Verde Volume 23 Issue 3

V. INFECTIOUS INDIFFERENCE Is fatigue spreading faster than the virus itself? pg. 22 VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 1

2 FEBRUARY 2022

VERDE MAGAZINE Feburary 2022 Volume 23 Issue 3 Editors-in-Chief Paisley Annes Sebastian Bonnard Akhil Joondeph (hybrid) Emily Yao (digital)

ON THE COVER A sea of unmasked faces surrounds a single masked figure, a stark visual representation of the crowded settings and caution-free activities that have become increasingly common recently. Art Director Blair Migdal illustrates our community’s growing desensitization to the coronavirus — though the disease continues to spread more rapidly than ever before, our anxiety surrounding its impacts is a fraction of what it was a year ago.

Publication Policy Verde Magazine, a news and features magazine published by the students in Palo Alto High School’s Magazine Journalism class, is a designated open forum for student expression and discussion of issues of concern to its readership. Verde is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost.

Letters to the Editors The staff welcomes letters to the editors but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy and obscenity. Send all letters to verde.eics@gmail.com or 50 Embarcadero Rd Palo Alto, CA 94301.

Advertising The staff publishes advertisements with signed contracts providing they are not deemed by the staff inappropriate for the magazine’s audience. For more information about advertising with Verde, please contact business managers Andrew Xue and Kieran Zajac at verdebusiness5@gmail.com.

Printing & Distribution Verde is printed five times a year in October, November, February, April and May by Folger Graphics in Hayward, California. The Paly Parent Teacher Student Association mails Verde to every student’s home. All Verde work is available at verdemagazine.com

Managing Editors Jerry Fang Merwa Marof Features Editors Sadie Ibbotson-Brown Dominique Lashley Profiles Editor Sasha Boudtchenko Culture Editor Anya Mondragon Perspectives Editor Meena Narayanaswami Editorials Editors Andy Robinson Ashmita Rajmohan News Editors Bella Daly Jonas Pao Launch Editors Aanya Kumar Olivia Milne Design Editor Sofia Antebi

Copy Editors Sasha Boudtchenko Sadie Ibbotson-Brown Multimedia Managers Alexis Chiu Melody Xu Business Managers Andrew Xue Kieran Zajac Social media Managers Ajin Jeong Allegra West Photography Director Ines Legrand Art Director Blair Migdal Webmaster Annum Hashmi Staff Writers Carlota Blanco Palina Kuzmina Ines Legrand Yash Shetty Miya Whiteley Gopala Varadarajan Esther Xu Adviser Paul Kandell

Statisticians Jerry Fang Allegra West

VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 3

In this issue Foreword

Editorials 6 Launch 8 News 10

Features

Congressional voter guide Vice-mayor’s priorities Standardized testing changes De-facto laning Elizabeth Holmes COVID-19 desensitizatation Sickness in schools Ethinic studies requirement Being a Palo Altan Teen drug use

14 16 17 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

Profiles

Paly filmmakers Drum Revolution Music Team5

32 34 36

Culture

Word games West Side Story Booktok Blue Bin Vintage Harry Potter anniversary

37 38 40 42 44

DRUM REVOLUTION pg. 34

Perspectives

Losing home Lunar New Year Vietnamese culture Students in politics

46 48 52 54

BEING A PALO ALTAN pg. 28 4 FEBRUARY 2022

MUSIC TEAM5 pg. 36

TONGAN VOLCANO RESPONSE pg. 12

DE-FACTO LANING pg. 18

PALY FILMMAKERS pg. 32

BLUE BIN VINTAGE pg. 42

FROM THE EDITORS

TWO YEARS OF THE VIRUS Most of us remember, all too well, the “two-week break” that began in mid-March, 2020. Two weeks quickly became two months, and now two years. The convenient, new “COVID-19 stories” tab on our website now features eight pages of our headlines. And our pact to avoid coronavirus-centered magazines has failed — again.

As we, journalists, have navigated this seemingly endless pandemic, we have aimed to uncover stories beyond the “unprecedented situation” storylines so prevalent in today’s media. In this issue, we attempt to tackle the virus’ more long-term impacts — now including mass desensitization, changes to workplace-absence culture and teen drug use.

Our cover story for this issue, “Infectious indifference,” explores our increasing disregard for the coronavirus. Graphic Designer Esther Xu and Features Editor Dominique Lashley skillfully explore the virus that has been at the front (and may now be at the back) of our minds for the past two years.

In “Testing positive,” Photography Director Ines Legrand and Webmaster Annum Hashmi explore the impacts of, you guessed it, testing positive — and how a culture centered around academic success and incessant productivity leaves students with a surprisingly difficult choice between staying safe at home, and going to school to keep up with their classmates.

The continued presence of the coronavirus — and the restrictions and isolations that accompany it — have also allowed many of us to reflect on ourselves and our identities in new ways. Our perspectives section this issue features many of our writers’ contemplations on their relationships with their culture, including Design Editor Sofia Antebi’s mended relationship with her Vietnamese roots (“Growing into my Vietnamese roots”), staff writer Palina Kuzmina’s heartbreaking reconciliation with the loss of her homeland (“Losing home”) and Social Media Manager Ajin Jeong’s poignant recollections of Korean New Year celebrations (“Seol”).

We too, have reflected — not only about ourselves, but about Verde, and where we have guided this publication in the past 10 months. Many of the voices we have highlighted have been those that were previously silenced, and our coverage, though profoundly imperfect, has brought awareness to issues from unofficial laning to unethical hiring practices.

We’ve fumbled and fallen more than we ever succeeded, but watching our writers play long games of “name that tune” during production and form new friendships fills us with pride and love. Verde truly feels like a community of writers, thinkers and friends. And as we leave you, our readers, with our penultimate issue as editors-in-chief, we hope you appreciate the stories this community has chosen to highlight.

—PAISLEY, SEBASTIAN, AKHIL, EMILY

VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 5

the verdicts

Art by BLAIR MIGDAL

Amend PAPD policies ENCRYPTION, PRESS POLICIES MUST CHANGE

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N JANUARY 2021, the Palo Alto Police Department encrypted police scanner broadcasts and closed its doors to all real-time media inquiries. We urge the PAPD to reopen public access to its police scanners and increase press communication for the sake of police transparency and accountability in our community.

The PAPD encrypting radio transmissions was in response to an October 2020 California Department of Justice memo instructing local police departments statewide to withhold “personally identifiable information” such as birth dates or driver’s license numbers from public transmissions.

Despite the memo’s clear guideline that departments could do this without fully encrypting, the PAPD revoked public access to police activity tracking with no advance notice three months later.

