December 2020

Volume LXIV, No. 2 December 11, 2020 Larkspur, CA

News: Hybrid learning p. 3 Editorial: Improving education p. 7

Grade Sheets

redwood

bark.

Feature: Academic pandemic p. 12-13

A BC

Cover by Kalyn Dawes and Keely Ganong

Redwood High School 395 Doherty Drive, Larkspur, CA 94939 www.redwoodbark.org Editors-in-Chief: Ella Green Sofi Mincy Camille Ray Jack Watson Art Consultants: Kalyn Dawes Keely Ganong

Copy Editors: Olivia Kharrazi (Head Copy) Sophia Rocha (Head Copy) Avery Aguero Maxanne Anderson Samantha Elegant Martha Fishburne Ava Koblik Abigail Shewmaker Natalie Tress Shannon Watridge

Business Managers: Annie Goldstein Katie Parsons Survey Manager: Audrey Lightfoot

Social Media Manager: Greta Cifarelli Podcast Editors: Hollis Belger Video Editors: Sydney Liebhauser Hannah Morgan Multimedia Editor: Mara Farese

Reporters​: Nathan Ash Will Baker Julian Belzer Charlotte DeForrest Alex Fisch Clariss Garcia Nina Geoghegan Caroline Goodhart Kylie Horstmeyer Libby Hughes Patrick Jacobson Mia Kessinger Sterling Lazarus Brooke Leslie Emma Lightfoot Alyssa McCadden Declan McDaniels Kate McHugh Samantha Michaels PJ Pfeiffer Bella Piacente AnnaLise Sandrich Caroline Scharf Hannah Sellers Gemma Strauss Allie Vasquez Keegan Williams

Opinion Editors: Anna Silverman Christopher Vargelis Feature Editors: Nicole Johnson Alli Runnfeldt Lifestyles Editors: Taylor Elliot Sol Ladetzky Sports Editors: Jackson Epps Kent Goodman

News Editors: Isabel Ames Charlie Ginsburg Review Editors: Casey Braff Jacob Mandel Spanish Editor: Loughlin Browne

redwood

bark.

Mountain biking

15

23

Kaitlyn Hartka’s charity

Remembering Sydney

24

redwood high school • 396 doherty dr., larkspur ca 94939 • volume LXIV no. 2 • december 11, 2020 • www.redwoodbark.org

Ethnic studies curriculum attempts inclusivity of marginalized groups Story and Infographic by Keely Ganong In September 2016, former California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB-2016, a bill that requires all California public high schools to follow a model curriculum for ethnic studies. The law assigned the State Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) to develop an ethnic studies curriculum that reflects the diversity of California. The State Board of Education (SBE) is required by law to take action by March 31, 2021.

The curriculum builds off of four core traditional disciplines: African American studies, Asian American studies, Chicano Latino studies and Native American studies. Additional identities have been added to the curriculum in an expanded appendix, which brings attention to Arab Americans, Armenian Americans, Sikh Americans and Jewish Americans.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond believes that having ethnic studies taught in public schools is a crucial part of reforming our current education.

“Ethnic studies is a course that focuses on experiences, struggles, scholarship and contributions of people of color, whose historically marginalized populations are inextricably tied to our state and our nation’s history, but whose stories have largely gone untold in our classrooms,” Thurmond said.

Lewis Alejo, the author of AB-2016, pushes the importance of an education that reflects the experiences and contributions of people of color.

“There is no question that our students need and deserve an education that more truthfully and completely reflects the experiences and contributions of people of color. Today, 77 percent of students in California K-12 schools are students of color, and our students speak over 90 different languages in their homes. In a state as diverse as ours, our students must see themselves in their classrooms and instructional materials,” Alejo said.

The Marin County Office of Education (MCOE) is currently coordinating a plan to implement its own ethnic studies curriculum in Marin schools, which will apply to the Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD). A county team has been assigned to respond to the urgency for ethnic studies in education and develop a representative curriculum that addresses the public’s concerns. The group is actively working to design a course outline that focuses on the topic of identity. In the coming months, teachers from each Marin high school will share input on course outlines and materials to organize the curriculum countywide. MCOE hopes to present the final course to the SBE in June 2021 for approval and use.

TUHSD Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong presses the county to act fast in creating an ethnic studies curriculum.

“We can’t afford to wait because we have a generation of students that are continuing to wade their way through

schools. If we don’t have a curriculum that is focused on eliminating racism through education, then we will continue to see the cycles of hate and the unrest that impact our communities,” Armstrong said.

At the state level, the development of the curriculum has been highly scrutinized and politicized as the IQC decides what should be included in the curriculum and what should be left out in response to thousands of public comments.

The Model Curriculum Advisory Committee (MCAC), appointed in January 2019, is the body that prepares the curriculum in a draft that aligns with the SBE approved guidelines and state statute. The full IQC, including the MCAC, reviews the draft and posts it for a public review period.

In May 2019, the MCAC developed their first draft of the curriculum. Once posted for public review, the draft received strong criticism from top state education leaders and ethnic organizations who felt their experiences were wrongly represented or ignored. After being posted for public feedback, the first draft drew approximately 21,000 public comments, according to the California Department of Education (CDE).

Mike Harris, lay leader and volunteer activist in Northern California for an Israel education organization known as Stand With Us, was firmly against the initial document.

“The very first draft was an extremely radical document. The only mentions of Jews were derogatory and it promoted a very strong bias against Israel, which we felt had no place in a curriculum dealing with ethnic studies in America,” Harris stated.

The original draft was shelved and ordered to be rewritten after Thurmond, Governor Gavin Newsom and SBE President Linda Darling-Hammond publicly condemned the document.

The CDE was allowed a one-year extension to the project timeline after Newsom signed AB-114 in October 2019.

Shanine Coats, executive director of the IQC, explains how the one-year extension allowed a more thorough curriculum.

“The CDE took that time to conduct expert panels, do listening sessions, work with the comprehensive center to conduct focus groups with teachers and administrators and also listen to students,” Coats said.

A revised draft was designed in response to the feedback and posted in August 2020 for a 30-day period of public review and comment. Although the revised draft was said to address previous criticisms, many groups were still dissatisfied, including Jewish Americans as Harris pointed out.

“It continued to exclude the Jewish American experience from it and really did not properly treat antiSemitism,” Harris said.

On Sept. 30, 2020, Newsom vetoed AB-331, a bill that would make ethnic studies a high school graduation

requirement.

In his veto message, Newsom clarified that he values “the role ethnic studies plays in helping students think critically about our history and understand the experience of marginalized communities in our state,” but he is unable to sign the bill because the latest draft still needs revision.

Following, on Nov. 18 and 19, a meeting of the IQC was held where members of the MCAC made revisions in response to the then total of approximately 56,000 public comments. In considering criticism from the public as well as state education leaders and state officials, the committee edited the most recent draft of the ethnic studies model curriculum. The updated draft was approved by the full commission.

The most updated version of the document is currently available for viewing as a 45-day public comment period takes place prior to the SBE’s action. All public comments made during this period will be directed to the SBE and reviewed before the curriculum receives its final decision.

MCOE is continuing to work to finalize the county curriculum so that it can be quickly implemented following SBE approval. kganong@redwoodbark.org

Failing grades spike during R1 of remote learning Story and Infographic by Anna Silverman “I definitely have way more homework than last year because teachers often give Zoom lectures or extra readings because they don’t have time to lecture in class. ... I just feel like I’m learning a lot less,” junior Lauren Duncan said.

Duncan is now managing four Advanced Placement (AP) and two regular courses online. Despite her heavy workload this school year, her classes are not providing the same level of education as they would in-person. This combination appears to be a common theme throughout the virtual student body and is one of the factors that contributed to a decrease in academic performance during the R1 grading period.

According to a November Bark survey, 51 percent of students feel they are performing about the same as last year, while 30 percent feel they are doing worse and 19 percent have improved. Despite this, the total number of D, F and incomplete final grades (DFIs) students received for the R1 period amounted to 974, marking an increase of 440 from the average of 534 at R1 over the last three years.

Math teacher Allison Kristal attributes this uptick in DFIs to the lack of proper supervision and communication on Zoom, a defining characteristic of a traditional classroom setting. In her opinion, online learning has divided kids into two distinct groups: those who are doing well, and those who are seriously struggling under an

online system.

“I still think there are plenty of kids doing well,” Kristal said. “The difference is that a kid who [was] not doing well is [now] doing really poorly. I feel like the middle ground [between student grades] is not really there. And it’s hard to know how to fix that.”

According to administration data, R1 DFI figures were distributed evenly among subject departments. However, they differed greatly among grade levels; the majority of students with failing or incomplete grades were underclassmen.

Out of the 474 students who received DFIs in R1, 158 were freshmen and 136 were sophomores. This is a major difference compared to the 105 juniors and 75 seniors who received DFIs during this same period.

Kristal attributes this disparity to the absence of the traditional acclimation to high school that underclassmen would normally undergo.

“I think that has to be one of the hardest transitions because they finished their eighth-grade year remote, and then they’re at a high school where you don’t know the school community or the expectations,” Kristal said. “[As a result], I feel like our freshmen aren’t accessing the resources that the students that have been here for a few

Courtesy of the TUHSD

years are aware of.”

One of these resources is the now-virtual SMART guidance periods, which, in Kristal’s experience, are attended overwhelmingly by upperclassmen, while freshmen rarely stay to ask for help. Also, since many middle schools that feed into Redwood adopted universal grading systems last spring, their DFI count reflects how the abrupt switch to strict letter grades and higher curriculum expectations could be even more difficult for incoming freshmen.

Continued on page 2

Page 2 • News

www.redwoodbark.org

bark

Photo Survey What are you most looking forward to if we switch to a hybrid learning schedule?

Gil Ladetzky

Charlotte DeFrino

Charlie Welch

Roxanne Culhane

“The social interactions with my teachers and the more hands-on learning.”

“Getting back to sports. I have not been able to play on my lacrosse team, and having my season cut short as a freshman was a real bummer.”

“Seeing and connecting with my friends again and being in a social environment.”

“Gaining back a little more structure to my school day.

I hope it will allow me to be more motivated to get my work done outside of class.”

freshman

sophomore

junior

senior

• Failing grades

Continued from page 1

These statistics have motivated Vice Principal Saum Zargar to develop a socially-distanced orientation before the spring semester in the hope of improving overall class performance and engagement.

Another disproportionately affected population is the students of color at Redwood. Although they comprise only 27 percent of the student population, this demographic represents 41 percent of students with DFI marks. Zargar attributes this to the inherent disadvantages of many minority groups in Marin County and across the nation that often affect their technology and schoolwork resources.

“Not all students have the same level of access at home or in the community, and we need to do what we can to not only support them academically, but socially and emotionally,” Zargar said.

Redwood’s administration and staff are attempting to extend this principle to all students, especially due to the increased anxiety and isolation during the quarantine that can exacerbate pre-existing academic difficulties.

In response to the DFI increase at the end of R1, teachers and counselors began reaching out to visibly struggling students. Redwood’s administration and staff also set up several new provisions, including learning hubs on campus, Zoom tutoring and wellness resources. As a result, Kristal has seen a major improvement in academic performance and believes students’ grades in her classes are now similar to previous years.

“We saw more [DFIs] at R1 than R2 because a lot of kids kicked it into gear and figured out what they were supposed to be doing by the time we got to this most recent grading period,” Kristal said. “I noticed that my DFIs were about normal at the R2.”

Although grades have improved since R1, Zargar is Kriston Abbott Aaron and Randi Agenbroad Seth and Kelli Anderson Susan Anderson The Ames Family Robert and Jean Baker The Baker Family Susan Ellsweig and Gary Barnett Caroline Beard The Belger Family Kathleen Belzer The Bishop Family Fred and Mary Blum The Braff Family Jason Brown Victoria Camelio Monica Canas Lucy Churton Kevin Cifarelli Robyn Cohen Laura Collins Edward Conti Deborah Cook Kelli Cook Hali Croner The Culhane Family Courtney Daly The Dawes Family Regina DeAngelis Sonya DeForrest Sandra Derango Joanne Desin Robby Dinowitz Ira Elegant The Elliott Family Mary Elliott Ronald Ellsweig

concentrating efforts to shift learning back to in-person.

“We are very much motivated and dedicated to bringing students and teachers back on campus safely in January,” Zargar said. “We know we can do our best work

Douglas Epps Veronica Skelton and Joseph Estus Deirdre Evershed Jennifer Fang Kristin Farese Monica Fieber The Fishburne Family Rod and Hannah Fligel Pamela Fong Robert Frankus Paul Gehrman and Norah Frei Allie G The Ganong Family The Ginsburg Family William Gisvold Martin Goldstein The Goldstein Family Cynthia Goodman Ina Gotlieb Jennifer Green Melissa Harms Christopher and Jennifer Hartung Randy Herbst Nancy and Allan Herzog Joan Hornberger The Hughes Family Tamara S Hull Robin Jacobson Carolyn Jensen Wendy Jessen Sylvia Jones William and Rachel Kessinger Anneke Koblik E. Koeppel Zoe Koonce Carol Krawitt Sol and Gil Ladetzky

when students are with us on campus.” asilverman@redwoodbark.org

Bark Patrons Reshma Lensing The Leonard Family Elizabeth Brown and Janet Lewin Deborah Lightfoot Stephen Lightfoot Louise Lo Burt and Lisa Losee Ellen Lynch Alexandra Maliniak Harold and Nancy Mann Dana Marotto Micheal Marrero Kerianne and Christopher McBride Ruth McDaniels Katie and David McGee The McHugh Family The Michaels Family Eileen F. Miles Robert Morgan Ann Aiko Morton Camelia Negrea Cecily and James O’Connor Denise Olson Hillary Oppenheim Sharon Parsons The Parsons Family Cynthia Patrizi The Pfeiffer Family Frances Piacente Micheal Piacente Gabriella Piccioni

Megan Pirsch The Ray Family Bruce Reed Jennifer Reese Lesley Reidy Timothy Richards The Rocha Family Liliana Royal Jason Ryning D. Sanders David Sandrich The Sandrich Family Wendy Shewmaker Jena Shore Martin and Deidre Silverman The Silverman Family Peter and Lucia Sinatra The Smallhorn Family Michael and Victoria Song The Steele Family Seth and Jill Steinberg Paul and Amanda Stephen Catherine Stevenson Robert Stone Irene and Phil Strauss Kate and Ron Strauss Jennifer Sutter Mary Sylla Richard Thalheimer Maryann Thompson Jean-Ray Tippo Deborah Tirschwell The Towns Wagner Family

Andy Tress Christopher and Lisa Tribolet Kimberly Tully-Sutton Lisa Turner Dawn Valler Caroline Wabl Kimberly Wagner Perelandra Wait Diana Wang The Watridge Family The Welch Family Larry Wilson Ryan Wilson Julie Wolfert Sarah Young Constance Ziot Simon Zornoza

If you would like to support the Redwood Bark, donations can be made by check and mailed to Redwood High School.

Checks should be made payable to the Redwood Bark. See www. redwoodbark.org for an online payment option.

bark Student-made COVID-19 app tests positive for success Page 3 • News

www.redwoodbark.org

By Kate McHugh “My mom is immunocompromised, so going back to school safely is my highest priority,” Beck Lorsch, a Marin Academy senior, said.

To help achieve that goal, Lorsch and Branson senior Amrit Baveja created a COVID-19 contact tracing app called MarinTrace. The app allows students to take a quick survey each morning to detail possible symptoms, record positive and negative tests and track who they have been in contact with.

“If someone reports a positive test, our system can go back into an auditable log of interactions and come up with a list of individuals who are either high-risk or lowrisk for having COVID-19,” Baveja said.

Branson Head of School Chris Mazzola originally asked Baveja if he could create the app in March when schools were shut down. She knew that in order to reopen, Branson would need a way to contact trace or track which students have been in contact with each other while also checking their symptoms.

“I knew we were going to need to figure out contact tracing,” Mazzola said. “If there was a positive test on our campus, [we need to] know all the students that this student has been in contact with. We also [knew that we would] have to do a symptom check every morning.”

Some of the biggest motivators for Baveja and Lorsch were the many challenges of online learning that students have been facing. After attending the Marin County COVID-19 meeting with Mary Jean Burke, who works on the Marin County Board of Education and Lisa Santora, Deputy Public Health Officer, they learned that many other kids in Marin are also struggling with online learning. Whether it is decreased motivation, difficulties understanding the material or other reasons, many students would benefit from going back to school.

“It’s been really challenging to focus during distance learning. I’ve probably learned 10 percent of what I usually learn in class,” Baveja said. “We hope that the faster we can open up schools, the more personalized learning can become because right now we’re in a very impersonal education system.”

Mazzola has tried to advise and help Baveja and Lorsch in order to ensure the app is as effective as possible and can be used by many schools in the area. Some students think that this app could also be used at Redwood to help kids stay safe when returning to school. Junior, Lauren McKechnie believes that this app could be used on a larger scale at Redwood to keep track of which students have been in close contact with each other.

“It’s so hard to know who has been in contact [with each other] when there are so many different social connections at our school. If one person gets [COVID-19], you don’t know [who else] would be exposed,” McKechnie said. “[This app will] definitely help us stay in school and be safe at the same time.”

While some might worry that students may not be honest in tracking who they have been in contact with, Baveja and Lorsch agreed that it was in the best interest of

Image courtesy of Beck Lorsch

MARINTRACE’S INTERACTIVE HOMESCREEN provides a concise place where students can access all information regarding COVID-19 at the school. the students to be truthful.

“It does ultimately rely on trust, but no more trust than if you were talking to a public health official,” Lorsch said. “[The app] makes it easy for you to keep track as you go throughout your day and week.”

To feel comfortable going back to school, McKechnie would want to be sure that students are taking the contact tracing seriously, and being truthful. She thinks that if the students work together, Redwood can become a safe place for in person learning during COVID-19.

“I think that if kids are motivated to stay in school, then [the app] would work,” McKechnie said. “It needs to be a group effort [where] people can’t lie or forget to [track] it one day.”

While making the app, Lorsch and Baveja faced several challenges. They had to be sure that their data was secure, otherwise, they could risk losing important information.

“It was imperative that we created a system that doesn’t lose any data. If someone reports a positive test or they report that they have symptoms, administrators need that information immediately to make actionable insights,” Baveja said. “It just needs to work a hundred percent of the time. If there’s even a small error in a little piece of the system, we could be losing data that could potentially save someone’s life.”

The obstacles did not end even after the app was complete. Since every student needed access to the app from their phone or computer, Lorsch worked for months just trying to get the app onto the iOS app store. What

might seem like a simple task proved to be difficult – according to Lorsch, Apple is very selective about which apps they allow onto the app store, especially if they pertain to COVID-19. In October, all of their hard work paid off when MarinTrace was finally placed onto the app store.

“I think [the most rewarding moment was] finally downloading it from the app store and submitting a positive test to make sure everything worked,” Lorsch said.

A few students at Branson have been testing the app for the past months and the trial run has been very promising. They did not find any bugs in the system and both Marin Academy and Branson are planning on fully implementing the app in January.

Along with some of the other precautions Branson is taking, Mazzola believes that the app will allow the school to stay open longer and help students like Lorsch and Beveja feel more comfortable returning to school. “[This app has allowed me to have] a greater degree of confidence that there are ways to protect my family [while attending school],” Lorsch said.

kmchugh@redwoodbark.org

TUHSD zooms into a hybrid learning model

By Caroline Goodhart On the evening of Dec. 1, the Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) held an informational Zoom meeting for the purpose of briefing parents and students on the planned return to in-person school on Jan. 6, 2021. The meeting was specifically for Redwood and was the first of the district’s meetings for each school.

It was run by Principal David Sondheim, who was accompanied by Vice Principals LaSandra White and Saum Zargar, as well as Superintendent Tara Taupier. Sondheim prefaced the meeting by disclaiming that the TUHSD’s plan is not flawless.

