March2017

redwood

bark.

Volume LVIV, No. 6 • March 10, 2017 • Larkspur, CA

“People look at us as if we are human stains.”

Homelessness in Marin p. 12

Illustration by Maxime Kawawa-Beaudan

Editors-InChief Gregory Block Emily Cerf Sarah Kimball Rebecca Smalbach Head Copy Editor Caleigh Stephens Copy Editors Gemma Calandra Shannon Donelan Tilly Friedlander Sam Sheridan Christine Watridge News Editors Annie Fogarty Maggie Smith Opinion Editors Caroline Cummings Alicia Vargelis

Business Manager Jordan Overmyer Social Media Manager Mary Winnick Snapshot Manager Sydney Soofer Art Consultant Maxime KawawaBeaudan Data Analyst Adam Kreitzman WebDevelopers Hayden Blum Kevin Gao Senior Staff Eric Ahern Sam Sheidan Caleigh Stephens Mary Winnick

Reporters Feature Eric Ahern Editors Michael Benz Pearl Zhong Josh Cohen China Granger Catherine Conrow Sports Editors Luke Dahlin Jason Fieber Sabrina Dong Daniela Carolyn French Schwartz Jack Green Andrew Hout Review Max Josef Editors Kaelin Kragh Julia Jacoby Jocelyn Alexandra Lee Overmyer Kendall Rhoads Lifestyles Charlotte Seton Editors Rachel Schten Anne Pritikin Henry Tantum Heidi Roenisch Amanda Trusheim Spanish Brendan Editor Winters Hallie Fox Advisor Video Editors Erin Schneider Garet Jatsek Sam Slade

redwood

bark.

redwood high school

•

Caroline Noble

395 doherty dr., larkspur, ca 94939

•

15

volume LVIV, no. 6

Dragon’s Breath

•

March 10, 2017

19 •

Surfing science teacher

www.redwoodbark.org

22

Jolly Roger unable to print amid contract dispute been declining for many years due to the shift to other media,” Yoshihara said in Drake High School’s student-run an email interview. “Print shop services newspaper, the Jolly Roger, has been has been a contribution program during unable to publish in print this semester that time. Based partially on another after the print shop run by the Tamalpais study around print shop services, staff Union High School District (TUHSD) was recommended its closure to the Board shut down. towards the end of the 2016-17 fiscal year.”

The cease in printing is due to a In order to redistribute the work done provision in the district Classified Staff by the print shop, which includes printing Union, a chapter of the California Schools flyers and instructional material in addition Employee Association’s (CSEA) contract to printing the Jolly Roger, the CSEA which states that if must negotiate with the a position held by TUHSD board to come a classified staff to a solution that can member is eliminated, be agreed upon by both that position can parties, according to not be outsourced Mullery. However, after for 39 months. not being able to come to Because the position an agreement, the CSEA of the classified officially declared on staff member, Ali impasse with the TUHSD Hekmat, who ran the on Feb. 15. A state District print shop, mediator will work with was eliminated, this both parties to come to an provision was enacted agreement starting March and has prevented 27. the Jolly Roger from While negotiations outsourcing to an Mike Hiestand, continue, the district has SPLC Legal Consultant outside printer. no plans to allow the Jolly CSEA chapter Roger to use an outside president Tim printer.

Mullery believes “In the immediate, that the TUHSD we plan to allow the Jolly decided to cut the print shop due to Roger to exist online and other methods budgetary issues. According to TUHSD that don’t involve printing,” Yoshihara superintendent David Yoshihara, the print said. shop was closed because of a move away According to Mike Hiestand, a legal from printed materials. consultant for the Student Press Law Center “The usage of print shop services has (SPLC), the enactment of the provision is

By Emily Cerf

The students never agreed to this and the school district certainly doesn’t have the right to contract away its students’ legal rights.

Teacher union negotiations resume

By Editors-in-Chief

Additional reporting by Heidi Roenisch and Alicia Vargelis

The Tamalpais Federation of Teachers (TFT) union ended a week-long impasse regarding contract negotiations on Feb. 16, and withdrew their filing for state mediation.

After seven months of fruitless negotiation, the TFT officially declared an impasse on Feb. 9, which would have triggered a state review and subsequent mediation between the union and the Tamalpais Unified High School District (TUHSD).

The impasse ended as a result of the district’s decision to remove a health care cap from the negotiating table this Feb 15. The cap would have required teachers to pay more health care costs out of pocket, according to TFT President Cory DeMars.

The district’s current health care package is a reason many teachers choose to teach in the district, according to DeMars.

He believes that concerns over retaining teachers contributed to the district’s decision to remove the health care cap. “[The district] started to hear very loud and clear the concerns raised by teachers regarding the possibility of losing or changing their health care benefits and the ill effects that would have on a number of teachers,” DeMars said.

As school enrollments are

projected to grow over the next several years, more teachers will need to be hired, making the current health care package an even more attractive draw for new teachers, according to DeMars.

“A strong case was made that the health care package that we currently have is a huge draw for recruiting and retaining really good, talented teachers,” DeMars said.

Members of the union negotiating team reconvened March 1 and hope to come to a final contract agreement with the district in potentially one or two meetings, according to Steve Hettleman, an English teacher and a member of the TFT union negotiating team.

“The biggest barrier to negotiation that led to impasse was the district’s unwillingness to negotiate in what we thought was a fair way,” Hettleman said. “Now we are going back to the bargaining table first and hopefully we can make progress and hammer out whatever the deal is.”

District Superintendent David Yoshihara said he expects the recent developments to contribute to progress at the negotiating table.

“What we can share is that we are ready to come back with the teacher’s union with an offer that is different than our last offer.

We hope this will allow us to Continued on page 2

Photo by Annie Fogarty

UNABLE TO PRINT its newspaper, Drake High School’s Jolly Roger waits while the Tamalpais Union High School District and California Schools Employee Association resolve a contract dispute. a violation of the students’ rights to free press.

“The students never agreed to this and the school district certainly doesn’t have the right to contract away its students’ legal rights,” Hiestand said. “The students have the right to put out a newspaper. If it means that they need to go someplace else, they have every right to do that. You can’t stop somebody from exercising their First Amendment or even state law rights in California because of a contract.”

Additionally, Hiestand believes that the responsibility falls upon the district and the CSEA to resolve the issue, rather than the

students.

“The grown-ups need to get their acts together,” he said. “They need to realize that it’s simply outrageous that these parties would think that penalizing students by taking away their newspaper for three years is going to fly. It won’t.”

Mary Jane Jones, the Jolly Roger’s adviser, also believes that the district needs to take action.

“I think the district should have done some clever thinking before. Because look they are [negatively] affecting kids. And that’s not their job,” Jones said.

Continued on page 2

Alum wins Academy Award

By Henry Tantum Redwood alumnus Marc Sondheimer won an Oscar at the Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday for his role as the producer of the short film “Piper.”

The film was chosen out of five nominated films in the “Animated Short Film” category.

Sondheimer’s award was one of 24 given out during the awards ceremony.

Sondheimer said that the film’s director, Alan Barillaro, started working on the project over three years ago. Initially, the film served as a test for Pixar’s software development group, but it transitioned into a short film.

According to Sondheimer, winning the award was exhilarating, but also nervewracking.

“It’s an amazing experience to win an Oscar,” he said. “You appreciate the difficulty of actually winning one. The history and legacy is overwhelming and thrilling.”

After winning, Sondheimer said that he reflected on the people who had influenced him most in his life, many of whom were Redwood teachers and students.

Sondheimer’s helped him to achieve his success, including teaching him leadership skills and building his confidence.

“There were great teachers and inspiring people at Redwood that made me who I am,” he said.

He specifically attributed his success to his his Redwood teachers, Sam Buchanan and Marilee Rodgers.

Sondheimer said that when he attended Redwood, there were no film or animation classes.

However, he participated in drama, which he studied at UC Berkeley after he graduated.

Later, Sondheimer got hired

by Pixar to do finance and production strategy for their films.

But, he always knew he wanted to move into the production side of film.

“I didn’t have the stomach to become an actor, so I thought the managing and producing side would be better,” Sondheimer said.

During the making of the Pixar film “WALL-E,” Sondheimer’s request to transition from finance to production was granted, and he made his way to becoming a fulltime producer.

Now, Sondheimer works with the film directors to get their story into the film.

“The director has ideas and you work with them to get that vision on the screen and make it creatively entertaining,” Sondheimer said.

Photo courtesy of the Oscars

STANDING ON STAGE, alumnus Marc Sondheimer, right, won an academy award for his short film “Piper.”

htantum@redwoodbark.org

bark

Page 2 • News

March 10, 2017

Photo Survey: What was your most recent lie?

“I told a friend I had plans when I really didn’t.”

“I told my mom I was eating dinner but I was actually at my friend’s house.”

“I told someone they looked really really good, but they looked really really bad.”

“Yes I totally belong here. Where’s the food at again?”

Annika Abbott

Parke Moorhead

Krystina Morrill

freshman

sophomore

junior

Niko Baumbach senior

Agriculture-social science fusion class introduced

By Jocelyn Overmyer Challenging the norm of learning inside the classroom, a new course entitled SAGE (Sustainable Agriculture, Government and Economics) will be offered next year.

The course will expand upon the current sustainable agriculture class.

Sustainable Agriculture teacher Joe Stewart teamed up with social studies teacher Mike Kelemen to launch the class, which will begin in the 2017-2018 school year. It will be offered to incoming juniors and seniors.

The course spans two class periods, the existing Sustainable Agriculture science elective and the Government and Economics pairing that is required for seniors. SAGE will allow students to work on the Redwood farm while applying relevant government and economic ideas, according to Stewart and Kelemen.

“Sustainable Agriculture is about how we produce our food, where it comes from, and what are some of the implications associated with that. Of course a lot of those implications are associated with money, economics, policies, society and government issues.” Stewart said.

The curriculum is centered around combining the skills of growing food with their economic applications, as well as allowing students to go deeper and gain insight into a variety of perspectives.

“The connection to government and economics was just a natural one.

Agriculture is the way we significantly attack the planet and so looking at that in a scientific and environmental way is important. We aren’t getting the complete picture if we aren’t looking at other aspects,” Stewart said.

SAGE stemmed from Stewart’s original vision of creating a large academy, a group

of coordinating classes, that applies to sustainable agriculture and modern issues.

“I started the Sustainable Agriculture course [in the] 2013-2014 [school year]. When I first pitched the program to the district, I imagined it to be part of an academy at some point. The first goal over the first couple of years was to establish the course, and establish the farm itself, which is a very important part of the class,” Stewart said.

Kelemen and Stewart hope to attract about 50 to 60 students to the course.

Stewart’s original interest to create a sustainable agriculture course derived from ecology.

“It grew particularly out of my teaching of the ecology course that’s been here at the school since 1997. In that course we do work in the garden but it’s more experimental. A lot of students were interested in getting more deeply involved in growing food for production as opposed to just experimentation,” Stewart said.

Kelemen, who had previous interest in agriculture, got involved in the program when Stewart reached out to him.

Both believe that SAGE will attract students who have an interest in finding connections between three applicable subject areas.

“The person who teaches Government and Econ could tailor the examples and the class and topics that we study in Government and Economics towards sustainability and kind of the dovetail of what [Stewart] does,” Kelemen said.

Students will get the required credit for Government and Economics no matter if they are a junior or senior. According to Kelemen and Stewart, a junior who takes the class will still have the chance to complete AP U.S. History or regular U.S. History their senior year.

• Jolly Roger

Continued from page 1

Aaron Silverstein, an editor-in-chief of the Jolly Roger, said that he has talked to a member of the CSEA, and thinks that they are willing to work toward a solution. “[Kris Knusten, member of the CSEA negotiating team] told me [the intention of the classified staff] is not to try to get in the way of the students, and they see that this is, and they’re going to work on a resolution. I just wish it would be sooner rather than later and diplomatic stuff usually takes longer,” Silverstein said.

According to Mullery, the CSEA made it clear to the TUHSD board that repercussions could occur should the print shop be eliminated and that it was willing to come to a reasonable compromise that benefits both parties. He also said that the CSEA feels bad that the elimination of the print shop is affecting the students negatively, but does not feel as if it is their fault.

In fact, according to Mullery, the CSEA presented a “logical” solution to the board, but feels as if the district had no interest in the solution.

As the impasse and mediation process continues, the district hopes to continue to move forward to come to an agreement.

“CSEA has declared impasse on this matter. If we partake in the impasse process, we hope that we can come to a resolution that is acceptable to both parties,” Yoshihara said.

Photo courtesy of Joe Stewart

SELLING PRODUCE OUTSIDE of school, the Sustainable Agriculture class will be offered in a new program that combines it with Government and Economics.

After getting the permission to start designing the course from Principal David Sondheim at the beginning of the 2016 fall semester, Stewart and Kelemen set to develop the curriculum and were ready to pitch the idea to the students during the January course workshops.

Students will participate in similar activities to what the current sustainable agriculture students do, such as working on the farm, attending field trips and selling their food at farmers’ markets, according to Stewart.

“Mr. Stewart and I would coordinate with projects. We still have to work out the details, but periodically we might go outside to the farm, and do something with our hands or do a project that has to do something with the community that’s a little more coordinated,” Kelemen said.

The monthly farmers’ market gives students a chance to a first-hand experience on selling their produce. SAGE will enable students to apply their learning of economics to the farmers’ market.

“With economics, we will also have

Silverstein said that this delay is disheartening and resulted in a loss of motivation among some members of the Jolly Roger staff.

“It’s tough when they have the excuse of ‘Oh, we’re not even going to print this issue.’ I’m doing my best to keep everyone motivated and keep everyone on task and I’ve been very impressed as of recent with how they’ve kind of kept at it,” Silverstein said.

The Jolly Roger plans to move forward producing content and to print all their issues at once when the issue gets resolved, according to Jones.Yet, even if they are permitted to move to an outside contractor, Silverstein fears that they may not have adequate funding to do so.

“The other problem we’re going to run into is we budgeted out so that we could pay the district printer this whole time, who charges us less,” Silverstein said. “Going to an outside printer is going to charge significantly more and the truth is we probably don’t have that money.”

Moving forward, the Jolly Roger hopes to come to an agreement with the union that does not invalidate the provision, but rather makes an exception for this specific case, according to Silverstein.

“It’s a tough spot for us because we want to print. For me that’s the best feeling when I can actually hold the paper,” Silverstein said. “But I don’t want to get in a fight with teachers because I totally agree with the clause.”

Mullery, on the other hand, hopes to be able to come to a long-term solution to the problem rather than a onetime exception, but said he can’t speak to exactly what that

some perspective on how to maximize [the farmer market’s income] and look at different ways of approaching the marketing,” Stewart said.

Ideally, Stewart and Kelemen want two classes running back-to-back to have a large portion of time to develop connections between topics. Kelemen said during one period, one of the classes would have Sustainable Agriculture, and the other would be in Government and Economics.

In the next period, the two classes would switch topics.

AGE is not the only class that Stewart hopes to integrate into a sustainable agriculture academy.

“Once [SAGE] was established, I did want to bring in other courses. Actually, down the road I’d like to see it even blossom out into a larger academy,” Stewart said. “Maybe include potentially an English component, or a Spanish language component. There are other possibilities like engineering, too.” jocelyn.overmyer@redwoodbark.org

would be.

However, should the CSEA not come to an understanding with the Jolly Roger, Hiestand recommends publicizing the issue to put pressure on the union to come to an agreement. “[The Jolly Roger staff] need[s] to make a big stink and just say ‘This is not okay. This is not acceptable,” Hiestand said. “[The district] need[s] to figure out how you’re going to fix this and if you don’t, we’re going to take legal action.’”

Jones also believes that publicizing the issue will lead to change.

“I have a feeling that with some attention put on this issue, they’re going to resolve this fairly quickly because it makes them look bad,” Jones said. “The district office doesn’t look like it knows what it’s doing.”

A lawsuit, should the situation escalate to that point, would be costly and embarrassing for the district, and would be a case the district would lose, according to Hiestand.

“Lawsuits cost the school a lot of money. [The SPLC] is going to try to help find [The Jolly Roger] free attorneys that are willing to take this case on because what’s happening isn’t right and needs to be fixed. But I guarantee the school district attorneys aren’t going to take it on for free, and that’s going to cost the school a lot of money,” Hiestand said. ecerf@redwoodbark.org

bark Distinguished alumni honored at Avenue of Giants induction banquet Page 3 • News

www.redwoodbark.org

inductees. Junior Luna Zirpoli, one of the three, was inspired by the diversity and level of achievement On March 3, the Redwood Distinguished Alumni represented by the body of nominees. class of 2017 was honored alongside the alumni class of “Being on the committee, I feel so thankful because 2016 at the Avenue of Giants induction banquet hosted at I’ve learned so much about Redwood alumni and what the McInnis Club House Restaurant. they’ve done and what you can do just coming from Marin The distinguished alumni are graduates who and the impact you can have are recognized for demonstrating excellence in on the world in so many their field and who have made a positive impact in different ways,” Zirpoli their careers after leaving Redwood. said.

Hosted by 2012 inductee Mark Fainaru-Wada At this year’s banquet, (class of 1983) and Redwood Alumni Association many of the inductees (RAA) Co-President Marilee Rogers (class of thanked former Redwood 1961), the banquet allowed Redwood alumni who teachers for their guidance graduated as early as the ’60s to mingle with both and inspiration.

Mike current and retired Redwood teachers and their Kelemen is a current social former peers. studies teacher who taught The 2017 inductees are Rebecca Burgess (class one of the alumni, Rebecca of 1996), Maz Jobrani (class of 1989), Cathy Marilee Rogers Burgess.

Connors (class of 1970) and Drew Z. Greenberg RAA Co-President Kelemen remembers (class of 1988). The 2016 inductees to the Avenue Burgess as being a great of Giants are David Dukes (class of 1963), Devra student and a great person.

Jarvis (class of 1977), Tom Tierney (class of 1972) and “As a teacher, being a little bit of part of helping get Gerry Warburg (class of 1972). them where they want to go feels good,” Kelemen said.

As co-president of the RAA, Rogers plays a large part According to Kelemen, seeing former Redwood in the organization of the banquet. students attribute, at least in part, their successes to their “It’s so rewarding to connect alumni with the school teachers reminds him to stay positive and encouraging and to give back,” Rogers said. “Redwood was a wonderful during class to ensure that he has a positive effect on his place to be, and it made big difference in my life. I think students. there are a lot of alumni that feel the same way.”

