The Nueva Current | October 2021 by The Nueva Current

THE NUEVA SCHOOL

131 E. 28TH AVE. SAN MATEO, CA 94403

Mariners Point, the golf team's practice location, has an uncertain future. Read more on PAGE 20

How do teen representations in media affect students? PAGE 5

THE NUEVA Meet Mochi the therapy dog

Learn more about Fiona T's cultural identity podcast on PAGE 12

Profile of Amy Hunt, new upper school psychology teacher on PAGE 13

Opinion: Your path is not linear. Guest writer Maya A advocates for more math exploration on PAGE 15

CURRENT OCT. 15 2021 | VOL. 5, ISS. 1

San Mateo campus’s newest community member has an important story to tell STORY EMMA Z PHOTOS CARMEN CHOW

he San Mateo campus has recently welcomed its newest community member and first canine citizen! A 10-year old chihuahua mix with kind eyes and a warming presence, Mochi the therapy dog can often be found trotting happily alongside Director of Counseling Services Carmen Chow. Wherever she is, Mochi’s bright floral harness and ever-wagging tail brightens the atmosphere. “I think that having an animal on campus really lightens the energy, which is a shift that I can experience if I just take her to the hallway. Everybody is like, ‘hi Mochi,

hi Mochi!’” Chow jokes. “Some of them might not even know my name!” Chow, who adopted Mochi when she was just two weeks old and has been working with her for over eight years, feels that Mochi has already made an impact since she first stepped foot onto campus. One way, Chow says, is that Mochi has helped in relieving the general stigma that surrounds counseling. “I think that counseling can seem like a very scary thing sometimes,” Chow said, “but I also think that just Mochi’s presence has made the counseling area more friendly and welcoming, and a little bit less intimidating.”

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Cooking through the pandemic Seniors Julia K and Caroline P share their culinary journeys on Instagram STORY ANISHA K PHOTOS JULIA K & CAROLINE P

s lockdown stretched frustratingly and indefinitely on, many students turned to hobbies to keep time moving. For Julia K ’22 and Caroline P ’22, proximity to their kitchens and extended lunch breaks flowered into a passion for culinary creativity, which they documented on their respective Instagram accounts: @cooking.w.karp and @ cphippseats. Both accounts are gridded with colorful, sun-soaked photos of plates and bowls of vibrant, earthy food—one of Caroline's posts from August is of an arugula, corn, and tomato salad in a wooden bowl, topped liberally with burrata and a thin drizzle of balsamic vinegar. And it’s not just savory food—in one of Julia's posts from last February, she spins a plate holding an artistically frosted cake, topped with berries, orange zest, and pink flower petals, described as a “citrusy genoise with lemon

Bavarian cream and raspberry compote.” “I don't have a private Instagram. So this account is like my version of that, like a journal,” Julia said. Last academic year’s schedule gave Julia up to one and a half hours during the lunch period to explore her passion for cooking and whip up fresh, interesting lunches in lieu of leftovers or repetitive, low-effort meals. “My approach is, I'll just look in my fridge and see what we have, and try to make something with that,” Julia said. “Mainly pastas, but also good salads. There are salads that I really like— they just require a lot of work and time.”

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Snapshots of a new school year

Students reflect on their return to campus and finding “normalcy” within an ongoing pandemic STORY GRACE F ART THALIA R

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NEWS

BRIEFS

STORY & PHOTO ISABELLE S.

BLM art installation in progress at San Mateo campus

n the wake of protests over police brutality against Black Americans sparked by the death of George Floyd, Black Lives Matter street murals sprung up around the country. The 35-foot-tall mural in Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C. was the first to emerge, and many other cities followed suit, including San Francisco, Palo Alto, Oakland, and Berkeley. Specifically inspired by the Black Lives Matter mural in Palo Alto last spring, the Nueva art community decided to create their own version, exploring the intersection between activism and art. At the close of last school year, members of the Upper School Student Council and administration decided on an art installation; sixteen two-by-four feet metal letters—each

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letter painted by a student—spelling out “Black Lives Matter” have been ordered and will be mounted by the driveway that passes by the East Courtyard. “Although this is led by Student Council members, the idea is that this is a community effort,” said Lucie L ’23, Arts Representative. “We want to show our support for the Black Lives Matter movement.” Metal letters were specifically chosen to create cohesive cross-campus installations, such as the dinosaur on the Lower School campus. Lucie describes potential future installations as ones highlighting Asian hate and solidarity, hoping to use metal as a medium to “tie in the campus’ physical installations.”

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Flex day evolves into ‘Wednesdays of Wonder’

rom workshops on siege engines to dissecting squids to steel-drum jam sessions, the newly introduced Wednesdays of Wonder take on Nueva’s weekly flex days. There will be eight Wednesdays of Wonder (WoW) this fall semester, each one-to-two hour workshops hand-crafted by teachers and students as a break from the normal flow of classes. “We all have classes we teach or take, but our interests are broader than that. [WoW] gives us a chance to bring more of ourselves into the community,” said John Feland, I-Lab Engineer and Quest Co-Director. Although clubs and intersession allow for that, Feland noted clubs are a long-term commitment and Intersession only occurs once a year. “So how do we do a mix of that? There are an infinite amount of possibilities,” Feland said, noting the range of “Nueva-style” workshops. “Let’s say you want to have an afternoon of improv workshops—add it to our list! Let’s say you want to lead a birding trip to the Bay Meadows park, that’s fine! The whole idea is to give agency to the community, to create things outside of classes,” Feland said. Currently in the prototyping process, WoW provides an opportunity for teachers and students to teach and learn the plethora of subjects and interdisciplinary dreams together. As Feland declared, “Students and faculty all sharing together… will be a blast.”

WOW! A smattering of offerings from the weekly Wednesdays of Wonder include sewing class, steel drums, and ultimate frisbee.

Student Council joined by City Manager of San Mateo at annual retreat

tudent Council’s annual retreat this year on Aug. 21 hosted guest speaker Drew Corbett, the City Manager of San Mateo. Student Council co-leads Avery C ’22 and Andrew C ’22 reached out to and coordinated with Corbett beforehand. They hoped Corbett, as someone who

holds a local leadership position, could guide Student Council members through leading a community. Corbett, serving as the City Manager since late 2018, not only spoke regarding his experience as a government official but also touched upon topics of effective leadership and

Rubber ducks greet students on the first day of school The story behind how students were welcomed “quack” to school

QUACK ATTACK Rubber ducks were tucked onto each locker and strategically placed across campus to welcome students on the first day of school.

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n hour before the majority of Nueva students settled into their first class of the 2021– 2022 school year, operation “duck distribution” was paddling full speed ahead. The idea sparked from a Discord conversation between Char P ’23 and former Kindness Club lead, Alum Maya Malavasi ’20. The morning before the school year officially began, Char and Malavasi, assisted by Alexis T ’24 and Kate K ’24, placed approximately 300 tiny rubber ducks with strips of paper reading, ‘Welcome quack to school!’ throughout campus. The little ducks perched upon tables in the café courtyard, waddled between shelves of books in the WRC, and cozily nestled in every locker’s door handle. Char, who goes by they/them

pronouns, hoped the unexpected appearance of rubber ducks would avoid the inevitable awkward introductions prompted by the beginning of a new school year. Char hoped the rubber ducks would give “people something else to talk about or something to connect over.” Even when students regain the rhythm of the school year, Char hopes the ducks will continue to bring joy and combat stress. “You can’t be sad when you’re holding a rubber duck,” they said. “It’s a scientific fact.” Char plans to leave the remaining ducks at school, some of which are now permanent residents of the WRC. They encourage all students and faculty to take them home, or leave some on campus to lighten the load of highschool and “brighten people’s

advocacy. “One of the most impactful things he said, for both me and Student Council, was ‘disagree but commit,’” Avery said. “Sometimes decisions aren’t going to go your way, but you still have to be onboard with the rest of the group and be a team player.”

STORY & PHOTO ELLIE K

days.” The pun-loving Char advises all community members to stay on the lookout for something that may make them “quack up” as they “further the ducky movement.” Though there is little information about the formation of a new rubber duck tradition, Char recommends students and faculty to not be surprised if by any chance a giant inflatable rubber duck arrives in the courtyard one morning.

NEWS

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Internship program grows despite pandemic limitations

Employers increase remote opportunities

STORY ANOUSCHKA B. PHOTO SCHWARTZ AND ARCHITECTURE (S^A) AND PAUL BURKE

WORKING IN THE WRC Interns Anya C. 22' and Grace H. '21 worked with WRC Director Jen Paul to perform a diversity audit of the collection.

arts opportunities for students: in a remote landscape, would they gain or lose creative positions? She was excited that the scale tipped to the side of having more art-centered opportunities. “I think artists are trying to figure out how to adjust to this new world, and a young intern who's used to life online is probably exactly what they needed,” Saylor said. Although certain positions thrived in the online space, as Saylor began to sift through the student feedback on their internships, she saw a common trend of students yearning for in-person internships—a sentiment she echoes. “I definitely hope a lot of these internships can go back to being in person, maybe even in 2022,” she said. “It would be great to have even one or two days a week where students go in and experience the office culture — the work [students] are doing is really important, but the atmosphere of going to a job is really important too.” Despite longing for in-person opportunities, the students’ satisfaction with their internships was high. Saylor sends a survey

"It was really neat to hear that this program was preparing students in a way that they needed when they were in college and looking for internships or jobs." Katie Saylor, Director of Internships to both interns and employers at the end of the summer to collect feedback, and she was gratified to see a flood of fours and fives on the five-point scale of how satisfied students were with their experience; the positive feedback is a “really great gut check” of the true success

of her program. For Saylor, moments when she can see the positive impact the program has on students sparkle. She was delighted when, last fall, an unexpected email from alumna Madeline Park ’20 sprang up in her inbox. Park—now a sophomore at Columbia University—wanted to let her know that in the sea of résumé and cover letter coaching, she was cruising. Park felt like she had a “leg up” in the job application process from her experience with the internship program. “That made me pretty proud,” Saylor said. “It was really neat to hear that this program was preparing students in a way that they needed when they were in college and looking for internships or jobs.” Beside practical experience, Saylor is thrilled that the program teaches students the true meaning of receiving “yes” from an employer: how beyond the initial burst of exhilaration at receiving the good news, a plethora of responsibilities

OFFICE FIELD TRIP Cole B.'22, Deshan D.M. '23, and Ari P. '23 went on site to tour some projects in Sonoma as part of their internship with Schwartz And Architecture (S^A).

lie ahead—there are deadlines. Hours of work. Unexpected obstacles. “It teaches responsibility, accountability, and resilience in a really important way,” Saylor said. But, most of all, Saylor prides the internship program on being unique from almost every other program at Nueva in that it says “no” to students. “It feels a little wicked to say I love that, but knowing that this program says no and teaches students how to respond to no is really valuable,” she said. “I love that Nueva is a place that says yes—and I think we also need to learn how to hear no.”

Internships by the numbers

21% 152 65 80% positions were paid

internships were offered

employers

positions were fully remote

THE NUEVA SCHOOL . 131 E. 28TH AVE., SAN MATEO, CA 94403

irector of Internships Katie Saylor couldn’t help but smile as she peered into her Zoom screen. In it unfolded a scene quite literally out of the pages of an architecture brochure: students Deshan D.M. ’23, Ari P. ’23, and Cole B.’22, interns at Schwartz and Architecture, presented their 3D architecture models of an imaginary extra room in their current living space to the entire firm. As summer began, students participating in the internship program went everywhere from the Zoom rooms of architecture firms to the office space of biotech companies. Yet, the 2021 Summer Internship program boasted a feature unique to its predecessors: there had never been more positions. Though the program experienced a steady trickle of new positions each year of its five-year history, this summer brought on an unprecedented jump from 92 internships offered in 2020 to 152 offered this summer. The bulk of the positions were remote, with only 20 percent of internships taking place in-person. For Saylor, this isn’t surprising. “Going into this year, I felt more confident that employers were comfortable taking remote interns,” Saylor said. “They had spent a year figuring out how to work remotely, and so there was an obvious place for Nueva interns.” With the rise of at-home internships, Saylor has seen certain employer trends emerge. For example, software engineering positions increased this summer. “I would definitely attribute that to the rise of working from home culture,” Saylor said, “as well as the software engineering world expanding a lot in the last few years.” The program also saw a rise in art positions—a development that Saylor had found surprising. The pandemic had left her uncertain about humanities and

NEWS

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Wildfires, up close and personal

When these natural disasters are in our backyard, what can we do? STORY ISABELLE S. PHOTO MERITT THOMAS/UNSPLASH

WEEKLY TESTING This year, the weekly COVID tests are selfadministered shallow nose swabs that take place during advisory.

Upper school community moves closer to normalcy How Nueva mitigates the risks within a STORY AMIYA M. PHOTO ANISHA K.