“I wish I could tell you there were perfect models out there, but there aren’t.

None of us would choose to operate the way we’re operating. We’re responding to what we all know as unprecedented circumstances,” Sondheim said.

Sondheim then presented the district’s three main goals for in-person learning — high-quality learning, equity, and safety — and then stressed the need for students to follow COVID-19 guidelines.

“When we make our holiday plans, we need to do what we’re being asked.

Students are not used to wearing masks in public. They need to start now. Students should not be attending sleepovers. They should not be riding in cars with multiple other students and socializing outside their bubble,” Sondheim said.

The meeting progressed to cover a variety of topics, including the three options for the spring semester: in-person, synchronous and asynchronous, the class schedule, preparations made, exposure protocols, mask rules, safety regulations on campus and testing.

A survey sent out to every Redwood family indicated that as of now, about 88 percent of students are expected to be on campus, grouped into three cohorts organized alphabetically.

“I would mention, Mr. Sondheim, that if people did not respond to the survey that they are assumed to be returning in person,” White said.

The daily class schedule will not be affected by the move to the hybrid plan, but the administration provided a detailed schedule for each cohort, created to fit the needs of students. “[The schedule] was created like this so that two things could happen. Number one, all students who wanted to would be on campus at least one day a week. And secondly, so that when possible, we could also have students be on campus during the semester, sometimes two days in a row,” Sondheim said, referring to a schedule he shared on Zoom.

As for safety protocols, the administration plans on having a six feet distancing regulation at all times possible, plexiglass when students must be close, arrows in the hallways, monitoring

Photo by Caroline Goodhart

WITH THE PROPOSED schedule on display, Sondheim discusses the logistics of the hybrid learning plan. classrooms and bathrooms and regular morning check-ins. However, Sondheim explained they have chosen to not take part in the routine temperature checks that sports teams have been doing before each practice, because they have been proved to be more problematic than effective.

Following the presentation, a long period of questioning commenced made up of questions submitted to a form prior to the meeting. The questions remained anonymous, and somebody remarked they believed it to be “ridiculous” that the district is not leaving a two-week quarantine period following winter break, caused by the concern that individuals would be traveling. At this point in the meeting, Taupier, who participated in the

meeting by mostly assisting Sondheim with answers, stepped in with a firm response.

“Public health does not recommend postponing,” Taupier said.

Sondheim closed the meeting with an affirmative message, once again urging students to follow guidelines for the safety of everyone on campus. “[The] best gift that students and parents can give at this point is the one of health and safety. It is what teachers want more than anything, and I think each of us wants that for every student as well, and for your families. So, thank you in advance,” Sondheim said. cgoodhart@redwoodbark.org

opinion

Page 4

Marin’s inequality turns health care into health ‘scare’

By Shannon Watridge Health care. There it is: the two words that set off every heated political debate. One side of the aisle passionately shouts for its universality while the other side raises their fist in demand for its privatization. Those two words are quintessential in every political argument, whether it is between family members, or aired live during presidential debates. While the opposing beliefs often kickstart fiery disputes, both sides must acknowledge an undeniable truth: America’s health care system is not equal across the country’s diverse demographics. The United States, especially Marin County, must become more proactive in combating the inequalities of health care.

Marin County is a prime example of the disparities in access to health care. A County of Marin’s News Release in 2019 stated that inequalities in access to health insurance are tied to income levels. In a county where wealth is concentrated within the white population, access to health care is, in fact, determined by race.

Despite being ranked the healthiest county in California for the past nine years, Marin County’s Department of Health and Human Services stated that in 2017, Marin had the highest level of racial inequities — less access to opportunity such as better schools, higher income and most notably, health care. That same release reveals that people of color in Marin die younger than white residents; the life expectancy for Black, Latinx and Asian residents is 75, 80 and 81 years respectively, whereas the life expectancy for White people is 83 years.

How long you live should not be based on race, but this is how it appears to be in Marin.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, inequalities in health care access in Marin have been brutally exposed. The Canal District is one demonstration of how the pandemic has torn through the less wealthy communities in comparison to those around it. Canal Alliance, a nonprofit that works to “break the generational cycle of poverty for Latinx immigrants,” studied the stark differences in COVID-19 cases based on racial and ethnic demographics in Marin. According to the study, which took place in early September, Latinx individuals, who comprise approximately 16 percent of Marin’s entire population, made up 80 percent of Marin’s COVID-19 cases. This was the largest imbalance of cases

based on race in California. So why does Marin have such sizeable disparities based on race and wealth in both access to health care and COVID-19 cases?

This is because so many of the Canal District’s residents are Latinx families seeking lower-cost housing and manual work, so they are more at risk of being exposed to the virus and not obtaining adequate treatment.

According to National Public Radio, lower-income jobs are less likely to cover health insurance for their employees. Therefore, low-income earners are less likely to receive health care, medical aid and accurate medical information surrounding public health crises, such as the COVID-19 outbreak, from their employers. In order to lessen this disparity in health care coverage, community leaders need to continue looking into solutions that expand access to health care. This is especially relevant now as we watch the virus ravage lower-income neighborhoods in Marin, which could have been prevented had there been equal access to health care.

One solution could be to provide tax incentives to smaller businesses that rely on blue-collar workers if they supply their employees with health insurance.

Unfortunately, these incentives are more difficult to administer at a local level, so this change would rely on the cooperation of the state government to prevent furthering health care disparities. While the Internal Revenue Service provides tax credits to small businesses that cover health insurance for their employees, it has not been successful in aiding the lower-income workers of

Marin County. California must do more to ensure that all its residents have access to health care.

While some may argue that providing these tax incentives would unnecessarily increase taxes for California residents who are not in need of this service, the fact remains that Marin’s essential workers are fundamental to its economy.

By performing the tasks that many of the wealthier Marinites are unwilling to do themselves, essential workers put their lives at risk to keep their jobs and make ends meet for their families.

Moreover, according to the Urban Institute, a Illustration by Kalyn Dawes

nonprofit that conducts policy research, when more people have access to health care, health care insurance rates tend to decrease. Therefore, increasing access to health care is not only beneficial to its recipients but could decrease the health care costs for everyone else.

While there have been some efforts over the years to equalize Marin’s health care system, COVID-19 has proven that disparities in access to adequate medical treatment and information still affect the county. If we want to address the racial biases of our health care system, we need to push for our local and state governments to prioritize bridging the health care gap so that every person in Marin has access to the care they deserve. swatridge@redwoodbark.org

Silencing social media would be music to American ears

By Nathan Ash In October, a New York Post article spread like a wildfire across almost every social media platform, sending the internet into a frenzy against Democratic President-Elect Joe Biden. The article reported that Biden had a meeting with an advisor from a Ukrainian energy company named Vadym Pozharskyi and that his son, Hunter Biden, worked on the board for that company. An article by the New York Times disproved these claims through an interview with Andrew Bates, the spokesman for the Biden campaign.

Bates said that Biden’s official campaign calendar had no such meeting planned and when questioned, the New York Post staff was skeptical of the sources and information in the article. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter quickly tried to limit the spread of the misinformed New York Post article. Twitter began to block URLs to the article and Facebook limited the distribution of the story until a third party could fact check it.

This was just one example among hundreds that prove social media platforms have every right, both legally and morally, to censor articles that could spread false narratives to the public.

Additionally, these companies should not be held to the same legal standards as the U.S. government; the users on their platforms agree to the terms and conditions of those companies and are therefore subject to censorship.

The State Action Doctrine is the principle that the responsibility of upholding the freedoms in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights only

apply to the government. According to the American Bar Association, the State Action Doctrine gives private entities the legal right to censor their users and it has protected social media platforms’ ability to legally censor their users’ content to a certain extent.

The fact that these users willingly submit their personal data and give up some of their rights to these companies and then become upset when a company partially censors them is illogical. Henry Fernandez, co-chairman of Change the Terms (an online coalition seeking to reduce hate online), gave the following quote in a CBS News article.

“When people talk about, ‘Well, if I get kicked off of Facebook,

that’s an attack on my free speech or on my First Amendment right — that’s just not true.

The companies have the ability to decide what speech they will allow. They’re not the government,” Fernandez said.

Social media’s ability to censor false news also serves as a front line defense against the spread of misinformation.

According to Statista, 52 percent of Americans believe the media reports fake news regularly and 29 percent of U.S. citizens believe that social media is mostly responsible for fake news. Fact-checking and limiting the distribution of articles

until they are proven by a third party could reverse citizens’ distrust of the news media.

Additionally, fake news has many negative effects on our political environment. Politicians use fake news as both a sword to attack political adversaries and as a shield from any criticism. President Trump used the false New York Post article as evidence for corruption within the Biden family. According to Associated Press News, Priscilla Giddings, a Republican representative of Idaho in the House of Representatives, was exposed by an article that found her to be an unqualified candidate due to her claiming homeowner’s exemption outside of her area of residence to get a tax break. Giddings quickly labeled

Illustration by Caroline Goodhart

this damaging article as “fake news,” publicly stripping the article of its integrity despite its validity. Social media could help news organizations regain their credibility in the eyes of the public and finally hold politicians accountable by validating articles that spread around the platforms.

Many conservatives are trying to extend the First Amendment to social media websites so people can freely participate

in the “marketplace of ideas” to fulfill the “U.S. values of self-fulfillment in our liberty theory.” They feel that rightleaning ideas are being completely censored by the “leftist social media companies” and that people of different political affiliations are being blocked by companies from this “marketplace of ideas.”

These arguments tend to over dramatize what social media platforms are actually doing. Facebook only limited the distribution of the New York Post’s article about the Biden family until it could validate the claims made in the article. Twitter only blocked the URLs for the New York Post article about Biden from users because it violated Twitter’s privacy policies (featuring personal emails and phone numbers).

Participating in the “marketplace of ideas” is an essential liberty and the freedom to express opinions is a staple of American culture, but the spread of information containing false or unproven information is not an acceptable use of that core American value. The plague of fake news and the spread of misinformation through social media will continue to harm our generation if there is no stance taken against it, and these companies are working towards a solution to that problem. Our duty as members of the new generation is to support these companies’ rights along with the policies that limit false information. This will help all sides of the political spectrum find unity in factual news so our country can begin to heal the divisions that have pitted us against one another. nash@redwoodbark.org

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www.redwoodbark.org

Recovery starts with kicking the stigma of addiction

By Martha Fishburne “Hunter got thrown out of the military … dishonorably discharged for cocaine use.”

I was sitting with my family watching the first presidential debate when Donald Trump made this remark about Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, who struggled with drug addiction. And after the debate, when the country was in an uproar over Trump’s comments regarding the Proud Boys, or the candidates’ unpresidential behavior, I couldn’t help but think of my dad, who had celebrated 20 years of sobriety over quarantine. Once again, addiction had been sensationalized without addressing the root of the problem or those affected.

I grew up knowing my dad was a sober alcoholic; April 8 was always spent in a church or community center, my sister and I holding hands with him as he received his sobriety chip, our eyes blurred with prideful tears. As the years passed, we went from calling it “daddy’s allergy” to researching our family history of drinking and failed attempts at sobriety. From a long line of alcoholics who succumbed to their addiction, my dad got sober young, a feat I have trouble writing about without tearing up.

Regardless of political affiliation, drug and alcohol misuse is a medical issue, one that has only worsened during quarantine as binge drinking and drug use have replaced traditional social outlets. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Bay Area residents drank 42 percent more alcohol during the shelter-in-place than they had prior, a trend supported by other news sources.

In a country reeling from a racial reckoning, a worldwide pandemic, economic turmoil and a presidential election, condemning those who have chosen to self-medicate is cruel. Coming at it from a moral high ground, using someone’s addiction to sidetrack a political campaign, only adds insult to injury.

But this stigma is hardly new. In the 1980s, Nancy Reagan’s campaign, “Just Say No,” introduced the idea that those struggling from addiction were moral failures to kids at a young age. Even earlier, the Nixon administration

synonymized addiction with their political enemies. As Nixon’s domestic-policy advisor said in a 2016 Harper’s Magazine article, “We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”

The Nixon administration criminalized such drugs as an act of war on these communities, but they unintentionally caught over 31 million people and their families in the crossfire.

The effects of these attacks on addicts can still be seen today, most profoundly in society’s opinion of those who suffer from addiction. According to a Bloomberg School of Public Health article, the general public has more negative feelings towards addicts than towards those struggling with a mental illness. And when Donald Trump condemns addiction on a stage in front of 73.1 million people (according to CNN), this

stigma only Illustration by Caroline Goodhart increases, which can deter addicts from receiving help.

If, conversely, the media showed the benefits of recovery and addiction success stories, this shame could drastically decrease. Regardless of my dad’s past, recovery

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turned him into a compassionate man, slow to anger and quick to forgiveness. I know these traits are partially attributed to his recovery and he and the other addicts I know actively spread this inner peace to others.

Unchecked, addiction has a ripple effect. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there are more deaths from addiction than from any other avoidable affliction, with 750,000 deaths since 1990 from drug abuse alone, according to the CDC. While this number is high, it’s nothing compared to the mothers, fathers, siblings, friends and extended family impacted. Drug use is not a victimless crime; my dad’s family tree is pocked with alcohol-related tragedies: suicide, divorce and depression that caused estrangement with generational impacts.

But the same is true for recovery. My dad, his dad, his mom and his uncle are all sober, as are many of his high school friends. I know that, should I ever experience addiction, I will have the support I need to get sober, a sentiment I intend to pass on to my children. Just as my dad was born into a cycle of alcoholism, I was born into one of recovery.

As our country tries to gather its pieces, addicts are not often invited to the conversation. They are cast into the shadows and villainized in the media, with relapse used as a cheap plot point on TV shows. Instead, we need to bring them into the light, covering stories of redemption and recovery rather than those of overdose. My dad transformed from a depressed young man to a calm adult who meditates frequently and sponsors other recovering addicts in their sobriety. I cannot help but wonder if the same would go for more addicts if addiction was destigmatized in the media. mfishburne@redwoodbark.org

kdawes@redwoodbark.org

California’s education funding system operates at students’ expense

By Will Baker California’s government is led by politicians who pride themselves on equality and allowing the hindered to thrive. However, this governing body is presently failing the very people it aims to protect, utilizing an ineffective education funding system that has backfired at the expense of the disadvantaged. Property taxes are largely blamed for education inequality as they account for a large portion of school funding, creating a great disparity in education when neighboring school districts have different income levels. However, there is another contributing factor in education disparity aside from the 22 percent of the funding that property taxes produce: the state’s funding formula.

In 2012, former Governor Jerry Brown introduced the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) in hopes of undercutting education disparities for students across California. This massive change in California public education allowed for local districts to receive additional state funds specifically for students deemed as educationally high risk by the state: economically disadvantaged, English learning or foster students. The

LCFF seemed to be a step forward in the state funding formula, credited with taking the bureaucratic layers out of state funding.

However, the LCFF has created unforeseen consequences on a district level.

Brown envisioned state funding being proportionately allocated within districts along lines of pupil needs, but the idea has unfortunately been undermined by rising expenses in California’s education system. This has increased (and continues to increase) the education inequality that was supposed to be eradicated by the LCFF.

Illustration by Brooke Leslie

California needs to repeal the LCFF as the landscape of its public education financing has changed and immense shortfalls of the plan have become apparent.

A major hitch with the LCFF is the complicated and often hard to discern financial spending reports, officially known as Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), that schools are required to disclose. Because of the decentralization of funding for students that is at the center

of the LCFF, districts have the ability to use the funds to compensate for the increased deficits forced upon them as employee healthcare and pensions rise.

Education Trust Weekly, an advocate of education reform for students in poverty, found that in the 2014-2015 school year, some California school districts had planned to use LCFF funds to meet other district expenses, aside from actually spending it on services for the educationally disadvantaged groups that the program intended to help. The study also found that 43 percent of California districts only represented a third or less of their budget in their LCAP disclosures.

An Atlantic article also raised concerns about where state LCFF funding is heading, citing two lawsuits in separate districts over the misuse of state funding. The article notes a legal battle the highly acclaimed Long Beach School District is facing over the use of school funds to push forward Advanced Placement (AP) courses, on-site law enforcement and employee benefits, while neglecting the high-risk students the funding is meant for. The district was accused of shorting these students 24 million dollars in the 2014-2015 school year.

This diversion of funds away from these targeted groups is not necessarily malicious, but it is enabled by the complexity and maneuverability of LCAPs. In the case of the Long Beach

School District, funding was short for high risk students because of the complexity of LCAPs. The funding plans were difficult to access, and it was therefore challenging to hold the district accountable for the misplaced dollars.

Redwood is a part of the problem; the TUHSD’s LCAP information for state funding plans is limited. The ambiguity and shrouded nature of LCAPs is what allows for schools to take advantage of the LCFF system amidst a time of budget uncertainty across California, seen in the TUHSD’s own budget struggles.

Governor Gavin Newsom projected a $54 billion deficit for California schools

by June 2021, according to Ed Source, a reporter of California’s education challenges. Such a deficit will force schools to cut costs and further dig into their LCFFs for non-related funding.

A noble but flawed idea, the LCFF will soon be forced to further take away from student dollars as other district costs unrelated to creating an equitable education system rise. Though Governor Newsom’s most recent education budget pays for portions of teacher pensions, taking off some of the economic burden on districts, the deficits will likely continue to grow and worsen California’s per pupil spending, already 46th in the nation in 2017. There needs to be a monumental change in the way that California public schools are funded, emphasizing transparency and additional funding from a state level.

wbaker@redwoodbark.org

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Page 6 • Opinion

Dec 11, 2020

Satire: letter of opposition Story and Illustration by Jackson Epps To whomever it may concern,

Global Warning: ‘tis the season to limit your carbon footprint Story and Illustration by Anna Silverman Upon seeing the presents under the tree Christmas morning or by the menorah on Hanukkah nights, your first thought probably isn’t whether or not they’re wrapped in recyclable paper. That laminated, glittery covering and the accompanying bows are emblems of the holiday season, as are Thanksgiving feasts and lavishly decorated Christmas trees. However, these traditions and cultural staples of the winter season contribute a large percentage of the waste and pollution generated yearround.

The holidays may be the most wonderful time of the year, but they are also the most wasteful. From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, the average amount of waste per household increases by 25 percent. Seasonspecific food waste, gifts and gift packaging generate one million tons of trash that enter landfills each week.

Turkey, pumpkin pie and other foods we consider holiday delicacies travel an average of 1,500 miles from farm to plate. Considering that these dishes are often transported by either gas-guzzling 18-wheelers or jet planes, the environmental impact can be disastrous. This season, consider checking out the many websites and farmers’ markets that provide locally-sourced foods that generate a fraction of the emissions.

Additionally, approximately 8,000 tons of wrapping paper are used during the holidays each year, which is equivalent to 50,000 trees – enough to wrap around the world nine times. To avoid this result, try to pass on plastic-coated wrapping paper and limit your use of nonreusable gift packaging.

The gifts wrapped in this paper are another one of the major offenders during the holidays. Toys produced and distributed during this season alone generate 68.1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide. Ninety percent of toys on the market are made of plastic, and 40 million tons of plastic are used with every one million dollars spent on toy production. Finding replacements for these short-lasting toys, ornaments and even artificial trees can significantly reduce your waste over the next few months.

You can look to Amazon and Etsy to buy gifts, as they now offer hundreds of sustainable product options from tech to toys. Teens nowadays also know that thrifting is also a great way to search for little treasures or fullblown outfits to gift your friends and family.

No matter how old you are, the magic of the holiday season is essential to maintain. The painful family dinners, last-minute gift shopping and pure joy of waking up to see those gifts under the tree should not be diminished by sustainable adjustments. You don’t have to switch to sharing a Tofurkey (Tofu turkey) or give up plastic toys forever; making informed decisions with your purchases alone can significantly help reduce the enormous excess of waste during the holidays.