“You don’t know what impact you have on them, and Three Redwood students participated in the alumni sometimes it’s much later down the line that [your impact] selection process as part of the board that chose the becomes apparent,” he said. “It’s kind of gratifying to see

By Rachel Schten

Redwood was a wonderful place to be, and it made a big difference in my life

Photo by Rachel Schten

GIVING HIS ACCEPTANCE speech at the banquet, Drew Z. Greenberg (class of 1988) emphasized that while at Redwood, he felt comfortable being a confident individual. all of these people and what they’ve done.”

At the close of the banquet, Jobrani, a comedian and television actor, gave an entertaining and comical acceptance speech.

According to Jobrani, who moved with his family to Marin at the age of seven from Iran in order to escape the Iranian Islamic Revolution, returning to Marin brought back many fond memories. One particular memory involved his grandmother who fled Iran along with his family.

“One time we got word that she was trying to get to the other side [of the freeway] and she did it old school, immigrant Iranian style. She went across the freeway. She didn’t know there’s a walkway. Grandma just went right over and walked across. We get things done, you know,” he said in the speech.

Jobrani’s will not be the last fascinating or hilarious alumni story heard at the Avenue of Giants Banquet, nor is it the first. The RAA was established by Rogers in 2007.

The association first made its impact by planning Redwood’s 50th anniversary.

Currently, the RAA plans and hosts the Avenue of Giants Induction Banquet and the Redwood Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet on alternating years.

Photo by Rachel Schten

GATHERING AT MCINNIS Club House Restaurant on March 3, distinguished alumnus were honored and inducted into the Redwood Avenue of Giants.

Teacher Union negotiations Continued from page 1

the dialogue with them,” Yoshihara said.

Yoshihara held meetings with teachers this week in which they expressed their concerns with the health care cap. “[The teachers told] very real stories of difficulties that are part of their jobs [during the meetings],” Hettleman said. “What we didn’t hear was the superintendent have any emotions or empathetic response to those stories, which was disappointing.”

Yoshihara said that the change regarding the health care cap was initiated by the Board of Trustees. “[The Board meeting] was a one-item meeting around collective bargaining and based upon [the Board’s] direction, [the Board was] willing for the district to present another offer [to the union]. We were hopeful that the union could wait [to declare an impasse], but they wanted to move forward,” Yoshihara said.

One of the district’s main concerns in negotiating the contract is the financial impact any given proposal will have, according to DeMars.

The TUHSD originally offered a contract in August 2016 with a six

percent salary raise for the 2016-17 school year and a four percent raise for the 201718 school year with no other conditions, according to a TFT press release.

However, three days later the district rescinded the offer, according to the press release, and replaced it with a package that offered a flat raise of $2,000, added three more days to the work calendar and required teachers to pay more of their health care costs out of pocket.

The district’s initial offer would have provided teachers with a salary equivalent to Marin’s 2009 cost of living when adjusted for inflation, according to a TFT press release, while the cost of living in Marin has increased by 20 percent since June of 2009.

Hettleman believes that the pay raise equivalent to the 2009 cost of living is more than reasonable.

“We work here, we live here, we don’t want the district to become insolvent. We recognized that with increased enrollment, there might be a hit to the budget over the course of some time,” Hettleman said. “At the same time, we think what we are asking for is pretty fair. Something that is fair and equitable, that is hammered down in good faith, that is all we are looking for.”

However, the legitimacy of the original package as an official offer is a point of dispute. Lars Christensen, TUHSD Assistant Superintendent of Human

rschten@redwoodbark.org

Resources and member of the district’s negotiating team, said that the package was never proposed. “[The package] wasn’t an offer. The teachers’ association made an offer, and then we had conversations about that offer, and that’s where it ended,” Christensen said. “There is disagreement between the district and the TFT as to what constituted an offer and a counter offer.”

Hettleman expressed confusion regarding the district’s priorities, especially regarding the district’s focus on health care. “[Teachers] are curious why the district is spending so much time and energy on something [like an increase in health care] that doesn’t seem to be a huge problem and is really not a large part of its annual budget,” Hettleman said.

DeMars said that while the specifics of the second package were not ideal or acceptable, the real issue was the district’s negotiating style, which he described as “regressive bargaining.”

“Everyone wants to think that the entire issue is all about the health care cap that they proposed at the table, but what it’s really about is how they’re negotiating,” DeMars said. “If they were negotiating in such a way that allowed conversations to continue and take place, where we could actually creatively problem solve together, then I think we could probably

work through the health care issue and whatever issues arrive at the table.”

Negotiations were also started months later than usual to allow for the completion of a budget review.

The review was designed to gauge the financial health of the district and to understand what could be offered in negotiations.

Hettleman acknowledged the district’s need to stay on budget, but he also believes that there is room to reach a deal.

“We recognize that increased enrollment plays some role in the district’s budget, but the truth is that the district might not have ever been as healthy as it is now in terms of its fiscal situation,” Hettleman said.

Social studies teacher and TFT Vice President Ann Jaime said the situation was unique to her 25 years of teaching at Redwood.

“I think most teachers sitting on the negotiating team would say we don’t really know how we got [to the impasse],” Jaime said. “Of course teachers recognize that resources are scarce and that the schools are growing, but we also we need to be fairly compensated for the work we do.” bark@redwoodbark.org

bark

Page 4 • News

March 10, 2017

Seniors nominated for Presidential Scholars Program

By Catherine Conrow Three seniors were selected as candidates for the United States Presidential Scholars Program in early February.

The students—James Conant, Scott McCrae and Rebecca Smalbach—were invited to apply for the prestigious award as a result of their outstanding standardized test scores.

Each year, approximately 4,000 high school students are invited to compete for the 161 spots in the Presidential Scholars Program.

According to the Department of Education, “the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors.”

Although the majority of students are selected as candidates because of their exceptional academic achievements, the program also recognizes talent in the arts and accomplishments in career and technical education fields, according to Meg Heimbrodt, Redwood’s College & Career Specialist.

Although students are not informed in their letter why they were invited to apply, most students are selected as candidates based off their test scores or performance in the YoungArts, according to McCrae, who received a 36 on the ACT (the highest score possible).

“You can also be nominated by the [Chief State School Office] but I don’t

Photoillustration by Catherine Conrow

WORKING IN THE library, senior James Conant was nominated to apply to be a Presidential Scholar based on his high standardized test scores. think I was nominated by them,” McCrae said.

McCrae had never heard of the Presidential Scholars Program before receiving the email informing him of his selection as a candidate. Additionally, the early February notification date prevents candidates from reporting this achievement to colleges.

“I was kind of annoyed because I have been deferred from a lot of schools and they ask for any awards you have gotten, but I submitted all of that before I got the award,” McCrae said. “I was nominated for my score so I guess colleges kind of

know already. It’s just another person saying ‘Oh wow! He got a 36.’ It would be more significant if I went to YoungArts and got nominated through that.”

McCrae is the only one of the three who has decided to go ahead with the lengthy application process.

Conant, who also received a 36 on the ACT and will be attending Harvard in the fall, said that he decided not to apply to the program because of how competitive it is and the length of the application.

“I looked at the statistics for actually getting into the program and it’s pretty dismal. You are pitted against 4,000 of the

top students in the country and only 161 of them get picked, so it is much more competitive than college admissions,” Conant said.

The application process includes submitting a high school transcript, school profile and recommendation letter, in addition to five, 1600-character essays.

Essay topics range from ways in which the candidate has contributed to their school’s community to the most influential teacher the candidate had in high school.

“There is also an essay on a creative work and how it influences the way you see yourself in the world, which is weird because [the prompt] says it could be a scientific theory or a song or book,” McCrae said.

In addition, the application includes a 7,000-character essay about a photo of someone or something meaningful to the candidate.

If selected as one of the approximately 800 candidates named as semifinalists, McCrae’s application will be forwarded to the Commission on Presidential Scholars for further review.

According to the Department of Education, the 161 Presidential Scholars enjoy an expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. in June to attend the National Recognition Program. There they will meet with government officials and educators, and will be awarded their Presidential Scholars medallion at a ceremony sponsored by the White House. cconrow@redwoodbark.org

bark New required science sequence proposed in place of Integrated Science Page 5 • News

www.redwoodbark.org

A new course sequence to replace Integrated Science 1-2 and 3-4 was proposed by the Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) science task force in early February.

The required three-course progression would fit the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that the TUHSD is adopting in the fall of 2018. The sequence would begin with the Physics in the Universe course, followed by the Living Earth course and the Chemistry in Earth course.

According to Todd Samet, a science teacher and leader of the task force, the proposed progression is most logical for the needs of the TUHSD. “There’s some simplicity to this. It’s more in line with what other schools around the state are doing, and I think it’s going to be more in line with what the UCs and CSUs are doing,” Samet said.

The task force, which met to determine the order in which the classes would be taken, was comprised of science teachers, teacher leaders and administrators from all of the district schools.

According to Samet, the decision to adopt the state-developed sequence at the various TUHSD sites was unanimously favored among the science teachers, including those who were not members of the task force.

“We can’t just say we’re going to have Chemistry and Earth course, Bio and Earth course, Physics and Earth course, and we’re going to let the kids decide the sequence they want to take it in.

We could do that, but it wouldn’t make much sense because there would be some students taking the physics course as freshmen, and there would be some juniors or seniors who would be finishing their sequence with physics, and that’s a different beast,” Samet said.

Physics in the Universe would satisfy the physics, earth and space state standards over a student’s ninth grade year.

“Physics has a lot of good phenomenon that can be observed and freshmen can relate to. It provides a context in which kids get to use mathematical skills to help them in their math curriculum as opposed to the way the model is now, in which the kids who are good at math go on to take physics,” Samet said.

A student’s second required year of science will take place during the Living Earth course, which will focus on biology and earth science. According to Samet, the Living Earth course will closely align with the current Integrated Science 3-4 class, which is regularly taken by sophomores.

The final required science class is the Chemistry and Earth Systems course, which will most commonly be taken by 11th grade students, but will also be offered as an elective course that a student may take concurrently with the Living Earth course during 10th grade. According to Samet, around 50 percent of the current general Chemistry course curriculum will be used in the Chemistry and Earth Systems course.

“Chemistry is a math heavy

The Ahern Family The Alioto Family The Alliston Johnson Family Cynthia Altman & Malcolm Brenner Susan & Mark Anderson Laura & Mark Anderson Anonymous (2) The Arnowitz Family James & Katheryn Baldwin Barnes Family Stephanie & Brad Bennett Lisa Bernardi The Bialek Santas Family Tonya Bjornson & Don Roelle The Blazei Family The Blixt Family The Block Family The Blum Family Hannah, Lauren, & Ella Blazei Bill & Kathleen Brady Mimi & Bill Breck The Briggs Family The Brostoff Family Donal & Brenda Brown The Brune Deuss Family Jim & Carrie Burroughs The Byck Family Thom Calandra & Maura Thurman The Callaway Allen Family The Carswell Family The Cerf Family The Chou Family The Christman Family The Churton Family The Cico Family The Cohen Family Jody Coker & Mark Dosker The Colicci Family Rebecca & David Conant The Conner Family The Conrow Family Fred & Lara Conte The Cook Family The Cooperband Family The Corn Family Beth & Chris Cummings The Cusack Family

The Dabora Family The Dahlin Family The Dalzell-Piper Family The Desin Family Will & Milena Dixon The Dong Family The Dow Family Laurie Dubin The Dudgeon Family The Edington Family Naz Erickson The Evans Family Ewry Family John & Deirdre Evershed Dee Ann & Gus Ezcurra The Fargo Family Sara Fargo The Felder Family Jill & Jeff Finegold The Finkbeiners The Foehr Family The Fogarty Family The Fragakis Family The French Family Steven Fulton Eva Geitheim Lynn & John Gerson Elon Ginzburg Emily Glidden Donna Ellison Goldman The Goldwasser Family Cindy & Chad Goodman The Graf Family James E Granger & Yu-ling Wang Brenhan & Katherine Green Francesca Greenberg The Grujic Family Tom Guarcello The Gustafson Family Catherine Guthrie The Hackett Family Dominique & Neil Halilej Joe & Debby Hanssen The Hankin Family Kevin Haroff & Donalyn Pryor Peter Henry Caroline Henry

By Amanda Trusheim

subject, so [having it last in the sequence] will give students enough time to have the math skills to be able to do chemistry well,” said Chemistry teacher Marissa Peck. “We’ll see how it works, but I’m optimistic about it.”

All of the currently available science electives, including Advanced Placement courses, will continue to be offered.

Students may choose to enroll in an elective course in addition to the NGSS sequence or wait to enroll in an elective science until their senior year.

Jessica Skieresz, a science teacher and member of the task force, added that the decision making process did not come

Bark Patrons The Henry Family The Herz Family Bill & Caren Horstmeyer Kevin & Karen Hout The Jacks Family The Jensen Family The Jessen Family Lee & Jeff Johnson Tyler Johnson & Jill Kauffman The Johnson Family Sylvia Jones Sumi Kaga Lisa Katz The Kawamura Foley Family The Kehoe Family John Kellerman Amy Kelly The Kennedy Family The Key Family Janie & Jon Kimball Joe & Angela King Bernice Kintzer Coral & Mike Kisseberth The Klein Family Klionsky Family The Klopukh Family The Knott Family Linda Kreitzman The Lando Family The Lawler Family David & Melissa Lee The Leo Family Carolyn & Mike Lewis The Leslie Family Jean & Norton Lin Rachel Lin The Lloyd Family Karen Loebbaka The Loo Family The Marlowe Family Erin & Chris Matthews The McKechnie Family The McKernan Family The McKinley Family

very easily to her.

“I want there to be as much choice and opportunity for students as possible, and one things that we really cherish in our department is that students have a lot of elective options and therefore can pursue different interests,” Skieresz said. “It’s a little restrictive, but it’s the most practical option to get all standards to all students.”

Samet believes the biggest opposition from the community and the board will stem from the lack of an honors course in the sequence.

“We have some reasons as to why we don’t believe [honors] is a good place to start from, maybe it has to come in down Laura Melberg The Middleton Family The Mikolon-Gomez Family The Millers The Mogilnicki Family The Morse Family The Mowbray Family Stephen P. Mulcahy The Neustaetter Family Christine Nguyen The Noble Family Mark & Donna Norstad The Notter Family Dennis & Jude Oh Ilissa Oulch The Overmyer Family Barbara Owens Vera Palczynski Kurt Paul The Peppel Family The Perczek Family The Peters Family David Peterson & Lynn Soper The Petri Family The Pole Family The Polidora Family The Porter Family The Pritikin Family Manny Ramos & Robin Snyder The Rankin-Williams Family The Ratcliffe Family Diane Rittenhouse & Charles Sakai The Robinow Family Jill Carole Robinson The Rocha Family Frank Rollo Stacy & Jack Rose Allison & Andy Ross The Saylor Family Christy Seidel & Peter Stock Chris & Corinne Seton Jane Sherman & Paul Smith Tom Sivertsen The Slade Family The Smalbach Family Louis Smith The Soofer Family

Infographic by Maggie Smith

the road, but honors courses have consequences that are both good and bad. We think we can do a good job addressing the needs of kids that would be taking the honors courses in the regular curriculum,” Samet said.

The proposal is currently available to students, parents and staff for preliminary feedback.

The board will vote on the sequence in late May, allowing teachers to write the curriculum over the summer of 2017 and the first NGSS-based course to take place in the fall of 2018.

atrusheim@redwoodbark.org The Sperlings Dana Linker & Rich Steele The Stephens Family Paul & Paula Strand The Strotz Family Andrew E. Sweet The Sylla Family The Tallerico Family The Tantum Family Karl & Jeanine Tede The Tenaglia Family Greg & Heidi Thomson The Thomson Family Jane Thornton Marylou Tierney Jeanette Tietze TJ’s Gym Wendy Tolkin Richard & Sophia Tong Karol Towns & Ronal Wagner J. Gregory Tull The Tully Family Maureen Valley The Van Brunt Family The Vance Hadley Family Vickie Vann & Steve Gregory Cheryl Vohland & Don Buder Kris & Philip Wade Jordan Warren The Watkins Family The Watridge Family The Welch Family The Whelpley Family Isolde & Aleck Wilson Amy Young Zachary & Marlies Zeisler Joe & Joanna Zesiger The Zlatunich Family

Want to be a Bark patron?

Visit redwoodbark.org and click “Patrons” under “More” to access a donation form.

opinion

Page 6

Secretary of Education threatens public school system

By Annie Fogarty As I look forward to my approaching high school graduation, I can’t help but peek back over my shoulder.

These final months will cap off what has been 13 years in the public education system. From Kindergarten to 12th grade, I have progressed from learning the alphabet to discussing difficult 19th century writers such as Herman Melville and Joseph Conrad, from memorizing addition equations to solving derivatives and integrals.

I am a product of the public education system. I have grown alongside a set of peers, all of us sharing equal access to a free education. Public education is the most democratic way to provide opportunity to diverse individuals, and our government’s focus should be on protecting and reforming public schools. However, the public education system as we know it will be threatened as Betsy DeVos steps into the office of Secretary of Education.

During her confirmation hearings, DeVos expressed numerous opinions that contradicted her previous actions as Republican Party Chairwoman and as a lobbyist in Michigan. She also demonstrated her lack of knowledge about other key policies, confusing growth and proficiency standards, the policies for education for students with disabilities and school accountability. These subjects will be critical for her to understand in order to lead the nation’s school system.

DeVos has no experience attending or running public schools, nor has she ever held an elected office. Even if her proposed plans have potential, she does not have the experience or leadership capabilities to enforce regulations and work cooperatively to create change.

Although she personally opposed President Trump’s rollback of the federal guidance protecting transgender students’ rights to school bathrooms, she acquiesced after brief resistance. In her short time in office, she has shown that she will not have the ability to lead the nation in a movement towards better education.

The public education system should be one of most honest bureaucracies within our democracy—it should have the primary goal of educating children to prepare

them to be good citizens and have opportunities in the future.

DeVos is an advocate of school choice and the voucher system, which allows students to use public funding to attend the school of their choice, whether it be public, charter or private. This in turn redirects tax payers’ dollars to private institutions. While DeVos plans to give states autonomy in passing voucher laws, President Trump has proposed plans to invest 20 billion dollars in voucher systems nationwide. These programs, which would privatize education alongside DeVos’s support for for-profit institutions, would detract from the democratic nature of public education.