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iving with COVID is the new norm. Even with the concerning rise of the Delta variant and the surge of breakthrough cases in vaccinated people, the start of the 2021– 2022 school year has looked a lot more like the pre-pandemic of years past. All the new changes at the upper school were made possible due to the high vaccination rate of around 98%. A Jul. 22 email from Head of School Lee Fertig reports, “Infection rates are much lower than they were, medical workers have a much better understanding of how to lessen the severity of COVID-19 symptoms, and vaccination rates are very high (especially in this part of the state).” Health and safety precautions are still in place. Masks are mandatory, COVID tests are taken weekly, and the health form is still required to be allowed on campus. These are all preventative measures. “Positive cases in our own community remind us how important it is to mask, screen, and test (and distance when possible),” Fertig states in an email to the Upper School community on Aug. 30. This year, changes to the former remote learning setup include the abolishment of “cohorts” by grade, instead treating the entire upper school as one cohort. This mixing allows for inter-grade classes to be inperson, a wider variety of course options, and more mingling and socializing. Hallways are crowded once more with people, backpacks, and bustling conversation. The lunch service, instead of offering boxed meals and limited options, is back to serving hot meals on a plate. While hearty salads remain boxed, there are also freshly made sandwiches and wraps every day for a graband-go meal. In classrooms, desks returned to being tables—unlike when they were separate satellites

largely vaccinated population in the second year of the pandemic

situated six feet apart—and tape arrows regulating the flow of students no longer mar the floors. Athletics are fully back, guest speakers are allowed on campus, and field trips are now able to take place off-site. Outside vendors, such as photography company iClickSmiles, were allowed back onto campus to take school pictures and senior portraits. The Nueva facebook directory, with photos that are now two years old, will soon be replenished with new and updated photos. And although family members have yet to be granted the same kind of visiting access to the campus enjoyed prepandemic, college representatives and other special guests, like puberty-education teacher Kate Bedford, have been welcomed back to meet with students. Some of the positive changes

Even with the concerning rise of the Delta variant and the surge of breakthrough cases in vaccinated people, the start of the 2021–2022 school year has looked a lot more like the prepandemic of years past. are smaller, but appreciated by students and teachers; in the Cafe, the popular water and ice machines are operational once more, while self-serve coffee for teachers is functional again. There have also been improvements to a system originally troubled with the adoption of new health and safety protocols. The student ID check-ins are now linked to the online health forms, preventing the long lines of muddled six feet separation with students waiting to enter the building, sign in, and pull up their health forms. And

the previous week’s COVID test results can be viewed through a click of a button. There is even a webpage and internal blog that collects all emails sent out related to the COVID testing results, increasing accessibility for both testers and the school nurse. During lunchtime, students are recommended to sit outside where open air can reduce the risk of the virus spreading. Open campus privileges have not yet been granted, so students typically sprawl out in the east and west courtyards. Perhaps the largest and most impactful change on students is the unnecessity of Zoom and how remote learning is no longer an option. Gone are the days of pajama pants, unbrushed hair, and waking up five minutes before class starts. However, this also means that people who have received positive COVID tests have a harder time catching up with classwork since they can’t attend online. To date, each week has only seen a few positive cases at the San Mateo campus. The week ending on Sept. 12 saw no positive cases at San Mateo, and the week ending in Oct. 10 saw zero positive cases at both campuses. As Fertig shared in his first address to the student body during an all-hands Zoom call on Sept. 3, a few positive cases each week will likely become the “new normal.” Despite the tumultuous times, Nueva is still working towards preserving educational opportunities and adapting to living with COVID. “Although we are not completely out of the ‘virus woods’, there are many reasons to celebrate the progress we have made. … Nueva, like all other schools, is adjusting how it operates within this shifting environment so that we maximize educational opportunities in the upcoming 2021–22 school year,” Fertig explains in a July 22 email to the Nueva community.

rom a distance, it’s almost dazzling—streaks of orange-gold illuminating the forests. Up close, however, the destruction brought by these wildfires, especially in the past few years, is devastating. The Caldor Fire, California’s most recent wildfire that ravaged through South Lake Tahoe, burned 221,794 acres of land and destroyed at least 622 homes since Aug. 14. A haunting grey-orange haze still occasionally lingers over the Bay Area, and the number of people walking their dogs or jogging on the sidewalk have gradually diminished in the midst of the past few weeks. Wildfires are not new to California. But for Director of Environmental Citizenship Sarah Koning, a recent resident from Chicago to San Francisco, living under wildfire conditions is a new experience. Spending a good portion of her summer researching the best air filtration system for her house, Koning now considers herself an expert. Air filtrations, however—as effective as they are—are unable to absorb the emotional weight surrounding the smoke and environmental devastation. To counter the despair she felt, Koning immersed herself in education about the wildfires, urging others to do the same. “I've been suggesting students continue educating themselves about the fires, about the causes and mitigations, as well as how the fires fit into the bigger picture of climate change and disruption,” said Koning, who recommended Bill McKibben’s weekly newsletter for The New Yorker and Gimlet Media’s podcast, “How To Save A Planet.” “These are great resources for students because they specifically talk about the fires on the West Coast, and they also provide students with realworld impactful solutions for both fires and climate change,” Koning said. With the fires so close to home, Koning observes the power proximity holds in reshaping people’s attitude towards climate change. “Some people have a hard time understanding climate change. If it’s not directly impacting them, they think about these problems as issues that are happening elsewhere,” Koning said. “But this is a real, direct impact of climate change on us, our schools, and our communities. It’s going to affect food production. It affects everything, every component of our being in the society.”

SMOKY SEASON After residents evacuated, the Caldor Fire ultimately spared South Lake Tahoe.

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Lies of the silver screen

CULTURE

The effects of teen shows on high schoolers STORY ISABELLA X. PHOTO HBO & NETFLIX

igh school on the silver screen is hazy violet lights, champagne glitter, and sensual parties. A sophomore lays slouched in bed, watching picture-perfect lives with red eyes. Their own life seems gray in comparison—these worlds of painted, poreless, and perfect people are nothing more than fantasies. Recent teen shows are darker, grittier, and tackle more mature themes, which not only creates an unrealistic portrayal of high school students but also casts unreasonable expectations for the high school experience. The quintessential early 2000s Nickelodeon animation, Winx Club, was recently adapted into a live-action show for Netflix. Where viewers expected pinks and pastels, producers presented a flawed, aged interpretation of teenage activities. In their first days at the school, freshmen attend a party where drinking and vaping is depicted to be common and normalized. While there are teens with this lifestyle, the large majority of freshmen wouldn’t relate to this depiction. A 2019 study conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reported that only 43 percent of 10th graders had ever tried alcohol. Is it the showrunners’ responsibility to portray all facets of teen life? Shows like HBO’s Euphoria have been praised for addressing heavier topics like drugs, addiction, body

image, and grooming. Yet while the show intended to present the harms of substance abuse, the beautiful drug-induced glitter and saturation has been accused of unintentionally glamorizing drugs. The show's effect differs with each viewer’s perspective: some students see no problem and others are appalled. Tammer M. ’24 slammed Euphoria for glorifying and romanticizing substance abuse and mental health issues. “Real drug use and depression don’t look like that! It’s a terrible portrayal,” Tammer said. Sophia Y. ’22, an avid Euphoria fan, described the show’s portrayal of drugs and addiction as “tastefully done” and necessary, due to teens’ exposure to substances regardless of media portrayals. She was added that the show didn’t romanticize drug use and laughed at the use of the glitter and colorful lighting. “It’s more branding than anything. When I watch those scenes, I’m kinda just thinking ‘What are they on?— Well, we know what they're on.” Others take a more neutral stance, defending artistic freedom. “Storytelling is an art, and as an artist, the director should have the freedom to do whatever they want; they shouldn’t be restricted by how [the media] affects other people,” Gabe A. ’24 said. He mentioned that it was the viewers’ responsibility to consider the impact that watching a show might have on them. Despite this, creative freedom doesn’t negate the perennial negative side effects of teen media consumption. Many high schoolers’ toxic body image has been attributed to TV

Cooking through the pandemic cont. from page 1

aimed at a teenage audience. The large majority of shows casts actors in their 20s or even 30s—long past the awkward stage that teens experience. Take Riverdale—the entire cast of “high schoolers” is well over 25. These fictional students never suffer from breakouts or blemishes. For teens seeking role models from television, such unattainable standards can lead to negative body image. A survey by the National Institute on Media and Family found that 53 percent of 13-year-old girls are unhappy with their bodies. This number grows to 78 percent when they reach 17. But while casting age-appropriate actors is not always realistic, they aren’t the only ones who can determine the course of a story. In 2019, Netflix released Sex Education, a high school comedy that broke down societal standards placed on teens. The show follows Otis Milburn, a sexually inexperienced high schooler whose mother is a well-regarded sex therapist, and addresses the false notion that all teenagers are comfortable with sexual relations. Sex Education was widely acclaimed, with Rotten Tomatoes critic and audience scores of 96 percent and 95 percent, respectively. Despite a cast in their 20s, witty and well-researched writing created a show that has a positive impact on teens’ perceptions of high school life. The show seems to have appealed to a wide range of audiences—Nueva Sex-Ed teacher, Kate Bedford, praised Sex Education’s first season. "It’s a show that purposefully portrays— and therefore normalizes—young people having questions about sex and more importantly, reaching out and seeking answers in responsible ways," Bedford said. The 2019 Youth Behavior Survey identified a steadily decreasing rate of sexual intercourse in the United States. Only 38.4 percent of high schoolers reported that they had ever had sex, down from 39.5 percent in 2017, 46 percent in 2009, and 54 percent in 1991. Although popular shows like Euphoria and Riverdale represent an increasingly sexualized high school experience, the reality is just the opposite. After over a year of quarantine and isolation, many teens have become disconnected from the reality of adolescent life. Unable to form organic experiences and perspectives due to lockdown, movies and television have become important sources of self-identity—it’s more crucial than ever to address the messages perpetuated by teenage shows.

Seniors Julia K. and Caroline P. share their culinary journeys on Instagram

is so accessible,” Julia said. “But I really want to broaden my horizons.” Caroline, who was inspired by Julia to start sharing photos of her own creations, describes her cooking as “California cuisine” or “Buddha bowls”—most typically grains, fresh greens, and roasted veggies. “For lunch during remote learning I'd take a bowl and put some greens in the bottom, maybe baby arugula or spring mix or spinach. Then I’d do a drizzle of lemon or balsamic vinegar,” Caroline said. “I’d add chickpeas or beans, often tomatoes if they're in season, and throw in leftover roasted vegetables. And of course, grains and sauces.” Caroline describes her cooking style as heavily influenced by her family’s wholesome, healthy approach to eating, especially her mother’s. “[My mom] just really loves making food delicious and nutritious, while incorporating all this wonderful stuff from the garden and the farmers’ market and making it local,” Caroline said. As the Environmental Representative on Student Council, Caroline imbues her sustainability values into her eating habits by

using produce from her garden in her meals and working on a project with the Environmental Society to reduce unsustainable meat consumption in Nueva’s Cafe. After a trip in August to Tidelines Institute in Alaska, she was even motivated to go pescatarian herself. “In Alaska, all the meat was hunted and hyper-local and made much more sense to eat than imported tofu from thousands of miles away,” Caroline said. “But living here in such an urban area, buying tofu is more sustainable than killing an ordinary raised turkey.” Julia was also inspired to be more sustainable in her cooking after volunteering at a biodiverse urban farm in San Francisco and researching the food industry and agricultural technology. “There’s a theory that we already produce enough food to feed everyone on the planet—it’s just distributed really poorly, and there’s food waste on all levels, from individuals to restaurants,” Julia said. “I’m not big on blaming individuals for their carbon footprints, but I try to just be intentional in my consumption.” Volunteering at the farm

STORY ANISHA K. PHOTOS JULIA K., CAROLINE P.

lets Julia take home and cook what she harvests, like the pale green fried zucchini blossoms and roasted emerald sweet peppers featured in her Aug. 14 post. Capturing culinary memories like these was part of the reason the two seniors decided to start their accounts. “I would take photos of what I made and they would just get lost in my camera roll,” Caroline said. “But now, I have a little mini cookbook to look back on and share my ideas through.” Julia has a similar view. “I think if I didn’t have this account, I wouldn’t know that I had made any progress with my cooking,” Julia said. “I wouldn’t know what I had learned.”

