a nuestra sociedad entera,” dijo la señora McCrea. “Las personas bilingües son más tolerantes y tienen una perspectiva más amplia sobre los problemas del mundo”. Editado por Bea Cazares y Oliver Sagastume
kkragh@redwoodbark.org
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athered around a table holding plates of cookies and Rice Krispies treats in Imagination Park in San Anselmo, three students with friendly smiles greet passersby. Behind the trays of sweets is a poster with information about the Syrian Refugee Crisis. With their genuine enthusiasm, the students draw the attention of community members. Their discussions often end with increased awareness and a donation to their organization. Seven girls from various local high schools in the group meet every Sunday morning with a mission. They focus on unifying students from different schools to aid Syrian Refugees and raise community awareness. They shift from light-hearted topics like getting to know each other and laughing at Joe Biden memes to tackling the Syrian Refugee Crisis at a local level. Tamiscal senior Sage Mace and her longtime friend, The Bay School junior Skyler Edgecomb, founded Bay Area Students United in October. Since then, the group has hosted a garage sale fundraiser that raised $1,350 for the Save the Children foundation, which endeavors to give Syrian children a healthy start through protection and education. The group’s current fundraising proceeds will go toward Families Serving Families, an organization founded by local resident Halima Afi. Families Serving Families assists Muslim Bay Area families, including 10 Syrian refugee families who live in Oakland, by providing them with meals, homeware and financial assistance. Afi learned about a local Muslim family who ate at soup kitchens because they did not have enough money to shop for groceries. Knowing that soup kitchens cannot always meet every family’s religious and dietary needs, Afi believed that she could help with an alternative source of food. Afi’s program began with a friend’s extra freezer. The pair began to store extra meat and rice in it, and then deliver it to this family when they were in need. “It was all the honor system. If they said they needed it, we gave it to them. We didn’t ask them to fill out an application or make them stand in line,” Afi said. “We deliver it to them, so we can check up on them and see how they are doing.” The program expanded as the network of families, both givers and receivers, grew. Bay Area Students United is currently
focusing on helping a Syrian family who really racist and they are against Syrians,” recently arrived in Oakland. Unable to pay Bayan said. “They heard it from their rent, the family of five was evicted from parents. ‘Syrians took our jobs. Syrians their apartment. made the country too expensive.’ My sister “It was crazy for me to hear this family used to hear those things everyday. One has gone through so much [in Syria] and day she didn’t want to go to school, just then they moved here and have no support because she didn’t want to talk to them.” whatsoever,” Mace said. “They were In addition, strict refugee labor policies evicted from their last apartment, which prevented the father, Mohammed, from is horrible, because they are still trying to obtaining a job legally. Their hardships make that transition.” prompted the father to apply to move to a The Rawas, another Syrian refugee different country. Two years later, in 2015, family that Afi’s organization is assisting, the Rawas were notified that they could are also adapting to life in America come to the United States. following their arrival in March 2015. The “We did a lot of interviews for a whole family of six faced a long, difficult journey year. My dad didn’t believe that we could before finding refuge in the United States. come here, but then we got a call and they The Rawas said, ‘You’re traveling fled Syria in next month.’ And my 2012, in search dad was so happy. He of protection in just wanted to leave Jordan. The civil Jordan. We were all war surrounded happy too because [it] their home city was so bad living [in of Damascus and Jordan],” Bayan said. they felt that they Now, after 15 were no longer months, the family safe. is adjusting to life in “It was the United States with really dangerous support from groups in Syria. We such as Families couldn’t go to Skyler Edgecomb Serving Families school for a The Bay School junior and a community of long time. If I local Arab families. [went] to school, Mohammad is now my mom [was] working multiple scared that I jobs, driving for wouldn’t come back,” said Bayan, the Uber and tailoring, while his wife and Rawas’ youngest daughter. “A lot of the two daughters are attending Berkeley City time my dad had to stay in his job because College. they started shooting or bombing and they “Their family is pretty unique in the might shoot him.” sense that they speak some English, that The Rawas’ second attempt to they’re pretty tech savvy and so forth, and find refuge in Jordan was successful. they’re very ambitious,” Afi said. “Some of They traveled by car and were stopped the other families are more depressed for intermittently at check points. longer periods of time.” “We were scared because wherever we Most of the Syrian refugees do not know were, there would be people trying to stop any English and arrive with six to eight us. We didn’t know if it was real police or thousand dollars in airfare costs that they the army or a gang,” Bayan said. pay off monthly. After the initial assistance Once in Jordan they felt safer, but from the organization that helped them the family was unhappy. Bayan’s sister, arrive, such as the International Rescue Hanan, faced daily discrimination at Committee (IRC), many families struggle school because the Jordanians resented to find work with their skills from Syria, her because she was Syrian, according to according to Afi. Bayan. In 2016, the United States granted “Life in Jordan is really hard. Even at refugee status to 12,587 Syrians, exceeding the schools. My sister used to come home their goal of resettling 10,000 Syrian everyday crying because the Jordanians are refugees, according to the U.S. State
Educating people in different countries is how you build a stronger and safer world.
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Department’s Refugee Processing Center. Mace said that the Syrian Refugee Crisis was very relevant to her before Bay Area Students United, but knowing that families in her community were struggling made the issue even more personal. “It has been very real for me. I have cried multiple times seeing images in the media. Especially the particular image of a little boy from Aleppo. That was huge for me. That was when I realized I had to do something,” Mace said. Edgecomb and Mace started the organization because they wanted to take advantage of their opportunity to help others. “It is really important, at least for me, to take advantage of the education we receive here in Marin. With the Syrian Crisis, two million children are not receiving an education,” Mace said. Despite receiving a lot of support from the local community, Mace and Edgecomb have experienced pushback from a few residents when discussing the group’s goals at their first fundraiser. “There are some people that are more closed-minded, because there is this fear centering around ‘homegrown terrorism.’ There was one encounter when I was going out and telling people about it. There was a negative response, but I was okay with that, because even me bringing it up brings up conversation and a chance to open up people’s minds,” Mace said. Edgecomb agreed that simply fostering conversation in the community about the issue is a big step toward achieving their goal. “Creating more awareness is the biggest thing for me. A lot of people see it on the news but they don’t look at the faces behind it and they don’t think about how this affects them. Educating people in different countries is how you build a stronger and safer world,” Edgecomb said. The Rawas family has also feared that they will encounter Islamophobia in the United states. Bayan described her mother’s sentiments. “She still [has] the idea that some people in America think we are terrorists,” Bayan said. “Well, we didn’t meet these people, but sometimes she thinks of it and hears it, but she says we didn’t come for nothing. We only came to be safe here and have better chance to study.” bark@redwoodbark.org
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Page 10 • Feature
December 16, 2016
t
Light up
here is something magical about slowly ambling down an unfamiliar street in a car as the sky becomes dark, turning the corner and being overwhelmed by an extravagant, overthe-top Christmas display complete with music echoing throughout the neighborhood, and realizing that you did indeed turn onto the right street. Picture a house so extraordinary that it could belong at a Disneyland theme park, with its 200,000-light-bulb display and 44,000 visitors in one season alone. This is Ed Rombeiro’s creation, and he has been putting it up at his Novato house for 25 years. While decorating the outside of the house in such beautiful detail is a huge undertaking in itself, the Rombeiro family goes the extra mile in their yearly display by completely covering the inside of their house and opening it up to the public. “The open house was something done, not by a mistake, but it wasn’t supposed to happen. My dad saw this young family outside 25 years ago and said ‘Oh, come in,’ and here we are,” said Kathy Rombeiro, Ed’s daughter. Each incredibly detailed room is furnished with a variety of holiday-themed trinkets and toys, from a wall of moving Santas to an exquisite, gleaming angel scene. The only way the Rombeiros’ house could be more awe-inspiring would be if Santa himself were present--except he is, in the form of Ed Rombeiro, who dresses up in a red hat and shirt, greeting every guest with a warm smile as they walk inside.
The Rombeiros are not the only extreme Christmas decorators in Marin by any means. If there is such a thing as a veteran of the Christmas decorating scene, Roy Nisja is perhaps the most qualified of his kind. He and his son, Donn, have been putting on a front lawn display in their San Rafael home for 37 years. Several of the decorations are cut out of plywood and hand painted by the family themselves. “The cutouts that you see on the lawn, everything from the big train station to the Christmas moose, ornaments, anything that’s wood that’s cut out, [my son] cut them out and he and his wife hand-painted them. This is not a store-bought display in any way, shape, or form,” Nisja said. Redwood sophomore Luca Traverso and his family also have their own yearly special Christmas display, and while it may not be quite as elaborate as the previous houses, it surely surpasses the traditional holiday decorations. The lawn is packed with blow-up Santas, Disney characters, color-changing lights and glowing candy canes that light up the walkway. For the Traversos, the spirit of Christmas and the joy that it brings to people’s faces are the main reasons why they take the time to set it up each year. “We have lights for other holidays like Halloween and things, but it’s not the same. [The display] gives a certain vibe. It’s just so joyful and happy and I think that with our lights you just get in the Christmas spirit a little bit more,” Traverso said.