Another major contributor to the carbon footprint of the holidays is the 112.5 million Americans that travel during the holiday season, a little less than a third of the U.S. population. This number should decrease this year due to our efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but we must still be mindful for the future. One hundred million out of these 112.5 travel by car, so one of the items on your Christmas list this year might be an electric vehicle, regardless of whether you plan to visit or flee from your relatives.

I certainly don’t mean to snuff out your (yule log) fire, but if we continue our current consumerism and transportation habits, Rudolph will soon need his nose to shine through smog, not fog. No matter what holiday you celebrate, it’s time to start making our traditions more sustainable to ensure white Christmases long into the future.

asilverman@redwoodbark.org

I take great pleasure in not recommending Jane Doe for admission to your school.

Academically, Doe struggles. This is more than your average struggle; with a GPA less than the passing 2.0., Doe has not received a passing grade yet, and I have had the unique displeasure of teaching them for two years. This is a rare time when I will say that I wish a student was absent more, as that might explain the failing marks. I wish I could say family struggles were the reason Doe isn’t performing at their full potential. Unfortunately, this is not the case: Doe did not miss a single class period. Now, this might show dedication, and if you’re looking for a student who consistently underperforms and fails tests, even Kahoots, Doe is your student.

English is a class they do not, under any circumstances, excel in. After the first essay, I knew I was in for a rough two years. Doe lacked a basic understanding of the different parts of speech. “Adjectives, nouns, and herbs” was an actual sentence written by them this year. The fact that the first two were syntactical parts of the English language and the other was seasoning did not seem to concern them.

Outside of the classroom, Doe does nothing. Not one single extracurricular activity. No sports. No clubs. No

volunteering. No friends. I can’t, in good conscience, say that Doe will be a productive member of your community because, based on their high school experience, I would go so far as to say I doubt they even know what a community is. I know for certain that they will be an unbridled nuisance. From streaking in broad daylight to owning a (loud) pet parrot that will most certainly disrupt both classes and dorms, Doe’s prior activities are disturbing.

On top of it all, they are on record saying they’ll do them again—trust me, deny them admission.

I cannot stress this enough: Doe is not right for your institution, or any for that matter. The only useful thing I picture Doe doing is donating their organs.

Unfortunately, Doe believes we had a great relationship, hence them asking me to write their letter of recommendation to your prestigious university. I ask now that you keep the content of this letter away from Doe’s eyes and offer no indication that it in any way detracted from their possible acceptance. Again, for the rest of your student body’s sake, do NOT accept Jane Doe into your university.

Best Regards, Jackson Epps

jepps@redwoodbark.org

‘Santa Tell Me’ these Christmas songs are actually PC It’s Cold Outside” was controversial at the time of its release because a woman is taking control of her own body As soon as November rolls around, the Christmas and having sex before marriage; now, it should be looked lights go up, the holiday music starts playing and spirits at in the same light — a feminist anthem.

The song “Santa Baby” came out in 1953 and to this day start to rise. My family and I strictly love the classics but over the years have slowly started hearing more and more is arguably one of the most well-known and entertaining reasons to “cancel” many of these songs. It is easy to see songs of the holiday season. However, it seems as though why someone looking at the lyrics of songs like “Baby people are looking too deeply into its meaning. The song It’s Cold Outside,” “Santa Baby” and “Do They Know is typically sung by a woman in a raunchy way to ask for It’s Christmas?” from a modern perspective would be things she wants from Santa. However, what should be a disappointed, but looking back historically, they were not fun and lighthearted song has been turned into something meant to be offensive. What should be the most wonderful with a darker-than-intended meaning with perceived time of the year has been complicated by arguments over hints of sexism. It is not insinuating that all women are classic music choices. These songs and more have been materialistic and superficial as many now perceive it to be; it was one woman following essentially “canceled” by people who see them as sexist or the rules told to children about racist. Some radio stations have even begun to pull them Christmas — be good and then from their holiday rotations. Despite modern day feminism open the presents from Santa and other societal changes, we should not cancel on Christmas morning. The classic holiday songs based on their current singer is simply pretending the interpretations especially magic is real and wishing she when we look at the could get extravagant gifts from music deemed acceptable the mythical Santa. in present times.

According to USAToday, radio According to a stations across the country have stopped playing November Bark survey, 84 percent “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” a trend that started in of students listen to holiday music 2017 due to social media outrage and emails annually and 24 percent are concerned from angered listeners. 2017 also happened to varying extents over the current to be the peak of the #MeToo movement, interpretations of the meanings of which explains the sudden distaste for the these classic songs. This shows song when looked at as a date rape anthem. the deep influence of the media Illustration by Kalyn Dawes The #MeToo movement is empowering, on Redwood students. The lack of inspiring and important, however, there knowledge of historical societal norms and the intended are bigger problems its supporters are tackling meaning of songs is what allows this to happen.

The 75-year-old classic “Baby It’s Cold Outside’’ than a 1940s Christmas song, and it is important to not was once considered a charmingly suggestive song. In make assumptions and do the research before canceling it recent years, however, it has been interpreted as a song and others.

Something that makes the criticism of Christmas songs about date rape. This assertion came from lyrics such as the female-sung line “Say what’s in this drink?” and the especially confusing are the many songs written today that male-sung lines “What’s the sense of hurting my pride?” are incredibly and openly sexist, such as “The Hills” by and “Baby, don’t hold out.” Upon singling out these The Weeknd, “I Love It” by Lil Pump and Kanye West and lyrics from the perspective of a person in the year 2020, “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke. If we are going to allow it is understandable the first assumption is that the song is songs like these to get by and become extremely popular, promoting and normalizing rape culture; at first, I believed then there is no reason to go back in time 70 years to it too. However, when looking into the time period it was cancel songs written with deeper meanings and no openly written (the 1940s), a more holistic view can be seen; the offensive lyrics.

It is okay to change things with the times, but we should song is undeniably about a unmarried couple wanting to have sex, something that was not common or condoned still understand past perspectives. While listening, it is during the time period. The song is about sex, wanting important to acknowledge non-politically correct lyrics, to have it and finding excuses to stay at night despite but it is unreasonable to completely cancel and erase these the societal pressures of the time. The woman’s excuses classic holiday songs for invalid reasons. during the song are an attempt to blame her actions on things other than her own desires. When she asks about the contents of her drink, she is referring to the alcohol content, not a date rape drug, because many people blame bad things they do on how much they had to drink. “Baby arunnfeldt@redwoodbark.org

By Alli Runnfeldt

Page 7 • Opinion

www.redwoodbark.org

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Redwood High School 395 Doherty Drive Larkspur, CA 94939 www.redwoodbark.org Editors-In-Chief Ella Green Sofi Mincy Camille Ray Jack Watson Head Copy Editors Olivia Kharrazi Sophia Rocha

Cultivating engaged learning

editorial “Let’s open a new chapter of growth in our education.”

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Bark conducted our studentsurvey via email to maintain a balanced student body representation. We acknowledge that this is not the random sample we strive for in other issues of our publication.

How we can improve our classroom setting

It’s now mid-December and in-person learning feels like a bygone memory. Distance has become the most defining aspect of our education. Remote learning has minimized our comprehension and retention of academic concepts, bringing the shortcomings of our education into full view. Student immersion is seemingly at an all-time low, but distance learning isn’t the only culprit: our educational structure has long been the foundation of this issue. Seeing that numerous societal practices and structures have been challenged over the course of the pandemic, it’s only fitting that we examine this unengaging learning model as well. Online school has arguably been as hard for teachers as it has been for students, but if teachers can better foster connections within our content starting now, we’ll be more equipped to implement these changes upon our return to the physical classroom.

One of the most common critiques regarding education in the United States is that we still abide by the “factory model of education.” That is, education mimics vocational school, which was designed to train factory workers during the industrial revolution. The vast majority of classes follow this same format: learn material, memorize said material and regurgitate your memory of the material in the form of an assessment. This format is incredibly repetitive and stale, yet mastering it is all that matters in our current system. Although teachers aren’t to blame for factory model learning, they have the power to make positive change in their classrooms: here are a few ways that teachers can further engage their students moving forward.

Content covered in our classes often feels inapplicable in the real world, and now that we’re physically detached from such a world, we’re even more out of touch with the current curriculum. In a course like math, learning the computational skills that calculators are programmed to do feels like an even more futile task than normal. The list of outdated course material goes on and on. But we’re not in the business of designing a new curriculum; so instead, we can rejuvenate what we have in place.

If students are more frequently empowered to choose the content they are taught (within reasonable bounds), they may take more ownership of, and have more interest in, their work. This is not to say that students should be able to selectively choose the concepts covered in their courses, but research projects could gain a dynamic edge if students were able to choose what they explored within a given topic. With so many events happening in the world right now, coupling our learning with exploration of current issues could reinvigorate our resolve twofold.

Furthermore, classes should not only provide students with real-world insight but also a sense of purpose and meaning. When students get a grade on an assignment, they often erase the content from memory, as it means little more than checking off the completed box; now, more than ever, it seems insight and genuine immersion

A BARK to Cyber Monday for giving small business owners a chance. This is the only Monday we’ll ever be excited about.

in subject matters are low on students’ priority lists.

This lack of true interest in course material most clearly manifests itself in reluctant group work, whether it takes place in tortuous breakout rooms or in real life. To combat this, teachers could elect group members to different positions: delegating a note-taker, a discussion leader, a researcher and a group speaker, for instance, would instill a sense of purpose and responsibility in class each day.

Oftentimes, working for a bigger purpose can motivate students to not only do their work, but take pride in it. In Bark, because we know the community will be reading our publication, we hold ourselves to a higher standard than we would in a typical course. To achieve this in other classes, teachers should consider having students submit essays, presentations, videos or other project forms to local newspapers, publishing sites or a Redwood-created forum. Such a forum could showcase student work in a similar manner as an art gallery, encouraging students to submit their best work. Doing so would make their work relevant to the real world while also giving it a tangible place in such a world, generating meaning beyond the grade.

Online school is draining for all parties involved, and it seems we’ll be in it for the long haul this year. Teachers have made sacrifice after sacrifice to improve online education for their students. We’ve seen them calming down their crying children while giving a lecture from home.

We’ve watched their expressions sink when faced by silence and turned-off cameras after asking the class a question. We’ve heard their announcements about the after school office hours they’ve set up to help our learning retention and review course material. We know how hard teachers have worked this year, and our suggestions are in no way meant to insinuate that they are failing us right now; rather, they seek to enhance all the work they’ve already put in for us. This pandemic has been a tumultuous time — let’s also make it a fruitful one.

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

A BARK to Beyoncé for receiving nine Grammy nominations. Seems like girls really do run the world.

A BITE to COVID-19’s first A BITE to Trump for fighting anniversary. We’re already the election results. If only he’d fought that hard against the thinking about divorce. pandemic.

A BARK to YouTube for canceling YouTube Rewind A BARK to the seniors for 2020. We didn’t want to getting back their senior quotes.

They may be seniors, but they’re remember this year anyway. still fresh, man.

A BITE to Biden for fracturing his foot while playing with his A BITE to the Office being taken off of Netflix. “No, God! dog. That sounds pretty ruff!

No, God please no! No! No! NOOO!” A BARK to the new Shawn Mendes album. We “Wonder” what it will sound like.

A BITE to increased COVID-19 surges. Let’s start dreaming we don’t have a purple Christmas.

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.

Copy Editors Avery Aguero Maxanne Anderson Samantha Elegant Martha Fishburne Ava Koblik Abigail Shewmaker Natalie Tress Shannon Watridge News Editors Isabel Ames Charlie Ginsburg Opinion Editors Anna Silverman Christopher Vargelis Feature Editors Nicole Johnson Alli Runnfeldt Sports Editors Jackson Epps Kent Goodman Review Editors Casey Braff Jacob Mandel Lifestyles Editors Taylor Elliott Sol Ladetzky Spanish Editor Loughlin Browne Podcast Editor Hollis Belger Video Editors Sydney Liebhauser Hannah Morgan Business Managers Annie Goldstein Katie Parsons Social Media/ Snapshot Editor Greta Cifarelli Survey Manager Audrey Lightfoot Multimedia Editor Mara Farese Art Consultants Kalyn Dawes Keely Ganong Reporters Nathan Ash Will Baker Charlotte DeForrest Alex Fisch Clariss Garcia Nina Geoghegan Caroline Goodhart Kylie Horstmeyer Libby Hughes Patrick Jacobson Mia Kessinger Sterling Lazarus Brooke Leslie Emma Lightfoot Alyssa McCadden Declan McDaniels Kate McHugh Samantha Michaels PJ Pfeiffer Bella Piacente AnnaLise Sandrich Caroline Scharf Hannah Sellers Sophie Smallhorn Gemma Strauss Allie Vasquez Keegan Williams Advisers Rebecca Elegant Erin Schneider

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

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Trump gana más apoyo latino en 2020 que en 2016 Por Clariss Ajanel Cuando Biden aseguró la elección, se apoderó de los medios de comunicación y de nuestras conversaciones diarias.

La cobertura de noticias que va desde los tweets infundados de confianza de Trump sobre ganar las elecciones hasta las victorias de Biden en los estados republicanos llenó los medios de comunicación durante los meses previos a las elecciones. Sin embargo, los votos latinos y negros no se discutieron mucho antes de las elecciones.

Freshman Hanna Rojas y su familia participaron más en esta elección que años antes, y sintieron que no vieron suficiente representación en las noticias.

“No creo que hayan hablado lo suficiente sobre [los votos Hispanos y de los Africano Americanos] y definitivamente podrían habernos informado más al respecto’’, dijo Rojas.

“Creo que si la gente está más informada, ya sea de la escuela o de organizaciones nuevas, sobre la importancia de su voto, entonces votarían más [hispanos].”

Para los inmigrantes en los Estados Unidos, votar es un privilegio que muchos de ellos no tienen por haber nacido en otro país. De acuerdo con la Política de Migración del Instituto de 2018 a 2019, el 46 por ciento de los 221,990 inmigrantes latinos en los Estados Unidos obtuvieron la ciudadanía. Elvia Aceituno, madre de la estudiante de primer año Hanna Rojas, votó por primera vez este año, luego de convertirse recientemente en ciudadana.

“Creo que fue importante que usará mi derecho al voto, especialmente porque sé que muchos Hispanos y Latinos no pueden votar. Esta fue mi oportunidad de expresar mis pensamientos y los de mi comunidad,” dijo Aceituno.

Su hija Hanna Rojas vio esta elección como la más importante de su vida y animó a sus padres a votar.

“Esta elección tuvo mucho que ver con los derechos humanos básicos, que es algo que realmente me importa. Sabía que no podía votar, así que quería educar

a mis padres para que pudieran tomar una decisión informada en esta elección,” dijo Rojas.

Rojas, una latinoamericana, vió que sus opiniones sobre las elecciones estaban influidas por los orígenes de su familia.

Dijo que quería un presidente de mente abierta y racialmente imparcial, lo que no era una opción para ella en las elecciones de este año. Al comparar a ambos candidatos, Rojas explicó que tenía la opción de votar para mal o peor, para ella, siendo Trump la peor opción.

“Para ser honesto, si hubiera mejores candidatos, no hubiera votado por Biden, pero él era nuestra mejor opción para esta elección,” dijo Rojas.

También se comprende que algunos votantes hispanos no votaron por el mismo candidato que ella apoyaba.

“En algunos casos [ser hispano o provenir de una familia hispana] no [afecta por quién votas] porque algunos hispanos tienen una mente más abierta y no ven ciertos puntos de vista. Conozco personas que votaron por Trump porque realmente no entienden de qué se trata, pero hay otros que pueden ver más allá de eso,” dijo Rojas.

Según los cálculos de la organización Atlantic News sobre las encuestas de salida anticipada, el 60 por ciento de los hispanos elegibles votaron este año en comparación con el 50 por ciento en las elecciones anteriores. Biden ganó una gran cantidad de votos latinos, pero Trump obtuvo el 32 por ciento del voto latino, un cuatro por ciento más que en las elecciones anteriores.

Maria Civano, profesora de español, no comprende completamente por qué hubo un aumento en los votantes hispanos para Trump, sin embargo trata de entender de dónde vienen.

“Hay muchas personas que votan por Trump porque tienen un solo tema, como una persona super religiosa que estan en contra al aborto, no importando todo lo de mas que dice trump, van a votar por el canidato Republicano porque ellos son lo que llamamos votante de un solo tema.”

Argumentos sobre porque alguien votó

por su candidato puede segir pero, muchos han decidido ponerlo atrás y ver este nuevo año como un punto de empezar.

“No importa de qué raza eres, si eres Hispana, Africana Americana, Asiana o

Infografía por Mara Farese

Blanca, todos debemos unirnos más bien que separarnos sobre la política,” dijo Civano. cajanel@redwoodbark.org

‘Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)’ no tiene temor Por Loughlin Browne El segundo álbum de estudio de Kali Uchis, “Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)”, se abre con palabra hablada lánguida y operística y navega desde sintetizadores de ensueño hasta un nivel de energía igual a su colaboradora, Rico Nasty. Manteniéndose fiel a su sonido mientras muestra una clara experimentación y crecimiento, el primer proyecto en Español de la artista colombiano-estadounidense muestra su impresionante rango vocal.

Arte por Camille Ray

Uchis saltó a la fama después de que su mixtape de 2012, “Drunken Babbles,” le valiera el interés y la colaboración de Tyler, the Creator. Su discografía pasada incluye “Isolation” de 2018, su primer álbum de estudio, y varios EP. También lanzó cuatro canciones increíblemente artísticas en “To Feel Alive” a principios de este año como un proyecto de cuarentena.

El abridor, “la luna enamorada,” es una obra maestra en sí misma, abriendo el álbum como si fuera una película.

“Vaya con dios” continúa este tema y es un claro punto culminante, con un sonido furtivo de película Bond respaldado por cuerdas dramáticas, un acompañamiento entrecortado y melodías impresionantemente altas. Fue

mejor, con PARTYNEXTDOOR, describe una relación pasada con notas altas angelicales similares que adornan el fondo. “Telepatía” y “quiero sentirme bien” hacen la transición a un pop más animado, con sintetizadores animados y vibrantes. Luego, Uchis intenta un reguetón completo en “te pongo mal”, que presenta a Jowell y Randy, y “aquí yo mando” presenta a Rico Nasty y transmite un celo típico de los dos artistas. Cierra con guitarras punteadas melancólicas y románticas en “ángel sin cielo”.

Las canciones hipnóticas evocan tonos pastel, iconografía religiosa y una apreciación de la luz. El álbum se desliza entre los idiomas de manera fluida y constante, sobre todo en “quiero sentirme bien”, una elección que Kali hizo intencionalmente. En 2019, el artista explicó en una entrevista con People, “Cuando realmente quiero decir algo que siento que tengo que decir en inglés, cambiaré porque no voy a forzarlo, pero mucho será en español ... Para mi próximo álbum, realmente voy a volver a mis raíces, experimentando más con mi música, sin pensar tanto y sin esforzarme tanto, simplemente fluir libremente.”

En general, “Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)” se mantiene fiel a su nombre, demostrando una clara falta de temor.

lbrowne@redwoodbark.org

feature

Page 9

Post-pandemic reality: guidelines for our new world

By Taylor Elliott Tired eyes open to see the flash of a bright screen.

An Apple News alert updates the death toll for the coronavirus. Each outing is a risk, and one can’t help but wonder if the fabric mask tucked behind their ears is an entirely impenetrable barrier to the spreading disease.

Although The New York Times reported on Nov. 18 that the Pfizer vaccine was effective on 95 percent of patients and warranted no severe side effects, some aspects of life, professionals say, are forever changed.

From huge leaps in the medical world to massive growth in the food delivery industry and a shift away from working in person, the world we now live in dramatically differs from what it was in March.

