Carlmont Highlander March 2017 Issue 5

The Highlander March 2017 Vol VIII Issue V

Carlmont High School — Belmont, California

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The savior of the U.S. doesn’t want the job

Millennials resist running for office

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY AVERY ADAMS

Hanalei Pham The government is dysfunctional, and millennials want no part of it.

Harvard University’s Institute of Politics (IOP), which has an ongoing poll of millennials, found that young people from ages 18 to 29 have little faith in Congress and the federal government, preferring to spend their volunteer efforts on non-governmental missions.

When political science professors Jennifer Lawless and Richard Fox asked more than 4,000 high school and college students if they would be interested in running for political office in America in the future, 89 percent of them said no.

Shauna Shames, an assistant professor of political science at Rutgers University-Camden, did a study of more than 700 top graduate students in law and public policy to see if they were interested in becoming political candidates.

They were not.

Madeleine Li, a junior, said, “I don’t see the point of running for two different reasons. One, quite frankly, I see a lot more opportunities in doing community service; there are a lot of things that the government isn’t responsible for or

at the moment aren’t focussing on. The second is that the bureaucracy has become convoluted to the point that no decisions are being made because everyone is so opposed to everyone else.”

This reluctance to run for office reflects millennials disenchantment with politics as a whole.

“If I were to run, I feel like I would need to subscribe to a certain way of thinking. It would be easier to not have to go through a party system so that I can express and work toward my ideas even when they don’t fall along party lines,” said Li. Many millennials are concerned with the lack of privacy surrounding public figures. Not only are the elected officials themselves under constant scrutiny, but their families are as well.

“The idea that your life is under a microscope and every decision you make will be judged and second-guessed is a real turn-off,” said Zach Wong, a junior.

Others see politics as corrupt and are skeptical about their ability to effect change through politics, especially with the time politicians spend fundraising.

In an interview with CBS News, David Jolly, a former representative from Florida’s 13th district, explained how

every day, members of Congress spend hours on the phone asking for donations to their campaign and party. According to Jolly, congressmen are told that their first responsibility is to raise money. In fact, Jolly said, the schedule for the House of Representatives is partly arranged around fundraising.

“Even if you could raise all of this money, there’s something that feels icky about the macro process of so much money being involved in politics. It has this tinge of corruption that then pervades the work that you would do,” said Shames.

In light of the fact that bitter partisanship has made it increasingly difficult for legislation to be passed, many millennials feel that the government is inefficient and incapable of getting anything done. For example, in 2013, the U.S. government was shut down when Congress couldn’t agree on a spending bill to fund the government.

In an interview with The Atlantic, Shames said that students told her that running for office was comparable to “selling your soul” or that “you would have to be crazy to run for office” and “I’m a very results-oriented person, and

See MILLENNIALS page 14

INSIDE THIS ISSUE CAMPUS FEATURES LIFESTYLE OFF THE GRID NEWS SPORTS OPINION STRANGERS

2-3 4-5 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 15 16

Psychological effects of Snapchat

Disconnecting from media

Social media uses brain chemistry to keep users addicted

Elliminating technology benefits the individual

(PAGE 7)

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Mirroring past tragedies President Trump’s Muslim Ban parallels Holocaust

(PAGE 11)

2 CAMPUS

March 2017

Rejection season Mini-Madness reflects March reaches students College decision letters put strain on relationships Sophie Penn For seniors, spring is a time of anxiously awaiting college admissions letters.

The season typically brings a mixture of disappointment and joy, as students find out if the letters coming in the mail hold acceptances or rejections.

Acceptances can feel like validation for years of hard work, and can also raise morale for students who achieved their goals of getting into their top schools.

Lexi Posey, a senior, received her acceptance letter from University of Michigan in December.

“It felt amazing getting into my top school. I wasn’t expecting it because I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but when I saw that I got in, I felt like all my hard work up to this point had paid off. It was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders,” said Posey.

However, the acceptance season can also create tension on campus, as many students tend to compare themselves to their friends and peers, and one may feel as if their self-worth is based on an acceptance or rejection.

“It’s hard to look at a rejection letter and not take it personally. It feels like all of your life is put into a few paragraphs and the letter you get back determines your worth. Even though we know that’s not true, you do begin to question your worth when the letters come back, regardless of logical reasoning,” said Millan Kanaya, a senior.

Kanaya applied early decision to Northwestern, as did her friend and classmate, Alyssa Fine. However, the two girls managed to avoid the potential strain that applying to the same school can put on a relationship.

Kanaya said, “We both really wanted each other to succeed, and that’s why it didn’t cause any tension between us.”

Unfortunately, both Kanaya and Fine received rejection letters from their dream school.

Getting rejected from a top choice can have as much of a negative effect on students as acceptances have positive effects, and there is annual tensions among seniors during admissions season.

“It’s awful that someone else’s victory almost feels like your loss of an acceptance, but that feeling is definitely prominent,” said Kanaya.

Seniors tend to compare their acceptances and denials, and lots of judgement can arise as gossip spreads about “who got in where.”

It’s easy for one to become jealous when they are rejected from a competitive school, and another student gets in. There are often rumors about students getting in just because of a sport or because they are a legacy at the school.

However, some students don’t need to worry about getting into a four year university.

Daniel Zorb, a senior, is taking a different path entirely, and choosing to attend community college, rather

than applying to a four-year university.

Zorb wants to be a firefighter, and has chosen to attend College of San Mateo (CSM) because of their excellent program.

“I’ll be able to transfer from CSM to a four year after to get even more education on something related to firefighting, which will really increase my chances of getting a job,” said Zorb.

Because he is attending junior college, Zorb did not have to deal with the stress of applications, or the anxiety of admission letters.

Regardless of fall plans, college admissions season brings “senioritis,” a term coined to describe the lack of motivation common among second-semester seniors.

Once acceptance letters start filtering in, it’s easy for seniors to slack off, feeling as though they have already accomplished the ultimate goal of high school.

Contrary to popular belief, senior year grades do matter, and an acceptance letter can always be rescinded.

According to the Huffington Post, “Colleges will require you to submit a final grade report, and poor grades senior year can keep you out of your dream college.”

Posey said, “My motivation to get good grades has plummeted, but I’m still studying and working just as hard to keep my grades up.”

Regardless of future plans, spring is a time of excitement for seniors, as their high school experiences end.

Madness spirit among players Kathryn Stratz

March is associated with St. Patrick’s Day parties and the color green.

However, for many, March also means basketball.

This is because the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball tournament, also known as March Madness, occurs throughout the month.

Carlmont ASB has given students an opportunity to participate in the basketball hype with a tournament known as MiniMadness.

Carlmont’s tournament, while just as spirited, is slightly less complicated than the NCAA March Madness tournament and consists of only four teams and four games.

Jimmy Rudger, a junior class vice president, said, “Each class has a team, which is organized by the class officers. The winners move to the finals and the losers play in a consolation game.”

This tournament, which begins on March 20, is for students who did not play on a Carlmont basketball team this past season.

Zach Burgos, a sophomore and Mini-Madness assistant coach, said, “I think it’s a great experience because it gives those who didn’t play during the season a chance to play basketball. Also, it’s fun to watch.”

While planning the event, ASB members tested their organization skills.

“Class officers have done a lot to prepare for this whole event.

We have assembled teams, represented our classes, and coordinated with all the players and referees to ensure we all understand what is going on. I’d say

the teams spent around three weeks preparing, but the seniors probably have spent more time because they had to make jerseys,” said Freshman Class President Joe Sison.

Although the women’s NCAA tournament is not as popular as the men’s tournament, MiniMadness consists of both female and male students together.

“I am not intimidated to be playing because the guys on the team are my friends, and we are all just playing for fun,” said Sarah Stulbarg, a freshman.

Many believe that this tournament promotes friendly competition and fun for Carlmont students in a new way.

“I think it is a good opportunity for everyone because you get to play with a different level of competitiveness and it’s not something you can do all the time,” said Stulbarg.

Sison is confident in the abilities of the freshman class and is counting on their win.

“I expect the freshmen to win. No bias, but I see a highscoring game in favor of the freshmen,” said Sison.

On the other hand, Burgos is feeling the same confidence in the sophomore team.

“I think we will do well because we have a lot of players who have experience playing basketball in the past,” said Burgos.

Overall, the Mini-Madness tournament gives Carlmont students a fun activity to participate in during March Madness.

Sison said, “I hope everyone will have a fun time and enjoy the tournament as a school-wide activity that brings the classes together and mixes in competition with fun.”

CAMPUS 3

March 2017

Class credits hold students back Graduation requirements make classes uninteresting Ryan Geronimo With the school year approaching its final months, many are set to graduate, unless they do not have enough elective credits.

School is an environment where people go to fulfill their core learning requirements, and some students either lose track, or simply neglect the fact that they also need to fulfill elective requirements, causing them to panic as their time in high school continues to dwindle.