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the night
Story and photo by Alexandra Lee
This motivation of putting others in the holiday spirit also rings true for the Nisjas and Rombeiros, who are so dedicated that they start setting up two and four months in advance, respectively. “My son summed it all up, to put it in one sentence. We were taking [the display] down and it was a misty day, and I said ‘This is a lot of work.’ And my son said, ‘Yeah dad, but you know, we made a lot of people happy.’ What else can you say?” Nisja said. Nisja explained that his son was the true reason for starting the spectacular annual decorations. “I had a 4x8 sheet of plywood left from reroofing my garage and my son came in one day in the fall of 1980 and asked if he could use it, and I said ‘What for?’ and he said he wanted to make a snowman and put it in front of the house,” Nisja said. Ever since then, the decorations at the Nisja house have been growing in scale and in wowfactor, leading it to eventually be known as the “Bear House” within the neighborhood. “At the time I was selling a line of plush animals, mostly bears. I had a lot of samples, and you’re through selling before Thanksgiving. So, he asked me if he could used the samples in the display in front and I said, ‘Yeah, just don’t mess them up,’ and that’s what he did,” Nisja said. “That’s basically how it became the Bear House.” According to Nisja, one of the most loved aspects of his display is the teddy bear that can blow its own bubbles, another one of his
son’s creations. “He comes walking in, he’s got a bear about three feet high. I said ‘Donn, what are you going to do with another bear?’ He says ‘Oh I’m gonna make it blow bubbles dad,’ and I said, ‘Ok’ and went back to reading the paper,” Nisja said. “Forty-eight hours later that bear was sitting on a log in front of the house blowing bubbles, and that has been a real tradition.” However, not everything about extreme Christmas decorating is fun and games. It is hard and frustrating work to get the display setup, and other factors, such as a noteworthy rise in the electricity bill, are hassles that come along with the joy of the lights, according to Nisja and Traverso. “[The electricity bill] more than doubles in this time of the year. And I have resisted going to the LED lights because I don’t like them as much. The color is cooler, they’re not warm. It would be cheaper; I may be going to those soon,” said Gary Traverso, Luca’s dad. However, the smiles and sparkling eyes that result from these one-of-a-kind, beautiful displays far outweigh the struggles of setting them up and taking them down. Meant to be admired and spread holiday spirit and cheer to everyone, the decorations of the Rombeiros, Nisjas and Traversos will remain in the minds and hearts of many for years to come.
alee@redwoodbark.org
Page 11 •Feature
bark
Magnolia Avenue, the far-stretching
road that runs the length of Larkspur, is an iconic, traditional main street. Nestled along the street are small businesses, restaurants, housing and a variety of timeless landmarks. In addition to these small town staples, the thoroughfare also hosts a different American tradition, one that is shrouded in mystery and misconceptions. At 1122 Magnolia Ave. sits a tancolored building with thick double doors. The ancient “all-seeing eye” above the entrance draws attention to Fairfax Lodge 556, Larkspur’s own Freemasonic center. While the Masonic lodge is only seven years away from becoming a century old, many residents of Larkspur may not accurately know what happens within.
Those who think they have a vague idea, according to the Freemasons themselves, could have it all wrong. “Most of the information you see on Freemasonry is misinformation. They say it’s a cult or a religion and it’s all bullshit,” said Michael C. Paynter, a former head, or master, of Fairfax Lodge 556 and an officer of San Francisco’s Grand Masonic Lodge. “We’re not a cult or a religion, we’re just an old-fashioned fraternity. Very old-fashioned, in fact, the oldest fraternity.” The misinformation to which Paynter referred includes allusions to Masonry in pop culture, such as in author Dan Brown’s book and movie series comprised of the “The Da Vinci Code,” “Angels and Demons,” and “Inferno.” Additionally, in Nicolas Cage’s “National
Treasure” movie series, it is implied that the Freemasons were responsible for sheltering millions of dollars worth of treasure below the city of Boston during the Revolutionary War. “The basic teachings of Masonry are always noble, often skewed,” Paynter said. Historians have proven that some of America’s founding fathers, George Washington, James Monroe and Ben Franklin, were Freemasons, but in reality, the group isn’t nearly as mysterious or collusive as fictional books and movies would suggest. According to the Freemasons of California’s official website, Freemasonry is just “a brotherhood of like-minded men who genuinely care about each other.” The website also
states that members of the organization “develop lifelong friendships with fellow Masons and their families, and are welcomed at Masonic lodges throughout the United States and the world.” Juan Cespedes, a migrant from Peru and former master of Lodge 556, learned this lesson from his father, who was also a Freemason. “One day I remember there were so many people in my house and my dad said to me, ‘They’re all your uncles, because all Masons are brothers.’ I said, ‘Oh my god, I didn’t know I had so many uncles!’” Cespedes said. According to Paynter, Freemasonry wasn’t always about brotherhood. In its literal definition, a mason is a stoneworker or builder. While most historians date the group’s origin to 1717, some say
there are traces as early as 1482, when Masonry was just a network or guild of medieval construction workers. “Freemasons were originally purely operative,” said Richard Lyons, a Freemason who has been involved with the fraternity for 44 years. “They were stoneworking Masons. They drew upon their knowledge to build great edifices, cathedrals and things of that nature...It takes a lot of engineering today to build those things, but they built them using simple geometry which they passed down as their trade secrets.” According to current members of the official fraternity, Freemasonry has expanded into at least 97 countries and has a documented history of political influence. “The list of famous Masons is almost endless,” Paynter said. “Not just the founding fathers, but about 25 percent of all the presidents [were Freemasons]. Both Roosevelts, Truman. It’s a very long list of distinguished people.” However, in Paynter’s eyes, the values of Masonry trump its history. “The fraternity is more about the membership, it’s about the ideals,” Paynter said. “The principles of Freemasonry were the foundation for the revolution in our country and in France. The idea of secular democracy, equality. Those were revolutionary principles when our fraternity joined.” Along with the values of freedom, morality and equality, the Freemasons are strong proponents of philanthropy. “Somewhere in Masonry there’s a general principle of wanting to give back and to help those who are less fortunate than yourselves, to support the welfare of your brothers and others who need help,” Lyons said. “The Freemasons were the first ones to support public schools in America and in England.” The Larkspur Freemasons still support local education by donating to schools and offering numerous need-based scholarships. According to Paynter, a Redwood alum, Lodge 556 even gifted a large sum of money to Redwood a few years ago. However, the majority of the Freemason’s philanthropic energy is
directed towards hospitals, specifically establishments that offer care to lowincome families. “We give three quarters of a billion dollars every year towards children’s hospitals, 23 of them,” Paynter said. “Most of the people that are there have no money for their medical care.” The aforementioned Masonic ideals of freedom, individualism and care for the common good caused the Masons to be persecuted in Nazi Germany. For the same reasons, Freemasonry is still banned from a small number of nations today, including North Korea and Saudi Arabia. “Masonry doesn’t exist in despotical countries because it spreads ideas of liberty and truth and free thinking and democratic society,” said Warren Grabkowski, a third-year member and the youngest Mason of Lodge 556. Grabowski stands out in a crowd of his Masonic brothers. At 25 years old, he is younger than most members of the Larkspur lodge by more than a decade. “I joined Freemasonry partially because of my family history in Masonry; my great-grandfather was a Mason,” Grabowski said. “Alternately, the founding fathers were Freemasons to some extent and I’m very patriotic and I thought that was really interesting and I wanted to learn more about what made the fraternity what it is.” According to Grabkowski, the lack of younger members can be attributed to a number of reasons. “Masonry may seem like it’s comprised of older people, but these guys joined when they were all in like their twenties anyways,” Grabkowski said. “It’s just that their sons weren’t interested for whatever socio-economic reason may have deterred them from joining.” According to Grabkowski, many members of Masonic society are looking into why younger men aren’t joining the fraternity like they used to. Paynter speculated that the issue could be blamed on the unspoken tradition of not recruiting members and instead allowing potential Masons to seek the fraternity out themselves.
To become a Freemason one must be at least 18 years of age, have a clean record with no history of “moral turpitude,” have a strong work ethic and, in most Lodges, be a male. It is also required that all Masons believe in a monotheistic religion. “Most of the members are of different religions in the lodge. We don’t want to have religion to have such a big role, but we appreciate that there is something greater than yourself out there, whether it’s a supreme being or a grand architect of the universe,” said Andrew Kraft, a former lodge master at 556. “There’s a design in nature. There are things that fall into place to make the whole. It’s the universe, it’s not chaos.” Although it is required that members of Freemasonry believe in some form of a higher power, neither religion nor politics are allowed to be discussed within Masonic lodges. “Our country was one of the first places in the world where religion was completely separated from government and that’s a tenant of Freemasonry,” Paynter said. “No one talks about politics or religion in the lodge; it’s forbidden. So you come into the lodge, you’re allowed to relax and enjoy yourself. There’s no commerce, there’s no religion, we’re just brothers. We’re just friends.” Once someone has reached out to their local lodge and paid the several hundred dollar application fee, they can begin the process of joining. This consists of background checks to rule out anyone with a criminal record, specifically those with immoral crimes. Additionally, several members of the Lodge interview the applicant to check for an important quality: character. “Masonry is all about character,” Paynter said. “Masonry is really about a learning process of developing yourself as an individual, becoming a more rounded person. All of our symbolism in Masonry— we’re big on symbolism— is about character development: moral principles, personal integrity, work ethic, family and community.” bark@redwoodbark.org
Photo courtesy of Fairfax Lodge 556
December 16, 2016 bark Page 14 • Sports Senior shines both on the track and in the classroom
Photo by Catherine Conrow
By Catherine Conrow After finishing 28th out of 200 runners in the Nike Cross Nationals meet on Dec. 3, the most competitive high school cross country race in the nation, senior Glennis Murphy was not pleased. “I wasn’t really happy with my results; it was just mediocre,” Murphy said. “I wanted to do a lot better but I just didn’t have a good race.” Murphy said that the Nike Cross Nationals course was “a complete mudpit,” so it was difficult for her to focus while constantly trying not to fall in the mud. “I would start getting momentum and then I would hit a patch of mud and just lose that momentum,” Murphy said. “Half the race I was just worried about staying on my feet.” As someone who has consistently placed in the top groups of runners in nearly every race in which she’s run, including winning first place in this year’s CIF State Cross Country Championships for DIII schools, Murphy has come to have very high expectations for herself. Last year, Murphy placed fifth in the CIF State Cross Country Championships for Division II schools, and sixth at the Foot Locker Regional Cross Country Championships West Regionals against runners from 12 states. She also broke the Marin County record in the mile her sophomore year. After placing in the top ten at the regional cross country meet last year, Murphy advanced to the Foot Locker Cross Country National Championship meet where she placed 21st out of 40 girls from across the nation. Murphy will have the opportunity to continue running at the highest collegiate level next fall on Dartmouth’s cross country team. As an NCS scholar athlete with a 4.33 total academic weighted GPA, Murphy recently committed to the Ivy League college for its renowned academic programs and supportive team environment. According to Murphy, a contributing factor in her decision was the fact that Dartmouth runners competed in the Rio Olympics this past summer, a future goal of Murphy’s. As of now, Murphy plans to major in bioengineering, an interest that has developed since taking Honors Biomedical Science at Redwood. “I’m so inspired to go to school and run at the highest level, and maybe, dream big and compete at [the National Collegiate Athletic Association] meet. But I’m also excited
to be a mad scientist and get my MD-PhD,” Murphy said. Murphy believes that the same perseverance needed for running is what has allowed her to do so well in school. “The type of personality that you need to have for running requires the same focus and meticulous attitude that I apply to school,” Murphy said. Although Murphy has been juggling college visits and copious amounts of homework in her challenging courses this semester, her times have continued to improve. In October, Murphy beat her personal record at the prestigious Stanford Invitational with a 5K time of 17 minutes, 38 seconds; 40 seconds faster than her previous best. Murphy attributes her fast times to her strong work ethic and her dedication to the sport, practicing every day during the school year and over the summer, with only two-week breaks between cross country and track seasons. “[Murphy] is one of those people who drives everyone around her to be better because she is so motivated and her work ethic is insane,” said cross country co-captain junior Gillian Wagner, who finished second in the state meet behind Murphy. “She shows up every day, ready to put in the work that she knows will make her better.” Murphy’s cross country and track coach, Laura Schmitt echoed Wagner’s admiration for Murphy. “Glennis has the ability to work in cross country and track to be the absolute best athlete that she can be. That said, she also works as hard as she can in the classroom, and she also works to be a nurturer on the team and she’s successful at it clearly,” Schmitt said. According to Murphy, even if she wasn’t a particularly good runner, she would still love the sport. “[Running] is one of the most pure forms of competition, which I love. Before I began running freshman year, I was really self-conscious because I was short and skinny and had big feet,” Murphy said. “I realized that I have a purpose for my body. I am strong and fit and my skinny arms and muscle-y legs push me to go faster.” Since the first week of freshman year, Murphy knew she wanted to run for the rest of her high school career. “My first week of freshman year I decided that I wanted to run on the varsity team and that I would do whatever I can to be on varsity so [co-captain Annie Fogarty and I] ran hard everyday until we were on varsity,” Murphy said. Murphy has always been a great runner for Redwood has become a leader on the team, according to Schmitt. “Her freshman year, while she was one of our top runners, she didn’t need to be a leader because freshmen are too young. So she would run but she would model [the
older team captains] accidently, just by being who she is,” Schmitt said. “She models the characteristics that as a coach and mentor you want someone to have.” Schmitt said that she knew Murphy would become a top runner at the national level after watching her respond so well to new race situations beginning her freshman year. “Everyone time we would put her in a new race situation, her response in these races would be incredible. I knew factually that she would be breaking the county record and I knew that she was going to be a Foot Locker National finalist,” Schmitt said. “There are very few athlete that I say this about: she is a podium athlete for sure [at the] state level, NCAA level and post-college, no question.” cconrow@redwoodbark.org
Murphy:.. Placed 28th out of 200 runners in the Nike Cross Nationals meet on Dec. 3. Placed 21st out of 40 in the Foot Locker Cross Country National Championship. Placed first at the CIF DIII Cross Country Championship. Holds the MCAL record for fastest mile run. Has an weighted academic GPA of 4.33 GPA. Committed to Dartmouth.