Redwood parent and former Chief of Staff at MarinHealth Medical Center Kerry Davidson M.D. explains that the coronavirus has changed the medical industry in terms of data collection and drug development.

“I think COVID-19 is going to have a very exciting silver lining where things like data aggregation, learning how to use gene tools to create new vaccines for illnesses and other new technologies are emerging. It’s very exciting, and it will benefit people in the future,” Davidson said.

According to Davidson, the groundbreaking speed at which scientists developed the COVID-19 vaccine will also set a new standard for how fast all medical treatments progress.

“I think it’s certainly possible that we’ll see other vaccines and treatments being created faster,” Davidson said.

She bases this prediction on the fact that many of the tools being used to combat COVID-19, such as sequencing the genome, clipping genes and designing drugs based on the shape of proteins in the body, were developed in response to HIV and AIDS. “Many of these [tools] came out of this incredible push to try to get HIV under control and to create drugs to treat that viral illness,” Davidson said.

As a hospitalist, (a doctor who provides general medical care to hospitalized patients and often leads the hospital medical team, coordinates care for inpatients and other lab work) Davidson has seen advances in how appointments are held and believes those changes are also here to stay. “[If someone doesn’t need to come in-person,] virtual doctors visits will absolutely continue, and I think they should. For following an existing problem with somebody who already knows [their doctor and] who’s maybe already been examined, it is super-efficient,” Davidson said.

Beyond newfound practices in the medical world, COVID-19 may have permanently altered how we view all illnesses, as coronavirus safety precautions are now an ingrained part of people’s daily lives.

“We already see in some communities that flu and common colds are having lower incidents because people are following what we would call universal precautions: wash your hands more, don’t touch your face, [and] cover your face. [A mask] protects both the wearer and the person they’re around,” Davidson said. “Maybe people will be more aware of staying home and not exposing other people to whatever they have. I think employers will be more comfortable with saying, ‘If you’re not well, stay home.’”

Other long-term effects of COVID-19 will be an overall greater appreciation for family members, the beauty of nature and the ability to get outside after sheltering indoors for the past months.

“Everybody had to slow down a little bit. And I think people learned a little bit more about what was important to them. People had to settle down at home, have family meals and talk, not go out so much or not travel as much and maybe learn to enjoy the people they

were already close to. And particularly in Marin, people became appreciative of our beautiful community and all the outdoor resources we have,” Davidson said.

Another byproduct of staying home was the rise in food and grocery delivery. Redwood alumni and current University of California Berkeley student Alex Aguero decided to take jobs with Uber Eats and Postmates from April to June because of the sales spike.

“There was definitely a lot of business. My brother,

manager for the technology team at WeWork, a coworking company that provides flexible shared workspaces for technology startups. However, he recently took a job at Colliers International, a real estate company, after his team at WeWork was cut from 500 people to 20 due to COVID19.

WeWork is not the only real estate company that has lost a significant portion of their renters. Companies everywhere are downsizing their office space permanently.

Since March 17, the Alliance of Chief Executives has administered a CEO survey to more than 300 Alliance member companies to gauge how businesses are experiencing the COVID-19 crisis. They reported that when asked what their plans are for workplaces after the pandemic, 31 percent of CEOs will allow unlimited working from home from anywhere and anytime. In comparison, another 31 percent will enable limited working from home at around two days per week. When asked how much they planned to reduce their leased office space, 29 percent responded that they would get rid of 75 percent to 100 percent of their office space.

Fitzpatrick says this trend will lead to increased flexibility f o r employees that will especially b e n e f i t families. He explained why by outlining a scenario that could take place locally.

“Say a

Illustration by Kalyn Dawes

who started delivering before the pandemic hit, told me that there were a lot more orders during the pandemic than ever before,” Aguero said.

According to a survey from Brick Meets Click, a food marketing and sales consulting firm, Aguero’s experience was not uncommon. In fact, 31 percent of U.S. households said they had used an online delivery or pickup service during March, and 26 percent of those surveyed said that they were using an online grocery service for the first time.

Instacart, an American company that operates a grocery delivery service via a website and mobile app, further proves this trend. The company saw its app downloads grow by over 200 percent from February to mid-March. Sanu Dhillon, a senior payroll accountant at Instacart, has a few ideas about what has made Instacart so successful beyond COVID-19.

“Their platform [has brought them success] and the usability of the app. Then [there is] the niche in the market; being able to deliver groceries to people. Our customer base is 82 percent females, between 25 and 35 years old and mothers at that. I think that [customer base] also plays a big role in what makes it successful,” Dhillon said.

Dhillon believes this success is here to stay even after COVID-19 due to their new larger group of consumers. “[Grocery and food delivery is] something that will continue to grow. One of the biggest hurdles for businesses is getting people to use their applications or actually to find test users. The pandemic has kind of forced people to use [Instacart] and get an understanding [of it]. I think once you finally get people hooked on it, it just continues whether or not the pandemic is going [on],” Dhillon said.

COVID-19 will also change the leasing of office space forever. Possibly one of the most enormous shifts people will see post-COVID is more adults working from home.

Joseph Fitzpatrick is the former regional operations

company used to have one location in downtown San Francisco. Everybody had to commute there from all over the Bay Area. Now, with the pandemic, that’s going to change. There will be multiple satellite offices, and that company will be forced to have an office in the North Bay, the East Bay, the South Bay, the peninsula and San Francisco. People with kids and families perhaps will have the flexibility to just drive a few minutes into work,” Fitzpatrick said.

Working virtually will also expand job opportunities worldwide as a physical presence will no longer be a job requirement.

“There’s always been companies like Upwork, where you could outsource data entry and task management from the Philippines, India or the Middle East. But I think those things will grow, and people are going to capitalize on this new kind of workplace as well,” Fitzpatrick said.

As companies continue to allow their employees to work from home, the interviewing process will shift so that human resources (HR) plays a larger role. HR must do negotiations to ensure that employee progress can be tracked online.

“I think that’s going to be a huge negotiation tactic. HR will be heavily involved in recruiting, a lot more than they were before,” Fitzpatrick said.

After the pandemic, people will potentially not have to come to work every day of the week and certainly not for the entire day. Fitzpatrick explained that there will most likely be a rotating schedule for all businesses where people will only work one to three part-time days a week in the office.

“I think the entire workplace has changed forever,” Fitzpatrick said.

From medical professionals to students, teachers and working parents, Fitzpatrick’s belief resonates; not only has the entire workplace changed forever, but many aspects of the world have too.

telliott@redwoodbark.org

December 11, 2020 bark Page 10 • Feature COVID-19 pushes San Francisco residents to Marin

By Kent Goodman

Picture a family in a small apartment in San Francisco.

The claustrophobic, compact rooms seem suffocating as the whole family is simultaneously Zooming and shouting over each other. Focusing on work is nearly impossible with everyone confined within the same four walls day in and day out. Space is so precious, and for many, so painfully unaffordable. As COVID-19 restrictions tighten across the city, the exodus of families from San Francisco to Marin exponentially increases.

According to the California Department of Finance, San Francisco’s population has consistently been increasing for the past four decades, rising from 675,800 people in 1979 to 881,549 in 2019. However, according to a report released by the online real estate company Zillow, from May to July of this year, the number of San Francisco houses on the market has risen a substantial 96 percent compared to the same time last year.

Holly Welch, a Redwood mother and realtor working in Marin and Petaluma, attributes a large part of the exodus from San Francisco to people craving more space to enjoy themselves.

“Marin is an easy transition,” Welch said. “It’s not far, you get more space, you can get a backyard and better weather. [Since COVID-19 began] there was a large uptick in the demand for pools because people couldn’t leave and go to resorts or to community pools. Instead, people just want to have everything they enjoy within their house.”

English teacher Danielle Kestenbaum, her husband and their two young children had been happy in San Francisco for the past 10 years. They had made their small one-bedroom apartment into a makeshift two-bedroom apartment by converting the dining room into a bedroom for their children. The family was determined to raise their children in San Francisco and commute into Marin for work.

Prior to the pandemic, they were planning on moving into her friend’s larger apartment, who was going to move to the east coast. However, two weeks into the pandemic, Kestenbaum read an online article regarding the extent of potential lockdowns from COVID-19 and was soon after informed that her friends were no longer moving to the east coast, causing her to immediately want to leave the city.

“The beauty of living in San Francisco is you’re never home, so living in a small space doesn’t really matter that much. But then [that beauty] was taken away really quickly [once the pandemic hit],” Kestenbaum said.

Belena Stanford, mother to a 20-year-old, an 18-yearold and a seven-year-old, whose eldest attended Marin Academy before transferring to boarding school, was in a similar situation to

Illustrations by Kalyn Dawes

Kestenbaum. Stanford moved to Paradise Cay in Tiburon after beginning to feel less at home in San Francisco as the pandemic continued to spread.

“Our favorite family restaurant where we celebrate all our birthdays … and where we ate the night before all three of my kids were born is just gone forever,” Stanford said. “I think of the things I really loved, and I just don’t know what’s going to survive this. It’s after all that little chipping away at your heart that you throw in the towel.”

Another reason Stanford wanted to leave San Francisco was the pain of running minor errands, and she now appreciates the ease of daily chores in Marin.

“Something as simple as take-out pizza can end up taking 90 minutes because you look for parking for 35 minutes. Then when you get home your pizza is cold and everyone’s hungry, and you just start to think daily life just shouldn’t be this hard,” Stanford said. “[Now in Marin] I can just pull up, there’ll be a parking spot and I can just walk in. I just have so much more time to myself [instead of] being beholden to the hecticness of the city.”

A San Francisco Chronicle article reported that the average rent in San Francisco had

dropped a severe 20 percent from September 2019 to September 2020 as landlords attempted to attract residents. According to Kestenbaum, her sister, who moved within the city, was offered extremely luxurious perks and incentives such as months of free rent, gift cards and a year-long subscription to a laundry service. Despite landlords’ best efforts, people continue to leave the city in large numbers.

To Stanford, who would occasionally tour houses in Marin in years past, the move seemed like more fantasy than reality until the pandemic happened.

“Once COVID-19 started, there were no more open houses. You had to sign a document that was quite extensive — basically a COVID-19 release form. Only one, sometimes two people were allowed in the house, so there was no more ‘Let’s drive around and look at houses,’” Stanford said. “You had to be very, very specific because each house that was for sale could only be shown to five or so people each day. Only people who are very serious about specific houses are able to get those precious slots to come see them.”

However, the COVID-19 precautions have not deterred potential buyers, as Welch has witnessed a large spike in demand for Marin houses.

“Marin, in general, has been a seller’s market for the last five-ish years, and that means there’s low inventory and there are more buyers than there are homes. [Home sellers] get multiple offers and sell [their home] pretty quickly,” Welch said. “Ever since about July of this year, there’s been a huge uptick in the number of houses sold in the days of the market. Now, we’ve seen 11, 12 or even 13 offers on houses.”

Even though there is much anticipation that a vaccine for COVID-19 will be released and distributed as early as the beginning of next year, the exodus is likely to continue into the future. Zillow predicts that in 2021, home values in San Francisco will drop 2.3 percent, which has not occurred since the 2008 housing crisis. Stanford hopes that this pandemic will be a wake-up call.

“Entire businesses are gone,” Stanford said.

“I think it’s because the rents are just so high and hopefully it will cause a positive change in San Francisco, and people are realizing they can’t charge this much money to a small business to exist because [the businesses] just won’t make it in the hard times.” kgoodman@redwoodbark.org

Page 11 • Feature

www.redwoodbark.org

How behavior changes through the generations Story and Illustrations by Charlotte DeForrest Undeniably, an event that Generation Z will remember for the rest of their lives is the COVID-19 pandemic. As grandparents, Gen Z will be answering questions from their grandchildren about how they managed virtual school and persevered through months of isolation. But what is not certain is how the pandemic will change their generation’s characteristics and how it will compare to the characteristics of previous generations.

Baby Boomers (1946-1964) were the first generation to be named, titled in accordance with the exponential increase in babies born in the years following World War II. After the labelling of the Baby Boomer Generation, the two older age ranges, the Greatest Generation (19011924) and the Silent Generation (1925-1945), were given their own names. Then came Generation X (1965-1980), Millennials (1981-1996) and Generation Z (1997-2010).

The current generation, Generation Alpha, is considered to start in the early 2010s though an end year has yet to be decided.

At Redwood, social issues teacher David Plescia spends time covering the individual behaviors of generations and their impacts. Plescia remembers how, growing up, his grandmother had many distinct characteristics including obedience to authority, honesty and the “obligation to serve the greater good,” which were typical of the Silent Generation and the Greatest Generation. Plescia attributes these qualities to the Great Depression, which his grandmother lived through at a young age.

While Plescia realizes it is important to remember that we all have individual experiences which shape how we act, it is also important to consider how life changing events, like the Great Depression, change how society operates as a whole.

“There are some people that hate talking about generations because you don’t talk about people’s individual experiences, so [they think] it invalidates certain individuals, and obviously to an extent that’s true,” Plescia said.

“But it is also a way of understanding what the pulse of the nation is. What we’re doing is trying to just historically take a look at what are the trends of certain timeframes.”

As a member of Generation X, Plescia deems independence one of the biggest characteristics of his generation. Most Gen Xers came of age in the 1970s and 80s, a time when, according to the U.S. Labor Force, the number of women ages 25 to 34 in the workforce increased

from 45 percent to 65.5 percent, and the number of women ages 35 to 44 in the workforce increased from 51.1 percent to 65.5 percent from the past decade.

Along with this increase in working mothers, divorce rates peaked in 1980 with 22.6 divorces per 1,000 married women according to the National Marriage Project. With these rising divorce rates and the number of women in the workforce, came a new group of children given the name “latchkey kids” who were given high levels of independence after school.

Plescia believes the decrease in constant parental supervision during the childhood of Gen X caused them to take on a more involved parenting style when it came to their children.

“That’s one of the reasons why, when some of [Gen X] became parents, [they] kind of wrapped [their] kids in bubble wrap because we didn’t want them to get in trouble,” Plescia said. “When I was a kid, we didn’t wear bike helmets. Nowadays, if you were a parent and your kid was on a bike without a helmet, you’d be chastised.”

As Plescia points out, a large part of what characterizes a generation is the events that occur when they are still developing. In a study conducted by Pew Research, Americans were asked to name the most influential event in their lives and 76 percent responded with the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The percent of participants who responded with 9/11 was highest for Millenials at 86 percent, but this percentage decreased in frequency with the older generations all the way down to 70 percent for Baby Boomers and 59 percent for the Silent Generation, a conclusion that makes sense to Plescia.

“I think it would have been much different to experience 9/11 as a 12-year-old as opposed to someone who’s 30. As shocking as 9/11 was, I think there was a little bit less shock for someone over the age of 30 because they already had an understanding of history and how the world can go sideways. But if I was a 12-year-old and was just beginning to understand that everything isn’t peaches and cream, there would be a much greater impact or disillusionment [after 9/11],” Plescia said.

Junior Eric Sunshine, a member of Generation Z and a current member of Redwood Leadership, claims that the biggest event that has affected him so far has been March For Our Lives, a student-led movement that protests gun violence in classrooms across America that was started after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida in 2018.

“I think that the Parkland shooting in particular hit so

bark

hard for almost every single person in [Gen Z]. That was the first time that I’d ever seen a movement fully driven by my peers and people my age. I think that it was really influential to Gen Z,” Sunshine said.

Sunshine believes the Parkland shooting and subsequent March For Our Lives protests helped to kickstart his own activism tendencies. This willingness to question authority and lean towards activism is the biggest defining and uniting factor for Gen Z in Sunshine’s opinion.

“We’ve grown up with these large social feeders [including women’s rights and marriage equality], so when those social structures get threatened, I think we find that a little bit more shocking than other generations,” Sunshine said.

While it is unclear how the pandemic will affect the way society acts and how Gen Z will view the world afterward, school psychologist Kathleen Roy thinks the impact will be substantial.

“The pandemic is going to change everything. When you watch a movie or a TV show and you see people without masks on, I have to think, ‘It’s okay that they weren’t wearing masks because it’s pre-COVID-19.’ I see the world differently now,” Roy said. “When things go back to normal, to what extent they do go back to normal, we will have some residual effects [from the pandemic].

We may always be apprehensive about shaking someone’s hand or if somebody sneezes or coughs near us or just by being in crowds.”

One Bloomberg article titled How Our Behavior Will Change After the Pandemic, indicates that along with a heightened germ fear following the pandemic, there will also be a shift in how we interact.

According to Pew Research, one in three Americans have influenced high levels of anxiety during the COVID-19 outbreak so far. Bloomberg thinks that following this period of isolation and anxiety, we will be drawn together and spend more time with friends and family.

The emergence of the novel coronavirus has undoubtedly impacted the lives of all Americans in 2020.

We have lived through stay-at-home orders and disruptions to our activities and daily lives. However, it is impossible to tell how this series of unfortunate events will impact our outlook on life and shape the characteristics of the generations developing during these unprecedented times. cdeforrest@redwoodbark.org

The academic pandemic

How staying remote has affected the emotion academic well-being of students

By Hollis Belger, Kent Goodman and Ella Green For many students, each day on Zoom feels the same. The awkward silence is inevitable as the teacher asks the class a question and no one responds. Beds remain unmade throughout the school day as many merely sit up a little straighter in them in an effort to appear focused. Meanwhile, at a private school not far away, students pull up to another day of in-person school, their lofty funding more than sufficient enough to pay for weekly testing and social distancing measures. And while these schools begin to heal themselves from six months of online learning, public schools only fall farther behind.

A two-week closure has turned into 10 months, and Redwood is still counting.

On March 13, 2020, students’ lives changed and to this day continue to be impacted by the effects of a school closure with no definitive end in sight.

As Pfizer and other pharmaceutical companies stir hope of an effective vaccine, students, parents, teachers and administrators alike wonder about the certainty of inperson school in the future.

California Governor Gavin N e w s o m ’ s children are c u r r e n t l y learning from a classroom, as are many students attending private schools in the state.

Marin has seen the re-openings of private high schools such as Marin Catholic and Branson as well as many public elementary and middle schools.

However, f o r students in the Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD), reopening is set but not guaranteed for January.

Granted, smaller schools have an easier time maintaining social distancing than larger ones, but the inequity resulting from certain students remaining fully remote has severely widened the academic achievement gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Julie Norwood, a math teacher whose classes this year range from geometry A-B, the lowest level of geometry, to honors advanced algebra, Redwood’s highest level algebra class, has found that online learning negatively affects some students more than others.

“Every kid [in my honors advanced algebra class] does every assignment and comes to class every day; [distance learning] is really just not that big of an issue for them. Their grades are good. The attendance is good. We’re not covering as much content, but they’re learning what I’m teaching them,” Norwood said. “I’ve definitely felt the most struggle in geometry mostly because if you have internet issues, if you have a lot of things going on in your household, if you have a learning disability or

if you’re an English language learner, all that stuff just gets magnified when you’re on distance learning.”

Norwood argues that students who already tend to struggle academically have taken the biggest hit from online learning, and she reports having more F’s in her geometry A-B class than ever before. Similar results have been seen across all Redwood classes, as the number of D, F or incomplete (DFI) marks has risen from 513 in the 2019-2020 school year to 974 in the 2020-2021 R1 grading period, with 1987 students currently enrolled, according to the Education Services Board Report.

“Kids are having trouble focusing, and then they’re behind. When they get behind there’s a tendency to just kind of give up a little bit,” Norwood said. “It is absolutely widening the [academic achievement] gap.”

