I
Mental health six feet apart
IN THIS ISSUE: The road often taken Read it on pg 4 Summer at the movies Read it on pg 30 May 2021 | scotscoop.com @scotscoop
Highlander Staff Highlander Editor-in-Chief
Faculty Adviser
Emma O’Connor
Justin Raisner
Scot Scoop Editor-in-Chief
Editors
Natalie Doud
Chelsea Chang Amber Chia Erin Kee Raina Lahiri Anika Marino Isabelle Nunes Allison Raisner Claire Tseng Pavel Turovski
ScotCenter Editor-in-Chief Bella Reeves
Social Media Editor-in-Chief Maddy Ting
Managing Editors Rachel McCrea Auva Soheili
Staff Writers Adila Azizali Josh Barde Joshua Baxter Anita Beroza Mira Bhatt Audrey Boyce Brianna Cheng Jessica Conley Eoin Cunningham Kiana George Leanna Gower Phoebe Gulsen Jack Hansen Elle Horst
Elise Hsu Zachary Khouri Cambell Kirk Khalid Kishawi Maya Kornyeyeva Hanna Kryhina Preston Kwok Kaylene Lin Kasey Liu Sean Liuli Sabrina Lo Ethan Man Niamh Marren Ayal Meyers
Miles Ozorio Erwan Pal Mari Ramirez Ava Richards Julia Roseborough Leela Shailan Cali Shohet David Su Kat Tsvirkunova Anna Wilkinson Ruya Yaman Edward Yeretnov Kai Yoshida Payton Zolck
Highlander is a newsmagazine dedicated to providing Carlmont students, staff, and community with high-quality 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 designs. 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 direction of the editorial staff. This issue’s editorial was written by Jack Hansen. The back cover was created by Isabelle Nunes. Graphics on the front cover were created by Kasey Liu and Kai Yoshida.
Carlmont High School 1400 Alameda de las Pulgas
In this issue . . . Features 4
The road often taken
6
The cost of being stylish
8
Bay Area moms celebrate motherhood
10
Growing up Asian American
Opinion 13
Editorial: Normalize regular mental health checkups
14
Performative activism is detrimental
16
Big pharma: Not as bad as you think (but still pretty bad)
18
Education paves the road to our futures
20
Treat every day like Earth Day
22
Concurrent enrollment: A hidden gem
Scotlight 24
Mental health in isolation
Fun 29
Quiz: Which flower are you?
30
Summer at the movies
31
COVID-safe summer bucket list
32
Marvel Studios timeline
34
Lara’s Mother Day recipes
Campus 36
Words of wisdom Q&A
38
Senior gala fulfills promise of high school tradition
40
Thank you, teachers!
42
ASB raises school spirit from afar
43
School year in review
Sports 44
High school athletes overcome their injuries
45
Meet some of Carlmont’s student athletes
46
Different sports, different leagues
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Hello Readers, As seniors, seeing our high school careers come to an end is bittersweet. There are of course some things we wish we would or could have done. There are also some things we regret doing. But most of all, we leave Carlmont with fond memories of the friends we made, coffee runs before school, freezing during football games, and finding our Valentine’s Day heart hanging in C hall. We’ll save you the speech about this year being unlike what anyone else has experienced because we’re sure you’ve all heard that at least 100 times by now. What we will leave you with is the hope of what’s to come after high school. For some, that may be joining the workforce. Others will go to college. Some will follow their passions through a myriad of different avenues. Whatever life brings after graduation, we wish only the best for you all. There are also of course all of the underclassmen who will be spending more time at Carlmont, and to you, we just ask that you make the most of your time in high school. The time really does fly, and before you know it you’ll be the ones wearing caps and gowns. Speaking of future generations, we are excited to announce that Isabelle Nunes will be the next editor-in-chief of the Highlander. While we are sad to leave the Highlander behind, we rest easy knowing it’s in capable hands. With all of the sentimental stuff out of the way, let’s talk about the Scotlight for this issue. It’s no secret that there’s a lot of stigma surrounding mental health, but that’s all the more reason it needs to be talked about. Due to the nature of mental health, we often face a lot of those battles alone. Little do we know, many people around us are also fighting their own mental battles. Mental health struggles can feel isolating, even incapacitating, and are nothing to be ashamed of. In such times, it may help to speak to someone about any issues you are facing, big or small. We hope that reading our Scotlight will help inform and possibly help those going through their own mental struggles. If you are struggling with mental health, here are some resources you can reach out to. Down below there are QR codes and phone numbers of mental health hotlines and local therapy.
Local therapy:
RAINN - National Sexual Assault Hotline to support through text or call
1-800-656-4673
The Trevor Project Lifeline
Trans Teen Online Talk Group: - A weekly safe space for transgender, pan-gender, gender-fluid, non-binary, and agender teens to express themselves in a safe environment. Open to ages 12-19, thursdays from 7:00pm-9:00pm: help@lgbthotline.org
- 24/7 suicide prevention and crisis lifeline for LGBTQ+ for ages 13-24 Children’s Health Council
1-866-488-7386
24-hr crisis lines available on website
Trans Lifeline
The Trevor Project
- Crisis hotline for trans people.
1-877-565-8860
LGBT National Youth Hotline Pacific Anxiety Group
- Offers information, resources, and support for individuals up to the age of 25.
1-800-246-7743
TrevorChat, TrevorText, and TrevorLifeline
THE ROAD OFTEN TAKEN art and article by Ava Richards
Graduation. It’s so close that seniors can almost feel it: the newfound freedom, the time for commemoration, but most importantly, the chance to look towards the future. Despite the hardships that many have faced during the pandemic, seniors are finding highlights in their final year and celebrating their accomplishments. For many, this means ending an educational era with a senior trip.
Western Roadtrip Eight states. Two weeks. Only days after graduation, Lauren Chong and Katrina Sharonin will embark on a road trip through California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada, for their wondrous sights and cities. “It’s basically a mini western trip. We wanted to enjoy the end of senior year by seeing some other features of the west coast and its surrounding areas since there’s so much out there besides California,” Sharonin said. Bored of their static life at home during distance learning, the pair set their hearts on going out of their comfort zones and experiencing something new. “This trip represents a stepping stone to the next part of our life with college,” Chong said. “We’ve never been on a road trip alone,
Katrina and Lauren
separate ways after the trip is over, both are excited to create lasting memories and fuel their advenand it’s a lot of responsibility to turous spirits. plan and book everything. It’s a “The spontaneity of the trip personal journey for us to grow brought us to do this together,” and learn about ourselves.” Sharonin said. “We aren’t necesChong and Sharonin intend sarily close friends and may not to spend most of their time out talk for another 10 years after this in nature and bonding over the trip, but it’s something random we stories they will collect. They want will always share.” to let go of the past and learn to appreciate life around them beOregon Exploration fore leaving for college. Continuously drawn to the ma“I managed everything so jestic mountains, Sydney Schortclosely and thoroughly in high gen aims to tour all the beauty school. But for this trip, I’m that Oregon has to offer. From allowing myself not to have any late July to early August, she and expectations so I can truly live her boyfriend plan to traverse arin the moment and experience it eas like Eugene and Bend as well fully,” Chong said. as the state’s national parks. Though they will likely go their “I’ve always been attracted to
4 HIGHLANDER FEATURE
Sydney
going to Oregon because of the wildlife and the amazing heights, views, and waterfalls,” Schortgen said. “It just seems so beautiful, and I’m really excited just to explore more than anything.” The pair is looking forward to the many hiking trails and campsites they will encounter throughout the journey. Plans are also underway to prospect her boyfriend’s future college town and its surrounding areas. While Schortgen is glad to be finishing this chapter of her life, she’s nervous about what the future holds after spending over the past year entirely online. “Honestly, I’m overwhelmed that we’re graduating. This year went by so fast, and it was so different than anything we’ve ever had before. I feel worried that when I go to college, I’ll be going
in blind,” Schortgen said. However, she believes that this trip will help ease her stresses and get her back into a better routine before starting community college in the fall. “During distance learning, I feel like I have no motivation to do much exercise,” Schortgen said. “With this trip, I’m trying to get back into connecting with nature, so when we come home, I can start hiking and doing yoga to feel more like myself.” Seattle Vacation While others plan on venturing out into new territory, Chris Wong will be going on vacation to visit the familiar. He and his two companions, Calvin Hunter and Ethan Chan, will be flying to Seattle, Washington, in early July to meet up with an old friend for some fun. “Our main plans are to eat a
lot of good food and try paintballing together,” Wong said. “But I think I’m most looking forward to photographing all of the new sights we see since it’s a big hobby of mine.” Despite the pandemic’s impending threat to travel, Wong and his friends have adapted their celebratory plans to global circumstances. “We originally planned to go to Asia since I wanted to see something new and explore a big city. But because of the pandemic, we decided that Seattle was the next best thing,” Wong said. All in all, Wong plans on using this trip to gain confidence and independence and is eager to work through the drastic changes he will face come the fall. “Now that school is done, I want to have fun and experience life since I’m terrified about going to an out-of-state college,” Wong said. “Hopefully, this trip can prepare me for some of the new surroundings and atmosphere I will soon face.” MAY 2021 HIGHLANDER 5
The Cost of Being Stylish Leela Stuepfert
Leela Stuepfert
companies,” Anika Bhatnagar, a senior at Carlmont, said. Fast fashion approaches clothing These materials will not decay, nor design, creation, and marketing with will the synthetic microfibers that end up the intent to get the newest trends in the sea, freshwater, and everywhere from catwalks to consumers as quickly else including the deepest parts of the and cheaply as possible. However, the sea and highest glacier peaks. cost of being stylish is far greater than Nevertheless, the impacts begin when the price tag of clothing anyone has had fibers for fabrics are grown and protheir eye on. duced in factories. Pollution builds as Many buyers are unaware that these clothes are fashioned from those fibers, tags do not include all of the environtaken to markets, and later laundered by mental costs — the depletion of nonreusers. Even the act of tossing out those newable sources, emission of greenhouse garments at the end of their useful lives gases and the use of massive amounts of leaves a devastating cost to the environwater and energy. ment. “I was not informed about what According to the United States Envisustainability actually meant up until a ronmental Protection Agency, a staggercouple of years ago,” Evynee Yee, a senior ing 85% of textile waste in the U.S. goes at Carlmont, said. to the dump each year. This is equivalent Companies such as Zara, H&M, and to one garbage truck of clothing burned Forever 21 play key roles in the fast or dumped in a landfill every second. fashion industry and are responsible The fashion industry is the secfor unethical environmental practices ond-largest polluter in the world responduring production. Although these sible for environmental damage, coming brands remain highly convenient for in close second after the oil industry. consumers, they are putting the future of According to the Ellen MacArthur our planet at risk. Foundation, it is predicted that the “As students, a lot of us do not have a fashion industry will be responsible for a huge budget. At the same time, we are on quarter of the world’s carbon budget by social media and we are being exposed 2050. to all these new trends. Usually, those Though consumers’ constant buytrends are bought from fast fashion ing habits add to the detriment of our 6 HIGHLANDER FEATURE
A list of ethical brands:
1. Reformation 2. Patagonia 3. Levi 4. Outerknown 5. Pact 6. Athleta 7. Youth to the People 8. Girlfriend Collective 9. Frank and Oak 10. Prana 11. Outdoor Voices 12. Proclaim
mental ethics in fashion continues to prove their commitment to the environment by using recycled material, organic cotton, and focusing on durable items built to last. According to the World Resources Institute, the “fast fashion” industry annually releases around 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. The Alliance for Sustainable Fashion states that if the current trajectory continues, the industry’s share of annual carbon emissions will soar to 26% by 2050. Considering ethical and environmentally conscious brands, that support slow fashion and sustainability can make a huge difference in the long run. As consumers, everyone has the power to change the world just by being careful with where they shop. The first step to slow fashion is asking “why,” before buying something. The future of the earth is in the hands of users to decide whether or not to buy responsibly.