Page 15 • Sports
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Newcomers give wrestling a wide array of weapons this season By Jordan Overmyer “When you come back tomorrow bring your running shoes, wrestling shoes and three shirts,” instructed Lochlan McHale, Redwood’s new wrestling coach. “We sweat a lot.” McHale is replacing Alan Morris, who had been the coach since 2007. This will be McHale’s third year of coaching, following two years as the assistant coach for Marin Catholic’s team. “[Redwood is] a two-year MCAL champion team so there’s lots to build off of, which really excites me,” McHale said. He hopes to bring his own style of wrestling to the team, while continuing to build on the previous success of the program. According to junior Spencer Dow, who is returning for his third year on the team, the Giants’ old coach was more focused on defensive moves. “We didn’t learn as many shots. The focus wasn’t on pushing the pace but rather getting on top,” Dow said. The team has the potential to flourish this year, filling 13 out of the 14 possible weight classes. In addition, some of the wrestlers have been practicing during the offseason, making the transition into the high school season much smoother. “I think that this is the most [weight classes] that Redwood has ever had,” McHale said. “With 13 out of the 14 weight classes, we actually might be able to bring home some team trophies at tournaments.” Both McHale and Dow have high hopes for the team this year. “As a whole we look really good. Our middle weights are very strong and we have a good core of returning guys. The new guys look really good and look like they have potential,” Dow said.
Last year, the team placed fourth at the MCAL dual meet, so McHale hopes that the team places in the top three this year. During practice, the team runs or participates in a cardio-based activity in order to build endurance so the wrestlers are able to wrestle without getting tired, which can mentally “break” their opponent. “We are going for a strong cardio base along with a strong knowledge, almost like a library of different moves. They can pick and choose what works for them based on their style,” McHale said. “With wrestling you have all these different body types so each body type adjusts to different moves.” Sophomore Naomi Gomez, the only female wrestler on the team, believes McHale is nice, but fairly strict and structured. However, she sees these as positive qualities for a coach to have. “He stands very tall. I think he is going to lead well because he has a booming voice and he seems like he has a lot of trust in the other wrestlers, which is a huge component,” Gomez said. Dow knows McHale through wrestling at BRAWLERS, a local wrestling club he works out at during the offseason. “He pushes the team to become better. We’ve gotten much better offensively and that’s really going to step up our performance as a whole,” Dow said. McHale wrestled from middle school to college, before deciding that he no longer wanted to compete. When he wrestled he traveled with his team often, which is something he hopes to do with the Redwood team. To build a tight-knit team, McHale hasn’t appointed a team captain yet, mixing up the activities and leaders every day and using the more experienced kids to help mentor their younger, less experienced teammates. He does plan to appoint a team captain
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Photo by Jordan Overmyer
GRABBING FRESHMAN MARCO Costa by the leg, sophomore Naomi Gomez listens to instructions from the new head wrestling coach, Lochlan McHale. in the near future. Gomez, who transferred from Drake this year, is another new addition to the team. She wrestled for her middle school team and in a wrestling club with a private trainer. “I saw my friends doing it and I was like, ‘Woah, hey, that seems really fun.’ When I saw them in there I always saw them laughing and having fun with each other and they looked like they were part of a team, something I’ve always wanted,” Gomez said. Gomez doesn’t find it intimidating to be competing against mostly male teams because she grew up alongside her 15 siblings, eight of which are brothers. “I’m kind of used to it. Honestly, I see them as other people or teammates,” Gomez said.
During Dow’s freshman year, there was a girl competing on the team, so the co-ed mix isn’t new to him. “She brings energy to the team that I think is needed. I think it will be interesting to to see where she fits in the team and what weight class she gets put in,” Dow said. McHale coaches several girls during club season and is familiar with ways to integrate them into the team. “Redwood has had a very strong history in California women’s wrestling. We’ve had some of the most successful women come through this school and hopefully she can add to that,” McHale said.
jordan.overmyer@redwoodbark.org
December 16 , 2016 bark Page 16 •Sports Pivot to the past: How 2010 boys’ basketball shot to the top of the most consistent basketball programs in MCAL. His teams have churned out a 124-79 record, good for a .611 winning percentage. Sitting at 11-0 in MCAL play, the 2010 Redwood Although Compagno has only one MCAL title to boys’ varsity basketball team was one game away from his name, his teams have finished in the top half of history, vying for Redwood’s first undefeated MCAL MCAL in all but one of his seven years as the head of basketball season in over 30 years. All that stood in the the program. way of immortality was a middle-of-the-pack Justin“He did a really good job of facilitating the Siena team. chemistry,” Flaherty said. “We had a bunch of talent, But Redwood came out flat in that game as a clearly and it is really easy to let egos get in the way, but he inferior Justin-Siena team kept the game close until the motivated us towards a common goal.” very end. However, as great teams According to Compagno, the always do, the Giants found a way foundation for the 2010 title run to win when the chips didn’t fall in was set in the year prior, when their favor. They sealed the harda core of juniors vowed to the fought victory after then-junior departing seniors that they would Kai Drewry knocked down a gobring home an MCAL trophy. ahead three-pointer and cemented “That year we had a big group his team’s place in MCAL history. of seniors, as well as a core of But that 2010 season, which juniors,” Compagno said. “After culminated in an MCAL and we failed to win MCALs, the NCS championship, meant much [juniors] apologized to seniors and more than one year of fame. It committed to winning MCALs the marked Redwood’s transition into next season.” a basketball-centric school. That Compagno added that the year brought in not only hordes chemistry between the players of Redwood students to watch the served as an integral part of what game, but also middle-schoolers would transpire in the subsequent who were just a few years away Steve Compagno, year. from making up the Redwood head coach “[The players] developed a student body. It was that moment tight identity and learned how to be that defined Redwood’s modern a family,” Compagno said. “There sports identity as a basketball were 17 guys on that team, and our school, and demonstrated exactly starters would want to crush teams so that everyone on what can happen when a group of talented players work the bench could get in.” hard and buy into a coach’s system. Even though the season ended spectacularly, The starters on that 2010 team included MCAL Redwood started off slowly. The team’s mentality player of the year Demarqus Wiggins, MCAL first- changed after winter break, though, as it would go on to teamer Ryan Healy, MCAL second-teamer Jay Flaherty, win its next 20 games. MCAL honorable mention Max Jackson and Drewry, “We started off 4-0, but we lost a tournament game who would make it to the MCAL second team in his to University after being up 10 points with just three senior season. minutes left to go, and we lost to Casa Grande on a buzzer According to Flaherty, who led the team in assists beater in our last game before winter break,” Compagno and now serves as the JV head coach, Wiggins’ said. “We had a team meeting when everyone got back, willingness to accept a role as a facilitator was a huge and two seniors spoke in front of the whole team and benefit to the team. told them this was our year to win a championship. “He was the leading scorer on the team and he After that, the team took off, and everyone would come averaged 11 points per game. In other years that number to practice and work their tails off.” would be in the mid-20s,” Flaherty said. “It was always Among those two seniors was Andrew O’Dorisio. the team over individuals.” O’Dorisio had just gone through chemotherapy for What Flaherty said rings true, as a look at the Ewing’s Sarcoma, an extremely rare bone cancer that 2010 MCAL top scorers yields no Redwood players. primarily affects children and adolescents. Though his However, the categories of rebounds, assists, steals, and competitive nature kept him in sports and made him blocks were littered with Redwood players, serving as a remembered sports figure at Redwood, he tragically further proof that this team excelled in all the intangibles passed away in 2015 at the age of 23. Listening to that lead to a championship season. O’Dorisio and seeing his upbeat attitude lit an extra fire In 2008, head coach Steve Compagno took over a under the team. reeling basketball program which had gone 45-65 (a The word ‘family’ has been a constant theme of .409 winning percentage) in the final four years of ex- Compagno’s coaching, especially in difficult times. head coach Jerry Piro’s tenure. This was Compagno’s “We would always join hands in a circle and say the second stint with Redwood, as he had first coached for word ‘family,’ even at [O’Dorisio’s] funeral, which was the school back in the early ’90s. especially tough for us because we had lost one of our “I always said if I ever got a second chance I would own,” Compagno said. “It goes beyond basketball, the do some things differently, and I did,” Compagno said. relationships that I forge with my players lasts longer than In his eight seasons, Compagno has put together one the four years they are in the program.” Compagno said that the selfless nature of the team was unlike any other he had ever coached. “I had two seniors come up to me and ask to come off the bench so a junior (Drewry) could start, saying ‘Our team is better with [Drewry] in the starting lineup,’” Compagno said. “I stayed out of their way, they were that good, they just needed a little guidance here and there.” The real turning point of the season, according to Compagno, came in a game against San Rafael when they trailed by 15 after the first quarter. “We had just beat Branson for the first time in school history and beaten MC handily,” Compagno said. “But against San Rafael, we were down 18-3 after the first quarter and playing terribly. We eventually tied it at halftime and went on to win, and it was at that point that everyone was out to beat us.” For Flaherty, it was a two-game stretch early in league play that he regarded as the tipping point for the team. “We were going to play Marin Catholic, and both of us had a record of 2-0. A lot of the [MC guys] had been talking smack leading up to it, and then we went in there and beat them by 25 points,” Flaherty said. “The next game we played Terra Linda, and we were the only two undefeated teams left in MCAL. After the first quarter we were up 22-4 and I think it was at that moment that we knew we had arrived as a team.” Despite its eventual loss to Oakmont in the NorCal quarterfinals, the 2010 season went down as arguably the most successful in school history. Photo by Bark alum Natalie Vall-Freed “It was a bittersweet moment,” Flaherty said. “On one DRIBBLING THE BALL, then-senior Jay Flaherty hand, we knew we had done something special, but I also surveys the court looking for an open man. Flaherty felt we should have beat that team and gone to the NorCal semifinals or even the finals.” now serves on Compagno’s staff as the head JV coach. By Adam Kreitzman
It goes beyond basketball. The relationships that I forge with my players lasts longer than the four years they are in the program.