The adverse results of these school choice programs have

been demonstrated by the Michigan charter school system where DeVos had Illustration by Pearl Zhong great influence pushing for privatization of the public school system. She and her family donated millions of dollars to expand the charter school system in Detroit, but many of these schools were unsuccessful, only minimally improving students’ low test scores. According to a study by Stanford’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), over half of charter school students’ performance growth was not above traditional public schools. This is not due to

the fact that charter schools in general are ineffective, but because this system in particular was left unregulated and unaccountable. If DeVos was to propose similar policies to those she lobbied for in Michigan, and fail to hold these schools accountable, public education across the country would likely suffer.

I have been lucky enough to attend schools in a community that supports public education. It provides excellent teachers and funding to support all students.

Ninety-five percent of students believe that Redwood has given them an opportunity to pursue a good education, according to a Feb. Bark survey.

However, many public schools do not receive equitable funding within districts. According to the U.S. Department of Education, “Fourty percent of schools that receive federal Title I money to serve disadvantaged students spent less state and local money… than schools that don’t receive Title I money at the same grade level in the same district.” Rather than addressing these issues through reforms and working on the schools we have, DeVos’ voucher systems will magnify this inequity between schools. They will take funding away from America’s most vulnerable schools and make the divide between student opportunites larger. Though private and religious schools provide an alternative to public schools, they should not be funded by public dollars through the voucher system.

It is easy to feel disheartened by the fact that the individual leading the public education system does not support it and could alter the futures of American youth. However, her confirmation has caused greater support for public schools within smaller communities with the realization that what we have often taken for granted could be threatened. It has also raised discussions about the best way to approach education. Communities have the power to support and prioritize public education, holding schools accountable for the success of students within the district. Our community, and communities across the country need to do their best to support our public schools and students, and ensure that a lack of leadership does not alter students’ futures. afogarty@redwoodbark.org

Finding our spot: recovering the good vibes we’ve lost

By Maxime Kawawa-Beaudan A few months ago, Redwood’s own favorite band, Canopy, held a gig in the Sweetwater Music Hall. It was a good time; there were parents sipping red wine by the bar, college students, Redwood alumni in many cases, chatting at the tables and a bunch of teenagers (plus one adventurous dad) dancing like nobody was watching. More than anything, it was refreshing—it was refreshing to come to a communal event, not even one organized by the school, and rock out to some talented musicians with classmates.

For me, the night at the Sweetwater spoke of something that I think our community, and maybe our generation— though I’m always wary of big announcements about ‘our generation’— has lost: the teen hangout spot. With that loss comes the loss of shared, concrete teenage spirit that exists past the school parking lot. The solution, I think, is more of what we experienced at the Sweetwater: we need more places to just have fun outside of school, together.

Every other generation had its spot. In the ‘80s it was the mall, where cool cats with mullets hung about. In the ‘70s it was the roller disco and the skating rink. In the ‘60s it was the teen dance club. In the ‘50s it was down by the drug store where the greasers hung out; I’m romanticizing at this point, but you get the idea.

In my experience, high schoolers in Marin have never had a distinct place to go with friends after school. Maybe the bowling alley one day, sometimes

Northgate, but there’s no singular spot.

Sure, individual groups hang out at people’s houses, but we have no open spot where things are happening and different groups come together. All in all, it has become harder to attain that spontaneous good vibe I felt at the Sweetwater.

Of course, as a school, we already put on plenty of events. But often, what’s wrong with the events we hold now as a school is their irregularity. There’s no sense of normalcy to them. Leadership kids have to advertise on every social media platform for a week before the actual day to get mediocre attendance. That, in and of itself, is a problem. Not only does being blasted with news updates about an event for weeks build a sense of obligation to attend, but if people don’t already know that they can come to some location of their own volition and expect an event, then you’ve lost half the battle.

While we don’t want to have to blast students with information about events, clearly, no one hang out spot has surfaced in our community organically. So the school might have to organize events to begin with, until we build that sense of normalcy around the happening place.

There are any number of ways to do this.

The small gym could be a communal space on a predetermined weeknight, open for use by any group or band or club. There would be the regular knowledge that on those nights, something is happening in the gym. Or we could invest in lights for the football field so students could come to games at night. The school could open up dodgeball nights or bowling nights.

We could have ping-pong tournaments, even Bingo nights! These are just a few ideas. But getting together in out-ofschool events builds a sense of cohesion. It expands friend groups.

There’s also the argument that having something wholesome and safe to do outside of school would stop kids from going out and getting intoxicated on various substances. I don’t fully buy that argument, but if there’s any validity to it, then we should at least offer the option.

That’s the entire philosophy behind the Friday Nights Live club at Redwood and other schools.

What is certain is that events like Canopy’s gig at the Sweetwater help to break down unwritten social divisions; I wouldn’t go so far as to call them “cliques”, but you know what I mean.

Illustration by Maxime Kawawa-Beaudan

There are clumps in our school. There are “drama kids,” there’s the football team (in fact there are groups for every sport we have), there are kids who go out and party every weekend. And for the most part, outside of school, we don’t see these other groups. We only ever brush shoulders with people like us, people in our group. But having one spot would help integrate our community. Or at the very least, it’d be a step in the right direction.

More important than all these arguments is the fundamental truth behind the Sweetwater: it was fun. There was the sense of it being something archaic. It was like being a teen in the ‘40s and ‘50s and going down to a malt shop on a weekend night. It was good old-fashioned fun. mkawawa-beaudan@redwoodbark.org

Page 7 • Opinion

www.redwoodbark.org

bark

UnPresidented: Trump works to make Russia great again

By Caleigh Stephens

“UnPresidented” is a column discussing the transition and first days of the Trump administration.

For more “UnPresidented,” visit redwoodbark.org/unpresidented Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has extensive business ties in Russia and was awarded the “Order of Friendship” by the Kremlin. Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was paid to give a speech for the propagandist Russian news network, Russia Today. Top adviser Jared Kushner met with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. during his fatherin-law’s presidential campaign. Donald Trump Jr. said in 2008 that “[the Trump Organization] see[s] a lot of money pouring in from Russia.” President Donald Trump himself has enjoyed a cozy relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

With a cabinet and team of advisors stacked with business experience, international connections may seem to be an inevitable and unconcerning occurrence.

Except that the ties are to a nation with a leader who has professed anti-American sentiment, meddled in our most recent presidential election and violated human rights.

Russian entanglements have already caused issues for the interior of the administration, with Flynn resigning after reports broke that he lied about his conversations with Russian diplomats

to the vice-president. And just last week Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from investigations regarding Russian interference after it was revealed that he was in contact with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. during the Trump campaign, a fact he did not disclose during his confirmation hearing.

Throughout his time in the political spotlight, Trump’s position on Putin has been decidedly positive. From saying that he respected Putin this February to wondering in June of 2013 if Putin would become his “new best friend,” Trump’s take on the Russian leader departs greatly from cool Obama-era relations.

And while Trump’s support is good for the Russian elite, it is dangerous to the United States. Putin is not some friendly leader acting to promote the common good, but someone whose political opponents, more often than not, end up mysteriously dead.

He’s also someone who has brought back Cold War-era rhetoric regarding the U.S., saying in September at a banquet in Moscow that he believed Russia could “destroy America in half an hour or less” and supported legislation that classified any non-profits that received money from outside the country as “foreign agents.”

Trump’s blind support is revealing him to be a president who is idolizing, rather than opposing, one of the biggest authoritarian leaders of our time.

In early January, the Office of the Direct of National Intelligence released a report that concluded, from findings by the FBI, CIA and NSA, that “Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the U.S. presidential election.” Trump’s response?

He called the controversy a “political witch hunt.”

The findings of the report clearly show that Russia is still taking active measures against the United States. Active measures, the Russian term for actions of political

warfare that include disinformation, political repression and other subversive actions, characterized many of the Soviet actions against the U.S. during the Cold War. An archive of notes from former KGB officer Vasili Mitrokhin uncovered Russian efforts in support of Richard Nixon’s Democratic opponent in 1968 and attempts to uncover unsavory personal details about Reagan in 1976.

The documents also detailed a much more elaborate plan to take down the Reagan campaign 2.0. The Chairman of the KGB decreed in 1982 that all officers should partake in active measures against Reagan’s reelection.

This included popularizing of the slogan “Reagan Means War,” attempting to infiltrate the headquarters of both the Republican and Democratic National Committees and working to discredit many of Reagan’s policies. The campaign was an utter failure, with Reagan still winning by a landslide.

The more recent Russian campaigns, which included hackings of the Democratic National Committee and disinformation operations, aren’t the sole reason for Trump’s election. Trump’s rise on a wave of increasing nationalist sentiment would likely still have resulted sans Russian interference.

However, that doesn’t make the Russian meddling any less concerning.

What the hacks have done is compromise the very tenets of our democracy. Without fair elections, American democracy as we know it ceases to function. A February Pew Research study found that most Americans would probably be inclined to agree, with 89 percent of respondents saying that “fair and open national elections are very important to maintaining a strong democracy.”

The more recent Russian actions also involved a new element utterly inaccessible in the mid-20th century

cyber-warfare. Cyber-security has without a doubt become a larger issue in the past years, and with reason. It also seems to be something increasingly found in Russian foreign strategy.

The alarm bells should have been raised in 2007 when Russia allegedly cyberattacked nearby country Estonia after the country attempted to take down a World War II era Soviet war memorial statue. Or when in 2008, Russia made history as the first country to mix traditional warfare with cyber-warfare during the Russo-Georgian war.

Hacking, especially of a highlyconnected country such as the U.S., has the potential to be just as powerful as traditional military actions for a much smaller cost. Putin has already demonstrated his willingness to fight against American democracy with the medium.

It may not seem like it, but we are well on the way to a second Cold War. Tensions have been rising between the two countries, something evidenced by the view of the populace.

A 2017 Pew Research study found that 73 percent of Americans see Russia as either an “adversary” or “serious problem.”

A 2015 study by the independent Levada Center found that more than 80 percent of Russians hold negative views of the U.S., the highest negative rating since the center began research in 1988.

Peaceful relations are always the goal, but more important is the protection of human rights and the preservation of our democracy. It is imperative that our country is in the care of an administration willing to oppose and speak out against Russian interference. But with the president and staff we currently have, thar future is unlikely.

cstephens@redwoodbark.org

Violent campus protests challenge core American rights

By Jason Fieber

An appearance on Feb. 1 by Milo Yiannopoulos, an infamous member of the alt-right movement and former Breitbart editor, turned the UC Berkeley campus into a site for protest against Yiannopoulos.

The protests eventually turned to a few on the campus attacking those waiting to hear Yiannopoulos’ speech.

T h e response from Berkeley residents is not only representative of the hatred and divisive climate that currently exists in our country, but also of a greater trend which has gripped college campuses across the nation.

Yi a n n o p o u l o s was scheduled to give a speech on campus, but it was canceled after s t u d e n t protests against the ideas he represented turned violent.

Around 150 people were blamed for the violence that erupted, but these people were not associated with the university, according to the university.

In recent years, there has been an ongoing debate over the value of safe spaces and trigger warnings on campuses, as we dispute whether certain minority groups should be protected from potential discrimination, or if these safe spaces are simply a way to shield childish university

students from any ideas that differ from their own.

Yiannopoulos’ invitation to campus and the resulting protests are both an issue of protecting the free speech of our citizens and of exposing citizens to the fact that there are people who have ideas different than theirs.

Yiannopoulos’ ideas are outlandish, but equally outlandish is the idea that when we encounter people with ideas that are different from our own we should try to silence those people, or even, in Berkeley’s case, respond with violence.

We associate many things with a stereotypical college

experience: living away from home, meeting new people or tailgating at football games.

However, one aspect of the college experience that seems to have become lost over the years is the prospect that, by going to college, we leave the bubble we grew up in and instead begin to interact with people very different from ourselves.

Instead, some college students have begun to do everything in their power to maintain that sheltered life we enjoy leading up to college in an attempt to cover ourselves with a blanket of ideas that directly mirror our own.

When asked about the growth of safe spaces on college campuses, former president Barack Obama said this: “Anybody who comes to speak to you and you disagree with, you should have an argument with them, but you shouldn’t silence them by saying you can’t come because I’m too sensitive to hear what you have to say.”

As a country, we want to protect everyone’s equal rights, which includes the free speech of all Americans.

Yiannopoulos has spent much of his career testing the boundaries of the field of free speech, but he still has rights.

His comments about minority groups are often considered to be hate speech, but even hate speech is protected by our laws of free speech as long as it does not incite violence against the groups being spoken about.

If anything, violent protest is one of the worst ways to respond to people with radical views because it simply magnifies and gives greater popularity to these people and their ideas.

In the same way that protestors are entitled to and utilize their right to assembly, Yiannopoulos and his followers are entitled to their right to believe what they want and to spread their message to those who are willing to listen.

These universities do not need to be punished through the removal of federal funds as President Trump suggested, the violence of a few at the protests is not representative of the whole university and most were simply peacefully protesting.

Rather, students and those involved in the protests need to realize the hypocrisy of trying to protect one group of people’s rights while simultaneously hindering another group’s ability to practice theirs.

Illustrations by Astrea Slezak

jfieber@redwoodbark.org

bark

Page 8 • Opinion

www.redwoodbark.org

bark

Redwood High School 395 Doherty Drive Larkspur, CA 94939 www.redwoodbark.org E ditors -I n -C hief Gregory Block Emily Cerf Sarah Kimball Rebecca Smalbach

Head Copy Editor Caleigh Stephens

Copy Editors

Gemma Calandra Shannon Donelan Tilly Friedlander Sam Sheridan Christine Watridge

News Editors

editorial Jolly Roger caught in bureaucratic clash

Dead papers tell no tales

Barks & Bites

Drake High School’s student-run newspaper, The Jolly Roger, has hit rough waters in the past year and it is essential that we stand by it in its fight to publish.

Earlier this semester, the Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) eliminated the position of the classified staff member running the district print shop (see page 1 for details), and the Jolly Roger found itself unable to publish.

Bound by a union contract, the paper is unable to outsource their print jobs for 39 months. That’s three whole years of printed silence from the only homegrown source Drake students have for school and community news.

This is not the first time the Jolly Roger has faced unfair opposition from the district. In June, school and district officials censored an article on anti-Semitic graffiti at the urging of a parent of a source, causing the paper to run a letter explaining the situation.

“We are upset that, after studying journalistic ethics and striving to write our stories with them in mind, the district has decided to obstruct our First Amendment rights and censor our publication,” the staff wrote in the letter.

Even though the paper had consulted with the Student Press Law Center (SPLC) and was assured by their lawyers of the legality of printing the story, the district still blocked publication of the story due to “concerns for student safety.”

Both the censorship and forced suspension of printing occurred because the Jolly Roger prints through the district-run print shop, unlike the Bark and Tam News, who both print through outside contractors.

The California Student Free Expression Law protects student publications, including newspapers, from prior restraint from school board officials. The TUHSD’s actions in censoring the Jolly Roger display a district with little regard for student press rights.

As fellow student journalists in the district, we are concerned by the district administration’s actions. It is important that all student-run publications, no matter their size or funding, are allowed freedom to publish. As of late, we at the Bark are fortunate enough to have the support from our school administration necessary to practice our First Amendment rights as student journalists. But it is clear that our colleagues at Drake were not granted these same rights.

We urge the district and the classified staff union to exempt the Jolly Roger from their

A BARK to the Oscars. They were Wilde.

A BITE to the Attorney General’s conflict of interests.

His trial is now in Sessions.

A BARK to the three-day weekend coming up. We’re already exhausted from our week back.

A BITE to the SAT being on the same day as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Guess luck of the Irish doesn’t actually exist.

A BARK to Redwood alumnus Marc Sondheimer for winning an Oscar and having a name that sounds eerily close to Mr. Sondheim’s. We’re onto you,

contractual obligation, at least for the time being as they work out an agreement. The paper has been caught in the crossfire of a battle between staff unions and district budget cuts, an innocent victim of bureaucracy. The paper does not have the current infrastructure online to maintain a strong presence in the everyday lives of Drake students and report on important issues pertaining to students.

The value of journalism has been under attack recently from national politicians and we can’t let that animosity spread to local publications.

We must stand in solidarity with the Jolly Roger as the district attempts to strip their journalistic freedoms. The press plays an important role in holding officials accountable for their actions, whether that be national politicians or public district officials.

In a September response to the district’s censorship, Jolly Roger adviser Mary Jane Jones wrote, “We know that this is censorship, but we also know that it’s probably not censorship that can effectively be fought.”

We believe that any type of press censorship can, and should, be fought, especially when it occurs in friendly waters. The Jolly Roger should not surrender, but instead should prepare the cannons for battle. The district must allow the magazine to print with an outside contractor as they work out a long-term solution.

The Jolly Roger incidents serve as a reminder of the importance of separating student press from their school administrations. Professional media outlets must be separate from government and the same holds true for student-run publications.

The role of the media is to check authority, but it can’t do this effectively if it is controlled by the authority itself.

Just because the Jolly Roger does not have the same funding or administrative support as the Bark or Tam News does not mean it should be ignored and mistreated by the district. We can’t let our friends at Drake walk the plank.

Have an opinion regarding anything that appears in the Bark or in general? We encourage our readers to submit letters to the editor. Letters to the Bark should be 500 words or fewer, typed if possible and signed.

They must be submitted to room 177 or the Bark mailbox in the facility. They may also be emailed to bark@redwoodbark.org.

David.

A BITE to Night of Blues. Not the jazz one, the night when the UC admission decisions come out.

A BARK to Obama. We’d (wire)tap that.

A BITE to the creation of a prom dress page already. Bruh there are still like two months until prom.

A BARK to the alumni speakers. Thanks for reassuring us that we have no idea what we’re doing.

A BITE to the Oscars best picture mishap. “La La Land” is #notmybestpicture.

A BARK to March. We are ready for the madness.

A BITE to Yoshihara’s fiscal skills. With cuts like these he must have learned from the best: Supercuts.

Annie Fogarty Maggie Smith

Opinion Editors

Caroline Cummings Alicia Vargelis

Feature Editors China Granger Pearl Zhong

Sports Editors Jason Fieber Daniela Schwartz

Review Editors Julia Jacoby Alexandra Lee

Lifestyles Editors Anne Pritikin Heidi Roenisch

Spanish Editor Hallie Fox

Video Editors Garet Jatsek Sam Slade

Business Manager Jordan Overmyer

Social Media Manager Mary Winnick

Snapshot Manager Sydney Soofer

Art Consultant

Maxime Kawawa-Beaudan

Data Analyst

Adam Kreitzman

Web Developers Hayden Blum Kevin Gao

Reporters

Eric Ahern Michael Benz Josh Cohen Catherine Conrow Luke Dahlin Sabrina Dong Carolyn French Jack Green Andrew Hout Max Josef Kaelin Kragh Jocelyn Overmyer Kendall Rhoads Charlotte Seton Rachel Schten Henry Tantum Amanda Trusheim Brendan Winters

Adviser

Erin Schneider BARKS and BITES are the collective opinions of the BARK staff concerning relevant issues. BARKS are in praise of accomplishments, while BITES criticize decisions or events.

