Navigating neurodivergency

While dog owners have expressed enthusiasm for the small business, not all visitors are as eager. The public response to Dogue has been “polarizing” especially in response to the $75 Sunday café. Some critics argue that feeding dogs elaborate meals while the homeless wander outside is irresponsible.

“I think it brings up unintended points of view [surrounding] social inequalities, financial inequalities, things that are much broader and much bigger than a dog food store can be responsible for,” Rahmi shared.

Dogue intends to spark conversation instead of controversy.

Nueva culture makes it both easier and harder to access support

Disclaimer: In this article, the term neurodivergentisusedasanumbrellaterm foranyonewhosebraindiffersfromwhat is considered ‘normal’; this includes mental illnessesandlearningdifferences.Notall individualswithlearningdisabilitieshave mental illnesses, and vice versa.

You can find Nueva's learning specialist, the person dedicated to helping neurodivergent students navigate schoolwork and accommodations, in her office in room 341. There's one problem: like room 341, tucked away into the upper corners of the school, the accommodations process is hidden from plain sight.

Instructions regarding the accommodations process are not introduced to incoming students or communicated to the larger student body.

"I wasn’t even informed that accommodations were possible until I heard that other people had them," Mari M. ’25 said. Mari explained that their anxiety makes it “easy to get overwhelmed and panic” during tests.

“In an ideal world, I’d want more time or a different environment for quizzes," Mari said. "But I'm still not sure how to go about it."

Nueva has a robust accommodations system in place. Students with a diagnosed learning difference or mental illness can meet with upper school learning specialist Cathy Robinson and their parents, to discuss what support would best help the student and create an accommodations plan.

Learning plans help many neurodivergent Nueva students navigate schoolwork. Luki D. ’25, who has dyslexia (a condition related to difficulty with reading and writing) and dysgraphia (a condition related to challenges with fine motor skills) has a learning plan that allows them to type when taking notes or when taking ‘explain this concept’ science tests, regardless of the teacher’s personal policies.

“It’s harder for me to get my thoughts on paper in a way that makes sense,” Luki explained. “Typing is easier, although it's still hard…it makes my thoughts [more] coherent.”

The multi-faceted approach Nueva takes to the accommodations process helps strengthen the system of student support. Robinson noted that at Nueva, "the mental health aspect" is taken into account when setting up a learning plan, whether or not the student has a learning disability.

“The care that the teachers have for all the students is extremely high,” Robinson said. “That doesn't happen in a lot of schools."

Kate K. ’24, co-lead of Neurodiversity Affinity Group, agrees.

“[One of my teachers] asked everyone with a learning plan to set up a tutorial with her,” Kate said. “She actively signaled that she wanted to make us feel comfortable in her class, and that was so big.”

Additionally, many Nueva students are open about their learning challenges, which helps destigmatize struggling.

“There are quite a few students at Nueva who struggle with similar problems,” said X, an anonymous student who struggles with depression and anxiety. “It means a lot to know that I’m not alone and that others are going through the same sort of struggles that I am, academically or just in general.”

“It's easier for me to talk about [my mental health] and for me to think about getting accommodations and getting help," Mari said, reflecting on how many of their friends are also comfortable sharing about their mental health. "I’m not scared for other people to know that I have anxiety.”

However, hustle culture can often be a barrier to accessing resources. Upper school counselor Aviva Jacobstein notes that Nueva students often engage in the "oppression Olympics," such as "competing about who’s getting the least amount of sleep."

"Our imposter syndrome culture sometimes leads to students competing about who's struggling the most," Jacobstein said. "I'd rather see students competing about who's getting the most support, or [being] proud of how many therapy sessions they've went to."

"Nueva is painted out to be so high achieving and there are such high expectations," X explained. "It's easy to feel like [I] have to do more than is reasonable in order to succeed, or even be passable."

When X has to take breaks from class for their mental health, they "often feel as if [they] can't catch up with the speed at which classes progress."

Nueva is looking to address imposter syndrome and improve student support systems. On Jan. 12 at the "State of Nueva" meeting, Head of School Lee Fertig introduced the strategic framework, a roadmap for Nueva to follow over the next five years. Among those goals was "creat[ing] a robust system of student support to meet the individual needs of Nueva's broad range of gifted learners and sustain their health and wellness," according to language of the framework. Furthermore, the upper school is seeking to hire a second counselor.

