Senior Issue 2019

redwood

bark.

UCs

10

Miles Redpath

18

Preps of the Year

redwood high school doherty dr.,dr., larkspur, caca 94939 LXI,LXI, no.no.

4 7● ● February 8, 2019● ●www.redwoodbark.org www.redwoodbark.org redwood high school● ●395 395 doherty larkspur, 94939● ●volume volume May 31, 2019

22

Austin Patel declared as class of 2019 valedictorian

By Drake Goodman What started as a Social Issues project freshman year transformed into one of the central components of senior Austin Patel’s life. After initially volunteering at the Corte Madera Library for the mandatory community service project, Patel started hosting classes there once a month to teach middle school students how to code.

“That’s been really meaningful volunteer work that I’ve been doing because my dad taught me a lot about coding since he is a computer programmer and now I get to share that knowledge with other people,” Patel said.

Patel has since been named the 2019 valedictorian. He has a 4.55 total weighted GPA, having taken 13 Advanced Placement (AP) classes and five honors classes in his four years at Redwood. He also attained a 4.61 total academic weighted GPA, and between sophomore and senior year he had a 4.82 total academic weighted GPA. Patel will attend the School of Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley next school year as a Regents scholar, studying electrical engineering and computer science.

This honor was not something Patel always wanted to achieve, but rather a byproduct of taking classes he was genuinely interested in.

“A lot of the classes I took were interesting to me, so it doesn’t seem like it’s a strenuous amount of work. It wasn’t a burden, but an opportunity to learn more and challenge myself, so because of that, I just enjoy what I do and have time to do other things [outside of academics],” Patel said.

For Patel, his high school experience was much more than achieving a number on a transcript. In addition to attaining stellar grades, Patel was a team captain for the cross country and track and field teams at Redwood, as well as the co-president of the Model United Nations and Programming Clubs. He also interned at the Buck Institute where he studied HIV testing and taught middle school coding classes. Essentially, Patel believes high school was about fostering relationships and being passionate in learning.

“I realized that there is so much more than what happens in the classroom and that the true value is spending time with friends instead of sitting and doing homework. I tried to manage my time the best I can to make sure I never missed my friends’ concerts, dance recitals or anything else they had because that was what was most important to me,” Patel said.

According to Ernesto Diaz, Patel’s Honors Advanced Algebra teacher and Programming Club advisor, Patel’s good-natured character makes him both a great individual and a role model for others.

“Yes, he’s academic, but when I think about him, I’m not thinking about a GPA, I think about a kid who is curious, intellectually generous and hard working, who has interests outside of school.”

Diaz believes one aspect that makes Patel shine is that he is able to interact with others, which is evident in his relationships and experiences in the Programming Club and in teaching coding.

“He might come with an idea, but he’s willing to propose something and let other students in the club lead or go forward and he doesn’t impose. He’s always present and his contributions are always essential, but they aren’t noisy and he doesn’t occupy all this space,” Diaz said.

Senior Achinthya Poduval has known Patel since second grade, and since then they have grown close to one another. What started out as a more competitive relationship in the beginning of high school transformed into a brotherly bond, according to Poduval.

“We took similar classes so we worked together on projects, but at the same time each of us envied the other in a light-hearted way for a couple of things,” Poduval said.

“The whole thing about valedictorian was that freshman year I was talking to him one day and said, ‘Dude, I really want to be valedictorian.’ He responded right away saying, ‘No, I’ll do it instead.’”

Over time, Poduval noticed Patel’s disciplined and focused nature. At the end of junior year, he also observed how Patel concentrated on strengthening relationships in addition to remaining strong academically.

“Freshman through junior year he put in a lot more work than the rest of us, and senior year he learned how to chill out a little bit. He learned that he needed to spend some more time with family and friends … so it was a real growing point for him,” Poduval said. “Overall, whenever he puts his mind to something, he gets it done. It’s amazing how much discipline he has because if he has a goal it will be accomplished.”

In addition to being motivated and dedicated in learning, Patel has applied these attributes to running, especially since he was a captain of both the cross country and track and field team senior year.

“Running is strenuous because I’ve been running consistently every day for the past four years, but it definitely is a way to de-stress. Being the captain, I tried to take greater responsibility on the team like driving people home after practice. I was really grateful for the opportunity to take care of the team that has taken care of me for the past four years,” Patel said.

Outside of school and his extracurricular activities, Patel also interned last summer. While interning at the Buck Institute researching HIV testing, as well as the effect drug

Photo by Drake Goodman

RECEIVING THE DISTINCTION as valedictorian for the class of 2019, Patel obtained a 4.55 total weighted GPA in his four years at Redwood. testing has on HIV infections, Patel met a computational biologist. After taking AP Biology his senior year, Patel was delighted when he realized that he could combine his interests of biology and computer science going forward.

“In the future I hope to combine biology and computer science in creative ways and come up with new ideas in something like healthcare. I think it’s really cool that I can have an impact on helping other people,” Patel said.

“Biomedical research focuses on diseases and whatnot, and computer science can help me analyze data in biology to help me achieve whatever goals I have or products I’m trying to make.”

Patel ultimately believes that being named valedictorian is a smaller part of a larger accomplishment of his experiences in high school.

“Over time, I just learned that there’s so much more out there than just amassing knowledge from taking all these classes. High school is about all of the fun opportunities and spending time with friends and family,” Patel said. “I think it’s easy to get caught up in quantitative things like GPA, but we need to look at the bigger picture.” drakegoodman@redwoodbark.org

Kentfield School District faces impasse over proposed salary raises

By Sydney Hilbush The Kentfield School District (KSD) and its teachers reached an impasse on Monday, May 15 for the second year in a row after the teachers’ union rejected the district’s offer of one percent salary raises for next year. The impasse between the teachers’ union and school board occurred when both parties failed to reach a collective agreement, requiring the intervention of a state mediator.

The union, which represents 80 teachers in KSD, was reluctant to settle for a one percent raise as the cost of living in Marin County has increased by 3.4 percent over the past year due to inflation, according to

the Marin Independent Journal.

The one percent salary raise is part of a 4.35 percent increase in total compensation (salary and benefits) from KSD as a whole.

According to the KSD Board Letter, which was released to the community on May 16, the compensation increase is driven mainly by raises in KSD’s pension contribution obligation, which is mandated by the state, and the “step and column” yearly compensation increases, through which teachers and staff receive higher salaries for each successive year they work in KSD. “We would still have to dip into our reserves with the proposed one percent salary increase … dipping any further into our reserves would be fiscally

irresponsible,” the letter said.

According to Kent Middle School math teacher Brad Widelock, the one percent increase proposal came as a counter-offer to the union’s request for a 4.35 percent increase in salary alone.

“As long as health care costs don’t rise above 10 percent annually, the district continues to pay for it, so it’s really something that they budget for, and we don’t see it as part of our salary,” Widelock said.

According to the KSD website, a first-year Kentfield teacher’s pay starts at $53,755 annually and reaches a maximum of $96,407 for a teacher with 25 years or more of experience. According to

A timeline of the past four years at Redwood

Widelock, though, this pay is not enough for most teachers to account for the high cost of living in and around Marin. This financial stress has required some teachers to take on second jobs and has played a negative role in affecting teachers’ physical and psychological well-being.

“We have teachers who are living paycheck to paycheck and are experiencing serious financial insecurity, which is intensely stressful. One percent is just not dignified. Having to work as a teacher and go do a second job undercuts the dignity of [teaching], the perception of who you are Continued on page 2

bark

Page 2 • News

May 31, 2019

Photo Survey

What was your favorite show growing up?

“Ben 10 because that was always on.”

Gabriel Rocha senior

• Kentfield Schools Continued from page 1 From 2009-10 through 2011-12, teachers in KSD received zero percent salary increases, followed by raises

Photo by Sydney Hilbush

FACING A DISTRICT impasse, teachers within the Kentfield School District are pushing back against the district’s proposal of one percent raises for next year.

“Wizards of Waverly Place because it was just quality content; it was really hilarious.”

Maddie Remy senior

“Phineas and Ferb. No question.”

Davis Bason-Mitchell

varying from one to three percent. Despite this, at the time of zero percent raises for teachers, Liz Schott, the KSD Superintendent, continued to receive five percent raises annually. According to Widelock, this lack of raise equality reveals the distance between the governing board and its employees.

“They are the governing board, and [making these decisions is] a responsibility they took on when they ran for elected office. I think that they have a duty to make sure that the people who work for them have sustainable lives,” Widelock said. “You can’t turn your back on your employees. They have said that they care [about me] and that’s great and I appreciate that on an emotional level and I have no reason to doubt that at all, but that’s not going to pay the bills.”

Although this one percent increase falls below what teachers expected due to inflation and heightened living costs, the KSD board letter affirmed that the board took a variety of factors into account when finalizing their decision.

“We have two primary School Board responsibilities: doing what is best for all our students and making prudent financial decisions for the short and long-term health of our district,” the letter wrote.

“Hannah Montana because it was the first Disney show I remember watching, and she should’ve definitely picked Jessie.”

senior

Eloisa Costa senior

Although the dispute over salary increases played a large role in reaching the impasse, Widelock stated that other factors and unfulfilled requests have contributed to the deadlock.

“It’s not just salary. The largest thing that we have reached impasse about is that we have a desire to have an article on fairness and dignity in our contract. That’s extremely important to us and we are seeking the fair and dignified treatment of all our members,” Widelock said.

“It’s far too common everywhere to read about schools going on strike or reaching impasses and thinking that it’s just about money, but this is so much more than about money.”

As a result of the declaration of a district impasse, a state mediator will intervene during the impasse period, which is set at 45 days, according to the Marin Independent Journal. Last year, when KSD faced a similar impasse regarding contracts, the impasse was settled after the second mediation session.

Superintendent Schott declined to comment in response to an email inquiring about the issue on Monday, May 20. shilbush@redwoodbark.org

A bark to Wellness welcoming therapy dogs

By Lily Baldwin During the final days of the school year, the campus is buzzing with stress surrounding finals and deadlines. Amidst the unbearable energy, a source of calm can now be found walking around the Wellness Center at lunch in the form of two therapy dogs, Thornton and Rocket.

Every Monday and Wednesday at lunch, one of these certified therapy dogs will be present on campus for all students and staff to interact with. Led by Marin Humane Society volunteer Madeleine Metzger-Geloso, Thornton, a three-yearold black lab and certified therapy dog enjoys laying in the sun in the quad and allowing passersby to pet him. According to Metzger-Geloso, Thornton’s owner, the visits to campus are easy for Thornton as he has visited Hall Middle School, Marin General Hospital and various other locations in the past to volunteer. Being a Redwood parent and a substitute teacher in the district, Metzger-Geloso wanted to start this weekly program at the school to reduce student stress.

“When I was subbing, I noticed kids that had attention issues and they needed a break from the class because they just couldn’t handle it. So I said, ‘I just adopted this dog from Guide Dogs [for the Blind] and we do therapy work at Marin General.

I wonder how [the Wellness Center] would feel about having a therapy dog at the school?’” Metzger-Geloso said.

As a puppy, Thornton was in training

to become a guide dog, but due to his tendency to be distracted and affectionate, he had a ‘career change’ and made the transition to become a therapy dog. He and Metzger-Geloso have been part of the therapy program at Hall for two years.

According to Metzger-Geloso, not only does Thornton enjoy his time volunteering, but she herself treasures the opportunity to serve the community and allow those at the school to get to know her therapy dog.

“I think it makes more of an impact to have a regular relationship because once the students get to know him, they look forward to him. It’s just such a happy, joyful way to kind of serve in the community,” Metzger-Geloso said. “Being a part of Guide Dogs, we always knew [Thornton’s] potential was great and that he was really worthy of just doing great things. They always called him kind of a diamond in the rough, so now I think he’s really shining.”

For the past few years, the Wellness Center has held a special event with therapy dogs during finals weeks called Pause for Paws. During these events, therapy dogs such as Thornton make visits to campus at lunch and interact with students. According to Wellness Outreach Specialist Cera Arthur, the benefits of having the dogs on campus led her to organize more frequent visits.

“It was a district-wide decision and the counselors all decided that they saw the benefit of dogs, not only for finals,” Arthur said. “When you can see someone from

Photo by Lily Baldwin

THORNTON CAN BE visited outside of the Wellness Center during Lunch on Mondays and Wednesdays. far away smiling and running over to the I think having a dog is putting you at that dog, it’s really positive. I know last week comfort level of reminiscing about your we actually walked over to the AP exam as own dog and happy times and kind of [the students] were waiting, and they were brings you to a good place in your mind.” all so happy.”

The Wellness Center has been working Metzger-Geloso sees changes in on reaching out and informing the students’ mindsets when they see therapy community of the therapy dogs in an effort dogs on campus. She believes that the to get students more involved. As many unconditional love from the dogs can ease are unaware of this new program, students, the stress many students may feel on a such as senior Jackson Barry, are often daily basis, such as in the case of the AP pleasantly surprised to run into the dogs students waiting to take their exam and around school. their responses to Thornton.

“It was a relief. [The students] just felt like, ‘Oh, I really needed that,’” MetzgerGeloso said. “It’s like eating comfort food. Continued on page 4

Page 3 • News

www.redwoodbark.org

bark

Flavored tobacco ban sweeps Marin towns flavorants within the boundaries of their towns.

However, these sensations remain closer in flavor to the The banning of flavored tobacco products has been a original cigarette taste rather than processed flavoring— hotly-debated topic across Marin County since the first something that not all users enjoy. Rebecca Williams, propositions were made in 2018, according to the Marin the retail buyer at VIP Vape Store located in San Rafael, Independent Journal, resulting in the prohibition of these shares similar sentiments.

“This ban impacts me personally because I, as an adult, products in most Marin County towns. Due to this, any flavorant besides the plain tobacco taste is now illegal to appreciate not using a flavor that reminds me of cigarettes. distribute or buy in participating cities, causing a general I know a lot of our customers will be sad about the [ban] unrest for producers and consumers alike. San Anselmo, because they also feel like I do about not wanting to go Mill Valley and San Rafael are the only three cities in the back to a cigarette flavor. They don’t like the smell or taste of it anymore,” Williams said in an email interview. county where it is still legal to buy flavored tobacco.

Unlike other vape shops in Marin, VIP may still sell San Anselmo Mayor Matt Brown was the only member of his council who voted against the ban; however, his flavored tobacco products due to its location. After a fourdissent was enough to ensure the law did not pass due to hour San Rafael city council meeting on May 20, a three the absence of two other council members during the vote. to two decision passed the proposed flavored tobacco “I am one of only two (that I’m aware of) elected ban, however it will not be enacted until Jan. 1, 2021, 18 officials in the county of Marin that are opposed to the months after the decision.

The council room was clearly ban against flavored tobacco, which divided, with ban supporters on one is interesting,” Brown said. “I have a side and adversaries on the other. contrary view to the views of virtually 60 With many opposers clutching signs other elected officials in this community.” and sharing stories during the open Because of his unconventional stance forum, often about how vaping had on the topic, Brown often has to reiterate acted as a refuge from using cigarettes his viewpoint as to why he so vehemently and advocating for VIP, the impact argues against the bill. of the shop on the community was “I am not in favor of children exemplified. accessing any of these substances, that is “I think that people should know not what I am saying. I am saying that that we are not the ‘bad guys’ and we an adult at the age of 21 years old, in aren’t big tobacco,” Williams said. the privacy of their own home, can do “Many local vape shops (like VIP) what they want with nicotine, tobacco or carry local products, have strict age cannabis,” Brown said.

Jasmine Gerarty, verification and have morals. We Opposers of the ban argue that don’t market to kids and we don’t vape pens can be used as a transitional Smoke Free Marin advertise.” step to help addicted smokers quit, as Regardless of Williams or certain propagated by numerous smoke shops and vape producers. But flavorants can often be a tempting community member’s advocacy against the ban, the law drug for non-smokers, specifically teenagers, according has still been set in motion and change will have to occur. to Jasmine Gerraty, project manager at the Smoke Free After the San Rafael vote, many began to accept this as a reality.