The PAPD recently released its “Police Calls for Service Interactive Map,” an interactive and 24/7 map with yellow dots indicating the general areas where calls were placed to the district. Clicking on each dot offers more information.

While we commend this action and believe it is a well-intentioned step toward sharing once-broadcasted information, the map’s yellow dots — which often overlap and are

6 FEBRUARY 2022

thus difficult to click — are still limited recent years. These demonstrations exposed in their efforts to inform. The “call type” local police departments’ lack of transparcategory accompanying each yellow dot is ency as a factor in racially-biased policing. vague, such as “medical information” or The PAPD can do more, starting with im“suspicious circumstance,” with no further plementing this partial encryption and reelaboration. formulating department policy toward meWe urge the PAPD to instead adopt dia inquiries. partial encryption of police scanners that Currently, members of the press omits personally identifiable information searching for PAPD comment must subwhile mainmit questions taining pubthrough an online It [the current press policy] form. Reporters lic access to the transmisare promised a sends a message that the sions. This in up to police are absolutely un- response is not only five business days, acceptable by willing to share things, though responses the CDOJ are described to period.” memo’s stanbe “more timely” dards, but has for cases involving — DIANA DIAMOND, Palo Alto Online been accountdanger to public ed for — the San safety.

Francisco Police Department planned for “It [the current press policy] sends a partial encryption in the months following message to me that the police are absolutethe state-issued memo. ly unwilling to share things, period,” Palo We recognize the PAPD’s other ongo- Alto Online columnist Diana Diamond ing efforts to maintain transparency such as said. “They [the PAPD] have said, ‘Okay, the decade-long employment of indepen- we will have our press releases. We will isdent police auditors like Michael Gennaco. sue press releases to you from time to time.’

Gennaco brings external accountability to Well, that doesn’t work because they choose the police department by handling civilian what they want to release. … Many things complaints and performing internal in- go undiscovered by the press.” vestigations for the OIR Group’s biannual Delayed form responses and the police public reports. call map’s limited information are major Police accountability is more crucial obstacles in local journalists’ efforts to covthan ever given racial injustice move- er breaking news about police activity in a ments in timely manner. Regaining access to 24/7 police scanner broadcasts — with necessary privacy measures — would fix this issue and serve as an important accountability measure for on-the-job officers.

We urge the PAPD to pick up the phone. Realtime reporter interviews and media coverage hold government agencies accountable, and eliminating such communication violates the public’s right to transparency. v

“

The Verdicts editorial section expresses the collective opinion of the Verde Magazine staff.

S

Safe-sex products needed

EXUALLY TRANSMITTED in- who engaged in sexual activities did so fections among high schoolers are without protection. on the rise, while condom usage Stigma and cost are two major factors among these students is declining, that deter students from using protection, according to a recent study published by both of which could be solved by making the United States Library of Medicine. To condoms available in the Wellness Center. combat this problem, For students we urge Palo Alto High embarrassed about School’s Wellness Cen- 40.4% of students purchasing condoms ter to offer condoms who engaged in sexual at a drugstore, a simand related safe sex ple trip to the office products to students activities did so withwould allow them to free of charge. obtain contraception out protection.

In 2019, Verde discreetly. More impublished an editorial portantly, condom proposing this change in response to con- availability programs (CAPs) reduce the cerns that sexually active Paly students not financial burden of these products. using contraception were putting themSuch programs have empirically selves and their partners at risk for STIs worked, which is why we strongly urge and unwanted pregnancies. The staff be- their implementation at Paly. A study by lieved that Paly should be conscious of the Springer Link found that schools with sexual safety and health of students and CAPs see more students engaging in safe offer these products. sex practices without more sexual activity.

However, nothing has changed since Paly’s current policy regarding stuthe publishing of the editorial. Paly still dent sexual health is insufficient. While we does not offer any safe-sex products and appreciate Paly teaching students how to recent data shows that those past concerns safely use condoms, it is irrelevant if they are still warranted. According to a 2022 cannot access them in the first place. The anonymous, opt-in survey conducted by availability of condoms, coupled with comVerde of 237 Paly students from January prehensive sex education, would provide 26 to January 31, 2022, 40.4% of students students with both the tools and knowl-

edge necessary to safely engage in sexual activities.

“CAPs … recognize that … students who choose to engage in sexual behavior … should be able to make informed decisions and do so safely,” Paly Wellness Outreach Officer Whitney Aquino said. “I see it as a harm-reduction model [that] reduces barriers to healthcare.”

Detractors counter that CAPs will lead to an increase in sexual activity — as students who currently are not sexually active will become so if given contraceptives.

However, numerous studies disprove this and contend that those who want to be sexually active already are, which is why CAPs have not led to an increase in sexual activity.

The availability of condoms would help to curb the rising number of student STIs and promote safer sexual practices here at Paly. We urge Paly to become a part of the solution and offer safe-sex products to students. v

Staff, parents keep schools functioning

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E COMMEND the organizers of the “1 Palo Alto” program and the parent volunteers who have stepped up through the program to fill support staff positions to help keep Palo Alto Unified School District schools running while the district was severely short-staffed due to COVID-19 absences.

In less than 36 hours, PAUSD staff initiated a districtwide effort to shore up the widespread absences that threatened the operations of schools. In a video request

released on social media on Sunday, Jan. 9, Superintendent Don Austin debriefed the program and urged parents to volunteer, gathering over 800 signups by 5 p.m. the following Wednesday.

Parents can sign up to volunteer for tasks including assistance with COVID-19 testing clinics, food services, light custodial work, office assistance and classroom support. Interested vaccinated parents register on the PAUSD website and are contacted by their specific school site PTA leadership when volunteer opportunities become

available.

Organizing this large-scale initiative on an extremely short timeline is no easy task.

We are deeply appreciative of the district coordinators for facilitating volunteer signups and managing the logistics of a monumental effort, in addition to parents who continue to dedicate their time and energy to supporting our schools in a time of crisis. The unprecedented support the “1 Palo Alto” program has received is a testament to the admirable culture of community service present in many Palo Alto families. v

VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 7

launch ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL IS SENT TO THE PRINCIPAL’S? We asked Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson if he had ever been to the principal’s office as a student. He said he had a lot of crazy stories but they would be too incriminating. However, this is one story that he told us.

Photo by Aanya Kumar

When Berkson was in sixth grade, he took party snaps (small novelty fireworks that make noise when thrown on a hard surface) and offered them to another sixth grader as marijuana. The next day, the principal came to his classroom and took him to his office — he had no idea what it was about. The principal sat him down

ASB ANSWERS

­Photo by Cindy Wang

WITH SITE COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE GABE GALPER What activities can we expect at prom?

