Senior Issue 2020

Photo Illustration by Taylor Charles

Redwood High School 395 Doherty Drive, Larkspur, CA 94939 www.redwoodbark.org Editors-in-Chief: Drake Goodman Bella Roesler Eislyn Snyder Ryo Weng Art Consultants: Taylor Charles Sophia Rocha

Copy Editors: Audrey Hettleman (Head Copy) Isabel Ames Maxanne Anderson Martha Fishburne Maya Holland Nicole Johnson Olivia Kharrazi Alli Runnfeldt Shannon Watridge Jack Watson

Opinion Editors: Loughlin Browne Ella Green

Reporters​: Devin Bosley Grace Bouton Olivia Brekhus Emma Carpenter Greta Cifarelli Kalyn Dawes Mara Farese Francesca Fox Nicole Fuches Kylie Horstmeyer Emma Ingledew Alex Johnson Mia Kessinger Sol Ladetzky Audrey Lightfoot Emma Lightfoot P.J. Pfeiffer Matthew Smalbach Bennett Vasquez

Sports Editors: Maria Alexander Charlie Ginsburg

Business Managers: Katie Parsons Skylar Strotz Survey Manager: Jenna Dahlin

Social Media Manager: Lauren Steele Podcast Editor: Jack Benbow Video Editor: Garrett Cook Multimedia Editor: Aaron Kim Senior Staff Writers: Sydney Steinberg Sarah Young

Feature Editors: Maddie Loebbaka Sofi Mincy Lifestyles Editors: Camille Ray Morgan Salzer

News Editors: Jacob Mandel Anna Silverman Review Editors: Jackson Epps Alix Salzer Spanish Editor: Mika Beberman

redwood

bark.

College Map

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18

Teacher Advice

Preps of the Year

redwood high school ● 395 doherty dr., larkspur, ca 94939 ● volume LXIII, no. 5 ● June 5, 2020 ● www.redwoodbark.org redwood high school ● 395 doherty dr., larkspur, ca 94939 ● volume LXI, no. 4 ● February 8, 2019 ● www.redwoodbark.org

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2020 Class valedictorians: Eva Oppenheim and Will Lester

By Sol Ladetzky

“I was always very interested in the classes I was taking, which made my workload fairly manageable; I’ve never spent a lunch period working on homework, and I’ve been able to spend lots of time with friends, playing field hockey or volunteering,” Eva Oppenheim, Class of 2020 valedictorian, said.

Oppenheim is one of two valedictorians for this year’s graduating class. While at Redwood, she earned a total academic grade point average (GPA) of 4.6 and a 10-12 grade academic GPA of 4.83. During her time in high school, she took 13 Advanced Placement classes and three honors classes, while simultaneously enrolling in seven College of Marin (COM) classes and five University of California, Berkeley extension courses.

Tom Sivertsen, who taught Oppenheim for English 1-2 and AP Seminar, values the mindset she has always had about her schoolwork.

“What I love about the way [Oppenheim] goes about her work is that she remains grounded and connected to what’s important when she does her work.

She shows a strong understanding of how it relates to the bigger picture of what’s important,” Sivertsen said. Sivertsen also respects Oppenheim’s dedication to selfimprovement. “[Oppenheim] has always been a strong, thoughtful writer. Even when she first came in the door as a freshman, her work was so insightful. She has become an even more skilled writer than she was from freshman year. Her ideas have grown and become even more complex,” Sivertsen said.

Next year, Oppenheim will be attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology, most likely majoring in biochemical engineering. She will also be playing on the school’s field hockey team. Oppenheim also recognizes the importance of maintaining extracurriculars and social opportunities, including field hockey, physics club and a group of good friends. Despite her many commitments, Oppenheim has learned to manage her time well.

“Since freshman year, I’ve gotten a lot better at getting things done efficiently,” Oppenheim said.

Photo by Sol Ladetzky

ATTENDING MASSACHUSSETTS INSTITUTE of Technology in the fall, Oppenheim shares valedictorian title.

Senior Abby Smith, one of Oppenheim’s closest friends since their sophomore year, values Oppenheim’s ability to always make time for their friendship. “[Oppenheim] never lets her school work overcome her or makes you feel less important than her other commitments,” Smith said. “She’s probably the busiest person I know... she’ll have six hours of field hockey practice and then a COM class, and she’ll still make time to hang out.”

Oppenheim is grateful for her experience at Redwood, during which she became a National Merit Scholar, member of the homecoming court, Marin County Athletic League 2019 Field Hockey Player of the Year, winner of the Marin County Science Fair’s Grand Prize and valedictorian. However, she believes her biggest takeaway will be the friendships she has built within its walls.

“Obviously there are fun times in the classroom, but the most memorable moments are meeting people,” Oppenheim said. “I’ve met such great friends over the past four years, and I’ve had some really great times...connecting with others, learning what they have to share and what you can share with them.” sladetzky@redwoodbark.org

total and scored fives, the top score, on every single one of his AP tests. On the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), Lester scored a 1540.

One of Lester’s favorite classes was Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus BC, the highest level math class that Redwood has to offer. His high grade in this class contributed to his stellar GPA. Heather Curtaz, one of the AP Calculus BC teachers, described Lester as studious, hard working and focused.

“Will is super lighthearted in class.

He is deceptively focused during lessons.

He is always ready to be lighthearted and fun and loosen up the class,” Curtaz said.

Before every test, Curtaz recounted how Lester would give a motivational speech to the class mimicking other famous inspirational speeches to get his peers in test mode. Though Lester may have maintained one of the highest GPAs at Redwood, he did not let his excellence in academics hinder his contributions to a fun and engaging learning environment.

In addition to taking rigorous academic classes, Lester is a four year member of Redwood’s Advanced Performance Workshop (APW) program, describing it as ‘the highlight of his time in Redwood.’ He also runs a program at Redwood called Music Makes Your Day in which music students play music with the students in the special education program, an experience that has been one of his favorite memories in high school.

“A lot of my high school time has been understanding what I’m good at and trying to focus myself in those areas,” Lester said.

Next year, Lester will be continuing his excellence in academics at the University of Virginia (UVA) and intends to apply to the McIntire School of Commerce as a sophomore. In addition, Lester is an Echols Scholar, meaning he is roughly within the top 5 percent of students in his class in college.

“As excited as I am to move on to college, I am truly going to miss Redwood and all it has to offer,” Lester said. “Through my senior year, I have learned that when school is approached with the goal of having fun, great things can follow.” obrekhus@redwoodbark.org

Photo courtesy of Will Lester

CO-AWARDED THE TITLE of 2020 class valedictorian, Lester balanced academics and APW while at Redwood.

By Olivia Brekhus

To add onto an already nontraditional senior year, the class of 2020 has two valedictorians for the first time in five years: seniors Will Lester and Eva Oppenheim.

Lester’s close friend and classmate senior Tyler Argov was shocked when Lester was awarded the honor.

“If you know Will, he is not the type of kid you would imagine to be valedictorian.

So my first impression was ‘Wow, that’s hilarious.’ And he got it with someone like Eva, who I’d imagine would be valedictorian,” Argov said.

Lester himself was caught off guard.

Though he was aware that he had high academic achievements, valedictorian was not a title that had crossed his mind before.

“I didn’t expect to win. I was surprised when Mr. Sondheim called me; I thought I was in trouble or something,” Lester said.

Regardless of Lester’s approach to academics, he has managed to come out on top of his class with an outstanding grade point average (GPA). His total weighted GPA came out to be a 4.5, his total academic weighted GPA was a 4.54 and his 10-12 academic weighted GPA was a 4.68. Lester took 15 AP and honors classes

Students support Black Lives Matter in Bay Area protests

By Isabel Ames

“I can’t breathe, man. Please. The knee in my neck.

I can’t breathe. I can’t move. Mama…They’re going to kill me.”

These were the last words of George Floyd, a 46-yearold black man killed by white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, on May 25. For eight minutes and 46 seconds, Chauvin dug his knee into Floyd’s neck, a restraint move banned by most police departments, including that of his own precinct. Gathering crowds made several attempts to save Floyd, urging Chauvin to remove his knee and condemning the bystanding officers’

lack of action to help Floyd.

Chauvin only removed his knee after an ambulance arrived and an Emergency Medical Technician told him to do so, but it was too late; Floyd’s death was caused by asphyxiation, a condition where the body is deprived of oxygen.

Precipitated not only by Floyd’s death but also by the prevailing injustices that continue to occur against African Americans in the U.S., a global response has ensued. Protests have occurred all over the world every day since the death of Floyd, many of which have taken place locally: in San Francisco and Drake High School for five consecutive days, and in Marin City on June 2.

A timeline of the past four years at Redwood

Katherine Overby, a junior at Drake has participated in both the Drake and Marin City protests. “[The Drake protest was] all ages, all genders and all races. It was everyone in the community coming together holding signs for people driving by on the road,” Overby said. “Everyone in their cars were honking in support.

The police were silent. At the end of the protest there was a police officer who turned on his sirens and waved at us in support.”

On June 1, thousands of protesters assembled at Oakland Technical High School and marched two miles to Oscar Grant Plaza in a peaceful protest. Police officers...

Continued on page 3

By Maya Holland

Looking back on the last four years

2016

Nov. 5: Donald Trump wins the U.S. Presidency.

Aug. 17: The graduating class of 2020 attends their first day at Redwood and admin introduces new “houses” for advisory.

2017

Aug. 21: A solar eclipse occurs.

Feb 14: The fourth false fire alarm within a span of 12 days goes off at Redwood.

.

Page 2 News

Bark

June 5, 2020

Photo Survey What is the first thing you will do once quarantine is over?

@classof2020

Charlie Tantum

Eva Walsh

London Robinson

Gabby Reina @classof2020

@classof2020

Drive up to the headlands with my friends and a bucket of KFC.

Go to the city with my friends and go to a concert.

Either travel to Europe or spend time wth friends.

Play Spikeball with my friends.

@classof2020

@classof2020

1,857 Retweets

252,409 Likes

Class of 2020 yard signs bring school spirit home

By Katie Parsons

“I think a lot of people really like [the signs], and I’ve seen a lot of pictures on social media of kids next to their sign,” Senior Class Secretary Abby Shannon said. “It’s really fun driving through your neighborhood and seeing these signs everywhere. I think it definitely gives a sense of community and spirit that we might have not been able to see due to the shelter-in-place.”

Driving around neighborhoods in Marin, vibrant red signs are a new curbside addition that cannot be missed.

These graduation yard signs lining the streets read ‘We [love] our seniors. Congrats class of 2020.’ With help from senior class officers Skylar Strotz, Delaney Anderson and Ava Morris as well as the Redwood Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA), Shannon has been working diligently to bring celebrations to seniors’ homes due to the cancellations of other momentous senior festivities.

“I saw the idea on social media, and I thought it would be super cute and good for the community. I reached out to my fellow class officers, and we all thought it was a good idea,” Shannon said.

After receiving funding from the Redwood PTSA, it took about three weeks to produce and distribute the signs. Principal David Sondheim joined other parent and student volunteers to help deliver the signs to around 400 households.

“It was one of my most favorite things to do since we’ve had our school closure. To see students and bring them a bit of joy in the midst of all of the challenges

we’re facing was wonderful,” Sondheim said.

Nina Johnson, a parent volunteer, aided Shannon and the other officers in the production and distribution of the signs. As the parent of senior Alex Johnson, she thought

Photo courtesy of Abby Shannon

LEADING THE SIGN campaign, Senior Class Secretary Abby Shannon has helped the class of 2020 “sign off” for the last time.

that the signs were an opportune way to spend the PTSA’s graduation funding.

“As a parent, it’s hard. The loss of that celebratory time for your child [truly] feels like a loss. Anything that we can do to bring recognition to these kids who have worked hard feels really good to me as a parent; it gives a little piece of that back,” Johnson said.

Senior Lauren Hvistendahl has felt the impact of that loss, but though the end of her high school experience is not as expected, the signs were a positive addition to the unanticipated situation.

“It’s really unfortunate how our class doesn’t get the last memories of high school…but I’ve also come to realize that everyone is struggling at this time,” Hvistendahl said.

“The signs are like a connecting factor. It’s fun to go down the street and realize that there’s someone in your neighborhood going through the same thing.”

Although they have missed out on some senior festivities, the senior class has tried to keep up the positive spirit. Through social media and distanced graduation activities, Shannon and her classmates are attempting to finish senior year as normally as possible.

“People have come together to communicate with each other, whether that’s online or socially distanced,” Shannon said. “Everyone’s been super patient, and I’m hoping we can end our high school experience the best we can.” kparsons@redwoodbark.org

Online college leaves seniors’ futures uncertain

By Drake Goodman On May 13, California State University Chancellor Timothy White announced that the largest four-year public university system in the U.S. would have classes online in the fall semester, with few exceptions. He later said that while their main plan is to have the semester online, nothing is official yet.

“By the time we get to August, it may very well be the case that we’re able to open more than we think we will be now.

We’re preparing for virtual, with the hope of being able to pull back once we get into August and September,” White said.

Throughout the country, similar to almost everything else, there is uncertainty regarding the fate of colleges for the fall semester. Currently, most schools are weighing three options: all in-person classes, all online classes or a hybrid of the two. Most schools’ hybrid procedures include holding large lectures virtually and smaller seminars in-person. Additionally, social distancing guidelines would still be adhered to in nearly all on-campus activities.

For many high school seniors, colleges’ procedural decisions will have a significant impact on whether or not they will defer a

year or not. This means that students would take a gap year with their school’s approval but will enroll in the college that they were initially accepted into the following academic school year. However, some schools are limiting the number of students that can defer. According to a national survey conducted by Ruffalo Noel Levitz, an educational consulting firm, 17 percent of seniors are planning on deferring a year, and another 14 percent are still considering taking a gap year.

One of these students is Branson senior Emily Wangenheim. She requested a gap year from Dartmouth in late May, and while the pandemic was not the primary reason for her decision, it was a catalyst.

“Although I’m sure Dartmouth is doing a lot to make that easier for students, online learning isn’t an environment I want to start my Dartmouth experience with. I want to get the most out of the classes that I take,” Wangenheim said. “Obviously, there’s a chance the school could still reopen in the fall, and if it did, I wouldn’t be upset that I was taking a gap year because I think a gap year is a great thing regardless of the coronavirus pandemic.”

Other factors that contributed to Wangeheim’s decision include a fifth concussion sustained this spring and her

Photo courtesy of Andreas Pappas

LYING EMPTY, UNIVERSITY of Southern California is one of many colleges continuing virtual learning next semester. positive experience at the Island School in the Bahamas one summer, which also offers semester and gap year programs.

Additionally, missing out on quintessential senior experiences added to her requesting a gap year.

“When I asked [my teachers at the Island School] about taking a gap year, they said it’s a chance to explore and experience different things because college will be waiting for you when you come back. It’s

not that you either go to college or you take a gap year, but you take a gap year and then you go to college,” Wangenheim said.

“And they all said they felt much more engaged and that they knew themselves better going into college, so they got a lot more out of their college experience.”

Despite the concerns that their first semester of college is potentially online, many seniors still plan to enroll this year.

Continued on page 3

Page 3 • News Bark S Budget cuts end Tam District journalism release periods

redwooodbark.org

Story and Infographic by Francesca Fox

As a result of proposed parcel tax Measure B failing to pass in March, the Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) was forced to make $1.1 million in cuts. Districtwide, it was determined that release periods would be eliminated. These release periods, often called free periods, greatly impact the journalism publications of Redwood, Tamalpais and Drake High Schools, as they have offered vital time to maintain the quality of each newspaper.

Bark students will lose face-to-face collaboration of the print edition, on demand edits from advisor Erin Schneider and access to equipment. Additionally, students will have greater difficulty creating the paper because they will now have to plan, sketch and layout the paper from home. At home, most students do not have access to software and computers that allow them to edit photos, lay out the paper and make infographics. With the release period, the Bark advisor had the ability to fact check and give in-depth edits to the writers. Now, Schneider will be teaching an English course during the release period when she used to spend time preparing for Bark-related activities.

