redwood
bark.
Volume LXII, No. 2 • November 8, 2019 • Larkspur, CA
Dia De Los Muertos
Ultimate Frisbee
Student Architecture
Kincade Fire: firsthand accounts from inside the flames By Audrey Hettleman and Bella Roesler
“We saw what looked like lightning strikes and it
Photo courtesy of Ethan Swope
A FIREFIGHTER SPRAYS water on a small bridge that had burned on private property. Strong winds only exacerbated the flames.
change and these weather
While my house was burning, we were about a few hundred yards down the road saving my neighbor’s house. John Lilienthal firefighter
Photo courtesy of Ethan Swope
SHOOTING PHOTOS OF the fire, Ethan Swope watched the roof of a house crumble into embers.
Photo courtesy of Ethan Swope
FACING THE MOST destruction, Geyserville is located near the Kincade Fire’s origin.
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will happen more in the
bark
Page 2 • News
November 8, 2019
Photo Survey What do you appreciate most about fall?
“Getting close to the holidays “Going to Starbucks and and dressing up in cozy getting the Pumpkin Spice clothes.” Lattes.”
“The changing seasons and “I love sweaters. They keep how it’s a mix of cold in me warm. I love sweater the morning and hot in the weather.” afternoon.”
Rebecca Newman
David Jimenez
Stella Neuschul
freshman
sophomore
junior
Josh Chan senior
Larkspur permanantly bans marijuana businesses By Isabel Ames Last month, the Larkspur city council voted unanimously to pass an ordinance banning marijuana businesses, which came into full effect Oct. 17. The ban will join Larkspur’s existing restrictions on personal cultivation of marijuana and delivery services without permits. After a temporary moratorium established 18 months ago expired in Oct. 2019, the Larkspur city council reimplemented the ban permanently. According to Larkspur Vice-Mayor Larry Chu, youth access to marijuana was the primary issue that prompted the permanent ban. “If [Larkspur is] going to permit [marijuana dispensaries], we need to have large enough radii around schools and places where youth are likely to congregate, such as community centers and parks,” Chu said. “I think the general realization was that by the time you draw those circles around these facilities, there really isn’t any place to put [the dispensaries].” Although no local statistics exist to back Chu’s claim, senior “Kate,” who
Photo courtesy of Nicole Sheldon
FOR THOSE WHO have permits, Larkspur still allows delivery services.
Meg Abbott Callaway Allen Seth & Kelli Anderson Steve & Chris Anderson Susan & Mark Anderson Anonymous x2 The Argov Family Joe Bailitz The Barcy Family The Baylo Family Linda Behla The Berger Family Joanna Berman Mandel Cynthia Blankenship Hannah, Lauren, & Ella Blazel Fred & Mary Blum Brad & Heather Bludau Jeffrey Bosley The Bosley Family Teri Brad Garsten Kathleen & Bill Brady Elizabeth Brekus Pam & Jason Brown Jennifer Browne Kevin & Cheryl Butler Steve & Kristina Campodonico Mark "Carlson" The Carlson Family Thomas Chad Williams Jennifer Chou Kevin Cifarelli Robyn & Bruce Cohen
would like to remain anonymous, has been able to access marijuana from a San Francisco cannabis dispensary. “I have friends who go to [College of Marin] and they have a med card [because] they are 18. They get weed from dispensaries a lot and can sell it for the same price to me and some of my friends,” Katie said. Chu also claimed that the risk of increased crime rates was a motivation behind the ban. He believes a dispensary would be a destination attracting marijuana users from outside of Larkspur. Since Larkspur lacks such dispensaries, it cannot provide data on increased crime rates due to marijuana. However, Chu uses crime reports from Colorado and Oregon, where marijuana has been legalized for over six years, to predict what he believes to be the likely outcomes in Larkspur. The reports say property crime, burglaries, and all violent crimes have increased in communities that sell marijuana. Lawyer and council member Scot Candell is against the ordinance. Candell has represented numerous marijuana cases throughout his career. “I think [the ordinance] is a mistake, and I voiced that at the last city council meeting,” Candell said. “Instead of a knee-jerk reaction of just banning it, why everyone decides [they] want to ban it we can still ban it. There’s no hurry.” Rather than preventing crime and youth access to marijuana, Candell says the ban has potential to increase the danger of marijuana use. “Vaping deaths are because people are buying black market cannabis that has
Brian & Dana Cole Donn & Melinda Conner Libby Conner The Conners Ed Conti Deborah & Kevin Cook The Croner-Palmer Family Jim & Robyn Dahlin The Dahlin Family The Dawes Family The Doctor Family The Donahue Family The Dubin Family Mary Jane, Elliott & Mohammad Diab Jon Epps The Epps Family Naz & Brain Erickson The Erickson Family Tribolet Family Tom Fischer & Cyndi Devereaux Harriette & Cary Fishburne Tallie & Tom Fishburne Ashley Fligel The Flores Family Suzanne & Brendan Fogarty Chris & Allison Fragakis Mitra & Jan Fuches Kelly & Jonas Gerber Lynn Gerson The Gibbs Family Jennifer Ginsburg
Photo courtesy of Nicole Sheldon
AFTER AN 18-MONTH temporary ban on dispensaries expired, the ban was reimplimented permanently. chemicals in it, doesn’t go through testing family-friendly. You can apply the same and is not regulated. It’s a mistake to push thing to alcohol: you don’t want a lot of people in that direction,” Candell said. bars. It’s not the character of the town,” Despite Candell’s opposition to the Chu said. ordinance, popular demand trumped. Additional bans on marijuana may be According to Chu, 70 percent of Larkspur residents voted “yes” on Prop. 64, which of a ban on the usage of THC vape devices legalized the use of recreational marijuana in shared housing complexes took place. in California in 2019. However, those The proposition will be considered again same residents do not want it sold in their Oct. 29. community. “I think people perceive Larkspur as being a suburban community where it’s iames@redwoodbark.org
Bark Patrons Emily Glidden Cynthia Goodman The Goodman Family The Graff/Marrero Family The Grams Family Jennifer Green Jennifer & Michael Green The Guthrie Family TJ's Gym The Hackett Family Kirsten Hagen Allan & Nancy Herzog The Hettleman Family Leonard & Dolly Hom Joan Hornberger Kurt & Julie Houtkooper Brian & Erica Hunt Wendy & Rob Jessen The Johnson Family Sylvia Jones Jon Kawamura & Elizabeth Foley John Kellerman Noah Kempler The Ladetzky Family The Lanciault Family Brent & Jen Lauchle Renée & Patrick Lee Jennifer Lefferts
Bill & Cori Lewis Joy & John Lewis Joyce Linker The Loebbaka Family The MacLean Family Kayvan Malek The Marlowe Family Erin & Chris Matthews The McKechnie Family The McLeod Family Mary Lee Merrill Chris Michaels Mike & LouAnn Micucci Sabrina Middleton The Mincy Family Cindy Morris Liz Muller The Needhams The Nevitt Family The Newhard Family Annette Nielsen Rich Nielsen Mark & Donna Norstad The O'shea Family James Parker The Pfeiffer Family Lauren Pitts Bruce Reed, Compass Education Group
Lesley & Tim Reidy The Resney Sandrich Family Quinn Robbins The Rocha Family Matt & Paige Rodgers Sue & John Rogers Frank Rollo Stacy & Jack Rose The Royal Family Lori Runnfeldt Shari Seibert Christie Seidel Jill & Scott Sellers The Silverman Family Tom Sivertsen The Sinatra Family Veronica Skelton Estus Tom & Nina Smallhorn The Snyder Family Victoria & Michael Song Lida & Kaveh Soofer Heather Staples & Mike Carlson The Steele Family The Steinberg Family Chris & Lorna Strotz The Strotz Family
The Tantum Family The Taunton Family Alana Thalheimer Marylou Tierney Dawn Valler & Peter Byck Carole Van Haaften Vickie Vann & Steve Gregory Jason Vargelis Towns Wagner Family The Watridge Family James & Melanie Watson Mike & Holly Welch The Weng Family Grant Wheeler Joanne Whitt Chad & Megan Williams Mandy & Bryan Williams Liz Wilp Isolde & Aleck Wilson Libby Winston, State Farm Agent Lisa Wolcott Sarah Wolcott Kristin Wolcott Farese Annie Yates Patricia Young Robert & Carol Zlatunich The Zlot Family
If you would like to support the Redwood Bark, donations can be made by check and mailed to Redwood High School. Checks should be made payable to the Redwood Bark. See www.redwoodbark. org for an online payment option.
bark Study reveals the bird population is disappearing in North America Page 3 • News
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By Francesca Fox Throughout a typical day in Marin, spotting a bird soaring freely in the sky or perching strategically on treetops is far from a rare occurrence. By nightfall, some birds may leave to continue their journey of migration, unaware that they risk their lives by leaving this county. With the successful protection of wildlife habitat and open space in Marin, birds appear to be thriving. However, recent data demonstrates that, in reality, the North American bird population is in critical danger. A study by Cornell scientists published on Sept. 19 in the journal Science announced the disappearance of 2.9 billion birds from the North American bird population since 1970. The population has decreased by approximately onethird of its original size since the study began, leading to worldwide concern. More recently, in a report published on Oct. 10, the National Audubon Society found that of the remaining population, two-thirds of the bird species in North America are at risk of extinction. Andrea Jones, the Director of Bird Conservation for
Audubon California, suggests that environmental changes resulting from human activity are the primary cause of the population’s steep decline. “I think habitat loss and pesticides are the main causes. There’s a lot of housing development, so really the biggest reason [for declining populations] is just conversion,” Jones said. “Pesticides are a really big one that hasn’t been talked about. Not so much pesticides killing the birds but pesticides killing insects, which are what the birds need to eat.” Jones also believes water contamination, outdoor cats attacking birds and birds colliding with windows of buildings are smaller factors that contribute to the population decline. decline of the ten classes of bird species surveyed in the Cornell study, decreasing by over 50 percent. According to Jones, most ornithologists, or bird experts, were not surprised. “I already knew that grassland birds are the most declining [group] of birds. I studied grassland birds for my
[master’s] thesis and I’ve seen and read about the declines for decades,” Jones said. “But some of the other suites of birds that were showing really strong declines did shock me more, especially putting the numbers to it.” The Cornell study showed that the greatest losses were also from easily recognizable birds, which many ornithologists did not expect. According to the study, birds like dark-eyed juncos and white-throated sparrows have decreased in numbers by 160 and 90 million, respectively. In contrast, the study indicated that the only groups that increased in number were wetland birds by 34 million and raptors by 15 million. “The fact that geese and waterfowl are improving is not surprising because most federal conservation dollars have gone to protecting wetlands. [Bird hunters] have been really strong conservationists in terms of getting wetlands protected, so it makes sense that they’ve improved. Also, raptors have improved because we’ve gotten rid of some of the pesticides,” Jones said. Vicens Vila, a class of 2018 graduate, is currently majoring in evolutionary biology at Cornell University and works in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology where the study of the 2.9 billion vanishing birds took place. According to “Birds are incredibly sensitive to environmental changes that humans are much less sensitive to. What’s happening to birds and what is causing their populations to decrease dramatically is an indication that we should be really concerned with what’s going on in the environment for our own sake,” Vila said. Redwood senior and four-year Marin Audubon volunteer Julia Prescott believes that there are ways people can help prevent birds from dying. “Keeping your cats inside and refraining from singleuse plastic will really help birds, as well as sticking something on your window to keep them from crashing into it,” Prescott said. While the complete extinction of several bird species appears to be impending, according to Vila, the current state of the bird population is not irreversible. “I felt fortunate enough to be on a trip that went off the coast of Massachusetts recently and we saw a species of bird called the Bermuda petrel. For 300 years, they were thought to be extinct,” Vila said. “So there’s certainly hope for birds, but the rate at which humans enact accelerated.”