Marin Coalition.

“The reasons that [supporters] wanted a ban really “Statistically, three out of four young people who start to use tobacco products have started with a flavored didn’t have much to do with [VIP], but we are ready to product,” Gerraty said. “So by eliminating flavored start shifting in the new direction of no flavors,” Williams tobacco, we will hopefully have a decrease in young said.

The future of flavored tobacco in Marin is not certain, people who begin to start smoking and in flavored tobacco but it can be ascertained that use is on a downward spiral. [use].”

According to Gerraty, although Novato and Fairfax With the coming months most likely containing rehave implemented bans, the towns do allow for the sale of proposed bills and a change in the tobacco market, these products containing menthol, the ingredient that accounts bans are sure to leave a lasting effect. for a cooling, mint sensation. This means legal tobacco buyers may still have the opportunity to purchase some msalzer@redwoodbark.org

By Morgan Salzer

So by eliminating flavored tobacco we will hopefully have a decrease in young people who begin to start smoking.

Congratulations & Thank You! Redwood High School Class of 2019 appreciates the contributions of the following sponsors: Belvedere Community Foundation Central Marin Police Officers Association City of Belvedere City of Larkspur Corte Madera Community Foundation Corte Madera Lions Club Corte Madera Women’s Improvement Club County of Marin Hall Middle School PTA Kentfield Schools PTA Larkspur Community Foundation Marin Healthy Youth Partnerships Redwood High School Foundation Reed Union School District PTA Ross School PTO Rotary of Tiburon Sunset Foundation San Rafael Elks Lodge #1108 Tiburon Peninsula Foundation Town of Corte Madera Town of Ross Town of Tiburon Woodland Sponsors Special thanks to Mt. Tam Racquet Club, the Students Committee, and our sponsors for helping to host another successful, safe, and sober Grad Night.

Photo by Morgan Salzer

Photo by Morgan Salzer

LINING UP TO express their viewpoints, numerous Marin residents spoke at a recent meeting in San Rafael. As a result of the meeting, the City Council voted to pass the proposed flavored tobacco ban.

HOLDING HER VAPE device, a flavored tobacco user prepares to buy another cartridge.

May 31, 2019 bark Page 4 • News Tiburon’s beloved New Morning Café closes its doors

By Garrett Cook

People passing by New Morning Café’s normally vibrant and bustling atmosphere on Sunday, Apr. 12 were instead greeted with a laminated sign taped to the door that displayed a somber statement: “To the valued patrons of New Morning Café, it is with a heavy heart that we must announce we will be closing our doors on May 12,

2019 for new construction of this building … Sincerely, families,” Monterroso said.

One person who has come to the Café with her children Charleen Jackson and the crew of New Morning Café.”

New Morning Café was located at 1696 Tiburon Blvd is Redwood parent Paula Witte-Coven, who started eating in Belvedere, Tiburon, and served a variety of traditional there over 20 years ago with her husband. She ate her breakfast foods to customers for over 47 years. Now, the last meal there on Sunday, May 12, with her 17-year-old Café has closed because of new building developments daughter, Ava Coven. Witte-Coven says the Café has been a consistent marker of warmth and in its former location, as Tiburon is togetherness. constructing apartments in the area “The Café to me is neighborhood, in order to provide more affordable community and comfort. The best housing. thing about it is that it’s exactly the Charleen Jackson, owner of the same as its always been. The food has Café, said that she had been expecting been the same, the decor is the same the new building developments for and the people who work there have quite some time, but only recently felt been the same all these years. It’s the impact of them. been timeless… I’m very sad to see it “The closure is affecting me a lot; go,” Witte-Coven said.

I’ve been here 47 years and I’d like to Even with all the reminiscing, keep going. Today, I am getting a lot Jackson says there is a chance the of people coming up to me and saying Paula Witte-Coven, Café will make a reappearance after how much they loved the Café, and Redwood parent all the dust settles. how much they loved coming here. I “After they get everything knew the Café meant a lot to a lot of situated with the new building, they people, but when this closure actually happened, I’m really seeing how much it meant to those said they will call me and I will then have seven days to decide if I want to come back. It’s a lot, it would mean a people,” Jackson said.

Paulino Monterroso, who joined New Morning’s staff remodel, and a re-this and re-that...we’ll just have to wait 28 years ago, says that the Café’s closure is a big detriment and see,” Jackson said. for the community.

“This is a big loss for the community because we have seen families raised here, little kids used to come to the shop years ago and now they are coming with their own gcook@redwoodbark.org

The Café to me is neighborhood, community and comfort.

Photo by Garrett Cook

THE OUTSIDE SEATING at the Café is equipped with wooden benches and colorful umbrellas.

• Therapy Dogs Continued from page 2

“Seeing the dog relaxes me. You know, I can go do my homework now. It’s great,” Barry said.

Senior TJ Ross especially enjoys seeing Thornton at Redwood, as he has his own dogs that stay at home while he goes to school.

“You know, it just reminds me of my labs back at home,” Ross said. “We’ve got a lot of dog people around this campus, so this is great.”

Aside from the mental health benefits of the program, Arthur also believes the therapy dogs can help students further develop other life skills.

“Another really awesome [aspect] is some really awesome modeling that dogs can do for empathy and inclusion. I think those are so important. And also modeling of how you take care of something like a living creature, like how to pet it and be gentle and things like that,” Arthur said.

Kristen and Tane Abbott Margaret Abbott Aaron and Randi Agenbroad The Alexander Family Charles and Kimberly Allen The Alylwin Family Sarah Ames and Peter Bouton Seth and Kelli Anderson Ann Aylwin Lisa Bacino Katheryn Baldwin The Beberman Family Ingrid Becker Cammi Bell Helga Beyer The Blazei Family The Block Family The Blum Family Mari Bowler Donal and Brenda Brown Jason Brown Amy Brugger Liz Brusseau Mary and Ken Bryant Rose and Chuck Bucklar Taissa Cherry and Jay Labourene Amy Cifarelli Compass Education Group William and Laura Conrow Bill and Laura Conrow

According to Arthur, the Wellness Center is hoping to grow this program next year and potentially have the dogs visit classrooms to spend time with students and teachers. For now, Rocket and Thornton can be visited outside of the Wellness Center during lunch on Mondays and Wednesdays. Metzger-Geloso also hopes to see the dogs continue their work at Redwood, as she has seen firsthand just how much of a difference a visit with them can make.

“I noticed in the hospital that I don’t know anything about the history of these people, but I walk in the room and they forget about their pain. They just interact with this dog,” Metzger-Geloso said. “I think it just breaks down all barriers on such a human, intimate level. I think with the students here there may be some social nuances going on or conflicts, but they forget about everything when they reach down and touch a dog. It’s acceptable to just love a dog.” lbaldwin@redwoodbark.org

Deborah Cook The Corn Family Hali Croner and Eugene Palmer Joanne Desin Cyndi Deveraux Jennifer and Sam Dibble Lisa Diener Shannon Donelan Laurie Dubin Patricia Duffy Douglas Epps Gus and Dee Ann Ezcurra Family Cuts Shelley and Kendall Fargo Sarah and Mike Fargo Courtney Finnegan The Fishbourne Family Thomas Fishburne Suzanne Fogarty Pamela Fong The Gilman Family Jennifer and Michael Ginsburg Judith and Bud Glickman The Glickman Family Emily Glidden Cynthia Goodman Jay H O’Conner and Heather Corcoran Gott’s Roadside The Haggard Family

Photo by Lily Baldwin

VOLUNTEER THERAPY DOG Thornton poses on the benches just outside of Redwood’s main entrance.

Bark Patrons

Mark and Jacqueline Harris Joyce Hoelzle The Holbrook Family Maura Hughes Tamara Hull The James Family Lawrence and Teresa Jeffry The Johnson Family Sylvia Jones Van and Merill Kasper Nina Katz Jon Kawamura and Elizabeth Foley Stacey and Noah Kempler The Kimball Family Barbara Kinney The Kitzel Family David and Lisa Klein Ari and Nicole Klionsky Tammy Kornfeld Jodi and Guy Ladetzky Eugene Lewis IV Cynthia Lightfoot Joyce Linker Jeffrey and Karen Loebbaka Bill Lowis Alice and Bob Marks

Kerianne and Christopher Lucia Sinatra McBride Christina Smallhorn John McCullouch Robin Steele Tom and Michelle The Steele Family McHugh The Steinberg Family Wendy McKinley Geordie Stephens Jon and Laura Mellberg Lorna Strotz Chris Michaels The Strotz Family Denise Miller Jackie Swoiskin Jacqui Miranda The Tantum Family The Newhard Family TJ’s Gym Annette Nielson Cristiano Torresi Donna Norstad Karol Towns Barbara Owens The Tribolet Family Denise Olson The Tribuzious Family James Parker Greg Tully The Parsons Family Kimberly Tully-Sutton The Pfeiffer Family Vickie Vann Roxane Polidora Helene Walters Pyramid The Watridge Family Lesley and Tim Reidy Holly Welch Wendy Robinow Jim Whelpley The Rocha Family Patty and Dave Young Frank Rollo The Zec Family Walter and Ellen Sanford The Zlot Family Eric Schmitt 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.

opinion

Page 5

How dream schools turn your life into a nightmare Story and Illustration by Katherine Muller Attending college football games at a parent’s alma mater, parading around in numerous sweatshirts with a school’s logo or title proudly presented on the front or continuously calling out a school’s slogan or catchphrase: there are many ways for us to embed the idea of a dream school in our mind.

My personal definition of a dream school is a specific college that one fantasizes about attending or the only institution someone can see themselves at. The type of school where a single rejection letter will cause a mental breakdown and make a student question even going to college at all; from my experience, these breakdowns ruin one’s self esteem and confidence.

While I completely support the practice of “aiming high” and “trying your best,” prospective college students should not have an idea of a dream school because it will only set them up for failure if they are rejected. According to a recent self-reported Bark survey, 61 percent of students said they had a “dream school.” And out of seniors that applied to college, only 33 percent were accepted into universities they considered to be their first choice, leaving some feeling let down.

Understanding that dream schools almost inevitably set students up for failure, the Princeton Review even equates dream schools to reach schools, calling them “long shots.” Reach schools are defined as “a college where your academic credentials fall in the lower end, or even below, the school’s average range for the cohort of students accepted the previous year.” These dream-type schools are called reaches for a reason; they’re schools that you have a slim chance of getting in to, schools that shouldn’t be counted on for admittance. While holding onto that hopeful possibility might be enough to get someone through the college admissions process, it will in no way prepare an individual for the worst case (and most likely) scenario in which they are rejected.

Some may argue that dreaming about a specific school may encourage students to work harder on schoolwork and on required tests such as the SAT or ACT and put more effort into certain applications, such as essays specific to one particular school. However, a negative outcome will only be worse knowing that you did everything in your ability

to gain entry to a university and still did not achieve this goal. Additionally, spending more time on one application compared to another will only further instill the idea that a particular individual belongs at only one specific school and worsen the consequences if a rejection letter arrives.

When a student only pictures themselves at a particular university they’ve idealized, they become less optimistic about their future at other schools they applied to and may n o t fairly weigh their options when they need to make a choice of which to attend.

Take one of my friend’s application process for example: if she didn’t get into her dream school, her only backup plan was to take a gap year and reapply f o r the following fall term, rather then consider other schools that might also be a good fit for her. While she ended up getting accepted, I wonder what the outcome would have been had she not been; being so set on one life path leaves no visualization when it comes to what school may really be best for someone.

Dream schools only create a stressful environment where students are unable to relax or see the glass as halffull, versus having an open mind keeps students optimistic and confident in their future. A dream school is just that: a dream. While it might one day be a reality, in no way does it guarantee the desired outcome; in fact, it may only blur

high school seniors’ vision when it comes to the college application process.

According to the Bark survey, over 40 percent of seniors applied to at least 10 schools, including myself. I sent in applications to a dozen different schools, not to entertain myself with the 34 essays I had to write, but to give myself options when decisions came out. By never conceiving the idea of a dream school, I was able to stay optimistic and ecstatic every time a large, colorful envelope arrived in my mailbox, no matter whether it was a safety school or a reach.

Because of this true optimism, a single rejection never left me brokenhearted or lessening my self worth as I only looked forward to a great next four years in college, no matter where or how that would happen.

Dream schools establish high, often unachievable standards for students to aim for, and create a mindset in which one school is “the only option.” These standards hide the idea that there is a school out there for everyone: a school that has the potential to turn into a dream as long as you make the most out of it. While childhood nostalgia or U.S. News rankings may tell a different story, it is possible to be successful wherever one ends up.

kmuller@redwoodbark.org

Hey there! California is not the only cool place to live!

Story and Illustration by Jack Parsons Look outside and take in your surroundings. California has it all: beaches, forests, mountains, food and culture.

However, being in this paradise of a state may give us the Cali-centric idea that nowhere else in the United States or worldat-large can provide the same satisfaction that California is so well known for. From Austin and Oslo to Miami and Montreal, opportunity lies in all corners of this world and if adventure is calling, you should definitely make an effort to move out of

your home state before you turn 25.

For many students, leaving their home state often happens when they go to off to college. According to The Sacramento Bee, 40,000 high school graduates left California for college in 2016, and this number is growing. However, this is not always the easiest route, because out-of-state schools generally tend to carry a higher tuition, and staying in state could mean the difference between some or lots of student debt.

Whether for college or not, there are plenty of opportunities to move out of California before permanently settling in, and you should definitely take advantage of them if given the ability.

The first reason to leave is that moving elsewhere will force you to learn how to become truly independent.

Whether your car breaks down or you need to find a new home and neighborhood to live in, you will have to do everything alone without being able to rely on the network of family and friends back home. While this may become stressful at times, being able to figure things out without assistance from others feels damn good. After high school, my mom picked up her belongings from her quaint seaside hometown in New Jersey to move to Santa Barbara for college, not having a single friend or family member within a 100mile radius of her new college

town. Though she recalled the first months as being a struggle at times, she constantly reminds me that the skills she learned and friends she made while being completely independent, will live with her for life.

No matter how good things are at home, it is always great to get a fresh start in life. Moving elsewhere gives you the chance to meet new people and leave the negative aspects of life at home behind.

Nothing beats your best friends from home, but you need to realize that your real friends will be your friends for life, no matter where you live. Expanding your network by leaving your comfort zone and meeting new people is a healthy and rejuvenating thing to do, and will enhance both your social and financial wellbeing as you (hopefully) broaden your network of friends and colleagues.

Let’s be real. When you move away from home, you’re not going to land somewhere and be immediately surrounded by new friends. Forming those tight-knit relationships with new people takes time and patience, but being alone is also a gift in many ways. Not being constantly surrounded by all of your friends and family gives you crucial time for self reflection and improvement. When that alone time becomes too much, there are phones and airplanes! With today’s transportation and technology, it’s easy to remain in touch with old companions. Even during short periods of time when I am alone and not surrounded by any familiar people, I cherish the time because it helps me reflect on myself. Though too much alone time can get depressing, having technology and an outgoing personality will help bring back old and new friends alike.

Moving away from home also gives you the ability to gain a new perspective on life and experience a new culture. I recently visited the Midwest to tour a few schools I had applied to, and it was shocking to me how much nicer and caring the people were there. Though this was only a first impression of the Midwest, I have heard from countless friends and family that people on the midwest are, in fact, more nice and caring than Californians.

Although I’ve never lived in the midwest, this kind of culture shock gave me a new perspective on life. It really helped me realize how there are some great places to consider moving to outside of California.

After all, I am still only 18 years old and the longest time I’ve ever been alone outside of my hometown was three days, which may lead you to believe that I am not a credible source for this. Nonetheless, I recently made a huge decision to leave California for at least four years to attend the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. I was always sold on the school, but not so much on the idea of leaving California. As a result, I talked with many family members, friends and peers about their experiences leaving their hometown or state for college or other reasons, and I heard nearly no negative feedback. Hearing about the experiences of friends and family paired with reading multiple articles and blogs, I am certain that I made the right decision. Though things may not click immediately, I know that leaving California will make me a better person in many ways.

jparsons@redwoodbark.org

May 31, 2019 bark Page 6 • Opinion The greatest hijack of high school: the College Board

By Bella Roesler We need to investigate the College Board’s ethics.