Online learning has also caused a tremendous amount of racial inequity in the TUHSD. The Education Services Board Report recorded that 40.8 percent of Black and Hispanic students received a DFI compared to 23.8 percent of all students receiving a DFI in the R1 grading period. In response to the report, Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong, TUHSD’s assistant superintendent of

Illustrations by Nicole Johnson

educational services, spoke with the Marin IJ. “While this report is concerning, it’s done what it’s supposed to do, which is to fire off alarms and get the traffic cam blinking. It’s led to more conversations and accommodations for students,” Armstrong said.

Despite these new accommodations that include new learning hubs across the district, many students, parents and teachers remain wary of distance learning’s long term impacts, including Redwood mother and middle school teacher Mary Bender.

“The worst thing you can do to someone is isolate them. That fact of humanity is being ignored,” Bender said. “Most kids do not like high school. They want to get away with as little as they can to get what they want, and distance learning enables them to do

nal and that even more now that they’re not being supervised.”

Conversely, Kathryn Ghiraldini, an academic workshop and English teacher whose classes rely heavily on discussion and interaction, is fearful that the beneficial pieces of online learning may not be available once Redwood goes back to in-person learning.

“Feeling the heartbeat and the energy of the room is a valuable component of debate and discussion,” Ghiraldini said. “On the flip side of that, there’s something wonderful about being online because students who would otherwise not speak are participating in alternate ways, like the chat [on Zoom]. I have these students who I’m wondering how to keep engaged when we go back because there are students who I haven’t heard their voice once, but they are very valuable contributors to my classes.”

Despite Ghiraldini’s noted benefits of online school, the deprivation of daily social interactions and the hours spent hunched over staring at a screen has undoubtedly taken a toll on teens’ physical and psychological well being. Emily Tejani, MD, a University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) psychiatrist with a private practice specializing in children and adolescents in Marin, emphasizes the impact of the pandemic on young people in particular.

“We are now seeing higher rates of psychological distress amongst all age groups and particularly adolescents and young adults,” Tejani said. “We have seen a huge surge in anxiety, depression and substance use in teens and college students. Recently, they seem to be the most impacted negatively from a mental health standpoint due to the pandemic at large, but there’s even a little data to suggest that the school closures specifically are contributing to worsening mental health states and outcomes.”

Bay Area students are not exempt from the distance learning struggles, according to UCSF Benioff Children’s hospital in Oakland. Mental health screenings in September 2020 revealed a 10 percent rise in suicidal thoughts in children ages 10 to 18 across Bay Area counties since March 2020. The stakes are high, and experts are calling for school policymakers to acknowledge the pressure of getting students back in schools.

“I think it’s highly likely that we will be seeing effects of this pandemic for years to come, if not generations to come, especially for people who are young right now,” Tejani said. “There’s a misconception and misinformation about how adversity and stress

A lot of people who aren’t in the mental health or medical field believe that stress and adversity make a person stronger, but actually, the opposite is true.

Emily Tejani, MD, UCSF psychiatrist

affect people, especially young people. A lot of people who aren’t in the mental health or medical field believe that stress and adversity make a person stronger, but actually, the opposite is true.”

Along these lines, in an interview with the Harvard Gazette, Joseph Allen, associate

professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School Health, also the need to consider ongoing distance

of Public emphasized the risks of learning.

“Right now, occasionally we’ll see a case of COVID-19 in a school that will make headlines.

But you can predict the headlines we’re going to see in the coming months and years about kids who disappeared from the system, the virtual dropouts, the loss of learning [and] the loss of income, which we know happens when kids are left behind with schooling,” Allen said. “This is a national emergency.

That’s not overstating it.”

Many Redwood students and parents share Allen’s view. A survey given by TUHSD in early November showed that approximately 90 percent of students wish to return to in-person learning. The rate of return, however, is causing 120 sections at Redwood to be over the 15 student classroom capacity. The combination of exceeded classroom capacities and limited outside space for lunch has forced the administration to create three cohorts upon the return to in-person learning as opposed to two.

Because three cohorts will only allow students to be on campus about once a week on average, Norwood believes returning to campus may be ineffective.

“I wish that there was a way for us to not break up into three groups. Three groups almost makes it not worth it. I’m going to expose myself to thousands of kids every day who might have COVID-19 possibly just to see a kid once every two weeks.” Norwood said. “If we could see them four times a week or even twice a week, the benefits would be a lot higher.”

While going back in-person is an option for students, according to superintendent of TUHSD Tara Taupier, non-high-risk teachers do not have a choice with the hybrid model.

“If [teachers] don’t have a medical reason to stay remote, then they would have to take an unpaid leave if they don’t want to work [in-person],” Taupier said.

As plans continue to advance, Ghiraldini has seen the negative effect the process has had on her coworkers.

“It’s a really divisive thing that’s happening because health and politics are so entwined here. It’s a really interesting landscape and current event to be a part of and to be witnessing as a teacher,” Ghiraldini said. “I think that there is some damage that’s going to be done to morale if teachers don’t feel that their voices are of value in the decisions that are being made.”

Despite the concerns regarding in-person school come January, Dr. Lisa Santora, Marin’s deputy public health officer, believes that opening schools will not reap health hazards across the county.

“It’s important to note that most counties across the state that did not reopen schools are seeing even faster rises in cases in people of all ages,” Santora said in a mid-November Marin Health & Human Services report. “We’ve done a lot of work together to make sure that schools can reopen safely, and it’s paying off.”

However, Principal David Sondheim fears that, unless cases stay low, a return to a hybrid model is not guaranteed.

“It is critical that students, parents, administrators and teachers follow guidelines. I know it is a challenge but I’m deeply concerned about a rise in cases affecting school openings in January,” Sondheim said.

At the end of the day, positive COVID-19 cases are the greatest determinant in whether or not Redwood sees a reopening in January. Marin was in the red tier as of Dec. 8, but if cases rise and it moves into the purple tier, then school will not open until it returns to the red tier. The TUHSD’s reopening is reliant on students, parents, teachers, administrators and other community members following county guidelines.

Without the support and trust of one another, students will remain at home and progress will be forgone.

bark@redwoodbark.org

sports

Page 14

The clock has run out, it’s time for the kids to play

By Ella Green Game point. The crowd is on their feet, rhythmically echoing “SCOREBOARD” throughout the Phil Roark gymnasium that is so effortlessly pumping with intensity and excitement. Athletes nervously share looks of anticipation, praying this point will work out in their favor. The ball is served, passed, set, hit — the point is won and the Giants win! Students storm the court chanting “THIS IS OUR HOUSE” as our Marin Catholic rivals slink out the doors.

This was the moment I had been dreaming of for the fall volleyball season of my senior year since my very first Redwood volleyball game. This was the opportunity many senior athletes lost last spring with the cancellation of all high school sports due to the pandemic. This is the reality that could potentially unfold in 2021 if we decide not to cancel sports. After several delays, with the most recent one pushing the start date from Dec. 7 to Jan. 1, 2021, it is imperative that commencement is no longer shrugged off.

I’m writing this article with clear intent. I want to play my senior season so much it physically hurts. But this article is not solely divulging my personal wants in the midst of a national pandemic, because that would be ridiculous. My feelings are shared by so many more student-athletes that it is necessary to at least try to fight for the right to play because, for most, it is more than just a game. I’m speaking on behalf of the current 8 million high school athletes in the U.S. Besides the obvious physical benefits of playing sports, such as obesity reduction, creating healthy habits for adulthood fitness

and increased dopamine release, potentially the most important benefits attributed to sports are mental ones. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, physical activity in general is associated with improved academic achievement, including grades and standardized test scores.

Sports can also affect students’ attitudes, including enhanced motivation, increased concentration and improved classroom behavior. Additionally, high school athletes are more likely to attend college than nonathletes, and the odds are further increased for team captains, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

The positive effects of playing sports are seemingly endless, leading many to wonder about the negative implications of their absence — and those wondering should be worried. A study conducted by a team of physicians, child health experts and researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health found that, since the cancellation of high school sports, approximately 68% of student-athletes within the survey reported feelings of anxiety and depression at levels that would typically require medical intervention; this is 37% higher than the rates seen in the previous year.

Furthermore, the study noted that physical activity levels have dropped nearly 50% since the start of the pandemic and qualityof-life scores were lower than researchers had ever found in similar studies.

Personally, I know two volleyball players who have committed suicide in this

time period, one of whom was merely 13 years old and the other who was 17 and a good friend of mine. The devastating loss of their lives confirmed for me what I already had been assuming to be true; we have become so focused on the physical safety of our communities that we’ve completely lost sight of the mental health damages we are causing. As students, we have been dragged into a number of assemblies throughout our school careers in which a speaker would preach that mental health is just as important as physical health.

Administrators, teachers and other staff members alike would nod their heads in agreement. But now that that notion is truly being put to the test, student-athletes are being scoffed at and told that we are being selfish. We have complacently let go of our sports since March. By the time the ‘fall’ season is supposed to start, it will have been over nine months of putting studentathletes on the back burner.

Here’s the thing: it is possible to maintain a COVID-19 safe environment while simultaneously allowing for high school sports to commence. It’s been done in 46 other states to at least some degree, according to Max Preps, and it’s even happening right now in Marin County with

Illustration by Jackson Epps

numerous club sports. In my own case, my volleyball club, Absolute, was able to remain open from May to December without a single COVID-19 contraction due to its intensive safety regulations, which include mandatory masks, consistent temperature testing and thorough facility cleaning and is only closing due to the recent mandated lockdown. Although some may argue these very clubs are a sufficient substitute for lost high school seasons, it is imperative to recognize the inherent inequity of club sports. Costing thousands of dollars each year, many families cannot afford clubs, especially with the added financial stress of the pandemic. Additionally, many sports, like cross country, for example, do not have true club teams, so high school sports remain crucial for most athletes.

As a community, we can do better for both our at-risk members and our children.

We are at the point where doing better can no longer be a hope –– it is mandatory.

Come January, high school sports must begin.

egreen@redwoodbark.org

Sports Spotlight: Anais Gorek rows her way to success “[Gorek] is just this amazing, hardworking, driven, tough athlete,” Armstrong said. “She does the work if “I went from the bottom to being second nobody is looking because it’s the right thing to do. at Nationals and one of the top 16 women in She does it because she wants to improve. She does it lightweight rowing. I worked my ass off. I improved because she wants to make the team faster.” my technique. I improved my grit. I improved my According to US Rowing, the ideal individual team leadership. [My sophomore] year changed me 2 kilometer erg time for the U19 Women’s as a rower,” senior Anais Gorek said.

National Racing Development Team is 7 minutes On Nov. 11, Gorek signed her letter of intent and 40 seconds or faster. Currently, Gorek’s best to row for the University of California, time is 7 minutes and 29 seconds, which, according Berkeley (Cal). Winning regional and to Armstrong, puts her on track to be one national titles, she has become a clear of the three fastest rowers on this year’s asset for the various boats she’s been in.

MRA varsity girls’ team. Because of her However, this has not always been incredible scores and light-hearted the case. When Gorek first joined personality, Gorek has become a leader Marin Rowing Association for the team.

(MRA) in the fall of 2017, she “She’s always aware of what other could never have imagined the people are doing and will encourage amount of success she would find them. When she’s done with her own in the sport. work, she will get off of the machine and According to her coach, Sandy go behind someone else and cheer them on,” Armstrong, Gorek was almost cut Armstrong said. “She has this funny, great after her novice year, but her grit and personality that keeps the girls and me in this perseverance shined through, landing her a place of smiling and enjoying things.” spot as one of the 50 varsity girls. Over the In addition to Gorek’s coaches, her next year, Gorek devoted herself to the erg — teammates also value her contribution to their a stationary rowing machine — upon which boat. Marin Catholic senior Claire Brockman, she rose both in speed and boat positions. who has been Gorek’s teammate for the past “Coming out of my novice year in the B three years, admires her dedication to the sport. boat, I had this mentality that I was there for Brockman believes Gorek is someone a workout, and I didn’t really care. After an that the team can always count on. [old coach] told me I might as well just quit, I “She puts 100 percent into decided to push myself [and] prove him wrong,” everything she does, whether it’s Gorek said. “I started to stay after practice a ton super insignificant or something and work really hard. It got to the point where as important as her rowing,” every time I was put in a different boat that boat Brockman said. “Even if she got would win. I was slowly making my way to the two hours of sleep and has other top.” stuff going on in her life, she puts That year, Gorek’s new mindset paid off, 100 percent into practice every single as she won the varsity girls’ Most Improved day.”

Athlete Award and worked her way up to the Gorek’s commitment to the sport has Lightweight 8 boat, which placed second at paid off, securing her a spot in Division I Nationals. Armstrong credits Gorek’s collegiate rowing. At Cal impressive progress to her dedicated next year, Gorek plans work ethic. to continue dedicating Photo courtesy of Anais Gorek

By Sol Ladetzky

Photo courtesy of Anais Gorek

HOLDING A TROPHY, the 2018-19 Lightweight 8 boat won first place at the San Diego Crew Classic race. herself completely to improving as a rower.

“Rowing is my life. It is all I do, but it has also turned into the boathouse being my second home and my safe place. It’s the place for me to feel good about myself. It’s a place where I can be challenged in a way that’s up to me,” Gorek said. “It’s not up to the math curriculum or for my teachers to teach me; it’s all on me and my teammates. [Rowing] has taught me countless lessons about myself and about the people around me. It’s my world and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT

sladetzky@redwoodbark.org

bark Mountain Biking team races back into a new season Page 15 • Sports

www.redwoodbark.org

By Libby Hughes As the looming redwood trees create a shaded canopy over the various fire road trails connecting Larkspur and Ross, the Mountain Biking team members race down the gravelly road in a staggered formation to comply with social distancing rules and train for the 2021 competitive season after COVID-19 related complications.

They have been practicing this way since April 3, when the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) made the executive decision to suspend all NICA related functions and competitions in response to the national pandemic. This was a disappointment for the Redwood Mountain Biking team, especially because they won the NICA NorCal league title in 2019. Redwood has placed in the top five for the past seven years, winning state championship titles for three of them.

While many Marin high schools have mountain biking teams, High School 1327 (formerly known as Drake), Tamalpais and Redwood are amongst the leading teams in the NorCal league. The Redwood team won the 2019 state championships with a combined score of 2,006 points.

Scoring is based on individual placement,

Photo courtesy of Vaila Heinemann

PEDALING AS FAST as she can, Isabella Heinemann embarks on her final lap at the first 2019 NorCal.

receiving more points for a better position.

Redwood’s highest scorers consisted of senior varsity racer Haley Randel coming in second place with 565 points, senior Isabella Heinemann scoring 540 points and junior Vaila Heinemann scoring 500 points. Because the top eight scores are counted, teammates such as senior Sean Middleton, junior Henrik Brockman and junior Katherine Stein were vital to the team’s success as well. Although the team has a male majority, the girls’ category dominates when it comes to wins and points scored.

The 2020 racing season started in March but ended early due to COVID-19. Theo Northrop and the majority of the Redwood team that were not part of separate national development groups only got to participate in one race, the Swasey Recreation race in Redding, where they placed second.

“There’s a lot of people that show up to the races, and when everybody’s out in the course, it can get pretty crowded. During the races, there ends up being groups of 10 kids riding pretty close together, which could be identified as a social distancing violation,” Northrop said.

With over 75 people signed up for the 2021 season, the Mountain Biking team is one of the largest teams at Redwood, according to Team Snap.

“We would love to get more girls on the team because last year Drake had 30 girls,” Stein said. “The girls [on the Redwood team] really bond together just because there are so few of us and it creates a great community to be in.”

Because of large team sizes, NICA will need to start adapting to adhere to state-wide health directives. This includes time trials where individuals race against the clock independently instead of being alongside their opposition, which is more in line with social distancing regulations.

To follow these guidelines while practicing, the Mountain Biking team

Photo courtesy of Vaila Heinemann

THE 2019 MOUNTAIN Biking team stands at the podium after winning their last race before COVID-19 shut down all competitions. leaders have encouraged their members to continue biking while following social distancing protocols. Northrop and other members took advantage of the offseason to continue training.

“I rode with a couple of kids on the team, just people that I knew and that I hung out with before quarantine,” Northrop said. “We wore masks whenever we rode and staggered ourselves, but for the most part, it was fend for yourself.”

While the team has had to adjust to the most recent COVID-19 regulations, the change has not affected the 2021 competition season so far. Currently, the team is meeting virtually on Zoom and going on weekly rides preparing for the season.

For Vaila Heinemann, the Zoom meetings have been especially beneficial because she has not been able to attend as many of the in-person rides due to family health risks. She believes that making

introductions on Zoom and educating members about biking and how exercising are important for the upcoming season.

“The head managers of the team are really stoked about trying to bring in more awareness about nutrition and the importance of different aspects on and off the bike and the mental parts of biking,” Vaila said. “Zoom time will hopefully become a pretty important part of the team this year.”

Because of limited social interactions in the past year, Stein appreciates and cherishes the weekly rides with her team.

“Had we actually been able to practice as if there was no COVID-19, there would have been much more team camaraderie, but it is what it is, and we’re making the best of it,” Stein said.

lhughes@redwoodbark.org

Alumni keep their VISion on female athletics

By Annie Goldstein It is a rainy evening at the Redwood campus and the girls’ basketball team has the most important game of their season against their rivals: Marin Catholic.

Redwood has been practicing for weeks preparing for this game, yet the gym is empty except for a few wellmeaning parents. The intense ring of the scoreboard signals the start of the fourth quarter; only then do eager students and families alike rush through the doors as the boys’ game approaches. This was the experience of collegiate basketball players and Redwood alumni Jenny Walker and Gabby Beltran.

“It felt like a slap in the face,” Beltran said. “They were not actually trying to come watch our games and appreciate the effort that we put into this sport,” A report from the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) details the discrimination girls of all ages are still facing in the sports industry. The report states that, in 2008, the drop-out rate for female athletes was two times higher than that of their male counterparts at age 14 and even greater for girls of color. With a mere 3.2 percent of sports media coverage dedicated to women’s athletics, 70 percent of surveyed female leaders say that this lack of coverage plays a role in limiting the participation of girls in sports.

“In high school, and just growing up as a female athlete, the [Women’s National Basketball Association] and [other female sports] get overlooked until a championship or the women’s national team for soccer wins a gold medal,” Walker said. “For us to be competing at the same level, with the same skill set and not get the recognition we deserve is really frustrating.”

In spite of this, both Walker and Beltran were inspired to advocate for female athletes and joined Voice in Sport (VIS), a non-profit organization founded by Stefanie Strack. Strack sought to combat gaps in the sports industry by amplifying the voices of female athletes by creating a platform that provides mentorship from professional and collegiate female athletes. The content ranges from mental health to training and recovery, and the platform supplies advocacy tools for young female athletes to help drive the change.

“We’re trying to create a safe space for girls in sports

Photo courtesy of Ryan Goff

ATTENDING LEWIS AND Clark College, Gabby Beltran, VIS advocate, dribbles down the court. where they have a trusted community of female athletes and experts that they can go to on these topics, have discussions, join live sessions, have one-on-ones and read articles. Everything is geared towards helping them have a better journey,” Strack said.

As a former Division I soccer player herself, Strack started VIS because of the lack of representation and information available for female athletes. Strack’s passion for sports led her to Nike, where she worked for 14 years before becoming the chief executive officer of Rag & Bone, a fashion brand. These two jobs improved Strack’s leadership skills; however, after realizing she wanted to make an impact on women’s sports advocacy, she left her job to create VIS. The nonprofit gained traction after the United States Women’s Soccer Team won the World Cup in France in 2019.

“The soccer team won, and there was so much momentum. I needed to take my experience from Nike and build a new sports company that was going to really be there for girls. To have the voice of female athletes at the

center, not on the side, not for just a seasonal campaign, but at the center all the time,” Strack said.

Walker, a sophomore at New York University and player on their women’s basketball team, initially connected with Strack in 2019, when she helped the developing company improve their social media platform. Walker is now interning as a VIS creator, where she focuses on social media. Additionally, Walker is gaining experience with marketing and public relations, skills that she can use in the future.