Photo by Francesca Fox
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF Marin’s healthy environment, a large flock of seagulls fly over Richardson Bay.
ffox@redwoodbark.org
Local authors educate parents and teens about the dangers of substance abuse By Charlie Ginsburg On Wednesday, Oct. 16, Angelico with nearly 700 parents and kids from across Marin County. However, the hall was not being used for college lectures, as it normally is. Instead, two well known authors, father-son duo David and Nic Sheff, spoke about drug and alcohol addiction. This topic is also addressed in their most recent book, “High.” Nic, who is a Marin County native, struggled with addiction starting in his teenage years and into his twenties. His rocky path to recovery was chronicled in his book “Tweaked” and in his father’s book “Beautiful Boy.” Both books were adapted into the movie “Beautiful Boy,” which starred Steve Carell and Timothy Chalamet. However, their newest book is closer to a manual than a retelling. Packed with information and valuable drug-prevention related advice, the book provides details on the dangers of substance use interspersed with David and Nic’s personal experiences. On stage at the event, interviewed by KQED radio host Michael Krasny, the conversation ranged from the Sheff’s own personal experiences with drugs to what parents can do to limit drug abuse within their community. David believes that it is necessary for parents to become more aware of the struggles that their child could possibly be facing, rather than ignoring them. “There was a pediatrician that I talked to that summed up the whole world of parents, which is that we don’t want to see things that are potentially
scary that our kids are dealing with,” David said. “Recognizing the problem is one of the most important things.” In addition to increasing awareness, David has noticed a difference in the purpose of substance use through time. “The reasons for using [substances] are different now than when I was growing up. Alcohol used to be used as more of a social loop or something that could get you loose and get up the nerve to talk to a boy or a girl at a party, you’d get a putting yourself out there,” David said. Similarly, Laurie Dubin, founder of helped put on the event at Dominican University, believes that informing people about the dangers of drugs and alcohol is necessary for the community as a whole. “One of the goals is to increase awareness of the risks of substance use and how some kids out there are genetically predisposed to start [abusing] early,” Dubin said. “There’s a real risk of addiction and progression of drug use towards more dangerous drugs such as what Nick ultimately became addicted to.” took a lead role in organizing the event. According to Mary Jane Burke, the Marin County Superintendent of Schools, putting on the event was imperative for the community. “The bottom line is that I represent 34,000 students and their families, and Marin County issues related to substance abuse are very serious,” Burke said. “My concern is that we have students who
become addicted—students who have died, students whose lives are changed forever when substance abuse takes over.” Burke also stressed that the responsibility of solving the issue of drug abuse in Marin is not her’s alone, but rather one that the community as “Part of the responsibility I think we all hold as a community is ensuring that we are doing everything and anything we can to ensure that our kids and their families have all the information they need to make good decisions,” Burke said. “That is why I think events like this are important.” David also believes that community
efforts to mitigate teenage drug use are necessary. According to David, at the end of the day, recognizing the signs of a child who is struggling with abuse is equally as important for parents. “I would recommend that people get educated so they understand what to look for and understand the pervasive nature of the problem so that they can help those who are suffering,” David said. “Then, once we know what to look for, if we think there might be a problem, assume that there
cginsburg@redwoodbark.org
Photo by Charlie Ginsburg
AWAITING THE BOOK talk, spectators mingle outside of Angelico Hall at Dominican University in San Rafael.
opinion
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Electric vehicles: are they only for the elite? Story by Jacob Mandel and Illustration by Jackson Epps Turning into Redwood’s west parking lot in my dad’s navy blue Toyota Camry, I crane my neck to gaze at the four electric car charging stations situated across from the electric car models using them, serve as a reminder of an unrealistic aspiration my family has had for the past half year. Last May, as my birthday crept up on me and my twin brother, my parents began contemplating car options that would accommodate transportation for the entire family. insurance would have on our budget (my brother and I are still car-less), but the conversation about different vehicle options led my family to look into electric cars. Unfortunately, without a garage at either of my parents’ apartments, and therefore no charging outlet available, buying an electric car would be an impractical investment. With the generally high cost of electric cars combined with the inability to charge the car overnight or while at home, my parents scrapped our vision of an environmentally friendly car in our parking space. My family’s situation emulates the struggle of apartment-dwellers in addition to lower-income families in California, a state which boasts the highest usage of e-cars in the United States per 1,000 people, according to InsideEVs.com. In 2019 alone, electric car sales have skyrocketed 63.7 percent according to the Los Angeles Times. Despite California’s massive increase in electric car sales in recent years, electric vehicle options for lowimprove soon for the betterment of our environment. In general, electric cars are more expensive than their gas-powered counterparts, which makes it a challenge for low-income families to purchase zero emission vehicles.
According to Edmunds, an online car research company, the most affordable electric cars range from $31,000 to $40,000, whereas numerous hybrid options (such as the 2019 Toyota Prius) are listed lower than $25,000. Naturally, gas cars are often cheaper; the 2019 Chevrolet Cruze, for example, is listed at just under $18,000. Additionally, many families’ ability to charge an electric car is hindered by living in apartments where the charging process is inconvenient. Charging an electric vehicle at home requires an outlet from which owners can charge their cars with a portable charger. The vast majority of apartment-dwellers do not park in individual garages, and are therefore without outlets. Moreover, California’s public charging stations are concentrated
predominantly around the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Outside of these two hubs for electric transportation, electric car chargers are dismally sporadic, sometimes located close to one hundred miles before the next station. The evident scarcity of electric charging stations outside of the Bay Area and L.A. is an unfortunate indication of California’s failure to ensure electric car usage in low-income areas. Despite promoting statewide environmentally friendly initiatives in past years, electric charging stations in the wealthiest areas of the state. For instance, if the California legislature wishes to meet it’s 2030 goal of cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent, charging options need to be available for low-income families and charging stations must be more
evenly distributed throughout the state. Proponents of electric car use may argue that while the initial price of electric cars may be more expensive, the cost of their future maintenance is much lower than gas cars. A study conducted by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Institute in 2018 found that electric cars, on average, cost less than half as much to operate than gas-powered cars. This stems from the fact that gas cars require frequent refuelings in addition to oil changes. However, electric cars still need brake, battery and motor infrequent amount of charging stations in low-income areas can make charging an electric car challenging, whereas gas stations are abundant throughout California. Ultimately, this issue is an excellent representation of how economic injustices environmental change. Similar to how it is difficult for lowincome families to purchase sustainable and organic food, the sheer price and lack of available charging for electric vehicles prevent many families from purchasing an electric car. It can be easy for me to be blinded by Marin’s great environmental consciousness and abundance of electric vehicles, but positive environmental progression requires money. It is time California begins to make environmentally friendly options in transportation available for lowincome individuals all across the state. California may be the forerunner in environmental consciousness in America, but clearly, massive steps must be taken in the future to ensure that all Californians can participate in our mission for a lower carbon footprint, regardless of income or housing status.
jmandel@redwoodbark.org
Trick or treat(ed like sexual objects): the real fright of Halloween Story by Martha Fishburne and Illustration by Kalyn Dawes I’m standing in the career aisle of the Spirit Halloween store looking for this year’s getup when it catches my eye. The doctor costume involves the typical scrubs and mask combo, but strangely enough, it does not come in a women’s size. the opposite end of the aisle. While both include comically large syringes and the color white, the similarities end there. A combination of short hemlines and plunging necklines replace practical scrubs, and sensible shoes have been swapped for ridiculous red heels and garters that no selfrespecting doctor would be caught dead in. The costume title has been changed from “Adult Lab Coat Doctor Costume” to “Adult Hot Flash Nurse Costume.” To further complicate the issue, there were, unsurprisingly, no male nurse costumes to be found. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated
complete with black-and-white-striped lingerie. This hypersexualization of girls’ Halloween costumes cultivates an environment that pressures women to comply with stereotypical visions of beauty and femininity in order to be perceived as attractive. Real doctors, policemen and clothes, regardless of their gender. When boys are able to dress up in the real uniform while g i r l s are pressured to wear it makes girls look less professional, conveying the message that females are less
costume” on Amazon brings up six (accurately depicted) boy’s policeman costumes, some suggested searches and then a picture of a young girl in a blue mini skirt and knee-high booties. Further scrolling reveals photographs of models resembling dominatrixes more girls and 11 could be considered sexual. There is, however, a plethora of alluring alternatives for females, including a cowgirl that appears to ride more than just horses, a Girl Scout who looks like she sells something other than Thin Mints and a very loose interpretation of a referee
capable of doing certain jobs than a male would be. This can be especially insulting when the costumes in question are for male-dominated careers, which are already challenging for women to move up in. How can we expect to raise strong young women when the only Halloween
costumes on the market teach them that their value stems solely from how much skin they are showing? A University of Waterloo study conducted in 2000 by Associate Professor Adie Nelson analyzed 469 female, male and gender-neutral Halloween costumes. Not only did the costumes for boys have a greater variation than costumes for girls, but the titles for girls’ costumes included g e n d e roriented adjectives like “pretty,” “cute” or “beautiful.” Conversely, costume names for boys were simply the job title. This stark difference places an emphasis on the physical attributes of girls’ costumes while further sexually objectifying young women. It can be argued that the industry is only making what sells. This is true. But the reason these types of costumes sell is because of a common misconception in our society that women need to show skin and look a certain way in order to be accepted.