While the “non-profit” promotes equal access to higher education, their total revenue in 2016 was almost $1 billion, according to ProPublica. They profit off of students’ “need” for higher test scores and have monopolized the market of college admissions for approximately 120 years.

The College Board’s Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), subject tests and Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum perpetuate the corrupt business, and I strongly believe that universities and students should boycott them. In doing so, the economic landscape of college admissions would shift toward different markets, ceasing the oligopoly of the College Board and creating a more holistic admissions process.

The College Board is a non-profit organization that happens to charge its customers hundreds of dollars for tests and services, with test prices magically increasing every year. According to the College Board, in 2011, the SAT with the essay cost $49. In 2019, the price of the same test increased to $64.50. In other words, a 32 percent increase in price occurred while the rate of inflation from 2011 until 2019 was only 13 percent. In addition to increasing their prices, the College Board’s former CEO Gaston Caperton earned over $1 million a year, according to The New York Times. According to Merriam-Webster, a non-profit organization is not conducted or maintained for the purpose of making a profit, yet the College Board completely defies this, as exemplified by the salary of the CEO and other top executives.

According to AP Economics teacher Paul Ippolito, the problems with the College Board are that it increases the price of testing every year, it is not very flexible and has no incentive to become more efficient or lower prices. Ippolito also said that the College Board has not changed the AP Economics exam in a meaningful way in over a decade, despite real-world economics changing drastically.

“Just because a company is a non-profit, it doesn’t mean that people aren’t being overpaid and have really easy jobs. When you don’t have to innovate and when you’re not under threat of going out of business, the work environment is a lot more relaxed,” Ippolito said.

With such a high annual revenue, the services provided million American students enrolled in public high schools by the College Board should be able to adapt to changing who plan on applying to college. times. The SAT dates back to 1926 and has undergone There are few solutions to the College Board’s minimal changes in formatting since then. According to oligopoly. The competition and cost of entering a market CNN, the last major change to the SAT was in 2016 when it so dominated by the College Board creates a high barrier altered the format of some questions, changed the scoring t o entry. There’s a high fixed cost and high to 1600, added dense text in both the reading and math credibility associated with the sections and provided the option of a written essay.

College Board, which cannot The College Board seldom improves their be changed unless test services for the benefit of the public, society’s attitude toward despite their increasing revenue. the oligopoly changes.

Customers pay to take the SAT, often Students and buy the College Board’s practice test book colleges need to (approximately $20), can pay for hours boycott the College of tutoring (SAT group classes cost Board exams in $1,250 at Sage Educators) and some order to put an end even commute long distances to take to the monopolistic the test. Additionally, customers can organization.

If take the SAT an unlimited number we gradually of times, paying the sign-up fee reach a point each time, to superscore their tests where we can all until satisfied with their scores. It stop using the is obvious that the College Board is College Board capitalizing on students’ desires for tests, universities Illustration by Mika Beberman higher test scores. will stop requiring them. There The College Board appears to be taking advantage of h a s already been improvement; in 2018, the term “non-profit” to gain extra benefits. For example, SAT and ACT tests became optional for over 1,000 colleges the test room proctors are all volunteers and aren’t paid, and universities, including more than 300 “top-tier” increasing the College Board’s revenue. While this may institutions, according to FairTest. The way colleges can seem fine, it is shockingly apparent that the wide range of compare students without the SAT or ACT is by looking proctors have inconsistent proctoring skills. For example, at their college application essays, GPAs, extracurriculars my SAT proctor was sleeping half the time, and my friend’s and interests. That alone should be enough for a college to proctor seemed to have no idea what she was doing and gain insight into a student. Students should take interest almost skipped a whole section. At my sister’s SAT, three in test-optional schools when applying to college because proctors didn’t even show up (two called in sick and one their interest will shift the college market toward an didn’t show up), so 90 students were almost turned away environment free of monopolies and flawed standardized after all of their preparation. These frequent malfunctions tests. prove that the College Board is inefficient, which skew Having less money involved in the college system will test scores and elicit extra anxiety for students. make it more education-oriented rather than market-based.

Unfortunately, the SAT has become an extremely After all these years of the College Board’s domination, it high-stakes test due to the limited comparative options for is finally time to be the catalyst for a new and improved college applications. The problem is that we don’t have testing system for college applications. options other than the SAT and ACT (American College Testing) when applying to universities in the United States. These two options are far too limiting for the 15 iroesler@redwoodbark.org

Time to fix FAFSA: accomodate student needs Story and Illustration by Sarah Young As an upperclassman in high school, the College Board website is my most visited page, other than the websites of my teachers and Netflix, of course. Recently, the College Board has announced they will implement an ‘Adversity Score’ for students from diverse backgrounds. The introduction of the adversity score aims to help colleges have a better understanding of how hard it was for students to grow up and earn a high school education in their specific environment, which can’t be reflected solely through standardized testing scores. But another part of the college application process, financial aid, also needs to reflect cost of living.

Growing up in a place like Marin, where the average annual household income is over $100,000, according to US Census data, is unique. Having access to top-tier public schools, counselors and tutors has allowed many Redwood students to succeed in school and beyond. But when it comes to college decisions and financial preparation, many Redwood students are not prepared due to a lack of awareness of their financial need.

According to a recent self-reported Bark survey, 23 percent of students don’t know if they will need financial aid to complete an education after graduating high school.

This confusion about the college aid process can make it hard for students to be aware of all the different opportunities for aid, especially when that aid doesn’t

encompass enough factors, such as cost of living.

Financial aid for students is based off of the Federal Application for Financial Student Aid (FAFSA) and can range from a couple hundred to tens of thousands of dollars per year. In theory, this is a great idea that will help lessen the socioeconomic divide and secure access to higher education for those who can’t afford it. In practice, it’s not helping enough people because it fails to include one key feature: cost of living.

The world of financial aid is complex, and FAFSA is the main decider of how much, if any, financial aid a student will receive for college. FAFSA utilizes many factors in the decision making process––family income, the number of children

currently attending or planning to attend college and if a student has a family to support them financially or are dependent on the state––but still doesn’t account for the cost of living in the applicant’s hometown.

Factoring in the cost of living for FAFSA is important because it would equalize the aid for students from different areas. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, for example, is incredibly expensive.

According to Kiplinger.com, a personal

finance advice website, San Francisco is the second most expensive U.S. city to live in, behind only Santa Clara, Calif. The cost of living is 96.3 percent above the U.S. average, meaning it costs almost twice as much to pay for food, housing and other day-to-day costs compared to the average American town.

Expensive areas demand more wealth just for an average quality of life, not to mention that living in such a place does not always correlate with a family’s income. Just because a middle-class Marin family is surviving and making ends meet in an expensive community doesn’t mean they have an extra $100,000 lying around for their child’s education.

Although Edvisors.com, an organization dedicated to helping students secure financial aid for college, recommends that students apply to FAFSA unless their family income is over $350,000 or their assets are worth $1 million or more, this standard is unrealistic. That level of income suggests one is upper class practically anywhere in the U.S., and can probably pay for college out of pocket. For middle-class families in expensive areas, financial aid is not guaranteed and their only options would be to send their students to school with debt, forgo secondary education entirely or join the workforce instead if aid is not provided. This needs to change, and the cost of living needs to be factored into the financial aid decision.

Although many different factors go into college financial aid, the system is still not equal. FAFSA needs to recognize that college costs are getting out of hand for most students and their families, and the application for aid needs to recognize all of the student’s background, including how much it costs to live in their hometown.

syoung@redwoodbark.org

Letter to the Editor Annual college map Bark editors, I am the parent of a Redwood junior and a 2017 Redwood graduate.

I understand some parents have raised the idea of eliminating the annual Bark college map in light of the recent college admission scandal. I am writing to urge you to keep the map.

For me, the map is not about status, particularly since the map is made long before graduation and is therefore not entirely accurate, but helpful information for younger students if they want to speak with someone who started at COM, or who tried a tiny Wisconsin liberal arts college. It is also fun as a member of the community to see the choices of students I have casually known since kindergarten; I also think this information connects us as a community when we happen to run into each other, and gives us a platform to start a conversation.

The narrow and arguably misguided definition of success and their child’s worth to which some parents ascribe begins at least in the freshman year or long before the map’s graduation publication. Eliminating the map would simply make us less connected as a community, it would not erase the false idea that some choices have more value or greater status than others.

Elizabeth D’Orazio

Page 7 • Opinion

www.redwoodbark.org

bark

bark

Redwood High School 395 Doherty Drive Larkspur, CA 94939 www.redwoodbark.org Editors-In-Chief Lily Baldwin Neva Legallet Saamya Mungamuru Emily Sweet Head Copy Editor Sydney Hilbush

Illustration by Audrey Hettleman

editorial In defense of the infamous college map Different paths up the same mountain

It’s difficult to claim that high school is not all about college when for many an acceptance letter from a prestigious school is seen as the end-all and be-all, a culmination of four years. When college decision announcements rival prom posts for Instagram feed prominence, the emphasis on college can be even more difficult to overlook. Even you may be combing through this Bark issue just to find out which kid from your kindergarten class is going to Columbia or Yale this year.

The Bark isn’t an innocent bystander in fostering this mentality; our senior issue’s centerspread is traditionally a map of the United States depicting the seniors’ geographic changes after graduation.

Although designed to commemorate success, it has also been perceived as a contributor to the intense pressure often accompanying the college admissions process.

Our intention, however, is not to create a manifestation of the competitive, high-stress college process, but rather to display a visual that offsets these excessive tensions. That stress is present for the majority of high school and our aim is not to reinforce it, but to reflect. Instead, the renamed “post-grad plans” map stands as a nostalgic recognition of the class of 2019’s collaborative successes: a chance to take a step back and acknowledge the long journey completed by this year’s graduates.

The equitable, straightforward nature of the map also alleviates some stigmas present in the college process. It’s an alphabetical arrangement of postgrad paths, and lists of student names are shared voluntarily—no one is forced to fork over their information so it can be published. The font size of school names is not determined by the number of zeros on its price tag; no distinctions between “good” or “bad” choices are presented on the map. It should be viewed simply as a unifying representation of the graduating class.

In the past, Bark post-graduation maps sometimes featured the names of all students attending colleges or universities first, then isolated employment, military service, internships and gap years at the end. Understandably, some took their placement as a sign that those other paths were perceived as inferior.

This year, we organized the list in alphabetical order, regardless of whether the name of the “path” relates to school or not. It exhibits where the seniors are going, not necessarily what they are doing, as should be the

A BARK to the lady who gave birth inside of McDonald’s.

Her water broke just like the ice cream machine.

A BITE to the Game of Thrones finale. If those characters were any more inbred, they’d be a sandwich.

A BARK to Chicago for wanting to become a state.

Looks like the College Board is going to have to change their example question.

A BITE to the Toronto man who drove drunk to pick up a friend charged with a DUI from the police station. Sobriety is

goal with any geographic visual.

For non-seniors, the map acts as tangible reassurance that failing a chemistry lab quiz or getting a C in AP Euro is not the equivalent to an automatic failure in life—which high school competition can often make us forget. Though our culture has ingrained arbitrary stereotypes of the type of college path seniors choose, our map is a reassurance that everyone ends up somewhere. In a system skewed toward mainstream colleges, proof that unorthodox future options are realistic and attainable helps to widen the tunnel vision non-seniors might have.

And so, we encourage the community to view the map in its simplest terms. Its purpose is not to create an opportunity for asserting dominance in a mom’s book club. It’s not an invitation for judgement; rather, it functions as a singular congratulations to years of tireless, often underappreciated hard work.

Although it may seem as if the sole purpose of this editorial was to simply excuse Bark from any of the opposition surrounding the ethics of the college map, there is a more profound message to be heard. Students, no matter which path you end up on—whether that’s a military job, an Ivy League, an entrepreneurship, a pursuit of the arts or a community college—society’s misleading standards are not the definition of your success. Each and every graduate this year should see the post-grad map as a source of pride, as it signifies a transition from high school into an adult life full of tax paying and oil changing.

With the right mindset and a strong sense of identity, each soon-to-be alum can achieve post-high school happiness and success.

Please, at least for the 10 minutes spent poring over the names at the dinner table, put aside any prejudices or expectations and celebrate the work that each and every individual featured exerted to arrive at their decision.

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

not in his vodkabulary.

A BARK to Guy Fieri for getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Tinseltown just became Flavortown.

A BITE to any AP classes giving finals. Thanks for the Added Pressure.

A BARK to the French mayor who is giving out free Viagara.

Seems like a stand up guy.

A BITE to Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski rooting for rival teams in the NHL Playoffs.

Bruins, Blues, Battlestar Galactica.

A BARK to the guy in

Southern California who stole the endangered lemur to keep as a pet. We bet he would be a prime mate to have.

A BITE to Olivia Jade for wanting to go back to USC. Someone should tell her she has to apply this time.

Copy Editors Mika Beberman Jack Benbow Melissa Block Audrey Hettleman Sabine Lloyd Katherine Muller Morgan Salzer Sydney Steinberg News Editors Maria Alexander Nate Charles Opinion Editors Maddie Loebbaka Ryo Weng Feature Editors Drake Goodman Eislyn Snyder Sports Editors Bennett Vasquez Sam Warren Review Editors Anna Compagno Aaron Kim Lifestyles Editors Skylar Strotz Josephine Yee Video Editors Harrison Segal Karl Somerville Spanish Editor Lauren Steele Podcast Editor Matt Smalbach Business Manager Justin Newhard Social media Manager Jenna Dahlin Survey Managers Jacob Klionsky Art Consultants Taylor Charles Max Gilberg Reporters Evelyn Bailey Olivia Brekhus Grace Bouton Emma Carpenter Garrett Cook Alexa Erickson Shane Fricke Dean Griffin Emma Ingledew Lucie James Alex Johnson Devon McClain Julia Merron Amanda Morse Sachi Nahas Jack Parsons Alexandra Polidora Bella Roesler Alix Salzer Julia Scharf Meera Srinivasan Charlie Werner Sarah Young Senior Staff Writer Natalie Cerf

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

Adviser Erin Schneider

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

bark

Page 8 • Opinion

May 31, 2019

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF FAREWELL LETTERS

Lily Baldwin

Neva Legallet

I entered high school as a cocky 14-year-old who bragged about the fact that no movie could ever make me cry. I took pride in being stonecold and slightly angsty; a self-classified “edgy teen.” That non-sentimental freshman Lily would not be able to relate to who I am in this era: a mushy, nostalgic, emotional mess with a vested interest in salt and vinegar chips and telling stories.

There is so much power in a story. If you’re like me, everyday conversations go a little like this: you feel just a little too opinionated, a bit too idealistic and you feel like everyone in the room wishes you would just stick a fork in it. Do I think people care about that time I was chased by a substitute teacher through the halls of Redwood? No. Do I think they care about my thoughts on the Green New Deal? Absolutely not. But do I continue to tell my stories and opinions to whoever will listen? One hundred percent.

Because feeling like you annoy other people with what you have to say is bullsh*t.

I’ve had my fair share of debates and disagreements, and I’ve learned through experience that you won’t burst into flames and explode like a supernova if you face a conflict with a fellow high schooler. These past four years have brought a lot of arguments, and with them plenty of growth. But between the trials of social navigation, the changes happening within my family and the chaos of the world around me, I felt like I had too much to say and no one to say it to.

I took refuge with the Bark and found ‘my thing,’ a publication where I could tell the stories of students and community members who have seen and done some incredible things. Through writing, I’ve come to learn something fundamental to my character: I don’t care if I’m annoying, I’m going to talk anyway. High school is such a short period in our lives, and the fact that, for even a second, I let my nerves invade my personality to the point that I stifled my opinions to please others really bums me out.