“My biggest takeaway from this experience has been seeing how a company works internally,” Walker said. “I eventually want to work with any sports company, but just seeing how articles are written, seeing the planning of [content] and looking ahead to figure out how we can reach our audience, [has allowed me] to see the technical side of the [company].”

Walker has since recruited her former teammate and friend Beltran, a sophomore at Lewis and Clark College and a player on their women’s basketball team. Beltran is using her personal Instagram platform as well as talking with her teammates and coaches to spread and promote information about VIS. She wants to become the mentor she would have benefitted from growing up.

“I did the whole recruiting process pretty much all by myself. My parents had never gone through anything like it, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into,” Beltran said. “If I had this platform, I would have known how [the process works], and it would have been less stressful. Even if I had this from a younger age, [I would have learned] how to be healthy, eat better and actually take care of my body.”

Although VIS is only in the beginning stages, Strack hopes that VIS will become a big part in the world of sports advocacy, specifically in Title IX enforcement.

“Long term, I want to make sure that female athletes have a voice within the sports industry,” Strack said. “I want to see VIS leading conversations on policy that will help women in sports at all levels. I hope that VIS is the go-to resource for female athletes, and that we become their trusted community that they can count on to have real conversations.” agoldstein@redwoodbark.org

bark Page 16 • Sports Wrestling team tackles COVID-19 restrictions

By Mia Kessinger In wrestling, sweat, dirt and blood combine to create a hygienist’s worst nightmare – not an ideal situation during a pandemic. However, Redwood’s wrestling program was one of the first to have in-person practices, starting early this summer, and has successfully managed to organize COVID-19-safe systems for their athletes. The team has meticulously followed Marin’s guidelines and, despite not being able to physically wrestle, they have found ways to improve their skills, hoping to continue their success in both the Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) and the Northern Coast Section (NCS) championships.

The team practices in cohorts of 12 or fewer people and wear a mask at all times except when running or lifting weights, in which case they are at least six feet apart.

Additionally, the team is subject to temperature checks three times a day and are required to report any COVID-19 symptoms to their coaches. In a sport dependent on physical contact, not having the ability to practice the main principle of their sport is not exactly practical.

Nonetheless, according to senior Benjamin Olsan, team members have still been able to improve their technique and have become stronger due to the increased cardio and

Photo courtesy of Ben Olsan

OLSAN SUCCESSFULLY PINS down an opponent during a wrestling match last year.

weight training.

“The people who have taken advantage of this time I think will succeed. A bunch of kids have bought home mats – I personally have one so I can practice and wrestle with my brother,” Olsan said. “Redwood also just started allowing us to go inside with masks on, so now we can ghost wrestle, where we basically just practice on the mat without actually coming in contact with anyone, which really helps us with our technique.”

Redwood’s wrestling program has been successful in the past, winning the MCAL team championships for the past six years and reaching the top 15 of NCS during the 2020 season. Although they are a young team who lost multiple seniors last year, the group has many talented returners such as Olsan who has been on the MCAL first team since his sophomore year. Because of his successes, Olsan has become one of the primary leaders on the team, a particularly important role during the pandemic.

“Normally, I would be organizing offseason workouts for as many kids as possible and helping to lead practices, but I think [I have taken on a leadership role] this year just by keeping our guys motivated during this time. Since we started up cohorts in the middle of July, it’s been my job to get participation there and make sure everyone follows the necessary guidelines so we can hopefully return to the mats soon,” Olsan said.

After consistently winning the MCAL title, it has become an expected victory for the team. Now, the primary goal is to place within the top 10 of NCS. According to junior Jean Edward Cerpas, another returning key player who was on the MCAL first team his freshman year, attaining a top spot in NCS comes down to how much effort the team is willing to invest.

“At the end of the day, wrestling is a team sport even though we compete individually. I know we can be as good or better than last year if we just work hard enough, but [getting to the top 10 of NCS] really all depends on if everyone, not just a few of us, are willing to go the extra mile to make sure that we get there, even if that means practicing more on our own,” Cerpas said. In addition to the physical technique that comes from more practice, according to Assistant Coach Brittley Tringali, the team needs to focus on the sport’s mental component.

December 11, 2020

Photo courtesy of Ben Olsan

BEN OLSAN (RIGHT) and members of the wrestling team spending time together pre-pandemic.

“I think a big area for improvement is around our confidence, like our mental preparation going into a competition. Oftentimes, we prioritize our physical attributes, but a lot of it comes down to the psychological and mental aspect,” Tringali said. “I think building their confidence by making sure they trust in the process – in their training, in their coaches and in their teammates – would lead to a really big season for us.”

The time to practice together has created a stronger team bond, according to Tringali, which has also helped to boost their confidence and establish an outlet for the team during the pandemic.

“We are in a really fortunate situation to be having practices and to be able to still spend time with each other,” Tringali said. “That is a big part of what I have come to understand: the connection we make with each other is just as important as the sport. So just being able to spend time with each other and share positive moments and to be able to see progress with our sport has allowed our athletes to really come together and stay positive during these unprecedented times.” mkessinger@redwoodbark.org

Upcoming snow season (ski) lifts athletes’ hopes

By Brooke Leslie and Allie Vasquez For some, snowfall on the Sierra Mountains in November was the best news of 2020. Plenty has changed since the last ski season with the emergence of COVID-19, and many avid skiers are eager to get back on the slopes. However, with the steep rise in case numbers around the country, ski resorts like Squaw Valley have established new social distancing regulations, cohort systems and limitations on capacity to ensure safety.

One problem ski resorts will likely face is an excessive amount of people congregating on the slopes. Two Tahoe resorts, Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, have released their future plans and regulations for maintaining COVID-19 safety during the upcoming season. The resorts will use different season pass packages in an attempt to limit the number of people on the mountain at one time.

According to passionate skier and junior Morgan Moseley, as of November, Squaw plans to control how many people come into the resort every day. Types of passes include the Ikon Pass, which allows one to ski on any Squaw mountain on any day, and the Blackout Pass, which limits skiing to certain days. Moseley believes the new restrictions put in place will

largely affect the skiers’ and snowboarders’ experiences.

“I think it is going to be very difficult to get up the mountain because the chair lifts will have guidelines like staying six feet apart or only being with family,” Moseley said.

Lift lines will have new mazes (fences for people to wait in line to get onto a chair), but because snowboards and skis already naturally space people apart both in lines and going down the mountain, there will not be many adjustments in that respect. Luckily, masks are already part of the skiing and snowboarding ensemble since they keep faces warm and protect against the harsh winds on the upper parts of the mountain. People on the mountain rarely get within six feet of one another, except for in lift lines, so social distancing will be achievable. Restaurants and bars at the bottom of the mountain will have more outdoor seating to avoid large crowds of indoor diners.

Despite these changes, the main difference from normal years to this upcoming season will be the lift tickets.

While the Ikon and Epic ski and snowboard passes will grant the pass holders access at all times, day passes will be limited on weekends and holidays, and no walk-up day tickets will be sold at all.

Squaw Valley Ski Team coach and

Photo courtesy of Alpine Meadows

ALPINE MEADOWS SKI Resort, Squaw Valley’s joint resort, opened for the season on Nov. 29 with COVID-19 restrictions.

junior Kayleigh Docherty believes that the biggest issue Squaw Valley will face will not be on the slopes themselves.

“During breaks, everyone either goes down the mountain or to a ski lodge. It’s going to be really difficult to keep everyone outside while it is snowing because after a long day of skiing, you want to go inside and take a breather. With numerous [kid ski teams], it’ll be hard to keep everyone outside or socially distanced,” Docherty said.

The Squaw Valley Ski Team will function very differently from past years.

Katie Kula, former manager of the ski teams, believes that instructing the ski team and running the mountain will be exceedingly difficult this season.

“The latest that I have heard is that the teams are only doing half days, from 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with no lunch break in the middle because it is so hard to get all of the kids in and out of the eating places,” Kula said. “KT Base Bar [a restaurant at Squaw Valley] will probably be able to stay running because that’s outdoors, but others probably won’t be open because they don’t have enough [outdoor] seating.”

It is mainly the coaches’ responsibility to keep the kids safe and separated from each other. Junior Bella Miccuci, who is beginning her new job as a ski team coach at Squaw Valley on Dec. 4th, believes that managing the kids will be a challenge.

“The teams are going to be smaller, and I definitely think it’s going to be hard with all of the little kids. [The coaches] have to limit the amount of times [kids are] spending inside without a mask,” Miccuci said.

Before the pandemic struck, the kids on the team would be able to mingle around inside during the lunch breaks. But with the new schedule and no more lunch breaks, the social aspect of the team has decreased.

“Usually the kids are all together and can have fun during breaks and lunch but because of the new cohort system that is

Photo courtesy of Bella Miccuci

SKIING WITH HER dog on fresh powder last year, Bella Miccuci prepares to be a first-year ski instructor. yet to be implemented, the team isn’t going to be as unified and it will just be different,” Docherty said.

Although COVID-19 is going to make skiing more challenging this year, these changes will not keep people from flying down the slopes. Junior Braden Cook has skied for the Squaw Valley Ski Team and has looked forward to the ski season since quarantine started.

“I’m definitely excited to go down that first run of the season after the year we’ve had because of the coronavirus. I see skiing as a free place where you can do what you want and it has been a nice escape from school and other sports in the past,” Cook said. “I definitely think I’ll appreciate it a lot more this year because I’ll be able to get away and forget about COVID and online school for a little bit, which I think is something we all need, and I’m really excited to get to do that in the upcoming months.”

bark@redwoodbark.org

review

Page 17

Try delicious take-out from these local vegan-friendly restaurants

By Ava Koblik

Now, more than ever, teens and adults alike are forgoing animal products in exchange for a vegan diet. Whether for the purpose of seeking a healthier lifestyle or protecting animal welfare and the environment, veganism is here to stay. In light of this increasingly popular diet, many local eateries in Marin County have begun offering plantbased meats and protein options for their vegan customers. Here are three great local restaurants that cater to vegan tastes.

Veggie Grill Located in Corte Madera’s Town Center, Veggie Grill is a quick and casual vegan restaurant chain.

This location offers a wide variety of healthy, plant-based menu options ranging from farm bowls to vegan burgers. The restaurant has a modern, welcoming environment with green-themed decor representative of its plant-based cuisine.

Patrons can choose between eating in the limited outdoor seating area or picking up for takeout. I ordered the Catalina Taco Salad ($10.75), which included a blend of achiote crumbles, lettuce mix, cabbage, tomato corn salsa, ranchero beans, jicama and avocado all tossed in Catalina dressing. The dressing, reminiscent of a classic taco seasoning, added a creamy texture to the salad with hints of sweet tomato flavor. The lettuce was fresh and crisp while the vegetables were well seasoned with a flavorful Southwestern marinade. Although the salad was delicious, the plastic container it was served in did not seem eco-friendly, especially for a plant-based restaurant. While the meal appeared a bit pricey when I ordered, the portions were substantial and reflected the cost. If you crave a fast, filling and healthy meal, put Veggie Grill on your list.

Urban Remedy Located midway down Magnolia Street in downtown Larkspur, Urban Remedy is the perfect place to refuel or rehydrate after working out

Photo by Ava Koblik

TOSSING A TASTY mix of fresh veggies and flavorful taco seasoning, Veggie Grill’s Catalina Taco Salad is delightful.

at the Larkspur stairs or returning from a hike in Baltimore Canyon. Urban Remedy is organic, vegan and gluten-free, and it is known for its fresh, coldpressed juices. The shop has a bright, colorful and cheerful atmosphere, reflected in both the demeanor of the staff and food displays. With limited capacity, the establishment felt clean and COVID-19-safe.

Customers were asked to place their orders at the counter rather than reaching into the cold cases. I ordered the Summer Rolls ($9.50) and Organic Glow cold-pressed juice ($7.99). Normally, you cannot go wrong with Urban Remedy’s cold case meals and snacks, but the Summer Rolls were disappointing.

The two vibrantly colored rolls were supposed to have been filled with seasonal vegetables, but mine were mostly stuffed with dry, leafy greens between

an occasional carrot shred or yam sliver. The spicy jalapeno ginger sauce for dipping did not compliment the bitter flavor of the rolls either.

That being said, the Organic Glow juice was refreshing and hydrating. A blend of celery, kale, lemon, cayenne and cucumber among other greens quenched my thirst while providing an abundance of antioxidants and nutrients. Although expensive, if you need a quick pick-me-up, Urban Remedy’s Organic Glow Juice is sure to please! But if you are in need of a flavorful snack or meal, stick to the salads.

Cafe Del Sol Located in Mill Valley just across the street from the Proof Lab Surf Shop at Tam Junction Valley, Cafe Del Sol is worth going back to again and again! Although this homey cafe does serve animal products such as cheese and chicken, it has a wide variety of menu options to please vegan customers as well. Fairly well hidden, the restaurant is uncrowded and well kept. The hospitable staff went out of their way to make me feel welcome, cared for and safe from the moment I first walked into the room. The indoor ordering capacity was limited to four customers at a time and finished orders were carefully packaged and brought to the front door. The menu had a variety of items from wraps and nachos to organic smoothies and juices.

I ordered the simple but satisfying Sun Salutation Wrap ($7.35). The combination of fresh red leaf lettuce, tomato and avocado tossed in a citrus cumin vinaigrette was served in a wheat tortilla and was absolutely delicious! I ordered my wrap with cheese, but this is optional and can be removed for vegan customers. There is also an option to add tofu for a plant-based source of protein. Next time you are in the area, consider stopping by Cafe Del Sol, as it may become one of your new favorite destinations!

akoblik@redwoodbark.org

Eight necessities for a successful eight nights of Hanukkah

By Natalie Tress With Hanukkah right around the corner, it is time to start thinking about how to make your festivities the best they can be. Here are eight suggestions on how to make your eight nights of Hanukkah both fun-filled and rewarding.

1: A tasty latke recipe Latkes, or pan-fried potato pancakes, are a staple of all Hanukkah meals. Traditionally latkes are made with a mixture of potatoes, eggs, flour and seasonings such as salt, pepper and onion. They are commonly paired with applesauce or sour cream as well (I prefer the former). If you don’t have the time to make your latkes from scratch, Trader Joe’s carries an easy and delicious frozen latke alternative.

Careful not to eat too many, though, because you will love them a latke!

2: High-quality candles Each night of Hanukkah a new candle is lit on the menorah to represent each of the eight nights that the Maccabees’ oil lantern lasted. As you celebrate the Maccabee victory over the Syrian army and the miracle of the oil lasting eight nights, messfree candles are a necessity. It is a

pain when candle wax drips onto the festively decorated table, ruining the holiday display, so find dripless Hanukkah candles on Amazon to minimize any unwanted WAXidents.

3: A fun dreidel game Playing the classic dreidel game is an entertaining way to spend your Hanukkah nights. The

game consists of spinning a top to see which side it lands on, with each side displaying a different Hebrew letter to determine

how much of the chocolate gelt prize you receive. If you land on “nun” you get nothing, if it is “gimmel” you get the whole prize, if it is “hay” you get half of the prize and if it is “shin” you must give back a portion of the prize.

You can find large packs of affordable dreidels on Amazon. Spin into a funfilled Hanukkah season!

Illustration by Caroline Goodhart

4: Listen to Adam Sandler’s “The Hanukkah Song” Amp up the festivities with Adam Sandler’s classic Saturday Night Live “Hanukkah Song.” Originally written to provide more options in the vast amount of Christmas music, this song puts a humorous spin on the celebration of Hanukkah. Hilarious lyrics from the song include, “You don’t need “Deck the Halls” or “Jingle Bell Rock,” because you can spin a dreidel with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock (both Jewish!).”

5: Decorations!

Polish your menorah and decorate your house with festive blue and yellow string lights. While they may stand in contrast to neighboring Christmas trees and red and green lights, they will add even more festivity to your street. A variety of thematic decorations can be found on Amazon or Party City, so order now to make the most out of the holiday.

You do not want your decorations to be dreiDULL! 6: Connect with family Hanukkah is a great opportunity to spend more time with your family, both distant and immediate. This Continued on page 18

bark

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December 11, 2020

Avoid the holiday hassle with 13 gifts under $30 3. Charging station - $24.12 In the era of gadgets, we are Every holiday season, a constantly on our devices and familiar, haunting chill coasts losing battery power, but buying the through the homes of teenagers Wimo charging dock allows you to knowing the pressure they are charge your smartphone, watch, and about to face. The holiday hassle: earphones in no time! The charging a struggle so many people have to dock is portable, time efficient and face, year after year. The holidays leaves you wanting to buy it for don’t just mean baking yourself! cookies and spending 4. Therapy dough time with loved ones; $14.99 it also includes the Through these chaos of emptying stressful times, a our wallets on perfect gift to overpriced gifts that help replenish and friends and family might rejuvenate your friends not even use. or family’s skin is the Pinch As the holidays approach, social Me therapy dough. The Pinch Me media often tries to be helpful. dough is known to channel relief Tiktok now claims to be #giftok through the senses naturally, just with hundreds of gift idea videos by squeezing it. This professionally and the Snapchat explore page is developed, soft, pliable dough is flooded with holiday suggestions. infused with calming aromatherapy But teens are either overwhelmed to relieve stress naturally. It comes or don’t know how to tell if the in 13 different colors all under $15. gift-tip is a brand deal or a scam.

5. Time capsule letter book Fear no more! There will be $13.46 no stress of the holiday hassle this This paper season because here is a simplified, time capsule is non-basic and accessible holiday the prime gift gift list for teens, all under $30. for those looking 1. Terrarium candle - $25 to read back and Created by highly regarded reflect on their candle designer Zoe Tang, these life. Each book is composed of heavenly smelling candles are prompted letters to fill with favorite adorable, aesthetically pleasing memories and words of wisdom and make the perfect gift. The and over two million copies have fragrances of these candles include been sold worldwide throughout pine, vanilla, jasmine and white the series! At the low price of only tea.

13.46, the paper time capsule leaves 2. Carhartt beanie room in the budget to spend more $16.99 on whoever you are buying for.

Whether you’re 6. Indoor desert grow kit shopping for a $19.00 boyfriend or little This interactive and sister, a Carhartt adorable gift allows beanie makes a you to grow your superb gift. At only Illustrations by Kalyn Dawes choice of cactus, $16.99, Carhartt beanies look good bonsai or aloe from seeds. on anyone and are great to wear This is great for people with in the winter weather. They also experience growing plants, come in many different colors and but it also makes for an styles, allowing you to choose the extraordinary gift for new perfect one for someone special. plant owners because cacti

By Sydney Liebhauser

require very little maintenance.

7. Tiny planetarium - $11.66 Another interactive gift to add to your list is this tiny planetarium!

It comes with a mini constellation projector and illustrated book describing the mythology and lore behind each constellation.

It’s also portable, so you can take the constellations with you everywhere!

8. Disposable camera - $14.99 Disposable cameras are trending for a reason! This gift is wonderful to take on adventures without electronics.

Using a disposable camera often adds an element of mystery too – waiting to see how the photos turn out is a thrill in itself.

9. Personalized magnets $20.00 The best kind of gift is personal.

Spread the love to your friends, family or significant other by heading to Pops and customizing 3D magnets with any photos you choose. All you have to do is head to their website and upload your photos to get five personalized magnets for only $20.

10. Kiehl’s starter kit - $25.00 Skincare is for anyone and everyone. That’s why purchasing Kiehl’s starter kit is a splendid idea for gifting. Kiehl’s is a high end skincare and cosmetics brand retailer that specializes in skin, hair, and body care products and they are known for having a large male clientele base.

Kiehls’ simple and straightforward packaging justifies their intent of making skincare

gender neutral. While most of Kiehl’s skincare is quite expensive, their starter kits are only $25.00.