A University of Michigan article titled “Monkey see, monkey do: Model behavior in early childhood” by Kylie Rymanowicz explains that children learn and mimic their behaviors based on those from the people around them. When little girls see women conforming to these forced standards of beauty by wearing sexually suggestive costumes, they feel the societal pressures as well, creating the idea that dressing provocatively is synonymous with womanhood. This is not to say that everyone needs to dress conservatively. In 2019, it is unacceptable for us as a society to dictate what others can and cannot wear. Attempting to shame anyone in an article condemning companies for forcing revealing costumes on women would be hypocritical. If someone wants to dress up as a sexy pizza for Halloween, they should be able to do so. But it is important to know that other options are available to those who are not comfortable with showing as much skin. Clothing is meant to be an expression of individualism, giving the wearer a choice of how they would like to present themselves. Those who want to show skin and those who would prefer not to should both feel like their right to dress freely is not being infringed on by costume companies. That being said, my search for a Halloween costume should not resemble someone’s deleted browser history, nor the pressured look of a Spirit Halloween’s limited shopping aisle.
mfishburne@redwoodbark.org
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Breast Cancer Awareness: the pink marketing ploy Mammogram after mammogram, blood test after blood test, chemo round after chemo round, the treatment for breast cancer can be an excruciating process. Unfortunately, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among greater Bay Area females. A predicted 27,700 cases of breast cancer will change the lives of people living in California in 2019, according to the American Cancer Society. Throughout last month, we saw a national support of breast cancer awareness for the annual “Pink October.” While many individuals and organizations use the renowned pink ribbon for a good cause, companies and large corporations leverage its “halo effect.” In business terms, the halo effect is a cognitive bias produced to enforce a positive image on a company, which becomes more of an issue when companies have little to no intention of helping the issue. based in San Rafael, feel this undermines the true meaning of the month. Program director Lianna Hartmour thinks that local community members can further the actions we take to support the issue. “A lot of organizations are focused on awareness this month, and we try not to do that and instead highlight things that are actionable steps that people can do,” Hartmour said. Every October, I am bombarded by pink shirts, pink pins, Redwood’s mini pink ribbons and posters on storefronts. Each attempt to raise awareness for breast cancer poses the question: as breast cancer remains the most prevalent cancer in the Bay Area, what is all this awareness really doing? Jennifer Ginsburg, a local breast cancer survivor, has also brought up the same point. After becoming a part of the breast cancer community, she now views campaigns with a more educated perspective. “Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a wonderful thing because it encourages women to get tested and early detection is key when it comes to breast cancer,” Ginsburg said. “Unfortunately, the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign has put a little bit too much emphasis on
consumption and consumerism.” Ginsburg has noticed an increasing misuse of the symbol for marketing purposes. “In many cases, companies who put pink ribbons on their products or make a pink version of their product for October in some cases don’t donate any money to breast cancer research based on any sales of the units of those products,” Ginsburg said. One of the most wellknown examples is the annual National Football League (NFL) football game in support of Breast Cancer Awareness, which raises thousands of dollars in revenue from related events. However, according to Sports Illustrated, they only donate 0.08 percent of Still, the NFL’s viewers buy their supportive act, including those in our own community. Sophomore Maisie McPeek is a member of the student events committee on campus and through her planning of the Breast Cancer Awareness Day, she has recognized examples of marketing misuse in our local environment. “I think I see it mostly with athletics, also like a lot of [televised NFL] players around the month of October will wear their pink shoes or their uniforms will be decked out in pink,” McPeek said. A number of students agree. In a self-reported Bark survey, 75 percent of students agreed that companies take advantage of Breast Cancer Awareness Month when creating advertising campaigns. The use of breast cancer awareness as a marketing ploy has become so common that it has developed its own term. “Pinkwashing,” the exploitation of breast
an arduous issue ever since the commercialization of the pink ribbon symbol in the 1990s. Corporations like the NFL that use this symbol often give next to nothing in donation to charities and organizations associated with the breast cancer movement. In more extreme cases, companies have ironically worsened the breast cancer problem while marketing the spread of awareness. on her increase of consciousness, analyzing which companies are
meaning Ginsburg said. a personal soap or perfume, it, that had
advertising strategy. “I also found out that there were companies who were promoting products as ‘pink ribbon products’ and some of these products were actually carcinogens, they had links to cancer,” “Putting a pink ribbon on product, such as a lotion or that had petrochemicals in links to cancer, was unthinkable to me.” Though spreading awareness can be to the breast cancer it shouldn’t stop there. of the organization have a
helpful community, Hartmour and the rest mission for this year. “We [at Zero Breast Cancer] hope that people learn actual items they can implement in their own life or in their own communities, because actions are all something that individuals can do, but a lot of issues are more systemic,” Hartmour said. “We try to focus on ways that we can make a difference rather than just noticing or caring about breast mfarese@redwoodbark.org
Fair Pay to Play Act highlights discrepancies hidden within NCAA NCAA student-athletes, averaging out to a $22,000 scholarship per student. However, none of this goes directly into their pockets; the stadium, passing their cash to the ticket the money only allows them to pay for the vendor and eagerly making way to their seats. Plastered with their college’s colors, ability. On the contrary, approximately $1.2 students’ screams escalate as the football players run into view. As fans cheer from billion is spent to pay 4,400 college the stands, families and friends from afar coaches, averaging out to a $273,000 gather around the television, snacks in hand salary per coach. If a college’s budget is a and eyes glued to the screen. that coaches’ labor is more important than from watching the hard work of athletes pay off, athletic success has gone on for too long without receiving any compensation; it was illegal for collegiate athletes to receive pay or sponsorship agreements of any sort. Now it is illegal for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to punish athletes in California On Oct. 1, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Fair Pay to Play Act. Going into effect in Jan. 2023, the bill will allow from their name and likeness by signing endorsement deals. Due to the fact that collegiate athletes dedicate ample time and effort to their sport, yet receive almost no compensation, it is about time a law like this is put in place; it is college athletes. Colleges and large corporations across the country gain their athletes. This is not a fair balance. Not only are players getting taken gap between the coaches and athletes is time they invest compared to coaches. immense. According to the United States These athletes are working hard both on Inquirer, $986 million is spent annually on scholarships to support 45,000 of 64,879 claim that they have adequate time for a
job, considering games, practice and media trainings in their schedules. According to the NCAA website, Division I student-athletes spend an average of 40 hours per week on academics and 45 hours per week on training. With athletics and school comprising 85 hours of athletes’ weeks, it is unlikely that they will be able to add work into their schedules, which often prepares them for the future and provides a paycheck. Furthermore, the NCAA website reports that 12 percent of student athletes drop out of college before receiving degrees, ultimately inhibiting them from on. Considering only two percent of athletes go on to play professionally, according to the NCAA, allowing athletes to seek out endorsements gives them the resources to become successful even if they do not go professional. While the NCAA began as an organization focused on education and athletics, the entity is no longer balanced. In fact, the NCAA wants to retain their unjust power by continuing to use athletes’ success to contribute to the billion-dollar business. According to NBC News, the NCAA follows most guidelines of a professional organization, but they continually insist that their players are
why can’t athletes? Although the Fair Pay to Play Act is advantageous for the names, images and likeness of athletes, many are worried that it will lead to California universities being pushed out of the NCAA. However, if the rest of the country implements this new law, that problem will disappear. In the future, schools located where endorsements are legal may have an unfair advantage when recruiting players. Furthermore, it is possible that paying collegiate athletes would undermine the amateur level of college sports. While it is possible that the Fair Pay to Play Act will redirect the future of athletics in California colleges, NBC News reported that the NCAA already admitted change needs to occur. The new law is providing have been unable to seek out for so long. Even though the NCAA still has resistance about paying its athletes, sports agents already do so, just under the table. According to NBC, former sports agent Josh Luchs admitted to providing money more than 30 collegiate athletes in the year 2010. The Fair Pay to Play Act is bringing this issue into the spotlight and allowing the athletes to receive compensation in a more transparent way. While the term “student-athlete” was meant to encompass both the athletic and academic sides of students, the Fair Play to Pay Act is bringing more equality to the relationship that has been skewed towards the athletic side. Allowing collegiate athletes to seek out endorsements would set them up for future success. California is willing to spend millions on college athletics, so why shouldn’t the rest of the United States? According to CNBC, as of Oct. 29, the top governing board of the NCAA voted to from their names, images and likenesses.
talents. Musicians and artists in college
mholland@redwoodbark.org
bark
November 8, 2019
Financial literacy is key for a prosperous future Story and Illustration by Ryo Weng
regarding their money in the future.
Required English classes build communication skills for participating in society. Required science classes ensure students have a basic understanding of their teaches students basic responsibilities for adulthood, but it is too broad and does not get into necessary detailed requirement?
independence. graduating from any school in the Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD). impending problem for an increasing amount of people. cards are carrying debt, according to a survey by Clever Illustration by Taylor Charles
Global Warning: let’s dispose of ‘disposability’ Story by Maria Alexander
On the other hand, the current economics curriculum encompasses macro and micro topics ranging from consumer and producer interactions to federal policy. Including personal
“Global Warning” is a column discussing relevant enviromental concerns that our planet faces today. The column aims to provide thorough commentary on such issues and offer reasonable solutions that will propel our world to sustainability.
instruction on interest rates and loan management, they credit debt. consuming double the amount of material goods in comparison to one credit card, according to the U.S.