So I’ll leave you all with this: I urge you not to give a single f*ck about what might happen if you speak your mind. Be kind and considerate, but don’t let yourself be that person who gets interrupted in the middle of their story and then never gets to finish because the conversation moved on. Listen, but don’t make yourself quieter just so you don’t come across as ‘too much.’ In the words of 2006 John Mayer, “Say what you need to say,” and don’t let yourself get interrupted.

These last weeks are by far not the culmination of my high school career—we still have homework, why?—but they are significant nonetheless.

The weight of impending graduation and departure is hefty, and contributes to my admittedly-preemptive nostalgia; I find myself frequently teary-eyed about the sudden appearance of many lasts. Last run in Dark Park, last fill-in-the-blank for Mr. Ippolito, last maybe-slightly illegal left turn from Doherty. I miss things and people already, and although our high school years may not have been halcyonic, when we’re about to leave it sure does seem like they were. But the finite nature of this time engenders an auspicious view of high school, perhaps unjustifiably so. I’m fully aware that rose-colored graduation glasses are on. I love everyone a little more, and I even think I’ll miss my younger brother (we’ll see).

But—and it’s a BIG but—high school is by no means a perfectly idyllic experience.

Sh*t happens. Favoring the “bests” of high school gives rise to the kind of suffocating sentimentality that has the tendency to gloss over not only the “worsts” (i.e. precalculus) but also the “mediocres.”

I’m not hoping that sh*tty stuff monopolizes my memories, but it does play a role in how high school has shaped the person I am. The actualities of high school have taught me more than any purported epitomization of it have (looking at you, prom).

We’re told to soak it all in, and though this adage may fall on deaf ears the majority of the time, an emphasis on “all” is warranted. Witnessing and perpetrating pettiness has taught me to be bigger; running myself into the ground for finals has taught me to know myself better than to do that again (probably); enduring devastating loss has taught me to appreciate the people I have. Those experiences aren’t worth repeating, but nevertheless their intrinsic value is inestimable.

Soaking it all in doesn’t have to be exclusive to the highlight reel, because the adversities I’ve faced have imprinted in me, giving me strength to cope, to grow and to learn myself. Still working on my hand-eye coordination though.

It’s inevitable, and appropriate, that reminiscing centers on the bests. And I’m not saying highschool baggage should follow us, because it shouldn’t (I’m never taking a math class again). This four-year span has also been shaped by the most genuine friends, inspiring coaches and teachers, and a sense of pride: we did high school! Revel in the thrills and hurrahs; the bests will embody high school with care and fondness. But also know your growth, and take pride in every bit of all that we’ve seen and done.

Saamya Mungamuru Anyone who passes by Room 177 can hear the frantic click-clacking of keys as words escape fingertips, the whir of the p r i n t e r, the constant shuffle of footsteps, waves of endless conversation and laughter. Over the last few years, this room, more commonly known as the Bark room, became home to the most defining moments of my high school experience, and the ones dearest to my heart.

I could tell you about Bark’s impact on my intellectual growth, making me think about my education not as something simply imposed on me, but rather a boat I can sail myself; its impact on my leadership, teaching me to balance authority and empathy while directing a class of my peers; or its influence on my work ethic, with every sleep-deprived tear shed while transcribing 40-minute interviews or editing story after story, making me stronger as a writer and as a person. But I won’t.

Because as much as I value the skills I acquired through Bark, it is the little moments that I shared with my Bark family, the people I have grown to know and love over the past couple of years, that have made Bark so crazy and special.

I’ll miss some of our notable adventures together, like the time we walked down the streets of Chicago to Navy Pier, freezing our California butts off, and enjoyed mediocre Chicago-style deep dish pizza after a long day of journalism workshops. And like the time we made Jiffy Pop around a bonfire on the camping trip, starting off the night telling scary stories but quickly transitioning to recounting the most embarrassing experiences from our childhood, laughing until our stomachs hurt.

While finals week may mean taking tests in silence for most students, I’ll miss how for Bark it’s time to celebrate and reflect on the work we produced that semester, feasting on waffles and homemade coffee cake and sharing gifts with each other. I’ll miss the fiercely encouraged, loosely followed PJs-only dress code for paste-up and the countless dinners spent reading Barks and Bites together while chowing down on Stefano’s pizza.

But most of all, I’ll miss the simple, everyday activities. Passing Oreos around class on Fridays, singing on people’s birthdays, sharing memes on GroupMe. Debating everything, from the nuances of freedom of speech to the ethics of dubbing Ted Bundy “hot.” Despite ripping apart each others’ writing, sometimes a little too harshly, I know that at the end of the day Barkies will always be family.

And so, it is to this family, and the meals, the trips, the laughs and the memories we shared together over the years, that I say goodbye. I will miss you.

Emily Sweet

Bark has given me everything I wanted out of high school: a super comfortable grey hoodie that matches with everything, an inflated sense of importance on publishing days and a class that laughs at 45 percent of my jokes.

It’s every little girl’s dream! But seriously, it is. What drives someone to devote their last two years of high school (and numerous, lengthy Spotify queues full of ABBA) single-handedly to Bark?

Let’s back up. Sophomore year, I fell in love with Bark’s community. I was enamored with the late nights and early mornings, laughter, determination, passion (wc) and grit. It was magnetic, and coming into the position of EIC, that’s what I was striving to maintain.

Last September, my main focus was to be loved. I didn’t want to be the bad guy. Ever.

And honestly I still don’t. It’s not fun to tell people you consider friends that they need to stop talking during class, the photos they took for a story won’t cut it, there’s nothing you can do because they missed a deadline. But it has made me a stronger leader. I’ve been able to find a balance between being playful and funny, but also being assertive and authoritative. I didn’t think it was possible that I could be a casual, lively leader.

But I proved myself wrong! Yes, we are a newspaper, but first and foremost, we are a community and… Bark is supposed to be fun.

There are times when I doubt myself (usually 10:45 p.m. the night before glossy).

Being a leader is scary. I’m responsible for what happens in the program—whether that be successes or blunders. It’s discouraging to look out into the sea of faces on a block-day and get the impression that the class would rather be shoveling coal into the bottom of the Titanic than doing the activity we put together, but those are learning experiences. I want so badly for everyone to be infatuated with the program the way I am, but I’ve come to realize it’s not something I can force. At a certain point, all I can do is just keep promoting the work-hard/play-hard mentality that drew me in.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it; I disliked a lot of aspects of my high school experience.

Quite frankly, high school sucks. There’s a lot of things I won’t miss about Redwood, but I will miss Bark because the awe-inspiring staff (staff I love you with my entire heart, you make my world go round) I have found has taught me that you can be loved and respected, you can be a successful leader and also have a good time. And for a cynical, sarcastic girl, that’s really special.

español

Página 9

Dando un último adiós a los seniors de ELD: Q&A Por Mika Beberman

Madu Vidal: Madu Vidal se mudó aquí de Minas Gerais, Brasil, un estado cerca de la costa, en su tercer año de la escuela secundaria. Hace dos años que es parte del programa de ELD. Ahora, es una ayudante del profesor para la clase y toma el ELD Academic Workshop. Recientemente, recibió su certificado de fluidez en inglés.

Q: ¿Qué vas a hacer después de graduarte?

A: Voy a ir al Colegio de Marin. Quiero cumplir mi educación general y ser profesora de escuela secundaria… Realmente, quiero ser una maestra de ELD… La señora McCrea es mi inspiración y trabaje en un jardín de infancia en Brasil también y a mi le gusta mucho. También durante el verano me quedo aquí como ayudante del profesor a un jardín de infancia en Tiburon.

Siento que es mi pasión.

Q: ¿Cuál es tu parte preferida de Redwood?

A: Voy a decir algo que no tenemos en Brasil y absolutamente desearía que tuviéramos, que es el Wellness Center. Es tan importante de cuidar a su salud mental y no hay mucha gente que lo sabe. Yo tengo trastorno de ansiedad generalizada y luego es muy difícil para mi estar en una clase a veces. Antes de llegar a Redwood, no podía tener todo este apoyo que estoy recibiendo aquí.

Q: ¿Qué es un consejo que quieres dar a nuevos estudiantes de ELD? A: Involúcrese con la escuela. No tenga miedo; toda la gente de Redwood es genial. A mi me encanta esta escuela. Todos aquí son muy amables. Si muestra a sus maestros que está haciendo un esfuerzo para trabajar, no les va a molestar ayudarle y no debería sentirse mal pidiendo ayuda… todos necesitan ayuda en algún momento.

Elmer Vicente-Mendez: Hace dos años que Elmer Vicente-Mendez está en el programa de ELD en Redwood. Se mudó aquí en Marin de Quetzaltenango en Guatemala, como Reyes. Cuando llegó a los E.E.U.U, la clase de ELD le ayuda a adaptarse al choque cultural y con interactuar con nuevas personas.

Para el momento, no tiene planos, porque se enfoque en mejorar su inglés.

Q: ¿Qué vas a hacer después de graduarte?

A: Pienso a ir al Colegio de Marin y aprender como tener un trabajo de auto body shop… me gusta trabajar con los carros.

Q: ¿Si pudieras cambiar algo de su experiencia a Redwood, qué cambiarías?

A: Cambiaría mi forma de pensar, de como llegar hacia los demás… como pensar en un futuro más importante. No hablo bien el inglés. Entonces, cambiaría mi pensamiento de solo pensar en puro ingles. Yo creo que con [esta mentalidad], llegare a un futuro hablando bien el inglés.

Q: Qué es un consejo que quieres dar a nuevos estudiantes de ELD? A: Un consejo le daría a los estudiantes de ELD que especialmente las personas que vienen de Centroamérica tanto como Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras [es]… sé que nosotros venimos de estos países y no sabemos cómo hablar en inglés. Le aconsejo que se dejen llevar con la persona quien le brinda el apoyo, que no le dejen, porque es muy importante. Si se dejan llevar por la persona quien le está ayudando, mejorará su inglés.

Oliver Reyes: Oliver Reyes se mudó aquí de Quetzaltenango cuando era estudiante de segundo año de escuela secundaria. Fue a Terra Linda High School, donde empezó a participar en el programa de ELD. Al principio, fue difícil adaptarse a la cultura estadounidense y aprender un nuevo idioma.

Pero, cuando vino a Redwood su tercer año y siguió el programa de ELD, sus habilidades mejoraron.

Q: Qué vas a hacer después de graduarte?

A: Voy a ir al Colegio de Marin. Quiero transferirme a UC Berkeley porque quiero seguir arquitectura.

De pequeño, me ha gustado ver como construyen las casas o como hacen los planos de las casas. También quiero estudiar eso porque quiero ayudar a mucho más inmigrantes.

Q: ¿Si pudieras cambiar algo de su experiencia a Redwood, qué cambiarías?

A: Que [la gente de Redwood] hicieran actividades más sociales. A las personas de aquí, de Redwood, fueron a socializar más con las personas de ELD para que nosotros nos sintamos más parte de Redwood o que nosotros estemos expuestos más a la “spirit” de la escuela, ayudarnos a entender más la cultura.

Q: ¿Qué es un consejo que quieres dar a nuevos estudiantes de ELD? A: Que están más envueltos en las actividades de Redwood, porque van a salir adelante y porque si tal vez tienen más oportunidades de conocer a nuevas personas y adaptarse a la cultura más rápido… [Tambien] si ELD pueda creer su propio club, porque usualmente todos los de ELD van a un community college y no debería ser así. Siento que las mismas oportunidades que tienen los estudiantes de Redwood pueden tener los de ELD. mbeberman@redwoodbark.org

feature

Page 10

Do UC the disparity? Analyzing UC acceptance rates

By Lauren Steele

“I had always imagined that growing up I would be able to go to a UC,” senior Elliette Willes said.

“Not only do we pay the taxes for the UC system, but I always pictured myself being able to get in because I am a hardworking student and I have pretty decent grades.”

Willes, who sent applications to six University of California (UC) schools this past fall, found herself shocked after receiving a rejection letter from every single campus she applied to, considering her aboveaverage grades.

After the shock of these initial rejections, Willes later appealed to UC Santa Barbara and was accepted.

The appeals program is separate from the standard admissions procedure, and any student declined admission from a UC has the right to submit an appeal. However, according to UC’s website, “admission decisions are rarely reversed.”

The UC’s Common Data Set showed that UC Berkeley and UC Los Angeles (UCLA) each received upwards of 1000 appeals, and only accepted 30 and 34 of those students, respectively.

Admission to the nine UC undergraduate campuses has grown increasingly competitive in recent years, according to UC’s website. With a quick glance at the numbers, it appears that the UC system favors out-ofstate applicants over their own residents––despite California legislation designed to prevent this exact situation.

Eight of the nine UC undergraduate campuses (all but Berkeley) have lower in-state acceptance rates than out-of-state. UCLA, for example, admitted only 12 percent of its in-state applicants, compared to 22 percent of those out-of-state for the 2019-2020 school year, according to UC’s website.

Senior Sydney Segal applied to five UC schools.

She was rejected from UCLA and waitlisted at the other four, despite her strong academic profile.

“I think it definitely hurts you applying from instate, because I thought that I would get into at least one UC, given my stats and grades and extracurriculars,” Segal said.

An out-of-state student pays on average nearly $30,000 more in tuition than an in-state student, according to UC’s website, which gives the UC campuses a financial incentive to accept more out-ofstate students.

“I feel that it was a disadvantage living instate, because for a lot of the people that they take from out-of-state, they're making more money off of those students,” Willes said.

According to The Atlantic, state funding cuts in recent years have forced UC institutions to rely more heavily on tuition revenue, leading them to favor out-of-state students who pay higher rates to attend.

So, are financial reasons the sole cause for UC’s lower in-state acceptance rates?

Well, not exactly.

Sarah McBride, Media and Communications Strategist for the UC Office of the President (the headquarters of all 10 UC campuses), offered a possible explanation for the lower in-state percentages.

“While it may appear that some campuses have higher non-resident acceptance rates, UC receives a much larger number of in-state applications, which has increased steadily over the past 10 years,” McBride said.

“Higher acceptance rates also may not lead to a higher proportion of out-of-state students, as California residents enroll at much higher rates than non-resident students.”

Furthermore,

there is a program intended to eliminate this kind of bias toward out-of-state students.

Under the state’s Master Plan for Higher Education passed in 1960, all graduating California residents ranked in the top nine percent of their eligible high school (under the Eligibility in the Local Context program) or the top nine percent of the state are guaranteed admission as a freshman to one of the UC’s campuses. The ELC program allows California high schools to work in conjunction with the UC system to create UC eligibility requirements specific to their school.

To be accepted under the ELC program, students must be California residents attending a participating high school. They must complete 11 UC-approved courses by the beginning of their senior year, (more information can be found on UC’s website) and they must have a GPA that meets or exceeds the school’s benchmark GPA. These benchmarks are set using transcript data from past years to determine a cutoff tailored to that specific school for the top 9 percent of their senior class, according to UC’s website. These transcripts are compiled through collaboration with local UC representatives and counselors from high schools participating in the ELC program.

The program was originally established to place greater

pressure on UCs to enroll more in-state students, but there is a loophole. While students in the top nine percent are granted acceptance to one UC campus, that campus may not be their first choice or even a campus they applied to. The UC website states, “ELC students who complete these requirements but are not admitted to a campus they apply to will be offered admission to another campus if space is available.”

Willes was accepted to one UC under this program, though she didn’t apply there.

“They did offer me a position at UC Riverside, but I just personally don't want to go there,” Willes said. “I think for me it would be more worth it to go to [a different] college than to go to a school where I wouldn't be happy and wouldn't like where I am.”

Many California students have found themselves applying to out-of-state schools as a result of the low instate acceptance rates at UC campuses. About 40,000 California high school graduates left the

state for a four-year college in 2016, nearly double the 22,000 who left in 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Nearby Arizona State University, for example, has increased its enrollment of California students by more than 200 percent since 2002. Similarly, 14 percent of Oregon State University’s freshman enrollment was made up of California students in 2018, an increase of 11 percent in the last decade.

Despite more out-of-state college enrollment, UCs still receive high rates of applications from in-state students, which is evident among Redwood students.