11. Snail soap dispenser - $22.99 This adorable snail soap dispenser makes a very appropriate gift this year especially when it comes to combating COVID-19! Making handwashing fun, it’s a great addition to the bathroom or kitchen and can also be used as a hand sanitizer dispenser.

12. LED shower head $25.98 Another gift to make hygiene more fun are these LED shower head lights.

With quick and easy installation, the led lights are water pressure powered and they even change colors by themselves. All you need to do is turn on the water!

13. Tortilla blanket - $22.99 Blankets of any kind make marvelous gifts during the holidays, not only because they create warmth when the weather is cold, but because they are great decorations and there are so many options to choose from. While a blanket is a common gift, the tortilla blanket is far from basic.

Hilarious and cozy at the same, this gift will not disappoint.

The holiday season is supposed to be jolly, so you should be too! Spreading love is the most important part, and these gifts are just one way to show your love without having to empty your wallet. So sit back, relax, open your laptop and enjoy the rest of 2020 without any sign of the holiday hassle. Happy shopping!

sliebhauser@redwoodbark.org

Continued from page 17

year, pull out your laptop and gather around the dinner table for a big Zoom celebration! Enjoy traditional Hanukkah meals together like brisket, challah, kugel and jelly doughnuts for dessert, while catching up with one another. Enjoy this much-needed family time, and happy Challah-days!

7: Make a Hanukkah wish list Instead of making a Christmas list for one day of presents, you can make a Hanukkah present wish list for eight whole nights! If you are looking for some Hanukkah themed clothing and items to add to your list, Amazon carries some humorous Hanukkah sweaters and other gadgets. Pinterest

is a great place to look if you need present ideas; that is where I have found most of my inspiration!

8: Stock up on gelt These golden chocolate coins are a delicious way to end each night. Whether you win them in a dreidel game or sneak them out of the pantry, it is impossible to stop eating them once you start.

Find bags of gelt at your nearest grocery store because, during Hanukkah, they will be your biggest GELT-y pleasure.

Illustrations by Caroline Goodhart

ntress@redwoodbark.org

bark Is a social media break possible with social distancing?

Page 19 • Review

www.redwoodbark.org

By Sophie Smallhorn

As a teenage girl, I am one of the main culprits of a social media obsession. With fewer chances to see peers during the pandemic, many teenagers have relied exclusively on social media platforms to maintain relationships and stay current with the world around them. Arguably, teenagers would feel much lonelier without these platforms; however, checking social media can become a negative addiction if used in a self-deprecating manner.

After feeling unproductive and overly fixated on others’ perceptions of me, I decided to take a break from social media. For one week, I stopped using all social media platforms: Snapchat, Instagram, VSCO, Pinterest and Twitter, exempting YouTube, which was essential for school.

As I expected, deleting those applications lifted an unnecessary weight from my shoulders. Though I have never been majorly addicted to or stressed out by social media, I realized it constantly occupied my mind. Whether I was overthinking a rant I posted on

Image courtesy of Among Us

“AMONG US” IS the perfect vent for feelings of boredom and loneliness.

my private Snapchat story, contemplating a TikTok idea or scrutinizing an Instagram photo, I was only putting more pressure on myself to impress others.

These vain habits, along with the urge to continuously check my phone for notifications, disappeared during my week without social media. Additionally, my detox prevented me from falling into time-consuming social media trances, like web-surfing for too long, which are the primary dampers to my self-esteem.

All that time subconsciously comparing myself to others only created feelings of discouragement.

With more free time, I indulged in self-care. Little habits, such as stretching before and after workouts, cleaning my room every day and listening to podcasts finally fit more easily into my daily routine. My acts of self-care didn’t produce a culminating result, but they motivated me to tackle less desirable tasks like homework.

Along with increased enthusiasm, getting rid of social media improved my mood. Maybe it was because I felt more in control of my time, or because I felt free from the incessant duties of scrolling and replying. Without a doubt, it gave me an unwavering confidence, because I was oblivious to the curated lives of my peers. Either way, allowing myself to devalue the apps that dominate my worldview was truly empowering. Too often, I forget that social media is just a networking tool, not a form of societal acceptance.

Although time was freed up, it wasn’t all funneled directly toward self-care or homework.

Tasks I deemed “productive” didn’t appeal to me any more than they had before the experiment, so I accomplished a typical amount of work as I would have any other week. Guiltily I learned a lesson: remove one distraction, and procrastination always finds a replacement. Hence, the murder mystery game, “Among Us,” consumed staggering hours in my weekly total screen time. Because I was craving conversation, “Among Us” proved to be a good alternative to social media because it involves collaboration. I wasn’t able to view my reported usage for “Among Us,” but I could for the Messages app. Overall, my week’s total on Messages was four

hours and 50 minutes; even so, it was the only way I could socialize with my friends. This data proves that deleting social media doesn’t cure human addiction to instant gratification.

Social media also helps maintain a sense of normalcy. The biggest drawback to this experience was the lack of communication, which was often less discursive and humorous over text. Sadly, there were likely inside-jokes, conversations and trends that missed out on. Remote learning alone already restricts social life and deleting social apps made for even lonelier school days. Still, texting helped to combat this.

Considering the noticeable improvement to my mental and emotional health, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages of deleting social media. Even though this lifestyle isn’t permanently sustainable for me, it is truly eye-opening. Now, more than ever, I recommend that others try a social media detox, whether it be for two hours or two months.

Photo by Sophie Smallhorn

SPENDING TIME WITH friends alleviates FOMO, making the social media detox much easier. ssmallhorn@redwoodbark.org

Celebrate Hanukkah all year with these jelly doughnuts

By Sol Ladetzky

Glaze, Boston cream, sprinkles and chocolate frosting line the shelves of doughnut shops. With all the extremely popular flavors, jelly doughnuts are often overlooked, despite their delicious filling and dough. However, with Hanukkah approaching, jelly doughnuts are beginning to sell out across the nation. Whether during Hanukkah or another time of the year, here are the best shops in and near Marin to ease the daunting task of where to find the perfect jelly doughnut.

Bob’ s Donuts Ranked the best doughnut shop in the Bay Area by a local CBS reader poll, Bob’s Donuts jelly doughnut did not disappoint. As soon as I stepped into the small shop, located on Polk St. in San Francisco, I was overcome by the smell of fresh doughnuts and

excited by the reasonable price of $1.95.

The jelly was smooth and tasted like real raspberries, though I wish there was more of it in the doughnut. Perfectly subtle, the level of sweetness did not overpower the flavors from the dough and thick layer of glaze. The doughnut itself was puffy and light, allowing for a great ratio of doughnut, jelly and glaze within each bite.

Johnny Doughnuts With locations in both the Marin Country Mart and downtown San Rafael, Johnny Doughnuts takes a unique spin on the classic doughnut by offering a potato based dough. Although the use of this ingredient makes it a $4.50 doughnut, it is a delicious addition. While almost perfect, Johnny Doughnuts uses granulated sugar rather than glaze on the outside of their raspberry jelly doughnut, making the doughnut overly sweet and messy. The

Photo by Sol Ladetzky

FAMOUS FOR ITS 24/7 service, Bob’s Donuts has two San Francisco locations.

Photo by Sol Ladetzky

LOCATED IN THE Marin Country Mart, Johnny Doughnuts offers a unique option of granulated sugar on top of their jelly doughnut.

jelly was more like jam with seeds, but the tart filling balanced out the sweet exterior.

Donut Alley Less than a 10 minute walk from Redwood, Donut Alley is a popular choice among students. I had high hopes, as many of the doughnuts I have tried from there in the past were very delicious, but the jelly doughnut did not live up to my expectations. After asking for one of their $1.50 jelly doughnuts, the worker there sliced a plain, glazed doughnut fully in half and then spread a layer of raspberry jelly on both halves, creating something that resembled a sandwich.

Unlike the other jelly doughnuts, this allowed for the jelly to be evenly distributed throughout every bite, but it also caused the filling to fall out of the sides. The doughnut itself was warm and light, and the flavor of the dough mixed well with the raspberry jelly. However, the glaze was spread way too thin, as

there were even parts that did not have any, ultimately resulting in a missing taste in many bites.

Krispy Kreme While there are no Krispy Kreme stores in Marin, there are five throughout the Bay Area, including two in San Francisco. Even with a drive-through and inexpensive price of only $1.09, this doughnut is not worth the trek. The raspberry jelly was too smooth and sweet, creating an artificial taste. There also seemed to be a lot of jelly in the middle and none closer to the edges of the doughnut.

The glaze was too overpowering and the thick layer made it messy to eat. However, the actual doughnut itself was light and airy, creating an enjoyable texture. sladetzky@redwoodbark.org

bark

Page 20 • Review

December 11, 2020

EscapeSF offers new way to connect with friends and family

By Jacob Mandel In recent years, escape rooms have become a popular way to practice communication, team building and problem-solving skills with a group of people. Though current COVID-19 restrictions make it difficult to organize an escape room experience in person, many companies have created virtual escape rooms. These allow for anyone to work through the puzzle with family, friends or coworkers from the comfort of their own homes. Escape room company EscapeSF offers an online escape room experience, which is a fun and safe alternative to an in-person escape room, and a must-do during the upcoming holiday season.

EscapeSF calls the virtual escape room The Pegasus Project and it is more an intricate mission to investigate the death of a former “spy” rather than the traditional scenario where you have to solve puzzles to get out of a locked room.

After setting up a call with my family on Zoom (I worked with my cousins and their families from Chicago), we

all logged into the system using the code provided when I purchased the game. It was reasonably priced at $35, and you can play with two to six players.

On the mission screen, we were given security footage, links to different spy tools and a briefing on our mission; we ended up using every single tool they gave us at least once. We even had to navigate our way through different buildings and locations, using a program similar to Google Earth.

It was an inventive way to simulate the inperson experience.

The details and intricacy of the mission were stellar as well. For example, you cannot get into the mission until you pass through a website advertising the spy agency’s fake business. There were even clues hidden in secluded spots in the office building that we explored via Google Earth.

Conveniently, the system was set up so we progressed through our mission by messaging the mission control center: a programmed robot who answered our questions and gave us clues in exchange for information. Although this made

Image courtesy of EscapeSF

THE MISSION HUB was filled with vital resources and information for the players use.

Image courtesy of EscapeSF

ESCAPESF SELLS A Sabotage Spy Case game that can be sent to your house, offering a compact escape room experience. the structure of the mission simple, it also made the experience feel less like a standard escape room.

Normally, there is no order to the clues you find, and the entire group has to piece together the puzzle with seemingly unrelated information, making each experience fun and unique. However, the structured format of the Pegasus Project took away the aspect of spontaneity, and made it easier to complete because each singular piece of information was found using one tool provided to us. This was disappointing because more unexpected twists in the mission would have made it better.

That being said, the mission took under two hours to complete, though there is no time limit. It is also worth mentioning that myself and all of my cousins are experienced with escape rooms; we have even completed two escape rooms in person together. I would recommend setting aside anywhere from an hour and a half to three hours in the day to complete the mission.

Still, the two hours were well spent.

We were constantly interacting and bouncing ideas off one another in order to solve the clues, and since we all had access to the mission and its documents, links and tools, we were able to divide up the responsibilities and finish the tasks.

The Pegasus Project was a wonderful way to spend time with my relatives and be a part of a collaborative experience.

Not only was it refreshing to work with people who I love, but it was an exciting way to withdraw from reality for a bit and forget about the crazy world that surrounds us. Especially since these upcoming winter months will come and go without many social gatherings, The Pegasus Project is a must-do this holiday season.

EscapeSF now offers COVID-19 safe escape rooms, and also offers a hands-on escape room experience that they ship to you, but both options are much pricier ($45 per player in person and $179 per group from home) than The Pegasus Project and require an in-person group. jmandel@redwoodbark.org

David Hopen blends philosophy and partying in ‘The Orchard’

By Christopher Vargelis

In the mysterious prologue of David Hopen’s debut novel “The Orchard,” protagonist Aryeh (Ari) Eden is asked by his English teacher whether tragedy (or “majestic sadness”) died with the Greeks. “No,” he answers, “I suppose not.”

The intriguing content found in the prologue, jammed into a concise string of several paragraphs, hints at what defines Hopen’s brilliantly spun and steadily paced story. Hopen details the escapades of a teenage Orthodox Jew who moves from the sheltered, ultra-religious Borough Park, Brooklyn

Image courtesy of Harper Collins Publishers

HOPEN CREATED ARI, the protagonist, an Orthodox Jew intrigued by decadence and freedom at his new school.

to Zion Hills, Florida, where alcohol and marijuana are far more popular than yarmulkes. Ari’s initial experience at Zion Hills, which is marked by exciting parties along with social and romantic drama, ultimately serves as the foundation on which Hopen’s genius operates, as he weaves Jewish theology, secular philosophy and questions of deep ontological significance into the story.

Hopen’s characters are complex, and some of them manage to fully transcend stereotypical high school archetypes. Ari’s parents are quickly relegated to the background, although his father’s strict commitment to orthodoxy and his mother’s rebellious encouragement of Ari to have fun are occasionally mentioned throughout the novel. Rabbi Bloom, Ari’s new principal, never truly manages to embody the mentor role, despite running some kind of “Dead Poets Society” literary group with Ari’s friends. Female characters generally serve as vehicles for less significant romantic plots and are ultimately excluded from both the philosophizing and the major plot points.

The center of the story, both for Ari’s individual experiences and for Hopen’s fictional world as a whole, is the hyper-intelligent, very charismatic and morally dubious Evan Stark. Evan’s enigmatic relationship with Ari is developed slowly and subtly; the question of Ari and Evan’s similarity haunts Ari since their first encounter. A related but mainly distinct theme that Hopen follows is the line between genius and insanity on which Evan totters.

Evan establishes his intellectual prowess and original thought when he reveals his existentialist, sacrilegious ideas to Ari in the library. He explains that “living without limits” and “recognizing that human will, unleashed appropriately, defines value” is key to achieving greatness. However, Evan’s potential for more tangible action also builds throughout the novel, making him far more than just a nerdy rival.

Unfortunately, Hopen’s prose lacks consistency.

Overall, he provides fairly well-formed descriptions.

In the first 50 pages, however, he occasionally offers lackluster, rather systematic details, particularly when introducing the main cast of Ari’s new friends.

Describing Oliver Bellow’s “crisp Oxford shirt and fitted, pale-gray jeans,” is probably not necessary,

especially when the sentence sits among many other fully detailed introductory paragraphs.

Hopen veers both the plot and his writing into many chaotic turns during the second half of the novel. The narrative, theological yearnings and philosophical wanderings that had previously existed as fairly separate entities converge rather nicely through a series of well-paced and emotionally impactful events. Hopen’s prose takes a more poetic turn in the last 200 pages, in correspondence with Ari’s ambivalence.

As is the case with much of his writing’s features, Hopen employs a skillful subtlety when speaking from Ari’s point of view. Less important than some of the broader philosophical aspects of the novel, but still interesting, is the mystery of Ari’s own personality and character, a puzzle that is still not entirely solved by the end of the novel. Ari’s often unemotional personality does not lend itself to deep personal reflections, and other characters tend to provide more insight into Ari than his own reflections do. The lack of description is an issue unique to Ari’s self-reflection; analyses of other characters are bountiful. As he observes in the book’s salient prologue, Ari is “obsessed with every fatal flaw but [his] own.”

“The Orchard” is a well-rounded, if sometimes clunky, novel that is capable of surprising the reader while also remaining faithful to the story’s original themes. Hopen’s steady style and perfect pacing ground the story, but he truly shines by displaying converging themes that consistently run throughout the narrative and skillfully manipulating unique, memorable characters. He carefully develops the intriguing religious roots of the novel, which function at a much deeper level than as a hook for the premise, and chooses wisely from his wealth of literary knowledge. Although Hopen could benefit from more consistent prose, and in certain parts clarity, “The Orchard” is a very promising first novel that has the marks of a good, potentially great, writer.

cvargelis@redwoodbark.org

lifestyles

Page 21

Face to Face: how early is too early to celebrate Christmas?

By Audrey Lightfoot Face-to-Face is a feature that allows two members of the Redwood community to debate with each other, argue or simply converse a relevant issue or event. We provide the topic, and they do the rest. This month’s participants are seniors Dalya Byrnes and Parker Fritts, discussing when it is appropriate to start celebrating Christmas.

When do you think the holiday season should start being celebrated?

Dalya Byrnes: I think that Christmas should start being celebrated as early as Nov. 1 because the holiday season is a limited time. People enjoy the holidays because it’s a nice, warm atmosphere. Also, all the stores and TV channels start preparing for Christmas in November. Even though Thanksgiving is approaching, the holiday vibe is conjoint. You can celebrate Christmas early, then celebrate Thanksgiving, then go back to celebrating Christmas.

Parker Fritts: I think you should start celebrating Christmas Dec. 1 at the earliest because many people equate December as the Christmas month. I think the holiday season really starts right after Thanksgiving.

Many of the holidays in the holiday season are related to religion, including Christmas, and that goes in the December month area. Also, in many places, it doesn’t start snowing until around December. So, I think the Christmas spirit is not really shown unless it’s in commercials and people are forcing it on you.

When do you start holiday festivities?

DB: I decorate on Nov. 1 not only because I like putting up my tree and decorating my room, but also [because I enjoy] the music. It’s a good way to start preparing because you are learning all the songs. [Decorating] makes a better atmosphere because there is literally no negative side to celebrating early for the holidays. [The holiday time] is all just good positivity.

PF: I start celebrating Christmas around Dec. 20. I have never put up a tree in my house [because] we always go to my family’s house for Christmas, and they have a really big tree. My family is mostly Jewish so we don’t celebrate Christmas with our whole family anyway.

So, we drive to Las Vegas every year and we celebrate Christmas with my cousins in their house. That usually starts when we get out of school for break.

Do you think that Christmas time is the best time of the year?

DB: Yes. Without a doubt. The candy, food, decorations,

music, warm atmosphere, cold weather, sweatshirts, everything. There is nothing bad about [Christmas time].

PF: No, summer is far superior to winter. The only things winter really has going for it are snow and skiing.

Otherwise, summer has everything. There is no school.

You are stress free. You can do whatever you want. My birthday is also in [summer], which is very important.

Everybody is happy and healthy. No one is sick and staying out of school. It’s not raining so you can go outside. It’s way better.

What are the best ways you celebrate the Christmas/holiday season?

DB: My family lives on the East coast, so I always get to [celebrate the holidays] where there’s snow. My birthday is also on Christmas so I get to celebrate my birthday and Christmas [on the same day]. My family always does a Secret Santa and it is super fun. I only get to see my family once a year so going to see them and spending time with them [during Christmas] is the highlight of my year.

PF: I go to Las Vegas and celebrate Christmas with my family there. We always get up early and open presents under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. Then we go watch whatever movie is out in the theaters. It is always really fun. And they always have the fireplace on, which is really nice. We decorate the tree right when we first get there, and my aunt makes a lot of really good cookies that we eat all the time.

alightfoot@redwoodbark.org

Scott Evans blasts off to success working for NASA

By Charlotte DeForrest The year is 1979. The Bee Gees are blasting through the radio, and 11-yearold Scott Evans pores over a National Geographic edition about the most recent Voyager flyby of Jupiter.

Little did Scott know that his childhood passion for space would take him to the forefront of making astronomical discoveries by helping program and navigate some of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) most important spacecrafts.

Taking part in space exploration has been Scott’s dream ever since his science class at Hall Middle School had the chance to use a telescope and watch the sun up close. Scott, who graduated from Redwood in 1986, has gone on to accomplish his goal, as he is now an employee at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California, navigating probes and rockets as they travel through deep space.

“It’s an absolute privilege [to work at JPL]. I think of JPL as kind of the Mount Olympus for geeks,” Scott said. “It is the place that if you’re in the space exploration business, you want to be, and it’s everything that you think it would be. Some of the finest people and finest minds walking the earth are here, all with the same goal.”

