The Nueva Current | February 2025

The Student Newspaper of The Nueva School San Mateo, California

Residing Here in Fear and Faith

San Mateo County immigrant communities and allies rally in wake of new Trump administration

By Kayla L. Opinion Editor

Who does Trump and his administration see as a criminal right now?”

Adriana Cortes* asked a room of San Mateo County residents last week.

Cortes, a community organizer through national faith-based nonprofit Faith in Action, paused as the room went silent. Slowly, attendees came to the same conclusion: “Todos nosotros.” All of us.

The members of Faith in Action’s San Mateo County chapter are mostly immigrants from Central and Latin America. According to the census, they are among the foreign-born residents that make up 35.6% of San Mateo County’s population. There are over 265,000 immigrants out of the region’s 745,000 residents.

In recent weeks, many immigrant families throughout the United States have grappled with anxiety, fear, and confusion, as they anticipate increasing challenges to remaining in the U.S. under the Trump administration. In response, organizations are quickly adapting and rallying to protect their rights in hopes of staying in America.

Many local businesses and street vendors participated on Feb. 3 in the “A Day Without Immigrants” protest to raise awareness about the positive economic and cultural contributions of immigrants to America. On Feb. 6, hundreds of high school students from schools such as Sequoia, Menlo-Atherton, Woodside, Summit Prep, Tide Academy walked out of their classes in protest of deportations.

They rallied around some of San Mateo County’s most vulnerable residents who face deportation: undocumented immigrants, who live in America without legal immigration status.

This may mean that an immigrant entered the country illegally, entered legally but overstayed, or is in the process of gaining citizenship. It is a civil offense but not a crime to be undocumented, and immigrants with U visas or green cards are not considered undocumented. At present, there are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

In 2019, the Migration Policy Institute

estimated that there were 55,000 people living without legal authorization in San Mateo County.

President Trump has long sought to deport and stop the arrival of undocumented immigrants. In the 2016 presidential race, he frequently discussed building a physical wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent immigrants from crossing into the country. In his 2016–2020 administration, he deported about 1.2 million people. Notably, former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden each deported more people per year than Trump did in his first term.

“The reality is that there is no difference when quantifying deportations. The deportation machine continues to work regardless of who is [president],” Cortes said. “The problem is the way they’re doing it. When it’s Democrats, they are doing it in the darkness. No fear or threats, just direct action. The problem with this administration is the way they’re treating people before they start to take action.”

For his second presidential campaign

and administration, Trump has made immigration and securing the border even more of a central topic. In a speech in Iowa in late 2023, he stated his intention to “carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.”

Now that President Trump is back in the Oval Office, he has already taken significant action surrounding immigration and border security. His stated aim is to protect the country from drug cartels and foreign terrorist groups. Research in 2024 from the American Immigrant Council showed that higher immigrant population shares do not increase crime rates in the U.S.

President Trump has signed seven Executive Orders related to immigration, including one named “Securing Our Borders,” which moves to create a physical barrier on the U.S.-Mexico border and cancels use of the "CBP One" app, an app that immigrants used to navigate immigrating to the U.S.

on Pages 10-11

ART BY ANWEN C. ’26

Head of School Lee Fertig Highlights Nueva's Growth

Diving into inclusivity and community engagement at annual State of Nueva address

By Jordan F. Staff Writer

O

n Jan. 16 and Jan. 17, Head of School

Lee Fertig delivered his fourth year of State of Nueva at both the Lower School and Upper School campus, introducing updates, statistics, and future improvements.

Attended by parents, faculty, and staff, the event opened as Fertig shared updates on metrics (external metrics, internal strategic initiatives, and impact metrics on the community), admissions, philanthropy, and the school’s goals and improvements.

Attendees learned that completed applications for the Upper School increased by 63%, while the overall acceptance rate decreased from 30% to 12% since 2018, emphasizing the school’s competitiveness.

Additionally, Fertig reported on giving at Nueva. Nueva’s annual fund sees a 92% participation rate, raising roughly $6.5 million annually. The last capital campaign was also the largest, raising $125 million dollars, 35% of which went to the endowment.

A Major Gifts program was launched, with funds targeting specific priorities such as athletics, environmental sustainability, and financial assistance. Up to 8.2 million dollars is given out every year to financial aid, supporting 20% of Nueva students.

Fertig also provided updates on Nueva’s 2022–2027 framework, sharing significant investments in athletics and art, including a new arts center and the strengthened athletic program with new coaching and staff. Additionally, Fertig shared innovations

to strengthen the school’s focus on civil discourse, equity, and inclusion. The Upper School is expanding THRIVE, a program for underrepresented students in private school communities, to provide broader support for the diverse students. Fertig shared the increase in investments in wellness and mental health resources, including hiring more counselors.

While discussing external metrics, Fertig recognized the unhealthy college admissions landscape outside of the school but emphasized that this will not overshadow Nueva’s commitment to joyous learning.

“We don’t like to focus on this because it’s not who we really are,” Fertig said. “It’s what's behind these numbers that I think is so powerful in terms of how we position ourselves with great colleges and universities around the world.”

For the second year in a row, Fertig invited community members representing various constituents to provide live feedback after the presentation. Talinn H. ’25, Kayla L. ’26, alumnus Logan Ramanathan ’23, Upper School biology teacher David Eik, and finance committee member Stu McLaughlin spoke at the Upper School.

Kayla shared her reaction to the successes and achievements Fertig shared, noting how his presentation resonated with her own experience at Nueva.

“One thing that your presentation did first and foremost is give voice to one of my dad's worries—that Nueva might be

By the Numbers

By Ellie L. Culture Editor

unique cultures represented at Nueva’s Lunar New Year celebration on Jan. 29.

masks worn at the Masquerade Ball Dance on Feb. 7.

78 hours spent setting up the envelopes for Kindness Week.

519.41 dollars raised for Kids & Art nonprofit in the bake sale on Jan. 15 by the Art Club, Crafts and Cookies for Causes, and Art Changes Lives Club.

the peak of my life, and that after this, it’s all going downhill,” said Kayla. “All the numbers and facts that you're giving about Nueva affirmed for me how lucky and fortunate we are to be part of this school and community.”

Trustee Bonnie Fought also shared her reflections on Fertig’s presentation.

“I liked that Lee incorporated some of the joy of learning into his presentation,” said Fought, “But what I was really impressed with was how he was able to communicate the progress on the strategic plan and grounding why our work is so important.”

Nueva parent and co-president of the

School Parents Association

also added to the overall positive reaction from the community. Sprosts emphasizes his enthusiasm for the new financial assistance policy, which grants tuition aid to households earning between $150,000 and $250,000 annually.

“I've watched these the last several years and I thought this was the best yet. The thing that I am extremely proud of as a Nueva parent is the new policy of tuition [support],” said Sprosts. “It shows our commitment to making Nueva education successful for anybody that is gifted.”

Petition Protests Parking Limitations

Bay Meadows residents organize petition against parking enforcement

By Emily F. Staff Writer

I

n October, parking enforcement signs began popping up all over the streets of Bay Meadows, warning passersby of parking restrictions that would enforce a 2-hour parking limit on Derby Ave, Landing Ave, Kyne St, 28th Ave, Paddock Way, and Baze Rd starting February 2025. More recently, a digital sign has appeared on Delaware, right outside the Upper School campus’ exit driveway, warning drivers of the impending enforcement.

Many residents, including Nueva students who drive to school, are unhappy about the change. Some Bay Meadows residents have created a petition protesting the parking restriction. The petition has already received 50 signatures. If the ban on extended parking goes through, it is expected to create inconvenience in daily life.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bay Meadows relaxed parking regulations, but now the City hopes to restore the parking ban to encourage more public transit.

“There doesn't seem to be anything that is broken right now,” said Kathy Qian, a Bay Meadows resident and one of the organizers of the petition. “So I don't understand the necessity to fix something that isn't broken and create a whole host of other problems.”

The ban would affect a wide va-

riety of people. Qian expressed concern for parents whose jobs demand a longer daily period away from home, therefore needing a nanny.

“I don't see how a nanny could re-park their car every two hours while taking care of a younger kid,” Qian said. “Our nanny came to us being worried that there was nowhere to park her car, and that all of the other nannies that she saw at the playground didn't know where they would be parking their car.”

This parking enforcement is intended to limit driving in favor of more environmentally friendly public transportation. However, critics say that it unintentionally does the opposite in some cases.

“I think with the actual parking ban, I'll probably have to start driving to San Francisco so that my nanny can park in my garage,” Qian said.

Tenants who rent in the Bay Meadows apartments no longer have a guarantee of a parking space for their unit, so those who own cars do not know where they are expected to park these cars.

“A lot of people are facing issues around trying to answer questions of where will their child care providers park? Where will the visitors park?” Qian asked. “They aren't really happy with the fact that there's actually no long term public parking anywhere in the neighborhood.”

Upper

Craig Sprosts

Updating Nueva Lee Fertig shares his presentation and sits with community memebers for feedback . PHOTOS

FROM VIDEO BY HOLLY NALL

Full Sidewalks Cars parked on the edge of the sidewalk by the school . PHOTO BY ALVIN Y.

PHOTOS BY FREEPIK, FREEPIK, ELLIE L., FREEPIK

In Case You Missed It

By Alvin Yao News Editor

Plane crashes around the country

Over the course of two days the US experienced multiple plane crashes along the East Coast. The first occurred on Jan. 29, when an American Airlines regional jet carrying 64 passengers crashed into a Black Hawk Helicopter above-regulated heights with three soldiers in Washington DC, resulting in 67 total casualties and marking the first commercial plane crash since 2009. Among the people who passed away were young figure skaters and their families coming back from a figure skating camp in Kansas City, and lawyers and attorneys. Next, on Jan. 31, a plane in Northeast Philadelphia crashed into a mall less than a minute after takeoff, destroying six properties and taking 24 lives and counting as investigations into the plane crash continue. On. Feb. 6, a plane crash in Alaska took 10 lives, marking the deadliest plane crash in the state in 25 years. On Feb. 10, a private jet owned by Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil crashed, causing one death and three injuries. Neil was not on board

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire

On Jan. 15, Israeli and Hamas negotiators agreed on a 42 day ceasefire and release of hostages on both sides after 15 months of combat in Gaza. The agreed ceasefire has three stages to the plan. The first stage would include the release of hostages: Hamas would release 33 hostages while Israel would release 1,900 Palestinian prisoners, Israeli soldiers would leave populated areas as displaced Palestinian citizens make their way back into the city, and hundreds of aid trucks would be sent to Gaza to support the recovery efforts. Stage two occurs 16 days after the first stage, establishing a permanent ceasefire. At that time, the remaining hostages were returned and Israeli forces made a full withdrawal. The final stage includes the full release of all bodies and the recovery and rebuilding of Gaza over multiple years. However, the ceasefire conditions have been delayed due to Hamas withholding hostages as they accuse the Israeli government of violating ceasefire terms.

Donald Trump Holds Inauguration Speech Inside the Capitol

On Jan. 20 at his inauguration, President Donald Trump announced a myriad of goals to send the United States into its “golden age,” including boosting domestic oil production, imposing tariffs, and sending troops to the Mexico-US border. Additionally, the president had declared all former leadership in America as corrupt, as he claimed the government currently endangers American borders and “can no longer deliver basic services in times of emergency.” Trump had also announced his attack on DEI programs and plans to dismantle all programs within the government.

How California Democrats are navigating the new Trump administration Is California “Trump-proof?”

By Jackson H. Web Editor

President Trump has spent his first weeks in office on a spree of executive action, shuttering long-running programs and ramping up tariffs and deportations, attracting media attention into the orbit of Washington, D.C.

But despite the unceasing political activity in D.C., the potential success or failure of the Trump administration’s policies lies in the hands of state capitals across the country. Democrats seem increasingly reliant on the governments of deep-blue states in their opposition to the President’s wave of executive action.

And much like Trump’s first term, California appears likely to lead that opposition.

The California State Legislature approved a $50 million “Trump proofing” fund on Feb. 3, the consequence of a special legislative session called by Gov. Newsom.

The bill provides $25 million as a fund for any lawsuits the state of California may launch against the Trump administration and an additional $25 million for protecting immigrants at risk of deportation.

During Trump’s first term, the state spent $41 million on lawsuits against the administration, winning two-thirds of the 123 cases brought, ranging from maintaining environmental regulations to protecting state healthcare subsidies.

Since the new Trump administration took office, California has already signed on to other blue state governments’ lawsuits against Trump's federal funding freeze and repeal of birthright citizenship.

But in spite of the anti-Trump fervor in Sacramento in the past month, the Los Angeles wildfires forced a sharp tack in Newsom’s approach to the administration.

Trump and Newsom exchanged an embrace in Los Angeles in January, and the Trump-proofing bill passed days before Newsom traveled to Washington to meet with Trump and discuss federal wildfire aid.

Newsom’s post-wildfire relationship with Trump is a break from his famously pugilistic record over the past six years. The amiability is likely a response to Trump’s recent threats to withhold aid over disagreements with the state on water policy and Culture War issues.

The many promises to “Trump

proof” California since the election have almost always been matched by Trump with threats of federal retaliation against the state. On the campaign trail, Trump often publicly flirted with the idea of withholding federal money being sent to the state.

The battle of wills between Sacramento and Washington will determine much for how the new president will affect life in California, and perhaps life across the country as well.

SF Advances Major Caltrain Project

4th & King

Redevelopment and Downtown Rail Extension Plans to Break Ground in 2028

By Callum S. Staff Writer

San Francisco is moving forward with two major transit projects as the city plans to redevelop the Caltrain railyard at 4th and King and the Downtown Rail Extension. The 20-acre railyard site may be converted into a mixed-use district featuring highrises, a new station, and an 850-

foot skyscraper—what would be the third tallest in the city. Project plans will be submitted later this year, with Caltrain expecting to break ground by 2028. Meanwhile, the Downtown Rail Extension, also called the Portal Project, will extend Caltrain and future high-speed rail 1.3 miles through an underground tunnel to the Sales-

force

Transit Center. The project will cost an estimated 8.25 billion dollars and is expected to be finished by 2032. However, similar to the failing California High-Speed Rail Project, cost overruns and funding gaps remain notable concerns, meaning parts of the project could be scaled back or postponed.

PHOTOS BY AP NEWS/ANDREW HARNIK AND GETTY IMAGES. COLLAGE BY JACKSON H.

Mapped Out The Downtown Extension Tunnel (DTX) is in pink and Pennsylvania Avenue Extension Tunnel

(PAX) is in purple.) MAP FROM SAN FRANCISCO PLANNING, PHOTO BY FELIX

PHOTO BY 6ABC

PHOTO BY KENNY HOLSTON

By Alvin Y. News Editor

All rise–the Mock Trial team has entered the courtroom

A review of the team’s first ever season

By Senna H. Staff Writer

T

he Upper School mock trial team, currently in its inaugural year, had its first competition on Jan. 21.

Although they narrowly lost that competition against Aragon High School, they won their next four trials, against Hillsdale High School on Jan. 23, against Woodside Priory on Feb. 4, and walked away with a win from two competitions on Jan. 30—with both scorers in both trials judging them as the winner. They ended their season with a tight loss against Menlo school which has dominated Mock Trial and won the tournament for the last six years.