In an April Bark survey, 63 percent of students selfreported that they planned to or did apply to at least one UC campus. The streamlined application process allows students to apply to multiple or even all UC campuses with one application. This convenience, coupled with the distinguished reputation of the UCs, leads to an extremely high number of in-state applicants.

The lower tuition for in-state students also contributes to large amounts of applicants. Thirty-five percent of Redwood students reported that they would need to get financial aid to attend college. The more in-state applicants, the lower the overall acceptance rate for California students. Even with more in-state students applying, the UCs still admit a high number of out-of-state residents, which consequently decreases the in-state acceptance rate.

As a result of these lower acceptance rates, many students have found themselves waitlisted at a UC. Segal, who was initially waitlisted at UC Berkeley, submitted a letter expressing her interest in the school. She was later accepted and will be attending UC Berkeley in the fall. According to UC Berkeley’s website, 20 to 60 percent of students who accept a spot on the waitlist are ultimately admitted.

Both Segal and Willes offered similar advice for future college applicants.

“I would encourage people who really are dedicated to the UC system and have always thought that they wanted to go there to still look at other schools,” Willes said.

“Apply to a lot of schools,” Segal said, “Because you never know what [admissions officers] are

lsteele@redwoodbark.org

Page 11 • Feature

www.redwoodbark.org

Close relationships create connected counseling

By Melissa Block and Julia Scharf In the next three years, Redwood’s school population is projected to grow from 1,800 to approximately 2,000 students. While the influx of students will have many positive effects on the Redwood community, such as more talented athletes to participate in sports, there are also a number of concerns that will have to be addressed. Among those concerns is increased pressure on the three counseling departments. They will be required to adjust their services to meet the needs of more students without a proportional increase in their own resources, like staff members for the counseling department.

Since it’s not feasible to increase the resources provided due to the recent budget cuts and the ratio-of-students-tocounselors policy in place, an evaluation of how those resources are distributed is helpful in ensuring that the counseling departments are still effective and useful to students.

Counselor Tami Wall, who

serving students for purposes beyond her job description.

“You sort of begin to build a reputation and so I think students feel comfortable coming to me, more so than ever before. I deal with a lot more personal things with students as well,” Heimbrodt said.

At any given time during the school day, the College and Career Center is likely to have a handful of students scattered around the room. Whether they are meeting with Heimbrodt or just relaxing at the tables with their

friends, students are always welcome to enjoy the comfortable that has worked at environment Redwood for the past 18 years, believes Heimbrodt fosters that the effectiveness of the system is in her room. Senior Basonreliant on students following the outline Davis properly, meaning they contact their Mitchell has noted supportive counselor first with any problem or how question before looking elsewhere for Heimbrodt has been through his time in help.

“In general, the school counselor is high school.

“The first day I the first point of contact––we are the point person for four years. Meg [Heimbrodt, ever came in here, College and Career specialist,] is I said I was trying awesome but there are different tasks to go to college. for each grade level; it’s not like she’s The next day she staying with the same students for four emailed me a list of 25 colleges years,” Wall said.

Students are introduced to counselors with great art during their freshman year, and then only d e p a r t m e n t s . so see them for their junior year meeting if She’s and they don’t request additional individual incredible timing meetings at other times during the four her amazing,” years. This makes students responsible is for taking the initiative to set up meetings Bason-Mitchell if they have questions or concerns, said.

Despite it not according to Wall.

“I do think for a large public school necessarily being [the counseling system] assumes self- a part of her description, advocacy. That is the size and pace of this job environment. It’s not that we don’t reach Heimbrodt enjoys out. We do, but how would we know supporting her students in whatever way that something’s going on for [a student] they need.

“I would classify myself as one of unless they let us know?” Wall said. those trusted Another adults on counselor on campus who’s campus is different Heimbrodt, than your w h o counselor. My oversees relationship students in is more like all grade coming to a levels. She friend than provides a counselor. specific A counselor resources might talk for applying you through to college, something finding local or solve a jobs and problem with exploring you, whereas interests.

Meg Heimbrodt, I might just As she is college and career specialist be a listening responsible b o a r d , ” for assisting Heimbrodt all students, said. her role is Heimbrodt believes that students may intentionally more specialized. Unlike the academic counselors who can be choose a particular counselor on campus approached for a myriad of reasons, over another because of the counselor’s Heimbrodt’s role is intended to be limited unique approach or ability to help.

“I do think it’s a personality thing. You to only topics concerning the college process and career inquiries. However, either hit it off or you don’t, and that’s in actuality, Heimbrodt finds herself what’s tricky about being assigned a school

I would classify myself as one of those trusted adults on campus who’s different than your counselor. My relationship is more like coming to a friend.

counselor. If you are getting counseling outside of school you might try one or two counselors before you find the right fit, so it’s a relationship thing,” Heimbrodt said.

Senior Achinthya Poduval is one of the many students who worked closely with Heimbrodt during his college application process, and in his experience, he connected more with her than his primary counselor.

For Poduval, Heimbrodt serves as an adult mentor, and their relationship goes beyond that of a surface level college counselor.

“My regular counselor is a really cool guy, but I don’t have an emotional connection with him. With Meg, I can talk to her about anything outside of college too, just like a good friend,” Poduval said.

Poduval’s personal connection with Heimbrodt exemplifies how students may choose a different counselor besides their primary one for support.

Illustration by Melissa Block

bark

Additionally, Poduval believes that there is a certain perception about seeking help from the Wellness Center, which discourages students from utilizing it as a resource for emotional counseling.

“I think the Wellness Center is a little stigmatized. One of my friends was heavily depressed and she didn’t even want to go in [to Wellness] because she thought her friends would look down upon her, even though I wouldn’t have,” Poduval said.

The potential negative connotation associated with seeking emotional support from the Wellness Center complicates relationships with the counseling departments on campus. Students are not utilizing each of the three branches for the purpose they serve because they may not feel comfortable, according to Poduval. Because all counselors have the necessary skills to offer support to students, the lines separating the three departments and their unique services become blurred.

Senior Greg Dachtler has not used the Wellness Center as a support system as much as he’s utilized his counselor, Lynne Kennedy, to provide him with one-onone attention. Transitioning to Redwood, he needed to meet with her in order to discuss his Tourette syndrome and how to develop a plan for accommodations in the high school environment.

“She was super helpful in that respect and coordinating everything, in helping me deal with [the administration], teachers and smoothing out that transition period,” Dachtler said.

Dachtler has gone to Kennedy anytime he’s needed additional help or questions answered.

“I would almost always go and peak in her door and say ‘Hey, do you have a second?’ Mostly about class schedules and college, she was super helpful in that way,” Dachtler said.

As many students expressed, the immediate connection and comfort a student feels with a counselor plays a large role in their decision to return for more support. It becomes crucial for them to reach out to the different counselors on campus, whether it’s the Wellness Center, College and Career Center or their individual counselor, as each provides a different set of resources and the potential for a relationship for that student. bark@redwoodbark.org

ALABAMA Auburn University Kylie Beckham

Timothy Koen Oliver Lewis Benjamin Magana Brian O’Donnell ARIZONA Oliver Reyes Arizona State University Gabriel Rocha Derek Bindels Tyler Villarreal Jack Colicci Feather River College Shane Fricke Kate Benjamin Northern Arizona University Loyola Marymount Michael Eisenbarth University Anders Kettunen James Akashi University of Arizona Sydney Pigott Lily Cohen Menlo College Zach Gordon Sophia Shemano Bryce Jehling Napa Valley College Ryan Jessen Brandon Radu Leo Rawlinson Occidental College Vincent Salama Joshua Menting Mitchell Zucker San Diego State University Christian Abella CALIFORNIA Anna Compagno Cal Poly Pomona Elizabeth Gardner Oscar Rausis Sachi Nahas Helen Schwartz Lucas Pollock Grace Scott Ella Spaethling Cal Poly San Luis Obispo San Francisco State Alex Aguero University Makenzie Allen John Sorensen Eloisa Costa San Jose State University Miles Dean Kathleen Gao Gus Evans Lauren Smart Haiden Jones Santa Barbara City College Nathan Kim Michael Acquistapace Rachel Kimball Michael Blum Taylor Leslie Ulysse Bouju Sophia Margulies Sam Martinez Cole Miller Jake Mathews Behzad Kyle Muntazir Carmen Monroe Watts Joe Peck Santa Clara University Cole Rehm Zoe Baumbach Baylor Rembrandt Nicola Coates Ely Selden Luke Elders Talis Stockton Xandie Hvistendahl Isabel Talke Clare MacMillin Alison Vela Lucy Robbins Vanessa Veto Kristin Tong Cal State Fullerton Santa Rosa Junior College Leela Dembowski Diego Clavijo Cal State Long Beach Sonoma State University Calvin Karner Blanca Maria Jose William Schultz Fernandez Roque Cal State Monterey Bay William Johnstone Devin Delaney Stanford University Chapman University Liam Anderson Sabina Bacino UC Berkeley Ryan Bell Greg Dachtler Aurelie Blanadet Catie Duys Justin Newhard Sydney Hilbush Tor Parawell Tanya Jain Harrison Segal Amanda Morse Micaela Wilcox Katherine Muller Theo Wood Saamya Mungamuru Chico State University Austin Patel Murun Batjargal Alexandra Santas Lily Derecktor Gaul Sydney Segal Keith Parker UC Davis Emily Singerman Kotone Berreman Claremont Mckenna College Diana Bourke Alexis Gero Lena Cullen College of Marin Prayosha Daraji Dylan Anderson Olivia Greenberg Diana Arias Chavez Jessica Jones Adam Barker Sabine Lloyd Giorgio Caldera Alex Neupauer Joshua Colety Rachel Nielsen William Collins Lindsey Papuc Richard Dunlap Tallon Scarpa Thomas Durtschi UC Irvine Luciano Faria Irvin Safavi Cian Gallagher Ulla Wilcox Evakareena Geitheim UC Los Angeles Milo Gillies Jackson Barry Diego Hernandez Bella Bertaud Owen Hinshaw Isabel Dawson Ariana Jonas Racquel Fox Tenzing Kalsang Haley Johnson

Jonathan Kasday Nathaniel Kuffner Achinthya Poduval Sydney Rogan Emily Sweet Luca Traverso Lex Von Klark Devon Whelpley Madeline Wolfson UC Merced Angela George UC San Diego Keelie Chapman Jason Morris Aryanka Thaker

UC Santa Barbara Jackson Bender Kyle Felder Ethan Kim Lia Gubau Llibre Alexandra McGregor Ella Morrison Alison Schwartz Elliette Willes Robbie Wilson Lucas Wong UC Santa Cruz Gabriel Da Silva Keaton Ferguson Ryan Klaner-Glennon David Klopukh Cameron Sam Nicola Shanks Josephine Yee University of Redlands Carl Valdes University of San Diego Anthony Alioto Natalie Cerf University of Southern California Grace Fried Harri Hetrick Britney Klein Erik Simonson

class o

Graphics by Max Gilb Data organization by Dean G Data collection by the Co

CANADA McGill University Delilah Mittermaier University of British Columbia Katherine Hemphill Jack Suchodolski University of Toronto Anna O’Brien COLORADO Colorado State University Hunter Bueman University of Colorado Boulder Talia Ben Shaul Lauren Canepa Paris Dong Samuel Jackson Belle Johnston Philip Knott Charlie Marks James McCulloch Blake Noyes Olivia Spalding Lulu Stringer University of Denver Nicholas Battelle

ENGLAND King’s College London Owen Hering FLORIDA University of Florida Jack Berkowitz FRANCE American University of Paris Mary Conner GAP YEAR William Hardister Julia Merron Diana Sunderland GEORGIA Emory University Matthew Scruton Savannah College of Art and Design William Ethridge University of Georgia Lily Baldwin

of 2019

berg and Emily Sweet Griffin and Katherine Muller ollege and Career Center

MAINE Bates College Sultan Hashmi Colby College Genki LeClair MASSACHUSETTS Amherst College Nathaniel Mosse Boston College Benjamin Pontious Boston University Michele Minami Madeline Stull Ben Sweet Harvard College Sarah Noble

Sam Warren The New School Yanai Perry NEW ZEALAND University of Otago Elizabeth Roper NORTH CAROLINA Duke University Rivca Chaver Elon University Lucie James Weston Porter University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Leo Collins Wake Forest University Erin McCarthy NORTH DAKOTA University of North Dakota Robert Searles OHIO Case Western Reserve University Charles Bowes Miami University Simone Mardell OKLAHOMA University of Oklahoma Joseph Mulcahy

Northeastern University Lauren Conrow John Duncan Gabriela Romero Simmons University Margaret Robison Tufts University Chloe Holder Madeleine Pero MICHIGAN Michigan State University Sydney Reed University of Michigan Ann Arbor Max Diaz Mackenzie Kenneally Jacob Klionsky Jack Parsons Dean Watson

GERMANY WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management Marie Parche HAWAII University of Hawaii Manoa Megan Flaherty Jacey Suther

Carly Desin Hannah Reidy Jared Robinow Samuel Seifer Mary Tarantino IOWA Cornell College Skylar Vos

IDAHO Boise State University Matthew Pollock

ITALY Instituo Europeo di Design Jade Fleishhacker

ILLINOIS Northwestern University Lori Gerstenfeld Neva Legallet Kaitlin McGrath School of the Art Institute of Chicago Jamieson Thomas

KENTUCKY University of Kentucky Allana Baker

INDIANA Indiana University Bloomington

LOUISIANA Louisiana State University Owen Henderson Damien Moreno Loyola University New Orleans Elisabeth Tietze

MONTANA Montana State University Bozeman Parker Canby Charles Werner NEW HAMPSHIRE Dartmouth College Kalani Caindec NEW JERSEY Drew University Avery Lodish Princeton University Cutter Dawes NEW YORK Cornell University Julia Scharf William Zec New York University Sofia Perozzi Olivia Ray Jenny Walker Sarah Lawrence College Jackson Beer Syracuse University Nathan Charles McKenna McGonigle

OREGON Lewis & Clark College Gabriela Beltran Claire Champommier Oregon State University Nicholas Johnson Portland State University Spencer Ferguson Southern Oregon University Kelsey Middleton University of Oregon Meghan Anglin Davis Bason-Mitchell Lily Billimek Avery Briggs Katherine Chuang Sarah Dougherty Jack Gerson Dean Griffin Zoe Hardister Freddie Kehoe Amelia Kennedy Niklas Korn Devon McClain Tillie Moore Amy Nielsen Alexis Nunez Miranda Overson Matthew Phipps Makaela Ures University of Portland Emma Fuller Willamette University Nathaniel Block PENNSYLVANIA Bucknell University Jack Hake Lafayette College Abigail Key Lehigh University Olivia Kallmeyer Pennsylvania State University Grace Milan POST-GRAD YEAR Zachary Thoma RHODE ISLAND Salve Regina University Isabella Botas

SCOTLAND University of St. Andrews William Detels Caroline Plocki SOUTH CAROLINA University of South Carolina Alena Larson Caroline Marlowe Caroline Zech SPAIN University of Barcelona Luis Schmidt Minestrelli TENNESSEE Belmont University Miles Squiers University of Tennessee Nina Cinelli Vanderbilt University Mathilde Caindec TEXAS Southern Methodist University Blake Miller Texas Christian University Olivia Cooke Daisy Dalzell-Piper Joseph Mellberg Jake Nordstrom Alexander Peters Sutter Portner Anna Runnfeldt Texas Tech University William Arensmeyer University of Texas at San Antonio Tucker Billimek VERMONT University of Vermont Connell Phillipps VIRGINIA Hampton University Zachary Agenbroad University of Virginia Kathryn Treene WASHINGTON Gonzaga University Aidan Chrisley Sarah La Carrubba Seattle Pacific University Lydia Huizenga University of Puget Sound Zachary Werner University of Washington Georgia Bennett Robert Buchanan Max Gilberg Stephen Gould Nicole Strub Theodora Tuomey Zachary Wood Meera Srinivasan Washington State University Emily Meyer Whitman College Amira Jain WASHINGTON D.C. American University Sophia Lindsay WISCONSIN University of Wisconsin Madison Melissa Block Eli Ganong Justin Neustaetter Nicole Notter Karl Somerville Cole Zesiger

bark

Page 14 • Feature

May 31, 2019

review

Page 15

FOUR YEARS IN ENTERTAINMENT

By Anna Compagno and Amanda Morse

Freshman

Sophomore

Narcos

13 Reasons Why

Based on the rise and reign of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, a self-made billionaire through the production and distribution of cocaine, “Narcos” was soon a popular hit with the student body.