MAY 2021 HIGHLANDER 7
epfert
environment, a significant part of the problem lies in the hands of manufacturers and brands who overlook sustainable initiatives. However, consumers can impact the environment by making wise decisions on how and where they shop. After being educated, Yee decided to take their knowledge into action. “I started using less plastic, trying to stick with eco-friendly packaging, researching the companies I buy from, and looking into small businesses,” Yee said. Similarly, Bhatnager’s knowledge regarding the detrimental effects that fast fashion has on the environment has caused her to shop more cautiously and sustainably. She has started purchasing second-hand clothing and hopes her contributions will make an impact. “I shop mainly at thrift stores or Depop. It’s hard to shop for trends when you want to keep up with them. It is better to buy second-hand clothes if anything or sell your own clothes through online sites,” Bhatnagar said. “Buying basic clothes that last a long time has helped me. That way, you own clothes that you will most likely use and wear for
Leela Stu
a while.” Besides second-hand clothing, there are also a variety of brands that have shifted their focus to become more ethical, sustainable, and environmentally conscious by standing against fash practices. Outerknown, a clothing brand created by surfer Kelly Slate, is one of the many that exemplifies a sustainability-forward company. By working with partners that offer fair wages, practicing sustainable production, and recognizing environmental impact, their actions are making progressive change against the dark reality. Other sustainably conscious companies include Levi’s, Reformation, and Patagonia. By ethically sourcing cotton, reducing water usage, and initiating eco-friendly denim recycling practices, Levi’s sets the bar high for other companies. Reformation does their share by establishing timeless pieces that are seasonal fads and trends and creates products only from upcycled materials in a fair-waged environment. Patagonia, one of the first companies to defend environ-
waysir
Lydia Nu
Marilynee Klinkrodt
Bay Area moms celebrate motherhood Kiana George Mother’s Day originated in the 19th century when Ann Reeves Jarvis started “Mother’s Day Work Clubs” to teach mothers how to care for their children. After the Civil War, the clubs were a unifying force that helped promote reconciliation. In the early 1900s, Anna Jarvis, Ann Reeves Jarvis’ daughter, created a Mother’s Day celebration to honor her mother’s death and all the sacrifices mothers make for their children globally. In May of 1908, Anna Jarvis organized the first official Mother’s day event at a church in West Virginia. After the event gained popularity, Anna Jarvis created the Mother’s Day International Association Group and prodded government officials with letter campaigns, booklets, telegrams, and in-person discussions to get the holiday established nationally. In 1914, President Woodrow
Wilson signed a bill declaring Mother’s Day as an official U.S. holiday. Mother’s Day is now defined as the second Sunday of every May in which the world celebrates the mother of the family, motherhood, and a mother’s influence on society. From holding a baby in her belly for up to 40 weeks to raising her infants through the innocence of childhood and the turmoil of teenage years, a mother will always protect, guide, and most importantly, love her child. Motherhood is a rich, fulfilling journey but also a test of one’s limits. In a survey of 16 mothers, many agreed that being a mother has taught them patience, forgiveness, compassion, and unconditional love without judgment. “Being a mom is the toughest job I have ever loved. It has taught me to be humble and patient,” Marilynne Klinkrodt, mother of Andrew and Julia, said.
Although parents are generally regarded as teachers to their children, some mothers said that children also teach the parents as well. The experience of having a child leads to many learning opportunities for mothers. “Your children have just as much to teach you as you do them,” Jennie Saro, mother of Jake and Jared, said. Lydia Nuwaysir, mother of Carlmont students Sabrina and Eric Jackson, feels that motherhood is a unique journey that allowed her to become her best self through both growth and change. “When I became pregnant with my daughter, I was very worried about how I would ever be able to love her as much as my son. But once she was born, I realized love has no boundaries. It truly doesn’t. She was her own perfect little soul, and I loved her just as fiercely and passionately as my son,” Nuwaysir said. “I learned that children are a mirror,
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Art by Amber Chia
Heddie Turudu Brenda Fong
your kids want Skittles, ice cream, and reflecting all your good and bad bepeanut M&M’s for dinner one night–let havior right back at you. They help you them. Don’t be too controlling. Give grow as a person because all of your bad your kids the freedom to develop their behavior is there in stark reality being own personalities,” Nuwaysir said. imitated by them. So you push yourself Heddie Turudu, the mother of the to change and be better,” she said. former Carlmont student Safiye, said Lisa Kang, mother of Carlmont students Andrew, Rachel, and Noel, says the she had to let go of her expectations and most significant lesson she has learned as let her daughter be the best she can be without getting in the way. By letting her a mother is to let her children find their daughter find her own way, they now way as individuals without comparison. have a close relationship. “I’ve learned to not get overly “She is 20 years old, and she still gives stressed out about benchmarks or me random hugs and even sometimes comparing what your child is achieving texts me how much our conversation versus their classmates, cousins, the helped her,” Turudu said. neighbor’s kids, etc. We all usually get To women who are preparing to take there in the end, just at different paces on challenges of motherhood, it may and on different paths,” Kang said. seem intimidating and overwhelming. Being a mother is often referred to as However, mothers share a bond with one the toughest job on the planet. There is no handbook, no exact right way; moth- another that provides a built-in support network. ers just have to learn as they go. “Get out and meet other new moms Carolyn Federighi, mother of Franand form a mom friend group right cesca, Annalisa, Gabriella, and Natali away. Having young kids can be hard, said women need to just “go with the but it is so much easier and more fun flow and be easy on themselves.” Several when you share it with other moms mothers said the same phrase: “don’t going through the same things together,” sweat the small stuff!” Rossie said. “Being a mom is a once-inMost mothers seemed to feel that a-lifetime opportunity that is made even it’s best to relax, take time to enjoy the better when it’s a shared journey.” process, and learn to adjust depending Ultimately, despite the challenges that on each child’s individual needs. come with motherhood, all the wom‘“If your daughter wants to wear two en agreed that being a mother is very different shoes to school–let her. If she rewarding. wants to dye her hair blue–let her. If
“My favorite thing about being a mother is all the JOY it brings at all stages of life, from the everyday interactions, from little milestones, during proud learning moments, after overcoming challenges, all the way to reaching big celebratory milestones,” Brenda Fong, mother of Brianna, Bailey, and Bella, said. The women said they enjoyed many aspects of motherhood such as traveling and seeing the world through their kid’s eyes, laughing with their kids, and hugging their kids. “Being a mother is more rewarding than any other job. I really enjoy the company of the very awesome people my kids are,” Helen Koh, mother of Carlmont students Aeon and Xavier Lem said. Kang is also appreciative of the joys of motherhood. “Watching my children continually changing, growing, becoming the person (I hope) they were meant to be is an amazing, awe-inspiring journey,” Kang said. As Mother’s Day approaches, while women reflect upon their meaningful role as mothers, it’s also important for children to express gratitude towards them. Because no matter how many months, years, or decades pass, a mother will always cherish and love her child and a child will always need their mother. MAY 2021 HIGHLANDER 9
Growing up Asian American Carlmont members reflect on their experiences this Asian Pacfic Heritage Month
Gregory Fung
I
Maddy Ting
n a world where heartbreaking news of attacks against Asians has become commonplace, celebrating Asian Pacific Heritage Month has become even more essential in bringing light to the struggles that our fellow community members face. Read the stories of Anjali Mehta, a Carlmont student and Gregory Fung, a physics teacher at Carlmont, as they share their pasts, as well as their hopes for the future.
10 HIGHLANDER FEATURE Gregory Fung
Anjali Mehta‘s story Anjali Mehta, a junior, was born to parents who immigrated here. Her mother came to America after she had gone to med school in India straight from high school, while her father went to college in Canada. After getting married, they moved to the Bay Area and eventually to Belmont after having her and her sister. Every so often, the family returns to India to visit the rest of their family. “My immediate family and my dad’s brother are really the only people that live in America, while the rest of our extended family lives in India and Dubai,” Mehta said. Upon coming to Carlmont, Mehta joined the Indian Club. She rose to become its president for the 2020-2021 school year. “High school was the first time that I did something to connect with my heritage on my own outside of my family. Two years ago, it was the first time that I went to a Holi celebration in Foster City with my friend and not with my family,” Mehta said. “I think that it’s important to celebrate your heritage with your family, but it’s also good to have people in your community, whether it’s at school or your peers.” Yet celebrating her heritage outside of her family hasn’t always been easy. As a child, Mehta faced criticism from her classmates due to differences in their lifestyles and culture. “When I was in elementary school, I’d bring food that my mom would make for me to school, and then the other kids would say ‘you eat with your hands?’ and ‘that’s disgusting.’ And when I was a kid, I was like, ‘oh yeah of course that’s disgusting,’ like all these kids are eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a knife and fork,” she said. “I would ask my mom to pack me less Indian food and to not speak Hindi in front of my friends. I grew up with this wish that I was white or
that I just looked a little bit more like my peers.” Now that she’s older, Mehta reflects upon the negative reactions she received from others as a child and how they’ve shaped her life. “I think that with a lot of the things I experienced, I didn’t really recognize that they were things that shouldn’t be happening until I was older. Now that I’m in high school, I see that Indian culture isn’t something that I should have ever been ashamed to be a part of. I was nine years old so I don’t blame myself,” Mehta said. “But I feel guilty because my culture is really important to me. I regret not learning Hindi fluently and not embracing my culture when I was young since it was so easy to be immersed in it.” Judgment from peers can lead to minorities feeling as if they must distance themselves from their culture in order to fit in. Although the U.S. is where people often come to find a better life, many find that they lose a part of their heritage in the process. Mehta addressed this while talking about her life as a
daughter of immigrants. “It’s very easy to feel like you’re being stripped of your culture in a way because you grew up in America,” Mehta said. “As much as your parents do to raise you in a very culturally embedded way, where you went to school, it’s very American. All your teachers are American, and your name is going to be mispronounced because people are just going to say it like an American.” However, not all hope is lost. Even though one cannot fully understand experiences one hasn’t lived through, Mehta believes that people can still raise awareness about cultural differences and respect them. “As much as people who aren’t marginalized want to understand, I do think that they kind of can’t because it’s something that comes from growing up with a culturally different background,” Mehta said. “But we can reach that middle ground of being able to celebrate diversity without having to speak over other people and make it sound like we’re making diversity ‘digestible’ to a white American.”