At prom there will be hundreds of exhibits that the San Francisco Exploratorium always has on display that are hands-on. We have a DJ, games, places to sit and eat at. There will also be photo booths inside and a 360 degree photo/video booth. We are currently looking into light show activities and other possibilities.

8 FEBRUARY 2022

What upcoming events does ASB have in store?

ASB is currently planning several events. Our social commissioners are currently planning a Gunn/ Paly halftime competition for an upcoming sporting event. We are currently sponsoring the AASU Lunar New Year event that is about to happen. I’m working on having an STI testing clinic coming to Paly with Wellness and seeing about the feasibility of making it free and anonymous for students. Mathew, (senior class president), Joy (senior VP) and I are planning senior elimination currently.

in his office and said, “Are you selling anything on campus?” However, Berkson still didn’t know what the principal was referencing. Berkson considered himself a mini entrepreneur back then and said, “Yeah, I sell Now & Laters (fruit-flavored taffy).”

This wasn’t the answer the principal was looking for, so he directly asked, “What about pot?” The other sixth grader, that Berkson sold the alleged weed to, told his parents!

Luckily, Berkson said, he convinced the principal that it was just an innocent joke and got let off the hook with no real consequences. What lesson did Berkson learn from this moment? “Don’t trust sixth graders.”

WHERE CAN YOU GET YOUR PROM GEAR? 1. Frame and Partners 2. Shona Joy 3. Windsor 4. Lulus 5. Asos 6. Revolve

7. Men’s Wearhouse 8. Nordstorm

How can students get involved?

9. Macy’s

Micaiah, the Paly PAUSD Board Rep and I are currently planning a fishbowl event for students to give opinions on issues concerning COVID, mental health, facilities and more. Smarter charter for clubs as well as elections are coming up.

10. Hall Madden 11. Josh’s Tailoring Art by Reese Ford

Photos by AANYA KUMAR

Text and design by AANYA KUMAR and OLIVIA MILNE

Yes, we know Valentine’s Day has passed, but we could not resist celebrating a little in this section.

COUPLES Q&A WITH MATILDE MCQUARRIE AND DAMON SCHULTZ We were curious about how well senior Matilde Mcquarrie and her boyfriend Damon Schultz know each other, after dating for a few years. To find out, we had Matilde answer some questions and had Damon guess her answers.

Baking

What’s Matilde’s secret hobby?

Annoying Damon

Margot Robbie

Who is Matilde’s celebrity crush?

Schmidt from New Girl

Urban Outfitters

Matilde’s favorite place to shop?

Urban Outfitters

Leaving drawers open

What’s Matilde’s worst habit?

Falling Asleep

“Dirty Dancing”

What’s her guilty pleasure movie?

“Dirty Dancing”

Makes me watch football

What doesn’t she like about him?

My planning skills

My humor?

HOW OFTEN DO STUDENTS READ? With our writers investigating the “Reading resurgence” online literature groups and platforms have catalyzed (pg. 40), we were curious about how often Palo Alto High School students read for pleasure.

Here is what we found:

*Data presented is from an opt-in survey by Verde Magazine of 237 Palo Alto High School students and was collected from January 26 to January 31, 2022 through a digital form published on Schoology pages and Verde social media. Responses were anonymous and all questions were optional.

VERDOODLE: VALENTINE’S DAY

What’s his favorite Her compasthing about Matilde? sion.

Damon only got 29% of the answers right. He still has a lot to learn. Time to get studying!

HEAR THE VOICES OF VERDE Check out Verde’s podcast, “Verde, Verbalized” on Spotify, where our very own staff writers share thoughts and experiences behind their own stories. Scan the code to the right.

Art by Blair Midgal

VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 9

news Campus notes: County keeps mask mandate As of Feb. 11, Santa Clara County will be the only county in the Bay Area to reject the statewide lifting of the mask mandate on Wednesday, Feb. 16.

“It is understandable that Santa Clara county is keeping masks manditory right now,” sophomore Richie Ogawa said. “To minimize the spread of COVID-19 and to keep students, teachers and staff as safe as possible, this decision just seems like the best path.”

by JONAS PAO ASB finalizes Prom plans Palo Alto High School will require students to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test 24 hours before Prom, located at the Exploratorium this year, in order to buy a ticket following San Francisco’s COVID-19 mandates.

“What we’re [ASB] planning on doing is having smaller courses so that people can quickly eat and then put their mask back on, or just minimize the risk of COVID during Prom,” Junior Class President Ashley Hung said.

by ALLEGRA WEST New plant-based lunch option A student-created petition for a plant based-lunch option in Palo Alto High School’s cafeteria has gathered over 300 signatures as of early Febuary.

“A lot of students don’t agree with the inhumane practices and factory farms and want to have the resources to choose more eco-friendly [school] lunch options,” junior Morgan Greenlaw said.

by ANNUM HASHMI ksdfasdfadsf

10 FEBRUARY 2022

MESSAGE FOR THE MAGAZINE — Local politician Ajwang Rading addresses Verde Magazine’s staff about his background, congressional goals and ways students can take educated action.

“Every time you draft something, don’t just rush through it,” Rading said. “Savor it, because when that is consumed, and when that hits the mind, it has a magical impact. I think we’re losing, especially in today’s country, … fantastic journalism.” Photo: Emily Yao

Rising politician visits campus

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ONGRESSIONAL candidate Ajwang Rading spoke to Palo Alto High School students — and the Verde Magazine staff — on Feb. 9, as a part of his effort to engage teens in politics and his campaign.

“It’s young people who need to be addressing the issues of today,” Rading said. “ I’m just a messenger. I’m trying to run [for Congress] to really represent the voice that you [teens] have … to say ‘Hey, I’ve got an idea.’”

Rading emphasized the need for integrity, both in politics and in other activism pursuits.

“There are way too many people in public service and in the private sector going after the position, but purpose is what unlocks the spirit,” Rading said. “And that is what is really going to provide salvation for us as a people if we’re going to have any sort of meaningful impact in trying to address these big inequities.”

by AKHIL JOONDEPH

CAASP reports low student scores

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ALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL District’s California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress mathematics scores decreased overall, according to a Feb. 8 school board meeting.

Across all students who took the exam (3rd grade - 8th grade and 11th grade), the percentage of students who met or exceeded standard dropped by 3% compared to 2019 scores. Elementary schoolers saw the biggest decline, with fourth graders’ scores

falling by 6%.