The show captivated audiences globally and appealed to thrill-seeking teenagers, such as us. Although the show depicted a lifestyle polar opposite to that of Marin, it soon grew to become one of the most iconic shows freshman year.

TV SHOWS

Given that “13 Reasons Why” was filmed just around the corner from Redwood, the show was the talk of the town, and hit close to home as the sets were so recognizable. The story of Hannah Baker intrigued almost all teens, while also sparking controversy for its graphic plot lines. Based on the concept of suicide in high school, teens gained more knowledge about serious topics while also fueling their Netflix addictions.

It’s undeniable that Beauty Behind the Madness was the Weeknd’s first breakout album due to the fact the album won a Grammy, Billboard Music Award and American Music Award. From tracks such as “Often,” “Earned It” and “The Hills,” that incorporate slow, hard-hitting beats to the uplifting bop “Can’t Feel My Face,” this album carried us through our freshman year. To this day, the Weeknd continues to add to his plethora of songs but will always be defined by his first debut album.

Game of Thrones

Following the release of the highgrossing season one, sci-fi TV show “Stranger Things” season two soon became one of the most binged shows on campus. It’s mix of crime and ‘80s-inspired production throughout season one left viewers on the edge of their seats awaiting the second season. Now, viewers are anxiously awaiting the third season and wondering how the shadow monster will continue to impose on their lives.

“Game of Thrones” (GOT) has been around since 2011, but every year it seems to increase in popularity. For those who never hopped on the GOT bandwagon, people cannot help but roll their eyes at the memes and reactions that fill up their Twitter and Instagram feeds when a new episode is released, but for those who consider themselves “Thronees,” this show may be the best to come around in the past four years we’ve been in high school.

Courtesy of Spotify

Courtesy of Netflix

With his unique flow and vocal complexity, it was no wonder Chance the Rapper’s album “Coloring Book” would exceed listeners’ expectations. When it was released, the album made its debut on top charts and was recognized by Rolling Stone Magazine. Chance the Rapper also relates to the more nostalgic side of life with songs such as “Summer Friends” with lyrics such as “Some friends just stay, stay around” that can become extremely relatable as seniors step into the next part of their lives.

Courtesy of Spotify

Whip & Nae Nae

Mannequin Challenge

Even though it soon became the most annoying dance of the year, the classic Whip and Nae Nae are arguably two of the most well-known contemporary dance crazes. “Watch Me” somehow made it on the aux no matter how many times it was overplayed. These moves became the goto party moves for most going into their freshman year and still seem to find a way to stick around. To this day people can’t help but bust out a little Whip or Nae Nae whenever this song comes on.

Courtesy of Youtube

Senior

Stranger Things

MUSIC Beauty Behind the Madness Coloring Book - Chance the Rapper The Weeknd Courtesy of Netflix

Junior

Courtesy of Netflix

Courtesy of HBO

Culture II - Migos

Scorpion - Drake

Although at first it was debatable whether or not “Culture II” lived up to the hype, the songs featured on this album were soon played at parties and through speakers of cars at lunch. Even infrequent listeners were able to appreciate this trio’s trademark flow that was perfectly complemented by the background beat. Due to their catchy ad-libs scattered throughout each song along with their unique “Migos Flow,” it wasn’t long before songs like “Gang Gang” and “Narcos” were being blasted on repeat.

We all know the song “In My Feelings” as it sparked what became arguably one of the most viral social media dance challenges. Drake never fails to please his listeners, and this album was no exception.

This album with songs such as “Nonstop” and “God’s Plan” hit all of the right notes.

It was inevitable that “Scorpion” would become the album of the year, and it did just that.

DANCES

Courtesy of Spotify

Courtesy of Spotify

JUJU On The Beat

In My Feelings

Whether it was in a classroom, in the locker rooms, at a sports practice or at a party with friends, the mannequin challenge took social media by storm.

Becoming popular after Rae Sremmurd’s song “Black Beatles,” it’s a mystery who started this challenge, but it soon flooded our Instagram feeds. From professional sports teams to famous celebrities to even local families, many students continue on with this trend and couldn’t help but share it on social media.

From Tik Toks to Trillers to Snapchat stories and Instagram videos, this dance challenge instantly became a massive viral internet sensation. Arguably the most complicated out of these four trends, students couldn’t help but want to memorize it. The song took five minutes to make, according to the artists, Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall, yet is one of the most viral dance challenges of all-time.

“Kiki, do you love me?” These five words marked the beginning to a viral trend that blew up Instagram and all other social media platforms. All it took was a camera, a slow-moving car and an aux cord with “In My Feelings” ready in the queue. When writing the song, artist Drake really didn’t know just how much love Kiki would get, but Kiki soon became the talk of the town for most social media users.

Courtesy of Youtube

Courtesy of Vice News

bark@redwoodbark.org

Courtesy of Youtube

May 31, 2019 bark Page 16• Review The best songs to help reminisce on the last days as a Redwood Giant

By Aaron Kim

Whether it be a terrible test score or the end of a rocky relationship, we have all experienced moments of sadness through high school. For seniors, in a time of exhilarating highs with thoughts of endless adventures in the near future, it is often hard to conceptualize the toll leaving for college may have on one’s emotions. Departing on their post-high school journeys might evoke feelings of nostalgia and distress for seniors leaving behind their friends, families and a sense of belonging. To turn these mixed emotions into a playlist, I have compiled five songs that are guaranteed to withdraw the cathartic cry that signifies the end of the high school era.

THE EAGLES: I DREAMED THERE WAS NO WAR

Written and beautifully sung by the late rapper XXXTENTACION, “changes” is a depressing two-minute song that depicts the harsh reality of what separation truly feels like. Although the song is centered around losing a partner, the emotions are still applicable to anybody who is missing someone, whether that be family or friends. The song itself, because of its content and electronic backings, is quite unconventional and has the potential to cause feelings from unexplored areas of one’s emotions.

THE HEAD AND THE HEART: RIVERS AND ROADS

KHALID: 8TEEN

WIZ KHALIFA (FT. CHARLIE PUTH): SEE YOU AGAIN

Photo Courtesy of Spotify

Photo Courtesy of Spotify

Photo Courtesy of Youtube

Dedicated to and based on the death of actor Paul Walker, “See You Again” is by far the most emotional, heart-wrenching song on this list. Through an elegant combination of Charlie Puth’s moving vocals contrasted with the deep, nonconventional flow of Wiz Khalifa, the two artists masterfully convey emotions associated with separation, something high school graduates will soon feel. Khalifa’s fast-paced and upbeat lyrics, such as “good things we’ve been through” and “we loved to hit the road and laugh” draw out happy and reminiscent feelings while Puth’s slower, emotional vocals create a feeling of sadness.

One of the most underrated songs from one of the most popular bands of all time, “I Dreamed There Was No War” often goes unnoticed as it is only a one-and-a-half minute song that consists solely of a guitar solo paired with a violin. Thoughtfully crafted with a varied tempo, “I Dreamed There Was No War” is a great option for those looking for something a little less depressing, yet still emotional. The change in tempo from slow to fast not only pleases the listener sonically, but also represents the ups and downs experienced through high school. Despite its lack of vocals and instrumental variation, the song meets and exceeds standards of what one should look for when reminiscing about high school.

XXXTENTACION: CHANGES

Photo Courtesy of Pitchfork

Although “8TEEN” initially may seem like a positive, uplifting song due to its upbeat tone, listening to the song before leaving high school can create an entirely different meaning only applicable to graduating seniors. In lyrics such as “shake away all the stress off my shoulders,” “let’s do all the stupid sh*t that young kids do” and “yeah I’ve made mistakes,” Khalid depicts the life as a teenager through connections to stress, carefree attitudes, mistakes and fun. Listening to the song evokes memories of late nights, stupid decisions and unforgettable experiences, creating a feeling of nostalgia for friends and the enduring memories shared with them.

Photo Courtesy of Spotify

Written and sung by indie funk group The Head and the Heart “Rivers and Roads” is quite literally the most relevant and bitter song for high-school students months away from attending college or exploring a post-high school path. With lines such as “all our friends will move away” and “my family lives in a different state,” the song depicts the emotions and thoughts connected to leaving home, a world of familiarity. Aside from its relevance, the song itself is truly a masterpiece. Nothing more than two guitars and two perfectly paired voices, the song validates that simplicity is key.

Because of its simplicity, the song radiates a raw, heartfelt feeling that few songs are able to accomplish.

These songs act not only as a way to cope with your sadness but also as a reminder of the harsh reality that is in the near future. A new life is ahead for seniors whether they’re willing to accept it or not, and leaving loved ones behind has the possibility to be a depressing, nerveracking experience. Allow these songs to make you reminisce over your high school experience, while also remaining optimistic about your exciting future

akim@redwoodbark.org

Tyler the Creator reveals personal journey with new album ‘IGOR’

By Meera Srinivasan Following his 2017 album “Flower Boy,” Tyler the Creator’s newest creative vision “IGOR” features a series of titles that encapsulate his newfound wild energy.

Out of the twelve songs in “IGOR,” there is something for everyone—a summery smash hit, alternative titles for those with a more niche music taste as well as less traditional but equally catchy songs. “IGOR” is Tyler the Creator’s personal awakening as he establishes his unique style within the music community. His quirky, confident nature shines through in every track, lending itself to an intimate experience between the listener and artist.

Opening the album is the ominous “IGOR’S THEME” where a bass-heavy drum beat dominates the introduction.

The inclusion of a preliminary track was an important step in making this album flow like a story; with every song you are taken through a journey of love and life. “IGOR’S THEME” is no exception. The first moments of the song are off-putting and feel incomplete due to a single, abrasive synth playing for 20 seconds. However, as the track progresses, the kick and subtle synth changes make it hard to turn off. Tyler’s light, airy vocals laid atop the simple beat create a satisfying, calming sound. The outro of “IGOR’S THEME” is reminiscent of Kanye West’s 2013 Album, “Yeezus,” which is known for its “organized chaos.”

“IGOR”’s introductory track is followed by the album’s most consumer-friendly song, “EARFQUAKE.” Its consistent bass and chorus of “don’t leave, it’s my fault” create a mellow aura that’s easy to listen to. Despite the tune’s meticulous production, it falls short in terms of

its lyrics with vague, meaningless vocabulary that keeps it in line with mainstream trends. Only a few stanzas long, the lyrics are repetitive and fail to add much to the album. However, the best part of “EARFQUAKE” is its midsection which features a unique break in the chorus for a much-needed interjection of Playboi Carti’s unconventional vocals. Carti’s raspy, animated voice cuts in as he perfectly and ridiculously adds character to the track.

“I THINK,” my personal favorite, goes back to basics in a beautiful harmony between Solange’s smooth vocals and Tyler’s unique sound that mimics early 2000s hip hop.

The first minute produces a sound similar to Kanye West’s early album, “Late Registration.” Solange’s pleading voice adds a somber tone to the track as it progresses; the contrast between her vocals early in the song and towards the end creates a feeling of relief.

“IGOR” maintains a flawless balance between a variety of styles and sounds; from the arpeggiator in “RUNNING OUT OF TIME” to the bouncy bass of “PUPPET,” each track manages to feel interconnected. The result is an album that moves like a story and culminates into Tyler’s new persona.

The unsettling, somewhat strange production of “WHAT’S GOOD” and “NEW MAGIC WAND” give us a break from the calmer, more summery tracks on the album. “WHAT’S GOOD”’s inclusion of a pink-panther style piano sample gives the hard-hitting lyrics a lighter tone. Both tracks add a quick, sporadic quality to the album, revealing Tyler’s topsy-turvy emotional journey in this release.

Although “IGOR” does not boast “Flower Boy” power

to transform and transfix its listeners in the mind-boggling way it did, it succeeds in garnering a wider fan base for Tyler. Features from Playboi Carti, Solange and Kanye draw in a larger audience yet still preserve Tyler’s creative vision.

Photo Courtesy of Pitchfork

WRITTEN, PRODUCED AND arranged by Tyler the Creator, ‘IGOR’ was released on May 17, 2019. msrinivasan@redwoodbark.org

lifestyles

Page 17

Redwood’s

N.B.T.

Next BIG Thing

Betsy Tietze

By Eislyn Snyder

Aidan Reese

Photo by Eislyn Snyder

Photo by Eislyn Snyder

STRUMMING ON HER guitar, senior Betsy Tietze plays a song with a classmate outside of the music classroom.

As a restless 4-year-old, senior Betsy Tietze hated learning the piano. She suffered through intolerable lessons imposed by her parents, sitting still and focusing on which small finger went on which key. After finding herself bored of the piano, Tietze struck an agreement with her mom and dad that allowed her to switch to trumpet lessons, and she hasn’t stopped playing since.

Tietze is attending Loyola University in New Orleans to specialize in classical trumpet performance and hopes to partake in a symphonic band as a future career. Performing is a giving process between the musician and the audience for Tietze––one of the main reasons for her dedication to music.

“A lot of the stuff that we do is selfish. A lot of people get jobs to pay for financial things, but with music and art, it’s not really for you. It’s for the listener,” Tietze said.

“I’ve heard stories about classical pieces written in a time of somebody’s life where they were going through something hard and then somebody in the audience comes up to the composer and tells them about how it reminded [the person] of themselves. There’s a lot of connection you can have without words. It’s really powerful.”

SENIOR AIDAN REESE has performed with his band, The Inbetweens, at famous venues such as the Gilman in Berkeley.

It takes commitment to be the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of a band while still in high school, but Marin School of the Arts senior Aidan Reese is eager to rise to the occasion. As an extension of Reese’s fervor, he will be pursuing music at the Berklee College of Music in Boston this fall.

Drawing inspiration from alt-rock artists such as Mac DeMarco and The Growlers, Reese explores his musical talent alongside his band, The Inbetweens. As a former Redwood student, he continues to make his mark on the Tam District’s music scene by performing at local venues such as the American Legion Post 313. He describes his twoperson band as indie-alternative and finds the experience of playing music in front of a crowd incredibly gratifying.

“When I first played music for people, I felt this connection performing on stage.

Providing a service for the people who are paying attention to you by entertaining them with music––it’s super satisfying, it gives you a rush,” Reese said.

Songs from your forgotten elementary school iPod

By Eislyn Snyder

don’t speak –– gwen stefani viva la vida –– coldplay paper planes –– M.I.A. don’t stop the music –– rihanna halo –– beyonce where is the love –– black eyed peas empire state of mind –– alicia keys year 3000 –– jonas brothers oops! i did it again –– britney spears snow (hey oh) –– red hot chili peppers i kissed a girl –– katy perry crazy –– gnarles barkley

put your records on –– corinne bailey rae love the way you lie –– eminem, rihanna mr brightside –– the killers sk8r boi –– avril lavigne when i grow up –– the pussycat dolls love song –– taylor swift toxic –– britney spears i gotta feeling –– black eyed peas umbrella –– rihanna ft. jay z glamorous –– fergie

esnyder@redwoodbark.org

bark

Page 18 • Lifestyles

May 31, 2019

Former Redwood student’s gender transition from Lily to Miles

By Bella Roesler After living the majority of his life as an inauthentic version of himself, former Redwood student, previously known as Lily Redpath, has recently come out as transgender. He graduated Redwood in 2018 and began his transition to Miles shortly after.

IDENTITY

Redpath’s mother, Natalie Nesser, always supported Miles. She witnessed her son’s first signs of wanting to express himself as a boy. “[Miles] was about two years old when she could finally tell me that she didn’t want to wear some of the clothes that I put on her. When she was first able to verbalize that she didn’t want to wear [dresses], I didn’t really know what it meant, I just knew that she wasn’t interested in the same kinds of things as my other daughter,” Nesser said.