The suspension of these class periods was a disappointment for many members of journalism programs across the district, especially Drake’s new journalism advisor, Jon Weller. After taking over the Jolly Roger less than a year ago, Weller said that he had high expectations for the program and had been working hard to transform it into something more exciting for students before the cuts were made.

“I spent pretty much my entire summer working on [the Jolly Roger],” Weller said. “When the release periods were taken off the table, I thought, ‘I don’t know how I can proceed as a teacher with the goals that I’ve established for this group and keeping the changes in place.’”

Weller, who also teaches three periods of an Advanced Placement English class, found the release periods necessary so that he could finish his heavy grading load during the week and focus on creating lectures for the Jolly Roger on the weekends. Without this vital time, he believes the Jolly Roger’s quality could be diminished.

“My students aren’t going to be able to really do

• Protests

print because I can’t support that time,” Weller said.

“In addition to that, I’m probably not going to have as much time for oversight with their writing.”

Drake junior Melissa Auchard, a current reporter for the Jolly Roger, said that the print editions have been a main source of inspiration and drive the student journalists to produce quality writing and illustrations.

“The print issue was where the design students flourished and where we felt proud and accomplished of our work because we got to see our classmates holding and praising it,” Auchard said.

Auchard, who was recently informed she would be an editor-in-chief next year, also believes that the program is vital because it provides a perspective that other professional news publications don’t have.

In addition to Bark and the Jolly Roger, Tam High School’s journalism program, the Tam News, is dissatisfied with the cuts.

Tam junior Logan Little, who was recently chosen as editor-in-chief for the Tam News next year, does not believe a magazine can be produced and a curriculum can be taught during school hours.

Cutting release periods will be devastating to how the Tam News currently functions.

“Release periods are a time that our journalism advisor gets to review everything,” Little said. “He’s being paid to review everything and work overtime to make sure that we do not print something accidentally [inappropriate].”

Little added that being a part of the Tam News allowed him to face important challenges and get out of his comfort zone by interviewing people and writing meaningful stories.

In November, Marin voters have the opportunity to maintain the current parcel tax so that the quality of other programs within TUHSD are not affected.

As the impact of the first round of cuts has unfolded, many members of TUHSD, including student journalists, plead that people support the local schools.

“We still have students who are going to become tomorrow’s leaders and journalists, and they’re going to be making decisions on behalf of us old people,” Weller said. “If those decisions don’t come from a place of deep thought and critical thinking,

I’m scared for that future.” ffox@redwoodbark.org

Continued from page 1

did not intervene during the protest but used tear gas on and arrested over 40 individuals protesting past the 8 p.m. curfew. Tamiscal student Charlotte McAdam attended the protest and was grateful for its lack of violence.

“The media only shows the worst riots and the worst violence in the protests going on. The protest today was only about spreading love and positivity and about allowing people to speak their mind on the inequalities that are going on in our country and that have been going on in our country for years,” McAdam said.

Superintendent Dr. Tara Taupier sent out an email to the Tamalpais Union High School District community on June 1, encouraging a time for reflection of the racism that persists in this country.

“As a learning institution, it is imperative that we provide space for our students and staff of color to be heard and to amplify their voices. Further, we must ensure that we have anti-racist learning embedded throughout our curriculum. It is time for us to act and be anti-racist, to follow what I truly believe is in all of your hearts. For those of us who are white, we must not be complicit through silence. We must engage in dialogue that moves us forward towards being an inclusive and loving society,” Taupier wrote.

A number of resources were provided in the email to promote a more educated and anti-racist community.

Protests are expected to continue, and public

Congratulations & Thank You! Redwood High School Class of 2020 appreciates the contributions of the following sponsors: Photo by Isabel Ames

PROTESTERS RAISE THEIR fists in unity during a peaceful protest at Oscar Grant Plaza in Oakland, Calif.

officials are urging participants to stay safe. If you choose to be involved, you can also visit blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ for ways to support the movement from home. iames@redwoodbark.org

City of Larkspur Town of Ross Hall Middle School PTA Corte Madera Foundation Tiburon Peninsula Foundation Corte Madera Women’s Improvement Club Lions Club of Corte Madera We wish we could have hosted our usual Safe and Sober Grad Night, but thank you to our sponsors anyways for all the support!

PageS4 • News June 5, 2020 Bark Seniors coordinate virtual activities in place of live celebrations

By Maxanne Anderson

“Even though senior year took a turn for the worse, we’re [going to] organize statewide spirit days, competitions and events to finish off our last year,” the Instagram bio for @caclassof2020 reads.

The account was created by senior Drake Goodman, Sonoma Valley High School senior Luis Esteva Sueiro and Marshall Fundamental High School senior Prince Takano following school closures and event cancellations due to COVID-19. “[Our goal was to] put on a bunch of activities, somewhat reminiscent of what we’re missing out on because of the pandemic, to try and lighten people’s spirits,” Esteva Sueiro said. “There’s no way we’re going to be able to make up for an in-person prom or actual spirit days at school with your friends, but the whole point is to maybe be a little bit of a distraction, put a smile on someone’s face.”

Since the account was started on March 31, it has held a Pajama Day, hosted live streams and more, gaining over 6,000 followers. The campaign has also spread to several other platforms, including chatting app Discord, YouTube and Twitter.

Esteva Sueiro was inspired to start the account by the Arizona Class of 2020’s Instagram page. He reached out to Goodman and Takano and from there, they got to work contacting as many senior class presidents or members of the associated student body (ASB) from different schools as they could.

As the project grew, it was organized into different committees. Jay Alonzo Smith, a senior at Edison High School, was named head of the outreach committee, where he continues contacting schools about the organization. “[It is] a way to give seniors the comfort of having to miss their last year. [By] doing virtual activities like a virtual prom, [it helps to fill] that missing gap for students to feel more comfortable and engaged,” • College Uncertainty Continued from page 2

This includes senior Sophia Curtaz, who will be attending Chico State University next year and playing soccer there.

“I didn’t really see a reason to not [start college online this fall],” Curtaz said. “I’m going to go to school anyway, so I might as well start now.”

Still, the increased number of students considering taking a gap year is especially alarming to colleges for a particular reason: money. Specifically, the University of Michigan predicts losses of $400 million to $1 billion this year across its three campuses. The University of California system lost $558 million in March alone. Some smaller schools are closing for good, in part because of ongoing

Meg Abbott Jason & Viktoriya Alexander Callaway Allen Seth & Kelli Anderson Steve & Chris Anderson Susan & Mark Anderson Anonymous The Argov Family The Atkeson Family Joe Bailitz The Barcy Family Janine Barnes The Baylo Family Linda Behla Kathleen & John Belzer The Berger Family Joanna Berman Mandel Cynthia Blankenship Hannah, Lauren, & Ella Blazei Brad & Heather Bludau Fred & Mary Blum Jeffrey Bosley The Bosley Family Garsten Brad Garsten Kathleen & Bill Brady Elizabeth Brekhus Pam & Jason Brown Jennifer Browne Mona & Jonah Burlingame Kevin & Cheryl Butler Steve & Kristina Campodonico Mark Carlson The Carlson Family Thomas Chad Williams Jennifer Chou Kevin Cifarelli Robyn & Bruce Cohen

Brian & Dana Cole Donn & Melinda Conner Libby Conner The Conners Family Ed Conti Deborah & Kevin Cook The Croner-Palmer Family J Rick Cusick Jim & Robyn Dahlin The Dahlin Family TheDawes Family The Diener Family The Doctor Family The Donahue Family The Dubin Family Andrea Dyer & Mike Miller Mary Jane Elliott & Mohammad Diab Ronald & Carol Ellsweig Susan Ellsweig Jon Epps The Epps Family Naz & Brian Erickson The Erickson Family Tribolet Family The Fargo Family Tom Fischer & Cyndi Devereaux Harriette & Cary Fishburne Tallie & Tom Fishburne Ashley Fligel The Flores Family Suzanne & Brendan Fogarty Chris & Allison Fragakis Parker Frymier Mitra & Jan Fuches Kelly & Jonas Gerber Lynn Gerson The Gibbs Family

Photo by Maxanne Anderson

SINCE THE ACCOUNT’S founding on March 31, it has gained over 6,000 followers from schools across the state. you can’t change something, you should still try to Smith said.

Goodman also felt that the account has helped do whatever you can to make your situation better.”

By making the best of his situation, Goodman has to fill in aspects of the year that were taken by quarantine. For him, the educational aspect easily hopefully been able to help others see the bright side.

“It’s given them somewhat of a motivation to transferred online, but the environment of being in have an enjoyable end to the senior year rather than class did not.

“I think [spirit and community] are essential to just have a completely pessimistic outlook on life. why people go to school,” Goodman said. “Having They can appreciate what they have because there’s this project for me personally, as well as I think most actually something there, which is [not only] our of the seniors across the state, helped bring those virtual account but also what it brings: connections to other people,” Goodman said. components back into [our] lives.”

For their biggest project yet, @caclassof2020 For Takano, the campaign has proved the spirit is planning a virtual prom which will be hosted on and resilience of his graduating class.

“I think we’ll look back on this time [and] we’ll see YouTube live. Seniors may follow the account on that we’ve actually learned a lot from this experience Instagram to receive updates on it and other virtual and that even when all seems lost, you can always try activities. To learn more, visit the @caclassof2020 to do something to make your situation better, even account on Instagram. if it’s something as small as an Instagram,” Takano said. “This project should be a message that even if manderson@redwoodbark.org financial issues but also because of COVID-19’s impact on them. In a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, University of California President Janet Napolitano wrote, “UC has already lost hundreds of millions in housing and dining revenue from students choosing to leave campuses, and anticipates losing more revenue by the end of the spring term.”

There are already several complaints across the nation that students have to still pay full tuition even though classes shifted to online in the spring.

These complaints are amplifying as lawsuits against universities are surfacing, pressuring universities in their decision of implementing classes in the fall. To date, students from 26 universities are suing their schools for not offering partial tuition and college fee refunds for the alleged decrease in the quality of education.

Bark Patrons

Jennifer & Mike Ginsburg Paul & Marcia Ginsburg Emily Glidden Cynthia Goodman The Goodman Family The Graff/Marrero Family The Grams Family Jennifer & Michael Green The Guthrie Family TJ’s Gym The Hackett Family Kirsten Hagen Allan & Nancy Herzog The Hettleman Family Leonard & Dolly Hom George & Joan Hornberger Caren Horstmeyer Kurt & Julie Houtkooper Brian & Erica Hunt Wendy & Rob Jessen The Johnson Family The Johnson Family Sylvia Jones Kristin Kasper Jon Kawamura & Elizabeth Foley John Kellerman Noah Kempler Jay Labourene The Ladetzky Family The Lanciault Family Brent & Jen Lauchle LifeWorks Learning Center Renée & Patrick Lee Jennifer Lefferts

Naomi & Rob Leonard Joy & John Lewis Joyce Linker The Loebbaka Family The MacLean Family Kayvan Malek Rene Mandel The Marlowe Family Erin & Chris Matthews Ashley Snyder McCulloch Thomas & Michelle McHugh The McInerney Family The McKechnie Family The McLeod Family Mary Lee Merrill Chris Michaels Mike & LouAnn Micucci Sabrina Middleton The Mincy Family Cindy Morris Liz Muller The Needhams The Nevitt Family The Newhard Family Annette Nielsen Rich Nielsen Mark & Donna Norstad The O’Shea Family James Parker The Parsons Family Chuch & Sheri Parsons Somax Performance Institute The Pfeiffer Family Lauren Pitts

For those asking for decreased tuition for online education, Wangenheim believes they are factoring out a crucial point.

“It’s a really hard question because the schools need money to pay their employees and sustain themselves. The professors are working equally as hard, if not more, to put an effort and make their lectures exciting and doing what they can to make our online classes as engaging as possible,” Wangenheim said. “I think it’s really difficult because the primary source of schools’ annual revenue is from tuition.

Without it, they won’t survive.” . dgoodman@redwoodbark.org Cris Prescott BruceReed, Compass Education Group Lesley & Tim Reidy Mona-Helen Renney The Resney Sandrich Family Quinn Robbins The Rocha Family Matt & Paige Rodgers Sue & John Rogers Frank Rollo Stacy & Jack Rose Allison & Andy Ross The Royal Family Lori Runnfeldt Shari Seibert Christie Seidel Jill & Scott Sellers Martin & Deidre Silverman The Silverman Family The Sinatra Family Veronica Skelton Estus Tom & Nina Smallhorn The Snyder Family Victoria & Michael Song Lida & Kaveh Soofer Heather Staples & Mike Carlson The Steele Family The Steinberg Family Brian Sternberger & Family Corey Stodolnic Cris & Lorna Strotz The Strotz Family The Tantum Family The Taunton Family Alana Thalheimer Marylou Tierney

The Tippo Family Dawn Valler & Peter Byck Carole Van Haaften Vickie Vann & Steve Gregory Jason Vargelis Towns Wagner Family Helen & Jason Walters The Watridge Family James & Melanie Watson Mike & Holly Welch The Weng Family Grant Wheeler Joanne Whitt Chad & MeganWilliams Mandy & Bryan Williams Liz Wilp Isolde & Aleck Wilson Libby Winston, State Farm Agent Lisa Wolcott Sarah Wolcott Kristin Wolcott Farese Annie Yates Patricia Young M Zeeman Robert & Carol Zlatunich The Zlot Family

If you would like to support the Redwood Bark, donations can be made by check and mailed to Redwood High School. Check should be made payable to the Redwood Bark. See www.redwoodbark. org for an online payment option.

Page 5 • Opinion

www.redwoodbark.org

bark

What’s on your mind?

Politicization of sexual misconduct pushes partisan agendas and omits victims’ experiences Story and Illustration by Nicole Johnson Illustration by Olivia Kharrazi

Global Warning: what a pandemic has taught us about the environment

By Maria Alexander

Streets are emptying across the country as residents shelter themselves inside their homes. In some places, animals have even been caught roaming now quiet concrete jungles. The coronavirus has caused panic in many parts of society, but it has momentarily cooled things down for the planet. According to the International Energy Agency, it is expected that the world will use 6 percent less energy this year—a number equivalent to losing the energy demand of India. As much of the world’s economy slows down, the Earth is undergoing a healing process.

I’ve dedicated a full year to this column, discussing topics ranging from business sustainability to carbon offsets. As I write my last ever column, I want to emphasize how crucial a holistic approach to climate management is. The Earth’s condition while society is undergoing a pandemic is proof that enough action (or a lack thereof) can lead to meaningful change. For example, daily carbon emissions have dropped by about 17 percent globally, according to the Global Carbon Project. However, our world economy and livelihood don’t have to suffer in order to cut emissions. In order to create effective change without putting our economy at risk, we can think more about our roles as individuals, while also holding the government and corporations accountable.

As the global shutdown has shown, individual actions can make a difference for the climate. For example, more people than ever before have been working from home, slashing commute emissions as a result.

Telecommuting and commuting by bicycle or alternative transportation may become the new normal we should work to normalize this. Solutions like this reduce our impact while optimizing economic productivity; we may even reap other benefits by advancing work-from-home policies, such as spending more time with family and possibly being more productive.

We’ve seen that reducing fossil fuel use can have a tremendous impact, so another lesson we must internalize is that we should hold our government accountable. Can a green energy revolution be possible if the livelihoods of thousands of workers in the fuel industry are at stake? Of course not, which is why it is necessary for the government to spearhead this action by passing the correct legislation and subsidies that take the lives of displaced workers into account. As we continue to innovate and adapt, we must make climate action a more centralized initiative in order to reach real progress.

But what else can we do? At this point, education is what matters most, and it doesn’t have to be difficult.

If you spend time on social media platforms, consider following accounts such as Greenpeace, CNN Climate or UN Climate Change to have relevant information seamlessly integrated into your feed. Read up on sustainable alternatives and ethical consumerism so that you can begin swapping out your daily products.

Websites such BetterWorldShopper.org are great places to research a company’s ethical practices. The pandemic has taught us that anything and everything helps when many people are on board.

Now is the right time to be thinking about our future.

We’ve seen how damaging a pandemic is to society, but what if our environment turns against us in the future?