Anjali mehta
MAY 2021 HIGHLANDER 11
Gregory fung’s story
definitely seen as positive; we wanted to be the same,” Fung said. Despite touting its tolerance and acceptance of diversity, American society often falls short of this dream. Fung expanded on this idea, pointing out that although society is progressive, people still see racism in our country today. “As a society, we have a mistaken belief that we accept everyone, but the reality is that we still see prejudice,” Fung said. “I think it was hard for my parents as minorities, harder than it is today, but it’s still not easy to be Asian. I mean, especially today and literally this year.” Fung referred to the recent hate crimes against Asians happening across the U.S. Although these attacks have been happening for a long time, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge. The nonprofit organization Stop Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Hate revealed that nearly 3,800 incidents of hate crimes against Asians were reported over the course of a year. And those were just the ones reported. Imagine how many victims stay quiet due to fear or shame. Think about how many Asians are bullied into silence just because of their race. “It’s one thing to just hear about crimes like the Atlanta shooting; it’s another to read what the perpetrator said. I think hearing what they said makes them more real like this is what made them attack the victims. Otherwise it’s not specific enough. I think people don’t really realize what the problem is with these hate crimes,” Fung said. Although racism and discrimination persist in society, respecting, not just highlighting, marginalized cultures is an important first step to finding acceptance for all. “People are so hesitant to celebrate culture because they don’t understand. They’re like ‘I can’t speak your language,’ but they don’t have to understand, they just have to be like, ‘Oh that’s beautiful, you have a culture, great,’” Mehta said. “People just need to let go of this idea that they have to understand everything and everyone else’s lives and accept that people are different in other cultures and that’s fine.” 12 HIGHLANDER FEATURE Gregory Fung, a physics and AP physics teacher at Carlmont, was born in America to a family that immigrated from China. He describes their experiences in hiding their Asian American culture to fit in, an experience that many immigrants are forced to face even in modern society. “Both my parents were really taught to assimilate, which I think was the typical Chinese American experience, at least for my generation and my parents’ generation,” Fung said. “So my parents never spoke Chinese at home, even though they could, and my grandparents always did. My parents really tried to be Western, and I mean that was what they needed to do to get by and to be successful.” Fung addresses this type of quiet assimilation, reflecting on how it’s expected and even arguably forced upon immigrants by American culture. “I wasn’t taught Chinese, and I never heard people speak Chinese. In some ways, you could claim that I was deprived of my heritage. I don’t think it’s that simple, but I definitely wish I had more of it,” Fung said. “In some ways, I feel lacking as an Asian American because I don’t have it, and the reason I don’t have it is because it was seen as bad to not be assimilated into Western American mainstream culture.”
Western mainstream culture is often defined by the media, where Asian representation has always been a problem. This can lead to Asian immigrants being unable to connect with characters, fueling the sense of being foreign or an outsider. “There was like one Asian person on TV who was the chef from the TV show The Happenings, and Bruce Lee was in the media too, but beyond those two, that was it. And they were oriental, different, exotic, far off. The term oriental implies that you’re unusual and not one of us,” Fung said. “That was definitely what I believed about being of Chinese ancestry when I was younger. I wanted to fit in, and in high school, everyone did.” “Fitting in” has become a common theme, whether one is a first or secondgeneration immigrant. Fung compared the experiences of his childhood to now, noting that views towards the immigrant experience and the idea of a “melting pot” have evolved over time. “Growing up, there was definitely that element of, ‘you need to be an American.’ The term ‘melting pot’ is still used today, but it’s now considered to be a negative term. It implies that you come to America, and then everybody kind of mixes together, making everyone the same. But, when I was a kid, that was
Gregory Fung
Editorial: Normalize regular mental health checkups People schedule regular doctor appointments, even if they aren’t sick. People go to the dentist regularly, even if they don’t have cavities. People schedule regular optometry appointments, even if they don’t need glasses. However, people don’t usually schedule regular therapy sessions. Mental health is often overlooked, despite being just as important as other facets of one’s health. People should regularly utilize therapy to provide the same attention to their mental health that they do to other aspects of well-being. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, in 2019, 20.6% of adults had a prevalence of Any Mental Illness (AMI), but only 40.1% of those with AMI received mental health services. Even among those with AMI, not enough people are using mental health services.
Some people may say that they don’t need to go to therapy since they don’t have a mental illness. However, mental health checkups are just as important as other regular appointments, especially if one has any associated risk factors. Similar to conditions like heart disease, genetics and family history can affect the risk of mental illness. Furthermore, mental health can affect physical health too. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, people with serious mental illness are nearly twice as likely to develop cardiovascular and metabolic diseases than those without. This makes taking care of mental well-being just as important as physical health and highlights the need for regular therapy. One of the main barriers for many to receive mental health treatment is the cost, making it harder for those without
insurance to get treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 9.2% of insured people had seen a mental health professional in the past 12 months, but only 4.8% of uninsured people did. Even with insurance, the price of therapy is often too high to justify when one does not have any signs of mental illness. However, that doesn’t diminish the necessity of mental health treatment. In addition to helping treat those with mental illnesses, therapy also provides a way for people to check in on their mental health. We go to the doctor’s office even when we aren’t sick; we should do the same with therapy and mental health. - This editorial was written by Jack Hansen and also published on Scot Scoop.
Jack Hansen
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14 HIGHLANDER OPINION
Performative activism is detrimental Kaylene Lin Eight minutes and 46 seconds can change a person’s life. Eight minutes and 46 seconds can also end someone’s life. On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a Black man, was killed in an act of police brutality. He was arrested by four police officers, Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao, outside of a convenience store for alleged use of a counterfeit $20 bill. Bystanders watched as Floyd was handcuffed, told to lay on the ground, and pinned under Chauvin’s knee. Nearly nine minutes later, Floyd died. His death impacted millions of people as protests sprung up around the world. And for the two months following his death, media outlets, social media pages, and streets were flooded with people demanding change. So, where did that go? Performative activism, by definition, is ingenuine support of a movement or issue used to increase one’s social standing. In other words, performative activists only support a cause when it is convenient for them or benefits their reputation. For example, in May and June of 2020, many fast-food chains took to social media to announce their solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. “When it comes to people’s lives, there’s only one way to have it. Without discrimination,” Burger King said on Twitter just as Wendy’s posted that “its voice would be nothing without Black culture.” Yet, as columnist Tejal Rao points out in an article for the New York Times, their promise for change often ended after the “post” button. “It seemed that, to most food companies, the national protests against police brutality and racism were a chance to both express solidarity and build their brands,” Rao said. Long intertwined with movements like Fight for $15, most fast food companies run on under-paying jobs. Consequently, Black workers who come from disenfranchised communities often over-represent the staff. So when McDonald’s doesn’t pay for sick leave or Wendy’s refuses to join the Fair Food Program, it disproportionately impacts the Black community. Their solidarity towards the Black Lives Matter movement is expressed publicly but not extended towards their own workplace environments. Similarly, in response to the recent Asian hate crimes that have occurred, some have taken to social media to post a yellow square. Like the black squares posted on Instagram last year, the yellow squares are meant to show solidarity and “blackout” social media feeds. But these tactics allow people to simply post, show their follows that they “care,” and then forget about it the next day. And at the root of it, that is why performative activism is harmful. It’s important to remember that while some people may have the privilege of disregarding issues until it is convenient for them, other people have to live with those issues every day. They can’t pick and choose when to care about police brutality or institutionalized racism when those issues are ingrained in their lives. By using the Black Lives Matter protests from last year as an opportunity to save face, the movement becomes diluted and palatable. The power is taken away from those fighting for social justice. So now, almost a year after Floyd’s death, understanding the harmful effects of performative activism is more crucial than ever. After all, eight minutes and 46 seconds can end a person’s life. But it should also provoke a lifetime of change.
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Big pharma: Not as bad as you think (but still pretty bad) Eoin Cunningham If we were to list harmful industries based on the perception of the general public, it is likely that the pharmaceutical industry would sit somewhere at the top of the list. “Big Pharma” is seen as a morally bankrupt specter, profiting off of the suffering of others, but why is an industry with the purpose of treating the most dangerous diseases of today demonized in this way, and is it deserving of its public condemnation? The basic sentiment is that the drug companies have a medicine that can save or drastically improve someone’s life and then they sell them for ridiculous markups. For example, in late 2013, pharmaceutical company Gilead came under fire for charging $84,000 for a new treatment for hepatitis C. The drug, called Sovaldi, only cost $136 to manufacture, yet was marked up over 600 percent. With that information alone, it is obvious how such a poor view of the industry has come about. But this is where things get complicated. Gilead spent over $11 billion to bring Sovaldi to market. That being said, the price of the drug wasn’t set so high because of the sunk cost of development, but because of what Sovaldi was. It was cheaper than competing treatments but more importantly it was substantially more effective. Previous treatments for hepatitis C would end up costing almost $100,000 more than Sovaldi for each patient cured as they had lower cure rates. The actual reason for the upset was less so the price and more so a sudden increase in those being treated for hepatitis C, which neither the government nor insurance companies were prepared for. All that being said, Gilead made billions of dollars in profit from those suffering from a serious illness, and that just feels wrong. But how would things look if drug companies couldn’t make a profit? If there were to be no expected returns, there would be no investors and therefore no money to
develop the drug in the first place. To avoid that issue, one might think that nationalizing the drug development industry, but while 25% of new molecular entities approved by the FDA come from publicly funded research, there is no situation that I can imagine where a national agency responsible for medical improvements would work. If you think that it wouldn’t get dangerously political, just look at the way the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) schedules drugs. According to the official DEA website, cannabis has a higher potential for abuse than meth; and testosterone, a hormone found in all humans, has higher potential for abuse than Xanax. A national healthcare system like those found in Europe would be a better idea as healthcare is a human right that should be afforded to everyone. That could possibly have some negative effects on medical innovation as one of the reasons the U.S. is number one in terms of biotech is because there is lots of money to be made. Also, the price controls in countries like Canada are often offset by higher U.S. prices. In a way, we pay for Canada’s cheap drugs. Now all of this being said, the pharmaceutical industry is not perfect. In many ways it really isn’t even good. It, just like all other industries in America, is motivated by profit, not good intentions. Some companies exploit sick consumers like in the case of the opioid epidemic, instigated by Purdue Pharma and the Sakler family, or the coordinated and consistent increase in the price of insulin. But the industry isn’t the maniacal, mustache-twirling demon it is often made out to be. It is constantly improving the lives of the sick, and pushing the boundaries of medical science.