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Julia credits her willingness to innovate and experiment in the kitchen to her parents’ “laid back” approach to cooking. “Of course it's important to be focused and patient while you cook, but sometimes in recipes, they'll say a half-teaspoon of salt, or like this tiny quantity of spice… just put in as much as you want! That makes it a lot more fun, in my opinion,” Julia said. While most of Julia’s posts feature European-inspired food, she aims to branch out into more Asian cuisines, like Burmese, Malaysian, and Singaporean. “Italian and French cooking is mainstream, and knowledge about it

CULTURE Dear Audience, a word about Dear Evan Hansen The film adaptation of the Tony-Award winning musical was unnecessary and mediocre at best STORY GRACE F. PHOTOS DEAR EVAN HANSEN (2021)

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Musical Roundup

Happier Than Ever

TW: topics of mental illness, anxiety, depression, suicide/suicidal ideation

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film, she was given a more complex story and arc, making her a painfully relatable character. Another standout performance was that of Platt. He portrayed the experience of social anxiety almost too accurately, delivering a realistic performance of the small nuances of anxiety like hyperventilating, stimming, and panic attacks. The portrayal of his anxiety was somewhat accurate, and could be useful in teaching others about the experience of living with mental health issues. However, this film’s commitment to an accurate portrayal of anxiety led to the graphic scenes being triggering for me. The quick cuts, close-ups, and constantly moving shots were disorienting and felt too familiar. While I appreciated the commitment to accuracy, I was surprised there was no trigger or content warning for those who struggle with mental illness, leading aspects of this film to become an unwelcome surprise. Further, this poignant message was disrupted by musical numbers where they didn’t fit. Musicals in and of themselves are campy: films such as In the Heights (2021) or La La Land (2016) feature musical numbers filled with dreamlike sequences and elaborate musical numbers. However, Dear Evan Hansen tried to commit to realism, with the songs set in the middle of scenes with no more than a montage. This contrast, especially in examples of songs like “Sincerely Me,” was quite jarring and took away from the experience of this film. Many reviews of the film have taken issue with the casting of Platt. Though Platt did an incredible job originating this role on Broadway, his casting as a 27-year-old to play a high school student was criticized and seen as an example of Hollywood nepotism, given that his father Marc Platt (who also produced La La Land) produced this film. Platt’s casting, along with the off-putting musical numbers, detracted from the emotional significance of this film, and made it less grounded. Despite these criticisms, this film is still incredibly important in terms of spreading awareness about suicide and mental illness. There was no clear “good guy”, and each character was deeply flawed yet contained enough nuance that the audience could still relate. Though this adaptation was messy, the message it promotes as well as the awareness it spreads makes it incredibly important and impactful. However, the wishy washy balance between satirical and serious this film employs, combined with the message it attempts to portray, makes it so that this film unfortunately fell short and was somewhat unnecessary.

STORY SERENA SAXENA

Was Kanye's long awaited album, Donda, worth the 18 months? Here’s what students have to say about four recently released music albums.

Billie Eilish

n 2016, a musical about a teenager with severe social anxiety getting caught in a lie debuted at the Music Box Theatre in New York City. What followed was a cultural phenomenon and a springboard for people to raise awareness about mental health and suicide. The Tony awardwinning Dear Evan Hansen, starring Ben Platt in the titular role, reinvigorated the conversation around mental health and the power of social media on the Broadway stage, spreading the message “you are not alone” through its poignant scenes and tear-jerking songs. This was followed by a mediocre book of the same title, and now, a film adaptation portraying this complex story for a larger audience. Dear Evan Hansen (2021) was an earnest attempt at balancing the serious and satirical, telling an intense story while staying true to its nature as a musical. It was messy, inconsistent, triggering for those with anxiety, but effective. The film follows Evan Hansen (reprised by now 28-year-old Platt)—an anxious high school senior—following the suicide of classmate Connor Murphy (Colton Ryan). With the help of family friend Jared Kalwani (Nik Dodani), Evan manages to convince the Murphy family—including Connor’s sister and Evan’s longtime crush Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever)—and eventually the internet, that he was Connor’s best friend, co-founding “The Connor Project” with classmate Alana Beck (Amandla Stenberg). This complex story portrays an important message under the layers of lies and panic attacks: you are not alone. The musical was incredible not only because it addressed these topical matters, but also because of how it adapted challenging themes for a musical theater medium. However, although the goal of adapting the story for film was beneficial in order to reach a larger audience, it raised the question of how much the nuance and pure emotion would be affected by the more synthetic medium that is film. Right off the bat, the effort to stay true to the stage musical was made clear. It had a similar tone and atmosphere to the show, while still being a polished film. In addition, the acting, notably by Platt, Stenberg, and Dever, was welldone and portrayed these characters in a manner that was accurate and yet original. Stenberg’s performance was particularly touching; in the musical, Alana was simply a caricature of the overachieving college-focused student, but in the

10. 15. 21

July 30

Certified Lover Boy Drake

September 3

Solar Power Lorde

August 20

Donda Kanye West

August 29

Marcus H. ’25

Rating: 9/10 Favorite Song: “Halley’s Comet” “I was pleasantly surprised. I wasn't a huge fan of the singles she released beforehand (not including “my future,”) but the rest of the album made up for it. It shows the growth of both her discography and self, which adds a different, more special aspect to the album. I personally think it is her weakest album, but in no way does that mean I didn't love it. Her previous album is just nearly impossible to top, and ‘don't smile at me’ will always have a special place in my heart.”

Donnya J. ’23

Rating: 7/10 Favorite Song: “Way 2 Sexy” “I honestly thought it was way better than most of [Drake’s] old albums. I feel like really good new music during the pandemic has been kind of rare, so it’s cool that he hit the mark with this album. I think this album appeals to a wide fan base, too. I haven’t liked a lot of his more recent music, but this is probably the one of the only albums where the entire thing was good.”

Eva S. ’22

Rating: 8.5/10 Favorite Song: “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen it All)” “I really like it! It is definitely a different vibe from her previous albums but her voice and songwriting skills are still amazing. I definitely prefer her past albums to this one, but that is partially due to all the memories I have associated with her 2013 and 2017 albums. I do really like Solar Power though, it is just hard to compare it to Pure Heroine and Melodrama because of how much I love those albums and what they remind me of.”

Clay M. ’23

Rating: 9.5/10 Favorite Song: “Believe What I Say” Not only is the music on Donda extremely good and continues this unifying theme of peace and faith of the ‘new Kanye era,’ but I also think the message behind the album of Kanye working past his grief over his mother’s death is just beautiful. Donda is in the top five of Kanye’s albums of all time. Any other artist, Donda would be in the top three, but with Kanye, he has so many great pieces of work that it is hard to rank it that high.

CULTURE

THE NUEVA CURRENT

Writing Songs About You

What does your favorite Taylor Swift song say about you?

STORY SELIN K. PHOTOS TAYLOR SWIFT

hether you’re at a party or alone in your room crying, everyone has a Taylor Swift song that keeps them going. What’s your jam and what does it say about you?

Our Song

LWYMMD

You take pleasure in novelty. You enjoy meeting new people and participating in new experiences, and are likely a very optimistic and persuasive person.

You’re constantly analyzing situations and future possibilities. Organized, extroverted, and ambitious, you’re a natural leader.

Style

willow

Love Story

You pride yourself in your ability to live in the present, and while you might be a little disorganized, everyone loves your energy. And, as the title suggests, you have immaculate style.

Your artistic talent isn’t limited to a brush and canvas— your sparks of creativity give you inspiration to tell engaging and witty stories. You tend to be warm and passionate in relationships.

If you’re into storybook romances, “Love Story” is probably your favorite song. You have grand aspirations for your life, and your ambition and drive make you magnetic.

Lover

cardigan

You Belong With Me

I Knew You Were Trouble You may have frequent doubts of whether you are making the right choices, and likely have uncannily accurate premonitions. You’re a type A high achiever, meticulous, and thorough in everything you do.

Shake It Off Your never ending energy is constantly bringing you new experiences. Sometimes you can be all over the place, but you can always "Shake It Off". and optimism always keeps you going.

You’re outgoing and observant, especially towards small details. You may have an eye for aesthetics, preferring vibrant pastel colors. You’re deeply emotional, but only open upon when truly comfortable.

Your love for “cardigan” indicates your thoroughness. You enjoy working alone and at your own pace, but everyone loves working with you because of your reliability, and skillful foresight.

Blank Space You are without a doubt a people person. Your extroversion and cunning wit gives you the innate ability to forge friendships with anyone.

You’re a kind, friendly and easygoing person who accepts people for who they are. You might be sensitive to what other people say because you pay attention to every single detail.

Grace’s Culture Corner: glamour, drama, and lawsuits

Looking for a good listen, watch, or read? Here are some recent recommendations to get you hooked. STORY GRACE F. PHOTOS LANA DEL REY, IMDB, NEW YORK TIMES

THE FRENCH DISPATCH (2021)

BLUE BANISTERS BY LANA DEL REY

inger-songwriter Lana Del Rey has had an eventful year, with her seventh studio album Chemtrails over the Country Club (2021) receiving critical acclaim. Del Rey’s eighth album, Blue Banisters, has been teased since the day after Chemtrails’ release. Del Rey’s music is known for its cinematic glamour and melancholic mood, and the four singles which have been released weave her gentle mezzo-soprano voice with lyrical storytelling.

“WHO IS THE BAD ART FRIEND?”

f you’re like me and are too lazy to commit to a full-length novel, long-form journalism may be your solution. This article, written for the New York Times by Robert Kolker, covers the case of Dawn Dorland v. Sonya Larson, and investigates the nuances of what can or cannot be considered plagiarism when it comes to writers taking inspiration from real life sources. The story includes a kidney donation, accusations of plagiarism, writer cliques, and Celeste Ng (author of Little Fires Everywhere, the novel that inspired the Hulu TV drama).

THE NUEVA SCHOOL . 131 E. 28TH AVE., SAN MATEO, CA 94403

ward-winning filmmaker Wes Anderson is back at it with a film that will unconventionally weave characters and stories together. The French Dispatch is an anthology film which embarks on three different plotlines as the French foreign bureau of a fictional newspaper works to publish its final issue. Like Anderson’s other films, The French Dispatch features a starstudded ensemble cast, featuring actors including Timotheé Chalamet, Owen Wilson, and Tilda Swinton. The visual appeal and nuanced plotlines featured in Anderson’s films make The French Dispatch a must-watch.

FEATURES

Meet your new faculty STORY SERENA S.

Yolanda Navarro Rajoy - Spanish

Pearl Bauer English

Penniman was born and raised in a suburb of Tokyo, Japan. After graduating college, she moved to America to achieve her goal of becoming a Japanese language teacher and worked in North Carolina, Indiana, Upstate New York, Monterey, and now, the Bay Area. Penniman has a first-degree black belt, loves walking and hiking in nature, and hopes to explore as much of California as possible.

Navarro Rajoy grew up in Barcelona, Spain, and attended University of Barcelona where she earned a B.A. and received an education degree from School of Waldorf Pedagogy in Madrid. She has taught in many countries including Spain, Brazil, Nepal. Most recently, Navarro Rajoy moved from New York City after 12 years of teaching at the International School of Brooklyn and the Waldorf School of Brooklyn. In her free time, Narvarro Rajoy loves to visit museums and art galleries, spend time with family and friends, and ride her motorcycle. She also enjoys spending time in nature and going on hikes.

Born in Quezon City, Philippines, Bauer moved to New Jersey at nine years old. She graduated with a M.A. from Penn State University and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, biking, practicing yoga and meditation, painting, fermenting foods, playing the piano or the tin while, and getting lost in fictional worlds.

A lot of people have inspired me, but particularly my English teacher at my middle school. He taught us that English is a fun foreign language to learn and enables us to communicate with people in the world. Thanks to his lessons, I was motivated to study English and to be a Japanese language teacher in the United States.

WHAT IS YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE?

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

I listen to different styles of music, one that I particularly like is bossa nova. As much as the music, the language itself makes me happy. It brings back wonderful memories of my time in Brazil and the amazing communities that I spent time with.

My dad was my first hero because he's a self-made man. He started selling candy and cigarettes when he was six in the streets of Manila to help support his family of 7, after his father died of a heart attack. Even though he only made it to 5th grade, he was able to teach himself how to read and write in English, Tagalog, Spanish, and five dialects of Chinese. He also started his own business and was able to move our family to the US to give his kids the educational opportunities that he never had. I also love that he raised four feminists!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE STYLE OF MUSIC?

I try to avoid sweets but in San Mateo, there are so many good/ fancy stores that I cannot resist trying. I have already found Japanese bakery and cheese cake shops in Hillsdale Shopping mall.

WHAT IS YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE?

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE CELEBRITY?

Definitely chocolate. Dark chocolate with coconut or berries.

I'm obsessed with Johnny Flynn, mainly for his song-writing and mindful approach to life.

Sarah Musynski - English

Morgan Snyder I-Lab

Matthew Gill Associate Math

Muszynski grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, and moved to St. Louis for college and, later, Washington D.C. for graduate school. She has previously taught in Indianapolis and Minneapolis and came to the Bay Area around seven years ago where she taught English at Kehillah Jewish High School in Palo Alto. In her free time, she enjoys exploring nature coffee shops, restaurants, museums, and parks with her dog, Pearl.

Snyder was born right outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in engineering and digital media design. She spends much of her time working on projects and making both music and art. She plays trumpet and guitar, will paint anything that she thinks needs more color, and loves to tinker with her 1993 Chevy van.

Gill grew up in Long Beach, California, and attended San Francisco State University where he earned both his undergraduate and M.A. degrees in math. This is his first year teaching at the high-school level but has taught math courses at the university level as a graduate student. In his free time, Gill loves to relax and dress comfortably, while sitting on the couch and binge-watching his favorite series.