By that time, it will be too late to slow down the impacts of climate disasters such as rising tides, hurricanes and wildfires. The future of our planet depends on how societies act right now. malexander@redwoodbark.org

The #MeToo movement, propelled on a large scale after Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein met his social demise in 2017 for several counts of misconduct, opened the floodgates for empowerment and justice for victims of sexual harassment. The implications were astounding, the effects even more so. Now, however, those waters are being stirred.

In 2018, as professor Christine Blasey Ford presented accusations that then Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her in high school, former vice president Joe Biden publicly voiced sympathy and support in regards to the charges.

“For a woman to come forward in the glaring lights of focus, nationally, you’ve got to start off with the presumption that at least the essence of what she’s talking about is real, whether or not she forgets facts, whether or not it’s been made worse or better over time,” Biden said.

Ford’s allegations effectively smeared Kavanaugh’s reputation for a period of time, regardless of if her claim was valid or not. Today, the same fate threatens Biden himself, as Tara Reade’s accusations that the politician assaulted her during her employment at his Senate office in 1993 permeate the media.

Biden’s remarks held significant weight in 2018, as countless followers of the trial heralded his support of women’s voices. Now, the assertion highlights a stark, unfortunate turnaround. To the politician’s credit, he called for a search of the National Archive to prove his innocence in a recent interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. Despite this effort to uphold the standards outlined in Kavanaugh’s case, Biden has plainspokenly denied Reade’s allegation, citing a so-called lack of evidence present to support this.

But corroboration has been supplied by both family members and former coworkers of Biden’s former aide; Lorraine Sanchez, who worked with Reade in another senator’s office after the alleged assault recalls Reade claiming she was dismissed from her D.C. position after voicing concerns. A former neighbor remembers a tearyeyed Reade describing her harassment in the mid-90s, and several other supporting accounts have been provided.

Why then, did Biden defend Dr. Ford when her case was backed with comparable or less substantiation? Does Reade not deserve an equal fighting chance, or does the underlying message of this role reversal reflect a more political take that, in fact, does not truly concern the plight of either woman at all? Seemingly, the latter holds some truth.

Both accusations are distressing to acknowledge, but equally troubling are the dissimilarities in their aftermaths.

Regardless of if either one of the claims are true, sexual assault allegations such as these carry increasingly politicized weight with them, which effectively strips them of their emotional components. It appears some politicians and party members nowadays view sexual harassment or assault claims as weapons they can wage to thwart campaigns rather than what they truly are: gutting stories of sexual misconduct that carry intense personal weight with their holders.

Take the Biden allegations as a case in point: following their publicization, a former press secretary of Bernie Sanders solicited Biden’s replacement for the 2020 Democratic ticket, right-leaning sources like Fox News were quick to capitalize on Biden’s hypocrisy and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi deemed it a “closed issue” to uphold her endorsement of the presumptive election candidate.

Superficially, many prominent figures have praised or downplayed Reade’s actions to comment on the role of female allegations in this #MeToo era, but it appears ulterior motives lay beneath the support or condemnation of this woman’s testimony. These factions seem to care much less for the predicament of Tara Reade than they do for their own agendas.

The most adverse effect of this trend is the harm the accusers face. As The Atlantic writer Moira Donegan aptly puts it, “In situations such as these, questions about a man’s behavior suddenly become a referendum on women’s characters, and it is women’s reputations, not that of the man in question, that somehow always wind up suffering.”

In the case of Reade, many Democratic leaders and media figures have not only disregarded her claims but have attacked her character; she’s received death threats and seen her name dragged through the mud with non sequiturs, like her repeated name changes that some sources have attributed to domestic abuse circumstances.

The same went for Christine Blasey Ford: although her allegations were more greatly supported by media outlets, maligned and misleading portrayals circulated through social media platforms, including a false story that Ford made similar assault allegations against Justice Neil Gorsuch during his 2017 nomination.

Examinations of character are typically included in holistic investigations such as these, but the public should not be left to criticize or assess an accuser’s persona prior to formal judgments. Yes, allegations must be heavily vetted for validity, and both the accusers and accused must be scrutinized until the truth is reached, but to inflict potentially permanent damage on the reputation of either player is both politically and morally backwards. Only when a verdict is reached should one be treated as guilty, whether it is a dishonest accuser or a wrongful figure in power.

Another pressing issue? The reactions to high profile affairs such as these can set standards for smaller scale cases that may dominate the lives of everyday citizens. In reference to the attacks advanced on Reade’s personality and credentials, Twitter user Lindz Domminigue posted this on May 24: “Imagine saying someone assaulted u and people bring up your repo or degree issues. Don’t ask me why I’ll never say a thing.”

Not only does the politicization, and weaponization for that matter, of sexual harassment further deter others from coming out to tell their stories, but it poses an extensive threat to the work that #MeToo has already done for those muted by fear or their surrounding communities. Political schemes and moral imperatives should not exist in the realm of personal trauma from sexual conquest, for they jeopardize both current and future accusers.

The manipulation of women for dominance and the distinct stories of its survivors—whether they are truthful or not—cannot stand as a factional force. Whether an allegation aims to sabotage public opinion of political leaders or an honest accusation strives for justice, the wielding of these claims reflects poorly on its users and hits alleged survivors even harder. In an era of polarity and rare bipartisanship, such tender matters cannot be categorized as munitions employed along party lines— they must be categorized as the human issue that they are.

Victims are people, not ploys. njohnson@redwoodbark.org

A message to the Bark community: Volume LXII, No. 5 is the first edition in the history of Bark to be produced remotely. In a time of many firsts, the Bark staff has come together to present a paper completely laid out from home, with collaboration from all staff members. In light of all the challenges presented to us as a community and publication, it is imperative to understand the importance of togetherness. Bark continues to serve the public under any circumstance.

Page 6 • Opinionpost Martha Fishburne replied to Mia Kessinger’s

June 5, 2020

www.redwoodbark.org

What’s on your mind?

Point-counterpoint: should standardized testing continue in the future?

Mia Kessinger posted a comment Founded in 1926, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) has been in place for nearly a century. This and the American College Test (ACT), are typically required in college applications in order to provide an objective way of comparing each student. However, with the recent coronavirus outbreak, many schools have decided to drop this requirement and become test-optional for the class of 2021.

While this change may be viewed as a new chance for students who have high grade point averages (GPA) to be accepted into higher-ranked colleges, going test-optional will ultimately make it more difficult to get into schools because students’ test scores usually provide a more diverse and complete application.

It is hard to deny that standardized tests are flawed, but their benefits outweigh their negatives in the long run. Research conducted by the ACT has found that strong scores are predictive of success in college and in the workforce. The data found “ACT composite scores to be effective for predicting long-term success at both fourand two-year institutions, citing evidence such as higher college GPAs and graduation rates for students with higher ACT scores.”

Other research by the ACT established that high school students with the same GPAs often had varying test scores—proving that test-optional schools would assess all students with the same GPA as having the same chance of being successful in college when that is not the case at all.

Furthermore, the main criticism of standardized tests is that they put underprivileged families at a disadvantage because the tests favor affluent families who have the means to study with an expensive private tutor. In reality, if test requirements were to be suspended forever, students would only be judged from their GPAs, where the prejudices would be very similar, if not the same. According to a study conducted by Inside Higher Ed, half of high school students in the United States graduate with an A- average. So where would that place students who can’t afford to go to a private school or can’t live in an area with a strong public school system?

At the bottom.

Students who attend struggling public schools in low-income areas and receive good grades can easily be disregarded by universities when compared to other students who come from superior schools that offer tougher curricula. For example, a student at a wealthier school that has Advanced Placement (AP) and honors

kdawes@redwoodbark.org

classes might have a higher GPA than a student who attends a school that doesn’t.

In the eyes of a college admissions officer, the student who has a higher GPA might look more attractive even though the student who comes from a weaker school with an A average could be just as smart.

Thus, without the ACT or SAT, poorer students will be facing close to the same biases they would be with the standardized test requirement.

Nonetheless, if the SAT is continued to be required, there needs to be a push for more free tutoring resources so that the inequalities between socioeconomic classes are reduced. Some complimentary options for less affluent students, like Khan Academy, already exist. Supplements like this have been proven to be helpful; in an interview with the Harvard Gazette in March of 2014, Harvard Dean of Admissions William Fitzsimmons stated that,“The free test prep provided by the College Board and Khan Academy will help level the playing field for students from middle-income and most economic backgrounds.”

Illustration by Kalyn Dawes In addition to these resources, according to College Board CEO David Coleman, a tool called “Landscape” was recently implemented which provides admissions counselors with “information about a student’s background, like average neighborhood income and crime rates.” Because this allows colleges and universities to view a student’s score objectively in the context of the conditions in which they live and learn, it helps reduce the unfairness in SAT scores. With improvements like these, there is no reason why the requirement to submit them should be waived.

While it might be a difficult task, it is imperative that the College Board find ways to connect with more tutoring companies, such as the Princeton Review, to create other free online study resources to make the SAT and ACT more equitable tests of students’ academic and intellectual ability.

Even without these changes, however, the SAT and ACT must stay in place because they provide a more diverse and objective way of looking at a student. mkessinger@redwoodbark.org

Martha Fishburne replied to Mia Kessinger’s post Standardized testing is fully ingrained in the fabric of our high school culture, almost as much as getting a driver’s license, going to prom or cringing at old photos from middle school. It’s a rite of passage: studying with tutors for hours and taking practice test after practice test. But as colleges across the country suspend their standardized testing requirements due to the coronavirus, tired students must ask the question: is standardized testing necessary in a post-coronavirus world?

Not really.

Before coronavirus, test-optional schools were primarily private liberal arts colleges, including Bard College, Brandeis University and Pitzer College.

The coronavirus pandemic, however, has pushed other well-known colleges, including four Ivy League schools, to make the transition as well for the Class of 2021. That, and the recent vote among the University of California schools to waive American College Testing (ACT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) requirements until 2023, just goes to show that these requirements are not necessary to

2020 Bark article, can cost around $150$220 an hour in Marin. Considering most students have a separate tutor for the math and English sections and meet with each tutors an average of five-eight times, preparing for the SAT and ACT can easily cost thousands of dollars, which many families cannot afford.

Although organizations such as Khan Academy do offer free/reduced-price tutoring virtually, online tutoring is a poor substitute for a private tutor due to the lack of personalization and human interaction.

A report published by the ACT website states that preparing for the ACT with a tutor improved student scores, whereas using alternative methods of preparation had no notable effect on them. ACT and SAT advocates claim that the tests are ways to pick underprivileged teens from their poor high schools, but the economic barriers that come with taking these tests do little to help those from impoverished backgrounds.

It is true that the SAT and ACT allow college admissions offices to objectively compare students from different high schools by having them all take the same test, but until all students are given equal preparation and educational opportunities, the SAT and ACT will never truly be objective. I personally test well, and including my ACT scores in my application would give my application a boost. I am not writing this as a bitter test-taker, angry at not reaching her target score, but rather as someone who does not want the acceptance into my dream school to come at the expense of other qualified students who are at a disadvantage.

Another argument presented by supporters of the ACT and SAT is that, without relying on standardized testing, colleges would have to place more emphasis on high school grades during the acceptance process. At the surface level, comparing students’ GPAs from vastly different high schools is virtually impossible; while grades can be evaluated in the context of the high school, they can not be a measuring stick for colleges to judge applicants. America’s unequal educational system means that it is possible for admissions offices to disregard a high GPA from a lower-income school, harming those students in the same way that the ACT and SAT would.

To combat this, College Board created an adversity score, which judged students on a 1-100 scale regarding their environment, factoring in school quality, neighborhood crime rate and poverty level, among other things. However, College Board rejected the metric only a few months later after facing backlash from parents and students alike, implementing instead a similar tool called “Landscape” soon after. Although College Board is trying to make the ACT and SAT a fair system, it is not enough to merely compress the lived hardships of disadvantaged students into a 1-100 scale, and attempting to do so only brings discontent from wealthy families who feel slighted.

It’s true: as of now, there is no perfect solution. Many of the problems with the SAT and ACT are societal problems, further complicating the issue. But rather than relying on an outdated test that tries to distill multi-faceted people into a number, college admissions offices should put more stock into other aspects than grades and standardized testing scores, such as essays and letters of recommendation. And until another idea can be implemented, it is unfair to put marginalized students and their futures at stake. mfishburne@redwoodbark.org

Mia Kessinger posted a comment

determine a student’s academic capability.

In fact, a study headed by William Hiss, a former dean of admissions at Bates College, found that those who submitted test scores only had a 0.05 percent of a grade point average (GPA) point higher in college and a 0.6 percent higher graduation rate. While the SAT and ACT can gauge a student’s intelligence to a certain extent, it primarily tests a student’s strength as a test-taker.

On top of being poor indicators of a student’s academic credentials, SATs and ACTs are biased against students from lower socioeconomic classes. For example, a study conducted by Inside Higher Ed found that the average score on the English section of the SAT was 433 for participants whose family income was less than $200,000, while those whose family income was $200,000 or more scored an average of 570.

Such polarizing score discrepancies can be partially attributed to the high cost of the tests and their preparation. According to the College Board website, the SAT with an essay portion costs $64.50. While the website also states that they can waive the fees if needed, that does not release students from the obligation of having to pay for test prep which, as reported by a

Page 7 • Opinion

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What’s on your mind?

Keeping schools solely online in the fall is not an option

bark

Redwood High School 395 Doherty Drive Larkspur, CA 94939 www.redwoodbark.org Editors-In-Chief Drake Goodman Bella Roesler Eislyn Snyder Ryo Weng Head Copy Editor Audrey Hettleman

editorial “Zooming our education away.”

It started with Purdue University. Then several other schools did the same. With limited exceptions, many colleges are following their footsteps: reopening in the fall in some capacity. It’s a bold, fierce initiative to pursue while many businesses are suffering from a near economic standstill and families are restricted to their homes. At the very earliest, a vaccine will be available mid-fall, and there is no guarantee that distribution will be expedited and widely available immediately. Still, these universities are making strides in the right direction. The Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) and other districts should follow suit in similar ways.

Ultimately, science should not be the sole factor to consider when deciding to reopen schools. As University of Notre Dame President John I. Jenkins wrote in a New York Times article, “For questions about moral value—how we ought to decide and act— science can inform our deliberations, but it cannot provide the answer.” Why? The answer is derived from the purpose of schools: protecting students, faculty and their loved ones, educating all individuals in their entirety and enabling students to become wellrounded humans. Science itself will establish a simple solution: continue online learning in the fall. But that only serves one purpose, ignoring the other two that are equally or more important.

To achieve the other root functions of schools, we must take other considerations into account. What happens if we stay online? For one, the already stark achievement gap between socioeconomic classes will widen in academic achievement. According to the Washington Post, 35 percent of low-income households and 17 percent of moderate-income households with school-aged children do not have high-speed Internet. That figure is 6 percent for middle-class and affluent families.

While Marin is generally considered an affluent county, we are not exempt from these conditions regarding our students. In the 2018-2019 school year, 8.5 percent of Redwood students and 57.1 percent of San Andreas students were socioeconomically disadvantaged.

Then there’s the issue of human nature. We are social beings. According to a 2010 study conducted by sociology researchers Debra Umberson and Jennifer Karas Montez of the University of Texas at Austin, “Consistent and compelling evidence link[ed] a low quantity or quality of social ties with a host of [negative] conditions.” While we can still interact virtually, it’s not the same. Far from it. In fact, roughly half of Americans report that the effects of the current

Illustration by Kalyn Dawes

pandemic are harming their mental health, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. Suicide, depression, anxiety and substance abuse are on the rise as well. The evidence is abundantly clear: we cannot continue to operate solely online in the fall.

Ultimately, by reopening, risk will be involved, and that is noteworthy. Simultaneously, one of the beauties of our community and country is that we take risks. That is how we have progressed. Without taking calculated risks, our society would be lethargic and prehistoric at best. In times such as these, taking risks may be necessary to keep everyone, especially the less fortunate, afloat. And this risk is minimal if we take the right steps: the death rate from COVID-19 for those under the age of 50 is 0.0002 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In opening schools for the fall semester for inperson classes, we still need to take precautions and health measures to ensure that we can operate. This includes rigorous testing, increased sanitation efforts, physical distancing and the requirement of masks.