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Education paves the road to our futures Ayal Meyers
Education is the linchpin of society. It measures how well we take care of each other and forecasts our future with consistent accuracy. And if the same is true for the American education system, it is a hapless indictment of our nation. As someone who has experienced the ebbs and flows of our ever-changing public school system for the past 12 years, I have some suggestions. First, cancel student debt. In 2018, the researchers leading a study at the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College found that a one-time cancellation of the $1.4 trillion outstanding student debt would translate to an increase of $86 billion to $108 billion a year, on average, to gross domestic product. It would also help close the racial wealth gap and pave a path for rethinking higher education financing. Plus, fixing higher education financing could improve the K-12 system by removing disincentives for continuing to college. Making education more inclusive and less localized taps into a pattern of diminishing engagement among learners. The education pathway seems designed for one select subgroup of American children. For students who do not fit into this category, attendance drops, and interaction dwindles. This is one thing the pandemic taught us about institutionalized school: the expected one-size-fits-all education plan has significant limitations that can stifle some students’ success. While some extroverted individuals struggled with the concept of online learning, with overwhelming loneliness taking away from work, others enjoyed not being in a physical school building. Avoiding social pressure was helpful for reticent students who could better focus on their studies. Students who may have been less likely to participate in a typical school
environment may have benefited from the chatbox function and excelled in the small group settings afforded by Zoom breakout rooms. This is not to say that we should adopt online learning as the new standard. Not at all. Personally, I struggled with the isolated environment. But, it is important that we begin to embed unique learning styles to fit varying needs. The ambiguity of learning styles among children can be addressed in a number of ways, but it will help if we start by teaching things worth learning. The Association of American Colleges and Universities found that only half of American high school students feel prepared for the real world. The study raises some interesting questions. Who decided that it is more important for me to learn about King Tut or the Pythagorean theorem instead of how to file my taxes? Why was this decision made? After 12 years of public school, there is no reason why I should have to Google what a W-4 form is but can perfectly recite the differences between baroque and classical art in 1700s Europe. Adding classes for real-world exposure and lessons paired with shaping a new curriculum for students to choose based on their interests will heighten engagement. In part, fixing the curriculum problem can be as simple as putting education back in the hands of teachers. The politicians should step back and let the people who have dedicated their lives to teaching decide how to do it. Sure, it’s important that there are federal standards that need to be met. Still, for the same reasons we don’t let lawyers perform surgery, we should not give politicians complete jurisdiction over our education system. Unfortunately, this is one small component in another larger issue: teachers are underpaid, undertrained, and undersupported. Take Finland as a counterexample. According to a survey conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the American workforce has some of the weakest problem-solving and mathematical skills in the developed world. Finland, which is in the top ten, has proudly accredited its success to rigorous and selective teacher training programs that have substantial impacts down the road.
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In 1979, the Finnish government merged teaching colleges with standard universities. The short-term implications of this decision included an increase in the level of training teachers received and a correlated increase in pay. In the long run, professionalizing the teacher corp raised the value of the profession, establishing prestige. Today, teaching is the most popular occupation among younger Finns. The competitive programs only look at the top quarter of a high school class and only accept about ten percent of applicants to their eight elite universities that educate teachers. The United State’s teacher training is appalling by comparison. A report by the National Council on Teacher Quality called American teacher preparation programs “an industry of mediocrity,” deeming only 10 percent of the sample size “high quality.” The report pointed to an underwhelming interest in the occupation as a direct result of the average teachers’ infamously low salary. Beyond waning interest, low wages for teachers have real impacts on the students in their classes. The National Education Association discovered that a ten percent increase in teacher pay is estimated to produce a five to ten percent increase in student performance. Education is at the root of many larger-scale problems we face, and fixing the education system can offer solutions. We need to give control to talented teachers who have the skills, disposition, and knowledge to prepare students for the real world in a way that suits them.
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Treat every day like Earth Day Natalie Doud As climate change and the state of the environment worsen, it’s imperative to focus on living sustainably. Every year, we use Earth Day as an annual reminder to be more conscious of the environmental effects of our actions and to advocate for more sustainability. However, after Earth Day ends, many see that as the end to their sustainable habits as well, continuing with their lives as they had before, whether that included proper recycling or not. Earth Day just passed on April 22, and now it’s May. I no longer see anymore Instagram posts about how we can protect our Earth, and climate change seems to be a backburner issue. While it’s necessary to emphasize the importance of being mindful of the Earth’s well-being, this should be acknowledged every day, not just once a year on Earth Day. The implications of climate change increase every day, especially with our increased use of personal protective equipment. Thus, it’s even more crucial to remember to properly dispose of your waste and be mindful of what kinds of products you use. The environment is not in a good enough state for us to simply ignore the worsening effects. Every day, I see trash littering the streets, people acting out of convinience instead of consideration, and acting as though their actions make only a modicum of a difference. Many also do not realize that, by throwing that plastic bag out on the freeway, they’re contributing to the pollution that pervades the earth and the mindset that pollution will not affect them personally but solely the environment. This, however, is not true. To date, around 2.4 billion people do not have access to clean drinking water because of how bad pollution has become. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, humans are the leading cause of climate change. Several human activities, for instance, burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation, have increased the abundance of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. To diminish your individual influence on climate change, try walking more, using your car less, or investing in an electric vehicle. Especially during the pandemic, now is the best time to stay home and reduce your carbon footprint while keeping yourself and
others safe. Despite the immense impact humans have had on the environment and ecosystem, there’s still time for improvement. While we cannot go back to a time before mass-production and plastic islands in our oceans, we can help the earth return to a healthier condition. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, if we can cut our carbon emissions to reach “zero emissions” by 2050, meaning the amount of carbon dumped into the atmosphere equals the amount that is taken out, then we can avoid climate change’s worst repercussions. But this kind of positive change can only occur if we all agree to take action collectively and put our differing beliefs aside. According to The New York Times, President Biden has made several promises regarding climate change, pledging that the U.S. would cut 2005 greenhouse gas emission levels at least in half by 2030, which presents a dichotomous approach from former President Trump. Climate change is an ever-evolving, contentious issue, yet there are many out there who don’t fully believe nor understand the frightening reality of it all. Thus, it is becoming increasingly essential for those who have a distinguished voice to use it to their advantage when addressing climate issues, especially in regards to policy. As conditions worsen, those with influence and power need to use their resources to enforce change. And, while it’s encouraging to see institutions advocate for environmental change on Earth Day, it’s disappointing to see that advocacy fade away in the days that follow. Therefore, well-known institutions and companies should address climate issues and encourage their members, employees, and others to take action. As a student who is passionate about environmentalism and sustainability, it’s comforting and motivational to see reputable institutions utilize their power in this way, pushing for positive change and shedding light on world issues. We need to stop treating Earth Day like New Year’s Day. Our resolutions, on both days, hold immense hope and reflect potential prosperity. Still, the reality is that every year, we write the exact resolution down and work towards that goal for a few weeks or maybe even a month if we’re
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ambitious, but, eventually, that resolution becomes a thing of the past and our prior lifestyles begin to reappear. Thus, it’s important to remember that your actions matter. Every time you properly recycle by rinsing out your takeout containers and putting them in the correct bin, you’re helping
contribute to a better environment and diminish the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. Next Earth Day, or even today, make a resolution to stick to your resolutions, and always remember to live responsibly, ethically, and sustainably. Live every day as if it is Earth Day.
How you can take care of the Earth every day: Shop locally and ethically if you can afford it: before purchasing from a store, do your research! Make sure their items are ethically sourced and avoid fast fashion brands (there are more unethical brands out there than you would think). Try to take alternative transportation: instead of driving everywhere, try riding your bike, the bus, or even walk/run for some exercise. By doing this, you can help reduce the amount of fossil fuel emissions. Plant something: planting trees, flowers, and other plants is great for the environment! However, make sure you do your research before purchasing a plant to make sure you care for it properly and don’t introduce an invasive species into a new environment. Participate in a trash cleanup: take a walk around your neighborhood or a town nearby and try to see how much trash you can collect in 10 minutes. This helps get litter off the streets and keeps the environment around you unpolluted. Explore local parks: take advantage of the nature around you and go for a walk or trash cleanup at your local park. Remember to practice social distancing and wash your hands. Use reusable items: purchase reusable cups, containers, and utensils to decrease dependence on single-use plastics and your individual waste consumption. Zero-waste meals: instead of throwing out those leftovers, eat what you already have and make even make a new meal out of it. You can also reduce waste by making your own nut butter, salad dressings, nut/non-dairy milk, etc. Eat plant-based every once in a while: he industrialized meat and dairy industries are responsible for 14.5% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, so, by avoiding meat and dairy even a few times a week, you can help diminish your carbon footprint and personal contribution to environmental pollution.
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Concurrent Enrollment: A hidden gem Eddy Yeretnov As the school year comes to a close, many of you will be thinking about your activities this summer or potentially something for the following year. If you are looking for a productive summer, one option is to sign up for one-to-three concurrent enrollment classes at a local community college.
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What is a concurrent enrollment class? Concurrent enrollment is a program that allows California high school stuO’Connor dents to Emma sign up for classes at a community college for no cost (below a certain unit threshold) and receive both high school credit and transferable college credit. Through this program, you will be signing up for actual college classes with no distinction as to whether or not you are a high school student.
How are these classes scheduled? Concurrent enrollment classes can have all forms of scheduling. While you can take courses at all of the 116 California community college classes for free, many Carlmont students prefer the local colleges. For the sake of this article, we will specifically look at the San Mateo Community College District (SMCCD) and its three campuses, Cañada College, College of San Mateo(CSM), and Skyline College. At SMCCD (and many other districts), an asynchronous form of online classes is offered. These asynchronous classes include recorded lectures, canvas discussions, and assignments, all running along through the semester with due dates and interaction with your professor. While these asynchronous classes seem easier on the surface, much of the time, you end up doing a bit more work than you would during a traditional synchronous course. Nevertheless, these classes help when you have school in session or are trying to have an enjoyable and spontaneous summer.
Semesters and Quarters Community college classes are based on semesters and quarters, depending on the college. The SMCCD colleges run on a semester system. This means that you complete one set of classes in the fall and do a completely different set in the spring and summer, of course, with
gives you a guarantee. When it comes time to apply to college, concurrent enrollment courses can be a boost to your GPA. While Carlmont does not GPA-weight classes taken at community colleges, the University of California will award honors points to your GPA for “UC-transferable college courses.” Another difference with AP courses is that taking the straight college course will not leave you at the mercy of the college board’s grading tactics or your performance on one test. Instead, your credit will be awarded in a traditional college grading scheme where the total of your work will be taken into account. Keep in mind that tests may still be worth a bunch, depending on your professor. For example, my macroeconomics midterm and final this semester account for 50% of the total class grade.
the option to drop classes any given semester. The quarter system includes the fall, winter, spring, and summer quarters, all about ten weeks long. A rough conversion for a quarter to semester unit is multiplication by 1.5.
How is this different from an AP class?