Infographic by Adam Kreitzman
Flaherty described the season itself as “surreal,” noting that the attention the team received from the surrounding community played a huge part in fueling the title run. “People would recognize us on the side of street and congratulate us, which was crazy to witness as a 17 or 18-year-old,” Flaherty said. “Before the NCS championship, there were 40 people waiting outside the door at noon hoping to get tickets when the game itself didn’t even start until 7:30. All these people cared about our basketball team, and I think that it is unique to a public school that pulls from so many different places.” Even after the glory of the 2010 season, Redwood basketball has continued to play at a high level in MCAL. This is why it is perhaps unsurprising that the stands are filled at almost every league home game. Redwood fans tend to turn out to two teams in particular: boys’ basketball and girls’ volleyball. These two programs have two things in common: consistency and success. People go out to the games not just because of the Friday-night atmosphere, but also because they have trust that the team they are going to watch is going to play competitively. According to Dibley, increased attendance generally has to do with success and a fun atmosphere. “A couple of years ago we had a really good group of baseball players, in fact, the group I had won a JV pennant with in 2013,” Dibley said. “That team won MCAL and won NCS, and as each game progressed we would get more and more kids. Then they would start playing at Albert Park under the lights in San Rafael, and all of a sudden, we’re getting 800, 1000 people: kids, parents, adults, and community members coming to Redwood baseball games.” Compagno’s style of basketball makes the game more entertaining, according to Dibley. “I would argue that Compagno’s style of defensiveminded, but up-tempo basketball makes for an exciting game,” Dibley said. Even though basketball happens to be among the most popular sports at this time in Redwood’s history, it tends to rotate, according to Dibley. “It goes in cycles,” Dibley said. “Basketball was down for awhile, but then it came back.” akreitzman@redwoodbark.org
www.redwoodbark.org
Strong bond helps girls’ basketball succeed By Daniela Schwartz With a senior-laden roster and strong off-court friendships, the girls’ varsity basketball team is taking a familial approach this season with hopes that its improved chemistry will lead to on-court success. “If you walked into the team room before one of our practices you might be a little overwhelmed with our energy,” said senior Nicki Yang, a third-year varsity player. Only five weeks into the season, the team has already become a family. Along with creating an Instagram page that has more than 460 followers, the team regularly goes out to eat, and has plans to go ice skating. They do yoga and weight training together each week and are adding mindfulness training as well. “This is by far one of the most tight teams socially that we’ve had. They all genuinely enjoy each other’s company which is something that is such a huge contribution to being a successful team,” said head coach Diane Peterson. The energy and positivity of each individual player has had a contagious effect on the team, resulting in a tight-knit environment that will allow the Giants to succeed, according to Yang. “This is one of the fastest seasons that we’ve come together and bonded really quick,” said senior and returning varsity player Layla Dunne. “It is super comfortable both on Nicki Yang, and off the court.” senior According to Peterson, the trust built in the locker room carries onto the court, leading to better communication during games. Yang said that last year the team didn’t display this level of friendship so early in the season. “We are definitely on the right track [this year]. Last year sometimes we would play as individuals more just because of our [lack of] closeness on and off the court,” Yang said. Along with communication, Peterson has incorporated extra strength and mental training early on in the season to help the girls reach their full potential.
Photo by Daniela Schwartz
DRIBBLING DOWN THE court, sophomore Gabby Beltran runs a play during the Lady Cat Classic tournament at Marin Catholic. For two years Peterson has had Marcie Anderson, a long time friend of Peterson and meditation specialist, practice yoga and meditation with the team. The girls currently do this two to three times a week. Mindfulness is a new practice that the basketball program will be implementing this year. Starting next week, three times a week, freshman, JV and varsity teams will work with a mindfulness trainer to learn how to block out outside distractions. “It’s just learning how to destress and not overwhelm yourself and really take things as they happen and continue to move forward. So to translate that into basketball terms it would be, you know, coming down and missing a shot but being able to get back on defense and forget about missing that shot, and not worrying about it,” Peterson said. The girls’ team, along with the other Redwood basketball teams, also works with strength trainer Stevie Compagno, a Redwood alumnus, son of the boys’ varsity coach and brother of sophomore guard Anna Compagno. The girls’ team has worked more with Compagno during the season this year,
All of our personalities click because we are so positive together and really love what we are doing here.
versus previous years when they worked with him only in the offseason. “When we weren’t doing it weekly, it was maybe every other week or a couple times a month. You aren’t going to see results like that, and so we are now doing it twice a week, or at most three times, but nothing more than that,” Peterson said. The Giants finished 11-16 last season and lost in the first round of MCAL playoffs, falling short of their aspirations to beat Justin-Siena and finish in the top four teams. This season, the girls hope their focus on team chemistry will improve their on-court rhythm. On the court, key players include Yang, the team’s point guard, the powerful post combination of junior Zoe Stachowski, sophomore Jenny Walker and senior shooting guard Heidi Roenisch. The four played together last season and are the leading scorers thus far. Yang hopes that the unity the team has already displayed will stick with them through the rest of the season and ensure that each teammate will have each other’s back on the court. “All of our personalities click because we are so positive together and really love what we are doing here,” she said. So far, the team has had a particularly successful preseason, placing third in the Marin Catholic Lady Classic tournament and finishing second in the Piedmont Paris Twins Classic. dschwartz@redwoodbark.org
Photo by Daniela Schwartz
TALKING DURING A TIME-OUT, head coach Diane Peterson attempts to adjust the team’s game plan to help the team win.