Anyone who tests positive or shows symptoms must stay at home, quarantined, until full recovery.

Those at home will still be learning virtually, without penalty.

In taking these measures, we must understand the facts. Scientifically, we know how the disease spreads, and to all of those working diligently in the medical field, we give our utmost thanks for your continuous work and research. We are not disparaging your work in this proposal, but using it as a guide.

There is constant talk about keeping people physically healthy, but we need a healthy society, too. There’s a fine balance between making decisions based entirely on irate emotion and the inability to act due to irrational fear. We have the opportunity to achieve that fine balance. Instead of sending ourselves backward, we can launch forward with courage, intelligence and fortitude. We can set out on a path that both ensures the health of our students and staff, as well as their families, while also ensuring students can learn to their greatest ability.

Have an opinion regarding anything that appears in the Bark or in general? We encourage our readers to submit letters to the editor. Letters to the Bark should be 500 words or fewer, typed if possible and signed. They must be submitted to room 177 or in the Bark mailbox in the facility. They may also be emailed to bark@redwoodbark.org.

A BARK to Rose getting out of her 90-day relationship with Big Ed. Guess she didn’t like the view after all.

A BARK to Lori Loughlin being sentenced to two months in jail.

Hopefully she won’t Photoshop her way out.

A BITE to Bryce Hall and Jaden Hossler being arrested on drug charges. No amount of TikTok fame is going to “sway” this in their favor.

A BITE to monkeys stealing COVID-19 blood samples in India.

George might be curious, but he’d never do that.

A BARK to Chloe Ting. If it weren’t for her, we would have ABSolutely no idea what people would be doing in quarantine.

A BARK to SpaceX docking at the international space station. Good choice leaving earth.

A BITE to Kylie Jenner not actually being a billionaire. Her catchphrase should be “lies and shine.”

A BITE to the arrest of a CNN reporter covering the protests in Minneapolis. Way to arrest freedom of the press.

A BARK to Redwood’s drivethrough graduation. We can’t wait to shift into summer gear.

A BITE to Morgan Wallen for being arrested for a DUI. Looks like he had a few too many Whiskey Glasses.

A BARK to the UCs not cancelling fall semester. Guess we’ll C U on campus.

A BITE to the mystery “silent spreaders” of COVID-19. That’s not what the original meaning of “silent but deadly” was.

Copy Editors Isabel Ames Maxanne Anderson Martha Fishburne Maya Holland Nicole Johnson Olivia Kharrazi Alli Runnfeldt Shannon Watridge Jack Watson News Editors Jacob Mandel Anna Silverman Opinion Editors Loughlin Browne Ella Green Feature Editors Maddie Loebbaka Sofi Mincy Sports Editors Maria Alexander Charlie Ginsburg Review Editors Jackson Epps Alix Salzer Lifestyles Editors Camille Ray Morgan Salzer Spanish Editor Mikaela Beberman Podcast Editor Jack Benbow Video Editor Garrett Cook Business Managers Katie Parsons Skylar Strotz Social Media Managers Lauren Steele Survey Manager Jenna Dahlin Multimedia Editor Aaron Kim Art Consultants Taylor Charles Sophia Rocha Reporters Devin Bosley Grace Bouton Olivia Brekhus Emma Carpenter Greta Cifarelli Kalyn Dawes Mara Farese Francesca Fox Nicole Fuches Kylie Horstmeyer Emma Ingledew Alex Johnson Mia Kessinger Sol Ladetsky Audrey Lightfoot Emma Lightfoot PJ Pfeiffer Matthew Smalbach Bennett Vasquez Adviser Erin Schneider POLICY: All editorials are unsigned and have been approved by the majority of the Bark staff.

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June 5, 2020

Page 8 • Opinion

What’s on your mind?

Editors-in-chief farewell letters “An interview isn’t a game of 20 questions,” Ms. Schneider said on my first day of Bark. I soon learned what she meant by that statement––the statement I then swore by throughout my journalistic career and eventually taught my peers.

Witnessing the power of mutual vulnerability in the interview process inspired me to teach it as a tool to my beloved advanced journalism class; I urged my fellow Barkies to establish it in their own journalistic work outside of our classroom interactions. I observed the impact of leading by example to encourage presence without artifice or pretense. Other than being an approachable and relatable leader, that was my main goal as an editor-in-chief: to share my communication style and affection for journalism to inspire.

Reading next year’s Bark applications reassured me that I accomplished my goal. I realized how similar we Barkies are; we all share common feelings toward the Bark, feelings of pride, strength and vulnerability.

PRIDE I have struggled with academic self-confidence since elementary school. I might not be a math or science person, but at the end of the day, I am my authentic self. My younger self would be very proud (and probably shocked) to know that I am an editor-in-chief of a nationally-recognized high school newspaper, and that, despite being subject to performance anxiety, I stood in front of and directed a class of 30 students to create a thoughtful, informative publication. Despite the notion in my head that I was the least academic Roesler sister, I actually discovered that I am just different, not insufficient. I’ve learned to embrace my differences and recognize their beauty. @Bella Roesler STRENGTH When I was first handed my Redwood High School press pass in sophomore year, it felt like armor to protect me under the First Amendment and to benefit others. Junior year, I gained a deep understanding of the title “reporter.” While the word is a topic of controversy and criticism, especially in the U.S., I spent my junior year storytelling and seeking out varieties of individuals—atheists, devout Catholics, LGBTQ members, anti-feminists, feminists, big mountain skiers, artists, victims of bullies and self harm, therapists and much more—to add genuine diversity to our reporting. I found that this title of “reporter” gave me a superpower: giving unheard people a curated megaphone.

VULNERABILITY Through my interviewing experiences, I learned that our mindsets and beliefs are based on what we’re surrounded by, but learning to interview with an open mind has inherent gifts. Empathizing with human journeys that may be vastly different to mine has brought a richer experience to my time on this earth. Something that became apparent to me was that when I truly connected to my sources and encouraged them to open up, their vulnerability allowed me to tell a story to which others connected. Asking questions can lead to unexpected, yet superior destinations, and I learned that it’s always worth a shot. Everyone in my life is welcome to share their story and I look forward to learning from it.

iroesler@redwoodbark.org “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”

Saying goodbye is one of the most difficult parts of life. There always seems to be unfinished business, friends to become closer with and words still unsaid. Dreams still haven’t been achieved, and some aspirations lie untouched. But that’s the beauty in goodbyes. It’s a time to reflect, to admire the journey that has built character. It’s the moment when all past troubles are put aside for a final hoorah.

The struggles, pain and losses were worth it. The victories, celebrations and heartfelt memories become all the more relished. All for a goodbye.

To say farewell to everything I’ve known in high school—chasing each other around with water guns in Assassin, isolating ourselves in blocs of fours in our cars for lunch and shining the light for what seems like every single rally—online is, to say the least, not what anyone had hoped for. There’s so many “lasts” that we missed out on appreciating. One more traverse in the fog from the main building to the portables…three separate times in one day. One more morning blasting music at the school entrances and passing out candy to students as I’m decked out in spirit gear. One more time soaking in the beauty of the Moody baseball field as the sun sets behind the stands after a late practice. At the same time, it seems fitting. We’re making it work. Is it ideal? No. But we’ve adapted and overcome. @Drake Goodman It also perfectly describes my Bark experience. We are constantly working in a whirlwind of undulating adaptation and adjustment.

Whether it’s directing last minute changes during paste-ups, making Audibles for how we’re going to cover recent developments in our community or adapting to enable every editor the resources and knowledge to lay this very paper out in their own home, we’ve always found a way. Together. We never shy away but confront every situation directly and without hesitation.

To everyone whom I have interacted with in the past and will work with in the future, that sums up the greatest life lesson that I’ve learned: we will forever be presented with challenges, but failing to overcome those challenges is far from the worst outcome. Never trying in the first place is. And making an effort usually does work out. It’s amazing how much we can achieve when we come together as a family, a team and a community. That process of overcoming anything, or least trying to overcome, together, is the essence of being human.

So here’s what I say: cheers to the memories. Cheers to the supporters and the adversaries. Cheers to all of us. This isn’t goodbye, though. Although it may not feel like it, we’re all still living in the “good old days.” I’m still on this journey with every single one of you. We’re just getting started.

dgoodman@redwoodbark.org I’ve always found it really difficult to start self-reflective pieces. Whether it be for college applications, creative writing classes or this farewell letter, I never know how to relay my innermost thoughts. How could I ever effectively sum up three formative years of my life in one 400-word article? I’ll take a stab at it, and we’ll see how I’ve done by the end.

When I entered high school, I wasn’t sure of much, but I was sure of one thing: I wanted to find my place and a group of people I felt at home with. As a freshman, I was under the impression that I was going to follow in the footsteps of two of my brothers who were both involved in theater. But, even though my prior experience with journalism was limited to that of Rory Gilmore’s, I found my own path within Bark.

I remember being so enamored by the journalism program when Erin Schneider, our advisor, presented to my freshman English class.

My English teacher at the time, Tom Sivertsen, was an avid proponent of Bark. His commentary was always littered with entertaining memories of being the prior Bark advisor, and I wanted to witness the publication’s organized chaos for myself. So I did the obvious: I signed up for the prerequisite, nonfiction, survived Richard Nixon’s assholery and the Clutter family murders and joined Bark my junior year.

While I knew Bark was going to be fun based on my love for writing, I could never have anticipated how much it would change me @Eislyn Snyder as a person. It sounds corny, I know, but there really is no other way of describing it.

I don’t remember much of middle or elementary school, but I do remember that I was constantly second-guessing myself and always self-critical. Those tendencies of mine were still intact going into high school, and I entered the journalism program as someone lacking confidence, yet I’ve come out of it as a strong-willed, determined leader.

Fast forward to today––I’m sitting on my couch with my fat Italian greyhound in quarantine, and I can’t help but mourn the time lost being around my favorite people in the most meaningful program I’ve ever been a part of. I won’t sugarcoat it; I’ve cried quite a bit. But at the same time, quarantine and the loss of time with my peers can’t take away the abundance of memories I’ve made or the changes I’ve undergone through being a part of the Bark family.

esnyder@redwoodbark.org I couldn’t help that I was born into a society that interprets my relaxed facial expression as being sad. My default look, my neutral gear, when I’m thinking of absolutely nothing, looks like I just lost the rest of my senior year or something along those lines.

I began realizing that it was a problem when people would ask me “What’s wrong?” an unusual amount of times in a day. “Nothing,” I would respond. Over the years, my responses accumulated and started to form a vague cloud of realization. But I never saw it as my problem.

Bark has made me a better public speaker, mediator, leader, writer, photographer—this list can go on for miles—but the most unique thing, something that no other class at Redwood could do, was teach me about the power of a smile.

Inspiring the class at the front of the room for the entire discounted year has been a privilege, but it has also given me the ability to self-reflect. No one wants to walk into class to see a teacher looking mad, so why would someone want that same experience with me?

Through each time I have rang the bell to get the class’s attention, I have been adapting my relaxed face to be more approachable and to look more content. Given my platform over the past year, it has allowed me to understand that my emotions can have an immediate impact on those around me.

Through my eyes now, it even seems selfish that I couldn’t put on a smile that takes me no effort in order to make my peers more comfortable. Moving toward a new chapter in my life with many new interactions, I am now aware of how perceptions and first @Ryo Weng impressions can be faltered from a lack of expression.

My attitude can be portrayed as negative with a solemn facial expression, but through Bark, I’ve come to see the advantages of presenting myself with a smile.

Moving outside of the cozy corner classroom on campus, I am still improving my proficiency in the universal language of smiling. I smile when the weather’s nice out. I smile when I’m with friends. I still don’t smile when a freshman flat tires me in the halls, but I do know now that slapping on a smile in life can help take an edge off things.

rweng@redwoodbark.org

Arturo Daniel explorará un camino diferente después de graduarse Por Nicole Fuches A medida que se propaga el coronavirus, la idea de tomar un año libre se ha vuelto más atrayente para muchos graduados de escuela secundaria. Para Arturo Daniel, un estudiante de último año, tomando un año libre ha sido algo que ha considerado por mucho tiempo.

Daniel se mudó a Marin de México D.F. en enero de 2019. Sin embargo, después de acostumbrarse a un país nuevo, está listo hacerlo otra vez. Como miembro de la fe judía, él y sus amigos de niñez han recibido la oportunidad de tomar un año libre.

A partir del 3 de agosto, Daniel pasará su año en Israel con una empresa mexicana, Maccabi Bekeff, que tiene tres fases diferentes: viviendo en un kibutz, entrenandose en un campamento militar de entrenamiento y pasando tiempo en Tel Aviv.

Aunque la empresa está basada en Mexico, ofrece esta experiencia multifacética a miembros de la fe judía de todo el mundo.

La primera fase, en un kibutz, dura por cuatro meses.

Los kibutz pueden tener tan poco como 100 miembros o hasta 1,200, según Oxford Bibliographies. La fuente dice también que aunque el primer kibutz fue establecido hace 110 años, hoy hay muchos más.

“Hoy un total de 270 kibutz se encuentran con una población unos 140,000, menos que dos por ciento de la población total de Israel,” según Oxford Bibliographies.

En hebreo, kibutz significa “reunión,” el cual caracteriza como Daniel y sus amigos vivirán.

“Un kibutz es un lugar comunal como una ciudad pequeña, que es un poco comunista. Todos trabajan para todos. Por ejemplo, por cuatro horas de mi día trabajaré en lo que quiera. Hay una escuela donde quiero enseñar deportes, pero [también puedo] cocinar para la gente o limpiar,” Daniel dijo.

En agradecimiento, los miembros de la comunidad le ayudarán a cocinar y limpiar también. Aunque muchos miembros de la fe judía hablan al menos un poco de hebreo, comunicación estará en español. Empero, este estilo comunal no se centra en trabajo enteramente porque Daniel tiene un horario libre por el resto del día para pasar tiempo con sus amigos.

Después de los cuatro meses, de enero a marzo,

Foto cortesía de Arturo Daniel

DANIEL SE SIENTA en un tanque militar durante su visita a un capamiento militar de entrenamiento.

Daniel y sus amigos vivirán en un campamento militar de entrenamiento. Sin embargo, no serán parte del militar israelí porque la base no está activa en ningún conflicto.

Aprendices judíos internacionales tienen la opción entrenarse por dos meses, pero ciudadanos israelíes tienen que participar por dos años.

Aunque la idea de campamento militar de entrenamiento parece intenso, Daniel no está preocupado porque ya tiene experiencia.

“Ya hice un campamento militar de entrenamiento una vez, pero duró por una semana. Cuando se termina [el noveno grado] en México, se viaja a Israel con el grado entero. Pasamos una semana a la base entrenando, pero

era bastante fácil porque solo teníamos quince años,” Daniel dijo.

A pesar de que solo duró por una semana, Daniel tomó en serio el entrenamiento, acreditando su mentalidad.

Sus esfuerzos valieron la pena y le motivaron regresar para entrenarse más.

“Gané ‘Soldado de la Semana’ lo cual me motivó hacerlo esta vez también. Yo era disciplinado porque [el entrenamiento] no era algo que podía evitar, así pensaba debo hacer lo que tengo que hacer y disfrutarlo,” Daniel dijo.

Después del entrenamiento, los aprendices reciben un apartamento en Tel Aviv por el resto de su año. Aunque el tiempo es para relajarse y explorar, los participantes tienen la opción de ganar una visa de trabajo. Daniel planea encargarse y trabajar en una heladería para mantenerse ocupado.

No obstante, a causa del coronavirus, sus planes han sido afectados un poco.

“El año libre usualmente empieza con un viaje por un mes a través de Europa, y ya había reservado todo, pero ahora todo está cerrado,” Daniel dijo.

Así, él y sus amigos han decidido esperar hasta el verano siguiente para una experiencia más completa. La buena noticia es que la parte principal de su año libre, su tiempo en Israel, no será cancelado hasta ahora.

Porque el programa empieza el 3 de agosto, los coordinadores piensan está demasiado lejos para hacer una decisión, según Daniel. En cualquier caso del estatus del coronavirus, él todavía piensa que el programa continuará porque hay mucha gente contando con el viaje. Piensa es posible que él y sus amigos estarán puestos en cuarentena por las primeras dos semanas de kibutz para cumplir con precauciones.