From a technical standpoint, these classes aren’t much different from APs. On the UC application, community college courses are considered equivalent to a UC-approved honors course or an AP course. Much of the difference lies in how credit is awarded and the length of the course. While not accepting all AP credit, the UC/CSU schools are required to take all transferable courses for credit. When signing up for a class, it will be clear whether or not it is transferable, and if in doubt, it is always helpful to reach out Where do I sign up? to the professor. Signing up for concurrent enrollKnowing what type of credit a given ment classes is a fairly straightforward class transfers into is instrumental. A process. Many community college webwebsite called assist.org allows you to sites include instructions and resources access articulation agreements between for signing up. While the process may your community college and any UC/ differ among the colleges and districts, CSU you could plan on attending. there is a universal basic standard Articulation agreements highlight the followed. First of all, you must speak equivalent course credit awarded upon to your counselor and receive approval entering that four-year college with the to take the selected courses. Then there credit earned. would be two sets of forms, one set for Much of the time, these community Carlmont and the other for the comcollege courses can be used to satismunity colleges. Both documents must fy both major and general education be signed by you, your counselor, and a requirements, helping you graduate colparent/legal guardian. lege earlier and explore more interests. Taking community college classes as California community college courses a high school student through concurcan also be applied to your Carlmont rent enrollment is an excellent way to transcript and can potentially take the add more rigor or explore something place of graduation requirements. The not offered at Carlmont. While the ensame can not always be said about AP tire process and all the intricate details units, which often only offer general may seem overwhelming at first, all the unit credit, some possible course credit, articulation agreements and transferor even nothing at all. It is simply an Audrey Luey ability lists are there to make the process unreliable path to college credit, while This is a caption bhdsa uv ahvuia hvyi savi suvi sgcis gvysial transparent and straightforward. actually receiving transcripts with credit
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Managing Mental Health Kai Yoshida Distance learning seems like the evil, hideous, intolerable monster that rears its ugly head to cause all of our problems. Ultimately, it feels like the root of our anxiety, stress, and worsening mental health. But during this time in a global pandemic, two underlying factors may have a tighter grip on society: isolation and poor physical health.
Isolation
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), from 2005 to 2017, adolescents who experienced depressive symptoms in the previous year increased by 52%. The reason? Social media and the dwindling phenomenon of face-to-face interaction. Surprise, surprise–COVID-19, Zoom, and texting didn’t help the situation. “The increase in mental health issues was because of students feeling so isolated. Zoom is a great way to connect with friends and family when you can’t in person. However, nothing compares to the interaction you have with people when you are face to face,” Tammy De Paoli, head Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) counselor, said. No matter how easy it is to shut yourself in a room and escape from reality through video games and scrolling through TikTok, it is impossible to ignore that we are social creatures. As COVID-19 has obstructed our basic social needs, interactions with people have all but disappeared. Regular encounters, like waving to a classmate during a passing period or ordering from a waiter, are some things most of us haven’t experienced for over a year. Without adequate social interaction, our mental health begins to deteriorate. Feelings of loneliness can intensify and, if left untreated, can evolve into depression. “Meeting with friends is super important. Going for Starbucks, a walk, or if you both have dogs take them to the dog park together,” Shelly Bustamante, coordinator of Students Offering Support (SOS) and mental health counselor, said. It is an excellent goal to actively reach out and meet up with friends weekly. In doing so, strengthening social bonds and increasing interactions reduces the likelihood of depression. “Ever since school resumed last August, I’ve met up with friends every week or two. Before that, I was much more isolated, but I never felt lonely,” Griffin Svec-Burdick, a junior, said.
Health
The Mayo Clinic lists low energy, anxiety, and a perpetual bad mood as some symptoms of depression.
As we spend most of our time slouching in chairs, more than a few of us have experienced these hardships. Nowadays, it’s a hassle dragging yourself out of your room and to the fridge just to get a snack, let alone hiking out the front door to walk around the neighborhood. Because of this, we see a strong correlation between physical and mental health. If one goes down, the other will often follow. Many studies have shown physical exercise is an effective “all-natural” treatment against depression. As reported by Harvard Medical School, low-intensity exercise develops nerve cell growth in the hippocampus, the region in the brain that regulates mood, which alleviates the symptoms of depression. “I have asthma, and I don’t play sports, but I walk all over the place. It’s not uncommon for me to go out for two or three hours, sometimes much longer,” Svec-Burdick said. “I usually walk alone, but sometimes with friends. I’ll admit, there are plenty of days where I don’t get any exercise, but it balances out in the end.” Along with exercise, keeping healthy habits can improve mental situations. One of these habits involves a good diet. Unfortunately, that means that ordering the same steak burrito every lunch isn’t exactly balanced. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) reports that a large portion of patients with mental disorders have nutrient deficiencies, and providing daily supplements of nutrients often helps alleviate their symptoms. Spicing up your pallet with more variety and hitting all the food pyramid categories will provide key nutrients your body and mind need. Finally, it’s always essential to get your sleep. The structure in our daily lives has fallen apart, and in doing so, many people’s sleeping patterns have crumbled. Staying up super late, sleeping in every day, and getting a three-hour power nap are big no-nos in terms of mental and physical health. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, hitting the sweet spot of eight hours of sleep can give your body the proper amount of rest and increase your emotional resilience, relieving some symptoms of depression.
Looking for Help
With the added stress of distance learning, isolation and poor physical health can take a heavy toll on our brains. Increasing social interaction and staying physically healthy are steps to take towards easing symptoms of depression. Yet, they are not cures. If you show any symptoms of worsening mental health, reach out to professionals for help. “At Carlmont, we are lucky to have eight full-time school counselors, a mental health specialist, Ms. Bustamante, and an intervention counselor, Ms. Torres. Although counselors have recently been doing registration appointments, we always make time for the mental health needs of our students,” DePaoli said.
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Therapy in Quarantine Kasey Liu “How are you?” your therapist might ask. Or not. “How has your week been?” your therapist might ask. Or not. “How have you been feeling?” your therapist might ask. Or not. While therapy is an individualized experience, many agree that therapy has helped them in unimaginable ways. “Therapy has helped me better understand myself. It’s helped me learn about what I want and what I need. It’s also helped me understand my behaviors and habits, like why I feel the way I do, why I do things, and why I do things I don’t want to do,” Marguerite Fields, a junior, said. Like Fields, many find that therapists’ third-person perspective can help them sort through their problems. Therapists often reframe the issues clients talk about, which allows clients to view their own actions through a different lens. “Sometimes you can be so zoomed in on one problem that you develop a sort of tunnel vision, and you continue focusing on the negative. Therapists can help you find a bit more balance,” Mindy Chiang, the Carlmont Chinese teacher, said. Although therapists may use similar techniques, such as reframing a problem or displaying empathy, not all therapists are the same. Some may guide clients to a solution and give advice, while others may just be an outlet to discuss problems with. In some cases, clients might even prefer getting into the details of what chemicals in their brain make them feel the way they do. Emily van Sebille, a Carlmont English teacher, equates the various techniques used in therapy to differing styles of teaching. “You teach the way that you learn best, and I think therapists do the same thing. They try to help in the way they want to be helped,” van Sebille said. Therapists often apply the techniques that they’ve experienced and have worked best for them since they’ve also been to therapy as part of their training. Because of this, it’s important to remember that not all therapists are the same, and a negative first experience shouldn’t be a deterring factor. “Think about it like a dating app. Your first session is like your first date—your first swipe. You might not
like them right away,” van Sebille said. However, finding the right therapist is important. If you and your therapist don’t click, that’s okay! You won’t hurt their feelings; they truly want the best for you, and sometimes the best may not be with them. “Therapists are there to help you. You pay them to listen to you and help you with your problems. In my experience, they really care about people, which is why they do what they do,” Fields said. Susan Ko, who has a doctorate in clinical psychology, encourages those who may be unsure about whether or not therapy is right for them. “I may be biased, but I definitely recommend it. We live in a busy world, and therapy is about taking time for yourself, increasing your awareness of why things are going on, and creating time and space to learn about what you need. It’s the ultimate way to care for yourself,” Ko said. Although therapy is significantly beneficial for mental health, it has been an entirely different
26 HIGHLANDER SCOTLIGHT marguerite fields
experience during the pandemic. Sessions occur virtually since it’s unsafe for clients and therapists to sit in the same room. This change in style has impacted the effectiveness of therapy, as many fear that the people they live with might hear the things they discuss. “If I’m talking about how it’s difficult to be with my family sometimes, I’m afraid that someone might hear and get hurt. I have a younger sister, and I don’t want to upset her with things that she doesn’t have to worry about,” Avantika Swaminathan, a sophomore, said. Some may also feel that the lack of human connection damages the therapy experience overall. Furthermore, while therapy is a beneficial experience to most, there still exists a negative stigma around it. This stigma can be based on a variety of factors, such as race. “A lot of people of color think it’s a ‘white person’ thing, which is not true. A lot of people also view therapy as a weakness because it’s like admitting something’s wrong with you,” Sofie Hai, a junior, said. Contrary to popular belief, going to therapy doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you. Everyone goes through their own problems, and many find benefits in discussing them with a licensed professional. Hai equates this experience with broken glass. “You’re not going to ignore broken glass on the ground; you’re going to pick it up, not pretend that nothing’s wrong. It’s just like going to therapy to pick yourself up,” Hai said. Therapy is an impactful way to sort through problems and better understand feelings, and it can further lead to improvements in health, both mentally and physically.
“With less of a weight on my shoulders and spending less time ruminating about various things in my life, I was able to sleep a lot better,” Swaminathan said. Getting enough sleep is a physical change that has a great impact on mental health. According to Harvard Medical School, treating a sleep disorder may help alleviate symptoms of mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. Additionally, many believe that therapy is only an outlet for those with significantly damaging mental illnesses, such as depression. However, it’s important to recognize that everyone’s struggles are equally valid. “Everyone’s their own person; they have their own struggles and their own problems, so conversations with therapists are unique for everyone,” Brian Yan, a junior, said. But, no matter what issues you face, it can be daunting to delve into them with another person since these issues often stem from our deepest insecurities. However, Milo Lee, a junior, notes that therapy is truly an individualized experience. “You really don’t have to share every single thing with your therapist. You can talk about anything you like until you get the feel of what therapy is like, and then you can dive deeper into other things,” Lee said. Ultimately, it’s crucial to remember that therapists want what’s best. They’re there to help people, not judge them. “Their one job is to not judge you and listen to and absorb what you’re saying,” Swaminathan said. “It’s the one place where you can speak freely, and you don’t have to keep that burden all on your own.” KASEY LIU
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“Be there for others, but never leave yourself behind”
- Dodinsky
“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anyone”
- Maya Angelou
“I don’t know if anyone needs to hear this, but tomorrow wouldn’t be the same without you”
- Unknown “Sometimes even the sun needs to take a rest behind the clouds. You’re allowed a rest too.”
- Unknown
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Art by Maya Kornyeyeva
WHICH FLOWER ARE YOU? Payton Zolck
Start Quiz
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON? a. Winter b. Spring c. Summer d. Fall
What color best matches your personality? a. Yellow b. Red c. Pink d. Orange
If you got mostly A’s... you are a winter jasmine. The winter jasmine is a yellow flower that usually blooms in the winter season. It is similar to the traditional jasmine flower except that it is yellow, has no scent, and is a winter flower. The winter jasmine is a vinebased flower and is a part of the olive family. The flower originates in China and prefers to grow in cool and shady areas.
Where would you most want to visit? a. China b. South Africa c. Greece d. Mexico
If you got mostly B’s...