“It was really rewarding to watch our hard work and dedication pay off in the first tournaments,” said Sydney L. ’26. She founded the program with Arishka J. ’26 in August 2024, along with faculty co-coaches Biology teacher Lindy Jensen and History teacher Simon Brown.

Every year, the Constitutional Rights Foundation issues a fictional case, which varies by state, to all participating schools. The case includes over 100 pages of information on characters, testimonies, and evidence. Students analyze the evidence and present their analysis in competitions, where teams take turns arguing as either the prosecution or the defense before a judge. At the end, teams are awarded points by two scorers based on their roles and argumentation. Each scorer calculates a percentage out of 100, which is aver-

aged to produce the final score.

“A lot of people misunderstand mock trial—they think it's all memorized arguments, but that's not the case,” Sydney said. “Most of it is listening and responding to arguments, and acting as a witness. You have to train to create a natural dynamic between witnesses and attorneys, and be able to think on your feet.”

Mock trial requires a strong grasp of students’ roles and their positions within the team, which needs to be able to work together under pressure to put their best argument forward.

"As opposed to debate, where you only debate with a partner, mock trial relies on the whole team," Edden L. ’26, who is part of both debate and MUN, said. “ Mock trial just breaks down the barriers that usually get in between [students].”

Even in their very first year as a team, with half the participants being freshmen, they have already built a friendly, supportive environment across grades. The team meets every Friday, often practicing until it gets dark out, which only strengthens bonds between teammates.

“There’s no strangers in mock trial, even though basically all of the people I didn’t know going in,” Lily Z. ’28 said. “ We have a very strong sense of community, a strong sense of family.”

Public Forum Debate Team Sees Success in January

The team won tournaments and had strong performances at Arizona

State and Emory

By Anvi M. Staff Writer

O

Taiwan Students Visit in Relaunched Exchange Program

Nine years after the inception of the Taiwanese exchange program, Nueva hosted six exchange students from WeGo Private School.

By Alexis C. Web Editor

Nine years after its inauguration, Nueva has reinstated the Taiwan Exchange Program with the Taipei WeGo Private School in Taipei, Taiwan.

The Taiwan Exchange Program began in 2016 but was paused after the Nueva teacher who founded it left the school.

In 2021, Upper School Mandarin teacher Jamie Gao reconnected with its previous partner, Fuhsing School, in hopes of restarting the exchange program.

“The exchange program fosters language immersion, cultural understanding, and global citizenship. Through authentic interactions with Taiwanese peers, students deepen their Mandarin skills while

over February break. Students who were interested in the exchange program were paired and connected online, weeks prior to the trip., hosted Ray, whom he said he was, “I’m definitely going to keep in touch with my kid,” said Edden L. ‘26 about his exchange student Ray. “He’s a pretty funny guy, and it’s a good chance for me to practice my Mandarin.”

In their time at Nueva, WeGo students engaged in a variety of classes—Design Thinking, Social Emotional Learning, and Steel Drums. During the rest of the school day, WeGo students shadowed Nuevans, including psychology, physics, and linear algebra.

University

n the weekend of Jan. 11, the public forum team sent six partnerships to the Arizona State HDSHC Invitational in Tempe. Of those six, three partnerships advanced to the elimination rounds. Kayte Chan ’25 and Anika Gupta ’26 made it to finals before being declared co-champions with a team from Canyon Crest Academy after an exhausting day for both schools. Throughout the tournament, Chan and Gupta did not lose a single judge’s ballot.

On the weekend of Jan. 18, the team sent two partnerships to Durham Academy in North Carolina. The partnership of Oliver Alferness ’26 and Jackson

Hayward ’26 went undefeated in the 6 preliminary rounds and advanced to quarterfinals.

On Jan. 23, two of the team’s partnerships—Chan and Gupta, and Alferness and Hayward—debated at the invite-only Ivy Street Round Robin. Only twelve of the top teams in the nation were invited.

On the weekend of Jan. 25, three partnerships went to the Barkley Forum at Emory University, one of the most prestigious tournaments of the season. All three Nueva partnerships made it to elimination rounds. Alferness and Hayward advanced to the semifinals.

experiencing Taiwanese culture firsthand,” said Gao. “This program strengthens students' connection to Mandarin beyond the classroom.”

After visiting Fuhsing in 2023 and 2024 as part of senior trips, scheduling conflicts made it difficult for the program to continue.

“I discovered another private school equivalent to Nueva [and] our culture: WeGo. But because Nueva was new to Taiwan, we needed to establish trust and workflow,” Gao said.

After visiting Taiwan on her own, during the 2024 senior trip, and meeting with admin on both ends, it was official: Nueva would reinstate the Taiwan Exchange Program in 2025.

For five days, Nueva families hosted six WeGo students from Jan. 19 to Jan. 23. In turn, WeGo will host 11 Nueva students for three days in Taipei, Taiwan

Outside of school, the Nueva parents organized a trip to San Francisco, where they ate fish and chips at Pier 39, walked along Lombard Street, and saw the Golden Gate Bridge. Gao also organized a tour of Stanford College, where they met with Nueva alumni Naomie Chien, ’24, who is Taiwanese and visited Fuhsing during her senior year.

The trip ended on Jan. 23, after a “SeeU Again Party” on the Upper School Campus.

“In Taiwan, we often say that people are our most beautiful scenery. At Nueva, this rings equally true,” reflected the WeGo trip lead teacher, Peter Wang. “While the beautiful campus and innovative programs impress, it's the people— dedicated teachers, welcoming buddies, and generous host families—who truly define the Nueva experience.”

Around the Bay Taiwan Exchange Program students take day trips to San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf and Stanford University. PHOTOS BY JAMIE GAO AND ETHAN H.

Pop Culture Report Card

By Neel G. Staff Writer

Balloonerism:

an elevating experience into the mind of Mac Miller

The late rapper’s second posthumous album and accompanying film is both experimental and reflective.

By Neel G. Staff Writer

This year’s Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser was the funniest I’ve seen. Her roasting skills were on point: her jabs at Hollywood’s Ozempic epidemic, Timothee Chalamet’s new look, and even the political state of the world were delivered with ease without feeling inappropriate. Her stage presence and audience interactions were outstanding. She mentioned in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that she would be happy to host again, and I would be, too.

One of Them Days B+

Starring SZA and Keke Palmer and produced by Issa Rae, One of Them Days has an all-star cast, and it lives up to its potential. The film follows Dreux and Alyssa, two roommates struggling to make $1,500 in one day to avoid eviction after Alyssa’s boyfriend spends their rent money. It’s a perfect movie for a night in with friends— Palmer’s exceptionally delivered lines, SZA’s acting skills (her debut), all down to the flawless soundtrack make it an engaging watch. The movie isn’t revolutionary or new—but it doesn’t need to be, because it’s a casual, fun-to-watch vibe.

“The hospital was useless, and everything was quiet but the music / Recently, I only met peace when in deep sleep / Waitin’ on the other side / Wonder if he’ll take me to the other side.” So goes the opening verse of “Funny Papers,” a standout song on late rapper Mac Miller’s recently released album. Unfortunately, Miller didn’t know these lyrics would become a reality when producing them; and now, we can truly see how music lended a hand to his health struggles leading up to his eventual death. Although Miller may no longer be with us, his music continues to influence the music industry and evolve alongside us.

With the release of Circles, Miller’s first posthumous studio album, I thought his impact on the music industry had concluded on a telling note. The album was beautifully raw and provided insight into his addiction and mental health struggles that led to his accidental overdose, and, his most unrestrained album yet. But then came the film and album Balloonerism, where the eyes and ears are opened to a whole new side of Miller’s life and artistry, providing a sense of closure on his tragic death and adding to his iconic legacy.

C-

Miller planned to release in the early 2010s, but ended up being lower priority than his other works. “It was a project that was of great importance to Malcolm,” shared Miller’s family on Instagram. “We felt it most appropriate to present an official version of the project to the world.”

SZA and Dylan Reynolds, both of whom were close friends with Miller, were featured. Their chemistry is apparent; the collaborations align flawlessly with the mysterious tone and stripped-back production of the album. SZA’s smooth voice on “Dj’s Chord Organ” seamlessly threads through the melodies and pairs perfectly with Miller’s raspy vocals.

The album doesn’t have the most intricate production or extravagant instrumentals. Instead, the album focuses on storytelling and portraying specific emotions and scenes, showcasing Miller’s lyricism. Some of the most vividly told ones are, “... Do You Have a Destination,” a story about his “unpredictable” and “cynical” experiences in Hollywood, “Mrs. Deborah Downer,” a story about his addiction and theoretical death, or “Funny Papers,” an anecdote about the death of a man he read in the newspaper.

feeling of adulthood: “I see the light at the end of the tunnel / it feels like I’m dyin’ / I’m dead.” Or, in “Mrs. Deborah Downer,” he tells a story of how “they found [his] body somewhere in the sewer,” and in “Shangri-La,” how “if [he] die[s] young, promise to smile at [his] funeral.” The lyrics may be brutally raw and heavy, but the music is airy and elevating, transporting the listener into the mind of Miller.

The short film released alongside the album further transported me into Miller’s world. Directed by Samuel Jerome Mason, it mainly follows the characters of “Excelsior,” where a group of school friends are launched into an alternate dimension (that symbolizes adulthood) after playing a chord organ. The film is beautiful in terms of visuals, plot, and accompanying music. It is extremely detailed and intricate, telling a story that represents the depth of emotion and artistry Miller put into Balloonerism.

As the students are transformed into various rodents in the alternate dimension, the viewer is exposed, and follows, the familial and mental struggles of each character and their journey back home. It beautifully balances magic and reality, creating a spectacular surrealist film. The settings are so vividly illustrated and the music perfectly compliments the plot of the characters, it truly is an immersive experience.

The album, released on Jan. 17 by his estate on the five-year anniversary of Circles, is the rapper’s seventh studio album that

Many of the songs give insight into his eventual passing, as he repeatedly expresses how he both envies and predicts death . In “Manakins,” he explains the deprecating

The deeply artistic pieces of works beg the question: will any other unreleased music of his be open for the public?

Hopefully, this isn’t the last of Miller’s past work we can see. But if so, he's provided us with something truly one-of-a-kind.

The Grammys were a mixed bag. Ariana Grande’s album Eternal Sunshine deserved more nominations and wins, given its cultural impact, catchy and impassioned songs, and fan reactions. It’s also baffling that Billie Eilish didn’t win any nominations for her album Hit Me Hard and Soft, a complex and emotionally-charged album with unique sound and phenomenal production. Fans, including myself, are outraged. However, the Grammys did recognize some exceptional new talent with superb performances. Doechii's album “Alligator Bites Never Heal” won Best Rap Album and she delivered the best perfor mance of the night—I’ve been listening to her music since 2022, so it is heartwarming to see her finally get recognition.

rosie: The Number One Album for the Number One Girl

From upbeat pop hits to laid back acoustic songs, the album shows a new side of Rosé’s artistry.

Donald Trump Inauguration Serenade

Trump’s inauguration performances were a national wreck. I was painfully disappointed when I learned that Carrie Underwood was scheduled to perform, as I previously admired the daring messages of her songs. I was even more disappointed in her performance; she began with five awkward minutes waiting for the music to start and ending with mediocre vocals. Even worse was Billy Ray Cyrus’ serenade; without background music, he stumbled across the stage with a severely burnt-out voice and sparked my concern for his health. The inaugu ration’s performances were cringe-worthy and even harder to watch than I anticipated.

By Ethan H. Sports Editor

Say goodbye to “ddu-du, ddu-du, du” and hello to “apateu.”

BLACKPINK’s main vocalist, Rosé has officially stepped into the spotlight as a solo artist, taking the music industry by storm with her debut album rosie. Released on Dec. 6, the 12 track album spans multiple genres, deviating from her familiar high-energy and electronic anthems. Two weeks after its release, rosie was third on the Billboard 200, behind only Kendrick Lamar’s GNX and Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department rosie is a break-up album, navigating Rosé’s feelings of desire, heartache, and anger as a woman in her 20s.

“I do want people to understand that I'm not much different from your average girlfriend,” she said in an interview with Paper Mag.

“number one girl” is a perfect example of this. Immediately, listeners are in for a melancholic ride, as the whole song contains a powerful yet emotional piano chord progression and a gut-wrenching yet catchy chorus with a simplicity that all can relate to: “Isn't it lonely? / I'd do anything to make you want me / I'd give it all up if you told me that I'd be / The number one girl

in your eyes.” rosie’s next two tracks, “3am” and “two years,” both continue the mellow production and maintain the theme of longing. However, the following track, “toxic till the end,” marks a transition into a section of upbeat songs characterized by build-ups, punchy drum lines, and bouncing synths.

The song also shows Rosé’s mental shift from sadness to anger: “His favorite game is chess, who could ever guess? / Playing with the pieces in my chest.” Track seven, “gameboy,” is another annoyed and irritated anthem similar to “toxic till the end:” “You’re never gonna change / You’ll only ever be a heartbreak.” But this new wave of anger is short-lived, as the album again

Despite stepping into uncharted territory, rosie still carries the essence of Rosé’s signature voice—elegant, strong, and unmistakably hers.

shifts to happy songs reminiscing on the early stages of having a crush. The theme of longing remains ever-present, but comes from a positive perception.

Both “drinks or coffee” and “APT.,” rosie’s lead single featuring Bruno Mars, are feel-good songs where Rosé fantasizes about a relationship.

A reference to a Korean drinking game of the same name, “APT.” contains effortlessly woven-in rap verses with a melodic hook. Mars even raps his own verse before harmonizing with Rosé for the remainder of the song. It’s cute and playful, but more importantly, it’s fun.

Ultimately, rosie provides an unfiltered and emotional look into Rosé’s experiences with love, loss, and self-discovery. Providing a well-crafted narrative arc, the album is actually reminiscent of a break-up: beginning with disappointment and frustration with a partner, those feelings are followed by the break-up and temporary euphoria.

Despite stepping into uncharted musical territory, rosie still carries the essence of Rosé’s signature voice—elegant, strong, and unmistakably hers. Whether she’s delivering a stripped-down acoustic ballad or an infectious pop track, the album proves that she is more than ready to stand on her own as a solo artist.

Nikki Glaser Hosts the Golden Globes A+

PHOTO VIA SONJA FLEMMING / CBS

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER POLK/ GETTY IMAGES

PHOTO BY SONY PICTURES

The Grammys

PHOTO BY NEWSWEEK

A movie about Mexicans, without Mexicans. The Problem with Emilia Pérez

By Natalia R. Staff Writer

With 13 Oscar nominations, Emilia Pérezhas become the most nominated non-English film in Oscar history. As a Mexican, it is beyond disheartening to see all the critical acclaim for a movie that blatantly misrepresents and disrespects my culture.

Directed by Frenchman Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez is a musical crime film about a trans drug cartel leader and the consequences of drug trafficking. Cartel violence is the reality faced by communities in the crossfire of the drug war in Mexico, where thousands die or go missing every year due to drug-related violence.