Después de su tiempo en Israel, Daniel planea volver a California para asistir a una universidad, pero prefiere la idea de transferir de un colegio comunitario. Todavía no está seguro cual, pero le interesan Santa Barbara City College y Cuesta College en San Luis Obispo.

nfuches@redwoodbark.org

Opinión: cortar clases no marca el fin del desarrollo Artículo y Ilustraciones por Camille Ray Con nuevos recortes presupuestarios al Distrito Escolar de la Unión de Tamalpais, Redwood está obligado a reevaluar clases anualmente y cortar las clases que no cumplen con la proporción mínima de un profesor para 32 alumnos.

Las clases que no logran este requisito no serán ofrecidas hasta el próximo año. Con 15 solicitudes de AP Español Literatura y Cultura y nueve solicitudes de Español 9/10, según el director David Sondheim, ambas clases estaban muy por debajo de la proporción necesaria y fueron cortadas.

Para las personas que habían planeado a tomar estos cursos, ahora no tienen una oportunidad de seguir estudiando el español después de o en vez de tomar AP Español Lengua y Cultura.

Parar de aprender un idioma durante un año tiene efectos dañinos en el aprendizaje. Cuando los estudiantes no practican la lengua de una manera rutinaria, es difícil alcanzar al mismo nivel de competencia que tenían antes. Al igual que el ejercicio o los instrumentos musicales, se recomienda practicar regularmente los idiomas en incrementos cortos en vez de hacerlo esporádicamente. Beverly Baker, una profesora asociada y directora de la evaluación de idiomas en la Universidad de Ottawa, dice que sin un horario organizado, el cerebro no puede realizar

procesos cognitivos profundos, como hacer conexiones entre conocimientos nuevos y ancianos. Aprender en ráfagas cortas cada día hace dos cosas: primero, crea hábitos y mantiene el lenguaje fresco en la mente. Según un estudio de investigación de 2009 realizado por la estudiante universitaria Phillippa Lally en el College of London, se tarda 66 días en promedio para formar un hábito.

Sin repetición regular, es imposible para el cerebro desarrollar una respuesta automática a ciertas cosas. Teniendo eso en cuenta, saltarse un año entero de desarrollo del lenguaje reduciría significativamente las posibilidades de aprender el idioma, según Baker.

Sin embargo, sabiendo que no hay una posibilidad de que estas clases serán ofrecidas para el año escolar 2020-2021, los estudiantes deben ser conscientes de las alternativas para continuar a desarrollar sus habilidades. Para continuar a incorporar el español en la vida diaria, ser un tutor para el programa de English Language Development (ELD) es una buena alternativa. Ya que la clase está destinada a ayudar con su inglés a estudiantes de origen extranjeros entre los que se encuentran los hablantes nativos de español , los estudiantes traducen tareas, instrucciones y sitios web al español para un entendimiento mejor.

Como profesora de ELD, Debbie McCrea ha podido ver a sus estudiantes desarrollar sus habilidades de inglés gracias a la ayuda de

tutores dedicados. A través de una variedad de demostraciones, juegos y explicaciones, los estudiantes son capaces de ir a sus clases con la seguridad de que tienen las herramientas para ser exitosos. “[ELD] sería una buena alternativa... los tutores se toman el tiempo para explicar las tareas y pueden tener conversaciones con estudiantes de habla hispana que están aprendiendo inglés. Ya sea en español o inglés hay mucha comunicación y aprendizaje en ambos lados,” McCrea dijo.

Otra alternativa barata y fácil incluye descargar aplicaciones de desarrollo de idiomas que los alumnos pueden usar para practicar a su propio ritmo. Aplicaciones como Memrise, Duolingo y Babbel ofrecen programas de bajo costo destinados a cultivar habilidades de habla, escritura, lectura y comprensión. Aunque hay una controversia persistente con respecto a la eficacia de estas aplicaciones, Shawn Loewen, director del programa de Estudios de Segundo Idioma de

la Michigan State University dice que son más eficaces como práctica adicional junto con los cursos de idiomas. Cuando se usan frecuentemente, sirven bien para refrescar los conocimientos, según un estudio de investigación realizado por Loewen.

Junto con las aplicaciones de idiomas, College of Marin ofrece una variedad de clases a costos asequibles. La escuela ofrece dos clases de español para hablantes de nivel avanzado, que se toman un semestre a la vez. Si los estudiantes están buscando un curso de otoño (22/8 - 11/12), se ofrece la Cultura Española a través del Cine, y la Cultura Hispana/Latina a través del Cine. La clase de Cultura Española utiliza el cine para introducir temas socioculturales relevantes en el mundo de habla hispana, en tanto que ofrece a los estudiantes la oportunidad de desarrollar sus habilidades de hablar. La clase es semanal los jueves de 6:10-9:00 P.M. Aunque cortar los cursos de AP Lengua y Literatura el próximo año es desafortunado, sería buena idea considerar los recursos mencionados antes de renunciar al idioma. cray@redwoodbark.org

Feature

Page 10

Unpacking the realities of Greek life and what to expect

By Camille Ray and Emma Carpenter Built on the concepts of brotherhood and sisterhood, fraternities and sororities continue to be a popular form of student community on college campuses across the United States. Each year, roughly 750,000 undergraduate students in 12,000 chapters on more than 800 campuses in the U.S. and Canada pledge themselves to either a sorority or fraternity, according to the Center for Study of the College Fraternity.

Immediately being incorporated into an active social circle on campus allows new students to discover the different opportunities their university or college has to offer. By joining a Greek organization, students are exposed to a network of collegiate members and alumni that can help undergraduates successfully ease into college life. As the new school year approaches, incoming students will have the opportunity to determine if Greek life is right for them.

Rush Before being admitted into a fraternity or sorority, students interested in Greek life undergo a thorough recruitment process known as rush week. Although rush can differ between campuses, they all involve getting to know each house through a series of events.

For sororities, the recruitment process typically consists of four rounds: open house, house tours, skit/ philanthropy and preference. After each round, potential new recruits choose their favorite sororities while the houses simultaneously choose participants they would like to see again. If the choices of both the sorority and potential new recruit match, they are invited back for the next event.

Going into Texas Christian University (TCU) two years ago, Redwood alumna Violet Loo knew she would be rushing for some type of sorority. Before she could join her eventual sisters at Delta Gamma (ΔΓ), Violet underwent a series of stressful rounds and events to ensure she was making the right choice.

“Recruitment is all kinds of crazy. All the doors open to the sorority houses and girls are screaming. You go in and talk to girls each round, but it’s super rushed and exhausting,” Violet said. “Last year, being on the other side too was also a little bit achy at points because it can be so superficial and totally based on one conversation, which is a lot of pressure for new girls coming in.”

Similar to the sorority rush process, prospective candidates interested in fraternities become acquainted with the brothers of each house and vice versa to determine compatibility. However, unlike sororities, each fraternity typically hosts informal events, such as football games, barbecues or parties to meet as many recruits as possible. After the process, the houses give out bids to the desired undergraduates.

Build a network College can be a daunting concept for any incoming freshmen. For many, Greek life provides a refuge for lost students seeking a group who share common interests.

After graduating from the University of Michigan this past spring, Redwood alumna Kendra Loo says her time as a Kappa K a p p a Gamma (ΚΚΓ) not only greatly expanded her social opportunities in college, but also exposed her to different professional groups through her sisters’ contacts.

“Being in a sorority definitely helps make friends right off the bat,” Kendra said. “When you meet [people through a sorority,] they can give you resources and help you if you have academic

questions or are wondering if you should take a certain class. Also a lot of times they’ll be in different clubs and organizations that you want to be a part of so you already have your foot in the door in those places.”

Not only do sororities and fraternities foster skills applicable to many jobs, they can also connect job seekers to future employers and business opportunities.

University of Texas at Austin (UT) graduate Mike Doyle has firsthand experience of the benefits of the fraternity community in the workplace.

“I still see a lot of my fraternity brothers to this day.

Even in one of the investment law firms my brother-inlaw and I operate, we named it Sig Brothers [which was] inspired by my fraternity at UT, Kappa Sigma (ΚΣ). It’s a big community that has stayed with me well beyond my time at UT and offered me so many opportunities,” Doyle said.

Alcohol abuse and sexual assault Being in fraternities or sororities can also result in accidents, many of which can be extremely dangerous.

Every year for the past two decades, at least one young man has died in association with fraternity hazing, according to Hazing Deaths Database by author and Purdue Journalist Hank Nuwer. From alcohol poisoning to physical injuries, many lives have been lost as a result of fraternity traditions.

Despite these incidents, rush continues, pledge classes still perform outrageous ploys and Greek initiations carry on.

For the mother of a Redwood alumna and a University of Southern California (USC) graduate Alexis Robbins, her time as a Kappa Alpha Theta (ΚΑΘ) member was anything but dangerous. Attending formal parties alongside her sisters, supporting charities with elaborately planned events and living in a house with 30 other girls filled Alexis’s time.

However, for her husband Chris Robbins, pledge life in a fraternity included a series of embarrassing tasks aimed at proving his commitment to the group.

“As a girl, we were never hazed, but Chris went to Trinity College in Connecticut and for initiation they blindfolded him and drove him to New York.

They dropped him off on the side of the road with no money and told him to find a way home. If he hadn’t figured out a way to get back they would’ve dropped him,”

Illustrations by Camille Ray

Alexis said.

Along with different forms of hazing, drinking is a common aspect of college, especially in Greek organizations. Entering an environment with fewer restrictions than life at home often leads to alcohol abuse in young college students.

For Doyle, the rush process and subsequent time in a fraternity required consuming hundreds of alcoholic beverages by the time he graduated. As an inexperienced young adult among similarly inexperienced peers, risktaking and recklessness could have led to serious harm.

“The scariest part [of binge-drinking] is that you don’t know how to drink at that age and you could do something really stupid. I think the biggest part is figuring out how to drink since you have so much access to alcohol,” Doyle said.

Along with alcohol abuse at sorority and fraternity parties, sexual assault has also persisted throughout the years. According to a 2019 Association of American Universities survey of over 150,000 students at 27 universities on sexual assault and misconduct, 13 percent reported some sort of nonconsensual sexual act. Statistics provided by the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network also indicate that female college students between 18-24 remain three times more likely to experience sexual violence than men.

As an incoming freshman next year, senior Lucy Berry, who will be attending Texas Christian University (TCU), is excited to be a part of the Greek system, but realizes she may also be at risk of sexual assault.

“I’m definitely wary [of sexual assault] because I’m a very trusting person and I try to see the best in people, but sometimes that can blind me from [seeing] red flags. Also, being a woman, sexual assault is something that’s on my mind a lot. I know my campus is pretty liberal and proactive so my hope is that they take measures to protect us, but it’s definitely frustrating that the price of being a woman in a sorority, or any situation, means being at risk for assault,” Berry said.

Fees Before joining any Greek organization, a series of application fees and dues are required as well. Depending on the college or university, fees usually range from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars per semester. For Doyle, joining a fraternity in the late 1990s looked extremely different than applying now, considering housing and extracurricular fees are much higher than before.

“It’s gotten much more expensive [to join a sorority or fraternity]. There’s a lot being done within the Greek system to prevent accidents and to shift liabilities, so now, they rarely ever have any parties at the house. Also, they aren’t allowed to bring kegs in anymore. All of the beer has to be in cans now, so what used to be a couple of $50 kegs is now a couple hundred dollar investment for the night.

It all adds up pretty fast,” Doyle said.

For Berry, despite her desire to join a sorority, fees and other expenses will set her back financially.

“I’ll be paying [sorority fees] on my own and it’s upwards of $1,000 a year. I’m definitely anxious about being surrounded by a bunch of wealthy girls because I am not as affluent. I’ll also be working a lot during the school year to pay for college so if I get into a sorority, I may not have time for other extracurriculars,” Berry said. bark@redwoodbark.org

Page 11 • Feature

www.redwoodbark.org

Make sure to minor in your mental health

By Maddie Loebbaka Leaving for college can be one of the most challenging transitions many teenagers will experience.

In a period where so much around them is changing— where they live, eat and socialize—it is perfectly understandable to be dealing with mental health issues.

According to College Atlas, 30 percent of college freshmen choose to drop out after their first year of college. While this might seem like a staggering statistic, especially for seniors who are about to move out of their house, the mental health aspect of what causes students to drop out can be addressed if given the proper attention.

Jeff Leiken, founder of Evolution Mentoring and a life coach for many students in Marin, believes that there are a few main reasons that the first year of college can be so difficult.

“The first thing is that a lot of high school students, especially Redwood students, have no idea how m u c h they’ve b e e n coddled academically. They think it was really hard and challenging,” Leiken said. “What they don’t realize is having teachers who will email your parents or email you, give you extra time, let you know that you’re behind or give you a heads up. That is a real privilege, and it does not happen in college.”

The academic rigor of college is vastly different from that of high school, and while college students may spend less time in the classroom, studying can take up more free time. Another big part of college is deciding on a major or figuring out if the major you have chosen is the right one for you. Having doubts about the right fit or feeling pressure to choose a certain major can generate a lot of stress, and more students struggle with this decision than one might think. One third of college students change their major in their freshman year, according to Inside Higher Ed.

Redwood alumnus Sophia Lindsay, a current college freshman, began school at American University last fall with a major in international relations.

“I originally went to study international relations, but I pretty quickly realized that that might not have been the thing for me, as I’m sure a lot of people are anxious about. I’m trying to figure out whether I want to do what I think I want to do and if that’s going to continue into college,” Lindsay said.

Lindsay soon decided that she no longer wanted to pursue a major focused in politics and began trying out other types of classes to see what piqued her interest. The process of finding the right major for her was not easy and created a lot of doubt and anxiety, which clouded her first semester at American. However, Lindsay was still able to meet new friends and found that she became happier when she took classes she was interested in.

“When you find the right class, you become happy in it, you really just enjoy it a lot.

When I was in my computer science class—it was the first

one I’d ever taken because I didn’t take it at Redwood—it was really fun [going] to class every day,” Lindsay said.

Lindsay chose to transfer for her sophomore year and is currently waiting to hear back from schools.

She will major in computer science and economics.

In addition to the academic pressures of college, learning how to live independently poses a daunting challenge. Redwood alumnus Meera Srivnisan attended University of Washington for the first semester and faced many health obstacles that made the beginning of her college experience difficult.

“Everyone told me, ‘You’re gonna get sick freshman year.’ You just don’t realize how much it sucks to not have your mom there. You have to go out to CVS and get your own medicine and everything; that aspect of moving and that whole transition was definitely hard,” Srivnisan said.

Being around so many people constantly makes it almost impossible to avoid getting sick, and while many college freshmen get sick at some point in their first year, Srivnisan’s case was especially serious. She was born deaf in one ear, and in her first semester of college, she developed an ear infection that caused her to lose hearing in her working ear, rendering her completely deaf for over a month.

“I didn’t really know how to navigate the disability services,” Srivnisan said. “Especially in a big school, it’s so overwhelming to deal with; you have to contact your counselor and when you’re a freshman, you don’t really know [who] your counselor is. It’s a lot of bureaucracy that you don’t expect.”

Finding healthcare services on or near campus is important, and in order to avoid dealing with the difficult situation of finding a provider when you are already sick, locating facilities that a r e compatible with your h e a l t h insurance or can be accessed through y o u r Illustration by Audrey Hettleman university before arriving school is an option.

In an already busy time, dealing with mounting health problems wasn’t easy for Srivnisan and made it harder for her to enjoy her time with friends and sorority sisters.

“I had a lot of mental turmoil my freshman year, because when your health is not doing well it’s really hard to focus on anything else,” Srivnisan said.