WHAT ARE YOUR PET PEEVES? My pet peeve is when people say “lip-sank” as the past tense for “lip-sync.” Call me a word nerd, but while “sank” is the past tense of “sink,” the “sync” in lip-sync is actually an abbreviation for “synchronization” or “synchronize.” The correct past tense is therefore actually “lip-synced”!

WHERE COULD SOMEONE FIND YOU AT A PARTY? I’d either be locating all of the dogs on the premises, spying on the host’s bookshelves or music collection, or having a quieter conversation in a corner with several people away from the hustle and bustle of the party. I’d also probably be scouting out the snacks.

WWW.THENUEVACURRENT.COM

10. 15. 21

As the first month of school passes in a blur, new faces crowd the hallways and classrooms, and among those unfamiliar faces are 11 new faculty members. Here’s the rundown on what you need to know, from their idols and music taste to their guilty pleasures and celebrity crushes.

Yoko Penniman Japanese

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

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VOL. 5 ISS. 1

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FICTIONAL CHARACTER? Nancy Drew and Lyra Belacqua (from The Golden Compass) are my greatest fictional idols. Nancy is my inspiration as a software engineer, for her ability to debug the thorniest mysteries with patience and kindness to those around her. Lyra embodies my inner child and best self; she's brave, bold, curious, and relentlessly questioning the status quo, for the good of humanity.

WHERE COULD SOMEONE FIND YOU AT A PARTY? Talking to another party guest about life, the universe and everything until 5 in the morning. Or making a lot of noise playing music until 5 in the morning.

Amy Hunt Psychology

Christine Mak Biology

Hunt grew up in a small town just outside of Minneapolis. She attended the University of Puget Sound where she studied both English and Psychology. At 25, she started teaching at international schools in four different countries. After moving to the Bay Area, Hunt began teaching yoga for the Nueva middle school, and now teaches psychology at the high school. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, Facetiming her two kids, and playing with her poodles and snowshoe cat.

Originally from LA, Mak dreamed of becoming a teacher from a young age. At Princeton University, she studied Molecular Biology and later received her Masters degree while teaching in New York City. In her free time, Mak enjoys being active and exercising her creativity by hand lettering and scrapbooking. She also had a corgi puppy named Sherlock who you can follow on instagram @sherlock_ the_curious_corgi.

WHO IS YOUR CELEBRITY CRUSH? Anyone who knows me has known for years that the only man for me is Viggo, even my husband, who understands that if I do get the call, I’m out. Recently, though, I have been known to run around the house with my arms out like a plane chanting “he’s here, he’s there, he’s ‘everywhere’: Roy Kent, Roy Kent.” I also love Trevor Noah. Brene Brown has also been my best friend for years, though I don’t think she knows that and might use a different word, like stalker.

WHAT IS YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE? Grey’s Anatomy, especially the ones where Mer does things like stick her hand in a body to hold a bomb, defraud an insurance company, or float in the Puget Sound trying to decide if she should save herself. Also bleak Northern European crime dramas.

WHAT ARE YOUR PET PEEVES? My ultimate pet peeve is people chewing minty gum in an enclosed space like a car or elevator because I really loathe the smell and taste of artificial mint flavoring.

WHO IS YOUR CELEBRITY CRUSH? My first celebrity crush was Julia Roberts because I loved her wide smile and even bigger laugh, her giant curly locks, and of course, her acting. I then moved on to Courteney Cox, or perhaps more specifically Monica from Friends because she funny to other people unintentionally with her neurotic behavior, much like me. My most recent crush is Jodie Comer and her accents and amazing acting abilities, especially her portrayal of Villanelle in Killing Eve. Speaking of crushes, can we name our Nueva crush? Because mine would be Claire and her smiley eyes, posh accent, and joyful demeanor!

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FICITONAL CHARACTER? Uncle Iroh from the Avatar: The Last Airbender show (NOT the movie). Why do I like him the most? If you’ve seen the show, you understand why.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE STYLE OF MUSIC? I usually listen to some classic rock and Queen is my favorite of the genre because Freddie Mercury has INSANE vocals; however, I have been listening to Childish Gambino a lot lately. Embarrassingly, I didn’t know Donald Glover was Childish Gambino for WAY too long! I totally thought they were different people.

Rosalind Bump - Associate Biology Originally from the suburbs of LA, Bump attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she received her B.S. in molecular environmental biology. She’s trained all over the globe including Australia, Germany, and California, and worked in fields of environmental science, epidemiology, tissue regeneration, organogenesis, and more. In her free time, she loves to go on weekend trips with friends, sit in the sunshine at a café and read, buy new plants, and often, she finds herself at Trader Joe’s searching for snacks.

WHERE COULD SOMEONE FIND YOU AT A PARTY? Giving the dog a belly rub, prepping food with the host in the kitchen, or outside on the patio.

WHO INSPIRES YOU? Chanel Miller. [She] created some of the most beautiful and robust work I’ve ever encountered. I’m constantly in awe of her creativity and ability to name subtle experiences. Her work has deeply changed the way I take up space and advocate for those around me. I also love feeling seen by her sketches that chronicle the joys, surprises, and challenging aspects of moving through the world with mixed-race Chinese identity!

FEATURES

THE NUEVA CURRENT

Meet Mochi the therapy dog The San Mateo campus’s newest community member has an important story to tell STORY EMMA Z. PHOTOS CARMEN CHOW

cont. from page 1 Chow, who adopted Mochi when she was just two weeks old and has been working with her for over eight years, feels that Mochi has already made an impact since she first stepped foot onto campus. One way, Chow says, is that Mochi has helped in relieving the general stigma that surrounds counseling. “I think that counseling can seem like a very scary thing sometimes,” Chow said, “but I also think that just Mochi’s presence has made the counseling area more friendly and welcoming, and a little bit less intimidating.” During a counseling session, Mochi has a very important job: lying next to the student, making herself comfortable in their arms and laps, and licking away their tears if they cry. Mochi’s kisses, Chow has noticed, are not only incredibly sweet but can often help to distract a student from their worries, even if for just a moment. Chow attributes Mochi’s soothing and heart warming effects to her “calm energy,” which Mochi was not only born with but has also been developing through years of experience as a therapy dog.

Therapy dogs are trained to use social skills to provide comfort and social-emotional support to a person or environment. UCLA’s People-Animal Connection (PAC), one of the most comprehensive animal-assisted therapy and activity programs in the country, has generated research that shows the animal therapy’s benefits on mental and physical health. PAC’s research shows that petting a therapy animal (typically a dog) promotes the release of serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin— all hormones that can elevate mood, increase mental stimulation, and reduce loneliness. On a more physical level, animals can help lower blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health, regulate and slow rapid breathing in those who are anxious, and even help people relax during exercise. In short, an interaction with therapy animals can act like a catalyst in the therapy process. “Therapy pets are so great because they can create this

really wonderful energy around you,” Chow said. “They’re so in the moment and also very honest, which can make dealing with very complicated human emotions a little less complicated.” Welcoming these canine companions into spaces like classrooms, offices, and hospitals has been a growing trend across the country. Mochi, who has been working with Chow for over eight years, has worked in all three environments. Mochi was certified as a therapy dog when she was two, being enrolled in the University of California San Francisco’s therapy dog program. Once certified, Mochi began her first therapy work at UCSF’s psychiatric department, comforting young kids who visited for therapy, and also worked closely with cancer patients at a nearby hospital’s daycare. As Mochi grew older, Chow noticed that she began to get along better with older kids and teenagers. While Mochi was working with Chow at her private practice in San Francisco, she realized just how impactful Mochi’s presence on a school campus might be. “Some time ago I had a little difficulty connecting with a Nueva middle school student,” Chow said. “But whenever we would talk about animals, I realized that they would open up.” The student, who had a hard time connecting with their peers, also seemed reluctant to speak openly with Chow.

However, Chow began showing photos of Mochi, she noticed that the students’ eyes would spark. So Chow got special permission from Middle School Division Head Karen Tiegel to bring Mochi with her onto campus to connect with the student. “I saw a world of difference,” Chow said. Now, Mochi spends her Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays on the San Mateo campus, while her Wednesdays are dedicated to the Hillsborough campus students. On Fridays she works at Chow’s private practice, and returns home to spend time with her two chihuahua siblings. Chow hopes that more students can stop by or reach out, and Mochi feels the same. When she’s not busy doing her job or trotting around campus, she sits on her couch in Chow’s office waiting for another loving student to pet her neck and feed her treats, ready to brighten their day.

FACT SHEET Mochi loves being pet on her neck, but if she really trusts you, she'll lie on her back and let you rub her belly. (Chow has only seen this twice!)

Piloting a new academic representative role Adrienne P. ’22 builds academic student-based support system Currently, Adrienne is working on being a “student link” to the Parent Association for the annual Book Fair in hopes of involving more students. “It was great to hear the parents express how it would be helpful if there was a designated student on Student Council as the link to help with logistics and get the word out,” said Adrienne, who looks forward to the Book Fair every year since she joined Nueva in third grade. In addition to acting as a voice for students' academic needs, Adrienne, along with Student Life Representative Luca L. ’23, proposed releasing a newsletter once or twice a semester showcasing the scope of academic activities across the Upper School. Including opportunities from both inside and outside of school, Adrienne hopes to provide a streamlined system to inform the entire student body and increase accessibility to these resources. Always buzzing with new ideas, Adrienne is also looking to introduce a buddy program within academic departments, such as English and biology, to connect students with learning opportunities across grades. “If a freshman is interested in economics, we could pair them with

an upperclassman who has taken classes and extracurriculars in that field,” Adrienne said, “not so the underclassmen have to follow that exact path, but so they have a friendly upperclassman face that is another link to the school and their academic interests.” The experimental nature of a pilot role, however, pushes Adrienne to determine which projects and responsibilities are relevant and effective. “The piloting position is just as much about helping kids academically as it is about learning what is going to be helpful and what isn’t,” Adrienne said, encouraging students to reach out with any questions, ideas, and challenges they run into on academic grounds. “The only way to create a successful role is to actually hear from students.” In the long-term, Adrienne hopes the role can be a connector for all students, especially underclassmen and those who are less comfortable asserting their voice. “I envisioned the Academic Rep being just another point of student contact, especially for freshmen,”

Adrienne said, noting the possible intimidating prospect of talking to teachers. “I hope this role can be another student-based support system for that.” As a pilot, Adrienne does not have voting privileges on Student Council. She has hopes that the Academic Rep will be formalized after piloting it for a year. The now-established Arts Representative position, currently held by Lucie Lin ’23, was first piloted by Jason Hwong ’20.

Adrienne P.

THE NUEVA SCHOOL . 131 E. 28TH AVE., SAN MATEO, CA 94403

t was the small instances that drove Adrienne P. ’22 to pilot the new role of the Academic Representative. After speaking with students and faculty the past year, she found a need to help with the everyday challenges of classes and clubs— say, an Invention Studio team is recruiting students with computer science experience to help their team with coding. But how can Middle and Upper School Computer Science Teacher Wes Chao find all students who may be interested, even beyond his classes? That’s where Adrienne comes in. The Academic Representative pilot is designed to be a designated voice for students’ intellectual pursuits, aiming to enrich the academic experience and ensure equal awareness and access to academic opportunities for students. Following in the path of other Student Council roles, the Academic Representative would lead initiatives that advocate for the academic needs of the student body.

STORY ISABELLE S.

FEATURES

VOL. 5 ISS. 1

10. 15. 21

Snapshots of a new school year Students reflect on their return to campus and finding “normalcy” within an ongoing pandemic STORY GRACE F. ILLUSTRATION THALIA R.