According to the data released at the meeting, which also brokedown the percent change in scores by student group, Filipino students and English learners observed the largest downturn of -13% and -9% respectively. The only student group whose rates of meeting or exceeding standards improved was Black or African American students; their pass rate increased by 5%.

by PAISLEY ANNES

ASB suspends Matchomatics

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HE ASSOCIATED Student Body has canceled this year’s Valentine’s Day Matchomatics activity in response to “Title IX possibilities” identified by school administrators.

Matchomatics has been facilitated annually by ASB in recent years. In this activity, students are asked to fill out online questionnaires about their characteristics and hobbies to receive an analysis of their designated “matches” or “friends” across genders and grade levels.

School administrators in early January decided to remove Matchomatics from ASB’s slate of “Love Week” — a week filled with events leading up to Valentines Day— activities due to general concerns regarding unwanted attention, according to Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson.

“I know no one is forced to meet their ‘match,’ but there are too many possibilities [surrounding] gender that could cause issues or uncomfortability, or teasing, or bullying,” Berkson said.

Freshman Site Council Representative Celina Lee, a committee leader

in charge of “Love Week,” said that despite the absence of Matchomatics, ASB’s Valentine’s Day festivities — such as selling and distributing “Valgrams” — will continue.

“It’s definitely sad and unfortunate that Matchomatics is not being able to happen this year since we were all preparing for it,” Lee said. “But we are going to do events every single day of ‘Love Week,’ which is Feb. 7 to Feb. 11, and we hope that that will compensate for Matchomatics.”

Students like junior Kyle Park are still excited about these “Love Week” events — such as Cookies on the Quad, Karaoke on the Quad stage, and a Valentine’s Day dress up.

“ASB did a good job planning and the ‘Love Week’ lineup looks really fun,” Park said. “It stands as sort of a break for people who are stressed out and it means that we have something to genuinely look forward to throughout the week.”

by MELODY XU

Birdwatchers flock to view rare bird Dozens of avid birdwatchers have gathered near Greer park to see an Oriental Turtle Dove — a bird only ever seen three times in California, according to eBird — where it is currently living as of Sunday, Feb. 6.

The bird is native to Europe and East Asia and can be identified by its distinctive scaly appearance and reddish-brown claws.

“I am a huge bird chaser, and seeing a Eurasian species is pretty special,” Guerneville resident Scott Carry said. “It is certainly a [once in a] lifetime bird, ... so I was really excited to come down.”

Bird enthusiasts from all around came together to observe this special creature, which is one of avid bird watcher Joshua Stacy’s favorite things about the hobby.

“It’s special to see any living thing that you normally wouldn’t see,” Stacy said. “It’s also nice to see all these birders gather around here, it’s a nice way to see a lot of our friends.”

by YASH SHETTY

District hopes to expand dyslexia support systems

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OLLOWING PROMISING results from a recent dyslexia screening, the Palo Alto Board of Education Committee will continue to work to identify additional programs to provide intervention for students with dyslexia in grades K-12.

Palo Alto Unified School District administered the Universal Protocol for Accommodations in Reading (uPAR) in August and September 2021 in secondary schools to assess students’ grade-level reading comprehension and to screen for dyslexia.

At the high school level, 95% of the student body completed the screener in 2021.

Of those students, 92.6% of students tested

proficient or exceeding proficiency on the silent reading portion. This is a noticeable increase from the middle school uPAR results from 2021 which show that only 88.2% of students tested proficient or higher.

“The silent reading results at the high schools demonstrates that the work being done at the middle schools over the past several years is having a positive impact on reading for high school students,” PAUSD Director of Secondary Education Kathie Laurence said.

Still, the district is working towards implementing a second tier screener — a subsequent screener to the uPAR for students

who may be at risk for dyslexia and are unresponsive to tier one and tier two interventions such as classroom support and targeted interventions.

“Tier two screeners are hard to find right now,” Laurence said. “There are not many of them, if any, for the secondary students, but we are in the process of working to find those secondary screeners.”

A secondary screener ultimately will help identify student needs so staff can create a personalized intervention plan.

by CARLOTA BLANCO and JONAS PAO

VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 11

news

Local Tongans respond to tsunami

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OCAL TONGAN communities across the Bay Area are supporting their families through donations, food drives and prayers following the eruption of an undersea volcano of the Tongan archipelago on Jan. 14.

Capuchino High School’s Poly Club, located in San Bruno, has been collecting food, water and medical supplies from families around the Bay Area over the past week to be shipped to Tonga.

“This [supply drive] is very important to us because we have everything here, and we’ve heard people living on one gallon of water per household out there,” Capuchino High School Poly Club president and senior Afa Kaufusi said. “We found out that a company [S.F. Enterprises] was receiving donations, and I said, ‘Let’s put the club to work.’ So we started gathering things. We started putting it in our daily bulletin. We started telling the community through Instagram posts online, and we were able to get the word out.”

However, local Tongan community members such as Palo Alto High School junior Vainga Mahe Jr. are still waiting for contact from their family members on the island.

“For me, it’s just been a long and nervous wait,” Mahe said. “Just waiting for

LENDING A HAND — Capuchino High School’s Poly Club starts the long process of moving donated water and food out of storage and to Oakland, where the supplies will be shipped to Tonga.

“People went to Costco specifically just to buy stuff to donate,” Capuchino High School Poly Club president and senior Afa Kaufusi said. “That’s it. Imagine that.” Photo: Jonas Pao

that answer of confirmation that they [Mahe’s family] are alright.”

Paly freshman James Tautua’a can recall the exact moment he lost contact with his family.

“As soon as my family and I received news [of the volcano], we immediately contacted our uncles to see if they were hit,” Tautua’a said. “In the middle of the conversation, the connection broke off, leaving all of us to worry.”

Since then, families such as Mahe’s, Tautua’a’s and Tuifua’s have only heard bits

and pieces about the status of the islands of Tonga.

“It’s been really difficult trying to get a hold of our relatives,” Tuifua said. “With them being out of the country, communication is already hard. All we know is that Ha’apai is experiencing a lot of tsunami waves and towns are being completely flooded and destroyed. We can only hope that our family is safe and trust that they will contact us when they can.”

by JONAS PAO and SEBASTIAN BONNARD

Libraries reacts to spike in omicron cases

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N RESPONSE TO SURGING coronavirus cases, the Palo Alto City Library has temporarily closed the Children’s, College Terrace and Downtown libraries and reduced hours of operation at Rinconada Library.

As a result of budget cuts at the beginning of the pandemic, the city libraries are facing staffing shortages and subsequently, closures. They initially reopened in May 2021 with limited staff and moved toward a gradual reopening in the fall.

12 FEBRUARY 2022

“This is part of a plan we developed in collaboration with the City of Palo Alto,” Library Services Manager Alex Perez said.