POLICY: All editorials are unsigned and have been approved by the majority of the Bark staff.

español

Página 9

Estudiantes el salvadoreñas se adaptan a nuestra cultura Por Hallie Fox La falta de diversidad fue la primera impresión de que Nicole Ramos y Daniela Cabrales tuvieron del Condado de Marín y de Redwood High School.

Estaban adentrándose en la cultura de Marín este verano pasado después de mudarse a California desde El Salvador, y según Ramos, encontraron que no era fácil amoldarse porque son hispanas, en lugar de ser blancas. Sin embargo, sienten que han creado un lugar , por sí mismas, juntas, y con éxito entre sus compañeros en Redwood.

Cabrales y Ramos, estudiantes de tercer año, dejaron su hogar, a sus amigos y la madre de Cabrales en San Salvador, El Salvador para vivir con la madre y el padrastro de Ramos en Belvedere, California.

Ambas han sido ciudadanas de los Estados Unidos por toda o casi toda sus vidas. Ramos naciό en Martinez, California, pero ella y su familia se mudaron a El Salvador pronto después de su nacimiento. Y aunque Cabrales nunca había visitado los Estados Unidos antes de su mudanza reciente aquí, su padre obtuvo la ciudadanía de los Estados Unidos cuando ella era joven.

Ramos y Cabrales quisieron mudarse de El Salvador para empezar de nuevo, a pesar de los retos asociados con la mudanza. ¨Solo andaba tratando de encontrar algo nuevo para mi vida, salir de mi zona de comfort, no solo quedarme en el mismo país con la misma rutina¨, dijo Ramos.

Cabrales cree que hay más oportunidades para ella y Ramos en Marín en los campos de desarrollo académico y personal.

También dijo que ha aprendido responsabilidad y autosuficiencia al de vivir en Marín sin sus padres. ¨La educación es tanto mejor [en Redwood]¨, dijo Cabrales. ¨Y te haces independiente y yo siento como yo he aprendido tanto de muchos aspectos, solo estando aquí.¨ Aunque Cabrales a veces cree que se ha hecho más autosuficiente estando en Marín, dijo que se le hace difícil porque sus padres no viven en Marín con ella. A Cabrales se le dificulta contactarse con sus padres y extraña el apoyo que le daban en El Salvador.

La madre de Cabrales todavía vive en El Salvador y trabaja como abogada y traductora para conferencias y programas; su padre viaja mucho sin residencia permanente.

La hermana de Cabrales, quien tiene 19 años, asiste a la universidad en Bélgica.

Entre la mudanza de Cabrales a Marín y los estudios de su hermana en Europa, ellos han tenido dificultad en mantener una relación cercana. “[Mi relación ha cambiado] con mi hermana porque ella vive en Bélgica y hay una diferencia de horas muy grande ”, dijo Cabrales. “Con mi mamá, es como dos horas y con mi hermana es como todo un día. Así que cuando me despierto, ella ya está en la escuela y entonces cuando yo estoy en casa, ella está dormida. Así que es difícil hablar con ella y siempre está ocupada”.

La relación con su padre no ha cambiado drásticamente, porque ella no lo veía mucho en San Salvador.

“No hablamos mucho, pero él vino a visitarme [en Marín] en diciembre y fuimos en un viaje de carretera. Siempre tenemos un viaje cada año y cosas como eso”, djio Cabrales.

Ramos y Cabrales dijeron que habían encontrado retos cuando se estaba adaptando a la nueva cultura en Marín sobre todo porque es diferente a la cultura

Foto por Hallie Fox

RIENDO EL UNO al otro, estudiantes en sus tercer año Daniela Cabrales (izquierda) y Nicole Ramos (derecha), pasan tiempo juntos durante el almuerzo. Cabrales y Ramos han sido amigas por 13 años. a la cual estaban acostumbradas en San ella tenía mi comida preparada, ya sea pollo Salvador. u otra carne o algo asi. Y aquí yo tengo que “[El Salvador es] un país pequeño. Era encontrar algo que yo pueda hacerme muy más fácil conocer a otros e interactuar rápido y fácil, y es difícil”. con ellos”, dijo Ramos. “No solo conoces Cabrales y Ramos dijeron que una de a gente de tu escuela, sino conoces a gente los retos en integrarse a la cultura nueva de escuelas diferentes. Yo siento como sus aqui es que los estudiantes en Redwood ya familias son más cercanas. Yo tenía primos tienen amistades desarrolladas. que vivían a diez minutos de distancia de “Ha sido difícil ajustarme a una cultura mí”. y a un entorno totalmente diferente. El La educación de las chicas en San inglés no es nuestra primera lengua y Salvador se diferencia de la educación en hacer amigos de la nada, [cuando] tú eres Redwood, lo cual ha sido difícil para ellas. completamente nueva, y la gente ya tiene En San Salvador, asistía a una escuela sus amigos, sus grupos, solo tratar de privada donde la mitad de sus clases se hablar con ellos es difícil”, Ramos dijo. enseñaban en español y la otra mitad se Daniela Hernández, una estudiante en enseñaban en inglés. su tercer año, conoció a Ramos y Cabrales Dijo Cabrales que le ha sido difícil en la clase de inglés, lo cual les ha facilitado acostumbrarse al estilo de enseñanza de la integración de Cabrales y Ramos.

Redwood.

Hernandez naturalmente se relacionó con “Yo no estoy acostumbrada al estilo la situación de Cabrales y Ramos; ella se de enseñanza aquí, así que supongo es había mudado a California de México más difícil.

Como cuando ella nos permiten leer por estaba en el sexto nosotras mismas, es más grado, lo cual le independiente.

Allá, permitió sentir tenía más ayuda”, dijo empatía para Cabrales. las chicas y su Ambas chicas situación. dijeron que encuentran No Ramos diferencias culturales y Cabrales pequeñas que van solo vinieron a añadiendo a su esfuerzo Redwood como de ajustarse, tales estudiantes como diferencias en extranjeras su capacidad de comer nuevas, sino comidas saludables y las Nicole Ramos, t a m b i é n logísticas del almuerzo estudiante en su tercer año ingresaron como en la escuela. estudiantes en En su escuela en San el tercer año lo Salvador, los estudiantes cuál Hernández tenían que comer en cree hace su el edificio de la escuela, a diferencia de la transición más difícil. Hernández dijo libertad que los estudiantes de Redwood que como estudiantes de tercer año, los tienen al salir el campus para el almuerzo. estudiantes ya han desarrollado amistades Cabrales y Ramos tenían criadas en durante sus dos años de Redwood además El Salvador que les hacían su desayuno de en la escuela secundaria y primaria. y almuerzo. Las chicas dijeron que eso Jurany Pohl, una estudiante de tercer ha sido uno de los ajustes más grandes– año, también ayudó con la transición de preparar sus almuerzos.

Cabrales y Ramos. Pohl se mudó aquí Ramos también dijo que es más difícil desde Colombia en la escuela secundaria y comer saludable en Marín que en San así podía entender su experiencia.

Salvador, sobre todo porque no tiene a Pohl dijo que los estudiantes de nadie que le ayude aquí.

Redwood no hacen un gran esfuerzo para “Es tan difícil comer saludable aquí, extender la mano a estudiantes nuevos de para mi. Allí [mi criada] para el desayuno países extranjeros, pero que el esfuerzo me cocinaba huevos, frijoles y frutas frescas pequeño que los estudiantes ponen en cortadas. Yo no tenía que preocuparme de extender la mano a los estudiantes nuevos pelar una piña o pelar un mango, y cosas es beneficioso para ellos. así”, dijo Ramos. “Y cuando venía a casa, “Pienso, de mi experiencia propia, que

Es bueno tener a amigos y se siente bien estar con otras personas, pero no necesitamos pertenecer confortables.

estaba bien que la gente no me extendiera la mano porque yo quería encontrar cosas por mi mismo. [Los Estudiantes de Redwood] te ayudan, pero no hacen todo por ti. Así es más fácil entender, y más rápido entender si tu haces las cosas por ti mismo”, Pohl dijo.

Una parte de su adaptación a la cultura en los Estados Unidos ha incluido que Cabrales y Ramos han desarrollado perspectivas sobre la política de los EE. UU. Si Ramos o Cabrales hubieran tenido dieciocho años y hubieran podido votar en las elecciones pasadas, Ramos habría votado por Presidente Trump, mientras que Cabrales se habría abstenido de votar porque ella dijo que no entendía completamente las políticas de los candidatos.

Ramos dijo que por ser cristiana, ella y su familia son pro-Israel y creen que Trump lo es también. Cabrales piensa que por esas semejanzas que Ramos y su familia coinciden con de Presidente Trump en este tema, le permite entender su punto de vista.

Cabrales y Ramos se sienten agradecidas por tenerse la una a la otra para hacer su mudanza más fácil. Ambas chicas estuvieron de acuerdo que esta experiencia habría sido mucho más difícil si no se hubieran tenido una a la otra “Ya que le tengo a ella y nos tenemos la una a la otra no es tan difícil; nos apoyamos un poco, y eso hace todo mucho más sencillo. Si tengo una problema, o si solo necesita ayuda con algo, le tengo a ella, así eso hace todo más fácil”, dijo Ramos.

Ramos cree que ella y Cabrales han creado un lugar propio de ellas dos.

“Es bueno tener a amigos y se siente bien estar con otras personas, pero no necesitamos pertenecer confortables”, Ramos dijo. “Tal vez no encontré mi lugar, pero podía mezclarme y seguir las reglas del juego con todo lo que está sucediendo.

Creamos un lugar propio”.

Cabrales dijo que están alegres porque están entre sus compañeros ahora.

Ramos planea quedarse en los Estados Unidos y espera asistir a la universidad en California. A diferencia de Ramos, Cabrales no espera asistir a la universidad en los EE. UU., sino en un lugar extranjero.

“Solo quiero algo diferente. Me gusta ver culturas diferentes, así que me gustaría Europa o América del Sur o Asia”, dijo Cabrales. hfox@redwoodbark.org

bark

Page 10 • Feature

March 10, 2017

EDUCATIONAL REALITIES BEHIND ADHD diagnose the child with ADHD,” Saunders said.

This is the simplest way to get diagnosed with ADHD, but there are a number of other methods that range in cost.

Junior Antonia Thomson was diagnosed with ADHD her sophomore year. She said she went to a psychologist who specialized in ADHD to receive her diagnosis, instead of going to her pediatrician, because she thought a specialist could give her a more thorough evaluation.

“My whole life I’ve been kind of spacey and can’t pay attention for a long period of time, but my parents just thought that was how I was. Then I think it was about two years ago I was diagnosed with it [ADHD] by a psychiatrist, and my parents kind of realized,” Thomson said.

Rankin-Williams also went outside of his primary care provider to take the Quotient ADHD test at a Kaiser Permanente facility in Oakland. During this test, the doctors used a headband-like gadget that monitored each time Rankin-Williams clicked the spacebar on a keyboard while watching a moving star on a computer to measure how well he could focus on a single object. He said that although this was an expensive test, his family wanted

By Daniela Schwartz “In middle school I’d always be standing up in my classes and fidgeting with stuff and bending paper clips and flinging rubber bands, and doing whatever to just keep myself occupied. My teachers basically realized that they had to put me in the back of the classroom because I’d always be standing up,” said junior Aidan Rankin-Williams, who was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) in eighth grade.

According to a study by Medical University of South Carolina psychologist, Dr. Russell Barkley, ADHD is a disorder that affects roughly one to three students in a classroom of 30.

Despite the high rates of ADHD among children, diagnosing a child with the disorder can be a complex task due to the many different types of evaluations available.

However, diagnosing has gained attention over the years. According to the National Survey of Children’s Health parent reports, 11 percent of children ages four through 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD. The same survey found that the rate of diagnosed ADHD has increased an average of about five percent per year from 2003 to 2011.

As ADHD attracts more attention each year, understanding the complexities behind the diagnosis has become critical.

Both getting the diagnosis and receiving the appropriate benefits, like extra time for college entrance tests, can be challenging for students with ADHD. Additionally, ensuring that these two benefits are accessible for families and students of all income levels hasn’t been fully addressed.

In fact, a report done by Jama Pediatrics, a medical journal published by the American Medical Association, showed that among all children with ADHD symptoms, poor children and children in minority groups are less likely to be diagnosed with the disorder. It also found that children from high-income families (classified as greater than $70,000 a year) were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. According to Kentfield based psychologist Merriam Saunders, diagnosing ADHD most commonly begins between kindergarten and third grade.

“Usually it will start with either a parent noticing there is something different about their child, maybe they have so much more energy and an inability to sit still, and often that comes into play when they first come to school—preschool maybe,” Saunders said.

Saunders said that if the parent doesn’t detect anything, then a teacher or school personnel may bring it up to them. Next, the family usually visits their pediatrician, who sends a questionnaire home with the family for both the parents and teachers to fill out.

“The doctor will get the questionnaire from the [home and school] and if they check off enough boxes then they’re able to

Photos by Daniela Schwartz

GOING THROUGH LONG processes to get diagnosed, juniors Antonia Thompson (left) and Aidan Rankin-Williams (right) have dealt with standardized test struggles due to ADHD.

a better understanding of what the problem was before they spent the time to get him diagnosed.

Afterwards Rankin-Williams went to his doctor, who gave him a much simpler evaluation involving blocks and memorization games. There, he received a diagnosis and prescription for ADHD medication.

According to Saunders, another way to tell if someone has ADHD is through a neuropsychologist report. The report consists of a multi-day testing assessment of the child using many Intelligent Quotient tests and various processing tests which pinpoint where in the brain the disorder occurs. Although this test is informative, it can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000.

Linda Perrella, College Planning Consultant •

Tutor for ACT/SAT

•

Search for Colleges/Careers

Courtesy of Dr. Darios Getahun and Dr. Steven J. Darios from a report done by Jama Pediatrics

Although there are pricier tests, if a student goes to the doctor to get an evaluation their insurance should also cover the cost of medications, according to Saunders, as this would make it accessible to students of all socioeconomic backgrounds.

According to Andrew Sperling, the

• UCLA-certificated • Member: NACAC, HECA, WACAC

• Help to Create Distinctive Essays

lindaperrella@comcast.net · www.lindaperrella.com Office: 415.927.7944 · Cell: 415.606.7521

Life is a journey, not a destination. –Ralph Waldo Emerson

director of federal legislative advocacy for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, health plans are inconsistent with covering the costs of ADHD medication.

Since Rankin-Williams and Thomson were diagnosed at an older age, they didn’t need to have their teachers fill out a report for ADHD, a task that is usually necessary for elementary-aged children.

For most younger students, the gap between who is receiving ADHD diagnoses and who isn’t is dependent on whether their school can afford to respond to these students’ needs, according to Saunders.

“The more attentive the school, the more resources the school has, the more likely they are to single a child out as someone who is having difficulties,” Saunders said. “A school in a higher socioeconomic situation will have more resources and might notice a child struggling more. It might take a student with less resources longer to get diagnosed, but if it’s brought up and they have access to medical care then they should have the ability to be diagnosed.”

Hearing students talk about receiving extra time on their standardized tests is common in the Redwood hallways. Over 70 percent of Redwood students selfreported that they believe it’s fair for a peer with an official ADHD diagnosis to get extra time, according to a February Bark survey.

According to a national test prep and tutoring company called Applerouth, both College Board and ACT Inc. receive tens of thousands of requests from parents seeking extended time for their children to

take standardized tests, which leads to the question of how these companies go about determining who receives the benefit of extra time.

Saunders said that expenses add up when a family is trying to receive extra time on a college entrance test.

“I would imagine it would be harder for a socioeconomically challenged student to prove to the college board that they need extra time because of all of the background information you need to prove to them,” Saunders said.

Even if a family can afford the costs, some are unwilling to pay, especially if their child has already been diagnosed.

For the past year, Thomson has been involved in the lengthy process to acquire extra time to take the SAT and ACT. She originally tried to request extra time on the SAT, but was denied twice.

“I sent all these letters, like a doctor’s letters, a letter from the school because I have accommodations, and from the psychiatrist who diagnosed me, and [College Board] kept saying not enough information, even though we had a ton of stuff,” Thomson said.

On the other hand, a friend of Thomson’s received extra time for her ACT after her first attempt to do so after submitting the results of her neuropsychological exam which proved that she has ADHD. The exam cost roughly $3,000.

“I guess the College Board takes that test more seriously or something; all my friend had to do was send her test results and she got the extra time right away,” Thomson said.

Thomson said that it was pointless to pay for an expensive exam, because it would tell her the same information that she already knows.

The College Board documentation for extra time also requires that a student show history of using extended time during high school tests, scores from timed and untimed academic tests, an occupational therapy evaluation and a teacher survey form.

“I think that if you show it through different evidence and multiple people and different sources then you should be able to get extra time, because it’s clearly flawed if I obviously have it and I can’t get extra time versus a classmate who gets it right away,” Thomson said.

Thomson is currently waiting to hear back from ACT, to see if she will be granted extra time on that test instead. RankinWilliams decided not to go through the process of requesting extra time on either of the college entrance tests.

“I’ve wanted to get extra time for the ACT that’s coming up, but because I haven’t used extra time in my school tests, I can’t use it for the ACT,” RankingWilliams said. “I didn’t feel like it was worth it to go through the long process.” dschwartz@redwoodbark.org

Page 11 • Feature

www.redwoodbark.org

Reactions differ to new iteration of travel ban

By Catherine Conrow In the latest development regarding President Donald Trump’s immigration policy, Trump signed an executive order Monday that is meant to replace his seven Muslim-majority country immigration ban that was halted by federal courts. The new executive order removes Iraq from the list of countries and does not require a religious test for refugees to enter the United States, unlike the first version of the ban. The new travel ban comes after a period of confusion due to several government officials saying that they were not given enough advanced warning to enforce the ban uniformly and properly.

When the Trump Administration initially rolled out an executive order on Jan. 27 that banned citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. and temporarily suspended the entry of all refugees, people of all religions and backgrounds took to airports around the country to protest.

The effects of the ban have extended to the Redwood community, as many students share the confusions and concerns they have regarding how the ban will affect their families and themselves.