While there are many obstacles to face as a college freshman, there are also opportunities to experience new things and meet new people. Lindsay was able to create gardens across her campus, and Srivnisan was able to create meaningful friendships. Change is a part of life, and while it might be difficult, it is almost always p o s i t i v e . mloebbaka@redwoodbark.org

Staying healthy during the shelter-in-place order

By Sofi Mincy An increase in technology use can negatively impact the body. Advice from

pediatrician Dr. Nelson Branco and fouryear optometry student Bethany Zhang explains how to maintain strong mental health. Learn more about technology

and health during the pandemic by using the QR code to read Sofi Mincy’s article. smincy@redwoodbark.org

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Indiana Indiana University Bloomington Alex Johnson Bliss Stengle Matteus Sunshine Manchester University Jorge Adrian De Leon Notre Dame University Samuel Abbott Purdue University Leo Bucklar Italy Polimoda International Institute of Design and Marketing Sofia Darcoli-Serra Louisiana Louisiana State University Austin Lamar Cole Panzardi

University Celeste Wicks Massachusetts Institute of Technology Eva Oppenheim Tufts University Jacob Blum Northeastern University Camille Dupuy Sophia Roesler Sydney Steinberg Quincy Webster Williams College Charles Tantum Michigan University of Michigan Ryan Carlson Zachary Fahlsing-Cappelletti Jack Finnegan Andres Martinez Maximilian Ross Minnesota Carleton College Jackson Walker Mississippi University of Mississippi Henry Minturn

North Carolina Duke University Lauren Steele Abigail Strausbaugh Hjelmstad Elon University Sydney Rose University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Taylor Charles Wake Forest University Delaney Anderson Olivia Fee Ohio The Ohio State University Alexandra Polidora Oregon Central Oregon Community College Chiara Stephens Oregon State University Ryan Fairchild Reed College Owen Ross University of Oregon Kaya Bindels Avery Bunch Daniel Fassler Kaden Gibbs Conner Grams Nathaniel McKinley Jordan Price Alix Salzer Noah Sary Aya Shadan Maximo Tribuzio

Pennsylvania Drexel University Quentin Carrel Lehigh University Lyla Perrelli Pennsylvania State University Holden Cooper Swarthmore College Jordan Perry University of Pennsylvania Drake Goodman Villanova University Matthew Millard Scotland University of Edinburgh Isabella Roesler University of St. Andrews Sophia Lanciault Chloe Roesler South Carolina Clemson University Mikayla Cook Switzerland Franklin University Eric Maier Tennessee Vanderbilt University Justin Langs Texas Texas Christian University Jack Benbow Lucy Berry Utah University of Utah Thor Folsom Ashok Srinivasan Vermont Middlebury College Charles Moore University of Vermont Ava Shulman Virginia University of Virginia Aaron Kim Robert Lester Washington Gonzaga University Benjamin Malek Seattle University Liliana Shields University of Washington Jonah Glasser Lauren Hvistendahl Skylar Strotz Graham Tewksbury Luca Unkovic Washington State University Zach Bjursten Whitman College Emma Wait Washington, D.C. George Washington University Elizabeth Hylton Madeleine Loebbaka Wisconsin Lawrence University Lola Torresi University of Wisconsin, Madison Lindsay Dubin Jack Loebbaka Cambry Weingart

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June 5, 2020

Senior staff stories Senior staff stories are extensive features written over the course of a semester. Each writer dedicates themself to an individually written story about a complex issue and investigates and discusses the matter in an unbiased fashion. The following samples are blurbs that introduce each piece. Read more by scanning the QR code or heading to www.redwoodbark.org.

By Sarah Young Ever wondered why professional tutors are so popular for Redwood students, even though in some cases the tutors in Marin charge more than five times the average California price? According to physics teacher David Nash, this high price can cause differences in student’s learning, and negatively affect those who cannot afford it.

“I think if you have two students with similar capabilities and motivations but a different financial backing and one gets tutoring and the other does not, you don’t end up with the same results,” Nash said.

But according to Honors Biomed teacher and current Peer Tutor teacher Skip Lovelady, the free Redwood Peer Tutoring Program is just as beneficial, and without the cost.

“I’m the first one to admit, in many cases, more than most people would think, peer tutoring is better [than professional tutoring],” Lovelady stated.

So why aren’t more students using this free service?

Read more about the experiences of s tudents ’, parents’, tutors’ and teachers’ with professional and peer tutoring on the Redwood Bark’s website. syoung@redwoodbark.org

By Sydney Steinberg When Jane (whose name has been changed for anonymity) was a freshman, a rumor spread around multiple Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) schools that she was involved in a threesome with a male student and another female student. When Jane was a sophomore, a boy in her grade tried to kiss her multiple times at a social gathering, and she felt the need to resort to physical methods to defend herself. Last year, a male friend masturbated while giving Jane what she thought to be a casual shoulder massage. Although these experiences have caused strained relationships, uncomfortable encounters and emotional stress, Jane has never considered reporting the incidents to a school official.

According to TUHSD principals David Sondheim, Liz Seabury and JC Farr, reports of sexual misconduct are responded to on a “case-by-case” basis. What does this mean, how does it affect victims and how does TUHSD fit into a national issue?

Read more about TUHSD’s sexual misconduct policies, prevention efforts and student perspective on the Redwood Bark’s website. ssteinberg@redwoodbark.org

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MUSIC

LAST 4 YEARS

MOVIES

The iconic albums of each high school year

By Aaron Kim

Photo courtesy of Boy’s Don’t Cry

Photo courtesy of RCA Records

Freshman Year - “Blonde” With songs ranging from R&B to psychedelic pop, Frank Ocean’s “Blonde” is an incredibly diverse album that captivated and continues to enthrall listeners, many of whom are Redwood students. Aside from the fact that “Blonde” was one of the most popular albums of 2016 and revered among students, it also holds meaning when compared to our freshman year. “Nights” speaks to exciting times and “Ivy” talks about stepping into the next stage in life, both of which relate to the beginning of our high school experiences. Simply put, the album draws from wistful and exhilarating tones which is representative of both the past and the opportunities in the near future.

Sophomore Year - “American Teen” Emerging from our freshman shells and finally feeling somewhat comfortable, sophomore year marked the beginning of our exploration. “American Teen,” a studio album by Khalid, perfectly encompasses this growth with its nostalgic, uplifting tone. Songs such as “Coaster,” “Winter” and “Another Sad Love Song” reveal the emotional aspects that come with diving head first into the world of AP classes, college preparation and building a strong resume. However, “Young Dumb & Broke,” “8TEEN” and title track “American Teen” could not represent the great times any better. The songs speak of carelessness, wild nights and mistakes, all of which begin to emerge as sophomore year starts.

Photo courtesy of Epic Records

Photo courtesy of Atlantic Records

Junior Year - “ASTROWORLD” “ASTROWORLD,” by Travis Scott, is frankly a crazy, somewhat strange collection of music that has a variety of tones, paces and beats. Aside from the fact that it was played religiously by students that year, the album’s discombobulation perfectly parallels the rollercoaster year that junior year was. With even more APs, standardized testing and historic fires only a few miles north, junior year was a mess.

To cope with this mayhem, we created even more mayhem on the weekends. Bonfires at Ocean Beach, late nights at In-N-Out and Bo Ridge cruises were extremely popular and served as mental breaks from the emotional turmoil we all experienced.

Chances are that “ASTROWORLD” was playing frequently in these moments.

Senior Year - “So Much Fun” Our senior year was beginning to be “So Much Fun,” yet COVID-19 put an end to the few months all seniors had been patiently waiting for. Rather than focusing on all that we lost, it is notable to remember all we were able to do throughout our senior year: get into college, create lasting memories with our friends and park in the iconic senior row. To capture the great times, Young Thug’s studio-album “So Much Fun” is the perfect collection of songs to reminisce. “Hot (feat. Gunna)” keeps the mood alive and allows listeners to relive those crazy moments. On the other hand, “The London (feat. J. Cole & Travis Scott)” and “Boy Back (feat. NAV)” adopt mellow tones, reconnecting us to our more heartfelt moments. akim@redwoodbark.org

Best places to eat out each year for the class of 2020

By Alex Johnson Freshman year: Lucky Market As the bell dismissed the new freshman class from fourth period into their first ever lunch period, the new arrivals finally had the privilege of going off campus for lunch. However, during a time when no one had a license, the most popular option was to find some friends and make the trek over to Lucky Market. Fresh out of middle school, many freshmen still had packed lunches from home each day but wanted to exercise their right to venture away from school grounds. For these students, Lucky was the perfect spot to get a tasty beverage to wash down their lunch or maybe something sweet to accompany it. Others walked into Lucky on an empty stomach and purchased their entire meal inside. Regardless of how you treated Lucky, it was an unforgettable part of our early high school experience.

Photo by Alex Johnson

LUCKY MARKET IS an always popular place for underclassman as it is within walking distance.

Sophomore year: Stefano’s Sophomore year rolled around and, while many students started to get their licenses, they were unwelcome in the parking lot. So, with limited off-campus spots available, sophomores going out to lunch had to be quick if they wanted to return back to an open spot. This made Stefano’s the perfect option for many underclassmen.

Additionally, not many sophomores at the time had jobs and a steady payroll, meaning that they needed something cheap, but also filling enough to get through their afternoon periods. The perfect solution to this dilemma was Stefano’s Pizza: close and inexpensive. Taking the back roads would get them there in five to seven minutes and students could choose between two slices of cheese pizza and a small fountain drink for $5.00 or two slices of sausage, pepperoni or Hawaiian pizza and the same beverage for $5.50. To make things even better, they were allowed to take as many mini to-go cups filled with ranch as they wanted. Just being introduced to the art of driving off campus for lunch, Stefano’s was the perfect place for hungry sophomores.

Junior year: World Wrapps Before assigned parking arrived and off-campus lunch was taken away around Thanksgiving time, the junior class had about two months to enjoy driving to lunch. With much more parking spot security in the front and back lots, they were able to venture a little further than Stefano’s to the great Town Center, home to World Wrapps. World Wrapps offered a wide array of wraps and bowls with various types of rice, protein and vegetables. They even offered vegetarian and vegan options, but for many the main attraction was the beverages. Many people enjoyed a nice and refreshing boba with their wrap or bowl, but World Wrapps also offered plenty of other exotic drinks.

The most popular boba flavors include Jasmine Milk Tea, Mango Juice Tea and Dragon Fruit. Because the food was not pre-made, some students outsmarted the others and called in on their way over so their meals would be ready to pick up and then eat upon arrival. Others were stuck with waiting in line, and on a busy lunch day, those who made it there last might have been tardy to their next period. However, a wrap and a boba made the angry looks from teachers well worth it.

Senior year: a parked car on campus Due to the new parking regulations set in place the year before, the class of 2020 was forced to eat on campus their entire senior year. As it was not socially acceptable to walk to Lucky’s or Andy’s Market as a big senior, some returned to the CEA for a meal. However, the majority of seniors went back to their middle school roots and brought a packed lunch to school every day. Most seniors would find a couple friends, pile into a car and blast some tunes while they enjoyed their meal. By far the most popular packed lunch item amongst this class was the classic sandwich, but students brought all different types of meals. Some brought foods that reflected their culture, some brought leftovers from last night’s dinner and some brought boxed up items from local restaurants. Being able to bring a tasty packed lunch was not a difficult task, but this class was forced to give up some important aspects of a meal by eating a packed lunch. First, it was extremely hard to find food that would stay completely fresh in a backpack or car all day, and second, there was no way to purchase a tasty, refreshing beverage. Despite the disappointment of no offcampus lunch for almost half of our time at Redwood, the class of 2020 got to eat some delicious food during our time as Giants.

Photo courtesy of World Wrapps

CROWDED ON A sunny day, World Wrapps, located in Town Center, serves the always popular boba tea along with its wraps. ajohnson@redwoodbark.org

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June 5, 2020

Wacky scholarships might save thousands

By Jacob Mandel Not every student is tremendously gifted, athletically or academically. We don’t all have an incredible knack for community service. Aside from grants based on financial aid, receiving a substantial merit or athletic-based scholarship can be quite difficult. But fear not. For all those quirky, eccentric and wacky high school and college students, there were numerous grants offered in this past year that require nothing more than a creative spirit and an imaginative personality. Here are nine extremely unique scholarship opportunities that could end up saving you (or your parents) some serious cash.

1. Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck at Prom Contest Calling all artists with 20 rolls of duct tape and 50 hours to kill! Arguably the most famous scholarship contest in America, the Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck at Prom Contest has challenged prom-goers to construct a tuxedo or dress made entirely out of duct tape since 2001.

And don’t worry—prom may be cancelled, but the contest isn’t! The grand prize is $10,000 for the winning tuxedo and dress, with the eight runner ups each receiving $500.

Pictures of your dress or tuxedo must be submitted by July 21, 2020

2. UNIGO Flavor of the Month Scholarship (UNIGO is a college research and scholarship directory foundation that offers thousands of scholarships for high school and college students.)

Ice cream and gelato lovers alike, the UNIGO Flavor of the Month Scholarship requires applicants to submit a 250 word response, explaining as intricately as possible what ice cream flavor they resonate most with and why. After a judging panel grades the applications based on a 100 point system—considering writing ability, creativity, originality and overall excellence—one winner will receive $1,500

by Nov. 1. Entries are due by July 31, 2020.

3. STARFLEET Scholarships Interested in the sophisticated and magical world of Star Trek? Have you been a STARFLEET member since at least June of 2019? Then you just may “live long and prosper” with an extra $1,000 in your pocket after winning the STARFLEET Scholarship. Applications which require a two page essay, resume, three letters of recommendations, an official copy of your latest transcript and your school acceptance letter - are due June 15.

4. Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest Applicants for the Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest are just like any other student 13 years or older, except they practice duck calling everyday.

If interested in displaying your duck-calling artistry, grab a plane ticket and head on down to Stuttgart, Arkansas on Nov. 23 to perform in front of a panel of qualified judges.

The best quacker gets a whopping $4,250!

5. Eileen J. Garrett Scholarship Named after the legendary parapsychologist (the study of psychic phenomena) and medium Eileen J. Garrett, this grant offers $2,000 to the hottest up and coming parapsychologist. If you’ve had a near-death experience and can now talk to the dead, submit a writing sample and three letters of recommendation by July 1, detailing your paranormal abilities.

6. Make Me Laugh Scholarship In 250 words or less, entries for the Make Me Laugh Scholarship must do two things: describe a funny or embarrassing incident in your life, and more importantly, make the judges laugh. Aug. 31 will be a happy day for one comedian, when UNIGO will notify the applicant, whose entry made them roll over in laughter, that they won $1,500. Applications are due by Nov. 30.

Photo courtesy of Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest

TAKING 20 ROLLS and 50 hours to make, this elegant and refined tuxedo made by Cameron Castles was the $10,000 grand prize winner for the Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck at Prom Contest in 2019.

jmandel@redwoodbark.org

Illustration by Maria Alexander

Welcoming new chapters with old tunes

By Maria Alexander and Sofi Mincy As the sun sets on the 2019-2020 school year, students celebrate a new chapter of their lives from home with family. Here is a playlist of old songs inspired by some of your parents’ classic favorites when they were transitioning to college.

Reminiscing about Bolinas Ridge Sunsets “Waterloo Sunset” by The Kinks “Ripple” by the Grateful Dead “Summer Breeze” by Seals and Crofts “Take It Easy” by the Eagles “Life in the Fast Lane” by the Eagles “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers “Out on the Weekend” by Neil Young “Sister Golden Hair” by America “California Dreamin’” by The Mamas and the Papas “Maggie May” by Rod Stewart “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” by The Beatles “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac Remembering the Past Four Years “Changes” by David Bowie “My Old School” by Steely Dan “Ooh La La” by Faces “Going to California” by Led Zeppelin “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver “Never Going Back Again” by Fleetwood Mac “A Hard Day’s Night” by The Beatles “Touch of Grey” by the Grateful Dead “We Are the Champions” by Queen “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys “California Revisited” by America bark@redwoodbark.org

Stay safe and protect others with these fashionable masks

By Sarah Young Face coverings and masks have become required for entrance to and operation of all open businesses in California, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone to wear them. As a response, many companies, such as Disney, the National Football League and the National Basketball Association, and online retailers like Etsy and Amazon have jumped on the bandwagon and begun making masks. The increased demand for reusable masks has made it profitable for companies to produce them, but most are also donating a portion of the proceeds to charities or health workers on the frontlines of this pandemic. With so many options out there, three different masks are reviewed based on comfort, quality, style and the company’s ethics to simplify your search for the perfect facial covering.