But instead of employing and giving a voice to the people most affected by this violence, Emilia Pérez opts to have an almost entirely non-Mexican cast and crew. None of the three main actresses were born in Mexico—actresses Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez were born in the United States, while lead actress, Karla Sofía Gascón, is from Spain. Saldaña has Dominican roots, while Gomez has Mexican heritage but doesn’t speak Spanish fluently.

In an attempt to prioritize “authenticity,” casting director Carla Hool worked with Audiard to alter the script in order to explain the accent differences.

But authenticity is more than just changing lines to fit a cast that’s out of place. It’s about hiring people who know the culture and can genuinely portray it.

When Emilia Pérez’s filmmakers went out of their way to maneuver around actual representation, they created a film that is detached and ingenuine.

Audiard’s decision not to film in Mexico, even though the film is set there, distances it from the culture even more.

“I realized that the images I had in my mind of what the film would look like just didn't match the reality of the streets of Mexico. It was just too pedestrian, too real," Audiard said.

To further justify his decision to shoot in France, Audiard later compared himself to Shakespeare: the English playwright didn’t need to go to Verona to write Romeo and Juliet, so why should he have to go to Mexico? But Audiard is not Shakespeare, and his analogy fails to acknowledge the importance of cultural accuracy and respect when telling a story about a place’s real and prevalent issues.

To me, it’s clear Audiard cares more about aesthetics than representing Mexico correctly. Emilia Perez is a French movie that uses poor translations and stereotypes to tell a Mexican story.

Culture Corner

One of the most problematic songs

By Lexie S. Staff Writer

in the soundtrack is “Papá,” written by Audiard and French singer Camille. In it, the son of a drug cartel leader sings about what his father smelled like. It is overtly stereotypical: his father smells like spicy food, guacamole, tequila, and dogs. Looking at the lyrics, I’d think the song was meant to be satirical, but unfortunately, the ballad is one of the most serious songs in the film’s Oscar-nominated soundtrack.

“Bienvenida” is similarly deplorable. Here, French writers Camille and Clément Ducol attempt wordplay with “you’re welcome” and “welcome.” But it doesn’t work because, unlike French, the Spanish words for “you’re welcome” and “welcome” are completely different.

Emilia Perez’s writers put in little effort to create Spanish songs for Spanish speakers and instead catered to European audiences who, much like the filmmakers,

We've rounded up the best of culture to watch, listen,

LISTEN

Teen romance TV series XO, Kitty just arrived on Netflix with a second season. The drama-filled season follows upperclassman Kitty and her life at a boarding school in Seoul, and all of her predicaments and plot twists. The second season brings new and more entertaining circumstances, a little bit of mystery, and a cameo from Noah Centineo who played a prominent character in the original trilogy. In addition to the already gripping plot, there is a family subplot expanded on from the first season. With all of the drama and new content, the show is the perfect binge watch for your free time.

The Weeknd’s new album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, released on Jan. 30, and is an exciting release in the world of pop music. The album, consisting of 22 songs, concludes the “After Hours” trilogy of albums After Hours, Dawn FM, and Hurry Up Tomorrow. The new album features collaborations with singers like Lana Del Ray, Playboi Carti, and Travis Scott, all who blend with his voice in a perfect harmony. With its dynamic and electric songs, his newest album is the ultimate addition to your playlist.

have little understanding of Mexican culture.

The Academy—a predominantly white voting body—has nominated 20 members of the cast and crew of Emilia Pérez across different fields. If Emilia Pérez were to win every category it’s nominated for, not a single Oscar would go to a Mexican.

When non-Mexicans are celebrated for poorly telling Mexican stories, it prevents talented Mexican actors, directors, and writers from being recognized.

Emilia Pérez is an illusion of representation; only further marginalizing the very people it’s supposed to portray. The movie industry needs to stop seeing important Mexican stories as opportunities for artistic exploitation, or as a backdrop, and start giving recognition to real Mexican cinema.

eat, and do right now.

EAT

The newest Valentine’s themed Starbucks cake pop and drink are an unforgettable combo. The seasonal drink options include a Chocolate Hazelnut Cookie Cold Brew and a Chocolate-covered Strawberry Crème Frappuccino. Both are mouthwatering additions to the menu, and provide the perfect mix between fruit and chocolate. The Valentine Cake Pop has a Vanilla cake base, coated in red icing and decorated with a heart design. The sweet taste of the cake pop complements the drink’s fruity and robust taste, giving the perfect delicious blend. Bring your Valentine over to Starbucks for a seasonal taste of the holiday.

DO

As Feb. 14 approaches, gather your friends for a super sweet Galentine’s day celebration activity: cake decorating! Cake decorating is great for gifting, enjoyment of the craft, or to just indulge your sweet tooth. For your cake, you can either bake it yourself, or purchase a plain cake from your local grocery store. When it comes to decorations, you can keep it simple and stick with frosting, or go all out with sprinkles and edible decorations. Whether you buy pre-made components or make each element from scratch, it’s a great addition to your Valentine’s Day plans.

A Lost Opportunity EmiliaPérezis a French movie that uses poor translations and stereotypes. PHOTO BY NETFLIX

PHOTO BY NETFLIX

PHOTO BY BILLBOARD

PHOTO BY STARBUCKS

PHOTO BY PAMPERED CHEF

A Crossroads for Users In TikTok’s Eleventh Hour

As TikTok’s fate hangs in the balance, students reflect on its impact and rethink how to spend their time.

By Callum S. Staff Writer

What would you do with an extra two hours a day? For many Nueva students, that's the time that TikTok quietly takes—time that could be spent on homework, hobbies, friends, or just sleeping. With the app’s potential ban looming in April, some students are planning ways to reclaim their time.

For many students, TikTok isn’t just a way to escape boredom; it’s deeply ingrained into their daily routine. Ethan E. ’27 will “usually scroll [on TikTok] for 45 minutes straight before sleeping”—but this is far from an isolated experience.

In the fall, Daniel K. ’27 conducted a survey in the fall on the screen time habits of students, collecting a sample of 94 respondents, 83 of whom were on some form of social media. Among the respondents who used social media, 72% said they felt addicted to it at some point, with some reporting five or more hours a day on platforms like TikTok. TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese

“It was something that was able to make me kind of numb in the moment. I could just watch videos to distract myself.”

company ByteDance, has come under fire over concerns about data privacy, prompting the threat of a nationwide ban unless sold to a U.S.-based buyer before April 4. ByteDance has said it has no plans to sell TikTok, leaving its future uncertain.

This wouldn’t be its first ban, though; following approval from former President Joe Biden in mid-January, TikTok went offline in the United States and was removed from the app store. This ban was shortlived, as it lasted just 14 hours before being restored, although it remains unavailable on the app store.

For some students, the impending ban has been a wake-up call.

“When I first heard about the TikTok ban, I was glad,” said Zach T. ’28. “Something wasting my time would be gone, which could free up more time for other things.”

Beyond the time it consumes, TikTok’s impact on teen health and wellness is a growing issue. A Nature Communications study found that frequent TikTok usage lowers dopamine production in the brain’s reward system, making it harder to focus on longer tasks.

This isn’t much of a surprise though, as the app is designed to train the brain to crave quick hits of stimulation, with short, highly engaging videos that provide instant gratification.

For many students, the constant slew of information and dopamine overwhelms their brains, turning the app into a tool for escaping difficult emotions. Mars R. ’27 has since limited their TikTok usage, but used to

Intersession Passions

Students discover new hobbies through annual intersession

By Emily F. Staff Writer

Radio building, neuroscience lectures, making pizza, and more—this year’s week-long Intersession had these and a plethora of other workshops to choose from.

Intersession is a series of workshops taught by subject professionals that provide an opportunity for students to try activities or learn about topics that they might have never discovered otherwise.

“Intersession put me in an excellent position to try something I've always been curious about, and then decide if I wanted to pursue it further,” Mari M. ’25 said. Mari took the aerial silks Intersession this year, something she had been curious about for a while. She enjoyed the experience and is planning to start lessons for it.

“Without Intersession, I wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to try out aerial silks, as it's not exactly a common activity to come across,” Mari said.

Other students share a similar positive outlook on Intersession.

“I think Intersession is awesome. I'm really glad Nueva has it,” Julia R. ’26 said. Through her hobby of crocheting, during this year’s Intersession Randolph decided to try knitting, something vaguely alike to crocheting.

“I was expecting to enjoy knitting, although I found it easier to learn than I thought I would,” Julia said.

Since then, she has already started and finished a scarf and is planning to continue knitting for her Quest. Julia said that without Intersession, she wouldn’t have decided to learn knitting and is grateful for the broad spectrum of topics at Intersession.

Ethan E. ’27 took a Biology workshop called “MicroRNAs and the Evolution

of Cannibalism” during Intersession. He is currently reaching out to the session leader, Stanford doctoral student Neil Khosla, to talk about research.

“The teacher was very informative, spoke in a lot of detail and answered questions immediately which I appreciated,” Ethan said. “It is a very interesting field but is also very complicated. I have barely scratched the surface.”

This opportunity for learning something new and continuing beyond Intersession exists throughout many Intersessions.

“There are so many topics and fields that I had never even heard of before available to sign up for, and there are enough classes to have an interest for everyone,” Ethan said.

rely on the app to drown out feelings.

“There would be times when I would be really upset and I would just go in my room and be on TikTok for 45 minutes. It was something that was able to make me kind of numb in the moment,” Mars said. “I could just watch videos to distract myself.”

This cycle of using TikTok as an escape is common, but comes at a cost. While the app can provide a distraction from these emotions, it leaves users more drained and disconnected and makes them increasingly reliant on the app.

Many students are turning to apps like Opal, ScreenZen, and Freedom to manage

their screen time and curb their TikTok usage. To reclaim the time lost to their long scrolling sessions, Mars downloaded ScreenZen, which enforces breaks after using TikTok for more than 10 minutes. This feature has made Mars less inclined to even open the app in the first place, greatly reducing their overall time on social media.

Reid D. ’26 took an even more drastic approach by uninstalling TikTok altogether. “I’ve been painting a lot lately and that’s been pretty time-consuming, so the time that I would have spent doom-scrolling I’m doing something I enjoy that has a real outcome.”

Mavericks Spraying Waves

Urban art and free speech Intersession produces a mural for the community.

By Gabriel B. Features Editor

“MAVERICKS” pops off the canvas in green gradient lettering, and waves arc inwards from either end. The mural materialized from the imagination, inspiration, and spray painting of students in the “Freedom of Speech and Public Art in Action” Intersession workshop.

“We wanted it to be something that represented us as a community and we just wanted to focus on it being very vibrant and colorful,” said Rachel Y. ’26, who helped plan the activity.

Rachel and Ellie L. ’26, co-leaders of the Art and Writing for Social Impact Club, proposed the workshop in the fall. The original spark to organize it came from last year’s 10th grade trip to Oahu.

In the Kaka‘ako neighborhood of Honolulu, Ellie and her peers met with local graffiti artist John “Prime” Hina, who led them on a mural walk and encouraged them to create a school mural.

“Every single corner, [Prime] had a story about,” Ellie said. “What I got from it is how the art was very transformative in the way that it can realize the experiences that [Prime] had and show his life in general, just painted all over the city.”

Director of Extended Learning Katie Saylor, who organizes Intersession, connected Rachel and Ellie with 1AMsf, a San Francisco-based urban art company focused on advancing social advocacy and

raising awareness through public art.

Toward the beginning of the workshop, 1AM facilitators offered guidance while giving students the chance to experiment with spray painting letters, lines, and shapes.

“It felt very freeform—not too structured to start,” said Eric W. ’26, who attended the workshop.

Once the participants gained a feel for the spray can, they jumped into the creative process for the mural. The group’s goals were ambitious.

“We wanted to do some kind of design that captured the essence of Nueva,” Eric said.

Not all of the initial design preferences could make it into the final version, but the students’ collaboration was fruitful nonetheless. To Rachel, the process, not just the product, some quintessential ideals the school holds.

“Everyone who was involved got to pitch in their ideas and input their own creative thoughts and their styles into the piece,” she said. “I think it was a very good representation of us as a community, where everyone's voices are heard and everyone gets to contribute to this bigger project.”

The mural does not yet have a permanent location, but the intention is to put it on display.

TikTok Troubles 72% of students who use social media reported feeling addicted to it at some point. PHOTO BY ELLIE L. AND ART BY CALLUM S.

Jewelry Making! Students experiment with soldering in a metalworking intersession. PHOTO BY RACHEL FREEMAN.

PHOTO BY RACHEL FREEMAN

Inside the National High School Ethics Bowl

Sophomores, juniors

tackle ethical dilemmas

By Anwen C. Staff Writer

What is the purpose of punishment? Does silence make you complicit? Is there anything wrong with being inauthentic for the sake of practicality?

These are the questions a group of eight students prepared to answer as participants in the National High School Ethics Bowl (NHSEB) this winter.

This marks the third year Nueva is fielding a team in the Ethics Bowl. The team operates as a homegrown initiative, with no faculty mentor or formal coach—just a group of sophomores and juniors driven by a passion for philosophical debate and pushing the boundaries of what we think we know. The students are subdivided into a team of four sophomores and a team of four juniors, but collaboration is not confined to these groups.

Unlike traditional debate, where teams are assigned a position to defend, Ethics Bowl teams must devise their own solutions to ethical dilemmas. During the competition season, teams start by participating in regional, in-person preliminaries, with the strongest competitors advancing to the national level in the spring.

Leading up to regionals, schools receive a collection of shared “Case Sets”—a collection of 15 scenarios and tricky dilemmas dished out by the NHSEB committee. Each case features a one page brief introducing the dilemma, often based on real-world events, which is then followed by 3-4 discussion questions provided by an “Editorial Board.”

“I just really enjoy discussing ethical and philosophical situations with other people,” said Camille C. ’27. “While the cases are hypothetical situations, talking about what ethical or moral framework you would use to approach a case is actually very useful in real life.”

One of this year’s regional cases, “A Killer Dilemma,” explores the purpose of the criminal justice system and the role of individual

accountability, closure, and guilt.

Another, called “The Lesser of Two Evils”, highlights the distinction between individuals and spokespeople, and draws the morality of a two-party system into question.

As the competition season drew closer, weekly meetings after school and during lunch became the norm. These sessions were focused on reviewing case materials, debating possible responses, and practicing presentation skills. While Ethics Bowl teams often rely on anecdotal evidence and deductive reasoning, successful teams also look at things from a lens of philosophical theory. A team may use “ethical frameworks” such as deontology, utilitarianism, or determinism as a scaffold to base their arguments on.

their awareness of competing perspectives, ability to form constructive criticism, and even the respect they show throughout the discussion.

Alumnus Joins Alumni Relations Department

Stanley Wang '20 returns as intern

By Ellie L. Culture Editor

F

rom the moment Stanley Wang ’20 walked through the red front doors, he knew he had made the right choice.

“There's not an inherently correct way to approach a situation,” Camille said. “So, discussing with my teammates and hearing what they say is valuable. It helps me think about the case in a new light.”

“In Ethics Bowl, you get to dig deep into why you feel the way you feel—and also look at things from the opposing perspective,” Sofia C. ’27 added.