In order for students to graduate, they must play a sport every year after freshmen year or take weight training or a physical education dance course for one year to fulfill physical fitness requirements.

As well as physical fitness requirements, students must take a year of a Career Technical Education (CTE) that may include a third year of a language.

Because of these requirements, students sometimes have to reluctantly engage in an activity to get credits in order to exit the school wearing a cap and gown.

William Cox, a senior, said,“I am missing a quarter’s worth of P.E. credits, therefore I have to take one quarter of weight training in order to graduate. I would never voluntarily take weight training. I am only doing it because I have to. I originally had five classes, but now I have six in my final semester of high school, so it is a hassle for me to join the class.”

Cox faces a situation he would rather not be in, but electives are not the enemy.

“If you only limit electives to those who want to do them voluntarily, then fewer people would be signing up for elective classes, meaning that classes such as weight training or ceramics would possibly not be provided at our school,” said Cox. Though electives can be inconvenient, they are a mechanism for learning.

Through electives, there is more opportunity to learn different things from the typical math and literature courses.

Tyrese Lopez, a junior, said, “I think that electives are useful and important to have because if one has the push to do it in order to graduate, then they might end up finding out that they actually enjoy what they are doing. Electives give students an opportunity to experience new things that they would not have experienced if they were not told to do it. You never know if you are interested in something until you try it.”

Electives are required in order to give students a diverse educational experience, and ultimately it is up to them to make the most of their opportunity.

Kirsten Clark, a senior, said, “I think electives should be required because some people really do not have any interests, and maybe that elective that they had to do sparked their interest and gave them an opportunity to experience new things.”

Electives are a way for students to find

ISABEL MITCHELL

new forms of expression, but when the issue of needing credits to graduate arises, things go awry, as students take routes they otherwise would not have taken in the first place. There will be people who genuinely love what they are doing and there will be people who are doing an activity in order to graduate.

“I feel like it is unfair if there are people doing things just for credits because there is a possibility of someone who is genuinely interested in the sport or class being deprived of that opportunity because of

someone who took it just for credits. But at the same time, if you need credits to graduate, then you have to do it, so it is a tough situation,” said Lopez.

No matter what, there will be people who will do things for enjoyment and there will be people who do things because they absolutely need the credits.

“At the end of the day, there are certain things you must do in order to graduate high school. If you have to take a class, then you have to do it. If there is another way, that route should be taken,” said Lopez.

Sugar content in school milk exceeds soda Nicole del Cardayre Milk.

Chocolate, strawberry, and plain.

The USDA made a requirement in 1946 that all schools must provide milk with breakfast and lunch. However when given the choice, most kids choose chocolate or strawberry milk over plain.

“Whenever I buy school lunch which is usually once or twice a week, I always grab a carton of chocolate milk,” said Harris Branch, a junior at Carlmont.

According to the LA Times, flavored milk accounts for about 70 percent of the milk served in U.S. schools. Some schools have begun to ban flavored milk altogether; however, studies sponsored by the dairy industry show that when this occurs, milk consumption overall drops by about 37 percent.

One carton of chocolate milk has 28 grams of sugar, which is more than the average chocolate bar.

According to Grist, a nonprofit news organization, several studies have proven that milk does not improve the health of one’s bones, however it is one of the biggest sources of saturated fat (“bad fat”) in the diet.

Milk, in fact, will not by itself improve

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strength, but it can add weight as it is very meets kids’ taste preferences, and it prohigh in fat, cholesterol, and sugar. vides the nutrition that they don’t get elseAccording to Ann Cooper, the new where,” said Ann Marie Krautheim, senior director of nutrition services in Boulder vice president of nutrition affairs for the Colorado’s school district, if a child choos- National Dairy Council. es chocolate milk over regular milk every An estimated $1 million campaign single day for one year, the child will gain by the dairy industry has been created to about 3 pounds becounter the recause of the excess taliation against “I didn’t think highly of the calories and sugar. chocolate milk.

“Over the course “Raise Your school milk, but knowing that of a K-12 educaHand for Chocoit is equivalent to a can of Coke late Milk” is the tion, that can add makes me realize just how poor slogan used by up,” said Cooper in an interview given the dairy industhe quality really is.” to Time magazine. try. The industry According has launched a Sol Mitnick to nutrition and YouTube-intensive junior health experts, one strategy to high8-ounce serving of light the benefits reduced-fat chocoof milk and to late milk contains about the same amount shut down the critics who have rallied to rid of calories and sugar that a 12-ounce can of schools of the sugary and calorie induced Coca-Cola has. By offering a beverage this beverage. sugary at school, the childhood obesity crisis The campaign further argues that withis heavily contributed to. out chocolate milk in schools, kids will beAs many school districts have shown re- gin to lose the nutrients provided through sistance towards flavored milk and rallied the sugary drink. for a ban on the sugary drink, the dairy in“I didn’t think highly of the school milk dustry has fought back. but knowing that it is equivalent to a can of “Flavored milk really fits two needs, it Coke makes me realize just how poor the

quality really is,” said Sol Mitnick, a junior.

According to Beyond Chron, schools can reduce the amount of added sugar kids consume in their milk by completing these simple steps: limit the serving of chocolate milk to once not twice a day, place the milk behind the plain milk at the lunch stations, and finally completely get rid of strawberry milk as it has the most added sugar.

Brian Wansink, of the Center for Behavioral Economics and Childhood Nutrition at Cornell University, has research that has proven that more nutritional education provided to students and children can help make them more aware of the added sugar they are consuming.

Dana Woldow, a school food reformer of the Bay Area, stated that the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act will improve the quality of school lunches but in return estimate a cost of approximately 64 cents per kid a day. However, the USDA provides 6 cents a day per student for their school lunch.

A core idea presented by Woldow in her article in Beyond Chron is to slowly wean schools from their amount of sugar intake.

“Start by demanding a reduction in the added sugar in flavored milk to four grams per eight ounce (that’s 1 teaspoon, or the same amount of sugar many adults add to their morning coffee or tea),” said Woldow.

4 FEATURES

March 2017

Stores exploit holiday spirit for profit Alyn Seymour Now that St. Patrick’s Day is over, stores start to prepare for the next major holiday: Christmas.

Although the actual day is months away, preparations start early in order to maximize profits when the season begins.

“Our store puts out Christmas ornaments in July,” said Barbara O’Malley, a sales associate at Donna’s Hallmark Shop. “Some customers come in and are excited by the display, but most people will see decorations and say ‘Really? Christmas decorations in July?’”

Although many holidays are based on religion or virtues of gratitude, in the current day, these celebrations have lost their oncespecial meaning and have become over-commercialized. The commercialization of holidays is a tactic used by businesses to convince the public that these days go hand-in-hand with spending money.

Big-name companies such as Hallmark and Target are always looking for an opportunity to increase profits. According to Entrepreneur Magazine, “The holidays are a popular time to market, so businesses want to appeal to everyday emotions while standing out from the crowd.”

Modern traditions that surround holidays may distract people from the actual roots of these celebrations.

Christmas was a day created to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, which big companies turned into what is now known as their “busy season.” It has become an entire holiday season that is crucial for retailers.

“The typical modern celebra-

ESTELLA LIPPI

Diddums Party Store celebrates St. Patrick’s Day by selling festive decorations. tion overwhelms the roots of Christmas,” said Kalea Pasion, a junior. “Sometimes it’s hard to focus on the birth of Jesus when all you can see is Santa Claus and red Starbucks cups.”

In addition, many think Christmas takes away from the celebration of Thanksgiving due to a well-known phenomenon called Black Friday. With stores opening their doors in the early hours of the morning for sales, the meaning of Christmas is lost in the material items.

St. Patrick’s Day is another holiday our society stretches the meaning of. In the late 1800s, Irish immigrants facing stereotypes wanted to celebrate their Catholicism and nationalism for their country. Now, St. Patrick’s Day is associated with anything

and everything green.

Bars promote St. Patrick’s Day specials. Companies market this holiday by selling anything with “Kiss me, I’m Irish” plastered on it or adding green dye to anything consumable. Icons and symbols that we associate with St. Patrick’s Day have no real connection to the actual meaning. Leprechauns and pots of gold have no real

relevance, except as Dollar Store decorations.

“I think all the merchandise really gets people excited for St. Patrick’s Day,” said Julia Walsh, a junior. “My family is Irish, and we don’t really celebrate the holiday for what it really is. We celebrate a more Americanized version of the holiday, like having a themed party.”

“Sometimes it’s hard to focus on the birth of Jesus when all you can see is Santa Claus and red Starbucks cups.”

Kalea Pasion junior

Companies take advantage of people’s emotional attachment to certain holidays. Commercialization, in general, is seen negatively because it came about to persuade people to do things they otherwise might not have done, such as buying decorations or presents.

Many people argue that commercialization is a bad thing, and that the saying, ‘it’s the thought that counts’ still rings true. But economically, holidays greatly impact society. According to the Business Insider, “During November, retail businesses across the United States hire approximately 50,000 temporary workers.”