Page 17 • Sports
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Hot Take By Brendan Winters
The girls’ varsity volleyball team had a true rollercoaster ride of a season this year. It showed spurts of fantastic play on the court, but ultimately, consistency was its Achilles heel. After a disappointing MCAL regular season in which the Giants went 11-4 and placed third, they finished strong by making the North Coast Section championship and reaching the quarterfinals of the Nor-Cal playoffs. Redwood has been a girls’ volleyball powerhouse, appearing in every MCAL finals in the past decade and winning the NCS championship the three years previous to this season. This year, the Giants were expected to continue their reign at the top of the MCAL standings with the return of senior outside hitters McKenzie Cooke and Claire Jackson, both of whom will play collegiate volleyball. The high expectations fell early on as the team looked shaky at best, struggling to replace the backbone of their attack in setter Mari Molina and first-team allleague libero Lily Barber. This year’s team was also considerably younger, with Cooke and Jackson as the only two seniors on the roster. Head coach Katie Pease, who is known to stick with a lineup, found herself having to experiment with switching her lineup almost every match to try to find one that gelled. In her final season coaching at Redwood, Pease finally settled on running a 6-2, which allowed two setters, freshman Lucy Walsh and sophomore Britney Klein, to share equal time on the floor. Although the Giants won four of their first five league games, it was clear that they were not the team they had been. Those four wins came against far inferior teams in Novato, San Marin, San Rafael and Terra Linda. The one tough opponent they played in those matches was Branson, which exposed the team’s flaws in a four set beat down. This wasn’t the last of the girls’ struggles as they split their next four games in league play, including a fourset loss at Marin Catholic, who would eventually win the MCAL championship, and a dropped home game against Drake in front of a raucous crowd. But enough was enough and it was clear that it was just a matter of time until Redwood’s play on the floor began to match its preseason expectations. The Giants finished their MCAL regular season hot on a six-game winning streak including a three-set sweep over Branson. Over two weeks, the Giants only dropped two sets in six wins. But this late momentum was just not enough to pull them through in the MCAL playoffs, as they were defeated in the semifinals by a Branson team that was hungry for redemption after their upset a week before. Luckily this was not the end of the road. The team received the fourth seed in the North Coast Section playoffs and still had work to do. They defeated 13 seed California High School and five seed Dublin High School before upsetting top-seeded James Logan on the road to go on to the North Coast Section Championship and win a bid to the Nor-Cal playoffs. The Giants went on to lose to two seed Monte Vista in the NCS Championship, but they were able to beat Lincoln in the first round of Nor-Cals. Their story came to an end at the hands of Turlock High School in the quarterfinals of Nor-Cal where they lost in three sets. Although the Giants were not up to par at times, their strong late season finish silenced the early critics who counted them out after struggles in league play. bwinters@redwoodbark.org
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‘World Wrapps 2.0’ unwraps classier, pricier menu By Emily Cerf World Wrapps, shrouded by the cloak of construction for over six months, reopened its doors in the Corte Madera Town Center on Nov. 22 to reveal a revamped menu and interior. The restaurant has long been favored by Redwood students as the perfect place to pick up a tasty and inexpensive lunch, and its smoothies and wraps were almost permanent fixtures of any student’s weekly diet. However, it seems that “World Wrapps 2.0,” as the owners have dubbed the reopening, aims to compete with neighbors such as Blue Barn and The Counter with its introduction of higher-end ingredients and higher prices. One major change on the new menu is the replacement of the beloved smoothies with a selection of “global beverages,” which range from pineapple mint agua fresca to Vietnamese coffee, and are priced from $2.95 to $4.95 depending on the drink. Boba (chewy tapioca balls) can also be added to each drink for an additional 50 cents. The mango juice tea ($3.95) is too sweet to be considered a true tea, but flavorful all the same. I chose to add boba to this drink, which ended up being a great decision as the boba balls themselves were small enough to not be overwhelming, as they can often be, and were neither too chewy nor too soft. The Vietnamese iced coffee ($4.95), which is topped with crunchy cocoa nibs that give it a slight mocha flavor, is a great option for those who prefer their coffee on the significantly sweeter side. This drink is a good selection for those looking to get their coffee fix without having to stop at Starbucks. Providing an alternative to the many sweet options on the drink menu is the dragon fruit tea ($3.95), which has a tart flavor. Chia seeds floating on the surface of the liquid are an unexpected yet welcome addition. The new drinks, while tasty, are expensive and less substantial than the more filling smoothies of the old World Wrapps. The food items stay true to the name of the establishment, as it is divided into three main categories of wraps: homemade wraps, summer rolls and nori rolls. The options range from $8.95 to $11.95, and each category has a unique appeal. The housemade wraps are encased in housemade tortillas, made each day from scratch, and are the first and most substantive of the three options. The summer rolls are a lighter option, uniting a variety of proteins with veggies in a rice paper casing. Finally, the nori rolls resemble enlarged sushi rolls (although there is a beef option), and seem to be Marin’s response to San Francisco’s popular Sushirrito. Both the summer rolls and nori rolls are also offered deconstructed in a bowl for an additional dollar. The island teriyaki was a clear choice for sampling in
Photo by Emily Cerf
OFFERING AN UPDATED menu and resturaunt design, World Wrapps made a variety of changes to their popular Marin location, including a new selection of “global beverages.” the housemade wrap category, as it is similar to the popular teriyaki chicken wrap at the original World Wrapps. It also allows for a choice of protein—chicken, tofu (both $8.95) and steak ($10.95). The chicken option is very similar to its predecessor in the old World Wrapps, with a traditional teriyaki sauce, broccoli and carrots. Two new ingredients, however, are found in this wrap that add much value—macadamia nuts, which provide a nice crunch, work surprisingly well with the grilled pineapple. This wrap is the perfect option for those reminiscent for the old World Wrapps, as well as those looking for a hearty option to sustain them through their afternoon classes. The saigon roll from the summer roll category ($11.95) ended up being the best of those sampled. The flavors involved are individually delicious but also come together as a cohesive meal. The salmon, while a bit unevenly distributed, is warm and well-seasoned and combines well with the cold, fresh vegetables. Avocado, rice noodles and pickled onions complement the salmon well, and the rice paper wrapping keeps this dish light. From the nori rolls, the Hawaiian poke roll ($11.95) is yet another success from the updated menu. The poke is
fresh and also served in a generous portion within the roll, which may explain the high price tag. The kick of spice, as well a traditional combination of cucumber and avocado, confirms its likeness to a giant sushi roll. This roll also has macadamia nuts, but they add rather less in this instance than in the teriyaki wrap. The seaweed wrap does little to hold the roll together, but does not impede upon the overall flavor. Additionally, a kids menu offers wraps and bowls for only $4.95 (chicken or tofu) or $6.95 (steak) in several different styles of cuisine, along with a cheese quesadilla for $3.95. Another update to World Wrapps is the infrastructure— the new storefront offers much more seating than previously available, with the addition of two booths inside and several seating options just outside, including a high table under a heating lamp for colder days. Overall, the new World Wrapps offers many delicious items that are perfect lunch options if you are willing to shell out a few more dollars than were required for the original menu. ecerf@redwoodbark.org
Netflix’s ‘Gilmore Girls’ revival lives up to beloved original By Caroline Cummings Full of empty coffee cups, small town charm, and the fast-paced banter that defined the original show, “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” does not miss a beat in the premiere of this long awaited four-part revival. Staying true to the original plotline of the lives of a mom and a daughter who are best friends, the first episode opens with a scene of Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel) in the center of the town they have called their home since the start of the original show. Both Graham and Bledel seamlessly slip back into the quick pace of the dialogue, allowing you to forget that the show hasn’t been on for nine years. A major part of the series shows Rory in her early thirties, appearing a bit lost in life. Her original dreams of becoming a journalist are no longer working out for her and while this could create sympathy from the viewers, her whiny tone and often immature and immoral actions cause what was once a lovable character to come off as annoying and frustrating throughout many parts of the show. Lorelai, however, is the same as she was throughout the seven seasons of the original show, offering a remarkable amount of witty comments in every scene. Graham does a great job slipping back into character, balancing the new development
Courtesy of Netflix
ADMIRING THE SNOW, Lorelai and Rory stand together in the town square following their reunion after months apart. of Lorelai’s awareness of her mortality and growing age with the clever banter that made people initially fall in love with the show when it started 16 years ago. The show followed the lives of single mother Lorelai and her daughter Rory, who she had when she was just 16. The series sucessfully highlighted their unconventional relationship as one more between best friends than between mother and daughter, as well as Lorelai’s strained relationship with her own parents, who came from a very different, much wealthier community than the one in which she
raised Rory. Perhaps the most hard-hitting and emotional plotline in the revival is that of Lorelai’s mother, Emily Gilmore, as she struggles with the death of her husband and partner in life for 50 years. As Richard Herrmann, the actor portraying Emily’s husband, died in 2014, the show did a good job handling his death with respect. How the characters handle this death in the show became a driving plotline for the more emotional aspects of the revival. Seeing the three Gilmore girls struggle with the loss of one of their most beloved
family members was heartbreaking at times, but in the true style of the show, was often mixed with quick-witted humor to offer relief. One of the biggest shortcomings in the revival was the longer episode lengths. Broken up into four 90-minute episodes, “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” was double the length of the original episodes. As the show mainly consists of fastpaced scenes that don’t often fit together all that smoothly, the longer episodes can quickly become tiresome. Almost all recurring characters on the original series were able to make some sort of appearance throughout the four-episode revival. Lorelai’s best friend Sookie, however, portrayed by Melissa McCarthy, was shown in only one scene, and in true McCarthy fashion, left the viewers laughing and wanting more. The final four words of the show, supposedly known by creator Amy Sherman-Palladino since even before the original series was finished, were enough to leave any viewer wanting and hoping for more. Although the ending may leave a lot up in the air, one thing is for sure—the Gilmore girls still hold the ability to make us laugh and cry and watch their lives on the screen as intensely as if they were our own. ccummings@redwoodbark.org
Page 19 • Review
December 16, 2016
Rolling Stones’ record returns band to its roots
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By Caleigh Stephens How many days does it take the Rolling Stones to record their best album in decades? The answer: only three. With a tracklist comprised entirely of blues cover songs recorded live, The Stones’ latest release and 25th studio album, “Blue and Lonesome,” comes as a revitalizing agent for an aging and conflict-ridden band, harkening back to the music that inspired the band in the first place. While the band was perhaps best known as the raucous “World’s Greatest Rock Band,” the music that brought the Stones together, and showed up in many of their first albums, was gritty Chicago blues. And indeed, many songs by the artists who the Stones covered in their initial selftitled album show up on “Blue and Lonesome” as well, including a number of songs by Jimmy Reed, Willie Dixon and Little Walter. This is not to say, however, that the album is an attempt to relive or regain those early days. The sound of “Blue and Lonesome” differs greatly from the band’s first ventures, with a clear perspective that doesn’t attempt to simply mimic the greats. The album has a singular sound throughout, so that while the songs themselves may be blues standards, their iterations are anything but standard. Above all else, this is a mature record by a mature band. Devoid of trademark showmanship and pyrotechnics, the album shows the Stones embracing a more subtle style. And it works. With its live nature, the record has the collaborative feel that their most recent albums lacked. It feels as if the Stones have become a band again, with aspirations no further than playing music that they enjoy. And to this point, the authenticity of the album is what makes it so great. Neither hard rock nor a feel-good romp, the album is decidedly dark, with the band emphasizing the sinister side of songs with raw edges. Even the most upbeat songs, such as “Ride ‘Em On Down” and “Just Like I Treat You,” are punctuated with punchy guitar riffs and Mick Jagger’s ragged vocals. Jagger’s voice is much deeper and raspier than in years past, but it fits the tone of the album. “Blue and Lonesome” is fairly simple, with basic production and only guitar, harmonica, drums and the occasional keys taking center stage. This allows
Photo courtesy of Interscope Records
RELEASING THEIR 25TH studio album, the Rolling Stones are back with a new definitive sound. “Blue and Lonesome” is decidedy dark, with emphasis on the sinister sides of songs. for complexity elsewhere that makes the album interesting. Keith Richards’ guitar stands out throughout the album even without long dramatic rock guitar solos, and his guitar riffs largely drive the album. Richards also experiments on songs like the title track “Blue and Lonesome,” where masterful improvisations occur between nearly every line. In a few places, Richards is joined by the skilled guitarist Eric Clapton. Both guitarists play different melodies on the final track, “I Can’t Quit You Baby,” to great effect. The two solos that each near a minute on the longest track of the album also highlight the skill of each guitarist, though perhaps the most interesting music comes when they play together. Not to be ignored is Mick Jagger’s harmonica performance throughout the album. The album starts off with rollicking harmonica by Jagger on “Just Your Fool,” and between lyrics, the instrument returns throughout the
‘Arrival’ exceeds expectations By Sam Sheridan
“Arrival” is anything but the stereotypical alien movie. The film is riveting, exploring human nature, and focusing on the main characters, not the aliens. Based on a short story by Ted Chiang, “Arrival” first premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September, 2016. When 12 giant elliptical pods descend to Earth, the world is left in shock. The film centers around human attempts to communicate with the alien “heptapods.” The aliens themselves play a minor role and are used as a device to portray themes of human nature and show the life of linguist Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams), who attempts to translate their language. The plot of “Arrival” is intricately layered with wonderful revelations. Director Denis Villeneuve puts the story on an unconventional timeline which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the movie. The movie is pushed forward by the dialogue and the acting; there was no unnecessary flare or visuals. The plot makes the viewer think, but it’s not too complex. It never feels like the movie was “dumbed down” for the audience. Despite the film’s low budget,
Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
the cinematography is truly spectacular. Filled with excellent transitions and slow pans over beautiful scenery, the visuals of “Arrival” are very aesthetically pleasing. Villeneuve frequently delivers great cinematography, and while “Arrival” doesn’t top his visual masterpiece “Sicario,” it still is quite excellent. The production crew clearly worked well within their limits and did not overdo the CGI or even the practical effects—a common mistake in alien movies. All effects were slight, such as the minimalist CGI spaceships and only short appearances by the aliens, and only added to the film, which was primarily dialoguedriven. The film’s score is exhilarating. It highlights the mysterious and exotic vibes given off by the heptapods and their spacecraft. Composer Jóhann Jóhannsson did an excellent job utilizing typical sci-fi tropes while maintaining an original sound. Adams does a stellar job in her role as Banks. Her subtle facial cues and gazing stares show deep emotion throughout the film. Her intricate relationship with her daughter is woven in throughout the plot and she easily handles the complex emotional scenes that come along with it. Jeremy Renner left his recurring role as Hawkeye in the Avengers to play a leading theoretical physicist in “Arrival.” He flawlessly switches from his superhero role to a nerdy supporting-lead role. Despite less screen time than Adams and Renner, Forest Whitaker also impressed with his performance as Colonel GT Weber. His stoic on-screen presence fits his character very well. Overall, Villeneuve has managed to make another masterpiece. “Arrival” keeps the audience on the edge of their seat and is a break from the classic alien sci-fi movie.