This kind of perspective-taking isn’t only an exercise in flexible thinking; it also has strategic benefits. Understanding different viewpoints and the factors shaping people’s decisions helps teams craft more compelling, nuanced arguments for each case.

With months of practice under their belts, the Nueva Ethics Bowl teams braced themselves for their first regional event of the year. On Jan. 11, the team carpooled to Santa Cruz for a full day of head-to-head—or rather, morals-to-morals—competition.

While judges abide by the premise that there are no definitive answers, they do evaluate teams on the clarity of their presentations,

The Lockdown Legacy

How the pandemic’s impact continues to linger

By Anvi M. Staff Writer

“It’s an incredibly forgiving and insightful environment,” said Harrison Q. ’27, highlighting the Ethics Bowl’s supportive atmosphere.

During their time in Santa Cruz, both Nueva’s junior and sophomore teams showcased their hard work and dedication, winning their first two rounds against other California teams. However, a narrow loss in the third round left them just shy of the three-round win requirement to advance to nationals.

Looking ahead, the juniors hope to compete in additional events in the spring. Regardless, both teams will be back again for the 2026 season. The ultimate goal is clear: win all three regional rounds and secure a spot at nationals. To get there, they’re hoping to spend more time with the case sets, and brush up on their presentation skills.

In the end, the Ethics Bowl isn’t about having all the answers, but about learning how to tackle tough issues with respect and a fresh perspective. It’s a skill that sticks around long after the competition ends.

I

t's been five years since March 4, 2020, the day California governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, the effects of the pandemic still resonate throughout the Upper School community.

For Gabby L. ’26, the pandemic intensified their already prominent anxiety towards germs and viruses. Lou felt concerned when they saw notification from the Nueva Health team on Jan. 21 reporting several instances of contagious viruses, including COVID-19, spreading among the Upper School.

“I feel like I've just gotten more paranoid about COVID-19 and the flu,” Gabby said. “That recent notification [from the school health team] of viruses made me a little paranoid about touching stuff.”

Gabby wears a mask to school most days, especially now during the flu season, which lasts from October to May.

Jack L-M ’28 also frequently wears a mask, though for Jack it’s for comfort rather than medical precaution.

“It’s mostly a habit, to be honest,” said Jack, who joined the Middle School in 2021 at the height of the pandemic. “I’m definitely less comfortable being without my mask.”

Another side effect of the pandemic was

how it impacted student’s social lives. First came distance learning over Zoom, then came a hybrid learning experience; even when in-person classes resumed, only half of a grade would be present on campus at a given time, with students switching throughout the week.

Gabby feels that this schedule, though necessary, compromised relationships with their peers.

“It meant that you were interacting with a lot less people,” Gabby said. “I feel like I didn’t get the chance to get to know that many people well until high school.”

Because meeting people face-to-face was discouraged during the period of lockdown, many students turned to social media to stay connected.

Some still rely on online communication today as a way to connect with peers.

“I didn’t really use my computer or online chats before, but because of online classes and the higher usage of it during the pandemic, I sort of stuck to those habits of talking online rather than in person,” Gabby said.

Online platforms like Zoom were also used for distance learning during the pandemic. For many students, this proved to be a setback in their academic journey.

“Students didn’t learn some things as well

in virtual classes, and we did spend a couple years catching up in our math classes,” said Upper School math teacher Kathy Paur.

For teachers, the difficulty of online classes and hybrid school caused some educators to leave their jobs during the height of the pandemic. As recorded by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 86 percent of schools nationwide still report struggles employing educators and staff.

As a result, educators at the Lower and Upper School saw long term adjustments to their salaries and job benefits.

“This pressure led the school to improve teacher compensation and create fairer, more transparent pay scales,” Paur said. “Some of these reforms might have happened eventually even if the pandemic hadn’t happened, but it’s not a coincidence that we all got raises right when teacher shortages were making national headlines.”

The COVID-19 pandemic leaves a lingering influence on Nueva students and faculty, but many members of the group feel that it helped move the community forward.

“It was really hard, and I’m proud we pulled it off,” said Paur.

“Coming back from college has made me appreciate Nueva more,” Wang said. “You can come back here and teachers will still remember you. You can come back here and it seems like you've never left. It’s like a second home.”

It’s been five years since Wang was on campus for more than a quick reunion or meeting with old teachers. Since then, he graduated from Northwestern University with degrees in biology and business, spent time skiing and playing music—all while remaining involved in the Nueva community as an alumni class representative.

Serving in that role led him to meet with Director of Alumni and Community Engagement Diana Chamorro, in the midst of his job search. She suggested he take on a position in Nueva’s alumni relations department.

“ I have a very strong connection to this place, so it was a no-brainer for me to help out,” Wang said. “This may not be the exact path I want to go down with my career, but it's still absolutely something that I can do to develop as a professional.”

He’s learned to appreciate all of the little tasks and day by day work in the process.

“People don’t normally notice what goes on behind the scenes,” Wang said. “There’s a lot that’s minor, but at the same time makes these events run smoothly.”

As for the future, his goals are simple. He hopes to foster the same caring dynamic he has enjoyed in his own experiences as an alumni.

“I just want to help connect everyone together,” Wang said. “I’ve noticed a lot of alumni always come back to Nueva, because Nueva really extends with you through everything. And I want to be a part of that.”

Ethics in Action Members of Nueva's Ethics Bowl teams participated in their first regional competition. PHOTO BY SARAH JALALI

Beaming in Blue Stanley Wang, with fourteen years of Nueva under his belt, is excited to be back.

PHOTO BY ETHAN H.

PHOTO BY FREEPIK

When the Fires Came

Wildfires in Los Angeles impact Upper School alumni and community members

By Natalie L. Managing Editor & Alexis C. Web Editor

Alumnus Siddharth C. ’24 first knew something was wrong on Jan. 7 from the powerful winds that blew across his school campus at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

“There is never any [extreme] weather here. So, when we had winds blowing at 40 miles per hour, it was completely unexpected,” Siddharth said. “There were trees toppled over and utensils and plates flying everywhere.”

The eerie sight of the Palisades fire that was visible through his dorm window, coupled with fire alert reports from the UCLA public alert and warning system that came the next day, left Siddharth concerned and answering worried calls from his family.

Subsequent news that his roommate’s home in Pasadena had been destroyed by the Eaton fire reinforced the severity of the situation.

“I didn’t even know what to do or say in a situation as serious as that,” Siddharth said.

Fueled by the dry weather and strong Santa Ana winds, wind events that can reach up to 90 miles per hour, the Palisades fire erupted the morning of Jan. 7 and burned through much of Pacific Palisades— over 23 thousand acres of land and 6,800 building structures—before being fully contained three weeks later. Meanwhile, the night of Jan. 7, the Eaton fire broke out and destroyed over 14 thousand acres of the Eaton Canyon and the Altadena neighborhood, resulting in the loss of 9,400 structures before containment on Feb. 1.

The Eaton and Palisades fires led to an estimated $250 billion in damages and economic loss, the second and third most destructive wildfires in California history, respectively, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Due to the wildfire outbreak, UCLA canceled classes for two days and moved online for the following week. During that time, many students, including Siddharth, were apprehensive enough to want to leave the area.

“At that point, almost everyone I knew tried to leave immediately,” Siddharth said. With over 31,000 undergraduates and

tens of thousands of Los Angeles residents trying to leave—both from official evacuation zones and neighboring areas—departing campus became chaotic. Additionally, without an official evacuation order or guidance from UCLA, students were left to organize their own transportation.

Most flights from LAX were immediately sold out, but Siddharth was lucky: he had friends in the area who were able to drive him home to the Bay Area.

Meanwhile, living a few buildings away, alumna Reese G. ’24 was still unsure how to find a way to the Bay Area.

“I felt pretty scared,” Reese said. “Since I’m a freshman and I don’t have a car on campus, I could’ve been trapped here.”

The next day, two upperclassmen friends

“A part of me wants to go back and get some closure, but the other part of me knows that there’s nothing to go back to.”

offered Reese and her roommate a ride to San Diego, though it was on frenzied, short notice.

“She [the upperclassman] said to us, ‘If you want to leave with me right now, I’m leaving in 10 minutes,’” Reese said. “This panicked my roommate and me so much. I literally grabbed two backpacks and shoved all of my valuables into them.”

The next day, Reese flew to the Bay Area from the San Diego Airport, carrying only the backpacks slung across her shoulders.

Alumna Cherise W. ’23, a student at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and her roomate packed their luggages with personal items and food, then, along with a group of friends, left campus the night of Jan. 7 without “much of a plan.”

“Having experienced a couple of instances in the Bay Area when air quality was affected by fires elsewhere in California,

drove in the direction away from the fires, stayed in hotels, and took it day by day,” Cherise said.

The Caltech campus, situated in the heart of Pasadena and less than five miles away from the outskirts of the Eaton fire, reached hazardous Air Quality Index (AQI) levels between 300 and 400 throughout that week, compared to an AQI value of 50 or below that represents good air quality.

Students who remained on campus wore N-95 masks to protect themselves, some even sleeping with them on, according to Cherise and her classmates.

One of the days, Cherise briefly returned to campus to bring personal belongings to her hotel room, and recalled that the weather was “awful.”

“I could see ashes flying in the air,” Cherise said.

Among those living in the Bay Area, some community members have experienced ripple effects from the natural disaster.

Junior Remi C.’s family hosted his lifelong best friend Jaiden and friend Theo, who both lived in the Palisades, for a week to give them a space away from the devastation caused by the Palisades fires. The latter had lost his home and many possessions in the fire.

While his family hosted Jaiden and Theo, Remi made an effort to balance lifting their spirits and providing emotional support.

“They wanted a distraction,” Remi said. “He [Theo] didn’t really show any emotion or that it [the destruction from the fire] was mentally hurting him that much, but I think it might have been so I decided to stay away from the topic.”

One day, Remi pitched the idea for Jaiden and Theo to join him in going to classes at the Upper School since their own schools had been closed for weeks. They enthusiastically agreed and went the next day.

“They embraced Nueva as if it was their own school,” Remi said, recalling how much Theo participated in his humanities classes. “Seeing how much they wanted to go to school made me think about how much I take for granted. It’s a privilege to have a normal life.”

Prior to moving to the Bay Area in eighth grade, Remi also lived in a house in the Palisades, close to areas that were burnt down. He felt horror every time he learned that a place from his childhood had been destroyed, including Cafe Vita, the café his family always ate at, and the Malibu coast where he spent weekends surfing.

“I remember driving down to Malibu to go to the beach and seeing all those houses. It was crazy to see how all of it burned down, there’s nothing there to go to anymore,” Remi said.

He followed news articles and fire maps closely for landmarks near his old home, including a tennis club called Riviera Tennis Club, to see if it had been destroyed. Fortunately, it and his home were unharmed.

“My grandma and I were talking about how if the tennis club burnt down, then we’d know that my old house did too,” Remi said. “What people don’t talk about

is how much having your house burn down can mentally mess you up.”

Other community members who grew up in Los Angeles are also grappling with the loss of familiar places and worrying for family members living in the area.

Rob Zomber, Upper School I-Lab teacher, grew up in three different homes around the Pacific Palisades. Over the course of a few days, the Palisades fire burned through his hometown. His elementary school, high school, favorite restaurants, and multiple friends’ homes were burnt in the fire and razed “completely flat.” Only one of Zomber’s homes still stood, a few houses away from the Temescal Ridge Trail, where the Palisades fire first began.

Zomber feels an extreme sense of grief for the neighborhood.

“A part of me wants to go back and get some closure, but the other part of me knows that there’s nothing to go back to. The entirety of it all is what perplexes me; it’s not just one thing that is missing—everything’s missing,” Zomber said.

Zomber has been reaching out to affected middle school classmates and family friends through Facebook groups and social media. Still, he feels that many aspects of his Los Angeles community and childhood memories have been lost to the fire.

“There are certain experiences that we can’t access without external stimuli. Smells, sights, tastes, and location are the keys that grant us the opportunity to unlock them. I’m grieving the loss of those keys,” Zomber wrote.

Upper School English teacher Jennifer Neubauer also grew up not far from the fire zone, in the Westwood neighborhood half a mile from UCLA.

With three of her sisters and parents still living in Los Angeles, and one sister evacuated from her Palisades home and now staying with their parents, Neubauer has been “pretty obsessively” checking online alerts and worrying for her hometown.

Although Neubauer made regular donations to local organizations to help people purchase medication and other essentials, she feels that her physical distance from the fires hinders her ability to support her family and hometown.

“It’s a pretty strange feeling to be at a distance [to the fires] and not be directly impacted by it, but to feel attached to the place,” Neubauer said. “It’s been really hard for me to feel powerless and not able to

Smoky Skies UCLA students walk to class under an orange-colored sky, the result of smoke from the Palisades fire. PHOTO BY REESE G.

10 Features.

While they have

Continued from Page 1

Another is named “Protecting The Meaning And Value Of American Citizenship,” which ends birthright citizenship and only recognizes citizenship for newborns if their parents are both citizens. Federal District Judges John C. Coughenour and Deborah L. Boardman have temporarily blocked the implementation of this specific policy. Judge Coughenour stated that President Trump’s proposed end to birthright citizenship is “blatantly unconstitutional.”

Trump also appointed former acting director of ICE, Tom Homan as the “border tsar” for the United States. At the Republican National Convention, Homan addressed undocumented immigrants. “You better start packing now,” he said.

Redwood City resident Maria Velasco*, who immigrated from

55,000 undocumented immigrants in San Mateo County

4,745 Latin American undocumented immigrants have been deported in President Trump's second term, as of Feb. 10

Mexico in 2000, is deeply worried about the impact of Trump’s strong anti-immigration policies in San Mateo County.

“I feel that we are in a pandemic—an emotional pandemic. Whether they have papers or not, everyone is terrified thinking about what is going to happen. Is their family going to be separated?” she questioned.

Another one of Trump’s Executive Orders is “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” which calls for a pause in federal funds to regions which maintain sanctuary status—an area where local cops are more limited in aiding federal immigration officers. California, leading the country with 1.8 million undocumented immigrants, is one of the nine states that may be affected by this new policy.

In 2023, San Mateo County adopted a sanctuary ordinance to prevent its local authorities from supporting federal agents. Other Bay Area counties like San Francisco County, Alameda County, Santa Clara County, Napa County, Contra Costa County, Sonoma County, and Santa Cruz County also have similar sanctuary ordinances.

Still, San Mateo County residents are extremely worried because of Trump’s nationwide expansion of immigration authority activity. In addition to the aforementioned orders and appointments, two weeks ago, Trump allowed ICE to enter more “sensitive areas” like schools and places of worship. ICE was previously unable to enter these locations.

"Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America's schools and churches to avoid arrest," said Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine

Huffman, who was appointed by President Trump.

But deportations and arrests are targeting more than just criminals.

Per NBC News, of the 1,179 people arrested on Jan. 26, 52% were labeled as “criminal arrests.” At least 566 people arrested had not committed any crimes.

Just south of San Mateo County, in San Jose, the Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network confirmed that ICE made at least one arrest in late January. San Jose officials confirmed that ICE has been active multiple times in their city, though local police have not been aiding the federal organization. Further north in San Francisco, ICE has been active in downtown office buildings, according to California State Senator Scott Weiner.