Vast sums of people spend more money on gifts and presents as a direct result of the commercialization of holidays. CBS states that consumer spending makes up around 70 percent of the gross domestic product — the measure of the market value of goods and services produced in a period to determine the economic performance of a country or region.

Most of this spending takes place in November and December and are mainly gift purchases.

Without commercialization, those who aren’t as invested in religion would acknowledge the date, and that would be it. The celebration would pass off into the oblivion of lapsed holidays.

“We [the Christian community] can use the popularity of holidays like Christmas as a platform to communicate our message and beliefs to other people,” said Pasion. Commercialization benefits the holiday and its religion. The holiday becomes more inclusive and draws people of all cultures and beliefs to reflect and celebrate.

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FEATURES 5

March 2017

Graduates seek alternate solutions Sarah Tocatlian

College tuition.

The dark cloud looming over most students in high school.

A potential obstacle for any student trying to enroll.

Because of the rise in the cost of college tuition, those wanting to go to college might have to compromise to go somewhere affordable.

Over the past couple of years, the price of college has risen worldwide, with the most dramatic changes occurring in North America.

According to College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2016–2017 school year was $33,480 at private colleges, $9,650 for state residents at public colleges, and $24,930 for out-of-state residents attending public universities.

“My parents always tried to make sure that college fees were not an issue when I was applying. I have always been very appreciative of that, but when I was filling in my applications, it was impossible not to notice that the prices were really quite steep,” said senior Kirsten Clark.

Sara Goldrick-Rab, a professor at Temple University and author of “Paying the Price,” said, “Not only have college prices risen dramatically in the past 15 years, but at the same time, the mean family income of all but the wealthiest five percent of Americans has fallen.”

Because of this, students in America are now finding themselves unable to pay for the colleges that they had first desired to attend.

According to the 2013 College Student Pulse survey conducted by YouGov for Seventeen Magazine, four out of five college students are now working while going to school, typically 19 hours a week while classes are in session.

As a result, students have started researching more financial aid solutions and to start looking at other places around the globe.

“Even though I was pretty set on going to college in the United States, and more specifically in California, I did do a little bit of research on how much the prices of tuition varied from the U.S. compared to the prices in Europe, especially northern Europe. I had heard a little bit about how college is cheaper there because I do have some family from around that region,” said Clark.

Northern Europe has recently become more desirable as a place to attend college because of the fact that the tuition is dramatically less expensive than it is in the United States.

ISABEL MITCHELL

Going to college abroad can also bring about the issue of international student fees; hearing about those could turn some people away from the idea.

However, contrary to what many may believe, finding tuition-free colleges is easier when going abroad as an international student. For example, countries such as Germany, Norway, and Sweden all have programs in place that allow international students to attend for free.

According to U.S. News, some countries provide postsecondary education for free; these countries include Kenya, Uruguay, Morocco, Scotland, Spain, Norway, Turkey, Finland, Greece, Egypt, and Argentina.

“My girlfriend currently goes to high school in Denmark, and she always tells me about how education there is so much cheaper than in the United States and how it is made that way so that a person’s income isn’t what comes in the way of their education, which I think is a thing we should have here as well,” said senior River Manochio.

According to Lynn O’Shaughnessy, a nationally rec-

ognized college expert, the first thing to look for is how schools prove themselves, then to focus on what type of schools are more likely to award scholarships to affluent students.

In her “Guide to College,” O’Shaughnessy goes on to explain that the other things to look for are which type of colleges match your price range or are at least more likely to dispense generous need-based financial aid.

Price being one of the first points mentioned in O’Shaughnessy’s guide suggests that it does become a deciding factor when students are making their choices of both where to apply and where they can attend once they have been accepted.

“The price of college may seem overwhelming, but college educations come at many different price levels, and financial aid can greatly reduce your cost. All you have to do is do a little bit of research on schools in places that you might not have initially thought you would want to go,” said Carlmont counselor Theresa Torres.

Filmmakers drift away from studios Armon Mahdavi

We live in a world where an 18-year-old with an iPhone can make a film that can contend with a multimillion dollar studio movie.

The modern aspiring filmmaker comes face-to-face with a new world — a time when millions of individuals have high-quality cameras right in their pockets, and when the term “masterpiece” is not necessarily synonymous with “high-budget.”

Naturally, a changing world brings new ways of being a filmmaker.

In the old days of Hollywood, studio films reigned supreme. If one wanted their film to be shown to a wide audience, it was impossible to do so without the support of big name companies such as Paramount or Warner Brothers.

“When I was young, studio films were the all-powerful,” said Carlmont teacher Ray Fowler.

“Back then, independent films did not have much of a voice at all. Those types of movies weren’t playing in the theaters. It was hard to make a good film without a substantial budget.”

These big name studios took on nearly all the tasks needed to create a motion picture. They hired actors and crew members, invested in the production, and distributed to theaters. Yet this intense level of studio involvement is becoming less necessary in today’s film climate.

Today, the evolution from idea to movie has more room for independence. The cost of making films has decreased due to advancements in technology, leaving a lesser necessity for the financial assistance of large film production companies.

“Even though high-budget films make more money, there is a larger audience for independent films today than there was in the past,” said Alyssa Fine, a senior. “I think independent films are becoming more and more popular every year, so the

future is looking strong.”

Fine is right. The most recent Best Picture winner at the Academy Awards was “Moonlight,” an independently produced film made on a budget of $1.5 million. The average winner in the 21st century until 2017 had a budget of just over $34

and using their cellular devices instead.

Filmmaker Sean Baker shot his movie “Tangerine” entirely on the iPhone 5s. The film went on to win numerous awards and made a 700 percent profit, according to IMDb. Recently, the business tactic for film studios such as A24 and Amazon has been acquisition rather than funding. Kenneth Lonergan’s “Manchester by the Sea” made a highly-acclaimed film on a relatively low budget, a mere $8 million. The movie was then shown at the Sundance Film Festival and subsequently acquired by Amazon Studios for $10 million. The studio went on to distribute the film and made $40 million, according to IMDb. In the past, making a profit from a movie came either through ticket sales or DVD pur-

“Back then, independent films did not have much of a voice at all. Those types of movies weren’t playing in the theaters. It was hard to make a good film without a substantial budget.”

Ray Fowler

substitute teacher million, according to IMDb. According to CNET, approximately 94 million people in the United States own iPhones, which have high-definition video capabilities. Many filmmakers are using this to their advantage, dumping the high-tech equipment usually used to shoot films

chases. But today, streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu are changing that.

According to the Digital Entertainment Group, U.S. sales of DVDs and Blu-ray discs continue to fall massively every year.

Low-budget filmmakers are also taking advantage of the internet to get their independent movies seen. Vimeo and YouTube are full of low budget short films and feature films, offering artists new ways to develop an audience.

“There are things now that make it easier for low and nobudget projects, like the internet, and an exponential growth of other poor filmmakers willing to collaborate,” said aspiring filmmaker Campbell Soutter. “But usually a low-budget film that becomes successful has to have an extreme amount of appeal from audiences, while Hollywood films do not need to be spectacularly well-made to do well financially.”

The ever-changing atmosphere of filmmaking is going towards a common theme: individualism. The medium that used to be dominated by studio heads and seven digit budgets are now showing more paths for creation.

6 LIFESTYLE

March 2017

First world problems are not problems Teenagers stress over insignificant frustrations Lily Bakour

SKYLAR WEISS

Children in Tijuana, Mexico spend the day in front of their orphanage that houses 14 children.

SKYLAR WEISS

A Tijuana resident plays his guitar outside of his new home that was built by a service organization.

on the harsh realities of the world, and simply going back to focusing on their own hardships, as they are too afraid to feel the pain of the less fortunate.

A bad grade, a cracked screen, a dead phone Afterall, according to The Water Project, one in battery, no Wi-Fi, calls from unknown numbers, a nine people worldwide don’t have any access whatwardrobe full of clothes, but still, nothing to wear. soever to safe and clean drinking water.

These are all considered “first world problems.”

Studies done by The Guardian show that over And they aren’t all that important.

70 million children do not get the chance to go to Many students at Carlmont have complained school, setting them up for failure and making them about issues that most of the world would roll their extremely vulnerable. eyes at and reply, “That’s a first world problem.”

Julia Kelly, a senior, said, “I think the important However, many might ask if these students truly thing to understand here is that most students in the understand what real problems consist of.

Bay Area are extremely fortunate and that the small Twelfth-grader Roz Soheli said, “I think that first problems that seem like such a big deal will most world problems are such a big part of our society here likely not be in your memory a month later.” in the Bay Area because we don’t understand how it Although first world probfeels to go through truly lems seem minor compared to life-changing issues.”