INSTAGRAM: @THENUEVACURRENT

WWW.THENUEVACURRENT.COM

aura C. ’23 wasn’t expecting administration and students. to have a big realization “I think there needs to be some while setting up for the sort of recognition that we had a clubs fair. And yet, as she walked really, really emotionally intense around and witnessed smaller, and difficult year,” Lilli said. “The more sporadic interactions—people transition back to this sort of printing things out, scribbling on ‘normal’ isn't easy, and I think [they a whiteboard, setting their table should express] to the student body up—she discovered how much she that we're trying to find that balance missed these essential aspects of an so that we can keep everybody in the in-person school experience. community safe while also making “I hadn't talked to a lot of these sure that we are still living our people in over a year, and it was lives.” nice to see them in person again and Despite potential roadblocks in say, ‘Hey, you grew,’ or, ‘Hey, you the return to in-person school, Lilli changed,’” Laura said. believes that given the isolating Laura is one of the many students nature of the pandemic, mental who have felt a shift in their daily health has already improved— lives. For the first time since something other students echo. March 2020, all four grades have Especially for students new to the returned to campus full-time as one upper school like Charlotte S. ’25, cohort, marking the beginning of a being able to start off high school intransitional period. person has been invaluable for her to Though this “new” model is seen meet new people, forge friendships, as a return to normalcy, the last and overall improve her emotional year spent in limbo had led some and social wellbeing. students to realize how much the “You can't really talk when you're isolation stripped from their lives. in the online class, and it leaves you For others like Nathan L. ’23, it has feeling very alone,” Charlotte said. simply felt like a continuation of pre- “When you're in person, and you're pandemic life. in a class making friendships, it “For me, transitioning back has gives you a sense of community.” been pretty natural,” Nathan said. “I Charlotte had previously attended mean, we've done school normally for the middle school, and found the so many years, I felt like I was just experience of hybrid school to be coming back.” challenging. She experienced stricter However, Nathan also mentioned regulation of COVID protocols and how the tissues, wipes, and hand sanitizer that crowd classroom desks are a reminder that “we’re still in the thick of things” and that the pandemic is far from over. The contrast that Nathan acknowledges between “normalcy” and COVID health and safety precautions has been a prominent topic of discussion for many other students, like Lilli G. ’25. “It's impossible in a high school to completely ensure that everybody's masking properly, but the culture that Nueva has built is really good around taking appropriate precautions,” Lilli said. a requirement to remain on Zoom Having parents who work in despite being on campus. public health, Lilli sees COVID “Even when we were on Zoom in safety as a priority and feels that the classroom, I felt like I was just discussing precautions should be sitting at 6565 Skyline Boulevard an open conversation between the

“I feel like that [separation] highlighted how it's the interaction with people that makes you feel that closeness, not just being next to them.”

instead of my house,” Charlotte said. In addition to the social interactions, the Nueva community has seen a return of its academic culture. For Samara B. ’24, one of the biggest changes from remote to in-person was being able to interact and form relationships with her teachers. “You have to get accustomed to teachers' styles, how they give feedback, how they lecture, and what kind of notes they want you to take,” Samara said about her in-person experience. “I feel like that's really hard to pick up on online, so I've been really excited to get to know all of the teachers I have this semester.” Many nuances of in-person school, such as discussions and tutorial, had been halted during the pandemic. However, being back in a classroom has reminded Samara of how much she appreciates being able to speak to teachers in passing and without the barrier of online communication. “It's a lot easier for me to reach out to teachers now, since I really struggled with that,” Samara said. “[Last year] I had to send an email to just schedule tutorial, and it kind of sent me to a downhill spiral, so it’s just so helpful to be able to be like, ‘oh yeah, I'll just like stop by for half a minute or something.’” In addition to enjoying renewed and more frequent communication with teachers, students have also relished collaborating with each other with the return of extracurricular activities. Pascal D. ’22 finds that being able to work on robotics with his teammates has improved both his experience and the quality of his work. “Obviously, we can't really build stuff virtually, and by the end of last year, we were down to two people,” Pascal said. “So it's great that we're able to be back in the I-Lab and recruit people. We have quite a few new freshmen, and we're able to see what's changed, see what's the same, and start getting ready for a new season of robotics.” And yet, despite the refreshing sense of normalcy, the question of whether or not school has truly returned to normal still plagues students. “Earlier this summer felt like there was so much hope with vaccines, like we could do whatever we want,” Samara said. “But I feel

like there's a lot of between the right then back to squar Though doubts in students’ minds that the upper sch trajectory to norm “I think we're m direction,” Pascal s bit anxious about h plays out as we mo and whether that another spike back hoping that vaccin creeping up are su that. I mean, I full fully back to norm I think adapting fr back into more nor a great first step, e feels a little bit ab Although news Delta variant, as w test notifications w school community, more concern, Nue emphasis on the im growing through t community. “I think Nueva’s as a community,’ [ nice to have,” Laur helped uplift every move forward inst place.”

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FEATURES

f swinging of hope direction, and re one.” continue to linger s, Pascal believes hool is back on the malcy. moving in the right said. “I'm a little how seasonality ove into winter, means we'll see k up. But I'm ne rates slowly ufficient to deter ly expect turning mal to be slow. But rom virtual things rmal situations is even if it means it bnormal for a year.” concerning the well as positive within the , could stir up eva has placed mportance of this experience as a

s, ‘we can do this [message] is really ra said. “It’s really yone to try and tead of staying in

THE NUEVA SCHOOL . 131 E. 28TH AVE., SAN MATEO, CA 94403

FEATURES

VOL. 5 ISS. 1

Mental health and cultural identity podcast created by senior

REAL TALK When Fiona T. ran for the Equity and Social Justice representative position on the Student Council last year, creating this podcast was one of the initiatives she shared.

I think that the gift of a podcast is that it may feel very vulnerable to share your story, but that vulnerability is so empowering because you can really find your voice through sharing how you see the world.

Unraveled. She started the podcast as a way to create a space where people can talk through their thoughts and feelings about how identity has shaped lived experiences and interactions with the world. Identity Unraveled, accessible on Spotify, iTunes, and podcast streaming sites, can be listened to in the car on your commute to Nueva's San Mateo campus, or in Fiona’s goal, study and expand your understanding of identity whilst in the comfort of your own home. Tying in current political events and their specific effect on Nueva’s community, the podcast not only attempts to give a voice to the students, faculty, and teachers, but to expand the listener’s understanding of cultural identity, mental health, and lived experiences. So far there are three episodes of Identity Unraveled: the first is an introduction to the podcast, while the next two cover Asian Americans’ belonging within America and Muslim representation within Western society. Unlike the introductory episode, the other two feature students, all with cultural backgrounds and identities tying into the discussed topics.

STORY AARON H. PHOTOS FIONA T.

“Cultural identity and lived experiences are the seeds in every person and the blueprint for who those people become. Understanding such lived experiences is vital to make the world a better place,” Fiona said. Through empathy, shared experiences, and open discourse, Identity Unraveled shines a light into the voices within our community, but also wider events within our world. “I hope that this podcast brings up new questions and ideas that you have yet to explore,” Fiona said.“Hopefully these stories have the power to change the way you see the world, whether that is inspiring you to start a conversation with someone around you, actively going out and creating change, empathizing more with the lived experiences of others, or bringing about new relationships over shared experiences you never knew you had with the people in our community.” The next episode of Identity Unraveled will feature class of 2021 alumni Emma Leschley and Ana Iyer on the topic of embracing mental health, available on all streaming platforms within the next two weeks.

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iona T. ’22 knows what imposter syndrome feels like. She remembers her dad driving her in his pickup truck to drop her off at friends’ houses in affluent neighborhoods, and feeling self-conscious because she could see, by their pickup truck, by the things her parents did for a living, that her life was more similar to the gardeners and housekeepers than her classmates who lived in those neighborhoods. “I was an outsider of my school community, both socially and academically,” Fiona recalls, noting the dichotomy between being Chinese and American in the first episode of her new podcast, Identity Unraveled. The new podcast Identity Unraveled, hosted and created by Fiona, explores the vast cultural identities within our community and how they mold our interactions with the world around us. “I think that the gift of a podcast is that it may feel very vulnerable to share your story, but that vulnerability is so empowering because you can really find your voice through sharing how you see the world,” Fiona explains in the first episode of her podcast, Identity

The Michelle Obama Podcast features the former First Lady diving deep into conversations with loved ones—family, friends, and colleagues—on the relationships in our lives that make us who we are.

FIONA'S

Analyzing the music, lyrics, and meaning of one album per season, one song per episode. Join host Cole Cuchna as he dives deep into albums by Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce, Frank Ocean, Childish Gambino, and more. Let's Dissect.

Podcast Recs

Join researcher and #1 New York Times best-selling author Brené Brown as she unpacks and explores the ideas, stories, experiences, books, films, and music that reflect the universal experiences of being human, from the bravest moments to the most brokenhearted.

10. 15. 21

What's CODE SWITCH? It's the fearless conversations about race that you've been waiting for. Hosted by journalists of color, our podcast tackles the subject of race with empathy and humor. We explore how race affects every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, food and everything in between. This podcast makes all of us part of the conversation — because we're all part of the story.

THE NUEVA CURRENT

The world as her oyster

FEATURES

After traveling the world, new upper school psychology teacher Amy Hunt settles down in California STORY SERENA S. PHOTOS AMY HUNT

s airports were silenced and airplane doors were indefinitely shut, feelings of regret flooded many who wished they traveled more before the pandemic. For new Upper School Psychology Teacher Amy Hunt, however, she had just settled down in California for the first time after having lived all over the world in Africa, Brazil, Spain, and most recently, Belgium. Growing up in Minnesota, Hunt often felt that she was missing out on all the excitement happening outside her hometown of Wayzata. As the third girl in her family with two working parents, young Hunt found comfort in stories to pass the time. “I was making my little worlds with all my little animals and creatures,” Hunt said. “I did a lot of pretend play because where I really wanted to live was in these imaginative worlds.” In high school, though, Hunt’s childhood flights of fancy were buried under academics and athletics, and she recalled how “it wasn’t until college that I came back to how I had been as a little kid.” Hunt attended University of Puget Sound where she studied as a biology major to be a veterinarian. But later, she truly realized her passion lay in stories and the power of storytelling. “I rethought everything all of a sudden, and it was really hard, but I ended up dropping my biology major and going into English with no idea of what I wanted to do in the world,” Hunt said. She graduated with a double major in English and psychology. The latter discipline combined her love for biological explanations with her love of story and imagination.

jobs with her lack of experience. With no future prospects or clear direction of what path to take, Hunt took a job at an outdoor education company in Boston—an experience that revealed to her how much kids can do when they take charge of their own learning. “They always had amazing ideas. That really transformed the way that I thought,” Hunt said. “So from that moment on, I was always much more of an inquiry-based and project-based learning teacher.” Although, while trekking through the woods and leading groups of kids through Boston Harbor provided additional clarity about her future plans, her burning desire to “live some more” remained. Unlike the typical scenes accompanying the thought of wanting to live more like spontaneous parties or late night dinners, Hunt’s desire meant uprooting her life and moving from Seattle to East Africa. After attending an international schools fair, Hunt was unexpectedly hired by one of the older International Baccalaureate (IB) schools in Ethiopia not because of her teaching qualifications but rather because of her proficiency in tennis. “I was in the lunch line on the last day and [the school director] goes, you don't play tennis, do you? And I was like, I do. Actually I played college tennis. It turns out this guy was a super competitive tennis player and he played all these tournaments in East Africa but he had never won the mixed doubles so he wanted a partner,” Hunt said. “It was just so stupid and there was probably someone better for the job, but, I got in.” Even when the government fell

Then came the question of what to do next. She thought about becoming a writer, but when she stared at an empty page, she was met with empty thoughts. “I didn’t have anything burning to say, so I thought maybe I just needed to live some more and then I would have something to write about,” Hunt admitted. Hunt earned her master’s degree in teaching but struggled finding

in Ethiopia, Hunt’s enchantment with teaching and the independent international schools program sent her to Rio, Brazil at age 28, where she continued to teach high school English as well as psychology. To her journey, she added starting a new epistemology class called theory of knowledge, along with a partner and three children. Barcelona, Spain was the next destination, followed by São Paulo,

and Brussels—where she started the school’s first IB psychology program—before making her way back to the United States. “You can't even imagine how amazing it was to be with kids from places that I wasn't familiar with at all,” Hunt said. In every country, she was stunned by the minds of her high school students, who further propelled her to keep teaching. “I really love how confused adolescents are because [they] lead to really good discussion; everyone’s trying to figure out what the heck is going on,” Hunt said. “I feel like adults get so settled and so busy with their routines, they forget to ask, ‘what is going on anyway?’” Unpredictability was at the heart

therapy degree because of her fascination with the mind and body’s interconnected relationship and how they influence each other. After the chaos that the 2020 year brought, Hunt began working at Nueva. Currently, she teaches the after school yoga program in hopes that “more people will have the ability to use their body as a resource to keep themselves on track.” More known, Hunt now teaches the first psychology elective offered in three years—and it has been an extremely high demand course. She hopes to equip her

"I feel like adults get so settled and so busy with their routines, they forget to ask, 'what is going on anyway?'" Amy Hunt, Upper School Psychology and Yoga Teacher of Hunt’s own routine. She described herself as “a free spirit out in the world,” but California was definitely not in the cards. With her eyes set on Tanzania, Mumbai, Singapore, Tokyo, or anywhere really but the States; when her partner initially mentioned Nueva as a teaching possibility, Hunt was not intrigued. “[The United States] was the last place I wanted to go, especially because when you see so much of the world and see the US through the lens of Northern Europe, it looks like a crazy play,” Hunt said. Nonetheless, Nueva’s uniquely innovative project-based learning and emphasis on social-emotional acuity drew her in. “I was like, ‘oh, that seems like the kind of school that would always have been right for me, because I never want to fit into only one box,’” Hunt said. However, Hunt’s arrival to the Bay Area was perfectly timed with the start of a pandemic, which led to a year on pause. She made use of the [unhurried] year by settling in, spending quality time with nature, reading lots of articles and fictional novels, and practicing yoga and other mindfulness movements. Before making the overseas move, Hunt earned a movement based

Hunt standing in a small town outside of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

students with the foundation of the discipline and help them paint connections to other courses. “You know about concepts from bio, and you know about certain ideas from economics, but what would [they] look like as psychological question[s]? How would psychology answer that? And what are the limits?” Hunt questioned. A common byproduct of psychology, while not the primary goal of Hunt’s teaching, is helping students make sense of their own chaotic experiences, a phenomenon Hunt experienced when she first took a psychology course in college. “It gave me some structures to think about my own behavior and about others’ behaviors, and it just made everything make a lot more sense in my life,” Hunt said. Though the future of Hunt’s life and potential bucket list travels remain unknown, she is excited to embark on her journey as a Nueva psychology teacher and yoga instructor, and immerse herself in the wonders of the West Coast until her next adventure calls.