ICE agents do not announce when or where they will be appearing, making arrests, or conducting raids. They sometimes drive in civilian vehicles and wear civilian clothing, while other times they drive official ICE vehicles and wear uniforms.

This makes it difficult for local immigrants to predict how they might encounter the federal officials.

“I

feel that we are in a pandemic—an emotional pandemic. Whether they have papers or not, everyone is terrified thinking about what is going to happen.Is their family going to be separated?”

As a result, immigrant-frequented locations around the community are emptying as people stay at home out of heightened caution.

Paloma Ojeda*, a Nueva junior who spoke on condition of anonymity for her family’s privacy, described the emptiness of her local neighborhood, where many Latine people and immigrants live. “It's so quiet. Hardly any [stores] are open—or if they are open, it's just very slow,” she said. “Everyone's scared for their lives to step out and go to these businesses.”

Ojeda, who is the only nativeborn member of her immediate family, was 8 when Trump first came into office. The president’s anti-immigrant sentiment made her worry about becoming separated from the rest of her family, who were not yet all U.S. citizens.

“That's kind of when it all started. Being fearful of even going into the streets with my family, being scared that one of us would be picked up and maybe never seeing them again. And that fear has kind of just stuck until now,” she said.

Many others are living in fear of deportation breaking up their families, including Elvi, a service provider in San Mateo County. She is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico with a 15-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son. Elvi crossed the border for $1,500—a significant financial sacrifice for her family— when she was 20.

“I can’t sleep because the fear is for our children. If they grab you, and you don't have time to go get your children…” Elvi trailed off. “I love my children. I don't want my children to grow up without their [parents].”

Elvi’s worries for her children are well founded. Beyond their immediate emotional impacts, President Trump’s moves toward mass deportation may also cause short and long-term health problems for young children, according to pediatrician Dr. Amy Kostishack P ’25.

Dr. Kostishack works at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, where her patients’ families come from around the world. She sees a significant number of Latine patients, who are sometimes undocumented or have at least one undocumented parent. She worries that the removal of parents from their children could

qualify as an Adverse Childhood Experience, or ACE.

ACEs, Dr. Kostishack said, have been scientifically proven to change the physical biology of a young person. “If you were to separate a child from their parent, or if you were to take a child and put them into a country they're not familiar with, it's only expected that they are likely to experience extreme stress and trauma,” she said. “These stresses can trigger physiologic changes that can affect their development and wellbeing in childhood and can lead to chronic disease in adulthood.”

The undocumented parents of these children often have very few options for pursuing secure citizenship in America.

US Spanish teacher Francisco Becerra often hears other people wonder why undocumented immigrants do not attempt to get legal authorization. Becerra himself applied for a U.S. green card with his family while living in Mexico as a middle schooler. It was only 8 years later—after Becerra had graduated university in Mexico—that his family was finally granted authorization to live in America. They had two months to immigrate and eventually settled in North Carolina. Five years later, Becerra applied for and was granted U.S. citizenship.

The total process of gaining U.S. citizenship took Becerra 13 years. From his personal experience, legal immigration is often “complex or impossible if you don't have a connection,” Becerra said.

Like Becerra, Ojeda’s father had a similar experience of waiting years for citizenship. He came on a visitor visa from South America to California more than 20 years ago, seeking a better life with more opportunities, and he was only able to secure citizenship last year. Up until then, he had only held a green card because his daughter, Ojeda, was born a U.S. citizen. The long process of waiting “[puts] it into perspective how broken the system is,” Ojeda said.

For Elvi and her family, applying for citizenship is daunting and difficult. Because of the 1996 Illegal Immigrant Reform and Responsibility Act, immigrants who have resided in the U.S. illegally between 180 days and one year may apply for citizenship—after

slight nuances, “undocumented immigrants” and “unauthorized immigrants” are used interchangeably in this article. Latine is a gender-neutral term to describe the Latino community.

Interviews from Adriana Cortes, Maria Velasco, Francisco Becerra, and Elvi have been translated from Spanish to English.

*Name has been changed for interviewee safety.

Story by Kayla L. Opinion Editor Layout by Anwen C. Staff Writer

exiting the country for three years.

Immigrants who have stayed for more than a year are allowed to apply for citizenship after a 10 year ban from the U.S. Elvi has lived in California for nearly 17 years.

“I understand that we are in a country that is not ours, and we have to respect the laws,” she said. But she broke down crying at the thought of being forced to leave the country where she and her husband have built a life for their two children.

Elvi and her husband grew up in Oaxaca, a Mexican state with different smaller Indigenous groups. Her first language was Zapotec, which has 500,000 speakers. She learned Spanish when she was 12 and was an avid learner from a young age. Given her family’s limited income and financial opportunities, Elvi was unable to fulfill her dream of pursuing higher education after graduating high school in Mexico. It was only in America, after obtaining a high school diploma in English, that she began to dream of one day attending university.

Elvi hopes to obtain citizenship one day so that she can attend school, learn more English, earn a college degree, and apply to a whitecollar job. “I always tell my husband, ‘I would like to work in an office and dress nice,’” she said.

Other immigrants in San Mateo County find it impossible to return to their home countries. Cortes said that she never thought that she would immigrate to the U.S., but experiencing violence and poverty in Mexico forced her family to flee from their home.

“Returning has not really been an option because our lives were in danger,” Cortes said. “For many families I know, if they return to their country, what awaits them is no kind of life.”

She added, “I have met people over the years who have been forced to return and have found death.”

With limited options to secure legal status or return to their native countries, undocumented immigrants have been bracing for encounters with ICE and preparing their families for the worstcase scenario—deportation and separation.

At Faith in Action’s Bay Area office, chapter members have been signing up to spread information about ICE preparation and to distribute tarjetas rojas, or red cards, around churches in San Mateo County. The size of a credit card, red

cards were created by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) in 2007. The cards contain reminders in English, Spanish, and 17 other languages about constitutional rights, which apply to anyone on U.S. soil regardless of citizenship status.

“I do not give you permission to enter my home based on my 4th Amendment rights under the United States Constitution,” reads one line of the card. According to ILRC, there have been 9 million requests for cards since the election of President Trump. Elvi, Cortes, and Velasco have been carrying Spanish versions of the cards in their wallets, while Dr. Kostishack’s office has been distributing them to patients who come in for office visits.

Cortes described seeing this collective action in recent weeks as “beautiful.” Beyond tabling around the community and passing out red cards, Cortes is also one of the founders and chief leaders of the San Mateo County Rapid Response Network, which is a hotline that San Mateo County residents can call into and request for verification of immigration authority activity in the community.

Verifying these calls is important because panic can spread quickly among immigrants when it comes to sightings of ICE or other authorities. Undocumented immigrants should remain calm until rumors have been confirmed by officials or hotline operators, Cortes said.

Attendees of the recent Faith in Action meeting spent a few minutes memorizing the digits of the Rapid Response Hotline, so that they can call for help even in a moment of fear or worry: “Dos. Cero. Tres. Seis, seis, seis. Cuatro, cuatro. Siete. Dos.”

Regardless of their immigration status, each member noted down the number (one mother brought three of her children to this 7 p.m. meeting). Their common trait had nothing to do with their citizenship status—it was their shared Mexican ethnicity.

This is because President Trump has frequently taken the actions of a few select undocumented immigrants and falsely extrapolated them to the broader community of immigrants in America.

Of America’s 11 million undocumented immigrants, 4.8 million are from Mexico, and at least 2.8 million more are from other countries in Central and Latin America. Unfortunately, these immigrants and the general Latine American population have been subjected to harmful generalizations by President Trump, his circle of staff, and the media.

Becerra called out a common misconception. “There is a concept that a Latine is the same as a migrant. It is completely—” Becerra paused. “Many [Latines] in California have lived here longer than other people,” he said.

In 2015, during his presidential campaign announcement, President Trump said that he believed immigrants from Mexico are “rapists” and that “they’re bringing crime.” In 2023, he said that immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country.” More recently, President Trump has alluded to immigrants as “snakes,” “violent,” and “insane.” In many of the president’s Executive Orders, he refers to undocumented immigrants as “illegal aliens,” a deliberately dehumanizing term.

President Trump labels undocumented immigrants as criminals—and there are, indeed, undocumented immigrants who

are criminals. In 2024, under former President Joe Biden, the U.S. Border Patrol arrested 17,048 undocumented immigrants with criminal convictions of assault, illegal drug possession, and more— this accounts for 0.15% of all 11 million undocumented immigrants. Nonetheless, President Trump has magnified that small segment of the demographic in his policy agenda.

The Laken Riley Act, a piece of legislation President Trump signed into law on Jan. 29, instructs the deportation of undocumented immigrants that have committed violent crimes like assault of a police officer and non-violent crimes such as shoplifting. The act is named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was murdered in 2024 by Jose Ibarra, an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela.

Elvi acknowledges that dangerous people like Ibarra exist within the immigrant population. She hopes that authorities know that her family and “not all of [immigrants] are criminals.”

Because of how Trump, the media, and other political leaders have publicly connected having an immigrant identity with having a criminal identity, the Nueva student often wonders about others’ perception of her or her family, and “if people are taking these words and applying them specifically to Latines in their lives.”

“It's a fear of what people are thinking about me, or if they think that I or my family might somehow be threatening to them,” she said.

Other ethnic immigrant groups are struggling with similarly disproportionate or false claims by President Trump. During his first presidential debate against former President Biden, Trump incorrectly claimed that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were “eating the dogs” and “eating the cats."

In April last year, President

Trump commented on the influx of “military-age” Chinese immigrants into the country. “It sounds like to me, are they trying to build a little army in our country? Is that what they’re trying to do?” he questioned a rally crowd in Pennsylvania.

There are an estimated 390,000 undocumented Chinese immigrants in America, and 110,000 reside in California. Indians and Filipinos immigrants are also undocumented in high numbers, with 120,000 and 152,000 undocumented immigrants living in California, respectively.

According to Jenny K. Hong, the Managing Attorney at Omega Immigration Law, “There are many undocumented Asians living in California, especially in the southern part of California, as well as the Bay Area.”

“Many of the undocumented immigrants living in California do not have a path to citizenship,” Hong said. “Most people falsely believe that living in the U.S. for so many years or marrying a U.S. citizen can grant paperwork, but that is just not the case.”

“It's important that people understand families in our community that now need to make very difficult, very sad decisions,” Becerra said. He hopes that Nueva might coordinate intentional conversations about immigration and invite in a guest speaker with expertise about the nuances of immigration in the U.S.

Listening to President Trump and seeking alternate viewpoints will “support the communities that are being affected, and [you can] personally understand the problem more,” Becerra said. He believes that gaining a diversity of perspectives is critical for understanding the complex immigration system in America. “If we only have one version, many people end up believing that it is the absolute truth.”

Turned Away Left: Cortes speaks about the new Trump administration to other San Mateo County residents.Top Left:

Members of the Faith in Action Bay Area Chapter gather on a Thursday night to practice scenarios of encountering ICE. Right: Elvi, who is from Oaxaca, has not been able to go home and see her parents in 17 years. PHOTOS BY KAYLA L.

The Nueva Current Volume 8

Masthead

Josie B. ’25

Editor-in-Chief

Natalie L. ’25

Managing Editor

Alvin Y. ’26

News Editor

Gabriel B. ’25

Features Editor

Ellie L. ’26

Culture Editor

Kayla L. ’26

Opinion Editor

Ethan H. ’25

Sports Editor

Alexis C. ’27

Jackson H. ’26

Web Editors

LiAnn Yim

Faculty Advisor

Staff

Anwen C. ’26

Emily F. ’27

Jordan F. ’27

Neel G. ’27

Senna H. ’26

Niam K. ’26

Anvi M. ’28

Natalia R. ’28

Senya S. ’26

Callum S. ’27

Alexandra S. ’28

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.

The Nueva Current is distributed to current and alumni members of The Nueva School community. Press run is 600 copies, printed by FolgerGraphics. Fonts used in Volume 8: Very Vogue, Seriously Nostalgic, Awesome Font, Glamour Absolute, and ITC Galliard Std.

The Nueva Current is a member of the NSPA and CSPA. NSPA Pacemaker Finalist 2020, 2022, 2023. Pacemaker Winner 2022, 2024. Gold Crown winner 2023, finalist 2024.

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, SUBMISSIONS

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

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131 E. 28th Ave. San Mateo, CA 94403

Our governments’ inability to take responsibility for their faults must end Do We Call Them Leaders or Letdowns?

By Alvin Y. News Editor

While doom-scrolling at midnight on Jan. 15, I found myself reading what might have been one of the most gut-wrenching posts I have seen published by The New York Times.

The story introduced Anthony Mitchell, who lived in Altadena, California with his two sons, Justin and Jordan, both in their 30s. Anthony and Justin both had medical concerns— Anthony in a wheelchair due to having a leg amputated and Justin who has cerebral palsy which causes significant weakness in his muscles. Jordan typically takes care of his father and brother, but when the fire broke out, he was not at home.

After the fire passed through, both Anthony and Justin were found dead in their home.

This was the first time I had felt such strong emotion over reading an article. A mix of sadness and anger came over me, but who was to blame for this tragedy?

Readers in the comments were debating the same thing. Was the family to be blamed for their lack of planning, or the first responders who could have answered the call faster?

I, too, was trying to find someone or something to blame. I now realize that it is our political leaders and the misjudgments they made that led to the Los Angeles fires.

People like the Mitchells do not deserve to suffer because of poor planning and mistakes our elected officials brush off without a second thought and without repercussions. If we want to avoid similar future tragedies, our government leaders need to step up their leadership to prevent any issues like these.

The severity of the fires is exacerbated by California’s lack of fire insurance. Enacted in 1988, California’s strict reinsurance policies, Proposition 108, makes insurance

companies have to “check in” with the California government about its charges on citizens. This makes it it difficult for insurance companies like State Farm to profit from these situations and means that if a massive wildfire were to break out and spread into the city, State Farm and others could not sustain themselves in California.

Because of this, State Farm did not renew 72,000 insurance policies in California, comprising 30,000 homeowners, roughly 12-percent of their total policies in Los Angeles, and more importantly, 1,600 homeowners in Palisades, which is nearly 70-percent of customers in the neighborhood.

Additionally, the Los Angeles government and Mayor Karen Bass had one of the worst responses I have ever seen against the Los Angeles fires. The city’s lack of planning and preparation, inability to reduce fire hazards, history of corruption, and lack of accountability all factor into its

The Voices We're Not Hearing

disastrous response.

In other fires I have seen on the news, water was readily available and used to stop the flames from going too far. However, in this case, the 117 million gallons of water in the Santa Ynez Reservoir in Palisades—purposely designed to prevent any large-scale destruction a possible fire might cause—was closed off and out of commission. After a formal investigation, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) revealed that the reservoir had been drained due to unsafe drinking standards. To repair the system, the LADWP was subject to the city’s bidding process, meaning that time was required until the systems were repaired.

We cannot blame solely state officials. Wildfires in California have increased in recent years due to climate change. Recently, President Donald Trump has set the tone for the next four years by pulling the country out of the Paris Accords, an international climate policy agreement.