Junior Kian Kazemi, whose father was born in Iran, is affected by the ban on a personal level, specifically by the limits it places on travel.

Kazemi, who has visited Iran twice, said that a travel ban makes it much more difficult for him to see his family in Iran.

“We were confused as to whether my grandma, who has a U.S. passport but lives in Iran currently, would be able to come over here,” Kazemi said.

Kazemi said that he is concerned that his family members who live in Iran and aren’t American citizens will be blocked

from entering the United States.

“If I want to see them, I will have to go to Iran or we have to meet in a neutral location, like London,” Kazemi said.

Kazemi and his family were planning to visit their relatives in Iran this summer but the complications surrounding the updated travel ban is preventing them from doing so.

According to Kazemi, who holds both an American and Iranian passport, the original travel ban was very confusing and he didn’t have clarity on who was allowed to come and go from Iran.

“I’m not sure if the ban would apply to us. If I went to Iran, should I put that I went to Iran or the United Arab Emirates [on my U.S. passport]? Because I use a different passport when I get to Iran,” Kazemi said.

Kazemi’s situation has become even m o r e complicated since the Iranian

government has threatened to introduce similar traveling restrictions for U.S. citizens, according to Kazemi.

He believes that if the Trump Administration had more clearly outlined the specifics of the original ban, there

wouldn’t be as much confusion and backlash. The rollout of the Jan. 27 travel ban was rushed and left many government employees confused about how to implement it.

“I think it would have been much better and it wouldn’t have received as much backlash if [Trump] would have had said, ‘Visa holders of these countries are not allowed,’” Kazemi said. “[Custom officials] were unclear on who they should allow in or would be detained.”

Although senior Daniela Krpan said that she believes the original ban had good intentions, like Kazemi, she thinks it was too rushed and confusing.

“I truly believe that Trump’s [travel ban] had good intentions in regards to our national security, but I believe that its implementation was too rushed and not well thought out,” Krpan said.

Kazemi believes that a travel ban toward

Illustration by Pearl Zhong

predominantly Muslim countries is unconstitutional and is glad that the original travel ban was halted by two federal judges.

“I think it’s unconstitutional and that

bark

it is a Muslim ban even though he doesn’t say that it is a Muslim ban,” Kazemi said.

Kazemi said that the ban has been discussed in many of his classes and all of his friends have been sympathetic towards his challenging situation.

“My best friend told me that she doesn’t want me to go to Iran in case I get stuck,” Kazemi said. “[My friends] are scared on my behalf.”

Kazemi fears that the travel and immigration ban will encourage increased hatred of the West.

“I believe that if Trump is allowed to install this ban, he will take his power to add more countries to the list. This would alienate more people and effectively create more people [who are] hostile to the West,” Kazemi said.

Senior Kristen Varganova, who grew up in Uzbekistan before moving to the United States when she was 10, said that she also fears the Trump Administration will continue to add new countries to his travel and immigration bans, and that Uzbekistan might eventually be added to the list.

“Even though parts of Uzbekistan are Central Asia and parts of it are considered to be in the Middle East, [the ban] is still scary,” Varganova said. “Because Uzbekistan borders Afghanistan, a lot of people associate different stereotypes to countries in that region.”

Krpan hopes that the new version of the travel ban will make the implementation of the travel ban less complicated than the original executive order.

“I believe that the revision on the executive order will make the entire process much less chaotic,” Krpan said.

cconrow@redwoodbark.org

HOMELESS

A closer look at Marin’s most misunderstood population

By Gregory Block, Caroline Cummings and China Granger The images are striking and especially common in Marin. A street flanked on either side by makeshift tents, shopping carts overflowing with jumbled items and stuffed garbage bags. A man lying on the sidewalk in a battered sleeping bag, not fully aware of the bustling city life around him either. A woman, wearing layers of ragged clothes, holding a cardboard sign scrawled with requests for food or money.

These moments form the basis of broad generalizations and misunderstanding of homelessness in Marin. They paint a small and inaccurate picture of what the larger homeless population looks like.

Those who work closely with the homeless population emphasize that “homeless” is a descriptor not simply reserved for people sleeping on the streets.

It incorporates a much larger, more diverse population living in temporary, unstable or transient housing. While substance abuse or severe mental illness has led to a life on the streets for a certain part of the homeless population, others have never used drugs or alcohol and spend their nights in shelters or religious centers as they continue to look for housing. Some have a stable job without stable housing and some live in a motel on a reduced monthly rate. Families double up in apartments to save on rent, leaving one family technically without a residence.

It is this diversity that makes finding a single solution for homelessness so challenging. Each person has their own reasons for why they are without a home, and each person has individual needs for getting back into mainstream society.

“Homelessness is incredibly complex and nuanced. Even though people like black and white, simple solutions, it just doesn’t lend itself to that,” said San Rafael Councilwoman Kate Colin, who also cochairs Marin County’s Homeless Policy Steering Committee. “The homeless population is as complex and as varied as the housed population.”

There is no single path to homelessness.

“Everybody has different pathways into homelessness. A lot of people say drugs might have led someone into homelessness, but a lot of people found drugs when they became homeless,” said Logan McDonnell, program director of San Rafael’s Downtown Streets Team, an organization working to aid the homeless population and help them find housing.

The homeless population in Marin County grew more than 40 percent from 2013 to 2015, according to data from the county’s point-in-time counts, a nationally-used method for measuring a region’s homeless population. While the data from the 2017 count is not yet available, those who participated say the numbers appear to be lower than 2015, but still higher than 2013. Just as individual paths to homelessness differ greatly, so do the factors that have contributed to this

increase.

As a result, homelessness is a polarizing “[The increase] has to do with the topic. Among community members, the economic downturn in 2008; it has to do debate about homelessness is often fueled with fewer federal dollars going towards by strong emotions, something that Colin affordable housing; it has to do with an has experienced. inability of our society “For me, to deal with mental when I see illness in an effective someone way; it has to do with sleeping in prison realignment a doorway and we can’t ever I have a point to one [specific really mixed reason],” Colin said. feeling. I have “It’s a perfect storm, if comp assion you will.” for that And this storm person.

I has hit the Bay Area mean who hard. A November wants to sleep 2016 report from in a doorway the Department of when it’s Housing and Urban Logan McDonnell, pouring rain Development found Downtown Streets Team director outside? I am that the Bay Area also upset has the third highest because I homeless population know that it is in the country, behind going to upset only New York and Los Angeles. While the the senior citizens who are out having Bay Area has its fair share of homelessness, lunch,” Colin said. “So I see both sides of many individuals familiar with the issue it. I think that’s why it’s such a lightning rod are not entirely optimistic that change and issue. I think it does engender both feelings progress are coming soon. in us. There’s fear too and I think at the “If you look at the affordable housing numbers in the 1970s compared to today, if you look at the number of psychiatric beds available to people in the 1970s compared to today, you’ll see drastic declines in resources for low income and mentally ill people,” said Christine Paquette, Executive Director at St. Vincent de Paul Society, a San Rafael organization working to improve homeless conditions in the county.

The lack of funding for health services has also prevented a permanent solution from being implemented. The need for emergency shelters has overshadowed the need for permanent housing in most communities, and although permanent housing is known to be an effective solution to homelessness, there is not enough funding to provide this to the entire homeless population, according to Ashley Hart McIntyre, the Homelessness Policy Analyst at Marin County Health and Human Services.

While funding may seem like an issue that stems from a lack of government resources, it can also be tied to societal stigmas and stereotypes.

“Of course, you can always look at money as a barrier. But when you look at the cost of having people homeless and using the emergency room and jail and the psychiatric ward, and they shut down local businesses, you will see that it is very expensive to keep someone homeless. It is less expensive to help someone,” Paquette said. “It is more about stigma and saying ‘why should we allow that person to have a free place to live?’ than it is that we don’t have the money.”

It’s human nature to categorize, stereotype and assume. In the case of homelessness, though, assumptions can lead to sweeping generalizations and unfair treatment, according to Colin.

It’s hard to really function in society if you don’t really feel like people view you as a member of society.

inner core of all of us there is compassion.”

The stereotypical view of the homeless person as an addict or criminal or vagabond contributes to the perpetuation of negative attitudes, according to city officials and law enforcement officers.

“Unfortunately some of our community members just assume all [homeless people] either have mental health issues or are committing crimes or are drug users,” said Central Marin Police Chief Michael Norton. “I would say some are, but so is a portion of all of our society, whether you live in a house or not.”

Although alcoholism and mental illness are considered diseases, there is still a lack of appropriate health care to fight against these diseases, which forces law enforcement to increase their involvement in the issue, according to Paquette.

“Law enforcement ends up being our local mental health care, which is totally expensive and completely inappropriate,” Paquette said.

Police involvement can also often lead to tension between law enforcement and the homeless.

“We do try to find a middle ground because we do have to enforce the laws, but at the same time we always want to do it as unobtrusive and with as much dignity for

Photos by Gregory Block

EATING AT THE St. Vincent de Paul kitchen in San Rafael, J.J.T. (above left), Cup Pham and James Maher (above right) are just a few faces of Marin County’s homeless. J.J.T. was forced into homelessness after a work injury, while Pham and Maher struggle with the effects of Pham’s hoarding disorder. Despite the challenging situations that forced many people out of their homes, those such as Dohn Heller (bottom left) remain optomistic. homeless subjects as we can,” Norton said.

However, this sentiment is not shared by many of Marin’s homeless population.

“Marin is anti-homeless. They hate homeless people here. The cops are mean— their jobs are to make our lives miserable so we leave here and go to Santa Rosa,” said Michael Taylor, a homeless man who recently moved to San Rafael. “They’re a nightmare. They don’t make it easy for us here.”

Despite the efforts of community organizations and law enforcement to help support the homeless population, homeless citizens in San Rafael spoke of feeling ignored and dehumanized. One homeless woman, Kim Walker, said she often felt like a “human stain.”

“One of the craziest things I’ve heard from a team member is the worst part of being homeless is that people don’t look at you like you are a person anymore,” McDonnell said. “With that being said, it’s hard to really function in society if you don’t really feel like people view you as a member of society.”

Homelessness is an issue that is often turned into numbers. People are replaced by surveys and statistics. The individual stories get pushed aside for broad generalizations and numerical analysis. But it is these stories that paint an important picture for how diverse the homeless population truly is.

J. J.T.

His hands were cracked and wrinkled like old leather, lines cutting across his fingers and dirt caked on his palms. He stared at them as he began to speak, almost as if he was searching for the stories and experiences that they held.

“The backs of my hands would tell my story, right?” asked the homeless man, who requested to go by his initials, J.J.T. The story that J.J.T.’s hands told was a trying one; a once-promising life as a carpenter ripped away after a forklift accident that led to a debilitating head injury.

“I bumped it so hard that I couldn’t remember my alphabet anymore. So I have a really hard time using smartphones and it kind of made me half-retarded,” J.J.T. said.

“I’m not any kind of criminal, I’d never

steal from you or I’d never do anything bad or give anything bad to anyone or anything like that.”

However, J.J.T’s injury made it difficult for him to provide for his girlfriend and himself. The couple’s son had to be put up for adoption. Living on under $1,000 a month meant that they had to start eating at local soup kitchens to save money.

Now, J.J.T lives in a tent in the hills near San Rafael, but he frequents St. Vincent de Paul for meals. Despite the hardship and challenges he continues to face, J.J.T. said he tries his best to remain optimistic.

“Even though I’m homeless, I have a spiritual life, which is kind of on the low side right now, but I’m working on building it up,” J.J.T. said. “It’s not like I’m feeling sorry and bad for myself. It’s all higher consciousness.”

J.J.T. has been homeless throughout the country, making him more aware of the way homeless people are treated by other citizens.

“As human beings on whatever level that we are at, we aim for openness and some lovingness. I remember one of the first times I was homeless. I was down in San Francisco. I was about 19 years old. I said ‘Well, I’m going to say hi to 100 people today.’ I was downtown in the Financial District and people would slight me. They had their nose up, they’d just look straight.

But they’re busy, they’re going to work.

They have a whole different perspective on time,” J.J.T. said.

JAMES MAHER & CUP PHAM Trapped in a Motel 6 hotel room, James Maher and his wife, Cup Pham, were surrounded by so many objects and belongings that they couldn’t walk across the room. Pham is a hoarder, and her disorder has made it difficult for her and Maher to function as homeless citizens.

“I was wondering how we were going to get out of there. You could only walk about a couple of feet,” Maher said. “You couldn’t go to the center of the room because there was about two tons of stuff.”

The couple spent three years living at the Motel 6 until they eventually went into the Rotating Emergency Shelter Team program, a rotation of shelters that provides homeless citizens with a hot meal and a place to sleep.

Maher met Pham, who is Vietnamese and speaks limited English, on a trip to Vietnam in 1997. Pham returned with Maher to the United States and the two

married in 1999.

Her hoarding problem quickly led to living issues for the couple. Pham kept everything she owned or received, including a collection of more than 200 coffee table books, p u r s e s and baby clothing.

“We had a house near Whistlestop for nine years.

We got evicted from that house. That was a huge operation,” Maher said.

“During J.J.T. those nine Homeless citizen years, we did not leave that house for one day. I had signs in front of the house when you entered it that said, ‘Everything in this house is important.’ It’s like the Smithsonian Institute. Every little bottlecap is very, very important to her. So you can’t touch anything or take anything with you.”

San Rafael’s various used-goods stores only added to the couple’s challenges.

“For a hoarder, central San Rafael is like a Mecca because of the Ritter Center, Goodwill, Salvation Army,” Maher said.

“They all have excess and the law is that it

is illegal to dump stuff, but it’s not illegal to take it. So I see no end to it.”

Homeless life is especially difficult for couples, as men and women are split up into separate shelters each night, according to Maher. But the two regroup each morning, gather their bags and belongings, and hop from friends’ houses to soup kitchens.

While their current living situation has been challenging, Maher and Pham have plans to return to Vietnam this year. They have a house there, and Pham’s brother is waiting for them.

I was downtown in the Financial District and people would slight me. They had their nose up, they’d just look straight. But they’re busy, they’re going to work.

They have a whole different perspective on time.

To read more about the policy changes and work being done in local organizations, as well as more stories from Marin’s homeless population, check the extended version article at www.redwoodbark.org. bark@redwoodbark.org

bark

Page 14 • Feature

March 10, 2017

ZACH AND THE RIPPERS From student to teacher: Junior mentors Mighty-Mites

By Andrew Hout Covered in mud up to our knees as the rain poured down, Zach and I struggled to push his car off the road, really just a dirt trail that had turned to mud. In an attempt to beat the main highway traffic, our GPS had led us astray. My trip up to Tahoe with youth ski coach Zach Tull had barely began. After ten minutes of pushing we finally got out and back on track for the long journey. These trips up north are tiresome, and often frustrating, but Zach never complains.

After years of skiing on Squaw Valley’s youth ski teams, Zach never wanted to leave his beloved program behind, so he joined the coaching staff of Squaw’s Mighty-Mites. He now teaches a group of talented elementary school children how to master the mountain, challenge their bodies and properly put on their gloves.

I followed Zach and his squad of rippers during two weekend snowstorms to take notes on the diligence, endurance and responsibility it takes to be a ski coach.

The first morning was painful because our drive up to Tahoe took seven hours (four hours longer than a typical Tahoe trek) and we did not arrive until 2 a.m. Just five hours later we were up for his team’s morning meeting. The team congregated around a massive tree between the village and chairlifts, waiting for their day to officially begin. At 8 a.m. sharp, we loaded onto the chairlift KT-22, as the kids constantly fought over who would get to go on the lift with Zach. “[A great] part of being a coach is the early access to chairlifts on powder days,” Zach said.

While sitting on the chair, I noticed Zach kept an eye on all the kids to make sure they could jump on properly because none of them were tall enough to simply sit down.

After reaching the top, the team members moved down the mountain as a single entity. Making sure to regularly stop and count heads, Zach led his squad down

a powder field with coach Raif Anderson, taking up the rear. Due to California law, Zach is not allowed to coach a team alone until he turns 18, but he wants to have his own group next year.

Zach’s team is made up of some of the top skiers on the mountain who ride some of the best chairs in the world—and they haven’t even hit double digits yet.

“I’ll watch these kids ski a double black diamond, some really steep terrain for a seven to eight year old; we will get to the bottom no problem and they’ll need help putting on their mittens,” Zach said.

“They can ski basically anything, but they have trouble with something like zipping up their own jacket.”

The group decided to hike up a cliff area called Eagle’s Nest. Draping his skis over his back, Zach moved his way up the trail and helped his team do the same.

Just like these kids, Zach was once a tiny skier on Squaw’s Mighty-Mite team.

He moved up to the race team for several years, but could not continue because it involved trips across the country to race in competitive matches.

“I wanted to be a coach instead of just freeskiing because I love the people and I felt like I wanted to give back to the program that inspired me to start one of the biggest things of my life,” Zach said.

“The program made me into the skier and person I am today, so I wanted to help them out in exchange by making other little kids passionate about skiing.”

At the top of the cliff we could feel the powerful wind constantly blowing; it was surprising that none of the kids fell over.

Zach helped a third of them put on their gear at the rocky edge. One by one the team made their way down the treacherous shoot in between two massive cliffs. Their form was far from perfect, but Zach made sure to point out the flaws once each one reached the bottom.

Zach does not believe that a lecturebased teaching method is the most beneficial way of getting these kids trained and ready to shred. He thinks skiing

WHILE HIKING UP Squaw Valley’s challenging Eagle’s Nest shoot off of KT-22, arguably the most difficult chairlift in North America, junior Zach Tull surveys his team of minors to ensure their safety at all times.

technique is best grasped when the kids ski down and receive corrections on their form. However, Zach is never too strict with his corrections because getting the kids into the sport is what allows them to continue improving.

“At this young age, a lot can be ingrained into these kids’ heads, but I think the most important job is just to keep the kids passionate about skiing,” Zach said.

“Sure, I teach them how to pole plant and hockey stop, but if they are going to get better and continue having fun, [then] they have to be passionate.”

After a few more runs and many more crashes it was time for the team to go in for lunch. However, half the kids had no interest in food because they felt lunch was unnecessary on such a valuable powder day, so Raif Anderson, Zach stayed out Ski coach to ski with them.

Coach Anderson, a middle-aged Tahoe City resident, took the rest of the kids in, which gave me a chance to talk with him about Zach.

“Zach and the kids just feed off each other’s energy in a very righteous way. We are just this magical pod zooming around the mountain trying to push each other to these extremes,” Anderson said.