Waterlust reusable masks: 5/5 stars Waterlust is already known for creating products that give back to the environment and improve the ocean’s health, and they have not strayed from those ethics while producing masks. The masks are extremely comfortable and fit well on faces of any size, as their ability to fold and expand allows the wearer to adjust their dimensions. The company also advertises that they are made with extra material from other projects, furthering their

commitment to helping the environment even during a pandemic. The masks are only $3 each, which they list as their manufacturing cost, so they are affordable to anyone who needs one. Waterlust masks definitely have the most unique patterns and cater more towards people who like a colorful print. These masks are also double layered and feel the most sturdy out of the three reviewed.

Due to the distinctive prints, comfortable double layered protection, cheap price point and the company’s commitment to the environment, these masks are an excellent option for you to purchase.

Custom Ink basic cloth masks: 4/5 stars Custom Ink is known for its customizable apparel; from shirts and hoodies to sweatpants and hats, they have it all, and masks are no exception! The basic black cloth face masks, which are made with the same material and in the same style as the customizable version.

These were about $2 each, but the quality was lacking because they are only single panel reinforced and can only be purchased in bulk. The lowest quantity available for purchase is 12 masks, which comes out to about $25 total. They were advertised as soft and breathable, and they were the thinnest of the three masks, which made me concerned about their effectiveness.

There are also options for triple-layered masks, which would probably offer better protection but come at a higher price (about $3 each). In terms of style, the customizable feature is unique but could easily rack up the price. There is also no information on where the profits are going, other than that purchasing their masks will help “preserve medical-grade gear for healthcare professionals.”

All in all, Custom Ink masks deserve a 4/5 because, while comfortable and at the cheapest price point of the three, the basic option didn’t feel very effective.

Woodland’s Market reusable masks: 3/5 stars Woodland’s Market has also started selling basic masks, which are limited to one mask per customer and look like typical medical grade cloth masks. They are complete with stretchy elastic and plenty of material to fit any face. At $4 apiece, they are a bit overpriced for their average quality. Upon researching the same masks online, I found that they sell for less than a dollar in bulk on Amazon, but they also do not give a company name or producer, meaning they could be manufactured in factories outside of the United States. In terms of company ethics and where the money is going, these masks get a lower rating than the other two brands, because it was the only brand I reviewed that didn’t say where they were made or where profits

were going. The comfort is definitely there, but in terms of style these masks also get a low rating.

These masks deserve a 3/5 rating because, although they are comfortable and get the job done, they are overpriced when bought at Woodland’s despite having no outstanding qualities.

Photo by Sarah Young

WATERLUST’S COLORFUL AND vibrant designs attract the eye.

syoung@redwoodbark.org

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Coming of angst: the best teen movies

By Greta Cifarelli There is something about an exceptional coming of age movie that can create a sentiment of both intense nostalgia and a subtle reminder to grow up. The recipe? A confused main character with a witty sidekick who makes a few questionable life choices before discovering what is really important in life, right before they dive into the real world of adolescence and responsibility. Because the end of the school year is the perfect time to reminisce about high school memories, here are my top five teen movies for your viewing.

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” Troublemaker Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) fakes an illness to his parents and enlists his girlfriend, Sloane (Mia Sara) and apprehensive best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) to embark on a wild “ditch day” throughout Chicago. With a principal skeptical of Ferris’s recurring truancy and parents oblivious to their son’s shenanigans, the trio must escape from various close-calls, ranging from dining at the same restaurant that Ferris’s father is eating at to impersonating Sloane’s father on a phone call with

their principal.

The chaos they find themselves in can be quite unrealistic at times, but this just adds to the hilarity of the situations. Although recreating the movie in real life would be unattainable, a fun exploration of the city may be enough to feel like you are living a Ferris Bueller lifestyle.

This film shines a positive light on the last hoorah before kids realize they must mature, with the underlying themes of Cameron’s battle with mental health showing that sometimes you just need a day off.

“Pretty in Pink” Starring Molly Ringwald, the 80s “it” girl of coming of age movies, protagonist Andie struggles to fit into the social hierarchy of high school; her out-of-work father, the popular boy who takes an interest in her and her eccentric friend Duckie, who is also in love with her. The love triangle gets more complicated as prom approaches, and Andie wonders if living the life of the popular boy’s girlfriend is all it is cracked up to be.

Though the 1986 film is nearing its 35-year anniversary, the old-school charisma remains relevant. Andie’s outlook on life is quite different from her peers: she is the only one employed in her family and spends most of her time hanging out with her boss who is in her mid-20s. Although she may not celebrate her high school years like typical teenagers, “Pretty in Pink” shows that there are a variety of ways to enjoy adolescence.

“American Pie” This raunchy comedy follows five friends determined to lose their virginities before they graduate high school.

As the clock ticks until they put on their cap and gown, each boy’s story blossoms into a lesson about trust, love and friendship.

The humor is definitely suggestive enough to earn its R-rated label, but I believe this only adds to its appeal.

By portraying such an important topic in a comedic light, teens are able to learn from the film, in ways sex education could never have taught them.

“The Edge of Seventeen” Best friends Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) and Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) have spent the better part of their lives by each other’s sides. That is, until Nadine discovers Krista in her older brother’s bed. Distraught by the betrayal of her only friend, she seeks companionship in her teacher, as well as a boy that has been crushing on her from afar.

“The Edge of Seventeen” uncovers the ugly truth about loss and mental health issues, showing the hardships adolescents experience as they try to find themselves.

Photo courtesy of STX Movies Composer Hans Zimmer accompanies the film’s stellar HILARITY ENSUES AS Ferris Bueller (Matthew cinematography with a beautiful soundtrack that highlights Broderick) takes his friends on a dream ditch day. the highs and lows of Nadine’s junior year.

Photo courtesy of Disney Studios

“LEMONADE MOUTH” FOLLOWS five kids on their pursuit of fame after starting a band in detention.

“Lemonade Mouth” This Disney Channel original movie that millions of teenagers grew up with teaches valuable lessons about togetherness and friendship. A group of kids from all backgrounds meet in detention, a nod to “The Breakfast Club,” and decide to start a band. As their music takes off, they deal with personal issues, taking comfort in each other’s company and finding love where they least expect it.

Although the film could be considered campy and immature, Disney tackles a variety of coming of age struggles in a sneaky fashion. As we learn that each character has problems at home ranging from an incarcerated father to a poor relationship with a stepmom, “Lemonade Mouth” conveys that everyone is going through something. These scenes are worked in seamlessly while still considering the young audience and keeping it light. Additionally, the soundtrack is phenomenal; to be honest, I listen to “Determinate” on repeat. Thanks to “Lemonade Mouth,” children are able to understand coming of age without seeing the mature content of other films. gcifarelli@redwoodbark.org

‘Too Hot to Handle:’ hot or not?

By Loughlin Browne On April 17, Netflix released “Too Hot To Handle,” a typical reality dating show with a twist that could be equally interpreted as either perfect or horrible for viewing in times of social isolation. While the participants are encouraged to find love with each other, they are informed that any sexual contact will result in money being retracted from their $100,000 prize fund.

According to the narrator, these blindsided contestants are used to a life as “serial swipers,” people addicted to dating apps, so the news comes as a shock. Contestant Francesca even compares the prospect of a month of abstinence to the pain of her mother dying.

The narrator promises that the contestants will all be the “hottest of the hot,” a promise they sometimes fall short on (I’m talking about you, Bryce). While the show’s draw relies on conventionally attractive Instagram models walking around in bathing suits, the comedic absurdity of the dialogue is not to be overlooked.

The introduction to Haley, one of the most amusing contestants, consists of her saying she is interested in fellow contestant Harry because he is from Australia, and she “literally [has] no idea where that is.”

She is one of two who end up quitting the show, however, after she kisses Francesca for the sole purpose of losing money to add drama to the group. The other quitter is Mathew. Dubbed Jesus for his long hair and his “intellectualism,” he considers himself a revolutionarily deep thinker because he does not believe in monogamy and nominates himself as a spiritual guide for the group, even though no one really interacts with him.

By far the worst characters on the show are Henry, who makes everyone uncomfortable by using “you naughty little possum” and “my little butter chicken” as terms of endearment, and his girlfriend Francesca, who is incredibly self-centered and unironically asks, “What’s the number for 911?” The on-again, off-again couple feels no remorse in costing the group a whole $32,000 for not being able to keep it in their pants.

The other main couple is Rhonda, a single mom, and Sharon, who explains he is majoring in women’s studies to learn how to pick up girls. They honestly do not seem to fit each other that well, but they do a fairly good job at resisting temptation.

The most genuinely likable characters are the single ones, however—especially Chloe, who describes herself as “not the brightest spark in the book,” and Kelz,

Photo courtesy of Netflix

IN “TOO HOT to handle” money is redacted from the end prize fund for any sexual contact the contestants have with eachother. who is one of the only contestants to not break any of the rules.

At times almost unbearably cheesy, “Too Hot To Handle” comes close to hitting the reality show sweet spot of “so bad it’s good,” but falls into ridiculousness when it pretends that it is any deeper than a typical reality show. The producers put too much emphasis on empowerment exercises that are honestly very shallow,

though some of the contestants do seem to come out of the show with a greater sense of emotional intimacy. However, at the end of the day, the show’s saving grace was the genuine stupidity expressed at least once by almost every character.

lbrowne@redwoodbark.org

Lifestyles

Page 18

Senior Yessenia Mendieta trains to become a police officer

By Mia Kessinger Driving around Marin, or any place in the world, sirens wail and police cars whiz by in an attempt to serve and protect their local communities. For many high school seniors, the typical path after graduating is to continue to a four year college or university. However, for senior Yessenia Mendieta, or “Chenna” for short, the road after graduation looks very

different: Mendieta has chosen to dedicate her time to help others as a police officer.

Growing up, Mendieta had dreamed about becoming a cop, but her decision to seriously work toward that goal was not made until her sophomore year. The first step was going through the police academy in Terra Linda, however, the age requirement is eighteen, and Mendieta was forced to wait until the spring of her senior year to apply. Once she was able to

Photo courtesy of Yessenia Mendieta

MENDIETA IS DETERMINED to achieve her childhood dream of becoming a police officer and shows the same determined traits while playing basketball.

do so this March, within three weeks of submitting her application, she received the news that she had been accepted.

“When I got in, they told me I was a perfect fit. I haven’t been able to do much work for them so far because of the coronavirus, but I have done some undercover work. I have gone into liquor stores with a fake ID and tried to purchase alcohol to see if vendors would sell it to me,” Mendieta said.

Through the police academy, Mendieta will participate in training programs, like the undercover work, that will introduce her to the fundamentals of law enforcement and prepare her to become a police officer. Additionally, she plans to get her associates degree in administrative law through an online course. After completing the academy as an intern—a three month process—Mendieta will become a cadet, where she will continue to study locally under the guidance of sworn police officers.

“I hope to gain real life experience from being in the police academy, where I am exposed to different situations and people,” Mendieta said. “My goal is to become a police officer by the time I am twenty, which is hard, but definitely doable.

What I need to accomplish is to stay in shape and finish the academy on time.”

In high school, Mendieta was a three year varsity basketball player, and according to coach Diane Peterson, the skills and discipline she demonstrated throughout her basketball career will help her be

successful as a law enforcement officer.

“Chenna never settles. She is an incredibly hard worker. I think it will definitely translate over into her career.

As far as her work ethic and striving to be better and do better, and given that she is so passionate about this field of work, I think that is only going to accelerate her learning the job and executing it,” Peterson said.

In addition to her eagerness to learn and to serve the public, Mendieta is also a very caring leader, according to junior and teammate Stella Neuschul. “[Mendieta] cares so much about her friends, people in general and definitely the community at large,” Neuschul said. “I remember from this past season how there was always something waiting for us in the team room that had something inspiring to say, which just shows how strong her dedication to us is, and I think that will pass over into her work at becoming a police officer.”

With her generosity and her diligent work ethic, Mendieta continues to persevere and live out her childhood dream.

“I am very determined. I remember Coach [Peterson] would tell me ‘You can’t just say you are going to [become a police officer], you really have to take action and do it.’ I think my motivation and dedication will really lead to my future successes in my career,” Mendieta said.

mkessinger@redwoodbark.org

Redwood teachers’ advice for the graduating class

By Emma Lightfoot Skip Lovelady “Childhood does not end when you turn 18.

Childhood ends on the day you graduate high school.

Your youth, and all the things unique to your generation, ends the day you graduate high school. It’s time for another generation to be hip, invent and use new slang, be the first to use the newest social media apps and more.

You need to look forward, not back. Your youth is forever frozen in time and will always be there for you when you need some nostalgia in your life. Otherwise, let it go. Become our new leaders, innovators and adults. We need you to say goodbye to your youth and honor the adults who came before you by taking up a new set of challenges.”

Catherine Flores

“Say yes to opportunities that challenge you. Nothing that will put you in danger, but say yes to an opportunity even if it scares you.”

Stephen Hart “Maintain your path, not somebody else’s, and realize that sometimes you need to switch directions and that it’s okay to switch directions. Changing your mind is something that is going to happen so many times throughout your life, and you just try to become flexible with that. Try to be flexible with uncertainty.”

Katie Slattery “I would encourage the graduating seniors to take every opportunity that they have in the future with college. So whether it’s going to office hours, taking on a leadership role in their school or running for office at the school, whether it’s joining the club sports’ teams to play, just do as much as you can, and take every opportunity that you have to just be involved.”

Photos courtesy of Mitch Cohen and Catherine Flores

POSED IN THEIR senior year, teachers Mitch Cohen (left) and Catherine Flores (right) smile for the camera.

Nicole Graydon Mitch Cohen “Be a good person, make good choices, but all the stupid “I would encourage the graduating stuff you are going to do, do it in the smartest way possible.” seniors to take every opportunity that they have in the future with college.

Heather Curtaz So whether it’s going to office hours, taking on a leadership role in their “Be kind, work hard, take care of yourself and do school, or running for office at the school, whether it’s joining the club sports’ good for others.” teams to play, just do as much as you can, and take every opportunity that you have to just be involved.” elightfoot@redwoodbark.org

bark Singer-songwriter Nikki Orrick takes her career to the next level Page 19 • Lifestyles

www.redwoodbark.org

By Audrey Lightfoot

“I have been singing my whole life. My dad is a musician so I grew up with music all around me. I started songwriting [in seventh grade] and realized I really liked it and wished I could do it all the time. I found I liked [music] a lot more than I like academics,” senior Nikki Orrick, a student in Advanced Performance Workshop (APW) and future student at Berklee College of Music said.

Orrick has always had a love for music, especially writing her own.

Starting at the age of 12, she began creating her own songs, a diligent process of formulating melodies and combining them with lyrics to summon something original and unique. Little did seventh-grade Orrick know she would be graduating her senior year of high school commited to one of the top music colleges in the country, majoring in songwriting.

Although Orrick did not participate in Redwood’s music program, APW, until her senior year, she has always practiced singing on her own. Instead, she focused on her role in the drama department during her first three years of high school because she liked the community and the performance opportunities it provided.

Orrick is extremely grateful she joined the APW class this past year, saying that it has taught her important lessons as a musician, as well as a person. She also credits APW for her strong sense of musicality.

“Everyone [in APW] loves music and is there for a reason; they wouldn’t choose to go through all this work if they didn’t love it,” Orrick said. “It gives you the chance to experience playing with your peers and getting to know people in a different way than you usually would in high school.”

Sophomore and fellow APW student Charlie Freiburger has been friends with Orrick for the duration of her senior year and greatly appreciates her presence in class. Freiburger also performed alongside Orrick for the Kent Middle School concert this past December.

“In an APW class setting, [Orrick] is

at her best. Everybody loves her, and she gets along with everybody. It’s where she belongs,” Freiburger said.

APW teacher John Mattern is excited for Orrick to continue her musical journey in college but is sad to see her go, as she was a talented musician who was dedicated to the class.

“She is totally present, unbelievably coachable and has one of the greatest attitudes. She is so fun to teach, and I am going to miss her a lot,” Mattern said. “She is very talented and has this effervescence about her that is wonderful. She is an inspiration.”