If you got mostly C’s...
What scent sounds the most comforting to you? a. No scent b. Citrus c. Floral d. Musty
What is your ideal weather? a. Cool and shady b. Warm and partly sunny c. In between warm and cool d. Sunny and hot
If you got mostly D’s...
you are a geranium. The you are a marigold. you are a carnation. geranium is typically a red Marigolds are large orange Carnations are most known or pink color and blooms or yellow flowers that tend for being pink but can also in the spring season. These to bloom in the fall season. be red, white, or yellow. flowers can be grown inside Marigolds originate in Carnations tend to bloom or outside as long as they are Mexico and Central Amerin the summer season and kept in a warm climate and ica and prefer a hotter and prefer more of a temperate have exposure to sunlight. sunnier climate. The mariclimate. Carnations origiThe geranium originates in gold is known for having a nate in the Mediterranean, South Africa, where it was unique fragrance that is very and wild carnations can be then transported to Europe strong and pungent, often found in Greece, Croatia, and later the United States. described as musky. Due to Albania, Italy, and Spain. The geranium also has a their aroma, the marigold is The carnation has more of very earthy, lemony, and often used to repel unwanta traditional floral fragrance. citrusy fragrance. ed insects. MAY 2021 HIGHLANDER 29
SUMMER AT THE
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Ethan Man
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In addition to the vacation, relaxation, and warm weather found in a typical summer, movies are a staple of summer culture. With theater chains such as AMC Theatres reopening with new safety protocols and movie production companies planning to release films in theaters, it’s important to know what’s worth watching when summer break inevitably rolls around. JUNE 18:
Luca
“Luca” hopes to be yet another emotionally resonant film in Pixar’s incredible legacy, coming off the heels of “Soul,” which struck the hearts of many this past December. Despite potential theater openings in June, “Luca” will be available on Disney+ for no additional charge to the base subscription. JUNE 25:
Fast & Furious 9 “F9” will be the tenth action-packed film in the Fast & Furious saga. Initially, it was set to release in April 2019, but delays for various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have caused its June 2021 release date, creating a highly anticipated movie premiere.
JULY 9: Black Widow
“Black Widow” explores the fallen Avenger’s past, who will get her first standalone movie despite appearing in eight prior Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films. Viewers can catch the 24th MCU movie in theaters or through Disney+ with Premier Access in July.
JULY 16:
Space Jam: A New Legacy Lebron James recaptures the adventure once told by Michael Jordan in the original, beloved 1997 film. In addition to basketball fans, this movie will feature iconic figures in movie and television history, with the Looney Tunes group being most prominent of all.
JULY 23:
Hotel Transylvania 4 “Hotel Transylvania 4” will be a movie for the whole family to enjoy and follows the first three fun-filled adventures. Familiar faces such as Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, and Selena Gomez will return to voice their loveable characters. Ethan Man
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AUG. 6:
The Suicide Squad The latest entry in the DC Extended Universe expands on the universe’s supervillains, bringing back favorites like Harley Quinn, as well as establishing new characters alongside her. It promises to be exciting, featuring Margot Robbie, John Cena, Idris Elba, and others. Along with the director, James Gunn, known for directing the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies.
AUG. 13:
Free Guy
In “Free Guy,” a man has to fight for survival after discovering he lives in a video game. Ryan Reynolds headlines a star-studded cast, which features several Youtubers and streamers, including Jacksepticeye, Pokimane, Ninja, and LazarBeam.
COVID-safe summer bucket list Leanna Gower
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Visit a farmer’s market and cook a healthy meal Rent a kayak at the Foster City Lagoon with friends Head to the beach for a day trip with packed lunches Take a bike ride around Crystal Springs on the Sawyer Camp Trail Order food and have a movie marathon at home Visit a thrift store and upcycle an item to wear Visit a theme park with friends and pack a lunch in the car Have a socially distanced picnic Go hiking on local trails in Big Canyon Park or Water Dog Lake Wake up early and head to the beach for a sunrise swim
Leanna Gower
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TIMELINE
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josh barde Since 2008, Marvel Studios, now owned by Disney, has made the world’s favorite comic book superheroes come to life and inspire the world through film. With 23 films, The Marvel Cinematic Universe can get very confusing, but watching them chronologically can give old and new viewers an easy way to follow the stories of everyone’s favorite heroes.
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Lara’s Mother’s Day Recipes Anna Wilkinson As Mother’s day is coming up, it may be difficult to come up with ideas to show your appreciation for the mothers in your life. Whether that be cooking your mom’s favorite recipe or gathering your siblings to bake a cake, recreating recipes is a meaningful way to show your love for them. Lara Craciun, a junior, uses the language of cooking to express her gratitude for her mom. Listed below are two of Craciun’s mom’s favorite recipes that Craciun creates for her. Feel free to recreate these dishes for a special mom in your life!
Ingredients:
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9 garlic cloves 1/2 cup olive oil 2 teaspoons of finely grated lemon zest 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 2 oil-packed anchovy fillets 1/3 cup dry white wine 1 1/2 pounds of fresh little neck or manilla clams (must be fresh and alive) 12 ounces of fettuccine or linguine 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley Salt and pepper to taste
Linguine and Clams This Linguine and Claims dish is inspired by Craciun’s mom’s love for seafood, specifically shellfish. Make this dish to impress any seafood fanatic this!
Method: 1. Bring 2 tbps of salt, 10 cups of water, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a boil in a large pot. 2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Thinly slice the garlic cloves and add into the oil, stirring often until golden brown around the edges. Add anchovy fillets and red pepper flakes, stirring constantly until the anchovy has dissolved. 3. Quickly stir in the white whine and simmer until the steam no longer smells like alcohol and only a couple of tablespoons of wine is left. 4. Add in clams, and give them a stir to coat with the reduction. Cover with lid and cook until the clams open, about 5-10 minutes. While waiting, begin cutting the parsley and zesting the lemon. 5. Remove the opened clams and put into a bowl with a lid or cover with tin foil to keep warm. If any clams in the pot have not opened after 15 minutes, discard. 6. Cook pasta for half the time recommended on the box in the water boiled in the first step. Using tongs, transfer the pasta to the Dutch oven and add about 1 cup of the pasta along with the pasta, stirring constantly. 7. Continue stirring as you add the whipping cream. Continue to toss the pasta until it is fully cooked, glossy, and the sauce clings to the noodles. 8. Remove from the heat and add in the parsley, butter, lemon zest, parsley, and clams. Stir until everything is well combined and coated in the sauce. 9. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve by first plating the pasta then topping with whole clams.
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Ingredients: For the Pickled Red Onions: 3 small red onions 1 1/2 cups water 1 cup white vinegar 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup white granulated sugar Barigoule Chicken, Artichokes, and Potatoes Ingredients: 4 large chicken thighs, bone in, skin on One thigh per person 2 cans artichoke hearts, stored in water NOT oil 3 medium Idaho potatoes 2 small red onions 1/3 to 1/2 cup of dry white wine 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 1/2 meyer lemon 1 sprig rosemary 5 sprigs thyme 1 sprig rosemary ¾ cup microgreens
Method:
Barigoule Artichokes, Potatoes and Chicken Roast According to Craciun, this dish was the creation of combining a variety of dishes into one. However, it has been constantly recreated due to popular demand and is now one of her mom’s favorite dishes!
For the Artichokes, Chicken, and Potatoes
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse and clean the chicken thighs, removing any remnants which can be felt by running the palm of the hand back and forth over the skin. Any hard bits can be removed by squeezing the blemish from both sides. 2. Drain, rinse, then vertically half the artichoke hearts and red onions 3. Rinse and scrub dirt off of potatoes. Cut potatoes into small wedges. 4. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Then heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once the oil begins smoking, place the chicken thighs skin side down and cover with a large lid. Cook the chicken on the skin side for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken skin is no longer stuck to the pan. The skin should be crispy and crunchy. Flip the chicken and continue cooking for five minutes. 5. Remove the chicken and place on a clean cutting board. Discard most of the cooking oil, leaving about 2-3 tablespoons in the pan. Do not scrape off the bits of skin and chicken left on the bottom of the pan as it gives the dish flavor. Put the raw onions, artichokes, and potatoes into the pan we used to cook the chicken. Add white wine and cover for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Depending on the portions you use, adjust the amont of white wine accordingly. 6. Take about 1/2 cup of the pickled red onions and 1/2 cup of the pickling juice to the pan, and simmer for another 5 minutes. After the vegetables have braised, stir in the heavy cream then add the chicken back into the pan, skin side up, wedging them into the vegetables. 9. Top with lemon slices and herbs. Place in the oven for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Remove from the oven and take off the lemon slices, setting them aside for plating, and then discarding the herbs. 10. Plate the vegetables, placing the chicken on top, and then decorate with a lemon slice, microgreens, and pickled red onions.
For the Pickled Onions:
Lara Craciun
1. Begin by pickling the red onions. You should do this 4-5 hours ahead of time to allow the onions to fully pickle. 2. Combine water, vinegar, salt, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat then boil until the sugar and salt have fully dissolved, mixing occasionally. Bring to a rolling boil. In the meantime, peel the red onions, cut in half vertically, and slice into thin semicircles. 3. Put the onions into a glass container, such as a mason jar with a lid, then once pickling liquid has reached a rolling boil, carefully pour into the jar, overtop of the red onions. Tightly seal the container and store at room temperature until it is time to prepare the rest of the dish.
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Q&A - from Carlmont seniors Mari Ramirez The end of the school year is approaching, meaning that the seniors are graduating, and everyone else is moving onto the next grade. With graduating high school comes knowledge about how to survive these crazy four years. Here are some stories and words of wisdom from the Class of 2021!
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Words of Wisdom
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Camran Hitchock’s favorite AP classes entail AP Statistics and AP Psychology as she enjoyed the classroom environments. While Hitchcock claims to not be the best at studying, she still recommends taking AP classes. Continue reading to get some of her tips and insights regarding AP classes!
Q: Are AP classes worth the stress? A:
I don’t regret taking any of the AP classes I’ve taken, so I would say it’s worth the stress. While the content can be difficult, I think the more stressful component is keeping up and managing your time wisely. Also, I think it’s worth it because you get college credit if you pass the AP test. That way, you can take other exciting classes in college.
What’s your advice for someQ: one who is feeling overwhelmed about AP classes?
A:
I can’t stress this enough: budget your time wisely. It’s easier said than done, but it’s super important, and you feel less stressed when it comes time to take a test or the AP test. Also, use your online resources, and don’t be afraid to find a study buddy if you need help.
Q: What’s your advice for anyone
taking finals at Carlmont for the first time?
A:
My advice is don’t just study the night before. Do practice problems or practice tests so that you can do your best. It’s also important to remember that it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get an A on your finals. Just give it your best.
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Andrea Brehovska was originally motivated to start working in November of 2019 as she wished to earn some extra pocket money. Now, she’s saving so she can travel post-Covid. Everyone knows that balancing school and work is no easy task, so stay tuned to read about her tips on keeping a balanced lifestyle!