Our president needs to do something against climate change for once to set the tone on how our state leaders should behave, even if it combats against his current policies. Otherwise, if the most powerful person in the United States is unwilling to make change, how might state politicians view his actions as a model and justification for theirs?

Whether it's creating equitable insurance prices for both the companies and citizens, increasing funding to firefighters in case of emergencies and improving response time, listening to residents during moments of crisis, or even accepting faults, our leaders need to be more responsive to America’s needs rather than their own agendas.

Citizens do not deserve to suffer because of poor planning and mistakes our leaders brush off. If we want to ensure these kinds of events do not spiral out of control, our governments need to step up their leadership.

The editorial team explores administrative decisions, natural disasters, and how to uplift those who are most affected

By The Editorial Board

Since taking office on Jan. 20, President Donald Trump has signed over 50 executive orders. Keeping track of all of them can feel overwhelming, even impossible.

But The Nueva Current’s editorial team believes that it’s important to keep our focus. Some of his orders may seem trivial, like renaming the Gulf of Mexico or ordering the Treasury Secretary to stop producing pennies. They caught us off guard, prompting exclamations in the newsroom: “Can he really do that?”

Other policies, however, are far more dangerous. They attack immigrants, transgender people, and the very concept of diversity. Many of them openly defy existing legislation and precedent.

New immigration policies, in particular, have instilled anxiety in people in our community who worry about their families, their status, and the values America claims

to uphold.

President Trump is testing the limits of his executive power. His actions have left many communities–including our San Mateo community–wrestling with fear and uncertainty.

Yet, at Nueva conversations about these policies often feel distant. How do we, as a community with significant privilege, engage meaningfully with issues that we may not feel impact us directly? More importantly, why do we sometimes avoid them altogether?

To address this, we contacted local nonprofits actively working with immigrants in our community. Through our reporting, we sought to understand how the president’s policies manifest in real, everyday struggles in the lives of people around us.

We uphold the importance of building and promoting empathy in the wake of

tragedies. We aimed not just to focus on the most apparent story or angle but also to give proper attention to perspectives that might not be as easily represented.

In the Features section, we spoke to community members affected by the Los Angeles fires and aimed to highlight overlooked and invisible struggles of facing a natural disaster. Meanwhile, in the Opinion section, our journalists critiqued the government and civilian responses to the Los Angeles fires to encourage readers to consider how this event connects to broader societal issues.

As you read our coverage of this issue, we encourage you, as members of the Upper School community, to consider how the headlines you read impact people in your communities. Never stop wondering whose perspective you are not seeing and how we can bring them to the table.

The Need for All-Around Accountability Mayor Karen Bass gives updates on the fires, in a press conference from January.

PHOTOS BY LA TIMES

Talking Back

Top nationally-ranked public forum debaters confront sexism and celebrate girlhood in debate

By Kayte C. Guest Writer & Anika G. Guest Writer

There’s no way to sugarcoat it: debate is sexist. A 2020 study published in Social Science Research Network analyzing 125,087 debate rounds found that female-female teams are 17.1% less likely to win a round against male-male teams, and even male-female teams are still 10% less likely.

Unfortunately, we know this struggle all too well. As two of three women on Nueva’s varsity public forum team, we’ve faced sexism on both the team and the national circuit. Though debate is a game of adaptation, we shouldn’t have to mask our identity to win ballots.

When in rounds, we deliberately lower our voices, aware that it makes us seem trustworthy and more credible. When we debate in front of parents, we are cognizant of their biases and the prejudices they carry. We don’t interrupt male teams. We say “please” and “thank you,” even when our opponents don’t. We always make sure we’re put together—hair and makeup done, and outfits that are feminine but don’t risk being seen as excessively revealing.

We have to remember that in the eyes of judges and opponents, we are women first and debaters second.

We have to remember that in the eyes of judges and opponents, we are women first and debaters second. And these changes have shown their effects—without them, our confidence is reframed as aggression, and Nueva Kayte and Anika (Nueva CG) goes 2–4 instead of 5–1.

Though we lead the country in qualifications to the Gold Tournament of Champions (TOC), the most prestigious national high school speech and debate tournament, we are constantly in the shadow of our male peers. We’ve gathered that to some male debaters, our success makes us an anomaly: we are the B-team, the flukes, and only pick up easy ballots.

When we made it to The New York City Invitational semifinals last October, people thought it was our male teammates instead. When we went 18–0 and championed the Arizona State Invitational, a male debater we had never met said we “were just lucky.”

Hordes of “debate bros” fawn over our male teammates at tournaments, while we’re often only mentioned and spoken to when being hit on. We’ve been accused by other debaters that our arguments are stolen from our male teammates, and that when we were invited to exclusive competitions, it was because we freerode off of the male team’s successes.

Our wins are accredited to the men on our team, yet our losses are placed ostensibly on Nueva CG’s skill, appearance, and commitment level.

To make matters worse, female debaters are pitted against each other, clawing to be part of the heavily masculine and bro-like social dynamic. It feels like the only way to gain respect is to become the best—a desire that makes competing in the space toxically competitive.

Other female debaters undermine our skills and say we’re rude. We often find ourselves doing the same. When we watched our peers debate a female-female team, we fell into the trap of calling other women aggressive or mean, or asserting that they, too, don’t deserve their wins. Sexism in debate forces women to tear each other down just to be taken seriously.

Still, the solidarity found with other women in debate is invaluable. While competing in the Arizona State quarterfinals, our opponents read blatantly sexist arguments and claimed our experiences were methods to “victimize ourselves for a ballot.”

Though our opponents’ rhetoric was mortifying, the debate community’s response was incredible—and we won on a 3-0! Girls watching the round nodded during our speeches and came up to us after round to tell us how we made them feel seen. Coaches emailed thanking us for our advocacy. And, our social media overflowed with female debaters reaching out to empower each other.

In an overwhelmingly discouraging and patriarchal environment, it sometimes feels impossible to stay motivated.

But in our small corner, Nueva’s

public forum team and support feel like a breath of fresh air, building a community of resilience. Our coaches’ commitment to reading arguments based on feminist literature, our team’s reception to critique gender discrimination, and increasing female novice numbers give us hope for the future. Our friends from across the debate circuit have made the space welcoming and inviting by validating our feelings and supporting us through wins and losses.

And as we finish out our final tournament of the season at the Tournament of Champions and as half of Nueva CG graduates off the team, we know we’ve made so much progress this year, and the broader community will only improve in the future.

Yes, debate is sexist—but we still love it. It’s taught us to advocate for ourselves like no other activity can.

So while we continue to hear the rumors about Nueva CG at tournaments and face discrimination for our identities, we’ll hold our privilege in perspective. Advocacy that comes easily for us is harder for others—and that recognition fuels our desire to build a community for the next generation.

The Dangers of Ignorance in Fire Country

I’m weary of thinking about climate change. But apathy is not the answer.

By Ellie L. Culture Editor

victims.

Iwill always remember my 2018 wildfires: the rust-colored skies, the smoke that stuck to my skin, and the way I clung to my mother as we monitored the air quality. I was 9, and the Paradise fire was the most destructive California wildfire up to that point, a terrible incarnation of my worst fears.

But the fire seasons since then—the 2020 Hughes fire that turned the sky orange, the 2021 Dixie fire and more—have long faded into obscurity. My reaction to any wildfire in the news is now always the same.

A bolt of fear flashes, before it’s smothered by a weary reminder of all the fires I have experienced before. I scroll past every article and news broadcast. By the time the fire is 100 percent contained, it has already dissipated into my memory. Never mind the devastation to homes and businesses.

With the recent Los Angeles fires, however, I have refused to ignore the fire

coverage. Perhaps it was the bombardment of news that shook me out of the privilege of remaining oblivious, or the shock of such a large wildfire after relatively quieter fire seasons.

Either way, I’ve come to realize the danger of ignoring natural disaster news coverage: normalization.

By staying oblivious to any coverage, I subconsciously just add another fire to the long list I’ve seen in my lifetime. I don’t realize the impact and destruction whatsoever. I grow apathetic and somewhat cynical, assuming that the future is simply going to be consumed by climate change’s adverse effects.

Yes, 2025 likely has even more fires in store for California. This isn’t even fire season right now. Climate change has drastically aggravated how dry the landscape is, and it is absolutely true that we likely haven’t seen the worst of the damage yet. But understanding these facts is different from being resigned to a forever, fire-ridden future.

This cynicism, combined with ignorance, is a dangerous combination. Perhaps being pessimistic and numb to disasters is a necessary

coping mechanism. Maybe I set myself up better for a disappointing lack of action to mitigate climate change by the government.

But as these coping mechanisms shift towards a general hopelessness, I lose the opportunity to channel my disappointment into pursuits that might actually make a difference—whether that’s attending an environmental protest, donating to the organizations helping displaced LA residents, or something as simple as sorting the trash correctly. These actions are all dependent on remaining attuned to news of natural disaster, as well as the concern for its

Apathy is incredibly treacherous. As is inattention and ignorance to the climate crisis. Living in oblivion only allows us to do nothing, as climate change worsens all around us.

I believe it is better to be upset over failure, than to be numb and resigned to a future consumed by natural disasters. For even in those messy emotions, I still care. And that is an ability that I cannot ever afford to lose, especially as fires loom over the future and climate change worsens.

Power Pair Kayte C. and Anika G. take a selfie between debate rounds (left). Kayte and Anika pose for a photo with debaters from Canyon Crest Academy. PHOTOS BY KAYTE C.

As depressing as it is, keeping up with coverage around wildfires is absolutely

Student Standoff

Meta, the company who owns Facebook and Instagram, is changing from using professional fact checkers to using X’s community note system.

Too Little and Too Late for Misinformation

By Josie B. Editor-in-Chief

In this past election, 17,123 dead people voted in Michigan. Mail-in ballots were the cause of massive election fraud in America. The Democratic Party’s primary goal was to import voters through immigration policy.

None of these claims are completely factual. And yet, if I were to scroll through X (formally Twitter), I would still be able to see them being reposted as complete fact, with hundreds of millions of views each. Scroll down below the posts, where you might hope to see additional information appending these false claims, and you will find nothing.

In a tweet, Elon Musk described the technology he implemented after dismantling X’s content moderation system as the “best source of truth on the Internet by far.” That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Community Notes are a failed measure; not only are they frequently unreliable but also too sparse to account for the prolific amount of misinformation on X.

One report from the Washington Post found that community notes failed to address misinformation publicly in over 90% of posts on X. In many cases, misinformation can feel harmless or removed from everyday realities. However, in reality, falling down a pipeline of misinformation or conspiracy theories can lead people to skip vaccines because of health misinforma tion, lose money to investment scams, or send them into a forever state of panic.

Notes work through a crowd-sourcing system that allows “con tributors” to opt-in to submit notes on posts on the platform and vote on the accuracy of other submitted notes. Once a note reaches a certain threshold of votes, a comment appears below the post, appending the original information.

of the roughly 15,000 notes reached helpful status.

A single piece of false information can go viral in minutes, shaping public opinion before there’s even time to verify it.

People search the Internet for information that confirms their biases, so they may immediately take something as fact if it tells them they are correct. These people will likely not spend the time to go back to the same post they saw and check if it was updated with a community note.

A single piece of false information can go viral in minutes, shaping public opinion before there’s even time to verify it.

By the time a note is added, the damage is often already done. This delay is especially problematic in time-sensitive situations: elections, pandemics, or natural disasters, where misinformation can have immediate consequences.

Built-in fact-checking tools are better because they could intervene before misinformation gains traction. Yes, staffing people to monitor these tools is more costly, but tech companies must ensure they are not allowing misinformation to run rampant on their platforms. With enough funding, fact-checking tools can flag or contextualize questionable content instantly, giving users the critical information they need to assess credibility before they click share. It’s the responsibility of Elon Musk to evolve his platforms to match the speed of misinformation with equally fast interventions.

This system means that, even when they work well, community notes are too slow to impact misinformation. Before a note appears, users must flag posts, contribute corrections, and build enough agreement, which can take days or weeks. In the three days before the election, fewer than 6%

Community notes may be a good supplement in theory, but they’re not enough to keep pace with the rapid-fire nature of modern social media. Built-in fact-checking tools are the proactive solution platforms need to close this gap.

PHOTO BY NOYB

Community Notes Could Fill the Gaps Created by Professional FactChecking

By Senya S. Staff Writer

54% of adults consume at least a portion of their news on social media, according to a recent poll from the Pew Research Center.

In the wake of Meta’s shift from professional fact-checking to community notes, the landscape of online information would experience even more deterioration. While community notes have their shortcomings, they would work well in conjunction with official fact-checking to moderate social media.

My biggest issue with community notes is accuracy. When it comes to serious news that many people might consume first on social media, accuracy is imperative, and community notes are anything but.

Currently, Meta uses professional fact-checkers from the third-party International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) to fact-check information on its apps—Instagram and Facebook. On the other hand, X, formerly known as Twitter, uses a community note system that has been embraced and championed by Elon Musk.

Any user can contribute a community note as long as they have a verified phone number, no violations, and at least a six-month history on the platform. The user signs up to be a "verified contributor," and can vote on existing notes before they are published. Over time, they are given the ability to write and submit their own notes. Once a community note reaches a certain threshold of votes, it becomes visible to the general public.

Community notes are susceptible to “majority bias,” which is how, when the majority believes something is true, it becomes a fact even if it is false. This is problematic because majority bias could lead to inaccurate information going unchecked by community notes due to it being popular belief. For example, if someone posted something like “the sky is blue”, though that seems like a fact to most people, the sky is not always blue. When it comes to serious things like the science behind vaccines, this could have more harmful implications.

Additionally, the algorithm is only able to show every post to a certain pool of contributors, which could lead to a biased review process. Having a biased review process increases the like-

lihood that community notes perpetuate misinformation.

Professional fact checking, on the other hand, has increased accuracy and credibility because it uses specialists who are certified in giving reliable information. Additionally, when it comes to official fact checking, Meta and the IFCN can be directly held accountable for inaccurate information. However, there is no such responsibility with community notes.

Furthermore, the shift to community notes was done in the company’s interests, not the consumers. Because community notes are far cheaper than official fact checking, and almost completely remove the accountability from Meta, the company’s shift to community notes was done in their own interest—instead of to increase community participation as they claim.

Thus, I believe that fact checking is

[Community notes] are susceptible to “majority bias,” which is how when the majority believes something is true it becomes a fact even if it is false.

generally a lot better than community notes when it comes to accuracy and accountability.

Still, that’s not the entire story. Third party fact checking has its own downsides. Official fact checkers are unable to review as many posts as community notes due to the limited number of people hired. According to X, the platform has over 500 thousand community notes contributors, a number that is probably much larger than the amount of official fact checkers Meta used to employ. So, even if official fact checking is much more accurate than community notes, it has a lot less reach.

Thus, I think that a combination of the two would be the ideal situation for Meta since community notes are able to reach way more posts than official fact checking. Ideally, community notes could counteract a larger swath of misinformation while official fact checkers would review the most influential posts for accuracy.

The Weight of Our Words

There's no need to call yourself a "fatty."