Zach and Anderson have been coaching together since Zach started three years ago. Anderson said that Zach started off thinking he would only help during the holidays. But as each week went by, he grew to love the program even more and he now comes every weekend.

“Zach showed up on our first day and the kids instantly loved him as much as they would love anybody. He’s always a breath of fresh air to have on the team,”

Anderson said.

Throughout two weekends, I watched Zach go off massive jumps, something he loves to do even if he knows he will not land them, as another way to inspire the kids.

“Zach’s a very accomplished skier and on top of that he’s young, so he’s not afraid to abuse his body especially for the enjoyment of the kids,” Anderson said.

“They are almost as excited as he is when they watch him go off jumps.”

By the end of a weekend spent watching the team operate with Zach at the helm, it seemed impossible for the group to be able to function without his constant energy and guidance.

“Next year is going to be my last year as a full-time coach. Depending on where I go to college, I want to come back for holidays and just try to help out, but my plans are still up in the air, so I want to enjoy every moment I still have with the little ones,” Zach said.

While Zach was out skiing with the kids who skipped lunch, I jokingly asked Anderson how he feels about Zach getting to ski while he eats lunch with the rest of the kids.

“I’ll tell you, Andrew, there’s nothing I’d like more than to have Zach out here again with me and the team next year to shred up the mountain,” Anderson said.

“I’d trade a powder day for that guarantee anytime.”

We are just this magical pod zooming around the mountain trying to push each other to these extremes,”

ahout@redwoodbark.org

Photos by Andrew Hout

RIDING UP THE chairlift with one of his kids, Tull prepares to take the team down the Black Diamond run GS Bowl at Squaw Valley Ski Resort.

Page 15 • Sports

www.redwoodbark.org

bark

A Noble feat: Senior Caroline Noble uses her oar to soar

Photo courtesy of Douglas Smythe

ROWING IN THE stroke seat as a sophomore, Caroline Noble set the pace and rhythm of her team at the front of the boat. Now, she rows in the middle of the boat wherever her talents are needed. She started rowing her freshman year and has been rowing ever since.

By Christine Watridge A faint breeze blows across the Bay, and at 5:30 p.m., the sun is just starting to sink behind the clouds. The after-work commute is abuzz with honking horns as people drive home, racing across the highway ramp by Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. It’s underneath the road that a different type of race takes place.

The Marin Rowing Association (MRA) is one of the nation’s top rowing programs, competing at the highest level of high school crew, including at the Youth National Championship. Senior Caroline Noble has been on the girls’ team for four years, three of which she has spent on varsity. “[Caroline] was a sophomore, junior and senior in the varsity boat, so that’s how quality of an athlete she is,” said coach Sandy Armstrong, who has been coaching at the MRA since 1984. “Most of the girls end up rowing for four years, and so by the time they’re in their fourth year as a senior, they have logged so many miles they’re good at it. She [came] in as a very good athlete, so that is pretty amazing.”

Along with teammate Claire Smythe, who goes to Branson, Caroline is a captain of varsity girls crew and rows with her sister, sophomore Sally Noble. “[Caroline] is one of the best girls on the team, and it’s really fun to be around that and see her in a different way because you never really ever see your sister in that way,” Sally said.

Armstrong said that Caroline’s strongest qualities include her positive attitude and her drive to work hard and compete.

“She is so competitive that she will make sure that they do not lose. The thing that she is extraordinary at is that she is a great leader. She’s super enthusiastic, she’s usually in a good mood, not always, and she can turn that around really quickly,” Armstrong said.

In the fall, Caroline will start rowing for Harvard University in the women’s heavyweight crew.

According to Caroline, although she only plans to row through college, she is excited to work with Harvard’s coach, Liz O’Leary.

“Liz O’Leary has been [at Harvard] for over 30 years; she has three gold medals and she knows rowing and she more importantly knows the value of rowing in

your life. She teaches girls much more than the sport, which I’m really excited to be a part of,” Caroline said.

Sally expressed her admiration for her sister’s hard work, and said she is excited for Caroline to row at Harvard.

“She’s worked so hard, harder than anyone I know, and I’m super impressed and super happy for her.

She’s my best friend and I’m going to miss her when she’s gone, but she’s going to have so much fun,” Sally said.

According to Armstrong, Caroline will

have no problem transitioning from Marin Rowing to Harvard’s team.

“Harvard women have a very strong team, and [Caroline] comes from a very strong team, and she’s a very good teammate and a very good team player, so she is going to fit in very well,” Armstrong said. “You are just executing at college, and she will succeed at that because she’s learned good things here with [Marin Rowing]. She’ll be pushed to the next level.”

According to Caroline, rowing is a very technical sport with many aspects most

people don’t know about.

“Most people think rowing’s kind of a simple stroke, like, ‘Oh, why do you want to do the same thing over and over again?’ but there’s honestly hundreds of technical nuances that you would have no idea about: how you put your blade in, how you take it out, your different sequencing,” Caroline said.

Armstrong also emphasized that rowing involves lots of strategic elements.

“It’s not just rowing around in circles; there’s rates and power and coxswains getting you to go harder and there’s distance and they’re trying to beat them,” Armstrong said. “There is a lot of tactical stuff going on and while it’s beautiful, it’s also like a racecar inside [the boat], which is not as pretty as it looks on the outside.”

Caroline first took a summer rowing camp the summer before her freshman year, and after an ankle injury cut her volleyball career short, she turned to rowing and made the novice team.

As a sophomore on varsity, Caroline was the stroker, meaning she sat at the front of the boat and set the pace. Now, she rows in the middle seats, or wherever her talents are needed.

Caroline spends as many as 22 hours a week training and rowing, which includes two-and-a-half hour practices after school and weight training two mornings a week.

Though rowing takes up a significant amount of time, Caroline doesn’t struggle to keep up with her academics or other extracurriculars.

“It’s never been that difficult for me. I like to be busy. For people who really need alone time, it might be difficult because you’re never really alone,” Caroline said. “I have a rule for myself that Sundays I just don’t do anything, I just go home and do my homework all day.”

Though the team has some drama from spending so much time together, for the most part they work together successfully, according to Caroline.

“I love the feeling of just being 100 percent in sync with eight other girls in the boat. It feels awesome. That’s why people get super annoying and obsessed with [rowing],” Caroline said.

Photo courtesy of Cindy Noble

DRESSED IN HER race uniform, senior Caroline Noble (right) smiles next to her sister Sally Noble (left) at a regatta.

cwatridge@redwoodbark.org

March 10, 2017 bark Page 16 • Sports Girls’ lacrosse looks to rebound despite inexperience

By Jocelyn Overmyer Following the graduation of key players Hayden Dean, Kendra Loo and Kaylee Bushell, the girls’ varsity lacrosse team finds itself in an unfamiliar position, scrambling to fill the holes that last year’s seniors left.

Senior leaders Neeve Kennedy and Kendall Shaver and junior Caroline Watkins are in a position to step up and fill the gap.

This year, the team is headed by a new coach, Kyle Kennedy.

“With a new coach there is always change, and so part of that [challenge] is working through change. Change can be good. Change can be bad. It depends on

Photo by Jocelyn Overmyer

WARMING UP AHEAD of practice, senior Neeve Kennedy prepares for the season as the only returning captain.

your perspective. The players are getting used to me as their coach,” Kyle said.

Neeve has taken on additional leadership in order to help facilitate the coaching transition, including informing Kyle on plays that the team has run in the past.

The team lost 10 players, six of whom were starters, according to Watkins, which has allowed the team to integrate many new players.

“We need 12 to make a team so we’re going to have an influx of new talent and pull all that talent together, and I look forward to them really coming together as a team,” Kyle said. “With those missing pieces there is an opportunity for others to come in and fill the puzzle.”

Kyle will not only have the job of establishing himself as a coach but also helping the team recover from the loss of many players. “[For] every player that we lost last year, we lost some part of the team because they were here for a long time. Hayden Dean, Kendra Loo, Carli Jacks, Emma Mulvey all provided something unique and tangible to the team that brought the team together,” Kyle said.

Neeve, the only returning captain, will take the responsibility of incorporating new players and developing a new team dynamic.

“I’m so used to playing with Hayden and Kendra and I know exactly how Kaylee and all those girls play, so it’s going to be a new transition learning how to play with these new girls coming up,” Neeve said.

According to Kyle, the loss of players left a breach in the defense.

“You can have the most prolific offense, but if you can’t stop another team your chances of winning are dropping each and every time a goal in sports,” Kyle said.

With this mindset, Kyle looks to focus on and build up the defense.

“We have a strong attack, we have

Photo by Jocelyn Overmyer

TRAINING DURING AN early season practice, sophomore Rachel Cramer plays catch with a teammate. a strong midfield, but what I’m really focusing the team on is defensive and communication,” Kyle said.

Neeve and Kyle both believe that the key to coming back from such a drastic loss of players is developing the connection between the up-coming players.

“We are going to try really hard to work as a team more because the team chemistry will put us over the edge,” Neeve said.

Watkins also thinks that working in unison is a fundamental aspect of the team.

“It’s going to be all about working together. It’s not going to be one specific player taking the ball down,” Watkins said.

Once that chemistry is built, Kyle believes it will help launch them into the playoffs at the end of the season. The team’s season came to a close last year after a loss in the semi-finals in the playoffs.

“The next goal is to build towards the end of the season so we can have a good playoff run in the MCAL,” Kyle said.

The team will also enter the season without a trained goalie. Fresh out of varsity soccer, juniors Audrey Peck and Lauren Blazei will try their first season of lacrosse as goalies and defenders.

Neeve and Watkins both look forward to playing their biggest rivals, Marin Catholic and Novato. According to Neeve, Marin Catholic is in the same position as them, losing all but one of their top players, but Novato has a strong returning team and remains unaffected by the loss of previous seniors.

The team’s next league game is this Saturday at Granite Bay High School.

jocelyn.overmyer@redwoodbark.org

Erin McGlynn breaks barriers through ice hockey career

By Max Josef “‘What are you doing? You are a girl, you don’t belong here. Get off the ice.’ That’s not even the worst case,” said freshman Erin McGlynn about the first time that she was told she couldn’t play ice hockey because she was a girl.

Originally from Canada, McGlynn is following in her father’s footsteps by playing hockey. She currently plays center and is an alternate captain for the 14U Bantams San Francisco Sabercats, as well as the Sabercats’ varsity team.

Both of which are in all-boy’s leagues.

Head coach of the 14U team, Zach McCoy said that McGlynn plays many roles on the team.

“She is one of our better players. She is a jack-of-all trades. She works so hard; limiting her role into one thing would be doing her a disservice,” McCoy said Hockey is a sport that is predominantly male in the U.S. There are only three girls’ teams in the state, which is different from Canada where a whole girls’ league exists separate from the boys’ league, according to McGlynn.

McGlynn said there are times where she needs to be more level-headed and intent on playing the game rather than what is being said about her.

“I have to focus more. I can’t get distracted because there are a lot of people who are harsh and say mean comments.

My teammates are great and they are really supportive, but it still bothers me,” McGlynn said. “If I don’t play well then people are going to be like, ‘She is a girl, why is she out there?’”

McCoy said that McGlynn is the first girl he has coached.

“It is a full-contact league in a league with all boys her age, so I knew she had to be tough. The all-girl leagues are non-contact and I think that separates her from other female hockey players. It takes a certain level of toughness,” McCoy said.

McGlynn feels that she needs to be more even-keeled because of a number of people who are judging her.

“I feel like [the referees] give me special treatment when I’m checked and it offends me. I don’t think they are doing it on purpose but it hurts me,” McGlynn said.

McGlynn recounted another time where she felt as if she was being looked down upon due to her gender.

“We were at a tournament and I was just about to get on the ice when parents from the other team who were on the bleachers started yelling at me to get off the ice. It made

me think that, ‘Wow, people really think that,’” McGlynn said. “It makes me work a lot harder because I need to show those people that I am better than that.”

McCoy said that McGlynn has to be careful that the opponents don’t try to take advantage of her because she is a girl.

“She doesn’t allow that to happen. Like a dirty hit or something, I don’t think that happens because she is as tough as she is,” McCoy said.

McGlynn has a message for girls who want to play in

predominately male sports.

“If you want to do it, you should just do it. People are not going to necessarily respect you so you have to learn to block it out because the most important thing is that you do it because you want to do it,” McGlynn said.

mjosef@redwoodbark.org

Photo courtesy of Erin McGlynn

GLIDING ACROSS THE ice, freshman Erin McGlynn warms up for a game as a San Francisco Sabercat. McGlynn is a captain for the Sabercats and plays in an all-boy’s league.

Page 17 • Sports

www.redwoodbark.org

bark

Highlanders take their talents overseas in trip to Ireland Photo courtesy of Melissa Hardiman

By Michael Benz During this past February break, Redwood students who are part of a local rugby club embarked on a trip to Ireland to play against teams in the area.

The Marin Highlanders house 10 of Redwood’s rugby players: sophomore Alex Aguero, juniors Wiley Geiger and Jackson Holscher and seniors Justin Bae, Jax Farrell-Martin, Kyle Fulton, Declan Hardiman, Dosym Kunhardt, Sam Roiz and Carl Simpson-Heil. All 10 of the Redwood players went to Ireland with the team.

Senior Declan Hardiman said that the Highlanders not only faced new competition in Ireland, but also experienced the country’s culture. “[The goal] is to experience a different country and culture as well as set a higher standard of rugby through playing much greater teams here than we would in the states, ultimately setting our bar higher and upping our overall game,” said Hardiman, a longtime member of the Highlanders.

There are a total of 10 Redwood students on the 25-man team, but Hardiman doesn’t believe that rugby needs to be an MCAL sport or be specifically related to any of the schools in the Tamalpais Union High School District, although he thinks that an association with Redwood would increase the number of people who play.

“It would be great for the growth of the game,” Hardiman said. “However, there’s something special about small club teams around the Bay Area and how they get their players from a lot of different schools.

Part of the culture of rugby is taking

people in from anywhere and bonding and connecting through the sport.”

Hardiman believes that similar trips could be beneficial for Redwood sports.

“We take these tours to play at the highest level of rugby that we can so we can adapt our game to theirs, ultimately strengthening it so we come back to our league stronger than ever,” he said.

Farrell-Martin believes the trip made the team a lot closer.

“Spending 24 hours a day seven days a week with a group of guys really brings you closer,” he said. “You get to learn new things about people every day.”

This bonding isn’t possible in the day to day life of a student athlete while still in Marin County, according to Farrell-Martin.

However, Farrell-Martin’s favorite aspect of the trip was the familiarity with rugby that he and the rest of the team were able to experience in Ireland, as he believes rugby isn’t as well known or appreciated in the United States as many other sports are.

“I really enjoyed seeing rugby as a more mainstream sport [in Ireland] like we see basketball and football being played in the United States,” Farrell-Martin said.

Redwood students haven’t taken an athletic trip like this since the baseball team took a trip to Cuba and the Dominican Republic in 2014 that consisted of a grabbag group of members of all levels of the program: freshmen, junior varsity and varsity.

Photo courtesy of Melissa Hardiman

SHEDDING A TACKLER, senior Sam Roiz works his way through the defense as he carries the ball further upfield during a match in Ireland over February break.

Photo courtesy of Melissa Hardiman

mbenz@redwoodbark.org

GATHERING WITH TEAMMATES following a play, senior Declan Hardiman is one of eight Redwood rugby players who took the trip to Ireland.

bark Page 18 • Sports Captain on high school diamond commits to play at collegiate level

March 10, 2017

Varsity baseball looks to exceed high expectations

By Luke Dahlin

For senior Henry Zeisler, baseball has been a constant throughout his life. So, it seems only appropriate that Zeisler found a place to continue his career, after being admitted to play at Division III Chapman University, with a guaranteed walk-on spot on the team. And while he first intended playing baseball in Division I, Zeisler says the coaching staff and program at the university were pivotal in his decision to commit.

“As you go to showcases and tournaments you kind of realize how many talented players there are, and it has a sort of humbling effect,” Zeisler said. “But I am super excited about playing at Chapman and what the future holds.”

Zeisler said that Chapman was a combination of everything he wanted in a college. The strength of the university in terms of both education and competition in Division III was an enticing opportunity, he said.

Baseball has always played a major role in Zeisler’s upbringing.

Starting as an all star in little league, transitioning to the outfield upon arriving at Redwood, and now becoming captain and second baseman on the varsity team, Zeisler now has a new goal: lead the team to MCAL and NCS championships.

“Baseball is something that Henry has been passionate about for as long as I’ve known him,” said Trevor Foehr, a longtime teammate and friend of Zeisler’s. “It’s really uncomparable, his dedication and love for the sport.”

Zeisler said his passion first sprouted when he was very young.

“It’s something that’s been in my blood,” Zeisler said.

“Ever since I could hold a bat and a glove, I’ve been playing.”

Zeisler also attributes his initial excitement to play baseball at Redwood to his experiences playing increasing amounts of competitive baseball in middle school.

“Every kid has that dream of playing big league ball, and while in middle school I played travel ball for the Bombers, which was really competitive. I’d say that’s when I really got excited to play high school baseball,” Zeisler said.

Furthermore, when Mike Firenzi was hired to take over as varsity coach, Zeisler felt that his coaching made an immediate impact on his game, and furthermore, made him a more confident player.

“I think when Mike first came my sophomore year, that was when I really began to become a better player, and started to be more in it off the field as well,” Zeisler said.

Zeisler’s career at Redwood has been, to say the least,

By Brendan Winters

Photo courtesy of Henry Zeisler

INTRODUCED TO BASEBALL at a young age, senior Henry Zeisler has always been passionate about the sport. a trial of adaptation. Before he made the jump to varsity, Zeisler was a ‘traditional,’ slow moving, power-hitting first baseman.

However, his self-motivation and workout regimen transitioned his style of play into a more dynamic fielder and an even greater threat offensively. Zeisler has also transitioned to becoming one of the fastest players on the field.

Fellow senior teammate Nicolas Belgum, who spent time in the offseason working out and preparing for the season with Zeisler, attests to his efforts.

“His work ethic and the time he puts in is really second-to-none,” Belgum said. “But what really makes him different is his baseball IQ and ability to create big plays out of any situation.”

Zeisler explains that his rigorous offseason training was a desire to grow as both a baseball player and athlete overall.

“I just wanted to be better,” he said. “I didn’t like the shape was in, and I feel like the better shape you’re in better player you are.”

What it all boiled down to, according to Zeisler, was work ethic.