How do you balance working Q: while staying on top of your schoolwork?
A:
I’m pretty good at managing my time and notprocrastinating, so it’s not hard to balance everything. I think it depends on how many hours you’re working and how well you can manage your time. I have a pretty consistent work schedule, so I manage my school work based on that.
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Maya Kaileh looks back at her time with Carlmont’s school spirit positively. Her favorite assembly is the Back to School Assembly because it generates the most school spirit with some of the most preparation, promotion, and fun that comes with it. Although many are hesitant to participate in these activites, Kaileh highly encourages all students to participate. Continue reading to find out why!
When she’s not at school, Katrina Sharonin uses her passion for art to create character designs for firefighters and paramedics that are used for spirit and fundraising purposes. Continue reading to find out why Sharonin thinks students should have a creative outlet!
Q: Do you think school spirit
your schoolwork and extracurricular?
Q: How do you manage to balance A:
affects your time at Carlmont?
A:
I think school spirit is always a fun thing to participate in, as it can span a range of activities and interests. I think school spirit has affected my time at Carlmont positively by allowing for student individuality and a sense of fun activities to participate in within a school environment.
Do you recommend students to Q: have a creative outlet? A:
Which activities do you think How do you suggest finding a Q: Q: boost the most school spirit? job? A: A: What I did was I made an account on some find a job website and found a lot of listings for parttime jobs. Also, if you go into stores at the mall, many of them have ‘hiring’ signs and ask the manager to give you more information.
Q: What’s your advice for students who are nervous about interviewing for a job?
A:
If it’s for a chain, watch YouTube videos because there might be videos on what they’ll ask during your interview. It helps if you look committed and that you know a lot about the company. Then just be nice, friendly, and yourself!
I absolutely recommend students to have a creative outlet. When school gets stressful, it gives me a community and space that I turn to. One thing to note is that everyone’s creatvity manifests in a different way. It sounds cheesy, but creativity can’t be defined or limited. However, you express yourself, do it! Doing what you enjoy can really reduce stress and make you feel fulfilled.
I would say the spirit weeks and football games boost the most school spirit because they have high student engagement and encourage everyone to have fun.
Q: What’s your advice for a student
wanting to participate in school activities but doesn’t know how to?
Q: What’s your advice on how to find an outlet? A:
A:
My advice would be to go for it. If there’s a certain activity that sparks your interest, then you should do it and, most importantly, have fun! Though it can be nerve-wracking to join, you’ll be able to meet new people, branch out to different interests and gain overall new experiences and memories. No need to be hesitant or worried about joining and try new things!
I balance everything by having a list. It’s simple but effective; crossing stuff off in an organized manner works! Canvas calendar was also very helpful, that thing is really well made. I also make sure to keep up my sleep and exercise. It’s harder to be productive when you feel like crap, so taking care of myself has helped me maintain a balance in a healthy way.
It comes down to experimentation and gut feeling. My outlet kicked off from a very small curious project and grew over time. Don’t expect to have a single magical discovery about your outlet or passion. It will stem from doing multiple projects. I do think when you do these projects, you’ll feel drawn to them in an unexplainable way. MAY 2021 HIGHLANDER 37
Senior gala fulfills promise of high school tradition Elise Hsu Senior and ASB President Noah Camerino only carries positive memories of his time at prom in 2019, when he and many other Carlmont students danced the night away at the San Francisco Galleria Design Center. “You could definitely tell that people wanted to be there. It was more than just your average school dance. There were food and games. You could tell that people put thought into what students would actually be doing,” Camerino said. Little did anyone know that 2019 would be the last year any Carlmont student would experience a traditional prom for a while. When it came time for prom in 2020, Camerino was looking forward to attending and celebrating the end of the year. However, the dance would take on a virtual format due to restrictions imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Once this was announced, Camerino changed his mind. “I had to rethink what I wanted to get from prom because Zoom prom and in-person prom are different things. Ultimately, I decided that virtual prom wasn’t what I was looking for,” Camerino
said. Camerino wasn’t the only student that had qualms about attending prom that year; senior Turkan Kartal also decided not to go. “A lot of my friends weren’t going to prom because they were going to wait for their senior year, so I didn’t really see a point in going as a junior,” Kartal, the head facilitator of ASB’s Publicity Committee, said. Although junior Katelyn Gambarin did not have the opportunity to attend last year’s virtual prom, she understood why its new format turned students away. “The whole point of having a dance is human interaction and spending time with people, which is a bit difficult to do over Zoom,” Gambarin said. Kartal shared a similar opinion, noting that physically being at prom enhances the experience. “It’s nice to have the option of a virtual prom, but I think it’s a different experience when you’re surrounded by an environment where everything looks like prom,” Kartal said. Even though last year’s prom was anything but normal, a similar event will soon be taking place. According to
Camerino, a senior gala will be taking place on May 21; it will be located on the Carlmont campus in the outdoor area of S Hall. Measures will be taken to ensure the event follows health and safety guidelines. “ASB has been working with different organizations and companies that have put together events that adhere to CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines. Safety guidelines will be followed to the best of our abilities. Otherwise, we would not be putting on this event,” Camerino said. However, even with the promise that the senior gala will be as safe as possible, Kartal believed that safety risks may accompany its attendees. “It’s worrying to go to an event when you know that there are people who aren’t taking the same precautions as you. You could stay safe in every way possible, but unless everyone does their part, you’re never going to be completely protected,” Kartal said. For Gambarin, when asked if she would have attended prom this year had it been an option, she said that she would prefer going to an in-person prom, but it would take more than that to convince her to buy tickets.
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“It really depends on safety, where it is, and the experience overall,” Gambarin said. Meanwhile, Kartal hopes that she can have an experience similar to senior prom; she has been planning it since last year. “I had planned which friends I was going to drive with, who I was going to
hang out with, what I was going to wear, who was going to go with me… Prom is something that I really wanted out of my high school experience and my senior year,” Kartal said. Camerino anticipates experiencing the senior gala, recognizing that it would not be the same as prom was in 2019. Regardless, he believes that although the
traditional prom experience will change, everyone will be able to enjoy it. “In the eyes of current students and future students, they will be able to experience what they consider a traditional prom. What that might be, I have no idea, but I think that at the end of the day, they will be satisfied with the outcome of their prom,” Camerino said.
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Thank you, teachers!
Mira Bhatt Adapting curriculum to fit online school on short notice and supporting students remotely seem like daunting tasks, yet teachers managed to accomplish this in the past year. The start of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted almost every aspect of people’s lives; for students and teachers, it meant an abrupt end to in-person school. While Carlmont finished the 2019-2020 school year with a more relaxed approach, the school decided to add more structure this school year. In response, teachers needed to adapt their classes to be the most effective for students. “It was a lot easier going into distance learning in the fall instead of last spring because we knew what it looked like. I always feel like when you have clear expectations, you can create a better experience,” Emily van Sebille, a Carlmont English teacher, said. “The transition to distance learning ended up not being too hard for me because I was already familiar with Canvas, but I have learned a lot more about Canvas in the past year.” While some aspects of distance learning were manageable, the transition to online school was still challenging for teachers. They had to
learn many new technologies and test out different ways to structure their class time. “It was hard to adapt lab time to breakout rooms. Usually, my students collaborate, and I wander the room helping out as needed. It has taken a while for students to trust me and come out of the breakout rooms to ask questions,” Karyn Voldstad, a Carlmont computer science teacher, said. While there were slight setbacks and challenges with distance learning, teachers still made the best of the situation. “When I realized that I actually do have personal connections with these students I’ve only met online, it felt great. It took longer than usual, but it happened,” Voldstad said. As COVID-19 cases began to decrease, Carlmont decided to return to in-person school, requiring teachers to teach students at home and in their classrooms simultaneously. “I’m very pleased to get to see people in any capacity, although I do think that it’s a little difficult to have to work with two sets of people because you’re not giving 100% to either group, and that feels slightly awkward,” van Sebille said. “But I’m excited that I can move in between my groups that are in person while also giving my Zoom students time to work on projects.”
Kasey Liu
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Andrea Nadine Castillo, senior
Andrea Nadine Castillo
How have your teachers adapted their classes to make distance learning easier for you?
“All of my teachers definitely adjusted their curriculums to fit the new distance learning model. They use more online resources than they are used to, but it’s very flexible as many students and teachers face technical difficulties. Some teachers have even gone out of their way to condense their normal curriculums to allow students to absorb information better. For example, my math teacher makes sure to provide outside resources and class time to let us practice and fully understand the concepts so we are confident on the next test. Compared to the normal in-person classes, I would say that this is much more manageable and tolerable.”
Isabela Panisset, junior Have your teachers been helpful if you have questions? Why or why not?
“I would say my teachers have been as helpful as they can be. I haven’t been having that hard of a time handling everything, so I haven’t had that many questions to ask, but my teachers were always able to support me with everything I needed.”
Isabela Panisset
How have your teachers adapted their classes to make distance learning easier for you?
“Many people think that there are no advantages for online leaning. I’d argue that although it’s harder for most people, online learning does present some benefits for students, which teachers have helped show. For example, many people have a hard time speaking in front of a class, but my AP United States History teacher has us do socratic seminars every day. I think it has helped a lot of kids get more comfortable talking in large groups. In a distance learning environment, many people think that social interactions are fairly limited. However, in the majority of my classes, the teachers give us opportunities to speak in class and breakout rooms.”
Have your teachers been helpful if you have questions? Why or why not?
“The teachers have been really helpful during distance learning. They answer any questions that you have during class, but they’ve also provided other options. For example, you can use the Zoom chat, email them, or go to office hours.”
Nate Hsich, junior
Nate Hsich
Kellie McGuinness, sophomore
Kellie McGuinness
MAY 2021 HIGHLANDER 41
ASB raises school spirit from afar Cali Shohet
in forming connections with peers for many Carlmont students. However, inperson meetups had to be put on hold during the pandemic. Luckily, this hasn’t stopped ASB students from delivering high-quality events in the virtual setting. “I’ve enjoyed the virtual hangouts because we can go into breakout rooms and do fun activities like play ‘scribble. io,’” Zoe Kosh, a sophomore and consistent attendee of Reach Out, said. However, ASB’s efforts weren’t limited to these events. “Some events that ASB’s service council has done this year have been the virtual Valentine’s Day cards, clubs fair, and other recognition projects for firefighters and essential workers. ASB’s
activity council has done Among Us Zooms, Couchella, Netflix parties, spirit wear, and much more,” Joley Bove, a junior in ASB, said. Despite ASB’s success in the virtual setting, not all of it has been easily achieved. “A large majority of ASB’s events are based on in-person student interactions, so figuring out how to modify what we’re doing has definitely been a challenge,” Bove said. However, their efforts have been widely appreciated. Garza Helmer said, “I love being a part of the Carlmont community, and the ASB events are such a great way for students like me to get involved.”