“I am definitely guilty of larger scale issues, Carlmont’s First world problems counselor and S.O.S. proare usually perceived as complaining about first world gram founder Shelley Bustaissues that are minor in problems — we all are.” mante believes that students contrast to other worldly shouldn’t discourage their problems. problems, no matter how inLiz Boman For example, comsignificant they seem. plaining about a bad junior “Many people don’t realize grade on a test might that just because a problem is seem ridiculous when a first world problem, doesn’t mean it can’t affect the contrasted with those in developing nations who student,” said Bustamante. have no shelter or education or clean water.

According to Bustamante, students in high inEleventh-grader Liz Boman said, “I am definitely come areas can be just as, or even more, unhappy guilty of complaining about first world problems than students who are struggling financially.

— we all are. It can be hard because they seem so Teens in developed countries are more likely to relevant and important in the moment. It’s human have life long anxiety than those in developing counnature to complain, and I think we all need to work tries, according to NCBI. harder to be thankful.”

Although first world problems often seem minor However, technological advances are allowing in comparison to those with other problems, they people to discover in detail what is going on in the still play a major role in the lives of the students exworld around them. periencing them, including those at Carlmont.

Seeing photos of famine and videos of people Kevin McGee, a junior, said, “It’s so sad to see so begging for help from across the globe can easily many fortunate people with issues that affect their overwhelm someone sitting with his or her new happiness because of first world problems, however iPhone 7 in a huge house in the Bay Area. everyone is bound to struggle no matter what their This leads to many people blocking out any feelprivileges are.” ing of empathy towards others, closing their eyes

John Linneball Tutoring john@johnlinneball.com (415) 986-7355

LIFESTYLE 7

March 2017

Media addiction controls students Apps manipulate brain chemistry to hook users Nour Zabaneh

It’s the first thing people look at when they wake up. The last thing they look at when they go to bed. They spend countless hours a day mindlessly looking at it. They have it on them at all times.

Who’s really in control, you or your phone?

According to the Huffington Post, 84 percent of people cannot go a day without using their phones. This addiction is not by chance, but due to the successes of major corporations and their armies of workers attempting to make their applications highly addictive.

“It’s proven to be addictive because certain parts of social media, like the notifications, give you a dopamine drip. Dopamine is one of the most addictive chemicals on the earth,” said ASB teacher Jim Kelly.

According to Tristan Harris, a former Google employee, corporations such as

Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat program their devices to keep their users hooked.

This is done by utilizing well-known techniques that tease the user, such as the two-second delay on a slot machine, and applying that same delay to Twitter when users refresh their notifications.

“The anticipation of a notification and its sound releases dopamine in your brain in a way similar to taking a hit of a cigarette. The absence of these notifications causes a release of cytosol, which creates an empty feeling,” said Kelly.

Snapchat’s streak feature counts how many days one has consecutively Snapchatted someone after three days. If either of the users forgets to reply within a 24-hour period, the streak dies and the number is lost.

Tyrese Lopez, a junior, said,“Honestly, I don’t even know how many streaks I have.

They don’t mean much to me, but the fact that I can lose it makes me chat people just so it doesn’t break. Generally, people keep

their streaks not because of the people they have the streak with, but because the number next to each name becomes addicting.”

According to Business Insider, 158 million people use Snapchat daily, opening the app at least 18 times a day.

“Addiction to Snapchat is real. The purpose of Snapchat may not mean much to people, but the fact that you can get rewarded [by the streaks] keeps people on.

And the fact that you get punished by losing those streaks makes people use the app every single day,” said Lopez.

One of the best ways to kick app addiction is to schedule app time usage and track the amount of time that is spent on the device, making one in control of his or her phone usage and notifications.

“I’ve turned off all notifications for everything except for texts. That way I only check my phone when I want to, not every time I get a Snapchat or someone likes my picture on Instagram. I control when I

check social media, and not the other way around,” said 12th-grader Matthew Irwin.

There are now applications that can track one’s phone usage and award users for staying off their phones for extended periods of time.

“I use an app called ‘Forest.’ You open the app and plant a seed for an amount of time that you pick, anywhere from five minutes to two hours. You then have to leave the app open for however long you set the timer for. You can lock your phone, but if you exit the app at all, the plant dies.

Some days I have a cool, green forest, and other times my forest is dead because I wasn’t able to resist the temptation of being on my phone,” said Irwin.

Part of the issue with the social media addiction is users often do not even realize their dependence on their devices and mindlessly spend hours a day on them.

So next time you pick up your phone, ask yourself if you’re really in charge.

Video games become a more popular pastime Jackson Monge

Taps and clicks furiously produced by dancing, determined hands. Swarming keyboards and controllers alike.

The room is captivated with an unbreaking focus. There are utterances of profanity every so often, and all the while there are the dead stares of tired eyes fixated upon the flashing and humming monitor.

This is modern gaming.

According to the gaming magazine Polygon, about 155 million Americans play video games regularly, and 80 percent of American households have a gaming console or computer. And in 2014 alone, American consumers spent over $22 billion on video games.

For some, video games are an escape from the sometimes mundane and repetitive nature of everyday life into a new world.

In an interview with Forbes, media developer Tobias Batton said, “Since films are not interactive, it can’t play a role in that medium. There is no signal or reward, it’s just sit-and-watch. This is the reason that games are better tools and [more] effective... The individual modifies the occurrence and form of his own behavior.”

Creating games involves building the world. From the alien landscapes of games such as Mass Effect and Destiny to the dystopian futures of Infamous and Call of Duty, the worlds are meant to transport the player to a new world with a new identity.

Details make the video game’s fantasy worlds almost life-like. With light casting shadows and the crunch of gravel under a character’s feet, the world becomes more immersive than just colored pixels on a screen.

“You’re in your own separate world and have no need to worry about stuff going on in your life,” said junior Jonah Przybyszewski. “It’s easy to get into gaming, especially when you enjoy it. In books and movies, you’re handed a story; in video games, you control the story and its pacing.

You get a sense of control and freedom.”

The freedoms and control given in video games are a dichotomy to the chaos in life. Life has its unexpected moments, yet video games offer freedom and control that aren’t typically allowed in everyday life, which is one of the many attractions video games offer to consumers.

Video games have entered society and become part of the culture. According to the Huffington Post, the American Pain Society found that video games had effective results in reducing anxiety or pain caused by medical procedures or chronic illness.

ESPN found that eSports competitions are larger than some regular sports tournaments. In 2016, the first place team in the Dota 2 International Tournament won $9.1 million. The prize greatly surpasses the 2015 Super Bowl’s prize of $5.1 million. The eSports industry has become quite lucrative for both competitors and hosts, and competitions are being hosted at large venues, and even streamed online as well. ‘‘I think eSports will get much larger,” said junior Timothy Chan. “During Counter Strike’s most recent [championship], streamed on the ELEAGUE Twitch channel, it became the first channel to break one million concurrent viewers on Twitch. It is much smaller than regular sports such as football. Super Bowl 51 had an average audience of 111.3 million viewers, which is much larger than the current audiences for eSports.”

As video games become intertwined with pastimes, the games themselves will also reciprocally be affected. When the games begin to affect culture, popular culture and events will begin to shape the video games as well.

“The influence grows the longer you play and the longer everyone else does,” said freshman Shuaib Khan. “They aren’t firmly rooted in popular culture now, but the influence will grow. Popular culture also somewhat affects video games; depending on the type of game, it is easier or harder to see.”

For example, sports games like the NBA 2K franchise have examples of displaying real-life companies as “endorsements” in the game. The Gatorade logo is put on the character’s outfits, and the playable character can get a Gatorade endorsement in the game.

And with current events, games such as This War of Mine show the horrors of war through the perspective of those who are caught in the crossfire, which relates to the displacement of peoples and refugees, a prevalent issue in the modern times of today.

Video games attract many for their offer of another world — a world of choices and freedoms not available in reality.

Their popularity has blossomed into a competitive scene with new eSports, which is beginning to challenge already established sports. And their intertwining, reciprocal influence with popular culture has allowed them to make commentaries on the current state of the world.

“Video Games offer a world of fiction that can elaborate on and evolve the real world. Their ability to be an interactive and competitive story is what attracts so many,” said Przybyszewski.

Brooke Chang The Screen Age: an era in time when no one could be found without the bright light of a smartphone shining on their face and showing them the lingering words from their latest tweet.

With the help of social media, mass communication and time wasting is at an all-time high.

Many find themselves spending more time searching for memes than they do interacting with other humans or fulfilling their own basic needs.

Teenagers are more interactive through texting. By distracting from basic human actions, social media is one of the main factors in the dehumanization of much of the population.

“Social media takes away time from more important, basic human things like real social interactions, doing work or homework, taking care of yourself, and spending time with your family,” said Carlmont robotics teacher David Talcott.

However, social media is more than just a way to find funny memes and pass time; it has become essential to many fields of work and classes that prepare students for those types of jobs.

According to Pew Research Center, 90 percent of adults ages 18 to 29 use social networking sites for classes, work, or just for fun.

Many believe that the use of these

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JORDAN HANLON

sites contributes to the success of businesses around the world.