In addition to broader school-wide changes, Neurodiversity Affinity Group (led by Kate K. and Grace F. '23) has become a safe space for neurodivergent students to discuss their experiences and destigmatize struggling so they can receive the support and accommodations they need.

"Once I felt comfortable telling other people [about my ADHD] I got exposed to a bunch of other people dealing with the same

Working as a chef for years, Rahmi recalls never having entered a dining room and seen everyone’s face lit with joy. That changed with Dogue. Laughter rings out as dogs lick up the last crumbs of raw pastries and families of two- and four-legged admire the many in-store offerings.

“Guests that are sitting next to each other don’t know each other, but the common love they share for their animal sparks conversation,” Rahmi said. “They end up being friends at the end of it.” things," Kate K. said. "I thought it would be useful for people to be able to meet others without 'coming out' [as neurodivergent]."

Kate J. '24, who regularly attends the affinity group, appreciates the group's atmosphere.

"I don't have to mask," Kate J. said. "I don't have to pretend to be a certain way or act a certain way."

Sebastian R. '24 agreed.

"A lot of the time, it feels like you're the only person having a hard time out of all the geniuses at this school," Sebastian said. "[The affinity group] helps things feel less lonely."

DOES SUSTAINABLE FASHION MATTER?

Grace F. ’23 discusses how impactful sustainable fashion really is.

Editorial Team

Serena S. ’23, Emma Z. ’23

Editor-in-Chief

Grace F. ’23

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Isabelle S. ’23

News Editor

Isabella X. ’24

Culture Editor

Ellie K. ’24

Features Editor

Aaron H. ’24

Opinion Editor

Natalie L. ’25

Entertainment Editor

LiAnn Yim

Faculty Advisor

STAFF

Gabe A. ’24

Samara B. ’24

Josie B. ’25

Gabriel H. ’24

Sami K. ’23

Kayla L. ’26

Char P. ’23

Anuj T. ’23

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Alvin Y. ’26

Owen Y-L ’24

THE NUEVA CURRENT strives to provide informative and impactful articles for our community. Our issues cover stories related to our school, the Bay Area, California, and other relevant spheres. We are dedicated to helping readers understand the ways in which we can all make a difference in the world around us.

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AGE-OLD COMMITMENTS

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Owen Y-L. ’24 and Char P. ’23 debate whether artifical intellligence should be embraced or resisted.

Guest writer Lucia v. G. ’29 envisions the future of voting in the U.S.

STORY Ellie K. ART Emi Y.

College brochures scatter my kitchen table. At first, I collected the letters— even some of the envelopes—like they were tokens of academic achievement and symbols of future success. Then, as brochures began to fill my desk drawers, the feeling of validation transformed into anticipatory anxiety. How was I supposed to apply to college? And the scarier question, would I get in anywhere?

In filling out college counseling surveys for school and gymnastics recruiting, I have frequently found myself staring blankly at my computer screen, watching my cursor blink uncomfortably in the box under the prompt, “What do you want to study in college?”

For me, I struggle with the distinction of what I “want” to study and what I think I “should” study. My generation has been told that we will solve the world’s problems (the climate crisis, political polarization, racial injustices, hatred, sexism, rising rates of depression, you name it). It’s an honor and a privilege, but also a stressing responsibility that keeps me up at night.

Nueva accepts this duty with pride.

On its website in bold letters, it describes itself as an institution where students “learn to make choices that positively and profoundly impact the world.”

A diploma with a side of potential profoundness? Sign me up. I have always dreamed of having a positive impact on the world. Until, the pressure became too burdening and the expectations too high.

Of course, there are many individuals in Generation-Z already making substantial impacts on the challenges humanity faces. Greta Thunberg exposed the horrors of the climate crisis and started an environmental movement, uniting thousands of individuals worldwide. I am awe-struck by the inventors and innovators devising plans to combat climate change or promote equality and nonviolence.

Even at Nueva there are many clubs organizing drives and engaging in insightful discussions on how to make a global impact. There are I-Studio teams working with individuals to improve their quality of life. There are students in internships addressing social injustices and affinity groups working to ensure people that their identities are supported and valued. All I do every day is go to school and then to gymnastics practice. I worry that I am not doing enough/ my part. After all, being able to flip on a four inch piece of wood is not going to stop climate change or address economic inequalities.

So when I reach the box on the survey asking for potential majors, I feel torn— should I study what I am interested in, or should I study what the world most needs? How could I possibly begin to solve a global issue?