“All departments have been really suffering from staffing shortages due to the Omicron situation; the reason we took the step to close the branches was to allow us to stagger our employees … to keep them safe.

In order to do that, we had to bring staff from the smaller locations to the larger locations.”

Effective Tuesday, Jan. 18 — in addition to the three temporary branch closures

— Rinconada Library’s reduced hours of operation are Wednesday-Saturday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Mitchell Park Library hours will remain the same, though a range of measures have been introduced into all open locations. Seating has been arranged to enforce social distancing, study rooms will remain closed and the Library recommends patrons to limit their visits to 45 minutes, emphasizing its digital services for students.

by MELODY XU

Verbatim: How has the omicron surge affected your everyday life?

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“

There’s a reason that the county hasn’t shut things down. People are more or less just going to continue living their lives. This is the reality. ... [the pandemic] is just the way of life for the foreseeable future.”

— NADIA SOBERG, sophomore

“

Tenth-grade track was officially closed down, and then junior-year [track season] was not a great season so I’m looking forward to all the fun track things like Pasta Feeds and fun team bonding.”

N RESPONSE TO A SURGE in COVID-19 cases, Palo Alto Unified School District Superintendent Don Austin encouraged parents to volunteer at schools in an effort to keep them open in an email sent on Sunday, Jan. 8. Since then, the program has received unprecedented support from the local community and garnered significant attention from the press.

— MAIA JOHNSSON, senior

by DOMINIQUE LASHLEY and SADIE IBBOTSON-BROWN

Sensational Spikeball smashes

SPIKEBALL SPIRIT — Juniors Jackson Martin and Calvin Wong play Ishaan Batra and Jacob Kasanin in an intense Spikeball tournament on Feb. 4 during lunch. “It brings everyone together to see people playing Spikeball on the Quad,” junior class president Ashley Hung said. “People meet new friends just through Spikeball.” Photo: Merwa Marof

Graphics by ESTHER XU

VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 13

Text by ANDY ROBINSON and CARLOTA BLANCO

candidates

2022 DISTRICT 18 ELECTION GUIDE

about me top issues message to youth 14 FEBRUARY 2022

anna eshoo

greg tanaka

I love public service. … local government shaped me as a legislator, and then in 1992, I was privileged to be elected to represent this congressional district, the first woman in the history of the district ... The work that I've done in the community with nonprofits … those are the things that have shaped me.

I grew up very poor … with my single mom ... in a really rough area ... very unlike Palo Alto. I wasn't a political kid.

I'm not like a professional politician ... I was running a small startup and a software development and the mayor at the time was trying to ban software… that's why I ran for city council.

The very top of the list is to protect our democracy by protecting the vote ... The vote is sacred in a democracy, and the threats are coming from state legislatures ... to manipulate votes that are cast by the voters. And the challenges have to be met certainly to address climate change, my record is replete on that ... my voting record has earned the support of all organizations that have endorsed my candidacy for many cycles and national organizations as well.

We need a legislator for the digital age, especially for Silicon Valley … the country's losing a lot by not having a good grasp of technology … If you don't have good policies, it's gonna be tough to have a robust economy. Without a robust economy, it's going to be really hard for a lot of those that are disadvantaged. So it's important that we remain at the forefront, that we have tech-forward policies, that we are supportive of entrepreneurs.

I hope that along the path of life that you will always have a devotion to our democracy, because our democracy needs you … and make time in your lives to always give back to your community. If we have strong communities, we have a strong democracy.

It's important to get involved … If you look, the average age of people in politics is … 30 years more than the average age of the private sector. The average age in Congress is ... like 66 to 69 years old.

The retirement age is 65. And so it is so important that the youth get involved.

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Art by BLAIR MIGDAL

for congress ajwang rading

peter ohtaki

rishi kumar

The first night that I was actually born … we actually stayed in a shelter … Living in a car gives you a unique perspective as to how people ... are suffering ... I know firsthand what it takes to actually have to survive ... besides all that I had some unique privileges to actually write legislation in Congress.

I grew up here … [and went] to Woodside High School … [I] worked in New York in finance for several years which has given me a lot of understanding both about government budgets and ... the deficit and how that's causing inflation ... I served two … rotations as mayor [of Menlo Park] in 2013 and 2018.

Silicon Valley has never sent a tech-savvy representative ... As a tech executive who works in ... Analytics and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning vertical, my plan is to grow our innovation economy ... [and] bridge income inequality, while ensuring that tech does not trample upon people’s rights.

You need a generational shift in terms of treating this [climate change] as an emergency. And it's incumbent upon us as younger folks to understand that this is the greatest challenge we face ...

I don't get why Democrats or Republicans are still trying to act like we can talk about carbon taxes as though it's 2002 ... And these are issues that we need to fight upon. Now. And we need big, big reimagination and the [Green] New Deal to try and tackle those issues.

The problem is that big government ... has a lot of unintended consequences.

And a good example is housing legislation ... that has now basically banned single-family zoning across California … cities all try very hard to maintain the character of our neighborhoods … and the state mandates can triple, quadruple the number of units that can be built in these neighborhoods … but there's no funding for the additional classrooms that are going to be required.

I will not sell out. On the city council, I rejected land-developer campaign money. In Congress, I will continue to reject all Corporate PAC money, and will never sell out to the special interests ...

We need to bring fresh voices into our government. Our elected leaders stay too long, and do very little. That's why I have been an advocate for term limits for all elected positions ... [they] will bring new energy, new leadership, and alleviate corruption.

No one will fix this problem if it's not you. And throughout history, we have seen that it has always been the energy, the organization, the power of young people ... to rise to the greatest moment and challenge of that generation ... right now it's climate change.

Every election is important, and this midterm election is no less important ...

Even if ... you can't vote, helping ... your parents, your families, ... friends, helping candidates or helping folks understand the issues ... will help to encourage a better turnout in this election.

America has a crisis with teenagers who are vulnerable to social media algorithms and facing depression ... Instagram has been in the news ... but nothing has been done ... We need tech-savvy energetic elected leaders who will be able to truly address the angst of the youth.

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Text and photo by ANDREW XUE

5 QUESTIONS WITH LYDIA KOU NEW VICE MAYOR’S PRIORITIES FOR 2022 TERM

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N A UNANIMOUS DECISION ON JAN. 3, the Palo Alto city council voted Lydia Kou to be Palo Alto’s vice mayor for the 2022-2023 term.