Talcott said, “I think people use social media in their careers because there’s always a component of branding wherever you work. In today’s age, branding is mostly done online, so if you want people to know what you’re up to, that’s the easiest and most convenient way to tell everyone.”

Because of the requirement of social media in the workplace, many teens and young adults have had to ditch their ideas of living a distraction-free life and create social media accounts to keep up with job or class requirements.

“The reason why I use Facebook now is because I need to stay updated on school groups, classes, and clubs. I don’t want to miss any events because they were only shared on social media, but I still try to limit my time just scrolling through certain apps,” said Kimberly Lane, a senior.

Although it is difficult, some are able to stick with that media-free lifestyle and find that it has many advantages, including the ability to focus on things that are more important to them.

Lauren Morris, a junior, said, “I don’t use social media mostly because I do not want to get addicted and use it too much.

A lot of people say they will just use it to connect with friends, then they end up spending hours on it for no reason. Without these apps, I have a lot of free time to spend on extracurriculars and stuff that I really care about, but I also don’t hear about events with bigger groups because they’re only shared on Facebook.”

Despite missing out on school events, Morris and many others are glad that they avoid constant distractions from sites like Twitter and Facebook.

“It’s clear that the addictive side of social media distracts from basic things,” said Morris. “Some people find themselves mindlessly scrolling through Twitter while they’re brushing their teeth or doing other simple tasks, and they probably don’t concentrate on either action enough for it to be effective.”

However, due to the ongoing technological advancements of modern times, many believe that the dream of fully maintaining one’s humanity and living a life without social media is just that — a dream.

“You would have to be living a fake reality to pretend like social media isn’t going to be real in the future. It is definitely here to stay,” said Talcott. “It’s possible to avoid it along with all of its distractions and that may be a good way to focus on what makes us human, but you should still be familiar with it to be able to take the good things from it. The blanket ‘I do not want to use it’ isn’t good enough.”

OFF THE GRID

OUT OF

10 NEWS

March 2017

California turns the heat up against climate change Justin Som

ISABEL MITCHELL

While being interviewed on CNBC’s “Squawkbox,” Pruitt said, “There’s tremendous disagreement about the degree of imViolent storms and destructive floods. A pact [of carbon dioxide.] So no, I would not five-year-long drought. These fears are no agree that it’s a primary contributor to the longer restricted to the nightmares of para- global warming that we see.” noid scientists.

“I’m a bit worried about global warming They are the real-time effects of global since the government no longer supports warming in Califorit,” said Sammy nia.

Zhang, a junior.

“We’ve got the scientists, we’ve “If the federal govSince taking office, President got the lawyers, and we’re ready ernment does not Trump and the take action, we’re to fight. We’re ready to defend.” going to be in seriTrump administration have professed ous trouble when mixed views on clithe more powerful Jerry Brown mate change. Many effects hit us. We Governor of California Americans are worneed to educate ried that Trump’s more people about Cabinet will not support President Barack it so that science will get more funding to Obama’s efforts to stop the United States stop it.” from worsening the environment.

In response to the White House’s lack of “The concept of global warming was support against climate change, Gov. Jerry created by and for the Chinese in order to Brown has advocated for California to lead make U.S. manufacturing non-competi- the charge in energy efficiency and pollutive,” tweeted Donald Trump in November tion reduction.

2012.

“We’ve got the scientists, we’ve got the Thus far, the Trump administration has lawyers, and we’re ready to fight. We’re only rolled back Obama’s efforts to educate ready to defend,” said Brown at the Amerithe public about climate change. Only a can Geophysical Union Conference in San week into his presidency, President Trump Francisco in December 2016. forced the Environment Protection Agency The first measure Brown has called for is (EPA) to remove its information page on to reduce carbon emissions in traditionally global warming and its effects. non-environmental friendly industries.

Additionally, the new administrator of In legislation from 2006, the California the EPA that was appointed for Trump’s Global Warming Solutions Act had promterm, Scott Pruitt, contradicted previous ised that California would dramatically findings made by the agency during prior lower its greenhouse gas emissions to 40 years by denying that carbon dioxide is one percent lower than the levels of 1990. This of the main factors behind climate change. goal is intended to be met by 2030.

“We will hopefully have fewer problems with the changing climate in future years,” said Daniel Vignanker, a junior. “However, right now, I think California is doing a pretty good job because many people have reduced the amount of water they are using and are converting to electricity-powered cars.”

Likewise, California utilities, energy sources, and transportation systems are hoping to also reduce energy consumption by modernizing infrastructure.

Due to a lack of preparation for the effects of global warming, these fields need to reestablish themselves in order to avoid heavy damages. Many of California’s power plants are still diesel-reliant and have not been given sufficient protections against the possible effects of the changing environment.

Should these protective measures not be taken, scientists believe that many government utilities will bear fates similar to what happened at Oroville Dam. “That is a national concern for us,” said Lori Spragens, in an interview with The New York Times in response to the flooding of Oroville Dam. Spragens is the executive director of the Association of State Dam Safety Officials.

According to Spragens, “most dams are almost 50-years-old” and will “need to be upgraded to current standards” in order to keep up with global warming.

“California is doing a pretty good job with handling the current effects of global warming, but we can still do more,” said Zhang. “If California really does lower its energy consumption, it would set a good example for what other states should do.”

March 2017

NEWS 11

Mirroring past tragedies

Government policy today reflects historical events Jordan Greene

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CONNOR LIN

the United States for 90 days and all refugees for 120 days. After the Iraq government agreed to form stricter screening of its citizens, it was The year was 1933.

Jews around the world stood scared. A new dropped from the ban list.

Haider said, “The actions and decisions that fear had taken over the world.

Trump has made alarm me. Being Muslim, I The year is 2017.

Muslims, gays, Jews and other groups of didn’t realize until now how lucky I am to live in a place where I am acpeople stand in pain. A cepted for who I am. rise in Islamophobia, homophobia, and anti- “Throughout the past few months, However, since Trump Semitism has taken over I’ve become frustrated with the began spreading a message of hate, I find the world. People fear number of misconceptions and myself realizing that Isthat one day, they will incorrect facts circling the world lamophobia is certainly be taken away because a real-world reality.” of the way they look. about my religion.”

The ban on Muslims In January 1933, has caused many people the Holocaust began Kazim Haider to worry about growas Germany declared a junior ing forms of hate and its nationwide “exterminaconnection to the past. tion of Jews.” AdditionIlana Hamer, a senior and the president of a ally, Hitler isolated a number of other minority groups, creating a growing number of refugees. local Jewish youth group, believes that America According to a poll cited by the Washington Post, should be a place where all people are welcome.

“The day Trump initiated the ban, I was truth65 percent of Americans surveyed during World War II believed that the United fully having difficulty labeling my emotions. I was States should not allow immigrants from horrified, heartbroken, and disappointed. That level of injustice, of intolerance, and ignorance Germany and Austria into the country.

In June 2015, after Donald Trump an- goes against every value I take pride in as an nounced his candidacy for president, a wide- American,” said Hamer.

According to CNN, Trump hopes to continspread increase in hate developed around the world. According to CNN, U.S. Attorney ue to strengthen the United States’ immigration General Loretta Lynch said that FBI statistics policy along with other controversial policies, for 2015 showed a 67 percent increase in hate including the withdrawal of federal protection crimes against Muslim-Americans, Jewish for transgender students.

Rosie Asmar, a junior who is an active mempeople, African-Americans, and LGBTQ ber of the LGBTQ community, feels frustrated communities.

In December 2015, Trump held a rally with Trump’s views on transgender students.

“After Trump announced his policy regardat Mount Pleasant, S.C., where he defended his plan for a “total and complete ing the ban on Muslims, it made me worry about shutdown of Muslims.” According to CNN, how he would affect my own community. When I he compared his actions to former President found out that he struck down federal protection Franklin Roosevelt’s decision to isolate Japa- of transgender kids, it made me question all of the strides we’ve made over these past four years unnese-Americans during the Second World War. Kazim Haider, a junior and an active member der the Obama administration,” said Asmar.

It seems that history repeats itself, especially of the Muslim community, believes that a lack of understanding has caused history to repeat itself. when comparing the actions of the government “On the world scale, there is a lot of stigma today to the Holocaust.

According to the Washington Post, many around Islam and other religious groups. I believe that this stems from a lack of education connections have been made between today and and misunderstanding. Throughout the past few the Second World War. This includes the Unitmonths, I’ve become frustrated with the number ed States’ continuous debate over the country’s of misconceptions and incorrect facts circling immigration policy. The decisions and actions that Trump has made have left people to questhe world about my religion,” said Haider.

In March 2017, Trump issued a nationwide tion what the next steps are in eliminating hate travel ban halting the entrance of any person worldwide.

“I am incredibly proud to be Jewish. Hearing entering the United States from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for 90 days. Since that about these acts of hatred are a constant reminder that as a member of a global community of time, Trump has made alterations to the ban.