THE NUEVA SCHOOL . 131 E. 28TH AVE., SAN MATEO, CA 94403

Hunt and her husband at a sushi resturant in 1990, when the two were living in Rio de Janeiro and began to uncover their love for Japanese cuisine.

Hunt on a hike above Lake Tana in Ethopia, which is the source of the Blue Nile.

FEATURES

VOL. 5 ISS. 1

Alumni opt for gap year to avoid another remote year How has COVID-19 impacted the gap year? From backpacking in the Swiss Alps to strangling snakes in the bayous of New Orleans, the opportunities for gap years are endless. Especially because of the pandemic, more and more students have recently decided to pursue gap years. Isabel Chambers ’20’s senior year was disrupted in March of 2020 due to COVID-19, and finished unconventionally with a drive-through graduation ceremony. It was not the way she had envisioned her senior year to end or how her college experience would begin, and she had not considered taking a gap year. But when pandemic conditions were not improving, and as Californians continued sheltering at home during the summer of 2020, Chamber’s parents encouraged her to reconsider taking a gap year because paying tuition for an online year seemed unreasonable. “I would miss out on the college experience my freshman year, because even if I was on campus, there were so many restrictions and rules that it was very hard to be social,” Chambers said. Chambers decided to wait until fall of 2021 to begin her freshman year at Boston University. While at home, she seized the opportunity to get involved with projects and

Finding their voice These musicians have a drive for creating and a hope to inspire STORY GRACE F.

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Hannah D. ’23 Hannah D. ’23 was first inspired to write songs after seeing Grace Vanderwaal’s winning performance on America’s Got Talent in 2016. “I saw her and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I can be a child, but also write songs,’” Hannah said. “The first official song I wrote that I ever played in front of anyone was this apology note to my friends and family. I wrote this note via song that was like, ‘Hey, I'm sorry I caused you stress. I didn't mean to, here's me strumming on a ukulele in the most basic four chord pattern I could possibly come up with, with ambiguous but not totally ambiguous lyrics.’” Hannah has an extensive musical background, starting off with piano lessons at a young age. Since then, she has participated in musical theater, taken voice lessons, and picked up more instruments such as the guitar and ukulele. Her previous training and devotion to musicality is shown through the dedication she puts into her songs.

STORY ROAN W. ART FREEPIK

activities—such as volunteering—that she missed during high school because of her busy schedule. During her gap year, Chambers worked briefly for the Biden campaign in October and November by text banking. Each day, Chambers sent around 300 messages to voters around the country to ensure they were ready, registered, and planning to vote in the upcoming election. After the election, she worked with other organizations, such as Second Harvest Food Bank, by helping with a weekly food drive. Later, she partnered with Meaningful Teens, a nonprofit organization providing volunteering opportunities to American teens to tutor other students in reading comprehension. Chambers also tutored students in Japanese, learned Italian, and got her driver's license. “The gap year allowed me to explore new interests and try things out to see if I liked them,” Chambers said. “I was also able to reflect on my high school self and figure out how I wanted to represent myself in college. I could think about what I wanted to study, and check out other areas of study I hadn't considered previously. I was able to find myself a bit before I started on the journey of college, and I really don't regret taking a year off.” According to the BBC, a study in April 2020 determined that 17 percent of college students in the United States changed their college plans because of COVID-19. Of those students,16 percent wanted to take a

“I do my guitar tracks, possibly a piano track, if I'm feeling frisky, maybe two guitar tracks, some humming, and then I sing the main vocals. Then I add 36 layers of harmony,” Hannah said. “I'll do some riffs and runs on top if I'm feeling extra special, and then put in violins, cellos, bass, and some random noises in the background to tempt God.” Hannah hopes her music can resonate with other people, like her song “College Application Orphan,” written about the experience as the younger child during an older sibling’s college application process. “I hope other people hear them and know they aren't alone,” Hannah said. “The songs are so cathartic to write, and if my catharsis is benefiting someone else, that's okay for me.”

Owen Y. '24 For Owen Y, ’24, music has become more than a project of personal passion. Owen has found songwriting to not only be a creative outlet, but also an avenue where he can express his emotions. “I decided to start channeling my emotions into writing songs. And that actually inspired me more because I was really motivated in the heat of the moment,” Owen said. “And so that really allowed me to release the emotions, and then also create a work of art in the process.” Owen started piano lessons at four years old, and started singing in choir in first grade. This longlasting passion for music had inspired Owen to start making his own songs with GarageBand on his iPad at a young age. “I was mostly just creating for the

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gap year. Within the 16 percent was Zoe Quake ’20, another Nueva alumna. Like Chambers, the pandemic solidified Quake’s gap year plans. “Knowing that college was going to be completely online… helped push me [to take a gap year],” said Quake, who shared that online classes are not the best way that she learns. Ultimately, Quake volunteered as an English teacher for an organization involved in the refugee crisis. She also worked for a public health NGO and completed lab work. Before starting at Stanford University this fall, she also learned to cook, spent time with family, and traveled to Greece. Alumna Shalin Zarboulas ’21 also decided to pursue a gap year before college. “[COVID] didn’t really affect my decision, but now that I’ve decided, I’m realizing that it could be good because everything’s still being figured out,” said Zarboulas, who cited uncertainties about the Delta variant, booster shots, and friends contracting the virus. She will be attending the University of Michigan in fall 2022, and she plans to work and travel during her gap year. She plans to take an internship at a young startup that appeals to some of her interests, including entrepreneurship, fashion, and design. “I’ve never worked full time,” Zarboulas said. “So this is teaching me what it is to be an adult.” More often than not, students take gap years to discover what they want to do, and to try to find themselves. Based on statistics from the Gap Year Association, 60 percent of gap year students said that their free year helped them decide their major and realize their future career direction. The Gap Year Association also stated that roughly 60 percent of gap year students come back to school with a more serious attitude towards academics. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the number of students deferring their enrollment has risen as well. At Harvard, 20 percent of their 2020 students decided to take a gap year in order to bypass the uncertain year encumbered by the health and safety restrictions. In fact, according to educationdata.org, 60 percent of students expressed that remote learning was worse than in-person classes. As Zarboulas said: “You’re still going to get all four years of college… It’s not like you’re missing out on a year.”

sake of creation,” Owen said. “I would just write songs about whatever was on my mind.” Although Owen had been writing songs for years prior, his 8th Grade Recital Project of writing a musical had been what pushed him over the threshold of performing and releasing music. Owen has now started recording his own music, and releasing it to platforms such as YouTube and Spotify. Through writing and releasing songs, Owen has found that he’s been able to channel his own emotions into art that reaches others. “I feel like the most powerful thing that I hear about my music is when people say that they relate to it,” Owen said. “I'm just trying to convey a certain emotion or certain thought in songs, so hearing that people can actually relate to the songs, and that they also can understand the emotions behind them is really great.”

Lael S. '23 Lael S. ’23 grew up with music as an ever-present aspect of her life. Having a musician as a father, Lael had not only been surrounded by music creation, but was also inspired through her own background in piano, guitar, and singing. For Lael, songwriting is the perfect

amalgam of her passion for writing and her musical talent, and she has found that simply creating helps her relieve creative blocks. “Sometimes I'll use a random word generator and just write as much as I can, like a bunch of random little snippets of songs,” Lael said. “For me, writer's block isn't that I can't come up with anything. I can come up with stuff, but I always end up listening to it and hating it. But I just try and write a full song, and then I can eventually overcome it.” Lael finds inspiration in anything and everything in her life, from the people she interacts with to holding a funeral for a ladybug. She also finds pouring her emotions into her art to be a healing experience. “Music is one of the biggest things for me and my mental health,” Lael said. “Anytime I'm overwhelmed or have something on my mind, it's really helpful to write a song about it to get it out, which is part of why I like writing music so much.” Lael hopes her music can not only be cathartic to herself, but others as well. Rather than trying to appeal to a niche audience, Lael aims to resonate with anyone in a unique way. “Art is all about how it's perceived,” Lael said. “I hope people use [mine] however they need to. If they need something comforting, then hopefully they'll find comfort in my music.”

OPINION

THE NUEVA CURRENT

Your path doesn’t have to be linear Multivariable calculus and linear algebra aren’t your only two options at Nueva STORY MAYA A., GUEST WRITER PHOTO RACHEL FREEMAN

o you've taken calculus. Now what? Multi or linalg, right? That’s what everyone does. You could even take both, if you’re really extra. Or you could try something else. This year, the course catalog offered eleven math electives across both sections, and only two of them had prerequisites higher than calculus. In mathematical modeling, you could figure out how to schedule boats in the Suez Canal. In differential equations, you could write about whether we can exactly predict the future if we perfectly understand the present. And in statistics, you can learn about how the world works from a completely different perspective from the usual deterministic way we view the world. So why are you just deciding between multi or linalg? You want to apply it to whatever it is you want to study? Actually, statistics is almost certainly much more applicable to your field of study than either multi or linalg. The standard techniques of multi are

mostly only applicable to physics and computer science, which, as a physics student, I’ve found super useful, but I can’t imagine that, without partial differential equations, multi will help you too much in other disciplines. And while linalg does have a lot of important applications, Jana Comstock focuses more on the beauty of the subject than its applications to other fields, like she does in most of her classes. The textbook, “Linear Algebra Done Right” by Sheldon Axler, also doesn’t cover applications in detail. (Or, like, at all). So while linear algebra is a great stepping stone to higher level math classes, because it focuses a lot on proofwriting and rigor, and it’s also a really fun class, I wouldn’t take it with the intention to apply it to other fields. Besides, a lot of the linear algebra that is applicable to other fields, like matrix multiplication and determinants, you learn in math 3 and actually hardly cover in linalg. A lot of people take multi because they liked calculus. But I would consider exactly why you liked calculus, and decide based on that. Did you like learning new theorems

and ideas and studying proofs? Then take linalg, or another Janataught class, where you would learn how to write elegant and rigorous proofs (if you’re me, written on pink backgrounds). Did you like calculating derivatives, integrals and limits? Then you should absolutely take multi, or maybe diffeq. Did you like using calculus to model different problems? Well that’s exactly what Kathy Paur’s mathematical modeling is for— taking the math you already know and applying it to the world around you. If you walk into multi expecting to write more epsilon-delta proofs, you’ll be sorely disappointed. But if you hope to learn about higher dimensions and new calculation techniques, then you’re in the right place. Look, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t take multi or linalg. They’re both great classes that I really liked. You just shouldn’t feel confined to the usual two classes that everyone takes. You should really consider what you’re interested in, and explore the full spectrum of what Nueva math has to offer.

The terrifying reality of sexual assualt on college campuses

t’s finally fall, which means that I, like many high school seniors, am completely stressed out about all the different college options. However, I do have a shortlist of colleges that I won’t be applying to. In the past few years, I have become more aware of the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault. For many teenagers, especially male presenting teenagers, it’s likely not a factor of their college application process. But for me, being both female-presenting and bisexual, it’s very much part of my college search. According to a 2016 study published in the scientific journal Violence and Gender, on college campuses one in every four hetereosexual woman is a victim of sexual assult, which is the same as gay and bisexual men. Another study by the Association of Amerian Universities (AAU) shows that gender-queer individuals have a 1 in 5 ratio of being sexually assulted as well. However, bisexual women are the most likely targets of sexual assult, with almost 2 in every 5 individuals (40%) being a victim of

sexual assult. As I research colleges, that statistic and others like it loom over my head. While I search up ACT scores, I also look up how a school is rated for campus safety. Fifty-four percent of sexual violence happens to people aged 18-34. I check their website, and I double-check it to see if they offer any information about how they handle campus safety. Thirty-three percent of women who are raped contemplate suicide. Thirteen percent of women who are raped attempt suicide. These numbers ring in my head over and over again whenever I think about college. I used to think that I would love to attend Yale University. But then I read about how, in 2010, Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) marched pledges to the Yale Women’s Center, where they proceeded to yell sexual comments and slurs that I am not allowed to repeat here. In response, the fraternity received a five-year ban, after which they resumed business as usual—and according to reports by fellow

STORY CLAIRE D. ILLUSTRATION RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY

students, the environment hasn’t changed. According to the New York Times, even in Yale’s own Report of Complaints of Sexual Misconduct there were no cases reported where the school gave lasting or severe punishments to the perpetrators. This is in part because most of the cases went through an informal channel rather than a formal one by choice of the victim. While this seems odd, it lines up with how the most common reason why people don’t report is because they didn’t consider the issue serious enough to report, as found/ shared by the AAU. Other reasons female college students cited included embarrassment, shame, and the worry that the school wouldn’t do anything.I can’t in good conscience consider attending a school that doesn’t impose strict consequences for sexual assault. Yale is just one example of a college that doesn’t handle sexual assault and harassment properly. So for all my fellow current and future college applicants, make sure you stay safe and informed when you apply.