You and your AirPods, the perfect pair. They see you high school, students can learn to adapt to unexpected According to the Council of Economic Education, there are only 17 states that require students to take miraculously disintegrate credit debt and student loans type found in pockets. back over to the Apple store, credit card in hand.
rweng@redwoodbark.org
California sets example with new abortion bill Story and Illustration by Mikaela Beberman The people still holding onto their iPhone 6 are
at public universities, this may not be a feasible option. If
My body belongs to me. When states like Alabama and Mississippi severely restrict abortion, the notion that I have require public universities across the nation to supply longer be an issue. Abortion is a constitutional right and socioeconomic background. Although providing the pill on campus saves money
this excessive consumption mean for the planet? For starters, not many people recycle their used
funds are needed to kickstart the plan. For the entire the government should advertise to get people to donate. They should also divert some of the funds they allocate to Planned Parenthood to the abortion pill iniative. The funding can also
extract copper may release pollutants into the air.
performed abortions. When replaced. pill t h e r e Patagonia encourages clothing to be dropped off at a
their dormitory bathrooms, bleeding out alone from the
not dangerous to the pills. According to Plan C, the abortion pill is 95 to 98 percent Companies like Apple should do their part and emulate
method of medicated abortion. The abortion pill actually
of the largest contributors to soil pollution, according
after mifepristone. It evacuates the fetus from the uterus,
at home by themselves, are often no instructions to use it correctly. In areas of the United
an unhealthy situation to be
reproductive health services. out of state, and if they ever need to get an abortion, they
contamination as much as possible. the nearest abortion clinic. Providers typically recommend (especially in technology consumption), but also our planet. malexander@redwoodbark.org
States, California sets a precedent for the rest of the nation.
driving distance to the nearest abortion clinic from a mbeberman@redwoodbark.org
bark
www.redwoodbark.org
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Correction: In the previous issue, Bark was misinformed and incorrectly reported the varsity girls’ golf captain. The captain is Camille Mungenast.
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Página 8
Galerías de museos anticipan el Día de los Muertos Por Loughlin Browne
mencionaron la brutalidad policial contra las personas de color.
Del 31 octubre al 2 noviembre, la comunidad latina celebra el Día de los Muertos en eventos a través del Área de la Bahía. A lo largo de octubre, muchos museos en San Francisco, San Rafael y Oakland celebraron la tradición con exhibiciones de arte en anticipación del día festivo. Estos eventos ocurren cada año, y asistiendóles es muy divertido porque dan una variedad de exhibiciones que son diferentes del resto. Primero, fui al museo SOMArts en San Francisco. Durante el viernes, 11 de octubre, abrió su vigésima celebración anual del Día de los Muertos. Presentando una variedad de arte, poemas, música y homenajes, la exhibición fue en honor a todos los niños que se murieron bajo la custodia de la Aplicación de Inmigración y Costumbres durante el año pasado. El arte abarcaba desde los altares tradicionales hasta los medios digitales, pero el uso de la luz prevalecía en todas las exhibiciones; las piezas incluyeron papel iluminado, rayos láser, velas brillantes y una sala de neón con luz nrgra. De acuerdo con el tema en favor de la inmigración, una gran parte del trabajo fue abiertamente política. Las exhibiciones conmemoraron el movimiento de las huelgas climáticas juveniles, las personas LGBTQ+ en la comunidad latina y
naranjas intercaladas con testimonios impresos de familias separadas por la política de la inmigración de Trump. Pensativo y hermoso, el evento fue una excelente manera de entrar en el espíritu. Sin embargo, la galería Bartolini en San Rafael ofrece una perspectiva diferente. Con una exhibición de pinturas, dibujos y esculturas, celebra el Día de los Muertos desde el 15 de octubre hasta el 20 de noviembre. Hay más de 60 piezas, y muchas hacen uso del espacio tridimensional. Muchas de las pinturas tienen ciertas partes que sobresalen de la pintura, incluida una que tiene una mariposa, otra con una cabeza tridimensional en un cuerpo plano y varias molduras grandes de calaveras y cabezas colgando de las paredes. En marcado contraste, una pared presentaba varios dibujos creados con solo una línea continua. El arte es bonito, pero no tiene la misma energía que tuvieron las otros exhibiciones. Finalmente, el Museo Oakland de California organizó una celebración del Día de los Muertos increíblemente festivo. Incluyó altares, arte, baile, música, espectáculos y comida durante el 19 y el 20 de octubre. Alojadas en los jardines del museo, las familias se sentaban en la hierba para ver bailes y discursos, y se paseaban por varios
Foto por Loughlin Browne
DURANTE EL EVENTO en SOMA Arts, había una incorporación interesante entre la luz negra con colores neones y dibjuando calaveras para El Día de los Muertos. establos que vendían calaveras de azúcar, arte y otras decoraciones. Los cambios fueron patrocinados por grupos comunitarios en Oakland como escuelas, centros comunitarios, clubes latinx y otras organizaciones de recursos públicos. Muchas ofrendas tenían temas muy políticos. Hicieron referencias a una serie de cuestiones, como los jóvenes activistas
climáticos e indígenas, las víctimas locales de la violencia y la inmigración. El museo también presentó “El Movimiento Vivo,” una exposición temporal que analiza las raíces del movimiento Chicano.
lbrowne@redwoodbark.org
¿Conozcan los restaurantes de S.F. con comida de culturas únicas? Cuento y Fotos por Nicole Fuches
Peña Pachamama
La Cocina de Pica Pica Arepa
LOS CAPARAZONES DE estas empanadas tuvieron un ESTA AREPA GRUESA está rellenada con pollo, lechuga, frijoles negros y queso, creando un sabor increíble. sabor bien mezclado, y funó bien con la salsa picante. No falten este restaurante boliviano en la bulla de la calle Powell. Está muy cerca del Parque de Washington y las panaderías de North Beach. Al principio, el menú no apareció proveer comidas tradicionales a Bolivia, a pesar de su marca. Los platos del menú eran hamburguesas, pizza, y pasta. Sin embargo, después de leer más, el menú muestra que el restaurante mezcla comida Boliviana igualmente con otros platos populares en los E.E.U.U. Las empanadas, por ejemplo, fueron increíbles. A pesar de su origen español, los cocineros incluyeron un estilo Boliviano con una salsa picante que es muy común en el país. Conocido como llajwa, esta salsa es hecha con ingredientes como la pimienta de locoto, quirquiña, y los hierba de wacataya que son nativos a los valles del Altiplano de Bolivia. Incluso sin la salsa, estas empanadas dan una impresión memorable a causa de su mendrugo grueso lleno de yuca. Sin embargo, la salsa es muy fuerte porque es tan picante. El ambiente era muy animado también, y desemejante de los otros restaurantes, había una distribución igual de generaciones entre los clientes, creando una atmósfera hogareña. Otro evento que añadió al ambiente fue que muchos clientes habían venido para un espectáculo de De conjunto, la comida, el personal atento, y la atmósfera positiva hicieron una noche perfecta para la familia. Sin embargo, es importante reservar una mesa en las horas más tardes para experimentar el ambiente en su apogeo.
Ubicado en la calle Valencia, este restaurante ofrece una mirada interior a la comida de un país que muchos no han experimentado: Venezuela. El menú muestra una variedad de opciones a que muchos venezolanos son acostumbrados, incluyendo las arepas. Estas son bolsillos de maíz asado, destinados a ser crujientes afuera y correosas adentro. Son rellenas de una variedad de comidas sabrosas como el pollo, el asado, el guacamole, los tomates y los frijoles. La arepa de pollo asado del restaurante, relleno con un puré de frijoles negros, tomates, queso fresco, y Guasacaca, una salsa de aguacate, fue todo lo que la foto prometió. Para una persona que lo come por la primera vez, el plato da un crujido, seguido de una sensación correosa del bolsillo de maíz, a causa del asado exterior. El interior, lleno con los ingredientes típicos de Latinoamérica, no desilusiona, porque el pollo estuvo cocinado a fondo y mezclado bien con el guacamole. Si críticas tuvieran que decirse, serían que el personal fue robótico en vez de amistoso, y los baños no eran lo más limpios. Sin embargo, los positivos sobrepasan más que los negativos, especialmente en términos del ambiente. Fue muy animado, incluso para una noche viernes. Había gente local bien vestida, música de CNCO y muchas sillas acerca de la ventana para ver la ciudad bulliciosa que destellea por la noche.
El Restaurante de Panchita’s #2
AUNQUE EL RESTAURANTE falló en darnos la comida que pedimos, pupusas, estos tacos con una tortilla blanda estuvieron promedios, pero nada más. En el Distrito de la Misión, en la decimosexta calle, este restaurante es difícil faltar con las luces brillantes y la multitud de clientes. Como un restaurante salvadoreño, tiene un tipo de comida esencial a su cultura: las pupusas. Las pupusas son un tipo de pan plano que es muy grueso, hecho de harina de arroz y maíz, pero son más llenas y menos correosas que las arepas. Semejantes a las arepas, hay ingredientes básicos adentro, pero más queso. La comida, sin embargo, no era una pupusa, sino un plato de tacos. Después del entusiasmo por probar esta comida importante a El Salvador, fue una desilusión no experimentarla. Los tacos mismos eran muy insípidos, y ni siquiera la salsa dada pudo rescatarlos. Hubo una espera larga, y fue inapropiado cuando clientes recibieron su comida en una orden aleatoria, en vez de la orden de llegada. El ambiente era muy repleto de gente y animado, y cantaron en las caras de los clientes tratando de disfrutar su comida. Su presencia duró por casi la duración de la comida entera, y porque nos sentamos acera de la puerta, les vimos a ellos lo más. Crearon un ruido que no pudimos ignorar, y que no fue fácil disfrutar a causa de sus habilidades básicas con la guitarra. No obstante, el restaurante, a pesar de sus clientes animados, no fue a la par con su sabor, entertenimiento, o servicio. Sin embargo, tal vez si probaramos sus pupusas como intencionamos, habría un resulto más positivo. nfuches@redwoodbark.org
feature
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Vape safety assumptions go up in smoke as vapers are hospitalized By Sydney Steinberg
Illustration by Jackson Epps
ssteinberg@redwoodbark.org
Completing the circle Marin County Youth Court aims to redirect the school-to-prison pipeline usually the cases when it’s really young kids, like 11 or 12-year-olds who are literally still in middle school who shouldn’t even be exposed to certain things they have been exposed to,” Sherman said. In order to participate in Youth Court as a jury member, volunteers have to go through a series of trainings. For Meyer, trainings like the harm reduction workshop have allowed him to help friends and strangers avoid danger and injury.. “I walked in on someone on school campus overdosing on coke and saved their life. I’ve saved several people’s lives with the skills that I learned in [the trainings after] witnessing overdoses and psychotic breaks and general Marin [issues],” Meyer said. Meyer hopes to see more volunteers gain the same knowledge he has been able to throughout his experience. Due to the large number of cases inherited from the San Rafael system, the Youth Court is currently looking for more volunteers. They stand trial every Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m.