Despite Orrick’s love of music, she was not fully committed to the idea of going to a music school or even studying a music related major until she received admission into Berklee. She had been told by others that a musical career held many uncertainties and that applying to schools with the intention of studying music would not be easy.

“For most of the schools I was applying to, I was going to major in anthropology, environmental studies or humanities.

When you decide that you want to pursue an art, people always say ‘Oh, that’s very risky.’ You start to doubt [studying art] a lot, and you try to convince yourself that you don’t want to. So I just applied to Berklee with the idea of ‘Well, if they want me, then maybe I am good enough to pursue [music],’” Orrick said.

Once committed to Berklee, deciding to major in songwriting was easy for Orrick, as she knew she wanted to continue to improve her skills in that area. Furthermore, under the songwriting major, she would also be encouraged to perform her original songs in front of live audiences, something that greatly appealed to her. Orrick has always had an admiration for songwriting, because it conveys messages that are not easy to communicate otherwise.

“You are able to describe indescribable things through a chord progression or by layering sounds and harmonies. It takes you to a different place mentally, which I love,” Orrick said.

Mattern is proud of Orrick’s improvement in songwriting and is thrilled he is able to listen to her original work as well as help her in the process of creating songs.

“She is writing more now, and I am just beginning to hear her originals. We just worked on an original song. She is not someone to brag about her abilities and her accomplishments, but she’s had a lot and she has done a lot of stuff musically. She is just so talented,” Mattern said.

Although there are endless possibilities for Orrick’s future, as of right now, she hopes she will be able to stay involved in

the world of music throughout college and beyond.

“I would hope to be some sort of songwriter. I don’t really want to be in the spotlight. I think my goal is to just make music that people will like and listen to. If that is happening, then that’s all I want,” Orrick said. alightfoot@redwoodbark.org

June 5, 2020 bark Page 20 • Lifestyles College applications for your own inspiration

By Kalyn Dawes

Use this QR code to check out the Redwood Bark instagram:

Page 21

By Bennett Vasquez As the sun begins to set behind Ghilotti Field, the girls’ varsity field hockey team roars with excitement and awe as senior Eva Oppenheim wins the ball from an opposing player. Oppenheim’s consistent and tenacious playing style along with her leadership holds the team together.

Oppenheim’s prowess on the turf can be seen in her many accolades and remarkable stats. Oppenheim won the 2019 Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) player of the year award, was the second leading goal scorer with 12 goals and 9 assists in the 2020 season, earned MCAL First Team All League and was a four-time Redwood field hockey MVP. Field hockey is a relatively new sport in the Bay Area.

It has a sparse number of youth leagues and a limited number of high school teams. Oppenheim first picked up a stick freshman year to maintain her fitness for her favorite sport at the time: basketball. “[Field hockey had] such great camaraderie, and I had a really fun time with it. I was a freshman, but they were super welcoming, and I wanted to stay involved with that, so I joined the club team for the winter,” Oppenheim said.

Coach Jen Reidy has watched Oppenheim excel over the past years to become a strong and confident player.

According to Reidy, her most memorable moment was in a game against Berkeley High School where Oppenheim showed a glimpse of her true talent.

“At half time, I said to her, ‘Eva, if you have the ball and you feel like you can hold onto that ball and take it all 50 yards, dribble it and take a shot. You do it. Don’t feel like you have to give the ball away.’ And that’s exactly what she did,” Reidy said. “She took the back pass— she was like a hot knife through butter—dribbled past everybody, and [her shot] was like a reverse scoop into the upper left corner…It was a beautiful thing to see. She really showed us what she’s capable of.”

According to Reidy, Oppenheim is known for lifting up her teammates. Senior Camille Goodhart has been playing with Oppenheim all four years and has seen her gradually gain more self-assurance.

By Grace Bouton “I came into Redwood as a 90-pound, five-two freshmen. I didn’t even play that much,” Luke McKernan, star varsity running back said.

After putting in hours of work and gaining 80 pounds, three years later, McKernan has proven he is no longer the

Photo by Bennett Vasquez

STARING DOWN THE opposition, Oppenheim scans the field in an important matchup against Berkeley.

“One moment that sticks out to me with Eva is when Oppenheim will always be remembered as one of she was a sophomore. She was reaching out to kids and the best Redwood field hockey players. She has greatly saying that she would work with them individually to improved the recognition of the sport at Redwood and is help develop their skills. I think that really showed her the first ever to go on to play in college at Massachusetts character,” Goodhart said.

Institute of Technology.

There is something enticing about playing with “She’s leaving Redwood field hockey in a much better Oppenheim, according to Reidy. She has the ability to place than she found it. And that’s our new bar,” Reidy make her teammates match her intensity, which adds to said. “We are going to always want to do better, do better Oppenheim’s playing ability. and do better.”

“People want to rise up and beat [Oppenheim]. They want to play at her level. She just is really a tremendous athlete, and so it’s really been a huge gift to Redwood field hockey and a huge gift to those players that have played around her,” Reidy said. bvasquez@redwoodbark.org

scrawny freshman who first stepped onto the Redwood field. With 1,128 rushing yards, sixteen touchdowns and 112.8 yards per game according to MaxPreps, McKernan has evolved into both a dominant force in the Giant’s backfield and a motivating voice in the locker room.

For McKernan, watching Redwood football legend Nick Calazaretta during his

Photo courtesy of Jordan Warren

AFTER STIFF-ARMING A Drake defender, McKernan sprints up the field.

freshman year and playing behind the 2018 Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) offensive player of the year Alex Aguero inspired him to improve. This motivation, combined with his persistent work ethic, allowed him to harness his natural athletic ability and transform from a small freshman to the focal point of Redwood’s offense.

“I looked up to the people above me.

Seeing Nick Calzaretta, I was a freshman, and I just wanted to be like that,” McKernan said. “And then being behind Alex last year just gave me inspiration to keep working hard and develop as a player from freshman year. I just wanted to be the best that I could and develop my skills as much as I could with the things that I had in front of me.”

According to his teammate Jack Loebbaka, a senior fullback on varsity football and a four-year teammate of McKernan’s, it is McKernan’s determination and discipline that separates him as a player.

“He’s actually one of the most dedicated guys in terms of working out. He’s always been athletic, but he didn’t always have the size or the strength. He put in the work freshman year to be able to play at this level,” Loebbaka said.

Allen Talley, head coach of the varsity football team, expressed similar sentiments to Loebbaka, but also attributes McKernan’s success to his strong mentality. “[McKernan is a] tough kid, tough on himself, just always wants to be perfect, which is good,” Talley said. “He doesn’t ever want to quit. He’s one of those kids that wants to go every play regardless if... he’s beat up, he just always wants to go and give a hundred percent.”

Though his discipline stood out in his time under Coach Talley, it was McKernan’s game intelligence as a freshman that Coach Talley first took notice of.

“He’s smart. He knew the playbook,

good vision, running the ball. He had some good skills, but he had real good vision hitting the hole, and we noticed that when he was younger. Good football smarts,” Talley said.

This hard work and mental toughness is what allowed him to not only earn the first team All League award for MCALs, but also a leadership position on the team.

“He’s looked at as a senior leader by everybody, especially the younger guys.

He’s always really supportive, and he keeps everything lighthearted. He is a really fun guy to have,” Loebbaka said.

This disciplined yet fun environment that McKernan helped foster was both a reason for and a result of the team’s success this past season.

“I feel like the whole team during the season is like a huge family. We were just all there for each other and playing for each other rather than just a couple of guys,” McKernan said.

Though McKernan’s competitive football days are over, the team comradery that he experienced this year will remain in McKernan’s life as he’s planning to play rugby at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) next year.

McKernan will never have another 60 yard breakout run or strap on pads and a Redwood jersey. However, the lessons that have come with playing football throughout high school will stay with him at Cal Poly and beyond. “[Sports] just taught me so much, whether it’s through determination or figuring out important life lessons on how to maintain a schedule while not falling behind. I couldn’t imagine my life without sports,” McKernan said.

gbouton@redwoodbark.org

bark

Page 22 • Sports

June 5, 2020

By Charlie Ginsburg

Photo courtesy of Susan Anderson

As a four-year varsity soccer player, senior Grace Bouton has left a lasting effect on not only Redwood girls’ soccer, but on the Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) as a whole. At the end of her high school career, Bouton finds herself among the MCAL girls’ soccer all-time leaderboard in multiple categories: third in goals, fifth in assists, and second in points (a combination of both goals and assists).

Before she was cementing her place within the MCAL record books at Redwood, Bouton played in the Schafer Recreation League as a child, and later for multiple club teams. Bouton credits her older brother for initially cultivating her love for the sport.

“We always played sports together and he was super into soccer. From a young age I always wanted to be as good as him,” Bouton said.

This year, harnessing that competitive

nature, Bouton helped lead her team to a first place finish in MCAL. As a captain on the team, Bouton found that her new role took some getting used to.

“On [my] club [team] I’ve always been the youngest, so being a captain was new for me,” Bouton said. “It was all about finding that balance between having fun at practice and also having a competitive environment.”

Additionally, in her senior year, Bouton finished second in MCAL in goals and tied for first in points. Junior teammate Camille Karner credits Bouton’s success to her ability to see the field and work well with her teammates.

“She can read the game really well and knows what’s best for the team. She’s a good teammate, isn’t a ball hog and keeps everyone working hard,” Karner said.

When her comes to her role as a leader, while Bouton does motivate teammates, she also believes that there is a line you have to walk as a leader.

“As a captain I try not to be too harsh,” Bouton said. “We all take it seriously but I think in order to keep that team chemistry you have to be able to joke around a little.”

In the fall, Bouton will continue her soccer career by playing at the Division I collegiate level at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

“Getting to the next level is really exciting,” Bouton said. “I’ve always loved competition and soccer has been that outlet for me. I also can’t wait to start something new and sort of be the small fish in a big pond.” cginsburg@redwoodbark.org

By Charlie Ginsburg In many instances, injuries can be a devastating blow to an athlete’s career; however, in the case of senior Caroline Atkeson, an injury propelled her into the world of rowing.

After some time off of volleyball, her previous sport, Atkeson attended a summer rowing camp in between her freshman and sophomore year, and from there her rowing career began.

Atkeson has rowed for the top varsity boat for the past three years. Unfortunately, after months of grueling offseason workouts throughout the fall and winter of this year, the season was canceled due to the spread of the coronavirus. Atkeson’s rowing career is not coming to an end just yet though, as she will row for Columbia University, which is ranked as the fifth “Best Women’s Rowing College for Student-Athletes,” according to the Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) rankings.

One of the biggest influences on Atkeson’s decision to continue her rowing career in college was her teammates.

“I really love my teammates and I’m super close with them,” Atkeson said. “I spend so much time with them and it’s super cool actually; it’s a great way to meet people and I wanted to be a part of something like that in college.”

Not only does Atkeson love her teammates, but many of them look up to her. According to senior teammate Fiona Smeltzer, Atkeson has drawn respect from many of her teammates through her impressive performances.

“I think a lot of people look up to her and want to be as fast as her,” Smeltzer said. “She’s in the top boat, which is very

Photo by Jacob Mandel

competitive, so it’s a pretty big deal that she’s in it.”

Beyond that, Smeltzer also notes that Atkeson’s positive attitude in a sport that requires consistent perseverance and hard work is admired by many.

“She is always kind and encouraging to everyone,” Smeltzer said. “She never practices with a negative attitude, and it’s hard not to be negative because practices can be annoying.”

Throughout her time at Redwood, Atkeson has led her team to many high placings, including a first place finish at last year’s Southwest Regionals. Still, Atkeson credits her involvement in and love for the sport to her teammates.

“I would not be rowing if I was doing it alone,” Atkeson said. “But the fact that I have all my friends on the team and we’re going through the same struggles makes it so much better.” cginsburg@redwoodbark.org

w

By Camille Ray a good game, the team usually had a good game. Normally, we keep him only as a pitcher, but we also let him back this year to hit for us. He hit really well and really contributed to our success,” Firenzi said.

According to Jackson Reed, Welch’s baseball teammate and friend since Little League, Welch’s improvement and dedication over the years has made him the example for fellow teammates.

“He has a lot of mental strength. Last year during our playoff game against Marin Catholic, he pitched his butt off. In the game before, he didn’t have the best outings, but at this important game, [he] absolutely dominated on the mound. He can just flip the switch and put everything behind him to focus on the game at hand,” Reed said.

While Welch may be leaving the Redwood field behind, he will carry all of Photo courtesy of Jordan Warren the lessons he has learned from both his Ever since Nicholas Welch joined the teammates and coach to his new team, the varsity baseball team his sophomore year, University of California, Santa Barbara he has played an integral part of their Gauchos next year. success. Whether it’s striking out numerous “At Redwood, I felt like the leader of opponents in playoff games or shutting the pack, but at Santa Barbara, I’m just down pitchers on the other side of the field going to start as one of those random new as a batter, Welch has worked tremendously guys. I’m excited to prove myself and be hard to make his contributions meaningful. the best I can be there,” Welch said.

Welch was on pace for a stellar senior As the next chapter in Welch’s life season with his team’s previous season brings a multitude of new opportunities to MCAL title motivating their pursuits. develop and grow as a player, he admits his Although the baseball season ended time on the Redwood baseball team meant abruptly as a result of school closures, more than winning a couple of titles and Welch batted .389, had seven hits, one will be greatly missed.

RBI, two runs scored and had an on base “Playing for Redwood was special average percentage of .421 for his 2019- because when you play for your school, it 2020 season, according to MaxPreps. feels bigger than you,” Welch said. “Every According to Coach Mike Firenzi, time I stepped on the field, it made me want through his commitment to the team, to prove I could live up to the baseball Welch has improved immensely this past legacy.” season and was able to play both out the mound and from the plate.

“Being a starting pitcher, when he had cray@redwoodbark.org

By Charlie Ginsburg “I just like hitting people. I like, you know, aggression,” Henry Minturn, Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) Defensive Player of the Year, said.

Channeling this attitude, Minturn had a breakout season after changing his position from linebacker to defensive end. While at linebacker last year, Minturn made the MCAL first team. He made an even larger impact this year at defensive end, racking up 20.5 sacks according to Hudl, and winning the MCAL Defensive Player of the Year accolade.

According to Minturn, something that has helped him tremendously is making sure he is in the right mindset before gametime and staying focused throughout.

“I try to be loose but focused at the same time,” Minturn said. “My mentality, especially this year, was just to get to the ball; no matter what, get to the ball.”

According to junior teammate Damon Gerstein, who played alongside Minturn as an outside linebacker, Minturn’s constant presence in the opponents’ backfields had a ripple effect on the entire defense.

“When there’s someone getting to the quarterback in such a quick amount of time, it helps the defense so much because it [causes mistakes] by the quarterback,” Gerstein said.

On top of leading a stout defense by shedding blocks and getting in the backfield, Gerstein also credits Minturn as being a great leader and role model through his intensity and work ethic.

“He was a great teammate because he led by example and made sure everyone was on their stuff. You couldn’t really be messing around with Henry,” Gerstein said. “Even though we are good friends he would still hit me like I was an enemy [in practice].”

This year, although his teammates say he didn’t mention it a lot, Minturn battled a

Photo courtesy of Jordan Warren

torn meniscus and wore a knee brace every game to support his injury. According to senior teammate and linebacker Joe Calzaretta, his ability to play through the injury, and at such a high level, is a testament to his mental toughness and dedication to the game.

“He didn’t really say anything about it.

But he’s one of my best friends and I could tell he was in a lot of pain,” Calzaretta said.

“But he just stuck through it. His mentality was, ‘We only have ten games left,’ and for him ten games left [in] his career, it’s not worth missing a single one.”

Minturn did not miss a single game and finished off his career strong. While he will not continue his football career in college, and will instead pursue academics at the University of Mississippi, he’s glad he finished it off with such a unique team.

“I think this year it was such a team effort,” Minturn said. “Last year [the standout player] was Aguero, and the year before it was Nick [Calzaretta]. But I think this year everyone contributed and that’s why we were able to win so much.”

cginsburg@redwoodbark.org

www.redwoodbark.org

Page 23 • Sports

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