Five things we should all be doing STORY JACK P.

I have been at school for about six weeks, and it's been a relief to see that we haven't seen transmission of COVID-19 on campus. While school administrators and the health office have put in place various guidelines—masking, weekly testing, social distancing—I still see some areas where we can all improve. A few reminders for the student body:

Sanitize and wash your hands, especially before and after eating, after using the bathroom, and after coming in contact with any potentially unsanitary things such as door handles, tabletops, and even other students' phones or computers. A study done at the University of Arizona showed that just a single doorknob can spread germs throughout hotels, hospitals, and workplaces within hours.

Wear a mask as much as possible! The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that we wear a multi-layer mask since single layer cloth masks were proven to be less effective against spreading the virus. There have been multiple students around the campus wearing single layer masks, so if you are able to, please try and bring a multi-layer surgical or cloth mask to school with you and wear it throughout the day. Consider wearing a single layer face mask over a surgical mask if you don't like the look of surgical masks.

Try not to touch your face unless you have just washed your hands. The transference of germs is a leading cause of infections, including the highly contagious covid-19. Everyone has been good about not touching their faces, but still try and remember next time you're about to touch your face, that it could possibly cause multiple infections and illnesses.

At lunch, I’ve been astonished at just how many people freely share food and drink. Students are inserting their hands into the same bags and containers and sharing drinks. If you are going to share food, try and do it in a COVID-safe way. Try not to drink or eat out of the same containers as others; instead, pour the drink or food into a different container for them to use.

Make sure that the fans are on and circulating the air in your classroom. I’ve walked into classrooms where the fans aren’t in use, but it’s a good idea to get them moving. It's also a good idea to open the windows to increase airflow. In my chemistry class, the windows are always open and the fans are always turned on—something I really appreciate because it can help reduce the number of virus particles in the air.

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Why colleges need to prioritize sexual assault prevention

OPINION

Reintroducing excessive COVID precautions would jeopardize learning and mental wellbeing The debate on why urging for former COVID-19 precautions is detrimental to student life.

STUDENT STANDOFF

STORY NATALIE L. PHOTO CHRISTINE Z. '24

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owadays, a typical day at school would be spent filling out a health questionnaire, pulling up my mask, walking through the lively hallways, laughing with my friends at lunch, and working through a chemistry experiment with my partner. These are our lives now, almost back to normal. Just as things were feeling impossibly dark and hopeless, we've reached it—the light at the end of the tunnel. I can't help but feel anxious when I overhear conversations about whether Nueva should switch to hybrid learning or bring back social distancing hula-hoops at lunch time. The alarmists at school even urge us to resort to the extremes, wanting to take three steps back when things are finally starting to inch forward. Emerging cases of COVID-19 have caused turmoil regarding how we should balance protecting physical health and student learning and mental wellbeing. Inevitably, the question is raised: Are we doing enough to keep our students safe in this pandemic? Nueva has been, and will

SENIOR SUNRISE Seniors welcome students back on campus with big smiles and delicious donuts on the first day of school.

continue, doing an exceptional job with keeping our school’s safety in its best interest. I believe that we should trust in our school administration to work with the San Mateo county to make the right decisions with our community; even if that means supporting their recent decisions to cut back on certain COVID precautions. With a 98 percent vaccination rate (according to the Aug. 29 schoolwide email from Lillian Howard, Interim Upper School Division Head), weekly COVID testing for all students, mandated mask-wearing, daily pre-checkin health questionnaires, and ventilation in all spaces, the odds of

VOL. 5 ISS. 1

Campus Stats:

98% 2.1

vaccination rate

a serious COVID outbreak is low for both vaccinated and unvaccinated community members. However, several COVID cases have squeezed it’s way into our upper school community. Lee Fertig, Head of School, writes in an schoolwide email on Sept. 9, that “[B] ased on our consultation with San Mateo County Health (SMCH) and these community members, these cases don’t appear to be the result of onsite transmission or the previously reported cases.” Fertig expands on this in a recent interview, “We look at Case A and we look at Case B, and we see if they had an interaction that kind of meets the threshold of close contact according to the county... They have to be within 6 feet of the person for 15 minutes or more.” He continues “So, only if we know that somebody had that kind of close contact interaction with a positive case and also develop as a case themselves would we think about considering that they are related.” There have been no instances of this at all, actively proving that all we are doing is effective in preventing on-campus transmission. Last year, the Nueva way of community and exploration had to be put on hold, but with our current reassuring statistics on high vaccination rates and scarce breakthrough cases, we can now stay safe while also continuing with our lives. It is true that if we were to reintroduce previous COVID-19 precautions, we would most likely not reach the extremities of returning onto zoom. However, at the end of last school year, even when we went back onto campus full time, it was difficult for me to believe that we were heading towards normality. Students had small cohorts, extremely strict social distancing rules, no athletics, and hardly any social events. Even though I wasn’t alone in my room doing school on a laptop, the lack of vibrancy, as Fertig put it, and stringency of it all made school feel uncomfortable and almost intimidating. My learning felt all around compromised and my intellectual vitality suffered greatly. In this new school year, it is time for us to confidently move forward in unity. We must not sabotage our learning and growth by bringing back excessive COVID precautions that inhibit the next generation of great minds.

cases per week on average, with a total of 15 so far

STORY GRACE F.

s we embarked on this new school year, the world finally started feeling normal. Apart from masked faces and weekly testing, the panic around COVID-19 is finally starting to feel like a thing of the past. However, sporadic positive cases and policy debates have shown that this”‘normalcy” is premature. With a format that prioritizes a return to normal over being as safe as possible, those like myself are feeling higher anxiety around the pandemic. Despite the fact that Nueva has prioritized safety this year, the efforts just haven’t been enough, as proven by weekly waves of positive cases. The slower test turnaround has

Even if community members themselves are lowrisk, the anxiety around contracting and spreading the virus can chip away at wellbeing, making school a more stressful experience for those who have been more conservative regarding COVID. made it possible to transmit at school even after testing positive. Although the Upper School itself isn’t at that high of a risk with a 98 percent vaccination rate, multiple staff members work at both campuses and interact with younger unvaccinated

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Nueva needs to introduce stricter COVID precautions In the wake of the new year, we’ve seen the school prioritizing “normalcy” over being as safe as possible, making it evident that we need to pay more attention to the very pandemic that separated us. community members. With the slow test turnaround with regards to receiving results after up to four days, it is still possible for students who test positive to further spread before getting their results. In addition, the return to an individualized schedule without cohorts has made it so that contact tracing is difficult. Although we haven’t had too many positive cases, a lack of stricter reinforcement may lead to even more relaxation on precautions from both a student and administrative perspective. I do agree that being able to learn in person is extremely valuable to students’ wellbeing and mental health, and I don’t want to dismiss the adverse effects on wellness that being in isolation can produce. However, the school reinforcing slightly stricter protocol is not equivalent to isolation. At a school where mental health is a priority, this is an extremely important distinction to make, as students’ daily lives wouldn’t be too greatly affected by sitting in a hula hoop or needing to test more frequently. Although some actions may be inadvisable, students can still technically do whatever they want outside of school in their own free will. Even if community members themselves are low-risk, the anxiety around contracting and spreading the virus can chip away at well-being, making school a more stressful experience for those who have been more conservative regarding COVID. It’s extremely important to listen to both perspectives and find a balance that weighs mental health and safety as equally important priorities, and I can only hope that discussing this issue can help our community come to a happy medium.

THE NUEVA CURRENT

ENTERTAINMENT

Crossword Puzzle

MASTHEAD

BY SERENA S.

THE NUEVA CURRENT

Student Newspaper of The Nueva School EDITORIAL TEAM Editor-in-Chief Anouschka B. ’22 Design and Social Media Editor Emma Z. ’23 News Editor Isabelle S. ’23 Opinion Editor Anisha K. ’22 Culture Editor Grace F. '23 Features Editor Ellie K. ’24 Entertainment and Sports Editor Serena S. ’23 Faculty Advisor LiAnn Yim

DOWN

2. Animal with four knees 4. Charlie Brown's fathers profession 6. Surgery room 8. Styrofoam bullets 10. "It's in the game" 12. Sb 14. NCAAF 2019 champions 16. Boston's liberty tree 18. 256 for every gallon 20. Candy from the German word for peppermint 22. Fire sign 24. "Empty orchestra" in Japanese 26. Worth one or eleven 27. "The future of awesome"

Comic "Upperclassmen During Flex Block"

ACROSS

BY ANISHA K.

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. The opinions expressed in The Nueva Current belong solely to the writers and are not a reflection or representation of the opinions of the school or administrators. 500 print copies are distributed for free to students and faculty members in all three of Nueva’s divisions. The Nueva Current is a member of the NSPA.

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR SUBMISSIONS?

We welcome your voices. We accept photographs, illustrations, articles, and other pieces of work. Please email us at thenuevacurrent@nuevaschool.org.

STAY CONNECTED www.thenuevacurrent.com Instagram: @thenuevacurrent Twitter: @thenuevacurrent 131 E. 28th Ave. San Mateo, CA 94403

THE NUEVA SCHOOL . 131 E. 28TH AVE., SAN MATEO, CA 94403

1. Breakfast at 3. Encore 5. Natural sweetener 7. 51 9. First digit 11. Common insect repellent 12. Plastic shoelace end 13. Synonym for quench, satisfy, gratify 15. In the deer family 17. A large expanse 19. Acorn plant 21. A position or viewpoint 23. Prefix meaning new 25. Value minus "tance"

STAFF Josie B. ’25 Claire D. ’22 Aaron H. ’24 Selin K. ’24 Natalie L. ’25 Amiya M. ’25 Jack P. ’25 Sam T. ’22 Roan W. ’24 Isabella X. ’24

ENTERTAINMENT

Current favorite show?

GILMORE GIRLS

Meera W. ’22

ALICE IN BORDERLAND

Marcus H. '25

Back to school essential?

Favorite spot on campus?

Lael S. ’23: “Earbuds, because when I’m on the train I listen to music, and when I’m doing homework I listen to music, and all the time I listen to music. It makes me happy, unlike homework, so it cancels out the unhappiness of the homework.”

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LIMITLESS

Winston L. '23

Mia G. ’23: “The pizza, specifically the pizza bread. Or the vegetarian lasagna— weirdly enough, it was like the best spinach I’ve ever had in my entire life.” Mei Mei L. ’24: “Chickenless patties, obviously.”

Sarah W. ’22: “New mechanical pencils that I will inevitably lose in a week.”

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WILL & GRACE

Best Nueva lunch?

Juliet S. ’23: “English breakfast tea because it gets me in the mood to be productive and I’m usually cold in the morning so it is nice to drink.”

The lab at 6:00 p.m. on a Friday when there’s nobody there and the school is quiet. You get to just sit back and reflect for a second on everything that happened and all the frustrations and highlights of the day.

10. 15. 21

BY SERENA S.

Anya M. '24

Leah T. ’25: “Snacks, like a banana or a little piece of candy, and my sketchbook. I also always bring a bucket hat to school.”

Luke De, science teacher

VOL. 5 ISS. 1

Lauren S. ’24: “Salad with the citrus dressing.”

Currently... Get to know the takes and tastes of the upper school community

Coco L. '23

The high tables in front of the window in the WRC because I can see the park so it feels like I’m outside, but it doesn’t have the complications of actually doing homework outside. Also, the natural light is very nice.

Kaden K. '24

The succulent sound garden on the third floor of the Rosenberg wing. There is such a good view and it is so peaceful, I love it up there dearly. It has been my favorite spot since last year.

Jacqueline C. '25

The Rosenberg courtyard lawn because I like hanging out with my friends and eating lunch there.

THE NUEVA CURRENT

Back in the swing of things STORY ISABELLE S.

oached by Lance Wu and practicing four times a week on the courts at Cañada College, the girl’s tennis team launched into their pre-season strong. The team has played four matches thus far, winning 5-2 against Woodside High School and coming close to beating Crystal Springs with 3-4, a growth trajectory from last year’s 1-6. Witnessing the team’s growth from season to season is not one of the only favorite moments for Team Captains Mira D. ’22 and Adrienne P. ’22; seeing new team members play and the team spirit bloom in the return to normalcy—and the COVIDfriendly tennis racket high-fives after scoring points— is also a highlight. “The team all cheers each other on and it feels a lot more like a team this year than it did last year because of the pandemic,” Mira said. “But as we’ve transitioned, a lot of the girls have stepped into leadership roles, which is important because we have so many freshmen, so everyone’s been really welcoming.” Gigi S. ’23 comments on the support from the team’s practices, drills, van rides, and team bonding on the court. “I think some of the best moments are when we do drills as a whole team,” Gigi said. “At the beginning of the season, we had a team bonding event where we had brownies and oranges, and we all talked and ate together on the court.” Although the team was only able to hold intermittent practices at the beginning of the season due to wildfires and COVID-19 regulations, the team dynamic not only stayed strong throughout but also strengthened. New traditions and cheers were established, and Mira notes the adeptness of the team’s ability in staying flexible, maintaining an open mind, and cooperation. “The silver lining of the wildfires and COVID-19 was that we could do more conditioning, which gave us a rest break to really get to know each other,” Mira said, observing the team growth after overcoming the challenges thrown at the team during the first few weeks. For Mira, aside from her individual goals of continuously checking in with each player, believes the team goals for this season are “less about winning matches.” “A big team goal for us is to really work on our communication with each other and cheering each other on as we transform through pre-season,” Mira said.