By Audrey Hettleman and Eislyn Snyder “Learning to forgive is much more useful than merely picking up a stone and throwing it at the object of one’s anger, the more so when the provocation is extreme. For it is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and for others.” –– 14th Dalai Lama Completing the Circle is a multiedition feature on restorative justice practices in the Bay Area. Restorative justice is a process in which the goal is not to punish the defendant, but to repair the harm done by their crime. In this series, we will focus on a different program in each edition that works to incorporate a restorative approach to criminal justice. Youth Court At 12 years old, Sebastian Meyer was caught with cough medicine at school. At 15, the school’s administration discovered he traded weed for two Valium. That same year, he was found creating illegal the Marin County YMCA Youth Court (MCYYC). As punishment, Meyer received a sentence of 30 hours of community service, four dates of volunteer jury duty on the court and no jail time. The Youth Court’s process provides a stark contrast to the typical path of conviction in the U.S. The criminal justice path has become standard: after an arrest, a court or incarceration depending on the severity of the case. According to Wendy Sawyer and Peter Wagner of the Prison Policy Initiative, the latter has become the most prevalent form of punishment displayed by the 500 percent increase in U.S. prisoners over the last 40 years. With more than 2.3 million individuals currently incarcerated nationwide, both experts and activists are seeking alternative methods to what some call a “broken” system. Many organizations like the MCYYC practice restorative justice that aims to rehabilitate rather than punish convicts. For Meyer, the Youth Court provided a safe place doors to new opportunities. “Youth Court is one of the only [programs] in Marin stemming the tide of hopeless drug addiction, family and domestic abuse, loneliness and depression. It’s one of the only places in Marin that acts as a beacon of light for kids who don’t want to be involved in some of the grimier stuff that goes on,” Meyer said. Youth Court director Don Carney has taken on the mission of restorative justice in regards to the juvenile justice system. Since founding MCYYC in 2004, Carney has helped thousands of individuals escape the school-to-prison pipeline. The school-to-prison pipeline is a process in which students are placed directly into the juvenile correction system, according to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense Fund. Carney hopes to combat this pattern by focusing on improving the future
of individuals involved with crimes instead of simply penalizing them. “Most youth courts throughout the country… just replicate what’s wrong with the juvenile justice system: they dole out punishment,” Carney said. “We think punishment doesn’t change behavior; accountability changes behavior.” Fred Nelson, a recently retired litigator who has been involved with the law for the past 50 years, has volunteered as a Youth Court judge for a few months. While doing so, he has noticed the profound impact that these restorative practices have on adolescents. “ T h e objective of the [Youth Court] is to give young people who make mistakes an opportunity to accept responsibility for those mistakes, to apologize for it and change their behavior rather than being suspended and risk a long term outcome that winds up that individual in jail,” Nelson said. Before founding the Youth Court, Carney worked for the Marin County Probation Department and was a member of the Justice Commission, a governmentmandated program that oversees juvenile justice practices in the vicinity. After deciding to do something about the problems he was seeing while serving on this commission, Carney founded the MCYYC. “It’s Like Therapy in a Courtroom” According to the program’s website, the Marin County Youth Court aims to hold its defendants accountable through community service and involvement while also repairing the harm caused by the crime. After an adolescent is placed in the program by a school administrator or the police, they are assigned a date in Youth Court, where
Future Plans Carney has helped hundreds of youth in Marin avoid incarceration and turn their lives around, but he still pushes for more outreach. In the future, Carney hopes he will be able to spread the restorative message of his Youth Court to programs across the country. One of the ways he plans to do this is through the YMCA association. Marin has the only YMCA with a restorative justice program in the country, so Carney has been trying to expand this method to the 2,700 other YMCAs in the US through presentations and meetings. Additionally, as a board member on the California Association of Youth Courts (CAYC), Carney hopes to use his position to convince Youth Courts across the state to adopt restorative practices. “There’s about 75 [youth courts] in the state. Out of
Illustrations by Audrey Hettleman
they are questioned by a jury made up of their peers, typically ages 12 to 17. The Community Advocate and the Respondent Advocate, two specially trained Youth Court volunteers, confer with the defendant before the trial about their hobbies, aspirations and other individualized traits to help the jurors ask appropriate questions. By emphasizing self-worth and acknowledging circumstances such as trauma that could have led to the crime, the Youth Court distinguishes itself from the that an emphasis on retribution rather than rehabilitation for adolescents only makes the harm from the original crime exponentially larger. By making sure that his court upholds restorative practices, Carney hopes to subvert the typical structure of criminal justice and encourage positive behavior. “We build on young people’s strengths, we don’t focus on their weaknesses. We create a restorative plan not based [solely] on the crime but based on the needs of the young person,” Carney said. “Our jurors don’t judge, they support. It’s like a group therapy in a courtroom.” Senior Jake Blum, a three-year Youth Court volunteer and current community advocate, echoed Carney’s
statements, saying that treating the defendant as a peer rather than an enemy is essential t o the process. “We do things for and with the respondent, not to the respondent,” Blum said. “They really get more out of [the process] when we work with them rather than when we do things to them.” Through Meyer’s involvement with the Youth Court, he has developed an interest in implementing traumainformed practices, or acknowledging the history and experiences of the convict prior to trial, and drug and alcohol prevention. In addition to performing the duties of a typical youth court volunteer, Carney has helped Meyer to advocate for other issues he is invested in. “[Carney] took me under his wing at a pretty young age and developed my public speaking skills by providing me opportunities to talk about corporate cannabis, youth court and nicotine like JUUL––I kind of took my own knowledge that I have from my own experiences and [built] those skills,” Meyer said. “I now work with [Carney] more in-depth and with other programs in the area. I’ve [spoken at] a lot of city council meetings and board of supervisor meetings.”
After serving as a Youth Court juror and advocate for methods. He hopes that more teenagers will become involved with the program and spread further awareness on juvenile restorative justice. Giving Back Without a team of motivated young volunteers, Carney says, the MCCYC would be unable to run. One volunteer, senior Elaina Sherman, became involved with youth court her sophomore year. Since then, she has become increasingly interested in criminal justice and trained to become a community advocate. Certain cases in particular resonate with me more deeply than others. Those are
and trauma-informed. So [being on the board of CAYC] gives me a vehicle to reach out to those that aren’t [restorative and trauma-informed] and show them the wisdom and the data behind using that process,” Carney said. Meyer hopes to promote this form of restorative justice when he moves to Santa Barbara to pursue higher education, and believes he will carry the lessons he has learned from the program wherever he goes. “Youth Court really helped me learn that there are things that you can do with life and just in general, which is kind of weird to say and to hear,” Meyer said. “But it was important for me and for kids who don’t have a lot of positive things going on in their life and who get into trouble young.” Carney believes that the impact Youth Court has on all of its participants is invaluable due to experiences like those of Meyer. By avoiding traditional criminal justice methods, students are held accountable for their wrongdoings in a constructive manner rather than being penalized. “When a kid is able to get ahold of themselves and get off drugs and start being productive, that lightens my heart,” Carney said. “Watching young people come in scared to death into the courtroom and leave feeling supported by their peers, that’s always a good feeling.”
bark@redwoodbark.org
bark The cost of high costs: Pharmaceuticals and price inflation By Sofi Mincy and Nicole Johnson
Allergies, diabetes and affordability While most Americans have the privilege of ignoring the jumble of characters scattered across a nutrition label, many are not as fortunate. Some must triple-check with servers at dinner to assure their meal does not contain allergens that could send them to the hospital. Others must closely monitor their blood sugar levels with every bite or excuse themselves from the table for routine insulin injections. Alongside the numerous obstacles people with severe allergies and diabetes face, there is yet another problem: affordability. EpiPens: The costs of current solutions Dana Damara, a mother of two former Redwood students who has moved her family to San Diego, has faced a multitude
the U.S. According to Annals of Internal Medicine, an academic journal of the American College of Physicians, Mylan The epinephrine injector market is continually growing. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states the prevalence of food allergies among American children increased roughly 50 percent between between 1997 and 2011. In 2013, families paid an average of $25 billion annually to care for children with food allergies due to hospitalizations and injector costs, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Additionally, customers are driven to replace the injectors frequently months. Desensitization: New advancements brand products, other companies within
Infographic by Skylar Strotz
purchasing medications for her daughter, Ava Layon. Layon struggles with common nut allergies, as do one in every 13 children in the U.S., according to Food Allergy Research & Education. As a precaution, she always carries her epinephrine auto-injector, EpiPen, produced by the pharmaceutical company Mylan. EpiPens can save patients from life-threatening anaphylaxis by delaying allergic reactions, but the medication is not cheap. Furthermore, many insurance companies fail to minimize high costs. “I [have] to pay for all of it out of pocket…because insurance
the medical community have made positive developments regarding food allergy suppression within recent years. Desensitization, a process through which people with allergies are routinely exposed to gradually increasing amounts of their allergen to build tolerance and lessen symptoms, has been practiced for decades. In recent years, the process has branched into an effective immunotherapy process for patients allergic to peanuts, one of the top eight allergens in the U.S. that many do not grow out of, as reported by Healthline in 2017. Freshman Will Hartung has dealt with a peanut
Butter Cup or frozen Snickers or anything Though immunotherapy could grant hope of reduced risk to many, the treatment does not guarantee a cure. According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the treatment is offered by about 200 U.S. allergists, but hundreds more await the Food and Drug
raising awareness and providing aid to Type 1 diabetics globally, published a study that (FDA) approval of found rising costs uniform capsule also contribute to Palforzia, produced insulin rationing. The by Aimmune organization reported Therapeutics. The that over 25 percent of participating Type committee endorsed 1 diabetics limited the effectiveness of use of insulin in 2018, the new drug this past revealing a trend that September, which is not only risky, but points to a probable Anonymous source deadly if diabetic approval from the ketoacidosis (a serious administration in the diabetic condition with near future. escalating symptoms) As FDA internal is induced. discussion continues, Rationing is not an doctors are implementing unique allergy ideal method for anyone when it comes processes in their private practices. Local to administering insulin. Therefore, allergist Dr. Schuman Tam prescribes this additional methods have been explored by diabetics, such as internationally Asthma & Allergy Clinic of Larkspur & obtaining the hormone. In July of 2019, San Francisco. Tam sees the process as Bernie Sanders took a group of twelve encouraging for his younger demographics. diabetics to Canada from Detroit by “People have been doing desensitization bus. After the 17 hour journey, Sanders led the group to a Canadian Pharmacy before because this was a different where diabetics were allowed to purchase protocol…but this method [is] much insulin. Globally, insulin is typically sold at much cheaper and affordable prices; the though, we can only say [desensitization]
Though patients with severe allergies are advised to avoid their allergens, they can still unintentionally be exposed; products like EpiPen are prescribed to combat anaphylaxis in these circumstances. Currently, a two-pack of single-use EpiPens costs around $650 to $700, a markup of over 500 percent of generic brands, according to CVS Pharmacy. However, other versions of epinephrine dispensers are now available generic Adrenaclick injector at the cash price of $109.99 per two-pack, presenting a much more affordable alternative to name-brand products. Before generic versions of the drug reached the market, EpiPen headed the industry as the leading and most expensive epinephrine-distributor in
allergy since early childhood. Two months ago, Hartung began peanut desensitization, dubbed oral immunotherapy. According to Hartung, the cost without insurance of his process is about $2,000, which includes the costs of appointment visits with his allergist. Though a seemingly expensive quickly matched by the cost of regularly purchasing new EpiPens. Additionally, while EpiPens require continuous restocking, the desensitization process could be a lifelong solution. Hartung claims he is a guinea pig for the peanut desensitization process within his age group in Marin. “[My doctor] has really only done it the way they are doing it on kids under the age
organization
We need insulin to survive. It is critical, it’s a human right to have. If you run out of [insulin], you die.