Having raised her children in Palo Alto, Kou holds this city and its compassionate community in a special place in her heart. As vice mayor, Kou said she plans to reciprocate her love for the Palo Alto community by prioritizing the needs of residents and the natural environment. Here is what Kou had to say. v

that all rely on trees in their own way. However, when private property owners decide to expand their house or build new housing units, oftentimes trees are cut down in order to accommodate that.

So when that happens, it means that we’ve just lost another mature tree. As of now, the majority of oak trees are protected by the tree ordinance and we’re looking into expanding the type of trees that need protection. We want to look at what other cities are doing and what kind of parameters they have in terms of their tree protection.

1. What is so special about Palo Alto?

Palo Alto is special to me because when my children were growing up in Palo Alto, many of my friends, who are now parents, watched out for each other.

If my daughters or any of my friend’s kids needed anything, they’d step in to help out and I would do the same. The community felt really close and I could always depend on my friends.

4. How do you plan on achieving a more diverse community of residents in Palo Alto?

Right now, there’s only one type of people, one type of wealth that is coming into this community and they’re buying up everything. It causes land values and housing values to appreciate very quickly. This means people who are wage workers, those who work in restaurants, those who work in our libraries, cannot afford to live here.

Right now, my council colleagues are trying to focus on increasing some fees when developers want to develop here in Palo Alto. It[housing affordability] should be tailored towards people that compliment others in the community so that we can have a more diverse environment, where the wealthy live with the not so wealthy.

2. What are your priorities for the coming year in Palo Alto in regards to students and families?

Right now, I think we need an honest examination to see how our youth are doing. So one of the items that I would like to introduce and see if council’s willing to take forward for this year is something called “Healthy Community.” The program involves delving into youth wellbeing, even adult wellbeing, just wellbeing all around and making sure people are having all the resources that they need.

We [the city council] want to partner with Palo Alto Unified School Districts to plan assemblies where students can voice their opinions and experiences. Even adults are having trouble, so I can’t imagine how much struggle the youth go through.

3. Why is it important to protect the existing trees in Palo Alto?

It’s hard to quantify the value of trees. For people, it provides shade and is a pretty thing to look at. And then of course, there’s also the insects, squirrels, bees, and the birds

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5. How do you plan on maintaining balance between the urban and rural aspects of Palo Alto?

When you talk about balance, you have to look at it internally: what do the people who live in Palo Alto need and want? You have a part of the city that caters to people traveling in from other cities because they want to do business here. For example, Stanford shopping mall is an attraction for many of us and for people from all over the bay area. As the business industry grows, it shouldn’t have to invade our neighborhoods, where it’s a family oriented place. Instead, we should focus all on localism, that it’s about who is living here and their quality of life.

PROMOTING UNITY — Vice Mayor Lydia Kou poses at the Mitchell Park Library Community Center during the on-going Lunar New Year celebration. In her new role, Kou hopes to foster a closer community. “As an elected official, I’m a public servant,” Kou said. “It’s a position to serve and I serve the people of Palo Alto and their homes.”

Text by ALLEGRA WEST

Art by DAVID TOMZ

TESTING TROUBLES ARE THE ACT AND SAT BECOMING OBSOLETE?

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ROM 2018 TO 2019, 77% of students reported standardized test scores through the Common Application. This year, that number has decreased to 43%, according to data reported by the Common App. The pandemic has created a snowball effect for limiting the role of standardized testing in college admissions, as many colleges and universities are no longer requiring students to submit ACT or SAT scores. With the recently shortened and online version of the SAT — and many colleges not requiring standardized testing — are the ACT and SAT becoming things of the past?

Due to the test-optional policy adopted last year by over 1600 colleges, as reported by Ivywise, students have been given a choice whether to take standardized college entrance exams — a marked contrast to pre-pandemic years when these tests were required for most college admissions.

Many students still opted to take the standardized tests because of the possibility of increasing their chances of college acceptance.

“It was just kind of something that’s part of the college process,” Palo Alto High School senior Vienna Liu said. “So I didn’t really second guess [my decision to take standardized tests] — I know a lot of colleges are testing optional, but it’s something that can be potentially helpful if I did decently well. ” Senior Giada Parigi took a different approach to applying to college under these new policies.

“I didn’t have to,” Parigi said. “It wasn’t required for my year. And then I have a lot of anxiety about taking tests. I just didn’t feel like it would be good for me. If I didn’t have to take it, why would I? Why would I take it if I knew it would make me more stressed and anxious?”

With the new test-optional policy, as well as the coronavirus pandemic causing many seniors to take a gap year and an increase of applications — acceptance rates are plummeting. Harvard’s acceptance rates dropped by 0.16 % in 2021.

This trend has generally expanded beyond top 20 schools, with Spark Admissions, a Boston-based college admissions consulting firm, recently reporting an overarching drop in college acceptance rates from 2020-2021.

“I believe what it [the test-optional policy] does for certain schools is opens up the door for more students to apply,” Gunn High School college and career counselor information specialist Leighton Lang said. “And I believe if we were to talk to a couple admissions counselors that have changed their policies … they would also say it [reporting a score] does create a different level of something that I can evaluate.”

Lang said he thinks there are many aspects of testing that must be considered when analyzing its value.

“The hard part of it is, when you attach the fee to it, how the students are able to prep for it, and those things, [makes it] where it’s [a] not fair or equal playing field,” Lang said.

Lang argues that standardized testing undervalues the effort students put in their high school career, as one test shouldn’t determine different students’ ability to take tests.

“What I don’t support is an obstacle placed in front of a student to get a college education when they worked hard in high school,” Lang said.

The topic of standardized testing is still very controversial, and because of the pandemic, the idea of optional tests has only continued to expand, with many schools extending their test optional policies through the next admission cycle. Lang urges students not to base their self worth or sense of intellect on their standardized test score.

“What kind of benefit do you want the [ACT/SAT] test score to do for you?” Lang said. “That’s [just] your grade, nothing else.” v

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Text by MIYA WHITELEY and MELODY XU Photo by MIYA WHITELEY

DE-FACTO LANING?