Runaway victories STORY ELLIE K.

fter the sevenmonth-long hybrid season last year, the cross-country team is back and ready to run. Coached by Trent Robinett, a new Nueva community member, the team trains six days a week at the Bay Meadows Park and competes at meets on Saturdays. “This year, now that people are vaccinated, restrictions are eased, and we’re practicing every day, the season should be more normal,” Joshua R. ’24 said. The normalized season is already underway, as Nueva runners swept the top places of the first two meets of the season, the PSAL Bay Division Meet and Viking Opener Invitational. Crosscountry runners attribute their success to their challenging workouts and encouraging team. “We’ve all gotten faster as a team and I feel like our community has grown stronger as well because we’ve seen each other at our best and also at our worst,” Anna F. ’24 said. Christine Z. ’24 also describes the importance of the team’s spirit. “I

would be behind and some people would run back to get me so that I would not get lost. That makes me very motivated to run.” Christine comments that the team’s cheering is “heartwarming” and Anna adds that crosscountry has allowed her to meet new people and “grow as a person.” The main difference between the recent two seasons is the cross-country’s social environment. In mid-July, the team drove to a Mammoth summer camp where they trained in altitude and enjoyed hanging out all together. Runners reflect on this experience as the current season highlight. Looking forward, the team hopes to qualify for states, compete against other talented schools, and perform well. Their journey can be supported through their Instagram, @nuevaxctf, where Christine says followers will receive “the inside scope into [their] team dynamics and training.”

Court Report A

SPORTS

65%

of students are participating in athletics

XC ran as many as

500 miles in preparation for the fall season

Girls volleyball players hit, set, pass, and spike over

4000 times per week.

STORY SERENA S.

fter approximately two years since playing together, the girl’s varsity volleyball team finally returned to the court, eager and excited to be back. Coached by Janelle Burnett, the eleven-member team practices every day after school in hopes to continue improving as a collective unit while also making up the time lost with one another. Although the season started off rough with five straight losses, Arielle C. ’22 shares how playing against highly competitive opponents “often forces you to ‘grow up’ a lot quicker, and you get a lot of really important game sense and experience which other girls of your skill level might not get.” On Sept. 23, however, the team had their first victory against Pacific Bay Christain which Nicole K. ’23 described as the season’s highlight thus far. The team won 3-0 and

hoped to bring the same energy and momentum to future games. “We have all been working really hard to work better as a team. Obviously, there is still so much more we can continue to work on given that we are only halfway into our season, but I have hope that we will only go up,” Nicole said. Soon after, the team earned their second victory against University Preparatory Academy, and on Oct. 7, the team won the homecoming game against St. Thomas More—an exciting and motivating win for players. "It felt so good to finally have an audience and people cheering us on," Nicole said. "The energy and spirit was insane and teachers and students were all there including our mascot." With the season still in motion, the team is focused on both individual and collective improvement, as well as growing team spirit and bonding. Their next game is against Crystal Springs on Oct. 25.

STORY JOSIE B.

Schedule changes require student athletes to better balance their academic and extracurricular activities

hile some familiar Nueva trademarks returned to normal as students arrived back on campus this fall, the adjustments that have been developed due to the pandemic were unmistakable. Aside from the noticeable lack of mouths and noses around campus due to the mask mandate and the weekly COVID-19 tests in advisory, many of these changes involve the new schedule— which has been especially difficult for student athletes. One of the most noticeable changes in the schedule this year was the new clubs and lunch timing. Due to COVID-19 state guidelines, the school has been unable to have an extended lunch period where all grades can eat and socialize together. Because of this, the scheduling team decided to move the club block to the afternoon in an effort to increase club accessibility and participation. However, this afternoon block is often when sports players change or warm-up before their after-school practices, meaning that students who

are involved in both clubs and athletics have been handling many challenges in managing their calendars. Anahita A. '23 is the captain of Nueva’s Model United Nations club, and a varsity tennis athlete. In the brief period that Nueva students have been back attending in-person classes Anahita has faced a considerable amount of trouble with her clubs and athletics schedule. “Because the club's block is 3:10 to 3:40, and we leave school at about 3:40 for tennis practice everyday, it’s a huge conflict. Twenty minutes, especially with a club like Model UN, isn’t nearly enough time to get anything done, you really can’t do anything substantial with that amount of time,” Anahita affirms. Game days further sway the fragile imbalance between the athletic and academic parts of Anahita's school days. On these days, Anahita is unable to attend any clubs at all let alone the one she is captain of: “Especially with tennis matches, because we have to leave school early any day I have a match I am automatically missing any

other clubs I have that day.” Anahita continued that she wished that clubs could meet during lunch like they used to because it would let her participate in two activities she is passionate about. She also supports a smaller possible schedule change to split up the meeting places of the grades so some students would be able to meet up during lunch. “It’s ridiculously difficult to juggle clubs and athletics with the current schedule.” Although this schedule shift has undoubtedly prompted many concerns and challenges, student athletes have also found work-arounds and developed creative solutions to manage their various commitments. Freshman Maya S. '25 is on the Nueva tennis team and attends several clubs. She has been working around her busy schedule this year by getting her equipment for practice ready to go before clubs so she is able to conserve as much time as possible: “I make sure to have a change of clothes and my tennis racket ready in my locker so I can just quickly change after clubs.”

Smaller short term solutions like the ones Sprosts makes use of may be the key to this predicament, at least while the delta variant of COVID-19 continues to be on the rise. John Feland, the primary mastermind behind the schedule, recommends athletes work with club leaders to find a way to balance their load. While it may seem difficult to glimpse a clear solution for this situation due to the unpredictability of COVID-19, flexibility and communication can offer a helping hand to athletes who are facing challenges. Everyone has had to be flexible this year with post-pandemic changes across campus, and combatting this matter in particular will require not just athletes, but all Nueva students to be understanding and diligent when it comes to scheduling. While Feland says there are no current plans for further change, he reminds students that new developments can always be made. “In a true design thinking sort of way, It’s all just a prototype.”

THE NUEVA SCHOOL . 131 E. 28TH AVE., SAN MATEO, CA 94403

Fully in-person schooling brings back challenges for athletes

SPORTS

VOL. 5 ISS. 1

Foster City considers redeveloping Mariners Point STORY SAM T. PHOTO MONIQUE AGATEP

Lease to end 2023 for Nueva golf team practice course

ust a ten-minute drive away from the hectic school life of the Nueva high school lies a peaceful vista heralded by windsurfers overlooking the Foster City bay. A place beloved by locals and PGA pro golfer Will Zalatoris alike, the Mariners Point Golf Center is a gusty escape with a view of the San Francisco skyline. The nine-hole par three course is home to a well-maintained short game practice area and a double-decker driving range with digital launch monitors. Every week, hundreds of eager golf players, including the Nueva golf team, flock to the course to enjoy the facilities, but their ability to do so may soon come to an end. In an announcement that could have major effects on the surrounding community, the Foster City city council brought to light the fact that the golf course’s lease will expire by the end of 2023, leaving the future of Mariners uncertain. While there is an option to extend the lease by one year, the council is considering using the land for something else, and new housing is at the top of the list. Before proceeding with any new building or lease renewal, the

council performed a month-long community survey in June and July to get feedback about the possible redevelopment. This survey was halted to allow for environmental study, but the council plans to continue the community outreach to allow for transparency throughout the whole process. The announcement has garnered a variety of responses, but it was mostly met with general outcry, prompting the creation of a Change. org campaign to save the course. Receiving just shy of 5,000 signatures, the petition has amassed attention for multiple compelling reasons. “We believe that [Mariners] is not an asset belonging solely to Foster City and its citizens; it has established itself as a prime provider of recreational opportunities for San Mateo County residents and others for over 25 years,” campaign creator Shankar Kenkre wrote. Golf team member Coby W. ’22 said that he understands the city’s need for housing, especially affordable housing, but he doesn’t agree with any plans to get rid of the course. “There’s [already] very few outdoor communal areas now and I

COURSE WITH A VIEW Mariners Point Golf Center offers views of San Francisco and East Bay. The Bay Trail, a popular pedestrian and cycling path, winds around the golf course.

think that one has been a staple of the community for a long time now,” said Coby, who has been playing golf there for 7 years. Not only has it been a longstanding recreational facility, but Coby, like all the others who call Mariners home, is drawn to it because of its incredible location. “I don’t think housing should be in that area,” Coby said. Colin S. ’22, another golf team member and regular at Mariners, pointed out what makes Mariners unique: “It’s the only par 3 course in the Bay Area, it's very inviting for both new golfers as well as experienced ones,” Colin said. The sense of community is unique to Mariners and both golfers agreed

The G.O.A.T.’s stance on mental health prompts conversations about USA Gymnastics

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o many, Simone Biles is known as the greatest of all time, or G.O.A.T., as the most decorated U.S. gymnast with 32 Olympic and World medals. To me, a level 10 gymnast, Biles is the instigator of a brighter future with USA Gymnastics’ treatment of athletes. During the July 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Biles shocked the world when she withdrew from the final team competition, after an uncontrolled vault in which she got lost in the air. Biles decided against competing in the remaining three events to avoid injury and preserve her mental health. She was experiencing extreme pressure from the heavy expectations of viewers all over the world, and her internal anxiety evolved into the twisties, or the unexpected feeling of being lost in the air. Most competitive gymnasts, whether national team members such as Biles or developmental gymnasts like myself, experience the twisties at one point in their career. Laurie Hernandez, Rio 2016

silver and gold medalist, said in an article from Olympics.com about the twisties: “It actively makes you feel like you're not the caliber of athlete that you are.” Apparently, listening to a woman or young girl in a sequin leotard talk about an unnerving feeling with a name like a nursery rhyme has proven difficult for outsiders of the sport to understand and take literally. However, leading up to her twisties, Biles was exactly what the media wanted her to be. She was consistent in winning and kept evolving her skills. Gymnastics fans could always count on her to succeed, which explained the enormous pressure she was under. In the stands of the U.S. Olympic Trials, fans waved posters with “I’m only here for the G.O.A.T.,” in bold red, white, and blue letters. As a gymnast, I believe those supposedly inspiring posters made it difficult for her to perform confidently because she felt the need to prove herself and satisfy the audience with her seemingly impossible ability to defy gravity. Posters and mindsets like those also ignore the years of sacrifice and dedication it takes for the other three women to make the Olympic team. My hope is that Biles’ decision to

Simone Biles’ withdrawal from Olympics final reflects failures in the USA Gymnastics program, not individual inability

10. 15. 21

that it is also one of its strengths. “It’s such an inviting, small golf community—to lose that would really suck,” Colin said. “I’m a bit bummed that’s even in the picture.” For the past two decades, Mariners Point Golf Center has offered a laidback environment for golf enthusiasts and beginners alike to work on their golf game with stunning views of the Foster City Bay. In the coming months, the Foster City City Council will continue to engage with the community to gather input on the future of Mariners, but until then, it will continue to serve as a contained oasis for all who want it.

OPINION STORY ELLIE K. PHOTO EZRA SHAW

prioritize mental health will direct the program onto a better path where gymnasts are entitled to express their feelings. While some Twitter users or media pundits condemn Biles’ actions by saying it was “betrayal of her team and her sport” and she “choked,” as a gymnast, I think it was the bravest choice she could make. It took enormous courage to realize her safety and health was superior to the expectations placed upon her. Biles experienced external and internal constant pressure and stress related to being the greatest athlete in the world and from her recent trauma from being sexually abused. She carried this burden through the past two Olympics, feeling a lack of support from the program and being without her family support system in Tokyo. This past month, Biles and fellow gymnasts Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, and Maggie Nichols testified in court against former team doctor Larry Nassar and his horrific sexual abuse. Biles described the case as “the largest… in the history of American sport.” In giving her testimony about the sexual abuse she experienced prior to the 2016 Rio Olympics, Biles said, “To be clear, I blame Larry Nassar, and I also blame an entire system [USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympics and Paralympic Committee] that enabled and perpetuated this abuse.” Her statements exposed to the world the brutal reality of American elite gymnastics. Equally important, she revealed to girls like myself that an athlete’s emotional state is just as important as their physical state. It is easy to forget athletes are humans with emotions and physical breaking points when they seem to defy gravity. Allowing athletes to present themselves wholly, with thoughts and feelings and struggles instead of infallible celebrities, can change the course of athletics and develop healthier and happier people.

The Nueva Current | October 2021

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