High costs across the board: The impact of the insulin spike Despite promising progressions,
has requested to remain anonymous, is
continue to cripple communities in need of life-saving medications. The costs of name-brand diabetic treatment options
used insulin excessive. “Insulin is insanely expensive, and it is not like we need insulin just because of our eating…[we] need insulin to survive.
for their own products. Insulin is included List of Essential Medicines, according to JAMA. Despite—or possibly due to—
Damara said. “I have to go to the [EpiPen] website and get a coupon, been able to get it for about $300. I have to replace it every year [for her] and her [high school], because
inhibited use for people whose survival depends on it. A 2019 JAMA study found that cost-related insulin underuse was present in one in four patients at an urban diabetes center. Such high nonadherence rates stress the matter of affordability of the vital hormone.
Illustration by Kalyn Dawes
prices have increased threefold over the past decade, while out-of-pocket costs per prescription have doubled, as reported by JAMA. Redwood graduate Brendon Wright can attest to this trend in swelling prices. A Type 1 diabetic since age 13, Wright compensates for his inability to produce insulin through regular injections or pumps (both are methods of transferring the hormone). “Last winter, my dad switched jobs, so we got a new insurance through [his] company. The next time I went to go buy insulin at the pharmacy, I ended up having to pay a $50 copay, which I previously had was new and was because of the insurance
costliness. A Type 1 Diabetic for years,
Amanda said. Amanda and her family recognize the inevitable frustrations that come with re-stocking insulin, and have gone beyond the limitations of just treating Amanda. “My mom has great [health] insurance from her job, but basically in every situation, [insurance] does not cover the full price of insulin. If we did not have insurance, paying thousands a month just for insulin. We purposefully get more of it than I need, so we have excess in our fridge not only for emergencies for me, but to donate to those whose insurance does “Recently, we donated to this mother… and her daughter is around three [years old]. She has been inundated by the cost of insulin, and when we gave it to her, she The redistribution of insulin is illegal under federal laws, regardless of whether the hormone is donated or sold. Many diabetics risk being caught, yet the tradeoff is necessary for many hoping to The role insulin can play in saving epinephrine holds for anaphylactic people. The range of repercussions these medical costs create are alarming to many, and Wright fears this swelling issue will only worsen with time. bark@redwoodbark.org
sports Left-handed Caitlin Kawamura dominates the
Page 13
pool with her secret weapon By Alex Johnson
believes her role as a captain has compelled Kawamura to Tying her head piece and jumping into the pool, facilitate communication with her teammates and helped her senior Caitlin Kawamura readies herself for the sprint. The horn blows and she takes off, eyes teammate Cassidy Fragakis believes territory. Kawamura’s teammates are that Kawamura quick to follow their humble leader, has been a great just as they have been doing since her leader thus far. sophomore year on the varsity water “Everyone polo team. on the team has Kawamura started swimming a great deal of competitively at seven years old, but respect for her didn’t begin her water polo career until because she never eighth grade when she earned a spot on talks negatively the Southern Marin Aquatics (SOMA) about her teammates club water polo team. Towards the end of and is always working only had a special talent, but a secret weapon. “Being left handed, there aren’t a lot of players like that. It gave me a little bit of an advantage. Also doing swim team since I was seven helped because a lot of the kids I was playing with couldn’t swim very well,” Kawamura said.
16 STEALS during 2019 season
Her freshman year, Kawamura made the junior varsity squad and was elected as team captain by the coaching staff. She continued to prove her worth being one of only four sophomores recruited to varsity during her second year in the program. Having to take a back seat because of star Caitlin Donnelly, a senior at the time, Kawamura put up solid numbers with 11 goals and one assist. However, with seniors graduated and positions to became a focal player in the pool her junior year, leading the team by scoring 40 goals in 26 games. Due to her breakout junior season and past leadership roles, Kawamura was named one of the three captains of the varsity water
Her work ethic and commitment makes the whole team better. I never see her not putting in 100 percent.
Kristen Frazer head coach
position was well deserved. “Her work ethic and commitment makes the whole
40 GOALS during 2018 season team better. I never see her not putting in 100 percent,” teammates and then helps encourage them to get there.”
8 SPRINTS WON during 2019 season have shown in her statistics. She leads the team with eight sprints won, and boasts a plus/minus of 105. However, you would never know it from speaking to her. Kawamura is commonly known for her reserved
Photo by Alex Johnson
LEADING HER TEAM by example, Kawamura winds up for a shot during practice. her hardest,” Fragakis said. On top of the respect that Kawamura’s teammates hold for her, Fragakis says that she brings the best out of all of the other girls.
14 ASSISTS during 2019 season “I know whenever I pass with her, I’m always on my A-game,” Fragakis said. “I never get distracted. We are always working super hard and that’s why I like practicing with her. She always takes everyone up a level.” Outside of her work ethic and leadership qualities, Kawamura is a crucial part of the team’s success in the asset, being third on the team in steals with 16 through 20 games. Offensively, however, is where she is the most effective. Being the only left-handed player on the team, Kawamura is able to shoot and score from places that most right handers cannot. This natural advantage complicates defensive strategy for competitors, giving the Giants an edge
I know whenever I pass with her, I’m always on my A-game.
Cassidy Fragakis senior
situations where a member of the opposing team gets ejected for 20 seconds. The team has taken full advantage
Kawamura has netted 27 goals thus far and assisted on an additional 14, leading the team in goals while being second in assists. The Giants came in fourth in the Marin County Athletic League, but now set their sights on the North Coast Section Tournament. They achieved a high rank of fourth out of 16 teams in Divison I and hope to bring home the pennant. Kawamura’s main goal this season is to beat Donnelly’s record of 48 goals from two seasons ago, but admits that she is behind pace at the moment. Beyond high school, Kawamura does not intend to obtain a water polo scholarship for college. She is focusing on attending for academics, but plans to try out for the club water polo secret weapon.
ajohnson@redwoodbark.org
bark Gliding into the ultimate season: frisbee team prepares for a year of success As the bell signals the end of a Thursday school day, a group of students gathers on the South Lawn, shedding all their stress and drowsiness from the long block periods. and geese to begin their hour and a half practice. Taking a casual activity typically found in a physical education class or at the beach to a higher level, Redwood’s ultimate frisbee team embraces the more competitive side of the sport. The 12-member team, which is still growing, practices once a week to prepare for their upcoming games this season. Redwood’s ultimate frisbee team was founded in the 1970s following the sports invention in 1968 by a group of high school students in Maplewood, New Jersey. game is played with seven players from two opposing disc to the end zone. 40 years after its founding, the ultimate frisbee team continues to prosper. Redwood has both an ultimate frisbee team and club that students can join. The club meets every Thursday, and is open to everyone throughout the year. Currently, the club consists of 12 players and has welcomed four new members this year. Due to the lack playing for an organized ultimate frisbee team. Freshman Sam Zlot, for example, has played ultimate frisbee in the past, but not in the competitive team environment. “I started playing ultimate frisbee at camp and I really enjoyed it,” Zlot said. “I joined the team to get experience outside of tossing the disc around with my friends and do something I have had fun doing in the past.” Despite the substantial pool of incoming players,
Photo by Mara Farese
STANDING ON THE sidelines, coach Sean Finlay assesses the new skills to teach the team .
DIVING FOR THE catch, senior Jack Van Hooser gets his team closer to the end zone. four-year-player and senior Charlie Tantum believes the team will become more cohesive once the new players grasp the rules of the game and basic skills. “The biggest barrier new players have is being able to throw the frisbee, but it’s an easy skill to learn,” Tantum said. “It takes getting out there, throwing a lot and watching teammates play to improve.” In years past, the team was entirely student led. However, this season, Sean Finlay is coaching the team for but has been playing ultimate frisbee since he was in high coach at practices improves the productivity of practices and the overall quality of play. “I have never learned much about [the rules] before. Now I’m learning what I’m supposed to do. I’m excited to continue learning new, small details and actually play games,” Zlot said. Members of the club who desire a more competitive The team allows for a new challenge and gives players a chance to compete against other teams throughout the Bay Area. In past seasons, the coach and captain have set up casual pick-up games against non-high school teams and high school clubs, similar to the one Redwood has. This semester, they hope to join a league and enter tournaments to gain more opportunities to play with the help of a set schedule. Charlie Moore has been playing for both the club and the team throughout his four years at Redwood. As president of the club, he also takes on the role of captain of the team. “We want [members] of the club to be able to throw the disc and play a full game. Some of the kids that are comfortable enough come together to form a team that plays in games,” Moore said. The game is easy to set up, as the only necessities are a disc to toss around, cones to distinguish the boundaries and an open area to play on. Unlike most sports, ultimate frisbee does not require referees. Instead, players have the
Photo by Sol Ladetzky
responsibility of following the spirit of sportsmanship, placing the responsibility of fair game on their hands. While highly competitive play is encouraged, it should adherence to the rules of the game or the basic satisfaction of playing. When Finlay is not able to attend practices, Moore the team through their routines. During a typical practice, the club warms-up, throws the disc around, plays frisbee games to practice technique and scrimmages. Looking forward, the players hope more high schools develop teams, allowing them to establish ultimate frisbee as a Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) sport. They believe that joining an MCAL league holds far more “We only meet once a week, and it is not strictly regulated,” Tantum said. “Making ultimate [frisbee] a priority would enable everyone to come to more practices and get better at it. Becoming an MCAL sport would also Becoming an MCAL sport would also enable ultimate frisbee to become more people’s priority sport. Moore hopes to see an increase in the sport’s popularity among Redwood students after the team joins a league. “We are really just hoping to get as many people out [playing frisbee] and in the club.” Moore said. “Right now [the team] is fun and casual and you can make it what you want it to be. If the team were to join MCAL, more students would possibly prioritize the sport.” The ultimate frisbee season spun into action on Oct. 8 but it is still looking for new members of any skill level to join the club, team or both. Club and team practices are held every Thursday from 3 to 4:30 p.m. throughout the year on the South Lawn.