“The saying hard work pays off is definitely true,” Zeisler said. ldahlin@redwoodbark.org

Photo courtesy of Henry Zeisler

PLAYING INFIELD, SENIOR Henry Zeisler shuffles to the left to position himself to catch a ground ball during an away game. Zeisler has played on the varsity team since his junior year.

In recent history, baseball has proven to be one of Redwood’s most successful boys’ sports.

The football team is coming off its best season in over 30 years, but it still did not win a pennant.

The basketball team won ten league games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 200809 and 2009-10. But it fell short and did not earn a pennant this year either.

Therefore, it’s time for the baseball team to hang a banner because the other teams didn’t, and anything but that will be considered a let down.

After being the undisputable preseason favorite in MCALs with a high stock to win North Coast Section as well, this team has some serious expectations to meet.

The team’s success can be attributed to its surehanded defensive play along with a complete pitching staff.

Offensively, it’s not always looked pretty, but the team finds a way to manufacture runs when they are most needed.

Old fashioned, well-executed smallball explains this program’s recent success.

In the past 15 years, Redwood has won five MCAL titles and one NCS championship.

This year, the team will try to win a third straight conference title and pick up its second NCS championship in the last three years.

The success it has had with this small-ball style speaks volumes to the discipline of the program.

It takes special kinds of players that are willing to take a pitch right down the middle or lay down a bunt to advance a runner for the greater cause of the team, and this team’s ability to play for a common cause has lifted it into a perennial MCAL title contender.

There definitely will be some fine tuning to the starting rotations and lineups, but there is no doubt that the roster is stacked with talent.

The addition of second-team all-league infielder Anthony Pomilia from Marin Catholic and the return of 9 players from last year’s squad should help this team play with the utmost confidence.

Two more second-team all-league players return for the Giants as well. Senior infielder Henry Zeisler has committed to Chapman University after hitting .361 and an onbase percentage of .472 last year.

Senior infielder Nicolas Belgum led the team in hitting as a junior last year, averaging .403 in his first year on the varsity team.

This team will also count on three-year varsity starter Aubrey Sine to keep up just where he left off, as he has accumulated 49 hits and 31 RBIs in 56 games played over his past two years on the team.

On the mound, a young staff led by juniors Oliver Pearson and Josh Cohen should prove to be one of the best in the league.

Seniors Zach Tonnerre and Michael Benz will also bolster the Giants’ rotation.

The team’s early 2-2 start does not tell the full tale for their prospects this season.

Trying to blow the early season rust off on teams like Petaluma and Serra is not an easy task.

A few too many mistakes in the pitching game and not enough run support isn’t going to help the team to win a against any of their competitors. Especially not Serra, who was ranked 10 in the state last year according to MaxPreps and turned this year’s game into a 10-4 route.

But once league play comes around, definitely count on the Giants to hit their stride and compete for another pennant. bwinters@redwoodbark.org

review

Page 19

Friday Night Bites: An SF treat that will blow you away

By Sabrina Dong Usually when you say you had smoke pouring out of your mouth on a Friday night, parents fill with rage and teachers look at you suspiciously. However, a fun dessert sold at Chocolate Chair in San Francisco uses liquid nitrogen to create a smoky and delicious experience.

As you near the shop, nestled in the Japan Center West Mall in San Francisco, you can hear a high pitched squeak as workers prepare desserts in a small, unassuming ice cream shop.

The parlor stands quietly amongst several sushi eateries, Japanese beauty shops and bakeries. The shop is reasonably hard to find, buried in the middle of the mall across from a small bakery.

It would be easy to walk by and ignore the shop if not for the giant tank of nitrogen sitting in front and a steady flow of white smoke billowing over a glass divider like fog rolling over a hill.

Serving ice cream, coffee and baked goods, Chocolate Chair’s main attraction is its famous “Dragon Breath,” a treat consisting of fruity cereal puffs flash-frozen with liquid nitrogen.

Being handed the clear plastic cup of the dessert is like being handed a cup of snow. The chill is instant and sharp.

Ice forms on the outside of the cup while smoke flows over the top onto your hand.

While I was amazed by the tendrils of cool fog that poured out of my mouth and nose with each bite of cereal, the taste was underwhelming, lacking any pop of sweetness or sourness or any flavor whatsoever. This dessert is about the experience, not the flavor.

The cereal was nothing special, like a muted fruity cereal that had been stuck in a freezer. At times the treat stung my tongue and hurt my teeth to crunch. The texture and taste was comparable to styrofoam.

Strangely, however, I was unbothered by the lack of taste; the novelty of it made up for any flaws. The dessert goes against anything our parents told us about playing with our food. In this case, the point of the food is to play with it. I was more amused with the smoky coolness than

Photo by Sabrina Dong

CREATING A CLOUD of cold air, the famous “Dragon Breath” at Chocolate Chair in San Francisco’s Japantown consists of fruity cereal puffs frozen in liquid nitrogen, giving the treat its unique allure.

I was about the flavor.

Chocolate Chair is an interesting place to go to with a group of friends or on a date. Eating Dragon’s Breath may not be something you want to do regularly, but it’s something that is exciting at least for the first time you try it.

The overall experience is a refreshingly cold, amusing

treat that can be fun to try with friends, families or your significant other. This unique dessert is a jewel in Japantown and a “breath” of fresh air.

sdong@redwoodbark.org

Hilarious old-school comedy entertains at Throckmorton

By Annie Fogarty “I didn’t care who won the election last year,” said comedian Patrick Keane. “I just wish half the people who swore they would leave the country did.” The theater filled with laughter. Though that was definitely one of the cheesier jokes of the night, the moment was one of many that made the crowd laugh at “Tuesday Night Live!”

“Tuesday Night Live!” at the Throckmorton Theatre in downtown Mill Valley is a weekly comedy show where professional comedians take the stage and perform. It begins at 8 p.m. and lasts about two hours, making it a perfect nighttime activity with friends and family. Ranging from $17-27 for the show, the price is pretty reasonable and comparative to the price of movie tickets.

Walking into the Throckmorton, I was unsure of what to expect. I had never experienced live stand-up comedy before and was looking forward to a few smiles.

The traditional atmosphere of the charming theater lobby—local artwork, lanterns and a concessions stand—did not prepare me for the edgy comedy that was to come.

Little did I know I would soon be doubled over laughing.

The comedy alone was enough to keep me entertained, but the atmosphere made the experience even more engaging. In the cozy, dimly-lit theatre, clusters of chairs surrounded small candlelit tables, all facing the large stage. A single microphone, stool and spotlight were on the stage—exactly what I imagined an old-school comedy club to look like.

Six comics, Brandie Posey, Brodie Reed, Michael Cella, Patrick Keane, Jason Love and Dave Burleigh performed on

Photo by Annie Fogarty

TAKING THE STAGE, host Mark Pitta adds humor between each act at Throckmorton Theatre’s weekly “Tuesday Night Live!” comedy show.

Feb. 21, the night I attended. Many had traveled that day from across California to perform at the event.

I was greatly impressed by each comedian’s great talent and wit. These comedians are definitely not amateurs.

They are professional entertainers. And though these comedians were just there for the night, it is very likely that each week there are equally talented performers.

Each comedian had their own unique style and sense of humor. The short time slots and changes of pace from one comic to the next broke up the performances, keeping the audience captivated. The host, Mark Pitta, added equally comedic transitions from one performer to the next.

One of my personal favorite performances was by Brodie Reed, an upand-coming comic from Los Angeles. Reed charmed the audience with his personal stories, and his smooth, casual humor.

Dave Burleigh, who was a contestant on America’s Got Talent, was one of the more acclaimed comedians of the night.

He told a hilarious story about taking a dog to the airport and captured the audience with his famous impressions, including a karaoke session as Donald Trump.

It was clear that along with new viewers like myself, there were many regulars who came back each week, drawn to the great humor. Pitta made references to both previous nights and his

life, making the performance familiar and almost conversational. I can understand why people would return week after week.

Comedy is an opportunity to forget stress and obligations, and just laugh.

Some of the comedy was inappropriate for younger audiences, with sexual jokes and explicit language. However, it suited the humor of the mature audience in attendance.

The audience was a diverse mix of adults, teenagers and couples, making it comfortable and welcoming for new viewers. The event was not generational, because like most comedy, the night’s humor had a universal appeal to all walks of life.

The comedy brought the audience together. Despite the difference of backgrounds, the unity of the audience was strong as we all burst out laughing at the same moments, and chuckled at the comics’ playful jabs about Marin residents.

The audience could also interact with the performers and each other, adding to the lively atmosphere. This created a strong community feel that is hard to create at other entertainment events, where the viewers are simply observers.

Though the event is on weekday nights and may be difficult for students to attend, I strongly recommend it as a break from schoolwork. The moment the show ended and I walked out of the theater, I wanted to go back. The animated comics, energetic crowd and community atmosphere created perfect social entertainment.

afogarty@redwoodbark.org

bark

Page 20 • Review

March 10, 2017

SF Bay Model offers visitors an engaging experience

By Kaelin Kragh The San Francisco Bay Model Exhibit in Sausalito, CA offers an educational and fascinating one-and-a-half acre model landscape that maps the SF Bay, while providing information on how pollution levels are diminishing the current status of the Bay. Stationed on Broadway Street in Sausalito, the exhibit is located right on the water—a fitting location for a museum with a focus on bay life.

The goal of the exhibit is to educate visitors on the current environmental predicament of the SF Bay. Up the staircase upon entering the building is a room with painted walls of Marin’s scenic locations, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Stinson Beach and Point Reyes. Additionally, there are walls of information that help visitors understand more about the SF Bay and its wildlife.

The bottom floor of the exhibit consists of the model that takes up the whole room.

The extensive model of the bay includes part of the Pacific Ocean, the Suisun Bay, the San Pablo Bay and the Sacramento San Joaquin River Delta.

The model is a three-dimensional hydraulic model that is capable of activating tides and currents to accurately simulate water levels in the bay.

It is also informative for those who don’t know much about the geography of the SF Bay. The complex work that was required

to make the vast structure is truthfully astonishing.

The exhibit additionally offers scheduled guided tours or self-guided tours. However, with the aid of the friendly and knowledgeable staff, visitors are capable of retaining and receiving more information. Without guidance, there is not much context other than the model and self-guided videos available for viewing.

The only area of the exhibit that was lacking was the information available for visitors to read. Without a guide, the exhibit just looks like a bay model with a few boards of information.

If there is any area for potential improvements, it would be to educate and inform visitors even further on the severe environmental crisis that the bay faces today.

The tours provide maps to help advise visitors through the Bay Model, various videos that include the history of the Bay Model and informative background from the guides on how the exhibit got started.

The guides inform visitors on the severity of the demand for water resources, in particular focusing on the necessary resources for our farms and industries.

They emphasize that “water is the lifeblood of California.”

However, many of the guides were divided on how to limit water intake amongst the county.

Potential solutions are the CALFED Bay—Delta Program, a cooperative association of the state and federal agencies

Photo by Kaelin Kragh

DISPLAYING INTERESTING FACTS about the San Francisco Bay, the Bay Model exhibit is an educational way to learn about the geography of the bay. which are established to solve those types of problems and reduce the conflicts in the Bay-Delta, according to the SF Bay model guides.

The CALFED plan hopes to restore the Delta ecosystem, ensure water supply reliability, provide good quality water for all users and improve the levee system.

With its effective use of powerful visuals and videos, the museum is able to remain engaging and interesting throughout, while truly informing visitors

about not only the geography of our Bay but some of the challenges that the region faces. However, the Bay Model could include even more information and data to aid visitors throughout its entirety, and be even more influential in its presentation of the bay’s environmental crisis, in order to be most effective for its visitors.

kkragh@redwoodbark.org

‘Hit Makers’ successfully delves into the science of popularity

By Anne Pritikin In his book describing the science of popularity, "Hit Makers," The Atlantic Senior Editor Derek Thompson writes that, “To sell something familiar, make it surprising.

To sell something surprising, make it familiar.” This in itself is where the genius of his first book lies: "Hit Makers" is both familiar and distinctive.

The book, released on Feb. 7, reads reminiscent of the Malcolm Gladwell works, such as "Outliers," that defined the narrative-based, pop-sociology nonfiction genre, but with a more informal tone and hint of humor. Its similarity to Gladwell’s writing structure makes it familiar, although Thompson’s distinct voice remains clear.

Meanwhile, its inclusive diction engages the reader, drawing them into a lively discussion and introducing remarkable ideas that explain the rise of myriad pop-culture phenomenons throughout history, from Impressionism to Star Wars to the sleek designs of the mid-19th century created by Raymond Loewy.

The book’s surprising quality originates from its novel topic, which aims to answer the question, “What makes a hit a hit?”

The book explores the various factors behind the greatest blockbusters, bestsellers and smash hits with thoroughly researched and diverse examples. Thompson compiles fascinating content related to history, sociology, psychology and marketing, making complex yet accessible connections.

In order to address the book’s central question, Thompson supports his claims with a prodigious number of modern and historical case studies.

By weaving current pop culture into his work, Thompson maintains the reader’s interest and facilitates easy comprehension of the factors that contribute to the rise of a success, which adds liveliness to a genre of literature which is often dry.

It is through these case studies, accompanied with statistics, traditional scientific research and the occasional diagram, that Thompson’s explanations and arguments are the most effective and engrossing. He finds parallels between unlikely subjects, such as pop music and Obama’s speeches, encouraging the reader to extend these connections to their own lives.

One of Thompson’s main arguments is that humans are attracted to creations that push the boundaries of familiarity.

This theory can be summed up in Raymond Loewy’s design rule: Most Advanced Yet Acceptable. Thompson references this concept throughout "Hit Makers," using it to expand beyond the topic of popularity and into digressive philosophical discussions of human nature.

Thompson’s methodical investigations of singular

Photo courtesy of Penguin Press

HIGHLIGHTING SEVERAL CHARACTERISTICS that make cultural works popular, Derek Thompson’s book “Hit Makers” offers an in-depth look into the science of what makes pop culture so important in society. hits are also at times excessive, often consuming multiple paragraphs to pages before the direct relation to the essential question is revealed.

Nonetheless, these perambulatory tangents do not detract from "Hit Makers" because they are just one of the multiple byproducts of the author’s obvious interest in what makes something hit-worthy. It is clear through his informative, humorous footnotes and detailed writing that Thompson has a true enthusiasm for the topic. His zest on his quest for answers is contagious, further piquing the reader’s attention and curiosity.

"Hit Makers" does not simply answer the question that it first set out to explore.

It flirts with broad and generalized explanations and pinpoints the specific factors that contributed to certain successes.

It enthralls with its fascinating stories and connections, but, unsurprisingly, it does not provide an exact formula for a blockbuster, as one does not truly exist. Thompson is far too intelligent to write a book about a question that

could be answered in a page.

Thompson is an expert at introducing profound ideas about the science of popularity to his audience and reinforcing his claims with interesting and applicable evidence. His ability to control his complex arguments while constantly engaging the reader with examples of pop-culture and making unexpected connections proves that “Hit Makers” is a worthwhile read.

While discussing one of his overarching arguments that popularity is often derived from familiarity, Thompson cites author Peter Mendelsund, who wrote that a book is an “invitation to daydream.” And it is. "Hit Makers" is a thoroughly delightful invitation to think, contemplate, and wonder about the most important factors in popularizing an age’s works and creations.

apritikin@redwoodbark.org

Page 21• Review

www.redwoodbark.org

bark

Whisk and Skillet’s tasty options satisfy with every bite

By Carolyn French Whisk and Skillet, a daytime eatery located in Strawberry, opened on Feb. 15.

The new spot serves breakfast and lunch until 4 p.m., providing a high quality and nutritious meal available beyond typical breakfast hours.

The new addition to the Strawberry mall is founded by Norman Louie, the owner of Marin’s popular Asian cuisine restaurant, Harmony. However, Whisk and Skillet’s menu diverges from Harmony’s Asian food through serving mainly traditional American breakfast meals; Whisk and Skillet offers an alternative menu to Lou’s Asian-style restaurant.

Whisk and Skillet has a modern cafe vibe that almost all other breakfast places lack, with an overall aesthetically pleasing look. The dining room featured sleek wooden tables topped with glass vases, wide windows and contemporary architecture. Whisk and Skillet also offers an outside eating area, with the same wooden tables scattered around a courtyard.

The restaurant provides a plethora of healthy, sustainable food choices made from natural, organic and locally-grown ingredients.

Similar to restaurants like Rustic Bakery, Whisk and Skillet has over-thecounter food service. A series of premade dishes and pastries are offered next to the order counter, providing to-go options.

One of Whisk and Skillet’s best dishes is the sweet crepe, priced at $11. The crepe was thicker than a more traditional crepe, but provided more substance to the meal, leaving me full and satisfied. However, its heavy texture took away from some of the more flavorful ingredients. Inside, the crepe is packed with organic strawberries and bananas, slathered in thick layers of Nutella, and topped with frothy whipped cream and powdered sugar.

The dish was rather small for its price and wasn’t an authentic French crepe, but it served as a sweet breakfast option that you won’t find in many other restaurants

Photo by Carolyn French

COATED IN NUTELLA, strawberries, and bananas, Whisk and Skillet’s crepe complements coffee well and provides for a sweet and substantial breakfast to jumpstart your morning. However, the dish costs a pricey $11 and lacks authenticity. around Marin and the surrounding area.

For a more savory dish, the huevos rancheros was offered for a pricey $12. The over-medium egg is displayed elegantly over lightly melted cheese, tortilla and black beans, and topped with pico de gallo and sour cream with skillet potatoes on the side.

The dish entails a variety of flavors, as the more subtle tastes coming from the egg and tortilla were combated by the zest of the pico de gallo and sour cream. The huevos rancheros was the perfect size to satisfy an empty stomach.

For lunch, the Chinese chicken salad provides a classic taste, but the dressing lacked some flavor that other restaurants

provide with their salad options. Although priced rather fairly at $10.50, the healthy dish could have used a greater variety of tastes, with more stimulating ingredients to add something unique to their version of the salad.

Whisk and Skillet offers a variety of beverages from coffees to juices. A popular choice was the freshly-squeezed orange juice. The drink was rich in flavor and thick with pulp, and paired perfectly with the huevos rancheros. However, it came in a very small quantity, enough to finish before the meal even came, at a pricey $4. The vanilla latte ($3.95) is beautifully displayed with an intricate design on top of the foam and its size is much larger

than the orange juice. For those who enjoy a sweeter taste, add a packet of sugar to create a delicious beverage that lasts an entire meal.

Whisk and Skillet went above and beyond expectations in terms of flavor.