ssheridan@redwoodbark.org
entirety of the record. In many cases, Jagger’s playing drives the melody, and a long solo in “Little Rain” shows his deftness with the instrument. Each of the songs focuses on a similar set of themes lyrically and instrumentally. But though there are many similar progressions and sounds throughout the album, it still doesn’t feel too repetitive, thanks in most part to the varied catalog of songs and differing structures. “Blue and Lonesome” isn’t a world-changing album. But it is a solid effort that shows us what the Stones are capable of, and takes the band in an old, but refreshing direction. The album wasn’t put out to please the masses, but its success as the first Stones album in decades to climb to the top of British charts is a testament to what the band has achieved in this record. cstephens@redwoodbark.org
‘Moana’ shows feminist tone By Kaelin Kragh
With a riveting plot line, climactic action scenes and a diverse cast, Disney’s highly acclaimed adventure film “Moana” sheds hope on a new era of higher-quality animation movies. Although the characters occasionally break out into a random song, don’t be fooled, by the end of the movie you’ll be singing along too. Unlike other Disney films, the plot doesn’t revolve around a love story, but rather a confident young woman saving her foredoomed island. The movie’s focus on female empowerment, with a brave, passionate and graceful young girl as the protagonist, was refreshing as Disney diverged from their typical love story. The film, initially set on the small Polynesian island of Motunui, focuses on the life of a teenage heroine, Moana Waialiki (Auli’i Cravalho), who is the daughter and heir of the island’s chief, Chief Tui (Temuera Morrison). Similar to the 2012 adventure movie “Brave,” Moana differs from the the ordinary animated female protagonist. She is bold and doesn’t let anyone stand in her way. Despite Moana’s unique personality, her family is depicted as the typical royal family, sheltering their child from life beyond the lagoon. After Moana’s grandmother dies, misfortune strikes the island of Motunui. As the future leader of Motunui, Moana sets out on a quest to solve the island’s environmental setbacks. On her mission, she meets and teams up with the legendary demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) to save her island. Although the movie lacks a romantic angle, the bond formed between Moana and Maui left me feeling warm-hearted and content. Moana doesn’t need a prince to accomplish her goals, which emphasizes the feminist side of the film. Moana accomplishes a majority of her mission on her own. She teaches herself
Photo courtesy of Disney Studios
how to sail across the ocean, manages to escape every situation in which she faces death and single-handedly saves her island with little guidance. Disney did amazing work with the visual aspect of the film. With a tropical setting, the screen glowed with a plethora of cerulean hues. Then, when Moana and Maui had to fight Te Kā, a lava monster that roamed the outskirts of the island, the scene was filled with smoky skies and a vibrant magmacolored monster. The use of striking visuals was the most prominent aspect of the film because it made the audience feel as if they were by Moana and Maui’s side. Like most Disney animated films, humor was plentiful with Maui and Moana’s playful relationship. However, at times the humor came off as immature and ill-timed as an attempt to appeal to the younger audiences. However, the positive aspects overshadowed the occasional lack of quality of the humor, which ultimately created a highly favorable animated movie that is suitable for all ages. Released on Nov. 23, “Moana” earned $81.1 million after only five days, the second-highest Thanksgiving box office haul ever, behind Disney’s “Frozen,” according to Box Office. Even if you’re not a fan of animated movies I would still highly suggest venturing out to see “Moana.” kkragh@redwoodbark.org
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Four Bark reporters review 2016 New York Times best sellers.
‘The Sellout’ offers unusual wit and charm By Alexandra Lee It is clear why Paul Beatty’s novel, The Sellout, tops 2016 bestseller lists and boasts several prestigious awards. The novel offers a clever and endearing critique on black inner-city society with its humorous wit, sarcasm and charm. The novel starts off somewhat slowly, allowing the narrator’s comical tone to develop while he explains his unusual childhood as the subject of his father’s psychological “experiments.” Even when the narrator’s father dies in the beginning of the novel, the witty tone never fades away and instead becomes stronger as the narrator describes his
father’s legacy in the town. Beatty expertly blends serious topics, like poverty, racism and death, with a constant stream of humorous remarks that keeps the tone fun and interesting. His writing criticizes the differences between Black and White lifestyles with sometimes vulgar language and anecdotes. This novel, while generally lighthearted, is not for the faint of heart. The writing can sometimes come across as tasteless in the way certain situations are described. However, this all contributes to Beatty’s unique style as a writer and makes The Sellout a satirical masterpiece unlike any other book. The narrator’s life is filled with out-of-
the-ordinary situations that contribute to the book’s comical charm, such as when he attempts to own a fruit and marijuana farm in the middle of urban Los Angeles, and help out an old, once-famous friend by reinstituting fake “slavery” and segregation. The Sellout is a great read for anyone looking for something slightly unusual, very witty and not 100 percent proper. While sometimes crass, Beatty’s writing is also full of sarcasm, cleverness, and endearing charisma.
alee@redwoodbark.org
Courtesy of The Man Booker Prizes
‘Boys in the Boat’ illustrates rowers’ unity By Henry Tantum
Courtesy of Penguin Books
Daniel James Brown does an incredible job of virtually recreating the intangible feelings of struggle, joy, and achievement of the improbable in his book “Boys in the Boat.” The novel, which just last week fell out of its place on the New York Times Bestseller list for Paperback Nonfiction, a position it held for an unprecedented 129 weeks, is the story of an underdog collegiate rowing team fighting for its place in the prestigious rowing community, and serving as a symbol of strength and unity in the face of prejudice and fascism abroad. Although the central focus of the story
is the entire University of Washington rowing team and its journey to the 1936 Berlin Olympics, the most interesting aspects of the novel are the smaller, more intricate details and sidestories. Joe Rantz, a poor country boy from Washington State, is a central character to the story and provides structure for the novel, which follows his journey from a rough upbringing to Olympic glory. By describing the childhood struggles of Rantz, who passed through foster homes with many different caretakers and guardians after his mother’s death, Brown emphasizes the incredible perseverance of the other boys in the boat, a key component in the team’s success. Another equally important storyline,
which takes the focus off the boy’s rowing pursuit, follows the leader of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, as he and his advisors attempt to use the Olympics to gain publicity for their fascist state. This not only gives the American team a greater motivation to succeed in the games, but creates an environment where not only are the boys fighting against the other boats, but against the ideals of Nazi Germany itself. “Boys in the Boat” does an astounding job of illustrating both the struggle and the feelings of a rowing team, working together as one unit, perfectly in-sync. htantum@redwoodbark.org
‘Small Great Things’ shows racial disparity By Sarah Kimball Written by a privileged white author attempting to write her first novel about racism, Jodi Picoult’s “Small Great Things” highlights an important social topic in a melodramatic and overlysimplified manner. Ruth Jefferson, the protagonist, has been a nurse for more than 20 years in a primarily White area of Connecticut, where she is the only Black employee. To survive in the White world, Ruth has convinced herself that race doesn’t matter. “I treat people the way I want to be treated,” she says, “based on their individual merits as human beings, not on their skin tone.” When white supremacists Turk and Brittany Bauer refuse to allow Ruth to care
for their newborn, she is shocked. Ruth obeys, but when the baby stops breathing, Ruth is the only person in the room, and she is charged with the child’s death. The predicament allows Ruth to recognize the racism she previously ignored: academic success and the patient who assumes a young white nursing student is Ruth’s supervisor. The novel is written through the perspective of three narrators, Ruth, Turk, and Ruth’s attorney, Kennedy, a wellintentioned white woman who is forced to face her own internalized prejudice. The story becomes exaggerated as Ruth quickly moves from color blind to racial-awareness advocate. About halfway through the novel, she firmly rectifies a friend: “Slavery isn’t Black history. It’s
everyone’s history,” she tells him. Such a drastic change seems both unrealistic and overly emphasized. Picoult also often draws a sympathetic picture of Turk despite his racist views. Although I understand Picoult’s intentions of exploring the idea that even the most despicable beliefs can have roots in powerful emotions such as fear or anger, the description of his character seems inappropriate. While “Small Great Things” is definitely a novel that allows for the exploration of racism, it is important to recognize the novel’s sensationalized aspects to best understand the realistic presence of racism in our own community. skimball@redwoodbark.org
Courtesy of Random House Books
‘The Chemist’ revamps Meyer’s writing style By Christine Watridge
Courtesy of Hachette Publishing Company
Despite my initial apprehension towards reading another Stephenie Meyer novel, as her “Twilight” saga frustrated me with the protagonist’s meekness and rather formulaic vampire plot, her newest work, “The Chemist,” proved to be an enthralling read. “The Chemist” is Meyer’s second adult novel after “The Host,” and diverges from her usually supernatural storylines. Alex, the main character’s pseudonym, is on the run from her past employer, the U.S. government. Formerly an interrogator known as the Chemist due to her use of injections as a torture method, Alex is careful, clever and cold. She is comfortable off the grid, moving from city to city, disguising herself
as a business woman one day and a moody teenager the next. When an opportunity arises to clear her name, Alex must confront her fears of betrayal and death head on. In this fast-paced action thriller reminiscent of James Bond and Jason Bourne, I was constantly on my toes, waiting for the next plot twist to reroute the story. The appearance of formidable weapons, an ingeniously-trained dog and an enormous bulletproof Humvee are more than enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. While the danger and thrill were compelling, the addition of a love story added little to story and instead distracted me. It felt unnecessary and improbable that Alex, a guarded fugitive, could fall in love with someone after only a few days.