According to CNN, his second ban, signed people who believe in tolerance and acceptance on March 6, “temporarily bars citizens” from for all, we have an obligation to speak out against Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Syria to enter those who try to tear us down,“ said Hamer.

12 SPORTS

March 2017

Loss of Mavericks hurts community Jonny Pappas

Perhaps the world’s most well known surf competition has been cancelled.

The Titans of Mavericks Surf Competition is one of the staple attractions that Half Moon Bay has to offer, but it was called off this year due to insufficient funds from one of their main sponsors.

“Mavericks is so special. Around here especially, everything revolves around Mavericks. It’s such an honor to surf Mavericks.

Once you’ve surfed Mavericks you’ve kinda won,” said 11th-grader and president of the Ocean Club, Liam Gunning.

Titans of Mavericks is one of the most well-known and biggest surf competitions in the world.

In order to understand the significance of the cancellation of this surf contest, people need to understand what Mavericks really is.

Mavericks is not just another surf spot; they are some of the world’s biggest waves.

On average, the waves during the competition range between 30 and 70 feet high.

That is equivalent to 12 NBA power forwards standing on top of each other. The surfer is routinely surfing down a 50-foot cliff of water traveling at around 35 mph.

Mavericks was first surfed in the 1960s by three locals: Alex Matienzo, Jim Thompson, and Dick Knottmeyer. They were fre-

LIAM GUNNING

Half Moon Bay local Kian Kemp surfs waves along the coastline. quently followed into the ocean by Matienzo’s German Shepherd named Maverick, hence the name of the entire competition.

Those men only surfed the modest 10-foot waves close to the shore. The man who was finally brave enough to go out and surf the monster waves was local Jeff Clark. For 15 years, he was the only one who knew about the spot and the only one who surfed those waves, until they gained popularity after the word got out that California had some of the biggest waves in the world.

“The Mavericks Surf Contest is a big deal. Especially for the northern California surfing community,” said avid surfer and

the advisor of the ocean club, Josh Enberg.

This isn’t the first year that Mavericks was cancelled, but it’s the first year that the cancellation isn’t because of the conditions.

The Mavericks Enterprise is made up of two companies: Titans of Mavericks and Cartel Management. According to The New York Times, Cartel Management has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after losing a million-dollar lawsuit in Los Angeles.

Now they are being sued by former sponsor Red Bull. Overall Cartel is facing around $1.9 million in claims.

They are the real reason that Mavericks isn’t happening this year.

However, the main consensus from most of the people involved in the surf scene prevalent throughout Northern California is no.

“Personally, I’m against it. The contest makes it more mainstream, more corporate. You’ve got helicopters, you’ve got thousands of people coming down destroying the bluffs,” said Carlmont teacher and Half Moon Bay local Jim Kelly.

The impact that Mavericks has on the locals in Half Moon Bay is positive and negative. From an economic standpoint, most businesses seem to enjoy the extra people.

According to Kelly there are always people who come from around the Bay that stay in the hotels, get coffee, get gas, and shop at local shops. The best way to see this is to watch hotel prices spike when the contest is announced.

The Mavericks competition doesn’t happen every year, but when it does, Half Moon Bay businesses notice.

“It’s good for business. My friends who own businesses out there like the numbers.

They spike in business,” said Kelly.

With Mavericks not happening for monetary reasons, the businesses will not have that extra boost.

There is still hope for the Mavericks to return next year. However, it is not guaranteed as corporate interference has ended this sacred spot’s competition for the time being.

Team chemistry creates strong bonds in sports Nour Zabaneh In chemistry, one learns that the strongest bond, a covalent bond, is formed when atoms share electrons and energy is released. This science doesn’t just occur in the classroom. In every sports team, teammates share passion for the sport and desire for winning, releasing positive energy.

In sports, there’s an emphasis on team bonding and teamwork. Some argue that bonding is pointless, while others think chemistry is needed for the success of a team.

Throughout the year, the Carlmont boys varsity basketball team has been making a strong emphasis on team chemistry.

Ending last year’s season with a 3-9 record, the Scots have made a conscious effort to improve not only their technique, but their relationships this year. With preseason underway and the goal of making Central Coast Section (CCS) this year, off-court bonding activities have become an organized and reoccurring event.

“Everyone seems to get along socially off the court, and I feel like a lot of people are on the same page. It isn’t that last year’s team was not cohesive, but I feel like it is a step up from last year,” said senior Greg Lau. Some groups are fortunate enough to have personalities

that are naturally cohesive, however, most teams need to develop a connection. True unity comes from the collaboration of individuals with different talents and skill sets for the success of the group according to Forbes.

“Our chemistry has improved because the personalities have changed. Many players are friends outside of basketball, so it was not hard to create this chemistry. Jake, [Zorb], Spencer, and I plan to have more activities during the season to improve on it. Whether it be dinners or bowling and other activities,” said Lau. Although the team already has a foundation of chemistry, they continue to build their connection through bonding events. These off-court meetings, in fact, have a direct effect on the team’s overall play and achievement.

“We have really good team chemistry because we do things outside of the gym together, like eat and hang out, which helps us play better on the court,” said junior Jason Lloyd.

A good group dynamic is not just important for sports teams, but also for success in the workplace. Qualities such as communication, trust, and collaboration are very hard to achieve and are essential to the loyalty of the group, according to Forbes.

“In today’s workforce, there’s a lot more group interac-

tion and solving problems. Similar to sports, if you don’t trust who you are working with, you are not going to be as likely to give them certain tasks to solve and continue to micromanage them through the project,” said Associated Student Body teacher Jim Kelly.

One’s ability to work well with others and form relationships is an attribute being sought after in the workplace.

“According to Google, one of the most important qualities their hiring team looks for in their job applicants is the ability to collaborate with others. They placed it on their top five list of qualities when hiring,” said Kelly.

One of the hardest of group dynamics is trust, because it has to be earned rather than taught. In order for a team to even begin to develop chemistry, trust is needed, according to Kelly.

“Trust is something that takes a long time to build up, and there’s no one right way to build it up. It comes from a lot of different things: a person’s work ethic, ability to communicate, the amount of respect someone develops over time. Trust takes a lot of time to build up but is essential to a dynamic group,” said Kelly.

Just like how the sharing and bonding of several different atoms can make a stronger molecule, the collaboration of teammates can strengthen a team.

SPORTS 13

March 2017

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ISABEL MITCHELL

Underdog teams attract supporters

The interest in underdogs creates anticipation for the game Mackenzie O’Connell

March Madness brackets fill up across the country as fans carefully choose what team will take home the championship during the popular college basketball tournament.

The best teams such as Duke, Michigan State, Kansas, and Villanova fill the top slots immediately. Later, the teams who aren’t as well known, better known as the underdogs, begin to slowly fill up against the strong teams of the NCAA. Fans strategically choose teams that will beat the top team in the league, including the underdogs that have a chance of beating the superior team in the tournament.

Though the favorite is predicted to win ,some viewers secretly hope the underdog takes home the victory.

Throughout the history of sports, the underdog has oftentimes given fans an emotional appeal. Viewers experience more of an intense game when the underdog keeps the game close, luring people to their feet and giving them hope that the team who has given their all, despite being the underdog, will take home the title.

Athlete and 11th-grader Henry Reich said, “Without the underdog, sports would lose that indispensable idea of a comeback story. Records are set and remembered

even more with underdogs. In this past David Nussbaum, “In hockey and baseball, year, the world of sports has seen underdog even the worst teams are generally given success rates like never before.” a 1 in 4 chance of beating the best teams.

Not only does the underdog give fans Even the NFL encourages its games to be an emotional appeal in sports, but it also planned closer by using an unbalanced affects the betting process for the spread. scheduled.”

Mitchell Plane, an 11th-grade baseball Effort has an affect on fans, as hard player, said, “When I fill out a bracket, I work lures viewers to be attached to the would most likely pick the lower seeded underdog team because of how hard fans number because the higher seeded number believe that the teams work. is oftentimes better, so the underdog would “Personally, I love watching the be the lower seed. Whoever wants it more underdog teams play because watching is going to come out on an underdog team top and the underdog can beat the better team “The underdog gives hope is honestly the best beat a better team when they want it more.” for bettering yourself and thing to witness.

Bookies, known as the wants it overcoming people’s expec- Whoever facilitators of betting, and more is most likely tations of you.” those who participate going to come out may be deeply affected on top, “ said Plane. by underdogs. Studies by Not only does the Veronica Heintz Steve Levitt in “A winning underdog present physics teacher strategy: bet home itself throughout underdogs” suggest that sports, but it can also underdogs beat multiple spreads in sports. be seen in politics, as the nation’s current Levitt found that in both NCAA and NBA president Donald Trump was seen as the basketball, home underdogs cover about 53 underdog throughout the election against percent of cases.

Hillary Clinton.

That’s a good bet.