The combination of subtle tastes create a delicious, perfectly satisfying breakfast that won’t leave you overwhelmed.

However, its prices should be taken into consideration by customers, so before eating at Strawberry Mall’s newest addition, ask yourself if it’s worth the cost.

cfrench@redwoodbark.org

‘FUTURE’ album gives glimpse into modern trap music

By Hayden Blum The merit of Future as an artist is often questioned.

He’s not lyrical, he doesn’t make narrative-based albums and he isn’t even comprehensible all of the time. Yet Future remains one of the most popular rappers in the world and for good reason: he makes bangers.

In his self-titled album, “FUTURE,” Future doesn’t attempt to break that mold. Every song on the project features a hard-hitting beat made by some of the biggest producers in the game, such as Metro Boomin, Southside and Zaytoven.

However, the most unique aspect of this album compared to Future’s previous works is that his is the only voice heard throughout the 17-track album. This idea of having no featured artists on an album has been a focus in hip-hop since J. Cole went “double platinum with no features,” and ensued a flurry of memes following his success.

However, J. Cole and Future are not the same. In fact, they are at opposite ends of the rap spectrum. J. Cole is praised for his storytelling ability and lyricism while Future makes tracks for the club without much deeper meaning.

Future typically finds success through collaboration.

Some of his biggest hits from the last few years feature other artists, such as Jumpman (feat. Drake), Low Life (feat. The Weeknd), and Too Much Sauce (feat. Lil Uzi Vert) just to name a few. However, FUTURE is not a failure due to this lack of diversity. While 17 tracks is a bit of overkill, there are plenty of hits on the album.

Future is a production-reliant rapper. If the beat isn’t bumping, it won’t be a good song. His newest album succeeds thanks to impeccable production by Metro Boomin and Zaytoven.

The unique flute sample featured on both “Mask Off (prod. Metro Boomin) and “Feds Did a Sweep (prod.

Zaytoven) is eerie and sonically intriguing. It adds a needed diversity to the beat and a shift from the monotony of the other tracks on the album. While the production on almost every track is well done, these two stand out.

With 17 songs on one album, there are bound to be some lackluster throwaways. However, this album is not built to be listened to from start to finish. If you try to make it through the whole album in one sitting, you will be bored and none of the tracks will stand out. But if you view each song as a separate entity, you will be able to locate the hits.

Some standouts include the hypnotic “Mask Off,” the fiery banger “POA,” and the somber “Feds Did a Sweep.”

The latter stands in contrast to the rest of the track list.

On “Feds Did a Sweep,” Future chronicles what it’s like to live in an area surrounded by drug slinging and what it’s like to lose your loved ones to death or imprisonment.

Not only is this song fantastically produced by Zaytoven, but the lyrics feel genuine and written out of pain. Future demonstrates this pain in lyrics such as, “Got 13 bodies (what else?) Got 27 damn victims.” Lyrics like these elevate Future’s music by incorporating an emotional element that is often overshadowed by loud rap beats.

While trap music is often criticized for glorifying drugs and violence, Future makes it clear that it’s not a safe lifestyle. Future doesn’t often bring emotion into his music, but he occasionally adds this poignancy to his music, which is appreciable and makes for the best songs.

However, not every track on this album should have made the cut. “Good Dope” feels dull and uninspired due to its boring flow and weak hook. “Scrape” features an incredibly annoying “skirt, skirt” ad-lib littered throughout. These songs detract from the album and make no sense to be included.

Seventeen songs is long for any album, but especially for one by Future, as he’s often criticized for his music sounding too similar.

By adding in these throwaways and making the album more drawn out, he perpetuates these criticisms.

“FUTURE” is more of an assortment of trap bangers rather than a true album meant to be listened to as a project.

However, a fan will easily find numerous hits from “Draco” to “Outta Time” to “Poppin’ Tags.”

While the album is a mixed bag and some songs are lacking originality, it is clear that Future is doing what he

Courtesy of Sound Academy

LACKING THE LYRICISM found in other popular rap albums, Future’s self-titled album makes up for it with strong beats.

does best and firing on all cylinders. “FUTURE” will not be revered for years, but it is clear that it will dominate the radio, be overplayed in clubs and blasted in cars for the rest of 2017. hblum@redwoodbark.org

bark

Page 22 • Lifestyles

March 10, 2017

Cohen gets ‘tide’ up in the surfing lifestyle

by Maxime Kawawa-Beaudan The waves were big that day off of Ocean Beach, most some 10 feet high. Tall swells rolled toward the shore, building and peaking before breaking near the shore, sweeping over the shallows as white foam. Two figures, dots in wetsuits, rose and fell with the waves, holding onto their surfboards, paddling for the horizon. A set of tall waves was moving toward them, and they had to pass it or risk being swept back into shore.

When the wave reached them, Mitch Cohen watched his son stroke his way up the face of the wave. He paddled slightly behind. And as he watched, just as the boy neared the top, a dolphin shot out of the lip of the wave and leapfrogged him.

It wasn’t the first time he’d seen a dolphin. Nor would it be the last. Cohen, 54, a downhill and cross-country skier in the Colorado Rockies, backpacker and hiker in the Andes and surfer and mountain biker in the Bay Area, has always lived within driving distance of nature. The wilderness is part of his life.

When he isn’t surfing, hiking in the Sierras with friends from Oregon, or mountain biking on Mount Tam or in China Camp, Cohen teaches AP Environmental Science and Integrated Science 1-2. But these two spheres of his life—outside and inside the classroom—overlap more than they diverge. It’s Cohen’s direct immersion in the natural world that drives him to teach about it.

“When you’re a couple hundred yards off the coast of San Francisco, it’s a wilderness area,” Cohen said. “It’s as wild as any place you can find on the planet, in the sense that I’ll see a pod of dolphins that’ll come within arm’s reach of me, or a whale breach maybe 10 meters away.”

Cohen’s love for surfing stemmed first from his love of adventure. Between his sophomore and junior years of college, he took a semester off and bought a one-way ticket to Bolivia, hoping to learn Spanish and hike in the Andes.

That trip was the first in a long string of such international endeavours. After finishing his undergraduate studies at the University of Colorado-Boulder, he went on to visit Peru, Ecuador, most of Central America, Mexico, India, Nepal, Kenya, Tanzania, Morocco and Egypt. He also taught English as a second language in Spain.

But travel alone couldn’t sate his thirst for adventure. Returning to college, he began exploring more extreme sports.

“Growing up, my passion was always downhill skiing and cross-country skiing, but in Colorado I really got into snowskiing and backpacking and a little bit of

climbing—nothing super technical, but just being in the mountains,” Cohen said.

Boulder, with its close proximity to the peaks and ski lifts, was a perfect region for Cohen. But when he moved out to California to receive his master’s degree in education and teaching credential at Stanford University in 1989, he found himself in an entirely different environment.

“Moving out here,” Cohen said, “It’s just a lot more of a hassle to go skiing here than say it was in Colorado, and that’s when I started surfing.”

When he discovered surfing, Cohen was well past his college years. But he took to it quickly; it filled the absence of his old mountain sports and fit perfectly into his active lifestyle.

Surfing, for Cohen, is a sport that lends itself well to spontaneity. It requires none of skiing’s lift tickets, heavy traffic, complicated logistics or expensive accommodations.

“The great thing about surfing is I can wake up early, go surfing for three hours, and be home for lunch. I’ve all but stopped skiing because I enjoy surfing so much,” Cohen said.

Though Cohen didn’t complain, surfing in the Bay Area isn’t always a glamorous pastime. Water temperatures in the Pacific around San Francisco hit an average annual high of 57 degrees in June, and an average low of 53 degrees in February, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. Often, this means donning a thick wetsuit to brave the surf.

In spite of the frigid year-round conditions, Cohen finds a great deal to love about the sport.

“Aside from the adrenaline rush, there’s the camaraderie. I still go surfing with my son, and it’s a way for us to hang out together,” Cohen said. “And on big days, we might be a quarter mile off shore maximum, but the wildlife comes in, and that’s exciting. I love the wildness of it.”

Surfing is a social sport for Cohen. He has friends up and down the California coast whom he met while on the waves.

Often, he will see people he knows when he shows up at the beach, even if he hasn’t made plans.

Cohen has even run into some of his own students in the water, including juniors Jesse Smith and Will Kepler. Kepler recalls

a day he drove to Ocean Beach with his friends after hearing that the waves were going to be good.

“We ended up at the parking lot up at Ocean Beach, and Mr. Cohen was there, already in his wetsuit,” Kepler said.

Not only did Cohen beat his students to the beach, but he held his own out on the water.

“He was pretty impressive, because it was a bigger day than I was used to out there but he was going on some of the biggest waves of the day,” Kepler said.

Smith tells largely the same story.

“He charges. He will take any wave no matter how gnarly it is, how scary it is,” Smith said.

Smith also remarked that Cohen came to surf with a group of surfing veterans, each holding their own beautiful board. These are just a few of the good friends he’s made at the beach, and that

social scene is one of Cohen’s big reasons for loving the sport.

“Where some guys go out to the country club to meet up with their friends, I’ll go to the beach,” Cohen said.

But Cohen didn’t just make friends and meet new people on the beach; he also introduced his son Zack, now 21, to surfing when he was only five years old.

Cohen doesn’t limit himself to surfing just the waves in the Bay Area. Most of the time he sticks to his favorite spots at Ocean Beach, but during the summers he flies down to Mexico and Latin America on surf trips. In the past he’s surfed in Nicaragua and El Salvador. His son Zach plans to go surfing in Indonesia in the next year. However, despite the exotic locales he has frequented, Cohen still appreciates the local surf.

“A lot of people don’t really realize it, but there’s some world-class surf right here in our backyard,” Cohen said.

That connection with the natural world

fuels his teaching at Redwood.

“There’s a lot of really special places in Northern California or beyond that are worth protecting so that future generations can know what it feels like to ride down a hill on a mountain bike, or summit a peak in the Rocky Mountains or surf in water that’s unpolluted,” Cohen said.

Cohen’s role at Redwood extends beyond the classroom. A few years ago, when no one else stepped up to take the job, Cohen offered to coach the school’s water polo team, according to Smith. He earned the respect of his team despite the fact that he had never coached the sport before.

“At the end of the season, every kid loved him, and they took this one ball, and all of them signed it, and now it’s sitting up in his room,” Smith said.

Cohen believes that part of his role as an authority figure is being a good role model. And at a time when so many high school students stress about college admissions and grades more than enjoying l i f e , C o h e n emphasizes the importance of equilibrium in people’s lives. He finds his own balance between teaching and surfing, and suggests that his students find their own.

“Life is a lot about finding balance. My philosophy has always been work hard and play hard. I think that if you’re efficient with your time you can find time Illustration by Daniel Oh

to do the things you like,” Cohen said.

“I think students need to understand that being an adult doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to give up the things that you enjoy doing.”

Cohen’s love for surf and teaching is a testament to his personal philosophy. His work ties into his play, and his play ties into his work. That’s part of his conception of balance.

“You can structure your life in such a way whereby you can have meaningful work and meaningful play,” Cohen said.

“It doesn’t have to be an ‘either or,’ it can be an ‘and’ situation.”

mkawawa-beaudan@redwoodbark.org

Photos courtesy of Mitch Cohen

SHREDDING A WAVE (left) and with his son Zack in the San Francisco Bay (right), Integrated and Environmental Science teacher Mitch Cohen discovered a passion for surfing relatively late in life. He enjoys the adrenaline rush and the social aspects of the sport as well as the connection it provides with nature.

Page 23 • Lifestyles

www.redwoodbark.org

Avenue of Giants inductees hail from diverse fields to change the textile economy which has been outsourced by companies and unregulated by the government.

Fibershed was the perfect fusion of Burgess’ political activism, love of nature and passion for fashion. Through this project, Burgess hopes to help alleviate some of the stress humans put on the environment.

“Climate change was and is becoming the most imperative oncoming disaster. We are not going to be able to afford to externalize the costs of our textile systems anymore,” she said.

By Rachel Schten The recently announced Redwood distinguished alumni class of 2017 was honored alongside the alumni class of 2016 on Mar. 3 at the Avenue of Giants banquet hosted at the McInnis Club House Restaurant. This year’s class of 2017 inductees represent a diverse array of talent in a variety of industries including entertainment, geology and the environment. This year’s inductees are Rebecca Burgess (class of 1996), Maz Jobrani (class of 1989), Cathy Connors (class of 1970) and Drew Z. Greenberg (class of 1988). Though each inductee has taken a wildly different career path, all can in some way attribute their success to their time at Redwood.

Maz Jobrani After graduating from Redwood in 1989, Maz Jobrani began to pursue a political science major at UC Berkeley because his parents wanted him to be a lawyer. After spending a year abroad in Italy though, Jobrani realized that he did not want to go into law.

“While I was there, there was this professor and I loved what he was doing and I thought, ‘Maybe I should become a professor.’ That [was] kind of a compromise so my parents [would] be happy,” he said.

While employed as a professor at UCLA, Jobrani came to understand the meaning of “publish or perish” as his intended career as a professor was pushed aside by the pressure to keep producing academia.

Then, Jobrani returned to his true passion which he hadn’t pursued since he was a student at Redwood: theater.

“While I was at UCLA, I got into another play,” Jobrani said. “Again while I was on stage I felt alive.”

Jobrani is currently a cast member of the CBS sitcom “Superior Doughnuts.” He will also be in the Bay Area in May on a stand-up comedy tour.

Rebecca Burgess Rebecca Burgess had two main passions while at Redwood: clothing and Marin’s numerous open spaces.

“I was really into what other people were wearing, and clothing was meaningful to me. I really identified with what I was wearing as a way to express myself,” Burgess said.

In addition to spending time in Berkeley and at thrift stores finding unique, vintage items, Burgess took advantage of Marin’s undeveloped wilderness like Mt. Tam and the Marin Headlands, where she spent much of her time growing up.

Burgess had not yet realized though how her two seemingly separate pastimes could be combined in her future.

While at UC Berkeley, she discovered the final piece that would allow her passion for fashion and her passion for nature to coalesce: political activism.

Burgess founded Fibershed in 2010, a non-profit corporation that teaches and promotes the efficacy and minimal environmental impact of cottage-industry style textile production. Through Fibershed, Burgess has begun

Photo Courtesy of Cathy Connors

SMILING IN FRONT of a glacier, Cathy Connors is a professor at the University of Alaska Southeast.

Cathy Connors Cathy Connors is a professor of geology at the University of Alaska Southeast, but her fascination with science was first kindled at Kent Middle school and continued at Redwod.

Connors pursued her passion for science from the classroom to the field and made it into her career.

While working towards her Masters of Science in geology at Stanford in 1975, Connors did her master’s thesis on the sedimentary history of the Richardson Bay. Studying mud cores, she was able to observe the development of marine organisms and vegetation in the bay as well as pieces of shells left by the area’s native population.

“You can see the human history along with the changing of the bay,” Connors said.

Connors still marvels at the amount of knowledge that can be gained by simply looking at sediment and rock and plain old mud.

“I think that one thing that geology gives you is a perspective of time,” she said.

Photo Courtesy of Drew Greenberg

WORKING TO PRODUCE the Redwood yearbook, Drew Greenberg learned to listen to people’s stories which helps him create realistic television characters.

Drew Greenberg Both a writer and a producer, Drew Z. Greenberg is currently one of the staff members of the ABC television show “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” He is one of 13 writers who create the scripts for the show.

While writing student profiles for Redwood’s yearbook, the Log, Greenberg developed the skills that would become vital to his career.

“One of the greatest things you can do in preparation for jobs like that is to talk to actual people and hear their stories. So I feel like my time [working] on the Log was a really great preparation for what I ended up doing,” he said.

Nevertheless, another course at Redwood was even more influential in Greenberg’s career path.

Greenberg took an after-hours creative writing course taught by Louis Aliano in which students were required to enroll along with one of their parents.

“It was probably one of the biggest turning points that I’ve had in my education, the thing that turned me on to writing in the biggest way. Ms. Aliano was really the one who made that all happen,” he said. rschten@redwoodbark.org

Tepovich gains broader experience through fellowship at Federal Reserve

By Kaelin Kragh

Many students may know Ann Tepovich as the AP European History or the AP Economics teacher. What they may not be aware of is that starting in January, Tepovich was selected out of thousands of applicants to receive a fellowship with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, one of 12 District Federal Reserve banks in the United States.

Along with 19 other economics professors and high school teachers, Tepovich attends events that the Reserve puts on and collaborates with the other teachers and professors on how to improve current economics curriculums, attend social studies conferences around the country and take part in conferences with famous economists like Janet Yellen, the current Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

The Federal Reserve’s mission is to promote low inflation, provide full employment, financial stability and offer services to financial corporations, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s website. “[The Reserve] controls interest rates with an idea in mind that they want a certain level of unemployment and inflation in the economy,” Tepovich said. “They protect consumers, monitor banks, making sure they behave properly, and overall they protect your money.”

Tepovich received her undergraduate degree in economics and history from San Francisco State University. She has been teaching high school economics for 22 years, and applied to the fellowship

bark

Photo Courtesy of California Classics

POSING IN A school photo, Tepovich received a fellowship at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. program within the Reserve with the goal of deepening her understanding in a field in which she already had interest.

“I gained a broader understanding for myself, the role of the Fed, and I’ve been exposed to other big trends that are out there in the economy,” Tepovich said.

Out of thousands that applied to be part of the fellowship, only 20 applicants from the West Coast were accepted.

“Our task is to take this information and make it understandable and accessible for high school students,” Tepovich said.

“They give us time and resources that we can provide for Econ students. We give input on their resources, and how to make it interesting to a high school student,

because trying to teach this material to high school students is difficult, because they’re not interested in things like interest rates.”

Since Tepovich began her fellowship, she has come to find that there are areas in the current AP Economics course at Redwood where she sees potential for improvement in teaching financial literacy.

However, although financial literacy is an important part of economics, it may be deemed too difficult for non AP Economics students.

“There’s already so much content to cover in such a short period of time that the idea of adding something [into the curriculum] about financial literacy is daunting,” said economics teacher Stephen Hart.

Since the financial crisis of 2008, the Federal Reserve has tried to work on transparency due to some people not being informed on how to handle their money, according to Tepovich.

“The average person on the street may not be able to articulate what the Federal Reserve does,” Tepovich said. “Part of the reason we see people with credit card debt, and not having money for retirement is because many schools does have economic classes. The more informed people are, they can make better decisions with their money which goes with the importance of financial literacy.”

kkragh@redwoodbark.org

Data courtesy of Feb. Bark survey

Infographic by Sabrina Dong