ENTERTAINMENT
Three easy-prep breakfast ideas Always running late to school? Check out these quick and easy breakfast options that you can eat on the go! PAGE 17
THE NUEVA
CURRENT
THE NUEVA SCHOOL SAN MATEO, CA 94403 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2
CITIZENS OF THE WORLD
PHOTO BY WILLOW C. Y.
Community members share their stories and experiences of immigrating to the United States BY VALERIE B.
W
ith the 2020 elections approaching, immigration remains one of the most thoroughly debated topics as President Trump’s controversial policies and detention centers dominate the news cycle. Photographs in the media show immigrants crammed together, huddling under foil-like, crinkly Mylar blankets on concrete floors. Chain-link fences enclose migrant holding areas in the U.S Customs and Border Protection facility in McAllen, Texas. Migrants detained in these severely overcrowded detention centers experience rough conditions: in the border town of El Paso, Texas, 900 migrants were held at a facility designed for 125. Children and infants have been separated from their families. Migrants often lack access to basic sanitary needs such as showers, clean clothing, and toothpaste. Since Trump took office, he has implemented many anti-immigration measures, including the travel ban, Migrant Protection Protocols that have the power to send asylum seekers from Mexico back across the border while awaiting their immigration hearings, and a “zero tolerance policy”—all of which seek to restrict
immigrants from entering the country and persecute undocumented ones. In the Upper School, students study immigration in classes, from language to history. In Min Larson’s Chinese 5: Advanced Topics class last year, one unit was dedicated to learning about Chinese American immigrants. Additionally, the theme of immigration is interwoven throughout the 11th-grade U.S. History course. Students have also been exposed to immigration through campus exhibits such as the Immigration Map created by Class of 2018 students Hillary Nelson and Julia Robbin, which has resided on the second floor near the stairs ever since its installation in 2017. Nelson and Robbin created the map as a project in their Spanish 4 class while learning about immigration. For the past three years, upper school Spanish teacher Jo Newman has led one of the 11th-grade trips to San Diego and Tijuana in order for students to learn about immigration and understand the complexity of the border issue. The group has met with Border Patrol agents, visited migrant shelters in Tijuana, and traveled with the organization Border Angels—which focuses on serving San Diego’s immigrant population—to drop off water near the wall for
POSTER BY MICHELLE W.
immigrants. Last year, students observed an immigration master court case; afterwards, Maya M. ’20 and Cevi B. ’20 spent an hour speaking to the lawyer. “It was really cool because he provided a perspective that we didn’t see: why he chose to be an immigrant lawyer, and what he thought should happen in the country,” Maya said. Learning about the legal procedures in court and observing cases “added a human element to the trip,” personalizing the events often spoken about on the news. In 2015, students conducted over 70 interviews with migrants, Border Patrol agents, an immigration professor, DACA students, and others as urged by Newman, who placed emphasis on the narratives of these communities. “Our goal is to hear the individual stories of those whose lives have been impacted in some way by immigration,” Newman said. “That might be large farm owners who need migrants for labor [or] migrants themselves, and those who are calling for immigration reform to curb the number of people entering the United States.” Justin Z. ’20, an immigrant himself, was one of 12 students on the trip, and was able to understand the perspective of the “other
PHOTO BY WILLOW C. Y.
side” through interviewing people with pro-immigration and anti-immigration perspectives. “While it is important to uphold what you believe, it’s also really important to try to understand others and center the conversation around the issue as opposed to just centering it around hate for and negative prejudices about immigrants,” Justin said. Newman was also able to further her understanding of the complexity of the issue through the trip. “I feel that people migrate because something is not going well in their country, so you need to address the issues [there],” Newman said. “The United States could support in that area, rather than shutting people off and disconnecting.” In many instances, the concept of immigration merges into one stereotypical story due to preconceived notions, silencing the unique experiences of every immigrant. Nueva comprises students, faculty, and staff—many of whom are immigrants or descendants of immigrants—from diverse backgrounds and cultures with stories mostly unheard by the community.
PHOTO BY MITZI MOCK
OPINION
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
PHOTO BY JORDAN M.
CULTURE
FEATURE
SPORTS
Fall production of Harvey to Alum takes gap year to learn be performed Nov. 7–9 culinary arts in France
We need more school spirit
Volleyball team advances to CCS Division V semifinals
The upper school play is not meant to just humor the audience, but to celebrate and welcome differences and teach empathy and reflection. PAGE 4
Alum Santana Solorzano shares her insights and experiences from spending a year in France learning how to make pastries—and how to be independent. PAGE 12
Studies show that more school spirit can positively affect student life and positivity. PAGE 13
After defeating league rival Summit Shasta at the quarterfinal game on Tuesday, Nov. 5, the varsity squad moves to the semifinals against Crystal Springs Uplands. PAGE 18