By Ellie L. Culture Editor

Full disclosure: the first time I heard my friends call each other “fatty,” I laughed. But a second later, I heard the label and “big back” used again by a group of students across the hallway eating Crumbl cookies, my smile slipped.

Both words emerged into the cultural zeitgeist this year, through TikTok clips of desserts and loads of junk food. To be a “fatty” or “big back” is supposedly just a playful name for someone who eats a lot of food.

The sentiment is not new; the words join the ranks of similar slang that imposes some judgment upon appearance. They hold the same negative weight of “are you really going to eat all of that?” and bear the same assumptions regarding weight and health that a “cheat day” does—both popularized by 2010s celebrity fad diets and millennial blogs.

I’ve always found mainstream culture regarding bodies to be incredibly tumultuous.

Trends regarding diets and exercise have rapidly shifted over the past two decades.

It's

Body positivity was everywhere, and then body neutrality was the ideal mindset. Full hips and snatched waists were in, and then heroin chic returned. Simply put, it’s too much for any one person to keep up with.

However, it would be a mistake to characterize body culture as ev er-changing. Movements go in and out, but diet culture’s pervasive pres ence remains the same. Terminology changes, but skinny is always better, even when hourglass bodies are in, or you’re supposed to love your body the way it is.

“Fatty” epitomizes this fatphobia. When we laugh at these words, we scoff at the idea of gaining weight. We cling to unhealthy beauty standards. Fat—an ill-defined word—is made negative and disgusting.

Health is not defined by weight. And even if health could be gleaned from a single glance, it is still none of our business to comment on someone else’s health or weight.

But I think it’s

clear that we don’t use either word in concern—in fact, the words are less obviously harmful because they are wielded in self-deprecation and humor.

Perhaps you only use these words in innocuous, harmless conversations with no real repercussions. But I implore you -

Time to Put the Unity in Community

eating disorder in their life. A student in the earshot of your from anorexia. A friend whose meal you laugh at might have your body. Regardless of intent, “fatty” and

of weight and beauty that can be truly triggering.

Beyond the person-by-person impact, words hold significance in our community at large. Slang creates culture. Calling someone a “fatty” only normalizes comments upon people’s bodies, the stigmatization of fat, and the detrimental equivalence of thinness to health and beauty—all harmful facets of diet culture we are already subject to, simply as teenagers.

Finally, even if you’ve never noticed diet culture’s insidious effects, there is truly no need to reduce yourself to your weight. Your joke doesn’t require you to call your friend a “fatty.” It’s not absolutely essential to gesture to some amount of sugar or food with this remark; just enjoy your sweet treat as is.

Your comments about bodies are not indispensable or irreplaceable. Find another joke, and let “fatty” and “big back” fade into cultural obscurity. I’m sure we won’t miss them within a week.

Supporting local nonprofit organizations is now more important than ever; here’s how you can help without compromising your busy schedule.

By Neel G. Staff Writer

Since the election,

we’ve witnessed an overload of DEI violations: Elon Musk’s fascist salute at Donald Trump’s inauguration, Trump’s two-gender policy, restoration of fossil fuel extractions in Alaska—the list of destructive actions goes on. It’s left me feeling hopeless and cynical, but what has helped me is leaning into community activism.

Community provides people with a sense of belonging. It can create tangible change, and people with incentives to resist systemic flaws.

“Community is a vital aspect for my nonprofit. It drives people together for a common cause,” said Athena C. ’26, who founded Spych, a nonprofit aiming to increase verbal literacy and mental health awareness in underprivileged communi ties. “It's an amazing sight seeing people come together, despite their differences, to create change in theirs or other commu nities.”

Spych, along with other Bay Area nonprofit organizations, utilize community to fuel their missions—meaning that anyone can get involved and play a significant role.

With all the school work and extracurriculars, I’ve felt guilty of not doing much to support these nonprofits in response to national injustices. As Nueva students, many of us lead very busy lives, especially in the midst of college and summer internship applications. But in times of daunting national human rights violations, I believe that it’s important to do my role as an American citizen and give back to my community. While it may feel like there’s nothing we can do to combat such severe national issues, your voice and actions still make an impact, especially at a community level. Here are some ways you can also enact change and support your local nonprofits:

i. Sign and research petitions

Like me, most of you are not able to vote, but students can still advocate for policies.

“It’s easier to create grassroot movements with support from our local communities,” Zoe C. ’27 explained, who is a member of the Bay Area Youth Climate Summit, a youth-based organization fighting against climate change. “The climate crisis is an inherently global issue that requires collaboration across demographics.”

Petitions, or requests or pleas for action regarding a specific subject addressed to governments or institutions, are a great way to advocate for change and only require about a minute of your time. They represent public opinion and push those with high influence to adjust. There are thousands of available petitions on Change. org with topics ranging from technology to criminal justice, so you can find one that caters to your cerns. And if not, create your own.

They are a very effective platform for nonprofit organizations and local campaigns that may receive less advocacy, as they can gain large amounts of support and justification for their cause.

ii. Infuse public service into your career

With the large network and tech-relat-

ed interests of Nueva and Silicon Valley, there are many career options available; that privilege comes with a responsibility to choose opportunities that make a positive impact on the world, not a detrimental one.

Before joining a company, research and understand its actions and mission; does that align with your morals and values? If not, it’s likely that is not the company for you. By joining an anti-DEI company, or a company that funds discriminatory campaigns or you actively harms a certain demographic, you support the success of a bigoted system, no matter how much money or prestige you may gain.

Furthermore, find ways you can add public service into whichever career your pursue; through divestments, sponsoring non profits, and com pany volunteering, you can enhance the reach of an organization fighting for change.

of meeting others in your community who share your passions and concerns. You build your network, friendships, and an organization’s platform all at once.

Do something you are truly passionate about, or even better, something less popular. You can find volunteer opportunities in almost any field.

iv. Spread awareness by supporting social media campaigns

iii. Volunteering is good for your community

If concerned about losing valuable energy or time for your college resume, don’t fret: volunteering hours look amazing for applications, but more importantly, makes it easier for nonprofits to complete their missions.

Volunteering supports nonprofits and community needs hugely by helping them complete the laborious tasks they often don’t have the bandwidth for—putting together kits and packages, cleaning animal shelters, serving food, and so much more. Organizations are in desperate need of your help; doing the leg work for free is something organizations will want to take advantage of, no matter how much time you can offer.

Volunteering is also an effective way

Nonprofits, campaigns, and political movements always seek to reach as many people as they can in their communities for wider access, awareness, event success, and support. You can help out through an action as simple as a repost on Instagram, or through hanging up posters and spreading the word with your peers.

Some past successful campaigns include the #MeToo movement that exposed sexual abuse and workplace maltreatment of women, the “fight for $15” that fought for higher minimum wage, and the Green New Deal movement, where students protested for universities to divest from corporations that contribute to fossil-fuels.

v. Stay informed

Perhaps the most self-advantageous way you can support community activism is by staying informed. By understanding the policies and news occurring locally, nationally, and globally, you gain a deeper understanding of what needs to be changed, and what you should support. This, in turn, builds the support system for nonprofit organizations and incentivizes you to support them.

I full-heartedly believe that you can create an impact on our community, however big or small. Your community needs you more than ever right now, and it’s your job to be there for them.

Fatphobia at its Finest Using any of these words? Simply unnecessary. ART

BY SENYA S.

Crossword

By Clara B. Guest Contributor

ACROSS

1) Former name of Tokyo

4) Zero, on a scale

8) Whistle blowers? 10) Intimidated 11) Foolish 12) Tropical orange fruit

13) Palindromic German name

14) Most common Scrabble pieces

15) Easy piano piece

17) That: Sp.

18) 2022 Pixar film about growing up... or a description of the circled letters

25) Meal

By Alexis C. Web Editor

26) It wasn't built in a day

27) Loosens

28) "___ delighted!"

29) Opposite of acrosses

30) Schoolmate

31) Cupid's counterpart

32) Praiseful poem

1) Triage professional, for short

2) Life partner?

3) Leaving for 4) Subject

5) "___ in the park"

6) California's Point? 7) Author LeShan and

others

9) Halt

10) Positive particle

12) Looks after a friend's dog, for example

16) Vestibular and proprioception

18) Voice part above baritone

19) Leading by more than one, maybe 20) Pours

21) "Get a ___!"

22) "Not my first ___"

23) Include, as a URL 24) Tractor handle?

25) Impolite

By Anwen C. Staff Writer & Senya S. Staff Writer

A Bear-y Special Friend

The senior grade’s beloved stuffed bear instills joy and childhood nostalgia

By Lexie S. Staff Writer & Natalie L. Mangaging Editor

W

on from a convention booth at the JEA/NSPA Journalism convention in Philadelphia, a stuffed bear was adopted by three seniors last November. Today, it’s become the informal and beloved mascot of the senior class.

Standing at 13 inches tall, the brown stuffed bear, named Bobbi by its “mums” seniors Charlotte S., Josie B., and Vivienne L., has spent much of its life migrating around the green couches near the front of the Upper School where seniors often gather.

There, Bobbi serves as a reminder of the key values its mums have assigned for it to embody: gratitude and socialization.

“He represents a lot more than a bear, it’s more about being a personified token of the time we spend with our friends and our community,” Charlotte said.

Members of the senior class, colloquially referred to as Bobbi’s aunts and uncles, believe that the stuffed bear is a nostalgic reminder of their childhoods as they near the end of their adolescence and high school years.

“Putting a personality on a stuffed animal is the best way for us to reclaim the best parts of our childhood,” said Lara M. ’25.

Anjuli M. ’25 echoed Lara, saying, “Bobbi is a way for us to remember what it’s like to be a kid, and the spirit of doing and upholding something just for the joy of it.”

Talinn H. ’25 added that by being something everyone can share ownership of, the stuffed bear has brought the grade closer together.

“Bobbi is a symbol of how close knit our grade is and it’s something we can all rally around,” Talinn said.

Along with the graduation cap it was born with (it was sewed on during production), Bobbi sports fashionable attire such as vintage Build-A-Bear clothes by Charlotte

and undergarments hand-knit by Brenna M.

“I gave him clothes so he could look like everyone else and be a bear who blended in with his family,” Charlotte said.

The same day it was adopted, Bobbi’s mums also created an Instagram account (@blessed.bobbi) to document the stuffed bear’s life experiences. On the account, which now has 92 followers and dozens of posts and story highlights, there is a story highlight titled “FAMILY” that features students and teachers posing with the bear, including Logan X. ’25 after the Upper School steel drums performance, Camilla Y. ’25 writing an essay in English class, and Upper School computer science teacher Matthew Hesby leading his advisory.

The wildest of Bobbi’s adventures was when Director of College Counseling Gavin Bradley took it in January after it was repeatedly left overnight at school in only its knitted undergarments.

Bradley kept Bobbi in his office and hung a ransom poster at the Upper School addressed to the seniors that wrote: “I’m not sure why you all left me on the couches [...] where are my aunties and uncles, now, when I need them most?!?”

Although some seniors accuse Bradley of “kidnapping” the stuffed bear, Bradley retorted that his actions were out of concern.

“Look, ‘kidnap’ is a relative term. If by ‘kidnap’ you mean protecting a lonely, half-naked bear from the unknown perils of the school after everyone leaves [...] then sure, go ahead and call me a ‘kidnapper’,” said Bradley.

In response, the seniors made a poster the next day with a photo of the bear and the words: “Please return to the green couches. Not a joke.” Bobbi was safely returned that afternoon.

Studying doesn’t have to be so hard

By Kayla L. Opinion Editor

Chess Puzzle

By Michael H. Guest Contributor

Find a checkmate for Black in chess notation. The checkmate requires three moves: two from Black, with one forced move from White.

The instructions for notation are as follows: The letters correspond to specific pieces on the chessboard.

Pawns are represented by lowercase letters based on their file, so a pawn on the c-file, for example, would be written as "c".

Uppercase letters are used for the other pieces: "Q" stands for Queen, "R" for Rook, "B" for Bishop, "N" for Knight, and "K" for King. The letter "X" is used to indicate a capture. The symbol "+" is used to indicate a a check.

Coordinates are referenced according to the grid, with the square h1 being the white square in the top-left corner of the board.

Inspired by my bad habits, here is a satirical perspective of the best ways to get things done

*The experiences in this article are, unfortunately, mostly true but are still intended for satirical purposes

As a seasoned junior with five semesters under my belt, I would like to impart my most essential study tips. The following methods have been scientifically proven—by my personal experience— to foster highly productive work and unrivaled academic success.

Step 1: Find a comfortable position to complete your work.

A 2018 study from SF State University found that an ergonomic posture makes mental math problems appear easier and less daunting, but who needs that? I have discovered an even better position. I highly encourage you to complete your English reading upside-down on your bed, while you are buried under three weighted blankets and slowly losing healthy blood circulation. Alternatively, type up your history essay while hunched

over the last clear spot on your bedroom floor in an ‘Asian Squat’ position (please: aspire to a proper learning environment where clean and dirty laundry mix together over every surface area. It works… I swear).

Step 2: Fuel your body while working. As high schoolers living in a fast-paced world, it is very easy to sacrifice your health—sleep, food, and water. However, science and our bodies tell us that fueling our bodies with the right things can enhance brain power. For this reason, I am very intentional about consuming snacks while studying. My favorites? I would recommend preparing a fresh bowl of flamin’ hot Cheetos, a portion of organic Oreos, or a plate of all-natural cheddar Pringles.

Step 3: Be wary of scrolling and studying. Finally, be wary of scrolling and studying. Social media can distract and divide your attention from essential tasks. This is

why, rather than keeping Instagram open for the duration of a study session, I open it after writing a few sentences at a time. Then, I dedicate my undivided energy to scrolling a few posts on my feed. Afterward, I go back to writing a few more sentences of my homework. Voilà! On days when I feel more focused, I can even delay opening TikTok by five whole min utes at a time. I maintain a steady pattern: I do five minutes-on, five minutes-off, five minutes-on, five minutes-off, until my work is fully complete. Feel free to take inspiration from my strategies; imitation is the highest form of flattery!

As you can see, I share this

advice sincerely as an older student deeply in tune with my study habits. Shall you ever need more studying tips, feel free to contact me through email any time… unless I’m focused on studying, of course!

#StudyGoals The best way to stay focused is to maintain optimal posture. ART BY SENYA S.

Plush Pal Top: Seniors Anjuli M. and Alaric Li. pose with Bobbi . Bottom: Senior Josie B. takes Bobbi on its first visit to Blue Bottle Coffee at at Bay Meadows. PHOTOS BY JOSIE B.

Dominating From the Tip-Off to the Final Buzzer

Strong team

dynamics

leads to success against BASIS

By Jordan F. Staff Writer

On Feb. 4, the girls varsity basketball team held a home conference game against BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Upper School.

The girls entered the game with confidence and high hopes for a win after beating BASIS previously.

Nueva won the tip-off, leading to Anjali M. ’27 scoring the first basket. Soon after, Anjali made a halfcourt pass to Siana K. ’25, who scored again for the team.

During the game, strong defense carried the team: with 0.5 seconds left in the first half, a BASIS player attempted a shot—but was blocked by Julia R. ’26.