CONCERNS ABOUT CO-TAUGHT CLASSROOMS

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ITHIN PALO ALTO year, is concerned about. separate English 9 and 9A lanes into the sinHigh School’s freshman “You end up with a higher percentage gle English 9A course for all freshmen (doEnglish classrooms, there of students who need more support in those ing the same with its respective 10th grade are four co-taught periods sections of ninth grade English course). and nine non-co-taught periods. Out of English than all the Our department is baTokheim atall historically underrepresented students other sections,” said tributed this decision in the freshman class — students of Black, Reardon, lamenting sically reverting back to a noticeable lack of Latino and Pacific Islander heritage — over what he said in these to the laning that we diversity; there was half are on co-taught rosters. Out of 36 stu- classes was a reduced a disproportionate dents with Individualized Education Pro- “diversity in the range worked so hard to get number of students grams, 28 are on co-taught rosters. of abilities or a range of rid of.” of color in lower In Paly’s co-taught English classrooms, ways of looking at and lanes, she said. How— SHIRLEY TOKHEIM, instructional ever, this year, she has one teacher holds a State of California perceiving the world.” leader credential in teaching English while the He continued: noticed that out of 40 second is trained in serving students with “It’s not good for the historically underrepIEPs: legal documents detailing a student’s students who are in the classes who need resented students enrolled in English 9A, mandatory accommodations — such as co- more support. It’s not good for the students 23 are in just four co-taught periods, while taught minutes — for who are missing the 17 are in the remaining nine periods. success. perspectives and the “Our department is basically reverting When Paly ad- You end up with a experiences of other back to the laning that we worked so hard ministrators place higher percentage people in their class- to get rid of, because it tends to segregate by such IEP students into es.” race and class,” Tokheim said. a limited number of of students who need For English inIEPs in the Palo Alto Unified School English 9A and 10A more support in those structional leader District skew toward students of color. periods, the result is a Shirley Tokheim, the Black and Latino students consisted of the small number of class- sections of ninthhigh concentration highest percentage of students with classirooms with a higher grade English than all of students with IEPs fied learning disabilities as of May 2021. relative concentration in certain English pe“The reality is that in this district, it is of IEP students while the other sections.” riods and not others more likely that a student who is not white leaving the rest with seems like a sign of or Asian is going to have an IEP,” Reardon — HUNTER REARDON, English teacher little to no IEP stuthe department’s past said. “It’s not a 100% correlation, but it’s dents. This difference segregation problem just a tendency. … The result then is in cois something that English teacher Hunter resurfacing. A decade ago, the English taught classes if we have too many students Reardon, who teaches three of four co- Department effectively eliminated abili- with IEPs crowded into classes, then you taught English 9A classrooms this school ty-based laning by merging the previously start getting into segregation: more stu-

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features dents of color being put together in lower ple perspectives make a classroom stronger lanes or ‘de-facto’ lower lanes.” and that should be embraced. However, if Many teachers, however, believe that the classroom equilibrium is off, a teacher the co-teaching strategy delivers on its in- may struggle to meet the needs of each stutent to provide more one-on-one support dent in the classroom, and could find that for students who need it and lightens the this particular class is not moving at the load that a single teacher without special same pace as their others. Regardless of the education credits can handle. situation, students have an opportunity to “I will say the co-teacher that I had for learn, whether that is content knowledge, Film [Film Composition and Literature] for classroom skills or simply being patient in a semester … was the best experience I’ve dealing with their peers.” ever had working with a colleague,” English Tokheim also echoed sentiments teacher Alanna Williamson said. “She was that the intention behind the co-teaching hugely, hugely helpful classroom setup was for the students in my positive but that her class who needed more Classrooms tend to longtime advocacy for one-on-one support have a certain equialternative solutions during work time, and stems from what she I can’t get around to librium to them. Mulsays is an awareness everyone … so she was tiple perspectives of unintended consehelping me manage quences. the accommodations.” make a classroom “I have been Positive senti- stronger and that talking about this isments about co-teachsue for several years,” ing exist beyond the should be embraced.”

Tokheim said. “It’s English Department.

— JUSTIN CRONIN, history teacher been a top priority for Ten of 32 co-taught me, but not necessary classrooms this school for our changing adyear are across history and social science ministrators. … I have reached out for at courses. least the past couple of years to the district “I have generally enjoyed co-teaching office to sound the alarm that this was hapclasses,” history teacher Daniel Shelton pening — no response. And, I brought it said. “Regardless of how difficult it may up in my district meetings; I brought it up be at times, having another teacher in the everywhere I can that this is an issue. No room to divide up the kids, keep them on response.” task and be able to reach different students The History/Social Science Departis super valuable.” ment has a similar internal focus on the History teacher Justin Cronin empha- subject of co-teaching. sized how co-teaching might affect “class“There’s always been a constant conroom equilibrium.” versation in the History/Social Science De“Classrooms tend to have a certain partment,” history teacher Jaclyn Edwards equilibrium to them,” Cronin said. “Multi- said. “But I am unaware of anything that

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the district is currently proposing in regards to it [co-teaching] other than the consistent message that this is a top priority. I don’t know if we see eye to eye with that messaging that they treat this subject as a top priority.”

Assistant Principal Michelle Steingart told Verde in an email that the administration is aware of what critics have called “de-facto laning,” but did not specify on any course of action being taken.

“In collaboration with others, we are actively working on a plan to better ensure that this ‘de-facto’ laning does not continue in the future,” Steingart said.

For Reardon and Tokheim, one possible solution would be to make the act of writing co-taught mandates into IEPs “much more conservatively implemented,” somehow removing the legal requirements from IEPs that limit Paly’s flexibility in organizing its classes at the site level.

“I just wish everyone on campus knew exactly what was going on in co-taught classes,” Reardon said. “Maybe even students who are not needing more support could become more empathetic for the students who do. … If we could facilitate a culture more like that in the co-taught classes and across campus, that would be amazing.” v HELPING HAND — Rachel Dial lends support to students in an English 9A classroom where she co-teaches with fellow English teacher Hunter Reardon. A high number of students with IEPs are placed in co-taught periods such as this one. “It’s been challenging because the numbers seem to be increasing and we definitely see a larger number of students with IEPs tend to be students of color,” Dial said.

“There are actually many students who don’t have IEPs or 504s that also struggle and need extra support.”

IN PALY’S 9TH GRADE ENGLISH CLASSROOMS...

4 23 28 co-taught periods

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non co-taught periods

HUR students out of 40

IEP students out of 36

8

IEP students out of 36

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IEP: Individualized Education Program HUR: Historically underrepresented

HUR students out of 40

Source: 2021-22 English 9A rosters

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Text by MEENA NARAYANASWAMI and KIERAN ZAJAC

SILICON VALLEY SUCC HOLMES’ STORY SHEDS LIGHT ON COMPETITIVE CULTURE

she was just even more encouraged to keep going with the project.”

Wells continued.

“I think that especially in Silicon Valley, results are really praised and not necessarily the hard work that people have done to get there,” Wells said. “So when Elizabeth Holmes was showing wild results without any proof of the hard work that she had done … people were really blinded by the fact that she was giving you these really positive results.”