According to Redpath, he never identified as a girl growing up. As soon as he knew the difference between boys and girls, he embraced his masculinity.

“When I was 10 years old, Miles Redpath, whenever I would hang out with my neighbors and guy alumnus friends, I would always find a way to play a game where they would call me a boy’s name,” Redpath said. “I was always just like, ‘I’m a little boy.’ I used to say to my dad: ‘Why do you have a penis, and I don’t?’”

My sexuality became something that was really confusing.

I’ve always been with guys. I like to consider myself as open-minded, because when we met, [Miles being trans] wasn’t something that stood in the way of me liking him,” Mcleod said. “I did see him as a girl for probably the first few weeks that we were talking, but it’s hard to know unless you experiment.”

When they began dating, Mcleod started adjusting to what made herself and Redpath comfortable, in part by determining relationship labels.

“I would never say ‘girlfriend,’ because I started to know what felt uncomfortable to him. [Saying girlfriend] started to feel uncomfortable to me. I was just his person,” said Mcleod.

According to Redpath, Mcleod helped normalize his transition and accept his true identity. “[Livie] just made [the transition] feel a lot more normal. To me, in my head, it was so weird and different to be transgender,” Redpath said. “[She] just made me realize that it’s normal, and helped me accept it and be able to look at myself in the mirror and be like, ‘You’re trans.’ Before, I could never do that. She helped me a lot with getting myself to talk to my parents. I wouldn’t have done that without her.”

Mcleod experienced more bullying than Redpath during high school, as she felt easier to target. Students at Marin Academy would make fun of her and say homophobic things.

“I really think that people were more scared to go up to Miles. Having [bullying] happen to me made me be open about [myself and my relationship], and be like, ‘This is who I am.’ I don’t even know who I am in that regard. But this is us and this who we are,” Mcleod said.

Mcleod and Redpath even got excluded from MA’s main pre-prom in 2018 because students didn’t approve of Redpath.

“We went to prom, and the whole grade [at MA], a bunch of kids, were invited to this one kid’s pre-prom, and they just didn’t let us go. So we had a pre-prom with four of our friends because we were excluded and they didn’t want me there,” Redpath said. The bullying eventually subsided when Redpath came out as trans.

“After I came out, no one really f*cked with [our relationship] anymore. No one really gives [Livie] a hard time anymore,” Redpath said. “When you’re really confident about something, it starts to feel like the person who’s beating you down is losing.”

that. [The name Miles] is really comfortable. I think about [my name] a lot actually, like maybe I want to do something else. It used to be such a big deal, like, ‘What’s my name going to be?’ But now I don’t really care as long as it’s not some feminine name,” Redpath said. As a mother, Nesser had been calling Miles “Lily” for the majority of his life, and occasionally messes up.

“I slip up [with his name] a lot, and for a long time, I didn’t even notice that I made a mistake. I usually catch myself sooner now, like before I say Lily, I’ll stop and say Miles. But it’s still hard,” Nesser said.

years.

“The name was the hardest part. It’s like how are you supposed to pick that? You know, it’s like branding yourself. I had a list of names and [Miles] was always one that felt most comforting to me,” Redpath said. The reason Redpath was able to finally make a decision on “Miles” was by trying out names with Mcleod.

“I went by Liam for two weeks and I didn’t really like

being confident in yourself. Because if you’re trying to hide, [you won’t get that respect]. Don’t be afraid to be you. I’m so much happier now that I’ve done all of this.

Yeah, I get weird looks and it’s scary, but at the end of the day, who’s happier? Me being me or you judging me?”

Redpath said.

When you’re really confident about something, it starts to feel like the person who’s beating you down is losing.

SCHOOL As he entered the complicated world of middle school,

he was increasingly exposed to uncomfortable situations.

“When I was in middle school, I was always uncomfortable in the girls’ locker room and in the bathroom. You go on those trips like Gold Country and I would always get called out in the girls cabins, like, ‘Why is there a boy in here?’ Everyone was always super confused, which made me feel confused,” Redpath said.

In eighth grade, Redpath discovered the meaning of transgender by searching the internet on his iPod. He never learned about the meaning of transgender in school, even during sex education. According to Redpath, high school was challenging for him. It was a harsh environment for him to be himself, and he was too scared to begin transitioning there.

“I would be in the bathroom and people would walk in and walk out and double check the sign. I was just uncomfortable,” Redpath said. “I wish I had the courage to start transitioning in high school. Now that I have started, I always think about how it wouldn’t have been a big deal.

But my mindset back then was a lot different.”

Aside from the passive aggressive commentary, Redpath experienced one major bullying incident in art class his junior year. “[A freshman boy] would just make remarks under his breath like ‘choose your gender.’ I got so mad one day that I just beat him up. We both got suspended. That’s about the only time where it’s become an issue to the point where I felt like I had to act on it,” Redpath said.

According to Redpath, transitioning was in the back of his head through out all of his high school years. It got to the point where he was always in bad moods because he felt uncomfortable in his own skin. After graduating, he finally took control and transitioned for his own health. In January, he started taking hormones. Later, on March 1, he got top surgery, a procedure performed on the chest as part of gender reassignment.

CHOOSING THE NAME “MILES” Redpath had been thinking of potential names for two

THE MEDICAL TRANSITION “It’s been a process over the years discussing

[transitioning], talking about taking hormones, talking about top surgery. I’ve always been supportive but I was also kind of encouraging him to be a little patient because it’s something very permanent, and you’re still maturing as a person. He never wavered on [the transition process],” Nesser said.

Redpath’s mother helped find Miles an endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in hormones, as well as going to appointments with him. One of Redpath’s first steps was a consultation at UCSF’s Women’s Health Center, where his doctor is transgender herself. “[The doctor] just asked me questions, like, ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ [Trans doctors] always want to meet face-to-face, just because doctors who have been in that field of study just kind of know. They just catch the vibe,” Redpath said.

In order for insurance to cover his top surgery, Redpath had to get a letter from a therapist stating he had gender dysphoria, the condition of feeling one’s emotional and psychological identity as male or female to be opposite to one’s biological sex. Redpath went to see a therapist at a trans center called The Spahr Center, located in San Rafael.

For the duration of his recovery, Redpath couldn’t move his arms. However, starting hormones proved to be easier. At his first consultation with the doctor at UC San Francisco, he got his blood drawn and then went back a month later to start hormones. According to Redpath, the final step was making his transition known to the public.

“I posted a baby photo of myself on Instagram and changed my username. I was just like, ‘This is me now, respect it.’ I got 120 comments or something, from a bunch of my friends from high school and other people.

The best part of it was getting comments from people that I just didn’t even think would be supportive, people who I thought would’ve been weird about it. They were showing me love and support,” Redpath said.

ADVICE FROM MILES

“How you get respect from other people is by

irosler@redwoodbark.org

LOVE Graduating high school wasn’t the only thing that

motivated Redpath to transition. His girlfriend, Livie Mcleod, a senior at Marin Academy (MA), helped him make the first steps.

When Mcleod met Redpath, he was wasn’t out as transgender. They met at Mags in 2017, where they both work.

She first knew Redpath as a gay person presenting himself as a boy, which prompted her confusion.

“I was just like, ‘What pronouns do I use?’ This person seems to be expressing themself as a boy, but their name is Lily. As we got to know each other, I just got it and we started to know each other more as people,” Mcleod said.

When Mcleod became interested in Redpath, she started questioning her own sexuality. Unwilling to identify with the usual labels, she created her own.

“It was hard for me because I was like, ‘Am I bisexual?’

Photo by Bella Roesler

REDPATH’S GIRLFRIEND, LIVIE Mcleod, has been one of his main supporters throughout the entire process of his transition.

Page 19 • Lifestyles

www.redwoodbark.org

Good luck to Redwood’s retiring staff

bark

By Alexandra Polidora and Sachi Nahas

britt block drama director

“I’m a visual artist so [once I leave Redwood] I’m going to be doing a lot of visual art; Plein Air drawing, traveling, painting and living a less social life too.

[One that is] more sensitive and internal than as extroverted as you have to be as a teacher.”

marie-noelle phillips richard esteb margaret catelli applied technology teacher spanish teacher budget secretary

“I like teaching Leadership because you’re teaching them banking and reconciliation and purchase orders...

They’re eager to learn…[and] it’s pretty rewarding how [when] they start as a freshman, they’re scared, but by the time they’re seniors, they know what to do.

They are just great and become their own people and it’s fun to watch them grow.

You can tell they’re ready for college; they’re burnt out by their senior year and ready for bigger things.”

lizart lauter teacher

“I’ve learned so much on the job.

I’ve always done the basics of ceramics and painting but to get to know more of the technical aspects has taken lots of workshops and experience over time. I love the growth. The longevity that comes along with being a teacher is that you change, you aren’t doing the same thing every year.”

“I’ve never worked with a group of such talented students ever in my career. I liked the diversity at Tam but I really like the academic strength of the Redwood students: very polite, very diligent, always appreciative of what you do for them. I just really, really enjoy giving and just receiving so much from them. I’m in education for the students, not so much for the adult world.”

lovelyn sugi-louie math teacher

“I want people to remember that I was always here in high school. Many times kids took the time to come in and see me for help and it was wonderful. I tried to be available for help, and it was good that students took advantage of this to the point where students came to see me for help even after they’d had me as a teacher.”

“What I find to be very fulfilling is having students who are so engaged and so interested. They ask questions; they want to try things; they want to experiment; they want to just let themselves go wild. That is what I live for, the ideas. There’s no better time than this age to just try everything. Whether it works or doesn’t work, who cares? It’s the trying...I have some students who are doing some amazing things in the world.

And to me, that is just phenomenal to experience that.”

cindi hall secretary

“I love working at Redwood because we have great students and great teachers and staff; people don’t realize that unless they’ve worked at other places. I want to be remembered as someone that students could always come to and ask for help or guidance in finding the things that they needed.”

For extended coverage of Redwood’s retiring staff, visit redwoodbark.org Not pictured: Mike Dibley, Robert Winkler bark@redwoodbark.org

bark

Page 20 • Lifestyles

May 31, 2019

a walk down memory lane: what we did these past four years

By Sachi Nahas

As college and post high school plans become closer, you are slowly reminded of the time you shared with your classmates throughout your four years in highschool.

Although high school may not have been the most exciting and uplifting experience in the world, we’ve all came a long way as the class of 2019. It is time to look back at those funny memories we will savor for the rest of our lives. Without further adieu, here is some moments the class of 2019 shared throughout our time together.

FRESHMAN YEAR

You’ve finally made it to the big leagues! You start off school at the Redwood renowned Back to School Dance (BTSD), the “most lit night” for a freshman. You finally have an excuse to wear your neon spandex or basketball jersey, and get whistled in the face by an upperclassman.. What fun! However, the BTSD is only a little taste of what’s to come. You watch Redwood TV for the first time and aspire to be the news anchor someday. At the first rally, you get startled by the cacophony of “boos” coming from the upperclassmen. But secretly you enjoy the spirit of Redwood because you’ve finally experienced high school. Through the year you get ignored by your Link Crew leader in the hallway because you’re too shy to initiate direct eye contact. You try to hang out with as many random people as possible and a month later you probably won’t talk to them aside from asking for the homework in your Social Issues class. After school, all your classmates hang out anywhere downtown; you have nothing better to do than walk around and wait for your mom to pick you up before curfew (10 p.m.).

You take any opportunity to spend your allowance on food. During lunchtime, you and your friends speed walk to Lucky’s and spend money on 2,000 calories’ worth of chips, sodas and those pink frosted cookies. And if you were too lazy to walk out to lunch, you would sit in the amphitheatre, spending 80% of you lunch ducking away from birds who had a craving for your pb and j.

SOPHOMORE YEAR

Sophomore year, better known as the year of the infamous fire alarms.

You would be half asleep in class when the fire alarm would jolt you awake around 289 times. Since you aren’t considered at the bottom of the food chain anymore, you are entitled to many benefits you didn’t receive as a freshman: no more walking to Lucky’s or hanging out in public parks. In sophomore year, you were given the gift of turning the big old 16. You would hear nonstop conversation about when someone was going to take their driving test, who passed and who wrecked their car the second they pulled out of the parking lot.

With your driver’s license, your boredom finally came to an end.

You were basically an Uber for your friends, driving all over Marin until you have to ask for gas money because you would use a whole tank in 24 hours. More importantly, you thought you were super cool because you were disobeying your parents and breaking the law by driving around your friends before you got your year. How crazy.

JUNIOR YEAR

Finally, you have your social life together. Everything seems to be headed in the right direction until you are bombarded with school work and the SAT and ACT’s.

You now have a parking spot in the famous “junior row” and got your nickname printed on that trendy junior jersey that you’ll probably only wear twice. The pressure is on with AP exams and SAT tutors. You end up seeing your tutors more than you see your mother. Aside from the immense workload, there is nonstop talk about prom. Two months in advance, you stress about who is wearing what dress and who is going with who; however, the prom hype comes to an end the second you walk into the venue. Back on campus, you follow the seniors’ lead by jumping over the South Lawn fence after being held on the football field for an hour due to a presumed bomb threat, the standout among a year’s worth of false shootings and police cars on campus. The rallies become more fun since you get to sit on the big bleachers and cheer on your classmates as they d a n c e along with Zargar to ‘California Love.’

SENIOR YEAR

College decisions are coming out and your life seems to be unfolding in front of your eyes, but is it really? Every topic of conversation with any parent or family member starts with, “So where are you going to college?” Senioritis starts to kick in as you realize that high school is coming to an end and instead of trying to maintain straight A’s, you struggle to keep straight C’s. This is the year you see most of your friends and classmates as the school attempts to get students to bond in the last month. Even though you are preparing to leave, high school becomes the most familiar as you get to finally watch your classmates’ faces on Redwood TV, homecoming court and in the Powder Puff game (where the senior girls gained redemption and crushed the juniors). And no one will ever forget the basketball games. The final season where you get to sit in the “senior reserved” front row. Better yet, you end up losing all your respect for Branson after they beat the varsity basketball team by one point in the championship game. After school, you make sure to spend $300 a week on Sol Food, Comforts and World Wrapps. You start hearing about graduation months in advance and hope you aren’t the one who is going to trip down the amphitheater or slide on bird sh*t. You are prepared to go from being the big man on campus to being the freshman you once were all over again.

And it is all over within a minute. snahas@redwoodbark.org

sports

Page 21

Comitted Senior Athletes

... and what Disney show represents them

bark

Page 22 • Sports

PREPS OF THE YEAR

Liam Anderson

Amanda Morse

Photo by Gillian Wagner

of his high school running career. Senior and Anderson’s co-captain, Austin Patel, At a certain point in a runner’s career, has enjoyed seeing Anderson grow into the the marginal success between himself nationally ranked runner that he is today. and the next best runner becomes less “He was one of the first people I met about the physical fitness for the race, and when I joined the team freshman year more about the mental strength they have because I didn’t really know anyone. We going in to the competition, according to quickly became really good friends. Over senior Liam Anderson, a varsity track and the four years it’s been a really great cross country runner who is committed to experience to get to know him better, and compete at Stanford in the fall. it’s crazy to think that the person I’ve been “You just have to remind yourself that running with for four years has achieved you are fit and that you’ve been training such an impressive level [of competition],” for this for so long and that everything has Patel said. come together perfectly. You have to trust Following his decisive victory at that you’re here because you’re supposed Nike Cross Nationals, Gatorade named to be, and the outcome will come because him as the Gatorade National Boys Cross of that,” Anderson said.