Although most of the book was riveting, the beginning of the story was confusing and it took me a while to become immersed. It wasn’t until a few chapters in that the plot clicked into place. After that, however, it was definitely a page-turner; I spent four straight hours absorbed in the book! Another aspect of this novel that appealed to me was the strong female narrative. Alex isn’t afraid to take charge and fight her own battles, instead of letting men take over, as Bella did in “Twilight.” “The Chemist” proves that in the thriller-spy genre, female leads are just as badass as men, making the novel a mustread.
cwatridge@redwoodbark.org
Page 21 • Lifestyles
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Risk-seeking junior paraglides through the sky By Jordan Overmyer
A
ll young children have dreamed of being able to fly at some point in their lives. For most kids, the dream was fleeting. However, junior Ryan Brady has turned it into a reality. It happened by chance—he was browsing YouTube one day when a video caught his eye. A cop was chasing a man onto a bridge where it seemed he was going to be caught. But to Ryan’s surprise, the man just kept running, jumped off the bridge and flew away on a paraglider. This video inspired him to take action and show the video to his dad, Bill. His dad instantly recognized the form of flight as paragliding, which he instructed when he was younger, and he reconnected with a friend to be Ryan’s instructor. Bill was excited when Ryan approached him because he had given up paragliding many years before and never thought he would fly again. “Airplanes are cool but you don’t get to feel the wind on your face,” Ryan said. “I love the feeling of being in control and weightless.” In order to paraglide, it is necessary to go through a process outlined by the United States Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association (USHPA). Each flyer is ranked from the lowest level P1 to the
highest level P5 based on their experience and training, and each takeoff site is ranked based on difficulty. A person’s ranking must match up with the rank of the site to be able to fly off that location. “A lot of people think that paragliding is super dangerous, and it can be, but it’s not a super thrilling thing. It’s not an adrenaline junkie sport,” Ryan said. “It’s more meditative and calm. You’re just up in the air and it’s just you alone and the sky.” At age 14, Ryan began to work with an instructor to get his license. The training took Ryan about three months to complete. “I wanted to get [the license] as fast as I could, so I was going every weekend down to the South Bay from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” Ryan said. As Ryan began learning how to paraglide, his dad was inspired to fly again as well. Both father and son now have P2 rankings, which allow them to fly alone without an instructor. Ryan said the experience allowed him and his father to bond over their shared passion. “I got to experience the joy of the learning experience all over again.” Bill said. “Not often do you get to make eye contact with your son 1,500 feet over the beach and that’s an experience that I don’t think many fathers and sons get to share.” According to Galen Anderson, a membership coordinator at the USHPA,
Ryan is one of 14 current member paragliding pilots in California under 18 years old. Summer is the ideal season for paragliding, because the wind conditions are more desirable. During the school year, Ryan isn’t able to fly as much due to schoolwork, but he hopes to pick it back up in the spring. Brady’s usual takeoff spot is called Mussel Rock, which is located two miles south of Ocean Beach. “You have these huge cliffs and then the wind coming from the ocean. It hits the cliffs and goes up so you can just take off from the cliff and catch that wind that is going up,” Ryan said. According to Ryan, the scariest part of paragliding is taking off and landing, which is what most of the training focuses on. “You have to be very aware and it can be dangerous,” Ryan said. “I always tell people ‘When you drive a car, that’s so much more dangerous because so many more people die in car accidents.’” Ryan has flown up to about 5,000 feet in the air, but he’s never been afraid of heights. “It’s hard to comprehend because you’re looking at a place like a satellite or Google Earth. But once I’m in the air it’s blissful,” Ryan said. “It’s so exciting, especially on days where the sun is setting
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at Ocean Beach and I’m up in the air. It’s so beautiful.” While paragliding, Ryan has met people of all age ranges who share his passion. According to Bill, the duo would go on mountain trips and Ryan would meet other fellow paragliders that Bill had known through his earlier years of flying. “He looked at me for advice in other ways than he might of usually asked me. He saw me in a different light.” Bill said. “I think he realized I was once a young man that used to do crazy things with other young men and what my life might have been like before he knew me.” Seeing people 80 years old who still paraglide inspired Ryan to want to continue paragliding for as long as he can. jordan.overmyer@redwoodbark.org
Photo courtesy of Ryan Brady
December 16, 2016 bark Page 22 • Lifestyles Assistant principal’s husband recalls professional baseball career By Kendall Rhoads Assistant Principal LaSandra White is commonly found at Redwood sporting events supporting her students. However, those Redwood games are not the only sporting events she has frequented; White’s husband, Derrick, had a career as a professional baseball player. Derrick began his career as a member of the Montreal Expos in 1993, and played for three other teams throughout his MLB tenure: the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies. According to Derrick, each team had a very different energy. “The chemistry on the Expos was like high school. You’re all trying to be successful. Whereas the other teams, you knew people because you played against them and now you’re in the same business as them,” Derrick said. Although Derrick played baseball, football and basketball at a young age, he did not plan on playing professionally until he was much older. “I really didn’t know that I wanted to do it full time until I got to college. I just looked at it longevity-wise because playing football wasn’t going to be a long career and it would be taxing on my body,” Derrick said. “Once I got into college, I really started to work on [baseball] for a full year, instead of playing football, basketball, and baseball. I really started
Photo courtesy of Derrick White
POSING WITH HIS father, DJ White sees his father as a role model and a mentor, though he no longer plays baseball.
educating myself about it and learning it better.” Looking back, Derrick’s favorite team to play on was the 1998 Chicago Cubs. “We had Kerry Wood, who was probably the best pitcher in baseball at the time, and we had Sammy Sosa, who was probably the best hitter in baseball. I got to watch both of them in action and become really good friends with both of them,” Derrick said. According to Derrick, on a normal day in the major leagues, the players’ schedules were relatively laid-back. “A normal day on the road would be to wake up around 11 or 12, get something to eat, and go to the field around 3 p.m. Except for when you played day games, which then we would have to wake up around eight in the morning,” Derrick said. The team practiced the same routine in order to create a consistent technique for games. “Practices are basically routines. You’re going to do the same thing every day for freaking six months,” Derrick said. Throughout his baseball career, Derrick played first base and outfield. “The outfield was my favorite because you can relax a little more. First base every ball comes to you to get it out unless it’s a strike out or something like that, but you’re going to be running to first base a lot as far as covering back and things like that,” Derrick said. Derrick’s most exciting memory from his time on the Cubs was during a onegame playoff against the San Francisco Giants. “I have plenty of memories, but in major leagues the best memory was playing the Giants in a one-game playoff. We lost, but it was exciting,” Derrick said. Throughout Derrick’s time in the MLB, his wife LaSandra was always by his side. When LaSandra and Derrick first started dating, Derrick was playing on a Triple-A team in Ottawa, Canada for the Montreal Expos. The Whites’ son DJ was young when Derrick played in the MLB. Similar to his father, DJ played baseball for several years, but will not continue to play as he dislikes the sport. “My son was really young, like two or even younger. It would have been fun if my son was older and able to experience that more as a little kid with his dad playing baseball. But my son knows [about his father’s career] and talks about it a lot. He will do a class project on it if it’s relevant
Photo courtesy of Derrick White
BATTING FOR THE Montreal Expos, Derrick White, husband of Assistant Principal LaSandra White, played for four Major League Baseball teams including the Montreal Expos, Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, and Colorado Rockies. just to talk about his dad,” LaSandra said. Derrick is now a baseball scout for a Japanese team. “It’s a lot of fun though because you get to see things, get better and evolve,” Derrick said. “You sit there wishing you could be playing again and know what you know while watching it. You have to be understanding.” Looking back, Derrick says the best part of playing on the team was creating lifelong friendships. “The atmosphere was the greatest thing
about it,” Derrick said. “The memories of the player, and everybody that you played with and have funny stories with. The best thing about it, more than playing, is the friendships you make.”
krhoads@redwoodbark.org
Seniors choose alternative class schedules to help balance work, life By Tilly Friedlander
Many students at Redwood feel that they don’t have the time to pursue their passions and interests because of an overcrowded schedule. What these students might not realize is that for some, there is an option that doesn’t include spending six or more hours at school every day. Seventy students at Redwood are taking only five courses, according to Patty Segovia, Redwood’s data specialist. During his sophomore year, senior Teddy Hayden wanted to mountain bike competitively, but wasn’t able to train because it was already dark outside by the time he started biking after school. In order to give himself time to practice mountain biking, Hayden has taken only five courses his junior and senior year. Hayden recommends a five-class schedule to any student with a valid reason for doing so, as it has taken stress off his days. “It’s less stressful now. I have more time after school for mountain biking and whatever I’m doing. Even if I’m not riding that day, I can go to work earlier,” Hayden said. The district board policy states that a five-class schedule is only available to juniors and seniors, according to counselor Katie Paulsen. For juniors, it is only an option if they are taking a class at College of Marin. For seniors, a five-class schedule is an option if they are either taking a class at College of Marin or if they have a job. Senior Kayla Dolberg also has a five-period schedule, making the balance between work and school more manageable. “I requested to have five classes because I work at
Nothing Bundt Cakes and now I am able to work longer shifts,” Dolberg said. For Dolberg, there wasn’t a need for her to take six classes, as she was a teacher’s assistant (TA) in both her second and sixth periods, which she felt was not a productive use of her time. Dolberg also feels that her five-period schedule has made her days much less hectic. “I have more time to do my homework. As soon as I get out of school I go home and quickly do my school work. Then I have the rest of the day for myself and for my work,” Dolberg said. According to Dolberg, having more leisure time in a student’s schedule is better for their mental health. She recommends a five-period schedule for seniors rather than juniors because colleges look closer at junior year classes. Junior Avrelle Harrington is currently enrolled in seven classes as she hopes to pursue a medical degree in college. Harrington thinks that enrolling in several academic classes during junior year is vital for students looking to attend a prestigious college. “While [taking seven classes] does get overwhelming and stressful, I enjoy all my classes and what I’m learning in each of them. A main factor in my decision to take seven classes was college because the extra class increases my number of AP’s, benefiting my GPA,” Harrington said. A five-class schedule is a better opportunity for seniors than juniors, according to Paulsen. “Junior year is the last year that colleges are able to see what courses students have taken, so for students who want to be more competitive, it would be that last year to get as many courses in that you’d like for colleges to see,” Paulsen said.