bark@redwoodbark.org
Pay-to-play is playing U.S. soccer college basketball games every weekend to the Alabama suburbs that turn into ghost towns because of the attendance of Friday night football games, sports are an integral part of American culture. Throughout the U.S., sports have not only acted as a source of entertainment for millions, but they have also served as a platform for American athletes to rise through the socioeconomic ladder one game at a time. However, the opportunity of economic mobility provided by many American sports does not extend to American soccer, a sport that is becoming increasingly popular yet is almost entirely restricted to the upper classes. According to a calculation by USA Today, fees for an American child playing club soccer from ages eight to 18 can reach $60,000, not to mention the additional expenses of traveling and equipment. Considering that the average American’s annual salary is only $59,039, according to the Census Bureau, the steep costs of club soccer can be a barrier between the sport and children in lower and middle classes. As a result, a majority of top soccer money as opposed to ability. This system, like so many others in America, perpetuates a cycle of unequal
opportunity, as lower income kids do not have an equal opportunity to play on clubs that are seen by colleges at showcases, and consequently may miss opportunities to gain paths to college or scholarships. According to a study by Jen McGovern, a PhD and professor at Mammoth University, 82.1 percent of a sampling of the 560 collegiate women’s soccer players came from families who were above the national median income of $59,039, highlighting how the scales are tipped in favor of the rich when it comes to American soccer. In addition to this unethical nature of
Illustration by Audrey Hettleman
the American soccer system, pay to play produces American soccer teams and leagues that are unable to compete with countries who base team selections on talent, not wealth. According to Bleacher Report, the most competitive and entertaining leagues in the world are La Liga in Spain, Germany’s Bundesliga and the English Premier League. The one thing that all of these leagues have in common is their commitment to support youth soccer players they’ve recruited, regardless of
their income. As a result, European soccer both attracts the world’s most elite players and is the most watched by fans according to Sports Bible. This foreign system has also prompted the Men’s World Cup titles to have only been claimed by countries without a pay for play system while the U.S. Men’s team fails to even qualify. The Women’s United States team’s success seems to undermine the argument against pay to play as they have been extremely successful on the world stage, winning a total of four World Cups. However, their advantage comes from years of funding that other teams failed to get from foreign countries who lack support for women’s sports, not as a result of the immoral system. Across the world, soccer is a platform for kids of all classes to play a game they love while moving up the socioeconomic ladder. In America, however, it is yet another facet of our society that favors the rich while keeping our teams out of the running on an international level. well as our national teams, the U.S. soccer federation must eliminate the pay to play system and professional American soccer teams must expand the academy system, where all expenses are paid for by the gbouton@redwoodbark.org
bark Senior Eva Oppenheim sweeps the competition on the field and in the classroom www.redwoodbark.org
She has shown all these young women what beautiful field hockey can look like. Jen Reidy Coach
egreen@redwoodbark.org
New athletic trainer lowers risk of injury
Photo courtesy of Danielle Sartori
PRACTICING AT THE Knee Joint in Corte Madera, Satori is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.
Photo by Olivia Brekhus
HOPING TO PREVENT future injury, the weight room is packed with student athletes preparing for the upcoming seasons.
obrekhus@redwoodbark.org
review
Page 16
Pumpkin adds pizzazz to the fall season By Shannon Watridge
Pumpkin Spice Latte 2/5 stars This was the recipe I was most looking forward to and, The best feeling during autumn is leaving the crisp cool air and billowing trees behind as you step into the warmth to say the least, was an enormous let-down. Though very simple and quick, the latte was mostly milk and did not have air, as the scents overtake your entire brain and, with your mouth watering, you walk straight to the source of this the very limited amount of added coffee. Instead of the intoxicating fragrance. Sitting on the counter, hot steam harmonious mixture of spices I was used to, the cinnamon escaping in swirling patterns, is a pumpkin-based culinary and pumpkin pie spice clumped together at the bottom of creation, a seasonal favorite. According to a Redwood the mug, waiting to ambush my tongue with dryness that survey, 76 percent of Redwood students consume pumpkin left me coughing. Take it from me, this seasonal favorite baked goods throughout the fall season. With this in mind, is best bought at a local coffee shop where professional here is a review of four pumpkin recipes: pumpkin soup, baristas can easily froth milk and combine tried and tested pumpkin spiced lattes, pumpkin crème brûlée and, of ingredients to create the famous Pumpkin Spice Latte. course, pumpkin bread. Pumpkin Crème Brûlée 4/5 stars Pumpkin Soup (Vegan) 5/5 stars Initially looking at this recipe, the fact that it called for a sweet pie pumpkin was concerning because I wasn’t sure along the way. While the prep work was fairly simple, the process for perfectly executing the boiling water bath Surprisingly, Safeway sells them in the produce section, while maintaining composure and not spilling it into the but I underestimated this pumpkin’s strength and, as I was small ramekins was a bit frightening. At the end of the cutting it into quarters, could barely chop through the outer process, the burning of the sugar was extremely satisfying layer. After struggling for several minutes, I managed to as bubbles popped up along the surface and promptly successfully slice the beast and the cooking moved on hardened into a golden sheen that cracked with perfection. without hesitation. The resulting masterpiece: . Although a blowtorch was used to achieve this effect (yes, Although the soup did not have the most appetizing color, I have a blowtorch for the sole purpose of making crème brûlée) this burning process can easily be recreated with sunshine, creamy in texture as it warmed me up from the a broiler in the oven. The silky sweetness of the pumpkin interior contrasted the outer layer of burnt sugar and sweetness of the cinnamon and tangy spice of the cayenne pumpkin pie. This dessert gushed with holiday spirit, but cayenne tingled throughout my mouth, a true sign of a the original vanilla crème brûlée will always be a winner. well-made recipe. This recipe brings out the best in fall Pumpkin Bread 5/5 stars the hungriest of guests during the holiday season. PRO Finally, the best of them all: the famous, warm, TIP: Garnish with Crème Fraiche (warning: not vegan) and cayenne pepper to add a little pizazz to the bowl and delicious pumpkin bread. This simple recipe did not cook the leftover pumpkin seeds with a little salt and butter disappoint. I will admit that in my anticipation for this treat, I opened the oven and peeked several times which to create the perfect snack for the next day.
Photo by Shannon Watridge
A SLICED LOAF of pumpkin bread perches atop a table, waiting to be eaten.
immaculate representation of fall in one mouthful. I will say that I ate quite a few mouthfuls, perhaps even eating the entire half loaf in one sitting. I didn’t feel the least bit guilty about it, except for the fact that I had almost none left. Coming right out of the oven, the bread was crispy that warmed my mouth and soul. This was, as expected, my favorite recipe. Scan here for online versions of the four recipes. swatridge@redwoodbark.org
SOFT POWER provides a strong voice to those previously unheard By Sophia Rocha
“SOFT POWER is about a generation of artists who are preoccupied with, or at least considering, their role in society and of contemporary art at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), said. SOFT POWER, a collaborative new exhibit at the SFMOMA, features pieces from 20 international artists all collaborating to popularize the idea that a country’s “soft” assets, like culture, are economics. The general theme of SOFT POWER emphasizes the power of art and The artwork of Xaviera Simmons really sparked my interest as soon as I walked into the room. It is a huge installation, so her artwork demands to be heard and the
message it gives brings even more awe to the viewer. Simmons expertly uses overwhelming language in order to portray the legacy of racial oppression that remains in our society to this day. “I guess I’ve lost the ability to censor myself. I’ve spent a lot of time over the past couple of years really trying to understand the construction of the place that I live in… I’ve been confronted with reality for a really long time,” Simmons said. “I’m comfortable speaking to white people… But I’m also uncomfortable, and I think everybody should be uncomfortable.” While looking at the piece and reading the words, I couldn’t help but feel an intense sadness for the people in America who have to deal with racial issues every day. It struck me in a way that I had no idea art could. Another piece that really stood out to
Photo by Sophia Rocha
“BETWEEN STATE 4” by Jason Moran was made by fixing a roll of paper atop his piano, covering his fingers with various pigments and playing traditional African American music. me was “A Timeline of Undocumented Knowing young people who are currently struggling to maintain citizenship, this one hit home for me. With a combination of legal facts as well as anecdotes of those grappling with their own efforts at gaining citizenship, this timeline both informs and evokes an emotional reaction. LaToya Ruby Frazier, another artist who contributed to the exhibits, feels that we can all connect with immigrants and indigenous people. “What’s so important about this exhibition is that there are so many various entry points, whether that be socially, culturally, politically, economically or geographically. I think what we’re all trying to deal with is just perpetual displacement,” Frazier said. “We have nowhere to go. you’re being taken away from it again, whether it’s from the environment, politicians, redlining or rezoning. There’s
always something keeping us nowhere. We’re permanently displaced.” In a series of photos as well as physical artifacts, Minerva Cuevas examines the path that immigrants take in order to cross the Rio Grande, the natural border between Mexico and the United States. No matter what your political stance may be on immigrants in the United States, this art exhibit is an incredibly intriguing way to examine the stories that are, more often than not, left untold. If you’re looking for something to do, consider visiting SOFT POWER at the SFMOMA. If you’re under 18 and bring some form of can enjoy the art for all of its potential. SOFT POWER will be open for the public to enjoy until Feb. 17.