Country Runner of the Year, an award that Anderson’s coach of four years, Anderson didn’t realize he was receiving Laura Schmitt, has made it a priority until he entered the CEA and found a to focus on honing Anderson’s mental crowd of over 100 students waiting to preparedness for competitions to help him surprise him. Gatorade had sent a few gain a psychological advantage over his camera men to follow Anderson around for competitors. a couple of days under the guise that they “It’s easy to read a book on workouts; were working for Nike to make a video that’s a no-brainer. about him. They brought But what you need to him to the CEA where the tap into is the person’s real award was revealed. psyche, because when You have to trust that “I realized going into things get hard it turns you’re here because you’re it that something wasn’t into a psychological quite adding up, but I battle and the athlete supposed to be, and the didn’t realize that was who is psychologically outcome will come because what it was,” Anderson stronger is the person of that. said. who is going to win.

While also being a You can both come in Liam Anderson, nationally-ranked runner, with the same fitness, senior Anderson still finds time but the person who is to enjoy other aspects of mentally strong will his high school life that win, and that’s not a negotiable factor,” keep him happy and well-rounded. Both Schmitt said. he and Schmitt believe this balance has Seeing as Anderson won the cross contributed to the success he has achieved country national championship, Nike Cross as an athlete. In fact, Schmitt encourages Nationals and set a new course record there all of her runners to seek the same balance at 14:57.6, it is safe to say that he achieved of time that Anderson has managed to the mental preparedness Schmitt wanted strike. him to have going into the race.

“He’s able to balance his life, doing Among his other cross country what he chooses to do, and what he loves, accolades that he achieved during his four without negatively impacting any of the years are three MCAL championships things he chooses. He’s able to give his and three NCS championships. In track, least amount of work to gain the highest Anderson racked up two MCAL titles in return. I always say to my kids that we’re the 1600 meter and the 3200 meter, as well striving for 90 percent, so you want an A, as one state title in the 1600 meter. but you don’t want 100 percent, because “I love the competition. It’s very then you’re going to get a B someplace else much an individual and mental sport at in your life,” Schmitt said. times. When you’re just dueling it out Anderson’s running career has just with another runner it can be a crazy begun. In the fall he will embark on the experience,” Anderson said. next chapter of his athletic journey, as he Anderson attributes much of the success joins the cross country and track team at he has had during his high school career to Stanford. Schmitt has great expectations the close relationship he has formed with for the success that Anderson will have in Schmitt over the past four years. post-high school competition years.

“I think calling her just my coach “I know what’s going to happen,” would be somewhat of an understatement. Schmitt said. “He is going to fit in I have absolute trust in her. When she says beautifully at Stanford because he’s selfI’m ready for this or that, I have absolute motivated, he doesn’t shy away from confidence that it’s the truth. Having that competition and his coaches already have trust, especially going into a race is really respect for him. He’s going to kill it. Then vital for me to know that I’m prepared,” he will podium for sure in the NCAA and Anderson said. then he will have the opportunity to run Other members of the Redwood cross professionally.” country community, aside from Schmitt, have been with Anderson over the duration jscharf@redwoodbark.org

By Julia Scharf

May 31, 2019

Photo by Skylar Strotz

provide not only as a player, but as a coach on and off the field. She’s been the person Standing in the middle of the freshly that teammates can go to to get advice or cut field surrounded by hundreds of help,” Erin said.

These perfected leadership skills took teammates, friends and fans is a leader.

Since the very first day she stepped on the some years of trial and error for Morse lacrosse field, senior Amanda Morse has to figure out the most effective way to dominated as an athletic threat and acted as motivate her team.

“As a freshman, it was hard because the uniting force for her team.

Morse began her journey at the age there were a lot of seniors on our team and of eight, not with lacrosse, but following they were all good friends. So I decided to in her dad’s footsteps playing soccer. But come onto the team with my main goal just in third grade, Morse’s best friend, senior being wanting playing time,” Morse said.

As she became more comfortable, she Erin McCarthy, along with Erin’s dad, David McCarthy, convinced Morse to give decided to lead by example as she tends to be dominant on the field. lacrosse a try.

“If you have ever seen Amanda on “[Erin’s] dad was coaching the team so I thought it would be a really fun the lacrosse field, she’s automatically a opportunity for me. Once I started playing person who stands out. Every girl on our I just fell in love with the sport, so much team really looks up to her. She is always looking out for her teammates and making more than soccer,” Morse said.

Ever since third grade, lacrosse has sure that if they did something wrong, been Morse’s driving sport and motivation correcting them in a nice way and sharing for self-improvement. David has had her knowledge of lacrosse and her love for the opportunity to watch Morse grow the game,” Erin said.

This season, Morse and progress into and Erin have had to adapt the talented lacrosse to the new circumstance player that she is today.

Through it all, he says It makes me feel like of being coachless, her positive attitude everything yet still persevering I’ve done and determination have throughout high school to get with complete effort.

Only a few months always shone through.

“I knew her as a exposure to college and get into their season, their little girl in pigtails and recruited to play at the next coach unexpectedly quit leaving them without an the girl all dressed up in level has paid off. official staff leader for the her senior prom gown, Amanda Morse, remainder of the season. so I have seen both senior “We basically sides of the spectrum. reminded everyone that All the way she has been genuine, good-hearted and good- this doesn’t have anything to do with us and we got the team fired up. We are natured,” David said.

Only a year after first starting to play obviously really good this year; I think a lacrosse, Morse, Erin and several of their lot of this has to do with our leadership,” teammates began playing for the Southern Morse said.

Robert Ott stepped up to coach the Marin Wolfpack club team. As they got older and their dexterity for the sport team for the remainder of the year to help, progressed, they joined more advanced as he called it, “choreograph their dance.” clubs and teams. When Morse was in “Our motor gets started and run by seventh grade she joined “Tenacity,” a how Amanda plays. One of the things that more elite club team. For the past two she [does] well is that she sets the speed years she has played for the Under Armour and the example of how we’re going to be All-American team. This year she has risen doing out here,” Ott said.

The lacrosse field is not the only place to the highest level of competition as she was nominated to play for the Adrenaline that Morse’s leadership skills are present.

She has also been an active member of All-American team.

“It makes me feel super excited and it the Redwood soccer team. During her makes me feel like everything I’ve done freshman year she was captain of the JV throughout high school to get exposure to team and she started on varsity for the three college and get recruited to play at the next years following. Though her numbers in soccer are not quite as extensive as those level has paid off,” Morse said.

At Redwood, Morse has played on in lacrosse, she is still a stand-out player.

Morse is committed to playing Division varsity all four years, for a total of 76 games. Throughout her high school career, I lacrosse at University of California, she scored 164 goals and maintained Berkeley. She looks forward to the new a faceoff percentage of 94.6 percent, level of commitment and intensity that the according to MaxPreps. following years have to offer.

“What I’m most excited for is pushing Morse’s stats are impressive, but even more admirable is her ability to lead on myself as both a student and an athlete, the team. Co-captain Erin was especially and seeing how far I can push myself grateful for their final year playing together. physically and see how much better I can “Amanda has been a leader throughout get as a player, being exposed to much the entire [season] and a person to look better competition,” Morse said. to when we need some stability on our team. She has really stepped up this year to sstrotz@redwoodbark.org

By Skylar Strotz

bark

Page 23 • Sports

www.redwoodbark.org

PREP OF THE YEAR: HONORABLE MENTIONS Nathaniel Kuffner

Photo by Tami Lyon

By Sam Warren

One might think senior Nathaniel Kuffner’s epiphanic athletic moment was a soccer strike or lacrosse check; however, it didn’t happen that way at all. According to the varsity lacrosse midfielder and varsity soccer center back, his realization came from a much different type of competition: golf.

“I was in the sixth grade, playing in the Mill Valley Golf Club Championship. My brother was also in the tournament and he played for the Tam varsity golf team at the time. I shot an 80 through 18 holes and he shot a 79, and with him being four years older than me, that was kind of when I realized that I was good at most things that I did athletically,” Kuffner said.

As a kid, Kuffner dominated the youth sports scene. Before high school, he participated in competitive golf, basketball, cross country, track, baseball, lacrosse and soccer. Once Kuffner reached high school, he decided to focus on the sports he loves most.

“Soccer is a really amazing sport. It may seem simple in its idea but it’s also really complex in terms of tactics and ball movement. When it’s played well, it’s really fun to watch,” Kuffner said. “For lacrosse, it’s really fast paced and physical.

I love that you have to be really athletic but also smart to excel in the sport.”

According to Kuffner, he made the right choice. Over his four years at

By Lucie James

Redwood, Kuffner has played a big part in four Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) championship-winning teams: varsity lacrosse in 2017, varsity soccer in 2018 and for both sports this season. Along with his team success, Kuffner has also racked up his own accolades, being named to All-MCAL teams in both sports for his junior and senior seasons. But, according to fellow senior and lacrosse teammate Miles Dean, Kuffner is not in it for the personal acclaim.

“Nathaniel just gives it his all every time he’s on the field,” Dean said. “He doesn’t try to make the flashy passes or score the crazy goals, he’s in there to make the plays that are critical to winning games.

He’s not asking for the glory and all, he’s the player who goes all out to get a ground ball and other effort plays to help the team win.”

In soccer, fellow senior and Kuffner’s center back partner Justin Neustatter echoed Dean’s sentiment. “[Kuffner] is one of those players who’s really motivated and shows that in his game and in practice. He has a lot of great energy and teammates love to play with him and stand by him. He just leads by example which motivates other players to play as hard as he does,” Neustatter said.

According to Dean, Kuffner’s work ethic is what has driven him to become such a successful athlete in both sports.

“Nathaniel is always the one who works the hardest on the field,” Dean said.

“Whether it’s offense or defense, every time he’s on the field he’s giving it one hundred percent. He’s an absolute work horse, tank, animal, whatever adjective you want to describe him as, he’s all of them.”

In the fall Kuffner plans to study political science and engineering at UCLA. swarren@redwoodbark.org

Ella Spaethling

Her laugh, athletic ability and height are hard to miss when spotting her in the halls or seeing her play her position as hitter on the volleyball court. Inspired by her older sister, senior Ella Spaethling has been playing volleyball since the fifth grade.

“My older sister played volleyball, and me being the younger sibling I am, I did exactly what she did. The club nearby was asking if I was going to play, and I tried out, so here we are,” Spaethling said.

Spaethling started her volleyball career on the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) team, and played on the team until eighth grade. After CYO, Spaethling joined the Absolute Volleyball club and tried out for Redwood. Spaethling was on junior varsity freshman year, but has worked her way up to varsity and will play at the Division 1 level at San Diego State University (SDSU).

As Spaethling was working to improve her personal skills, she became captain this year, which was especially important as her team had a new coach this season.

Former Redwood volleyball player Ursula Kunhardt coached the varsity girls’ team this year and is proud of Spaethling’s accomplishments.

“I think [Spaethling] felt frustrated for parts of the season with how the team was doing, and how things were meshing and certain things she was trying to work on as a player. I think she used her frustration and hardship as motivation, which I really admire about her” Kunhardt said.

While she didn’t win MCALs this

year, Spaethling’s leadership skills were noticeable to her coach and teammate junior Lucy Walsh, who started playing varsity with Spaethling halfway through Walsh’s freshman season.

“I’m her setter, and I think setters and hitters always have the best connection on the court.

Especially last y e a r , we connected a lot, there was more energy on the court, we flowed really well together, and she’s also a really good leader on the team,” Walsh said.

Since t h i s w a s Spaethling’s last with Walsh and other teammates, worried about behind a team that she is Photo by Anna Compagno comfortable with.

“I’m very excited to have high-level training and be in really good shape. I’m going to miss the chemistry and safety of knowing everyone.

I’m a little nervous about making friends, and to be the small fish in a big pond, instead of a big fish in a small pond,” Spaethling said.

As Spaethling prepares to leave the comfort of her Redwood team to play at the Division 1 level at SDSU, her coach and teammates are looking forward to see her grow as a player and person. season h e r she is leaving

ljames@redwoodbark.org

Jenny Walker

By Emma Carpenter

Senior Jenny Walker dominated on the Redwood girls varsity basketball team since she first tried on her Giants jersey freshman year. An athletic individual from day one, Walker enjoyed water polo, soccer, track and swimming for almost seven years of her life before commiting solely to basketball. Now 18 years old and 6’1, she is ready to play competitive basketball at the college level next year at New York University (NYU).

Walker earned a spot on varsity as a freshman, and has definitely improved since her first year. According to MaxPreps, her point average per game as a freshman was 5.6, and by her senior year, it had increased to 12.9. In 2018, Walker was on the first team for MCALS, and this year, she was awarded MCAL player of the year.

In order to make improvements throughout her years at Redwood, Walker relied on her friends and coaches to support her basketball career.

“Practices are not always easy, but being surrounded by friends who I love and who love me is incredible,” Walker said. “I also don’t know where I would be without my coaches. I have definitely gotten frustrated with myself some days at practice, but my coaches never took it easy on me.”

Walker utilizes her friends’ support to succeed on and off the court, and many of Walker’s teammates rely on her guidance too. Senior Gabby Beltran values Walker’s role in shaping her as an athlete.

“Even though Jenny and I play different positions, we constantly help each other on the court. If I ever make a bad pass to her, her immediate reaction is to encourage me and tell me it’s okay,” Beltran said.

The girls’ varsity basketball team won their first MCAL championship since the

Photo by Jon Ritt

1980’s during Walker’s junior year. This event was the most memorable experience from Walker’s time on the team, who says she will remember it as a highlight of her basketball career.

According to Redwood girls’ varsity basketball coach Diane Peterson, college basketball is intense and requires a lot more mental resilience, but she believes Walker is ready to take on the next chapter of her basketball career in New York.

“I know Jenny is going to be successful playing in college because she is determined and this is a dream of hers.

She won’t let anything stand in her way,” Peterson said.

Peterson has watched Walker grow as an athlete at Redwood and knows she will stand out and exceed expectations.

Walker has made some outstanding accomplishments throughout her years at Redwood, but is excited for a change in her life. According to Walker, New York is a unique place to live in comparison to Marin, and she is excited to experience something new at college.

“I’m just looking forward to going to New York and I’ll see wherever life takes me. New York is filled with completely different people, and I think its a place where I can learn a lot about myself,” Walker said. ecarpenter@redwoodbark.org

Alex Aguero

By Katherine Muller “[I thought] if I don’t do something, I’m going to regret this forever and I’m going to hate myself for this forever, and then I ended up scoring with 30 or 20 seconds left, so I was like ‘This is the peak of my football career,’” senior Alex Aguero said.

Scoring this winning touchdown in the Tam-Redwood rivalry game is Alex’s most memorable moment of his 2018 season, although his football career began much earlier. Football started as a childhood interest and bonding opportunity with his older brother Dixon, however, the brotherhood and competitiveness of the sport made Alex fall stick with football for 10 years.

“I love the game, just playing it.

The sport is so much more intense and competitive than anything I’ve ever experienced and that’s what drives me to love it and play every year. It’s such a brotherhood and you learn a lot of valuable life lessons from your coaches,” Alex said.

Alex was MCAL’s 2018 All-League Offensive Player of the Year. Last season, according to MaxPreps, he rushed a total of 1853 yards, with an average of 205.9 yards a game, and scored 22 touchdowns.

While originally having committed to play Division I football at the University of San Diego in the fall, Alex decommitted to focus on academics and his future career at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, where he hopes to play intramural rugby. “[Running back] is such a demanding position to play. You’re always taking contact and injuries are so prevalent, and

it’s not something that I’m going to take with me to the future, like the NFL; that’s very far-fetched. I know it’s possible, but I also want to focus on academics and my profession,” Alex said.

While Alex m a y be leaving football behind in high school, he will carry the many life lessons he’s learned with him.

o f the hours

“Training football, [with] amount of and the brutal contact, [barriers] c a n

shows that a lot of are mental and you physically do it, but you just have to get past the mental block,” Alex said.

According to Photo by Jordan Warren Alex’s football teammate and friend of over a decade, junior Joey Calzaretta, despite Alex’s departure, the team will be able to succeed without him next season.

“He was ‘the guy’ last year; we all looked up to him, on and off the field, and him leaving is a huge loss for us, but I think that his work ethic and his ability to make plays happen will definitely leave an impact on our team,” Calzaretta said.

kmuller@redwoodbark.org