In a study conducted by Nathan A. Schedules are also often manipulated Heflick, fans rated underdogs as higher to encourage closer games and give the in effort, which had a direct relationship underdog a stronger chance of victory. with the support of underdogs. Overall, According to FiveThirtyEight writer fans enjoy seeing the underdog victories

because they work harder in games against the so-called favorite.

Physics teacher Veronica Heintz said, “To me, the underdog in general represents hope because there is always that chance that the underdog can overcome the challenges ahead. It’s less fun when teams are always on top and never experience strife or challenges. The underdog gives hope for bettering yourself and overcoming people’s expectations of you.”

Without underdogs in sports and throughout aspects of popular culture, there would be no hope that even some of the worst teams can overcome the best.

Reich said, “In the NBA finals, perhaps the greatest team in NBA history, the Warriors, lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In baseball, during the 2017 World Series, the Indians had a 3-1 series lead and were only one win away from taking the title from the Chicago Cubs, who hadn’t won a World Series in 108 years, yet the Cubs pulled it out. And finally, in Super Bowl 51, the Patriots were down by 25 points in the third quarter and managed to come back and win the game when their odds to win the game at that point in time were one in 200.”

Underdog teams continue to be prevalent throughout sports and popular culture, and supported by fans and viewers across many fields.

2043 Ralston Ave. Belmont, CA 94002 650.595.2644

Your dream is our reality

14 FEATURES

March 2017

‘Teenpreneurs’ get a jump on their careers Celine Yang

Being young doesn’t mean having to wait until you’re older.

The average age of an entrepreneur when they first start their business is 40, according to Forbes.

However, there are teens who are getting an early jump on this.

“When I first started, I was really nervous being 15 and in an adult’s world, but the way people perceive you is all about how you perceive yourself,” said Zach Latta, founder of Hack Club, a nonprofit that starts coding clubs in high schools around the world.

“People oftentimes want to seek you out because you have a unique perspective, because you were born in a different time then

from MILLENNIALS page 1 I’d just rather not bother with a headache.”

However, major issues in today’s political sphere including racial and gender equality, national security, and environmental conservation all require governmental support and action.

Ignoring politics doesn’t make politics go away.

Carrie Welter, a junior, said, “Politics are risky waters, and people can get very passionate about their beliefs. I don’t want to start an argument over something I’m not well informed on.

I wouldn’t run for office because I believe there is a better spokesperson for issues I’m passionate about.”

According to Lawless, there are approximately 500,000 elected offices that America needs filled every year.

“We’re not concerned that no one will run for them. We’re concerned that the candidates will be the type of people who aren’t interested in bringing about a better system,” said Lawless in an interview with Time.

For many young people, the costs of becoming an elected official equal or outweigh the benefits. Yet a strong government needs strong leadership.

Millennials’ lack of interest in running is concerning to many as it jeopardizes the future of American politics.

In an interview with U.S. News, Dan Glickman, a senior fellow at

they were, and there aren’t too many people that are young in the industry.”

These teenpreneurs have learned how to make the best of both worlds — their age means they have different perspectives, which can be invaluable in the tech industry, but at the same time, they attract an invaluable resource: mentors.

Michael Yoo, a senior at Dougherty High and CTO of ContaC, was able to join a team that had already launched their startup. They found mentors at a summer program his junior year, and attribute many of their opportunities to them.

One of his mentors, Eddy Zhong, a teenpreneur himself,

the Bipartisan Policy Center, said, “For enterprising young people who want to make a difference, that’s not very appealing. That’s really harmful, long term, for the political system. You can’t have a strong country if you have a disengaged population. That’s an opening for demagoguery of the worst sort.”

Many believe that in order to correct the current situation, the nation needs to stress the opportunity to affect positive change that running for office provides.

Additionally, by connecting politics to issues that matter to the youth, the current generation may be motivated to run for office.

Shames said, “But here’s my greatest hope: Young people will suddenly start to see more rewards to political participation.

It’s not that those rewards weren’t there. But millennials haven’t had to think about them before — like the reward of living in a democracy.”

Despite the trend of the younger generation turning away from elected positions, some do see the value of entering the arena.

Casey Felton, a junior, said, “I would run for Senate because I truly enjoy government policy and theory and feel that too often we elect inept leaders. I believe that by running for office, I could walk the walk, truly doing all in my power to positively impact the nation. If I can best serve my country in public office, then it is my duty to heed the call.”

is the cofounder of the summer program dedicated to help students get what they need to start companies.

“The biggest struggle would be that teens usually don’t have resources. Most teens, if they want to create something, they only have a sketch but not a live product that they can hold in their hand and show to investors,” said Zhong.

Being at the age where most students are in high school, many face the issue of just how dedicated they’ll be to their business.

“Although I [no longer do my business], I’m definitely interested in pursuing that path and considering a business major when I go to college,” said Liam Jocson, a senior who started Mint Clothing in

THE

middle school until retiring it in his sophomore year.

However, there’s another path that’s not as common — completely forgoing college. Latta has a history of being involved with coding — after starting a coding club in a school that didn’t offer computer classes came his first job as a lead engineer and a stint at a gaming company.

That was all before he decided to start Hack Club and was named a Thiel Fellow, which awards people under or around the age of 20 $100,000 to focus on their respective businesses and interests, provided that they forgo college or only attend for two years.

“I have a bit of an atypical educational background considering

the different circumstance that I was in. The way I thought about it, is how college is a place to get a job, not get connections. Life is a series of tradeoffs — you choose one thing over the other,” said Latta.

Teenpreneurs have taken their age, which could be seen as a disadvantage, and turned it into an uncommon and desirable quality.

Starting a business doesn’t follow the traditional curriculum of high school, but that’s where the magic lies — these teenpreneurs have learned how to forge their own path and are learning along the way.

Many don’t know what exactly their future holds, but the skills and lessons they’ve learned already sets them apart.

HIGHLANDER

Editor-in-Chief Avery Adams

ScotCenter Editor-in-Chief Estella Lippi

Scot Scoop Editor-in-Chief Megan Tao

Faculty Adviser Justin Raisner

Editors Jill Albertson Rachel Borshchenko Jordan Hanlon Connor Lin Mona Murhamer Skylar Weiss

Staff Writers Lily Bakour Brooke Chang Nicole del Cardayre Ryan Geronimo Nate Godwin Jordan Greene Leea Ivanel Estella Lippi Armon Mahdavi Anya Meredith Isabel Mitchell Jackson Monge Mackenzie O’Connell Jonny Pappas Sophie Penn Hanalei Pham Adriana Ramirez Alyn Seymour Justin Som Sarah Tocatlian Celine Yang Nour Zabaneh

The Highlander is a newspaper dedicated to providing Carlmont students, staff, and the community with highquality news, features, and opinion articles. We want to keep our readers informed on important issues ranging from events at Carlmont to international news, and want to engage them with unique stories and images. The Highlander is a publication completely run by the students of the journalism classes at Carlmont High School.

Story ideas are generated by the students and the published content is up to the discretion of the editorial staff.

This month’s editorial was written by Connor Lin and the editorial cartoon was drawn by Hanalei Pham.

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OPINION 15

March 2017

The Meredith Mindset Anya Meredith

Running... from office

HANALEI PHAM

Editorial

Privileged kids need fear College dropout. Job failure.

Oh well.

Back to living at home. Home is a million dollar house in a multimillion dollar neighborhood.

Children in the Bay Area don’t fear failure.

Because they don’t need to.

In our school environment, students are not afraid to fail. As a result, they’re not afraid to take risks, either.

The financial safety net in the lives of wealthy children and teenagers gives them the mindset that they’ll be secure no matter what.

This advantage given to children from affluent families allows them to take bold steps in positive ways, such as becoming entrepreneurial.

According to economist Ross Levine, “If one does not have money in the form of a family with money, the chances of becoming an entrepreneur drop quite a bit.”

In contrast, the safety net allows them to slack off in school because there’s less riding on their success; they have the mentality of guaranteed safety in the long-run.

Affluent families also often use their wealth to secure admissions into prestigious colleges.

Many universities in the United States bend the rules of college admissions to accept certain students. This strategy is known as a “development case” in college admissions.

According to Daniel Golden, the author of “The Price of Admissions,” development cases occur when applicants with affluent family members donate to universities in order to be accepted.

In addition to buying their way in, students from wealthy families can also pursue majors that are considered “fluff majors,” or studies that do not yield practical applications for life after college.

According to The Atlantic, “Kids from lower-income families tend toward ‘useful’ majors, such as computer science, math, and physics. Those whose parents make more money flock to history, English, and performing arts.”

The pattern of wealthy children using their financial edge to succeed in comparison to poorer families is a phenomenon that must be stopped.

The undeniable existence of this monetary buffer for affluent families gives underprivileged children an unfair disadvantage for success in the future.

According to Wilson Quarterly, “[Luxurious resources] set wealthier children up with an unfair advantage compared to low-income children, as wealthy kids without fiscal responsibility are likely to stay wealthy at about the same rate as poor kids who work hard are likely to stay poor.”