Once known for providing students with a social outlet on Carlmont’s campus, the Associated Student Body (ASB) has been finding creative ways to keep Carlmont students involved during distance learning. While many things have changed at Carlmont over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, ASB’s involvement in supporting students has not. Using various virtual platforms, ASB has allowed students to have access to events, clubs, and information, just like they would have in conventional times. One way ASB has been able to keep up school spirit virtually is by using multiple social media platforms, such as Instagram. In order to keep students’ spirits up before finals week in December, the organization put on a competition to see which students had the cutest dogs. Students submitted pictures of their dogs and voted on Instagram polls. This event was in lieu of what ASB does before finals under normal circumstances: they bring therapy dogs into the Carlmont quad for students to enjoy. In this year’s virtual event, Keona Garza Helmer, a junior, entered her dog Tubs into the competition. “I think it was really fun to see other people’s dogs and see people vote for them. It was a great way to feel involved in a school event while at home,” Garza Helmer said. Besides the use of social media, ASB keeps students involved in the Carlmont community through the use of Reach Out, an inclusive social club on campus. Before COVID-19, Reach Out would welcome students to come bring food and play fun games. They call their club meetings hangouts, which had been an essential path 42 HIGHLANDER CAMPUS Cali Shohet
School year in review Cambell Kirk This school year was different than anything we’ve ever seen before. Instead of kicking off the year by walking through the doors of Carlmont, surrounded by friends and teachers, students found themselves logging into a Zoom class. While dealing with the unique challenges distance learning posed, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to spread across the world. A historic election took place, resulting in a new U.S. president. Students joined together to speak out against social injustice. Some studied for their SATs, while others conditioned for sports games, all whilst navigating through the unexpected turns the school year took. So, what a year! As we look back on the 2020-21 school year, it is astonishing to realize how much has happened.
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
Cambell Kirk
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High school athletes overcome their injuries Sean Liuli Although the pandemic has shut down most sports, it has not stopped some student athletes from competing. And with competition, at times, comes the risk of injury. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, an estimated 8.6 million sports injuries happen per year. High school athletes make up more than 2 million of those injuries. Generally, injuries that affect high school athletes fall under two categories. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) categorizes injuries as either acute or overuse injuries. Acute injuries are often caused by sudden trauma, such as blunt collisions or awkward falls. According to AAOS, the most common acute injuries found in high school athletes include bruises, strains, sprains, and fractures. Although not common, catastrophic sports injuries such as concussions or growth plate injuries are also considered acute. On the otherhand, overuse injuries happen over long periods when parts of the body do not have time to heal between athletic activity. Common overuse injuries include aches and pains, as well as more extensive injuries such as stress fractures. Junior Andrew Ghazouli, who runs for Carlmont High School’s Cross Country team, has recently suffered from one of these overuse injuries. Ghazouli has been running for around four years and has suffered some minor injuries, but his most recent injury has been his first major one. “Basically, I have this thing called femoroacetabular impingement, or FAI, which basically means there is a bump on my hip. When I overuse my hip, it
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aggravates my labrum, and so I ended up tearing it,” Ghazouli said. According to the AAOS, femoroacetabular impingement is a condition in which an extra bone grows along the hip joint and can cause pain or further injury when the bones rub against each other during movement. Over long periods, this condition can cause extra damage to the hip joint, which may need further medical attention. “I was training for cross country over the summer and all of a sudden I woke up and my hip was hurting. I had surgery for it in January,” Ghazouli said. Although the cause for his injury has largely been resolved, that is not to say he has completely recovered. Nearly four months after his surgery, Ghazouli still has a ways to go before he can return to the competition. “I’m still recovering and doing physical therapy. I am doing some abdominal workouts, side steps, monster walks, and a little bit of stationary biking,” Ghazouli said. The recent pandemic has only complicated things, with many medical institutions being overloaded by work dealing with the continual spikes in COVID-19 cases. Luckily enough, Ghazouli’s recovery process has not been inhibited at all by the pandemic, and he has largely been able to receive all the medical attention he has needed. “I got really lucky that they didn’t cancel my surgery. When we talked to the nurses, they said they didn’t think they would have surgeries on the day I got it because it was right when cases spiked,” Ghazouli said. “If I were a little less lucky, I’d probably still be waiting to have my surgery right now.” His injury and the recovery process have still taken a chunk out of his daily
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life, making many seemingly simple tasks more difficult. However, Ghazouli still finds methods to cope and overcome the new challenges he faces with his injury. “For a while, I was walking with a limp. I had a hard time with stairs and other things that involved lifting my leg past a certain point. Over time, I kind of just got used to avoiding certain movements. With things like stairs, I just try my best to use an elevator or my good leg,” Ghazouli said. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, many sports-related injuries in minors are preventable through several means. Many of these strategies include pre-season physicals, cross-training, as well as warming up. Nonetheless, Ghazouli’s injury has taught him much more about sports-related injuries themselves and how he can prevent one in the future. “I’ve definitely become a lot more cautious, and I feel like in the future, I’d be much more willing to take breaks if I feel like I need them,” Ghazouli said. “I feel like I’d also spend more time doing things like stretching and warming up.”
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44 HIGHLANDER SPORTS
Jack Peacock
Andrew Ghazouli
Owen Finigan
Meet some of Carlmont’s student athletes David Su Even with the COVID-19 pandemic putting sports on hold for the 2020-2021 school year, many student-athletes were able to compete in their respective sports. Here are some of the outstanding student-athletes that were able to represent Carlmont Athletics this school year!
Katelin Kwan Jack Peacock is a junior who runs for the Carlmont track and cross country team. In his spare time he enjoys playing saxaphone.
Michael Yi
Tripp Garish Andrew Ghazouli is a junior who runs for the Carlmont track and cross country team. He competes in the 800 meter event, and in his spare time he enjoys hiking.
Sienna Reinders
Katelin Kwan is a sophomore who swims for the Carlmont swim team. She competes in the freestyle event, and in her spare time she likes to paint and go hiking.
Ryan Tomita
Eddy Yeretnov
Tripp Garish is a junior who plays on the baseball team at Carlmont. He plays outfield and pitcher, and when he gets the chance he likes to spend time with his dog and play basketball.
Sienna Reinders
Michael Yi is a junior who attends Carlmont, and has been competing in martial arts for years. In his spare time he likes to spend time with friends and family.
Sienna Reinders is a freshman who runs for the Carlmont track and cross country teams. In her spare time she likes to play the saxophone.
Polina Engovatov
Sebastian Feune Ramirez
Ryan Tomita is a junior who plays volleyball at Carlmont. He plays the setter position, and in his spare time he likes to play video games and spikeball.
Owen Finigan is a junior who plays for the Carlmont waterpolo team. In his spare time he enjoys baking and spending time with friends.
Eddy Yeretnov is a junior who runs for the Carlmont cross country team. He is graduating this year, and will be attending UC Davis.
Katelin Kwan
Sienna Reinders is a freshman who runs for the Carlmont track and cross country teams. She competes in the 3,200 meter event, and in her spare time she likes to play the saxophone.
Polina Engovatov is a junior who plays for Ramirez is a senior who does hurdles for the Carlmont lacrosse team. She enjoys hiking the Carlmont track team. He will be attendin her spare time. ing Harvard next year.
MAY 2021 HIGHLANDER 45 Katelin Kwan is a sophomore who swims for the Carlmont swimming team. She competes in the freestyle event.
Different Sports, Different Leagues Miles Ozorio Most people don’t know how Carlmont’s sports leagues work. Most don’t know each team’s league is formatted differently, includes different schools, and varies in competitiveness. That being said, my hope is that together, we can shed some light on how different sports at Carlmont operate uniquely in their respective leagues.
Why is it this way? If you’ve ever played a high school sport, you probably know how it works for your team to win its league or make it to Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs. For most teams, qualifying for CCS playoffs includes winning a large number of matches, hopefully against high-level competition. However, being that Carlmont has such a wide variety of sports teams, the way each team qualifies for CCS playoffs is unique. It all comes down to competitive equity. Competitive equity ensures that teams are placed in leagues with other schools that are about the same level. So if a team is great, they’re likely to be in a league with other great teams. This way, you don’t end up with a soccer team that beats everyone in their league 8-0. At least, that’s the idea. Attempting to ensure competitive equity in all leagues is an imperfect science. With teams’ rosters changing every year, the prowess of any team is likely to fluctuate season to season. Nonetheless, the CCS tries for competitive equity through two different types of leagues: power leagues and regional leagues. Most sports at Carlmont are in power leagues, and so it is important we talk about them first.
Power leagues If you play a sport at Carlmont, it’s probably part of a power league. With the exception of lacrosse, all these power leagues are under the Peninsula Athletic League (PAL). The PAL separates its teams into a maximum of three divisions: the highest, filled with the PAL’s best teams, is the Bay Division; below the Bay is the Ocean Division; below the Ocean is the Lake Division. At the end of each year, a team at Carlmont, along with the other schools in the PAL, may have the opportunity to change divisions based on how competitive the program is. However, this doesn’t happen too often, as various boards and CCS officials must give a final OK. When a Carlmont team does change divisions, it’s a pretty big deal. The team will be playing all
new schools and will likely perform very differently against the new level of competition. This is what happened to Carlmont’s varsity football team in 2019. After finishing off their extremely successful 2018 season with a league trophy and CCS playoff run, the Scots advanced from the Lake to the Ocean Division. Upon entering the Ocean Division, the football team earned an 0-5 league record, eventually moving back down to the Lake Division for the 2020 season. Carlmont’s football team is a great example of competitive equity at play. In power leagues, everybody works to ensure that teams are placed in divisions where they are most competitive. Many power leagues are also ranked A, B, or C to help CCS playoff seeding. Unlike the PAL’s Bay, Ocean, Lake distinction, the A, B, or C ranks can be assigned to any
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number of divisions. For example, Carlmont’s boys volleyball team is in the PAL Bay Division, the PAL’s highest division for that sport. However, it is also a C division. Compared to the other leagues within the CCS, the PAL’s boys volleyball is not the best. Conversely, girls volleyball at Carlmont is also in the PAL Bay Division, but theirs is an A division. This means that, with respect to the other volleyball leagues in the CCS, the PAL has a very strong girls league and a relatively weak boys league. The A, B, C distinction is another way that power leagues work to maintain competitive equity, specifically in CCS playoffs.
Regional Leagues Out of all of the sports at Carlmont, only two participate in regional leagues: cross country and basketball. For cross country, the PAL traditionally holds meets with all its teams at once. These huge meets get rid of the need for any separation. Basketball is a regional league, as well. Unlike the power leagues that are separated into Bay, Ocean, and sometimes Lake, PAL basketball is divided into the PAL North and PAL South. Carlmont basketball is part of the PAL South Division. Whether your sport is in a power league or regional league, understanding the CCS’s complexities provides a new perspective on Carlmont sports. Hopefully, this new perspective allows you to enjoy Carlmont’s athletics even more.
Carlmont Sports Leagues 2020-2021
MAY 2021 HIGHLANDER 47
2020-2021 Journalism Seniors
Bella Reeves
Maddy Ting
Auva Soheili
Rachel McCrea
Mari Ramirez
Miles Ozorio
Zachary Khouri
Emma O’Connor
Natalie Doud
Ava Richards
Audrey Boyce
Joshua Baxter