The girls ended the first half with an 18-point lead and started the second half with a steal from Langley V. ’28.

Ultimately, the team won 57 to 38.

“Our success on the court together comes from a safe space for them to be themselves and not have to worry about competing with each other,” assistant coach Dani Mosley said.

Girls soccer closes out a season of strength and unity at CCS Sweeping the Field

By Josie B. Editor In-Chief

The girls soccer team will wrap up an incredible season this year by competing in CCS. They have tallied 12 wins and an undefeated tournament run, even taking down multiple teams from higher leagues.

Lena C. ’25 and Olivia R. ’25, the team’s co-captains, said that CCS was their ultimate goal for the season.

This year, however, their most improved formation wasn’t on the field. It was in van rides, singing Wannabe with their coach, around the table at Chipotle or In-N-Out during team dinners, and in their huddles before their games, left hands in, closest to the heart.

“This season has been about finding a balance between building community and also being very competitive, and that’s been beautiful,” said Olivia.

With many players new to playing alongside each other, the team has focused energy on building the same strong bonds it has had in previous seasons.

“One thing I love about being on a school soccer team is how the team changes each year and how that creates an entirely different environment,” Olivia said. “Adjusting to the change is always a bit of a challenge, but that’s what makes it special.”

Boys Soccer Kicks the Ball to CCS

Chemistry and consistency is key to this season’s wins

By Ellie L. Culture Editor

This month, the boys soccer team will compete in CCS for the first time ever. With a win against Design Tech High School clinched on Feb. 7, the team extended their successful season into a new field they’re excited to compete in.

Rohan K. ’26 cites their easy camaraderie as a basis for their victories so far, which has been informed by a variety of activities and rituals: listening to BossMan Dlow’s “Mr Pot Scraper” before every game, warming up together on the cold field, and team dinners on the fly.

“We’ve got great team chemistry,” Rohan said. “And that always helps us be better on the field.”

Connor H. ’26 echoed these sentiments, noting new freshmen players as a particularly significant addition.

“I love playing with all the fresh faces,” Connor said. “They bring so much energy to the team.”

With the winter season coming to a close, it is the seniors, however, whose spirit will be left with the team. In par-

Finishing Strong

ticular, the four senior captains—Ethan C., Nathan S., Landon X., and Logan X.—will certainly be missed.

“We’ll miss them, but I think we’ve all really grown in how we work with each other, and that’ll always stay the same,” Rohan said.

Boys basketball plays final match of the season

By Kayla L. Opinion Editor

The boys basketball season concluded on Tuesday after a home game against Cristo Rey San Jose Jesuit High School. The match was the twenty-third of a 16-week season.

Tuesday’s match was also the final game— or, senior night—for seniors Diego A., Max C., Izzy F., Jackson L., Swain M., Max R., and Rohan T.

Max, a team captain, was excited for the “big culminating moment” of playing in front of friends and family on senior night. “ I've been playing with a lot of [the seniors] since the day I came to the school, and I think it's gonna be really awesome,” he said.

This season, the team was select ed for the highest division of the PSAL given their strong perfor mance in previous years. As a result,

they competed against new opponents and saw a few wins against schools like Design Tech High School and Cristo Rey, achieving a thrilling victory of 50–46 against Design Tech in December. They scored a season-best of 61 points in a January match against the Thomas More School.

New to the varsity team this past year, Aidin S. ’27 is already looking forward to improving the team’s win ratio next season.

“I think we definitely have the raw talent and passion to be able to do well. I think next year's going to be a lot better,”

Threading the Needle Rohan K. '26 passes the ball

PHOTO BY DIANE MAZZONI

Superb Senior Siana K. '25 scored 20 points against BASIS. PHOTOS BY DIANE MAZZONI

He's a freshman! Star point guard Nigel L. '28 looks to pass down court. PHOTO BY DIANE MAZZONI

Breaking Through

Lena C.'25 dribbles by a defender during a win against Design Tech High School.

PHOTO BY DIANE MAZZONI

Super Bowl LIX Was a Disappointing End to a Spectacular NFL Season

By Niam K. Staff Writer

The 2024-25 NFL season was one of the most entertaining in recent memory. For the first time in at least five years, fans saw a truly competitive MVP race throughout the regular season. Every week it felt like either of the front running quarterbacks, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, had the lead, only for the other to one-up them the next game. On top of that, we saw two of the best offensive seasons ever from running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.

As a diehard NFL fan, I was disappointed to see so many people uninterested in this year's Super Bowl matchup, the “holy grail” of American sports, but I can’t say that I blame them. Honestly, I felt the same thing. The Kansas City Chiefs had won the previous two Super Bowls and fans were getting bored seeing them narrowly squeak their way to the championship every year. This year, Chiefs games became borderline unwatchable because of the seemingly clear favoritism by the referees.

That said, the Philadelphia Eagles were not appetizing to support either. Throughout the season, the Eagles coasted on the back of their star running back, Barkley, who broke multiple records this year, creating the image that they didn’t deserve the championship. Philadelphia fans are also known as one of the most toxic in all of sports which pairs perfectly with the Eagles annoying playstyle.

Despite all of the hate leading up to the game, most at least expected it to be a competitive affair. When these two teams met two years ago, it was an entertaining and high-scoring game finishing 38-35 with the Chiefs coming out on top. This year was the complete opposite, as with four minutes left in the 4th Quarter the score was 40-6 and the Eagles were substituting most of their starters.

Overall, this game was borderline unwatchable, and a poor representation of an otherwise amazing NFL season.

One Last Chance at Success

Can Mike Dunleavy Jr. steer the franchise back to contention?

By Alvin Y. News Editor

During the Golden State Warriors’ run of dominance from 2015-2019, a majority of the success was associated with the roster, and for good reason: A lethal combination of Steph Curry, prime Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and other essential role players was able to blow past almost any team in the league. However, the front office during that era deserves equal praise for their work: Former General Manager Bob Meyers along with the rest of the front office was instrumental in the dominance the Warriors showed in the league, from retaining Steph Curry, signing Andre Iguodala and other key players in the 2015 championship run, acquiring Kevin Durant in free agency, and more. However, in 2024, the reliability of the current front office has come under pressure from fans and the media.

The team’s front office is largely responsible for the failure of the new role players the team signs every year. This has not been an issue in Warriors history— ever since Myers retired from his position, the new manager, Mike Dunleavy Jr., has guided the franchise in a downward spiral starting from the Jordan Poole trade. With questionable signings, terrible contractual deals, and more, Dunleavy needs to learn from Myers to bring the Warriors back to playoff contenders.

The most questionable move of all was the signing of three-point specialist Buddy Hield. Meant to be “Splash Buddy” and Klay Thompson's replacement, Hield was lights-out for the first 15 games of the

We Should Go to More Soccer Games

We're missing out on a hidden gem of Nueva

By Niam K. Staff Writer

Ask yourself this: when was the last time you went to a Nueva soccer game? For most, the answer is likely never or very few times, meaning you are missing out on a hidden gem of the Nueva community.

Odds are, you have friends on these teams who would love to see fans in the stands. For me, seeing the joy on my friends' faces when they noticed me made it completely worth it. They spend hours every day practicing yet students rarely show up to appreciate their hard work.

Despite never hearing anyone talk about them, I have recently been going to multiple soccer games and found them surprisingly enjoyable. Yes, they may often be inconvenient to travel to, but they are completely worth the hassle.

Soccer is an interesting sport that not many people in the US follow, yet it’s still very popular for people to play. This creates an interesting dynamic, as there are a multitude of players, but comparatively few fans due to its low popularity.

In my experience, soccer games are the perfect environment to hang out and talk with friends. Because of the nature of the game, there is constant action and excitement. But also, there isn’t pressure to be fully invested in the game every second.

On top of all this, both the girls and boys teams are consistently competitive, making for entertaining action-packed games. Earlier this semester the girls team prevailed 3-0 against Saratoga High School, and is currently first in the PSAL. The boys team also made a run to win

the team’s first-ever league title in school history.

This was the first game I went to this year and I had an amazing time. I was mesmerized by the atmosphere when I first got there. The bleachers, normally equipped for football fans in the fall, were packed with home fans–they even had a bustling student section.

Even when they were losing the fans wouldn’t accept defeat–chanting and heckling me and my friends. In my opinion, this is the high school sports environment we miss out on because of off-campus matches.

If I haven’t convinced you yet, both the girls and boys teams recently made it to the CCS Playoffs, a huge accomplishment, and need our support. If there was ever a game to go to, it might as well be during the playoffs.

season, contributing to the Warriors firstseed and 12 wins. However, immediately after, Hield entered a shooting slump which, 30 games later, has not ended.

On paper, Hield is a solid role player, with a 36% 3-point percentage and an average rating in the league. However, when watching the game, every loss seems to have Hield's name written all over it—whether it is because of poor shooting from the field or poor defense against other talented wings. It’s hard to see a future where this team is consistently competing against top teams in the playoffs with him.

Every loss seems to have Hield's name written all over it—whether it is because of poor shooting from the field or poor defense against other talented wings.

Although the team’s quest for a secondary star to support Steph Curry on offense finally ended in the form of 35-yearold Heat superstar Jimmy Butler, the 2-year 121 million-dollar extension the front office signed him to is an absurd overpay, clearly in desperation to support Curry offensively. Andrew Wiggins, the small forward the team traded for Butler, is significantly younger than Butler and is a lot better for the team in

terms of his contract and his skill set, as he adjusts to the Warriors’ three-point-oriented attack.

Dunleavy’s inability to recognize the Warriors’s lack of a center is another key reason behind the team’s struggles. With other dominant frontcourt players in the West including Nikola Jokíc, Anthony Davis, and Domantas Sabonis, rookie Quentin Post is the only player to match their size. However, Post has consistently had defensive struggles throughout the season, meaning another center with defensive capabilities in our player rotation would have turned the Warriors around.

As for the last two defiant wins against the Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks, it may seem as though the Warriors are back in contention. However, there is still a lot that needs to happen for Dunleavy to prove he is a capable general manager. The Bulls are a bottom-five team in the league, so the 22-point deficit by the early third quarter

was concerning. Additionally, the Bucks were without 6’11 MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Butler had scored 12 of his 20 total points at the free-throw line. If the Warriors can pull off a win against a top-five team in the league such as the Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, or Oklahoma City Thunder, there’s a lot to look forward to with the team.

The new and improved Warriors team on paper seems like it can challenge any team: Dunleavy has traded for an interior offensive threat in Butler, while simultaneously opening up the court for Curry and other players to shoot the ball more effectively. Kuminga, another dominant interior and post-player is returning from injury in two weeks. This team can sneak into a playoff spot this season, but the future remains dire. Whether Dunleavy made the right move in trading depth for Butler still is up in the air, but so far it seems as though he has made the right decision.

Second Time's The Charm Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni hoists the Lombardi Trophy.PHOTO BY MATT SLOCUM

One of Many. Steph Curry walks off after his 40-point performance on Christmas is spoiled by the Los Angeles Lakers PHOTO BY NHAT V. MEYER

Sprint for Successs Jack H. '26 runs for the ball PHOTO BY DIANE MAZZONI

Get VYPE'd For Media Day!

A long overdue introduction to Nueva’s sports media crew

By Ethan H. Sports Editor

It’s a sunny but breezy afternoon, and Nueva athletes don their royal blue and snowy white uniforms. But there is no match or race that evening; They’re gearing up for media day with VYPE.

It’s a time for athletes to shine off the field or court. The student will work with VYPE, a Houston-based company, to be showcased in professional style content for their sport. This typically includes both team and individual portraits, as well as highlight videos, which are used for promotion on social media.

Director of Athletics Brett McCabe worked with VYPE for five years at his last school. Seeing the positive impact and connection that athletics social media content brought his students, he chose to continue the partnership at Nueva.

“I just want to engage with everybody in the Nueva community, past and pres-

ent, and get them excited,” McCabe said. “It's as simple as that.”

One of the men behind the magic is photographer Bradley Collier, who worked to record game film for coaches and scouts before transitioning to VYPE’s Director of Photography.

“I like to think of myself as an oldtimey photographer who brings a fresh perspective on the idea of school picture day,” Collier said. “Except it’s a little more fun for the kids.”

The other is VYPE’s in-house videographer, Alex Hinson. Although he was a film major in college, he began working in sports videography to provide coverage of athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I really value that aspect of collaboration and interaction with an athlete in their [comfort] zone,” Hinson said, re-

Trump Signs Executive Order To Ban Transgender Females From School Sports

“Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” raises concerns about transgender discrimination

By Alexis C. Web Editor

O

n Feb. 5, President Trump signed an executive order to restrict transgender girls and women from participating in school sports at risk of divestment.

The order states that it will, “protect all-female athletic opportunities and all-female locker rooms,” to provide equal opportunity to female athletes.

This executive order has followed a strand of anti-LGBTQ+ motions. Also on Feb. 5, Trump signed a different executive order to recognize only two sexes based on biology and genetics at birth.

On Jan 14., Congress voted to pass the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.” This bill would amend the Title IX

law, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and LGBTQ+ identity in schools and education settings, to recognize sex based on biology at birth and not identity. The bill passed 218–206, with the support of all Republican representatives and two Texan Democrats (Representatives Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez), but is awaiting Senate approval.

Shortly after Trump signed the executive order, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) declared it would continue allowing transgender women to practice but not compete for their school.

“We strongly believe that clear, con-

“I hope that the photos I take are something that ends up going on Dad’s desk or hung in the hallway.”

counting a story where a student actively gave him feedback on his videos during the shoot. “That was a cool little connection, especially since that’s not something that I normally hear.”

Like his partner, Collier has also found special worth and takeaways from visiting Nueva and the Bay Area. The atmosphere reminds him of his own high school back home, and he hopes to make the same impact here as he does in Texas.

“I really enjoy making it out here to take pictures since it’s an age-old tradition,” he said. “I hope that the photos I take are something that ends up going on Dad’s desk or hung in the hallway. Something that you all can look back on in 20 years to remind you of the very special time of being in high school.”

BY

sistent, and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today’s student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions,” said Charlie Baker, NCAA President. “To that end, President Trump’s order provides a clear, national standard.”

The conversation surrounding transgender athletes has been highly contentious. Some assert that transgender women are at a physical advantage over cisgender women. However, others have raised concerns about invasive questioning and inspection of young children’s bodies. For many, the recent string of executive orders is felt as an attack on

LGBTQ+ rights—a demographic that already faces discrimination, especially in schools.

“When I get to the point where I could compete, I likely won’t be able to do so due to my identity,” said a transgender-identifying sophomore, who has been working to participate in athletics outside of school.

“It’s pretty crushing to know that others like me have the skill and drive to compete but simply can’t. It restricts my future and hinders others’ present, and that’s disappointing.”

Lights, Camera, Action! Top: Alex Hinson pans across the girls basketball team. Left: Bradley Collier snaps a photo of the seniors on the girls soccer team. Right: Hinson zooms out from the boys soccer team as they pose for the video.

PHOTOS BY DIANE MAZZONI

Signed Away President Donald Trump signs the Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports order, surrounded by a crowd of female athletes. PHOTO

ANDREW HARNIK/GETTY IMAGES