Wealthier families have developed a sense of invincibility. They must stop acting without a fear of failure.

According to Entrepreneur, fear of failure can be positive.

Entrepreneur writer Brian Honigman said, “The paradox that every young entrepreneur (and really everyone for that matter) should try and make sense of is that, all too often, expecting to fail might be the very thing that ensures you won’t.”

Wealthy individuals should refrain from acting without the fear of facing the consequences of their missteps.

In doing so, the discrimination created by the safety provided only for the rich would be eliminated.

Becoming more aware of the inequality between affluent and underprivileged families is the first step in removing the unfair advantages that rich people encounter.

Nobody should feel superior to others for monetary reasons. People shouldn’t live life blindly jumping into the abyss, hoping that the safety net of wealth will catch them.

Exposing misleading summer programs Leea Ivanel Your parents burst into your room, a fancy letter with a golden-plated seal and the words “Stanford” in their hands.

Before you even register the information properly, you’ve already grabbed the letter and ripped it open.

Excitement rises; there’s suspense in the air — Stanford, the world’s most prestigious university, has personally recognized and invited you to their Intensive Law and Trial Program.

If you received a letter like this and felt special, then congratulations — you fell for it.

These letters are designed to make students feel special. A combination of expensive papers filled with information, a cutout telling students they are on an alumni list; this sort of advertising would be fine if it weren’t fake and misleading.

“Stanford’s Intensive Law and Trial” program is not actually run by Stan-

ford, despite having its name plastered on every piece of paper in the envelope students receive. The program is run in collaboration with Stanford by the for-profit, private education company Envision Career Forum.

Thus, the curriculum of the program is not Stanford’s, but one of a private education organization. Envision isn’t the only company doing this, however. For example, the Digital Media Academy runs a filmmaking and photography summer camp on Stanford’s campus for the same purpose — to be able to advertise the program as a Stanford program.

History teacher Jarrod Harrison said, “The reason why colleges do this, at least from what I understand, is because they can make a lot of money by renting out the campus over the summer when there are not many college students there.”

The problem here isn’t the programs themselves; it’s their false ad-

vertising and the leaching of Stanford’s name. This strategy is clearly working, as Envision’s annual revenue since 2006 has been over $75 million, according to “Big Goals and Clear Missions” by Joe Polish.

Harrison’s step-son went to Digital Media Academy’s program over the summer. Harrison said, “In a couple of days, he learned what took two semesters to learn [at school], and made several movies in the week he was there. I think it was a really good learning experience for him.”

What these companies do — using Stanford’s name so they can advertise themselves to a bunch of high schoolers desperate to be recognized by colleges — is not only unethical but it is also just a scam.

So the next time you get one of those letter, just remember that you are not special — you are just another student getting caught in their web of false advertising.

“And I believe that good journalism... can make our world a better place.”

-Christiane Amanpour

Being pro-life and a feminist Pro-choice.

Baby killer.

Pro-life.

Woman hater.

These are perceptions that many people have about the pro-choice and pro-life ideology groups.

With the recent feminist marches, Planned Parenthood support marches, and pro-life marches, I’ve come to wonder if people can find a middle ground between two seemingly incompatable ideas.

The first question I had to answer for myself was, “What really is feminism?”

According to The Huffington Post, “Feminism is not the belief that one gender should be raised in power above another. The very definition of feminism shows a complete opposition to this belief... Feminism is a movement towards equal society for male, female and transgender people, without discrimination.”

Some believe the answer is simple: Because feminists believe women should have complete control over their bodies, people who are pro-life cannot be feminist.

However, this issue is more complicated than it seems.

According to World Net Daily, the pro-life position states that “a new human life is created at the moment of fertilization and is, thus, entitled to the same legal protections as any other human being.”

Conversely, Pro-Choice Ohio describes the pro-choice position as the belief that “reproductive health care decisions should be made by a woman, not by politicians.”

In the recent Women’s March in Washington D.C., many pro-life supporters felt excluded because of their beliefs.

According to Washington Examiner writer Kristan Hawkins, “The Women’s March could have been an opportunity for all women to come together and speak for equality, for the end of all violence, and for the protection of the marginalized. But we’ve been excluded because apparently pro-life women aren’t the right type of feminists to march together with.”

In today’s society, it seems like when it comes to beliefs, you have to be all-or-nothing.

However, this isn’t the case.

There is a middle ground in ideologies, and this is why I believe someone can be pro-life and feminist.

Many people who are pro-life and feminists believe that abortion shouldn’t be allowed unless it is a case of incest, rape, or personal health reasons.

The argument that many pro-life supporters make is that a fetus deserves the chance to survive and that it is murder to kill it.

According to the Family Research Council, “At the moment of fusion of human sperm and egg, a new entity comes into existence which is distinctly human, alive, and an individual organism: a living, and fully human, being ... Some defenders of abortion will concede the scientific proofs but will argue that the entity in the womb is still not, or not yet, a ‘person.’”

However, this idea of “not a person” is an unscientific argument: It is more opinion than science-based.

Although followers of the pro-life ideology believe a woman should not terminate a pregnancy, this is not because she’s a woman but rather because there is a responsibility to save the fetus.

Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that many prolife supporters would stand firm in this belief if men were the ones wanting an abortion.

Pro-life supporters aren’t anti-women’s rights, they believe they’re anti-death.

Their goal isn’t to oppress women, but to save a fetus.

It is not an anti-woman stance because they would think this no matter which gender carried the fetus.

Today, there’s so much pressure to not compromise with your political ideology, but I believe that one can be flexible with their beliefs and still achieve their goals.

That’s why it’s possible to be pro-life and feminist.

By stepping beyond closed-minded dogmatic arguments, it’s possible to see that people do not need to feel confined by their beliefs because the world isn’t black and white; more often than people realize, there is a middle ground that can be reached.

16 STUDENTS BECOME STRANGERS IN LARGE SCHOOLS Adriana Ramirez As people walk around the hallways, all they see are blurred faces.

Blurred faces in the background.

Blurred faces that mix amongst the rest.

Blurred faces with unknown names.

In a large school, meeting every student is uncommon, as students tend to stay within their own friend groups, making it harder to meet new people.

According to Stanford Research, “Schools that offer students more choice — more elective courses, a bigger range of potential friends, and more freedom to select seats in a classroom — are more likely to be rank-ordered and segregated by race, age, gender, and social status.”

“I think it’s hard to go up to people you don’t know because once you have a group of friends, you usually go and hang out with them because you relate to them,” said Pauline Sy, a senior.

This is one of the reasons why students are unfamiliar with the people that they see in the hallways.

Sy said, “As I walk through C-hall, it feels as if there are about 100 people in that hallway at once.

About five out of those 100 people are my friends.

The rest of them are faces I recognize, but I don’t know their names.”

Another reason could be the fact that people stay in their “comfort zones,” which imply “fa-

miliarity, safety, and security,” as Abigail Brenner, M.D. mentioned in Psychology Today.

“People, in general, are creatures of habit.

When we find something that is comfortable, we don’t want to necessarily go through the trouble it’s going to take to have it not be comfortable,” said Administrative Vice Principal Grant Steunenberg.

Some students, such as Tiffany Chung, a junior, have a different perspective as they walk around campus.

Chung said, “As I walk through the hallways, I think of most of the people I see as my friends. I know most of them from classes I have previously taken and my exposure from ASB.” Although it is not always easy to go up to new people, Steunenberg believes students could benefit from it.

He said, “I think we have to turn to ourselves and ask, ‘Just because something is comfortable and convenient, is it really what’s best for me?’

Personally, it’s good for me. I like putting myself into awkward conversations because you have to be on your toes. That’s how life is.”

Carlmont is a large school with over 2,000 students. Some, such as sophomore Ramon Flores, believe that this school size can be a negative factor in a student’s high school experience.

“There are so many people at Carlmont, which makes the hallways very crowded. Often times,

it’s difficult to get to your destination or to your classes on time. The people who pass by me in the hallways are just nameless faces in the crowd,” Flores said.

However, students like Chung believe that being in a large school is more of a blessing.

“We constantly get to meet new people, which I think is amazing. This means we get to expand our boundaries and learn something new about each other’s background. We become less ignorant and more knowledgeable,” she said.

For some, it’s not always easy to meet new people.

“People are typically resistant to change. A lot of people don’t want to step outside and say ‘hello’ to someone they might not know,” Steunenberg said. “There is a certain risk of putting yourself out there to where you might be rejected.”

According to Bernardo J. Carducci, Ph.D., people who are shy experience difficulty meeting people and initiating or maintaining conversations. As a result, these people are not looking to find new friends.

Steunenberg said, “It really comes down to what you want to do. If people want to have new friends, get to know different people, and be more socially acceptable or accepted, then they need to put themselves out there. We’re all totally different. Some people are more comfortable than others, and that is OK.”

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ESTELLA LIPPI AND CONNOR LIN