srocha@redwoodbark.org
bark
www.redwoodbark.org
The Joker stirs controversy over relation to personal issues Despite an incredible amount of controversy, the newest movie installment of the DC Comics villain, “Joker,” has was able to convey every behavior of dark drama has made hundreds of millions Academy Award nominee Joaquin as the Joker) provides another perspective
of the reasons why I believe many people
it has also received immense controversy this role was undoubtedly his best and is topics such as mental illness, isolation,
simply handed to us; we are forced to In fact, several theaters have questioned Completely separated, bullied and isolated XD in Aurora, Colorado, chose not to show enormous amount of mixed reviews,
his mouth, Arthur hooks his cheeks and to see and pushed the boundaries of even so hard, as if to ensure that the smile on
to watch and absorb, as you can look
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons
POSING BEHIND THE curtains, the Joker, a failed comedian played by Joaquin Phoenix, is ready to put on a show.
represents the dark reality of a poor and
elightfoot@redwoodbark.org
Netflix’s best documentaries provide entertainment without guilt life and irresistible personality of “the man behind the
party, such as the creation of the “bully” approach to unique personality captivates the audience and carries
about every other block possible, except an entertainment
Biographies Science
Photo courtesy of Vpickering
ROGER STONE STRUTS his iconic “Harry Potter on a sunny day” glasses.
matter, the series is directed to educate viewers on the human impact on ecosystems, rather than ecosystems
approach to these problems is rooted within their causes
True Crime Politics Dylan
kdawes@redwoodbark.org
lifestyles
Page 18
Senior Gabriel Troisi builds his way to the top as a young architect By Mia Kessinger Buildings are everywhere; from simple wooden homes to lavish skyscrapers and ornate mansions. Behind these dwellings are the people that bring them to life: the architects who spend months or years planning and outlining each unique structure. Senior Gabriel Troisi is well on his way to become a member of this design community and has created models ranging from glass houses to colorful murals, setting himself apart from the rest of the crowd as a young artist. Troisi’s interest in architecture began in elementary school when he would compete with his mom, Erin Sorensen, in “design challenges” to see who could create the best treehouse. Sparking his aptitude for design, Troisi’s curiosity in the subject peaked in his childhood, according to Sorensen. “By me giving him the tools [to excel in design competitions] and with him having the natural aptitude for three-dimensionality, it became very apparent in his early learning that he saw three-dimensions and became interested in the subject. When he learned the basics of [architecture], he was able to express himself very early on and even do some scale models just for fun,” Sorensen said. Born in London and raised by Sorensen, Troisi grew up inspired by both his mom’s creativity and Europe’s historical architecture. Over the past two years, Troisi has traveled to England for an internship at one of the to lay out product designs and compose buildings for top companies such as Swarovski. “He has done some amazing work, but overall I am amazed by his dedication for sticking with [his passion] and going abroad where he has worked with amazing associates of architecture during his internships,” viable design in real time and in the professional world, which was a proud moment for me.” Entering high school, Troisi had little experience with the precise technology used in architecture, so he relied on the courses at Redwood to progress his skills.
Photo by Mia Kessinger
GRADUATING EARLY TO attend university in London, senior Gabe Troisi is an aspiring architect.
“How is meningitis not an STD?!” - Math Hallway “Men are like teflon.” - Science Hallway
Courtesy of Gabriel Troisi
BUILT IN THE current empty lot by Doherty Drive, Troisi’s design layout for the new Larkspur Library is a modern twist on architecture. “I came to Redwood having a strong interest in architecture, so I kind of got lucky that they offered a class in it. I started to learn the software and the basics of architecture, like layouts and designs, and it just kind of propelled my interest from there,” Troisi said. Troisi applied them to his already substantial foundation of skills and quickly became a natural, according to his teacher, Laura Friedman.
plans for their buildings. “Most students were designing rectangular buildings and he was building this very organic piece of architecture that utilized different materials. He challenged
He completely understands that the more you put into a task, the better the outcome. He pushes the limits of the building envelope.
had to dissect the building section by section to achieve the different angles and curves that were happening simultaneously. It was quite incredible,” Friedman said. by a panel of local architects, who presented him with the Conceptual Design award.
herself, Friedman attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and worked in the profession for 30 years. She noticed Troisi’s admirable work ethic and eye for the art behind the buildings he was Laura Friedman, creating. “He works very, very hard. architecture teacher He completely understands that the more you put into a task, the better the outcome. He pushes the limits of the building envelope. He sees buildings as sculptures while
best part of being an architect is yet to come for Troisi. “I haven’t really experienced [the most rewarding element of architecture] yet, but I imagine it would be seeing your buildings built. But for me, it is probably just getting recognized, like for my Larkspur Library project. It is so reassuring since I worked on it for so long,” Troisi said. Due to his success, Troisi is graduating early and plans to attend university in England to pursue his career. With his natural ability and determined mindset, Friedman is certain that he will become an accomplished architect.
said. In Redwood’s architecture class last year, students participated in a design competition to create a model for the new Larkspur library and community center,
‘star-chitect.’ Because he is pushing the limits, both in terms of his design and even the software that we use, he understands that it takes a while to achieve the results that he wants to achieve,” Friedman said. “He couldn’t do what he does and receive so much recognition for his work if he hadn’t nurtured and developed it like he had. I look forward to one day opening up my architectural journals and seeing a building that he has designed.”
years. Troisi created a building with intricate slopes and angles, a different and more complex approach than most students took, according to Friedman. This made it even
mkessinger@redwoodbark.org
“If you think about it, I think there was an earthquake because it’s almost Scorpio season.” - 700s
“Yeah, I could see myself living in Nebraska.” - Language Hallway
“I like my phone more than I like my own parents.” - Science Hallway
“Ok here’s the situation: the building’s not burning, but I am.” - Fire Drill
“No no no, it’s ok. I have a good immune system so I won’t get pregnant.” - Girl’s Bathroom
“The tip of my pen may have touched my lips. And I accidentally inhaled the contents...” - Spanish Classroom
bark
November 8, 2019
What makes Redwood home to you? In six words or fewer!
“Constant support from every angle.” - Aliyah SanAndres, freshman
“Warm, friendly atmosphere with supportive teachers.” - Ethan Roma, senior
“A school where you learn lots.” - Nathan Morales, freshman
“I don’t know, it’s just school.” - Nicole Barker, junior
“Redwood’s highly motivated, highly achieving environment.” - Jeff Ryan, English teacher “Well, my parents teach here soooooooo…” - Ella Crabtree, senior “Redwood staff is fun and encouraging.” - Alex Kecskes, sophomore
“Family, lovers, community, hope and SOAR.” - Marco Lizarraga, junior “Redwood’s community is big and diverse.” - Lauren Woods, sophomore
srocha@redwoodbark.org
The Daraja club doesn’t stop advocating for girls’ education By Sarah Young The word “daraja” means bridge in Swahili, a language spoken in Kenya, where the Daraja Academy for girls is located. According to their website, the school’s mission is to “educate and empower girls from poverty to become community leaders.” With the assistance of the Redwood Daraja club, the Daraja Academy has gained support and attention this year. Senior and co-president Claire Fogarty was one of the co-founders of the Redwood Daraja club in 2016, and she believes it has grown naturally since it was started. “It’s a pretty easy sell because most girls want to help girls...They’re more motivated to help girls around the world,” Fogarty said. The club participates in multiple bake sales and various fundraisers
throughout the year, bringing the members closer to each other and to the girls they are supporting in Kenya. Freshman Kelly Chuang joined Daraja this year and is looking forward to raising money for the club and the cause. “We will be doing lots of fundraisers and bake sales, and we are going on the Bay to Breakers walk in San Francisco. I like doing [Daraja] to help other people, because it’s what I can contribute back,” Chuang said. Bay to Breakers is an annual tradition for the Redwood Daraja club. Fogarty believes it is one of the best fundraisers the club participates in because of the connections they create with the girls they are supporting. “One thing that’s really cool about the Bay to Breakers fundraiser is that every girl from Redwood is paired with a girl from Daraja [Academy]. When you run Bay to Breakers, you have a picture of her
Photo Courtesy of Cleo Norris
WORKING WITH STUDENTS from the Daraja Academy in Kenya, Cleo Norris is hands on with the organization.
on your back,” Fogarty said. “I remember I ran for [a girl named] Esther one year. It’s you’re raising money for and it’s a more personal connection.” The club also stresses this personal connection to the girls they are supporting through donating money for their scholarships, having pen pals and faceto-face Skyping in school. They also stay in contact with the founders of the organization, who are based in San Rafael. “Last year, Jason, one of the leaders of the organization, came in right after [the Daraja] girls got their acceptances to school. Every girl who is going gets a scholarship. He showed us voicemails of the girls when they found out they got in and people were crying. It was very emotional,” Fogarty said. The club’s dedication reaches far, even sending four students to the Daraja Academy in Kenya for 10 days this past summer. Catie Duys, class of 2019 graduate and freshman at the University of California, Berkeley this year, was one of the co-founders of the Daraja club at Redwood and was able to go on the trip. quintessential experience. It was the culmination of all of our years working in the club. Being able to go there and actually meet the girls in person and talk to them was a life-changing experience that completely changed my viewpoint,” Duys said. The Redwood girls who went on the trip were joined by girls from Drake’s Daraja club and were able to bond with each other and the girls at Daraja Academy while visiting. Duys was able to experience the true Kenyan culture and the unique culture at the school while also helping the girls with daily tasks. “[The girls] would have buckets of beans and lentils that they would sort
through. All the girls would be there and we would all sing songs together. There would be traditional songs that were in Swahili that we wouldn’t know the words to, but we would also sing One Direction,” Duys said. While in Kenya, Duys was also able to see similarities between Redwood and Daraja Academy in student opinions and future plans. “It was similar [to Redwood] because at both schools everyone is generally very focused and driven and thinking about the difference in the attitude towards school; at Redwood, a lot of kids don’t appreciate [education] as much or they really don’t like going to school.” The Redwood Daraja club is still continuing strongly despite the loss of three seniors from last year: Duys, Lexi Santas and Sarah Dougherty, who all went on the trip. “I’m so excited that Cleo Norris and Claire Fogarty came in the club and they will hopefully go back to Kenya,” Duys said. This year, Fogarty has big plans, as she wants to continue the legacy left for her. “I think what’s different about our club is that we have really good organization and whenever we have done something, we’ve done it full scale,” Fogarty said. “If we can get a group of girls this year who are really excited about raising money, we know that we’ll be able to raise a lot through bake sales and other fundraisers.” The Redwood Daraja club welcomes all new members and meets every other Tuesday in room 126.
syoung@redwoodbark.org