When I was little, I never worried about declaring a major. I assumed it would just come to me with the whole lightbulbfloating-above-my-head kind of clarity. But with the weight of fixing the world being placed on my generation’s shoulders, I feel guilty for even considering pursuing a career in something I am passionate about instead of something that earns me the title of a “changemaker.”

I dream of making a significant contribution to bettering the world, and I am determined to do so in the way that makes me feel the proudest and most fulfilled. It will likely take me a while to figure that out. The most difficult part is to begin. The world is waiting, and there’s an awful lot of work to do.

Sustainable fashion is virtually useless

Sustainable fashion has been a hot-button topic for years now, with websites such as Good On You contributing to the new micro-criticisms of our wardrobes. With the rise of rudimentary environmentalism came further usage and promotion of second-hand retailers like Depop and Poshmark. However, the efforts to replace popular brands contributing to fast fashion with ethical and sustainably created clothing is limited, pricey, and virtually useless.

Brands such as SHEIN have come under fire for unethical labor and environmental

The clothing industry’s process of creating inexpensive clothing with little consideration for ethics is called fast fashion. Multiple companies such as Patagonia and Levi’s have explicitly revealed their efforts to be more environmentally conscious and the policies which they’re implementing to reduce water consumption and discarded materials.

With the US’s economic dependence on fast fashion, individual efforts toward sustainability makes little difference practices. According to Business Insider, the brand creates 6,000 new designs daily, yet less than one percent of consumers recycle their purchases. The rest of the clothing, as well as a seemingly infinite amount of extra inventory, all go to landfills. In addition, the brand is known for unethical working conditions, including emotional abuse, exposure to toxic chemicals, and a wage which places employees under the poverty line.

However, our individual efforts toward this are fruitless. Ultimately, fast fashion is a large contributor to the United States’ economic growth due to the number of jobs it creates and the amount of money it immediately garners. One person’s pledge

Valentine’s Day presents a constrictive standard for love— which comes with a hefty price tag

The romance-centric holiday is an explosion of commercialism

STORY Char P. '23 ART Ariane Y. '24

Every February, store shelves fill with mass-produced candy, flowers, and hearts, all in lurid shades of red. While these items are marketed under the guise of “celebrating romance,” the holiday is an excuse for companies to guilt-trip customers into opening up their wallets, lest others (especially their partners) deem them “stingy” or “unromantic.”

The origins of Valentine’s Day are murky; a popular legend is that it was founded to commemorate a Christian priest who married Roman soldiers to their partners, in defiance of a law that forbade soldiers from getting married. It rose to popularity in the 19th century thanks to the mass production of paper Valentine’s cards. Then, the exchanging of cards evolved into gift-giving—most notably chocolates, flowers, and jewelry.

Today, Valentine’s’ Day spending has grown exorbitant; this year, Americans are expected to spend $25.9 billion on the holiday, up from $23.9 billion in 2022. Of those who choose to celebrate, the average person expects to spend $192.80. This spending is sometimes at the cost of financial stability; Forbes states that three in 10 Americans have spent more than they could afford to impress someone on Valentine’s Day at least once.

While Valentine’s Day can be a special occasion for many couples, the day is damaging for those who don't conform to the expensive, heteronormative expectations. The holiday is detrimental no matter what your relationship status is.

For couples, there’s pressure to buy each other pricey gifts, or to have a Hallmarkworthy, stereotypical date. On the other hand, single people are labeled “lonely” and “sad” for not having a partner.

Valentine’s Day is especially harmful to queer people. Heterosexual romance is presented as the norm. The holiday emphasizes romantic love and ignores other forms of affection, which alienates aromantic and asexual people. Love is not “one size fits all,” yet Valentine's Day presents a damaging universal standard for love. to shop sustainably will have virtually zero impact on the environmental damage that fast fashion continues to cause, with the fashion industry being responsible for 10 percent of global carbon emissions, as stated by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

If celebrating Valentine’s Day makes you and your partner happy, go for it, but make sure to communicate. Setting spending boundaries and deciding together how you want to celebrate is much healthier than caving in to societal pressure and buying expensive, stereotypical gifts.

If you aren’t celebrating, have a fabulous day anyway. And join me at the grocery store the day after, when all of the heartshaped chocolate goes on sale.

Sustainable fashion is tainted with privilege and only contributes to individual guilt for a collective problem. In order to achieve the goal of sustainability, shopping secondhand is the best option—yet as long as the United States economy stays the way it is, fast fashion will continue to exist.

How much do typical Valentine’s gifts cost?

$38 heart-shaped box of See's chocolates