Photo by Tilly Friedlander
FOCUSING ON MOUNTAIN biking, school and work, Senior Teddy Hayden takes only five class periods at Redwood. Hayden said that the process of getting approval to take a five-class schedule was quick. All he had to do was talk to his counselor, who was very accommodating. tfriedlander@redwoodbark.org
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Face to Face: Is Christmas becoming too commercialized?
waking up on Christmas morning and knowing that Jack Frost put frost on the tips of the grass and seeing the presents under the tree. It’s just that magical feeling that has been associated with Christmas – that’s something that Santa and Frosty the snowman and Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer have built.
By Charlotte Seton Face-to-Face is a feature that allows two members of the Redwood Community to grill each other, argue, or simply converse about a relevant issue or event. We provide the topic, and they do the rest. This month’s participants are juniors Angelica Vohland and Cora Cicala. In the spirit of the holiday season, they discuss the commercialization of the holidays, specifically Christmas.
AV: Santa is an atrocious figure. He symbolizes selfishness and deceit. That takes away from the real
Is Christmas too commercialized today? Angelica Vohland: Christmas is definitely too commercialized today. The purpose of the holiday is now to invite children to ask their parents for gifts that [the parents] might not even have enough money to buy in the first place. It centralizes the idea of selfishness, and it takes away from the true meaning that Christianity meant for the holiday itself. The whole idea behind [it] now is to spend money and to increase the wealth within the economy rather than to buy a gift out of the kindness of your heart. Cora Cicala: I would argue that giving out of the kindness of your heart is the same thing as giving to make people happy. Gifts are something that show your appreciation for another person.
Cora Cicala -vs Angelica Vohland AV: The meaning of Christmas is to be together with your family and to celebrate your connection with your family and friends. But that is no longer the central idea behind Christmas due to the idea of giving gifts to make people happy. CC: Gift giving does create a basis for a lot of family traditions though. Every Thanksgiving, for example, my family does a white elephant gift exchange where we all get each other gifts and go around in a circle and trade them for fun. It’s a special tradition in my family and something that
includes everyone of all ages. So gift giving does bring families together. Are the myths like Santa and Frosty the Snowman helpful or hurtful? CC: I think Santa and Frosty the Snowman are incredibly helpful for building spirit and happiness during the Christmas season. When I was younger, Santa was this mythical character that was so cool to me – that someone cared about me enough to come down my chimney and give me gifts. I’m sure you remember
Senior strives for medical career by volunteering
cseton@redwoodbark.org
MULTIMEDIA of the MONTH Alumni and student show what it takes to do parkour
By Julia Jacoby The sound of beeping machines, the extreme cleanliness and the cold aesthetics of hospitals make most people anxious. But for senior Aarti Dixit, a volunteer at Marin General, the hospital is her happy place. “I really like being in the hospital environment. I understand how it’s nerve-wracking for some people, but to me it feels like a family. I meet new people every time I go, and that’s something I really love,” Dixit said. Dixit has been volunteering at Marin General since the fall of her junior year in hopes of getting closer to her dreams of being a doctor. According to Dixit, her role as a volunteer is to provide support for both the patients and the medical staff. “I have two roles—either I work at the front desk, checking people in and talking to families. My other job is that I go into patient rooms and give the patient free items like chapstick, pens, Sudoku books, notebooks or anything that the patient needs. I help out the nurses if they need anything quick, like running down to get labs or any technical stuff,” Dixit said. Within the medical field, Dixit hopes to enter neuroscience and potentially become a neurosurgeon. Besides volunteering at the hospital, Dixit also works at the Buck Institute in Novato, a biomedical research center focused on age-related disease. Dixit’s research is centered around neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. According to Dixit, the goal of her research is to prevent Alzheimer’s from occurring at a molecular level. “We are working with the protein that essentially cuts in the wrong way. And it causes the neurons to stop working. We want to create a drug that stops that from happening,” Dixit said. Dixit’s curiosity in the brain stemmed from her grandfather’s medical condition. “I became interested in the brain after my grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s,” Dixit said. “I wanted to know why his brain suddenly just started degenerating, and he essentially forgot all of us.” Dixit has met a variety of people throughout her time as a volunteer at Marin General. In one particular instance, Dixit unknowingly encountered a psychiatric patient who was potentially dangerous. “I went into a room that people weren’t supposed to be going into, and it was a psychiatric patient. I didn’t notice
meaning of Christmas. So many children are disappointed when they figure out that Santa doesn’t exist. As a child, that was probably the most disappointing thing that ever happened to me. Not only is that seriously traumatizing for children, but Santa takes away from the real meaning of Christmas. By including Santa Claus in the advertising and commercialization of Christmas, you are basically telling children it is completely ok to be selfish and greedy. That is the complete opposite of what Christmas is supposed to be.
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Photo by Sam Slade
ASSISTING AT MARIN General Hospital, aspiring doctor Aarti Dixit volunteers in her free time.
that she was actually quite dangerous. I was talking to her for a while until a nurse came in and told me I shouldn’t have been there,” Dixit said. “It was a scary experience because I went in and talked to her without even realizing that she was very unstable and maybe could’ve attacked me.” While Marin General is a relatively quiet hospital, Dixit has still been exposed to medical tragedies. “There was one death that happened. I didn’t get to see the patient, but there was a car accident in San Rafael, and they were brought to Marin General. I was there when he was pronounced brain dead,” Dixit said. “It was a sad moment, because we don’t usually see people die nowadays because we have so much preventative medicine.” However, Dixit does not allow occurrences like this deter her in her pursuit of a medical career. Dixit hopes to study biomedical science in college and go on to medical school to receive her M.D. jjacoby@redwoodbark.org
Photo by Sam Slade
Untold stories from the Golden Gate Trailer Park
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Campus supervisor acts as mentor to students By Max Josef “He is a mentor. You can go to him and ask him for help even when you aren’t in school,” said senior Andreas Marroquin. “He can make a bond that can last throughout high school and continue outside of school.” Marroquin is referring to campus assistant Robert Roman, who has worked at Redwood for the past few years and connects with students daily. All joking and talking aside, Roman’s job comes with security duties around the school, usually in the front lot, back lot or CEA. “[Roman] has given me a lot of good advice. He is a really fun guy to talk to. From the time I first met him, we have been close,” Marroquin said. “He tells me not to skip class and is always there for me to talk to. He makes me feel safe.” However, Roman’s time at Redwood may be drawing to a close, as he applied and interviewed for the Sonoma County Sheriff’s office, specifically to become a correctional deputy. He views leaving Redwood as a bittersweet possibility. “If I do get the job, the thing I will miss most is the interactions with the kids. Usually jobs at schools are sitting behind a desk, while my job is to go out and interact with the kids, just basically being their friend,” Roman said. “I help with anything I can.” According to fellow campus assistant Jose Rico, Roman has been pursuing a job in law enforcement for a while. “[Roman] has been in the police academy and he has been a San Rafael reserve before, but the right opportunity hasn’t been there yet,” Rico said. “When this opened up, he was taken aback because he didn’t pursue it as aggressively since this is a really fun job and we both love it here, but at the same time, we want to take the next step and have a larger impact than just the students at Redwood.” Rico is confident that Roman will thrive in the event he gets the job in Sonoma. “Robert definitely wouldn’t have to change. In fact, in corrections, you actually have to be a people person. You can’t just be like ‘I’m the man.’ At the end of the day, those people are still people. They have made mistakes but they are still people and you need to respect them,” Rico said. “Anybody can be there so you have to be empathetic to
the inmates.” Roman and Rico have been working together for 12 years at several different places of employment, and Rico had large praise for Roman’s ability to connect with people. “[Roman] is a people-person. He is very caring. For example, he built relationships with kids on the football team, so once they started playing, he wanted to work all the games. It is very rewarding for him to have people care about him as much as he cares about them,” Rico said. Roman credits his friendship with Rico as what motivated him to apply and eventually be hired at Redwood. “We have been working together for a while. We have known each other for a while. He has basically been the one to get me jobs after he gets one at the same place,” Roman said. Roman has worked as a security guard at a variety of places including malls and security companies, but Redwood has a special place in his heart. “I’ve been doing security my entire life. I’ve worked in the private sector and in law
enforcement so I felt like [Redwood] was a good match. I feel like I interact well with teenagers,” Roman said. “[The campus supervisors] are like the big brothers of the school. We take a lot of pride in that. I like a lot of these kids and it is really rewarding when they succeed.” According to Roman, students come to the campus assistants first when they have a problem because the students look up to them and see them as people who have been in their position before. Being a big brother, however, does not come without having to deal with the bad things that happen at school. “If we have relationships with students, we can get them the help they need because we know them,” Rico said. “We are the support system. We support admin and the students. That is why we are campus assistants and not campus security. Because we are here to support everyone.” mjosef@redwoodbark.org