Scott’s brother, Tim Evans, believes that Scott has been destined to work in space exploration since he was born.

Tim specifically remembers visiting their family house in Lake Almanor and sleeping out on the deck to watch the stars.

Photos courtesy of NASA

“Even at eight or nine years old, Scott was pointing things out, pointing out stars and constellations and telling stories. I was pretty much in awe, and the sky was spectacular enough, but to hear the stories about it and to hear his depth of knowledge even at that age was pretty inspiring and super interesting,” Tim said.

Elise Rubio, a Redwood astronomy and physics of the universe teacher, finds it inspiring that Scott was able to take something he was interested in from a young age and shape his career and life around it. Rubio thinks his story shows that regardless of your backgrounds or interests, you can always find a place in the field of space exploration.

“Regardless of your talents or interests, or regardless of whether you wanted to be an astronaut from the age of four, once you figure out who you are and what you’re good at, you have a place in a space program, and that’s what I like about [Scott’s] story,” Rubio said.

Scott’s job mainly consists of interpreting navigational data, which he then uses to make directional adjustments by calculating the amount of force, including gravity and radiation from the sun, on the spacecraft. Currently, Scott is in charge of the navigation software MONTE, a program that helps control and design orbits, trajectory and flight paths for spacecrafts and was used to land the Curiosity rover on Mars in 2012. Scott’s current goals are to land another rover, Perseverance, on Mars in February and explore some of

Photo courtesy of Scott Evans

EVANS (CENTER), A Redwood alumnus, with two of his coworkers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Jupiter’s icy moons.

Scott, whose job relies heavily on computers, learned how to use a computer his freshman year of high school through a device similar to a typewriter called a word processor. He attributes the majority of his skills, including basic computer use and programming, to his Redwood education.

“As it turns out, a lot of the math that I use on a day-to-day basis, I learned at Redwood. It’s like, ‘Wow, I learned how to fly spacecraft in high school,’” Scott said. “By the time I was a senior, [Redwood] had a couple of computers, and we even did a little bit of programming on them.”

Now, almost 50 years later, Scott is still inspired to learn more about space, including the Voyager spacecraft which launched his interest in the subject, and

enjoys working with coworkers who share similar goals and interests.

“There’s a model of the Voyager spacecraft inside our auditorium [at JPL], and that is why I got into this business: the Voyager spacecraft and those pictures in my National Geographic magazine,” Scott said. “The Voyager is still sending data back, and we’re still tracking it. It’s now in interstellar space and so for the first time human beings aren’t just touching other planets in our solar system, we’re touching the stars and wandering the galaxy. That’s an incredible thing: that human beings, from Larkspur, California, can be a part of this too.”

cdeforrest@redwoodbark.org

December 11, 2020 bark Page 22 • Lifestyles Katherine Ritter makes a scene with her stellar acting

By Maxanne Anderson

dives into it, and she doesn’t hold anything back. When I’m in shows with her, she takes notes really positively and dives into her character and portrays it to the fullest, whatever that looks like,” Arenberg said.

Ritter is currently enrolled in three EPiC drama classes at Redwood: stagecraft, honors theater directing and advanced drama. Though they cannot do plays at the moment, Ritter participates in workshops to learn more about dancing and professional theater. In honors theater directing, Ritter introduces beginning drama students to acting through improvisation, games and short plays. “[In the class, you are] just making the students feel more comfortable and excited about

A wedding planner organizes her own impending nuptials. A young boy discovers what it truly means to be a “good man.” A realtor moderates a spelling bee competition she won years before. These three occurrences have something particular in common: they are all fictional roles played by junior Katherine Ritter, an actress and dancer.

Ritter began her journey performing onstage in elementary school, enrolling in dance classes and theater productions after being inspired by a showing of “Evita.”

“Watching [the] story unfold, especially at a young age, it was really magical to watch and to take in,” Ritter said. “I remember telling my mom after the show, ‘I want to do that, I want to make people feel the same way that I felt after I watched the show.’”

Since then, Ritter has been in about a dozen shows, many of which were produced or directed by Steven Hess, co-founder of 23 Elephants Theatre Company. Hess and Ritter first met when he was working at Throckmorton Theatre, and over the years, he has seen her grow as a person and actress.

“She’s always been a really sweet little kid, and she’s gone from there to being a genuinely good, nice person,” Hess said. “On top of that, she pursued acting and performing in the same [scrupulous] way, and [she has] gotten really, really good [at both].”

Hess was especially impressed by Ritter’s performance as Rona Lisa Peretti in the 23 Elephants’ production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” a lively musical with audience involvement.

“When she did ‘[The] 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,’ she came alive. She was such a genuine performer, and her performance was so funny and heartwarming. It was a really wonderful performance. It was one of my favorite things that I’ve ever seen,” Hess said. “She just hit all the right marks and all those different acting moments throughout the show.”

Abby Arenberg, a sophomore at San Domenico High School and close friend of Ritter through dance and theater, also admires Ritter’s talent as a performer as well as her attitude about acting.

“Whatever role she’s in, she really Photo by Maxanne Anderson

theater and making theater, and [you help them with] understanding the work that goes on behind the scenes and the depth of each character,” Ritter said.

According to Ritter, this work in theater, both behind the scenes and on stage, involves analysis and creativity. “[Theater] is very much a creative process. A lot of the time we are [working on] understanding character motives, breaking down pieces of work and creating our own pieces of work,” Ritter said.

Ritter also stresses the importance of being completely vulnerable to connect with the audience and other actors.

She feels that the camaraderie at Redwood creates the perfect place for this.

“I don’t think there’s been a single day that goes by [without us] bursting into laughter in drama. It’s a really supportive community,” Ritter said. “I just think everyone is super friendly and super accepting of each other, and it makes it a great environment for people to be really vulnerable and take risks in front of each other.”

Ritter’s lively and humorous nature, according to Arenberg, likely plays a role in the positive setting of EPiC. However, her ventures in theater have also had a beneficial effect on Ritter’s personality.

“I think she’s grown [into] her own self-confidence. She used to joke about not feeling good about herself, and so I think over the years, she’s really come into her own personality and just learned to accept herself and have fun with herself,” Arenberg said. “She has a ton of energy, and she always wants to make people happy and joke with them and laugh with them.”

During class, on stage and in her daily life, Ritter relies on the confidence and lessons she has gained through her time as an actress. Though she does not plan to pursue drama professionally, Ritter does see it playing an important role in her future.

“I think the main thing that drew me to theater was the magic that I felt when I first watched [a show] and a story unfold,” Ritter said. “I just really want to keep it a part of my life for as long as I can.”

manderson@redwoodbark.org

The Antiracist Book Club reads to counter racism

By Samantha Elegant Last spring, during the climax of the Black Lives Matter protests and civil unrest, English teacher Vanessa Kristal adjusted her curriculum for the rest of the semester to focus on the current events.

Even after these class conversations, however, multiple students felt that these topics needed to be discussed more. One of these students, junior Sadie Leonard, reached out to Kristal at the start of the summer, ultimately inspiring the creation of the now official Antiracist Book Club.

“I felt like I wasn’t having enough conversations with people about everything going on in our world, and it’s tricky because, in a normal school year, we might be having discussions in our classroom, but that’s something that’s really difficult to do online,” Leonard said.

The Antiracist Book Club started with only a few people but is growing as new members continue to join. Although the weekly meetings are still on Zoom, the club has been able to tackle difficult topics and progress in their learning. Kristal functions as a discussion facilitator, helping the book club members continue their conversations in order to educate themselves.

“I feel like education is the key to trying to make sense of this [current civil unrest]. What we can do right now is really educate ourselves on these causes and create a deeper understanding of how

to be active,” Kristal said.

By reading books about inequality and social justice written by authors from diverse backgrounds, the club is able to expand their knowledge and learn from multiple perspectives. So far, they have read “How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi, “White Fragility”

by Robin DiAngelo and

safe space to learn what’s going on in our world through [literature] and to kind of develop a level of empathy that we might not have because we haven’t been exposed to those stories before,” Kristal said.

Junior Claire McKechnie, a member of the club, explains that the

conversations that The Antiracist Book Club has are very impactful. For her, one of the biggest takeaways is learning that people need to do more than simply support the cause in order to create a change.

“Being not racist is not enough for things to nt ega l change because being not E tha man racist means that you are indifferent a S by tos about racism, that to you racism is not a big o h P enough problem to actively go out of your “Women, way and fight against it,” McKechnie said.

Race and Class” “In order to dismantle white supremacy,

by Angela Davis. people need to be anti-racist, and anti“I think these [books] create a nice, racists are people who push for policies

that promote equity among all races and who call out racism when they see it, who break white solidarity and who lead others in the movement.”

According to McKechnie, Redwood should integrate more social justice books by diverse authors into their curriculum, as many of the novels currently taught are classics written by white men. When this is done, students are given the opportunity to learn about new, important issues and have interesting class discussions.

McKechnie stresses that reading these types of books helps us to see beyond our own perspectives.

“As members of a multicultural nation, we owe it to the people of color in our community to do our work and to educate ourselves on their struggles so we can do our part to actively promote equality,” McKechnie said.

The Antiracist Book Club is a safe space for students to have these difficult conversations about equality and race.

In the club, students are encouraged to express their ideas without criticism.

“I think that conversations about race and racism can be really difficult because there are so many trigger words. People feel really uncomfortable talking about it and [our club is] a place where it’s okay if you say something that’s not right or maybe that’s not perfect. We’re all learning together, and so we can freely share our ideas on topics that might be difficult to talk about in other settings,” Leonard said.

Although The Antiracist Book Club is currently in the middle of reading “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson, it is still open to new members and invites people to join the low-pressure, inclusive community. The club meets once a week during SMART period on Thursdays.

Email Kristal at vkristal@tamdistrict.org if you would like more details on how to be a part of The Antiracist Book Club’s fight against racism. selegant@redwoodbark.org

Page 23 • Lifestyles

www.redwoodbark.org

Kaitlyn Hartka dishes up hope in Mexico

bark

By Kate McHugh

Heart to Art: Charlie Freiburger strums all the right chords

By Bella Piacente and Gemma Strauss “Heart to Art’’ is a column highlighting artists in the Redwood community. The column was created to represent the arts on a broader scale, giving appreciation towards student artists and their craft.

Junior Charlie Freiburger sits calmly with his light blue guitar. He strums a few chords that will later develop into his latest release on SoundCloud. As an avid artist within the Redwood community, Charlie is a member of Advanced Performance Workshop (APW) where he composes his own music and plays guitar and bass. Inspired to take his music outside of class, he plans to release more songs and explore various genres with his band, Everything.

Apart from his band, Charlie is committed to writing his own music as a solo artist. He recalls one experience when beginning to write his first original song.

“I was sitting in my room late at night. I started playing these [chords] and then it kind of developed into a melody. [I was moved by singer-songwriter] Blaze Foley, [who] writes a lot of instrumentals that are really good and inspirational. [He prompted] me to write something without lyrics, ” Charlie said.

This song became “Strings,” an instrumental song that Charlie released on SoundCloud in September.

Along with COVID-19 allowing Freiburger to spend more time producing music, he has also been able to play music and collaborate with his like-minded brother and bandmate, Tommy Freiburger.

“We are both older now and I think you start seeing your siblings less from the lens of a sibling relationship and more as a person. [Having] the band, driving, practicing and having to spend a lot of time together has definitely made us closer,” Tommy said.

Like his younger brother, Tommy was a part of APW as well. Not only did the program’s leader, John Mattern, help Tommy discover his musical interest, he also assisted Charlie in exploring new genres and instruments. “[Charlie] is really clear about the [type of] music that he is into. He knows what he likes, and he’s developed a real mature sense of [musical] discovery. I’m so lucky [to work with] somebody that motivated. All you have to do is turn them in a certain direction,” Mattern said.

Mattern has high praise for Charlie’s musicianship as well as his overall positive demeanor.

“Charlie is one of the most heartfelt, sincere, softspoken, thoughtful young men I’ve ever worked with.

He just has a really wonderful nature. [It’s] inspiring,” Mattern said.

As a teacher, he is also impressed with Charlie’s innate ability to pick up instruments quickly and believes that music will always be a part of Charlie’s life.

“I think the sky’s the limit for Charlie. He could do anything he sets his mind to.

He started playing bass a year ago, and now, he’s one of my best bass players, along with the guitar. He is a very talented young man, and he just gets it. He gets how Photo courtesy it works,” of Aiden Achuck Mattern said.

bark@redwoodbark.org

Walking through the streets of Cuernavaca, Mexico, a small town about an hour outside of Mexico City, junior Kaitlyn Hartka has noticed the hardships of the people living there firsthand. Young children stand on the street selling candies and toys to make money for their families, and restaurants struggle to stay open during COVID-19.

Although Hartka is used to seeing this when she visits her family almost every year, it does not make it any easier.

“By visiting Mexico so much, it really does open your eyes to how many people are less fortunate than you and are in such horrible positions,” Hartka said. “It’s been a really eye-opening experience to help me appreciate [where I live].”

Remembering her past trips, Hartka decided to help the people there suffering from poverty, especially as hardships have increased from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This past summer, she contacted Dine11, an organization that helps provide food and supplies to people in various towns across the United States. Although Dine11 had never opened a branch outside of the U.S., Hartka and her cousin, who lives in Cuernavaca, Constanza Iturbe, showed the organization how important it is to help the people there.

“I thought that it would be really good to try and help these people because, in the town that we’re helping, there are no other charity organizations, and charity organizations in Mexico are almost non-existent,” Hartka said.

Hartka and Iturbe worked with Dine11 organizers for three months to set up the branch. Since it is international, Hartka and her team worked hard to make sure all of the legal precautions needed to help the people in Cuernavaca were in place before opening. Dine11 Project Manager Alexis Saenz worked closely with the two cousins to set up the branch.

“They’ve been super patient with us, and since it’s international, it’s been a stop and go [process]. We had to make sure everything’s nice and orderly, but they’re amazing to work with, and I’m just very grateful for their patience,” Saenz said.

Another challenge the team has faced is COVID-19.

Not only has it made things more difficult for the families living in Cuernavaca, but the rising number of cases in Mexico has made it hard for Dine11 to help the families safely.

“We have to be really careful when we are handing out food because we don’t want any COVID-19 cases to come from us trying to help out these families. The challenge is making sure the families don’t come in contact with each other, that everyone is socially distant and that the food is packaged safely,” Hartka said.

In the past few months, Hartka and her team have helped the people in Cuernavaca by holding a food drive at the local school, giving out gift cards for people to buy food and supplies, and now by selling handmade masks from Mexico. Being the only member of the team from Cuernavaca, Iturbe values the difference she has made in her own community.

“My favorite part is helping the families [in my community]. [We also get to help] the little kids, which is amazing for us,” Iturbe said. “We want to [be able to] make a big change and make people [in Cuernavaca] happy.”

Hartka and Saenz enjoy connecting with members of the Cuernavaca community as well as small businesses during the pandemic.

“We’re trying to help the local restaurants and businesses keep their lights on by buying meals [from

Photo by Kate McHugh

WEARING A MASK made in Cuernavaca, Mexico, Kaitlyn Hartka models the product she is selling to raise money for their community. them] and delivering them to frontline workers, community members and families that are in need of support right now,” Saenz said.

Although her work in Cuernavaca is just getting started, Hartka is excited for the future of the Dine11 branch.

“Our long term goal is to grow and to be able to help even more restaurants and schools. Currently, we’re partnered with two restaurants and one school, so I think that once we get enough funding and enough recognition [we will be able to expand],” Hartka said.

If you would like to donate to the Dine11 Mexico branch, use the QR code below.

kmchugh@redwoodbark.org

bark@redwoodbark.org

Remembering Sydney Kaplan

By Stella Bennett Cub Reporter “Losing Sydney is impossibly hard, and it happened so suddenly that we’re still trying to catch our breath,” Sarah Kaplan, Sydney Kaplan’s mother, said.

On Nov. 25, 2020, Sydney Kaplan, a sophomore, passed away from complications due to osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. The Redwood community grieves this loss but will always remember her courageous fight and joyous life. Sydney will be celebrated as a delightful girl with a beautiful heart who inspired others to persevere through difficult times.

In the fall of 2018, Sydney had just begun her eighth-grade year. She explained to Cub Reporter Stella Bennett that it was also during this time that she was first diagnosed.

“I had been having some pain [in my leg] over the summer, and [my family] eventually went to my pediatrician who had no idea where it was coming from,” Sydney said.

Three months later, in December of 2018, they received a pathology report from a lung nodule confirming Sydney had osteosarcoma. According to Sarah, Sydney’s diagnosis forever changed their lives.

“You feel like everything has been put on hold in some ways.

You cannot live your life like you normally would,” Sarah said.

Soon after her diagnosis, Sydney began sharing the news with her close

friends, including sophomore Taylor Wein.

“I just remember being so scared and kind of numb because this friend that I had known for almost my entire life had this life-threatening illness,” Wein said. “But she was one of the most positive people I knew. Somehow she managed, at least around me, to keep a smile on her face.”

Following Sydney’s first round of chemotherapy, the Kaplan’s packed up and moved to Boston, Mass. for three months.

They had decided to go to Mass General, a hospital located in Boston that specializes in a radiation procedure called Proton therapy, a combination of chemotherapy and radiation, that initially helped Sydney.

However, after they moved back home, the Proton treatment ultimately ceased to work, and her tumor continued to grow.

On top of these obstacles, in March of 2020, the spread of COVID-19 changed everyone’s way of life. Sydney and Wein, along with every student across America, were forced to learn online, making it harder for the two friends to see each other.

Due to Sydney’s compromised immune system, she and her family had to take extra safety precautions, making the pandemic difficult for her. Although Sydney saw her friends a few times, it was a poor substitute for seeing them five days a week. Wein said she could count on one hand the number of times she saw Sydney over shelter-in-place.

Although physically isolated, Sydney wanted to find a way to bring people together during the quarantine.

To do this, she created a lending library.

According to Wein, Sydney successfully ran the

library, and people took advantage of the opportunity to read and find new interests.

Sydney loved books all her life and continued to read frequently throughout her cancer treaments.

By November 2020, Sydney was taking roughly 20 daily medications and supplements. She also had health care appointments seven to 10 times a week.

With this occupied schedule, one could only assume Sydney would struggle with her schoolwork; however, this was not the case.

She persevered and continued to complete her assignments on time, according to another close friend, sophomore Chloe Bishop.

“Whenever we did group work, she was always a valuable member and put a lot of effort into all her work. She never slacked off and was so nice and happy all the time,” Bishop said.

Nicole Plescia, a world cultures and geography, social issues and French teacher, was one of Sydney’s previous teachers.

Plescia shares a similar view to Bishop that Sydney was an excellent student.

“Sydney always worked so hard; she was so thoughtful and tenacious with everything she did,” Plescia said.

Plescia, along with all of Sydney’s friends and family, believes that Sydney was often characterized as funny, passionate and creative, all qualities Sydney continued to demonstrate throughout her battle with cancer. Resilient, however, is the best adjective to describe Sydney.

Sydney continued to fight until her last days, and had always recovered well from procedures. Over the week of Nov. 23, her cancer became unmanageable. Sydney’s doctors found that her cancer had spread across her brain, and nothing could be done.

Those who were close to Sydney were greatly affected by her passing but are grateful for everyone who has shown their support. “[Sydney] always had such a positive attitude,” Bishop said. “I can’t remember a single person that ever had a problem with her; Sydney was just so sweet to every person she met. She was the image of kindness and such a caring person.”

To help others who suffer from osteosarcoma, you can donate to the Making it Better (MIB) Agents organization. Funds will support the research to find a cure for osteosarcoma and save the lives of many in the future. sbennett@redwoodbark.org

Photo courtesy of Sarah Kaplan