HEN ELIZABETH Holmes was convicted on four counts Holmes was just 19, she of defrauding investors and will be sendropped out of Stanford tenced in late September. to create a startup. After The culture of praising success no 10 years of minimal return on her work, matter how it is achieved in Silicon Valher Palo Alto based company Theranos ley, however, does not end with businesses began receiving widespread fame and fund- and startups. According to an anonymous ing for her groundbreaking technology survey of 237 Paly students conducted by that supposedly performed a wide range of Verde Magazine from Jan. 26 to Jan. 31, tests with just a drop of a patient’s blood. 87.3% of students said that they feel signifTheranos soon skyrocketed to a $9 billion icant pressure to succeed academically. valuation and Forbes magazine dubbed her “What she [Elizabeth Holmes] did was “the next Steve Jobs” as one of the youngest not acceptable, prioritizing the end result female, self-made billionaires in the world. over the means,” Paly junior Justin Gu said.

Holmes achieved the remarkable levels “I think that happens a lot in Silicon Valley of acclaim that so many Silicon Valley teens and at Paly. People use unethical means to aspire to achieve. However, Theranos’s illu- get good grades.” sion of success was Paly student shattered when com- I felt the need that I had Liam, whose pany whistleblowers name has been leaked information to perform really well in changed to prothat proved the en- school to even compare tect his identity, tire company and said he cheated product was a lie; to my friends.” on several assignthe technology ments and tests in — LIAM, student order to succeed did not exist. The company went academically. bankrupt, and Holmes was investigated “Looking back, I’ve never thought on counts of conspiracy and defrauding about whether it [cheating] is a right or investors. wrong thing,” Liam said. “It’s more of a, ‘I “I think that money and fame was don’t know if I’m gonna be able to do this actually a big part of the equation,” Palo without cheating.’”

Alto High School junior Miriam Wells said.

Pressure to measure up to those around “She [Holmes] gained a lot of media atten- him contributed to his decision to cheat, tion from this [Theranos], and she made a although at the cost of unethical actions, lot of money from this … because she was according to Liam. getting such positive attention. I think that “I have a lot of friends who go to pri-

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CESS: AT WHAT COST? vate schools and better schools than me,” high achieving in high school corresponds Liam said. “I was embarrassed to show my to success later in life and therefore, give grades to them because they weren’t as good grades a lot of weight. as theirs. I felt the need that I had to per“I think a lot of it does come from form really well in school to even compare students trying to push themselves to try to my friends.” harder [and] maybe over-prioritizing the Junior Kyle Park said despite the reach idea that they have to get into this one or of success-oriented culture at Paly, sur- two or three colleges in order to be happy,” rounding himself with honest, hard-work- Nguyen said. ing peers has allowed him to avoid slipping Another factor that heavily influencinto the world of academic dishonesty ex- es stress at Paly is the feeling of needing ploited by some of to measure up his fellow classmates. to standards “All my friends Unfortunately, it [cheatplaced by around me are al- ing] is a side effect of parents upon stuways really working dents. hard, so I think my being competitive.”

“It’s tough,” environment has a Nguyen said. “A — DANIEL NGUYEN, math teacher lot of your parlot to do with not participating in that ents are very suckind of [dishonest] culture,” Park said. cessful for the most part, and that builds Park said he believes students who a lot of pressure because you want to be pursue success in high school through un- as successful as them and it’s hard because ethical means will, ironically, struggle more your parents are the cream of the crop.” to find success in the future.

Liam said a large source of his stress “I’m not a very quick learner, but hav- comes from wanting to live up to his paring a work ethic makes everything so much ents’ expectations and success. easier,” Park said. “Learning to build those “My dad never did really well in high skills in high school was super beneficial, so school, but he ended up going to Cal Poly I know someone who doesn’t do that and in San Luis Obispo, and I don’t know if doesn’t have that integrity is going to have I could ever get into a school like that,” a hard time in college.”

Liam said. “He really wants me to do betDaniel Nguyen, who teaches honors ter than he did and because he didn’t have math classes known for being academically that many options growing up as he wasn’t challenging, echoed Liam’s statements re- that fortunate, but I am fortunate and that garding the source of the pressure students sucks because even though I really want to face. make my dad proud of me and do better, “Unfortunately, it [cheating] is a side I just can’t.” effect of being competitive,” Nguyen said.

Though the stress Liam experiences “It’s a side effect of students pushing them- trying to meet high expectations may be selves to prioritize the numerical grade re- shared by many Paly students, Park says sult as opposed to the learning.” that many students still behave honestly History teacher Jack Bungarden also and more could be incentivized to resees the competitive atmosphere at Paly. main honest with a culture shift.

“The competition shows up in other “I feel like you’d have to actualways, but with all due respect, I think it’s ly change the environment to change community-driven,” Bungarden said. “It’s the way that these students’ minds are student-driven.” working,” Park said. “But I think the Many students believe that being vast majority of Paly doesn’t cheat.” v

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Art by ESTHER XU

INFECTIOUS indifference AN INCREASING DESENSITIZATION TO COVID-19

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S SOPHOMORE NADIA of businesses were forced to shut down.

Soberg locks her bike to the Meanwhile, wearing masks in public racks in front of the science spaces and keeping distance from othbuilding, she reaches into her ers became second nature. jacket pocket and slips on a black face But as the novelty of mask-wearmask — a movement that she repeats so ing and constant rapid testing has beoften, it might as well gun to wear off, be automatic. On many people’s the way to class, she Desensitization helps views on the danwaves to friends as people to cope with gers of COVID-19 she passes by, unsure have also shifted. of whether they’ll be scary experiences.”

After being bomcomfortable enough barded day after — HANNAH STEVENS, researcher day with the same for a hug, a greeting that used to be pandemic-related a regular part of her headlines and recmorning routine. Once at her desk, her ommendations, have we become desenmind drifts to the overwhelming amount sitized to COVID? How have our mindof tests scheduled that week as the teach- sets around the pandemic changed as er walks in and begins to drone on about schools and other facilities reopen and the need to stay home if they’re sick. She’s return to some degree of normalcy? already been hearing the same sentences “In a weird way, I feel less afraid of for two years — she sees no point in pay- it [contracting Omicron] — I think it’s ing attention anymore. mostly just being fed up with COVID and after having so many people I know New norms get it, I kind of feel like ‘Whatever hapAdapting to COVID restrictions pens, happens,’” sophomore Sirisha has meant drastic changes in how peo- Mitra said. “Of course, I don’t want to ple work, learn and live their get COVID, but I am less afraid of the lives. Entire communities virus now than in March of 2020.” went into lockOne study from UC Davis suggests down, schools that general levels of public anxiety in transitioned response to social media posts and artito virtual cles about the coronavirus have diminl e a r n i n g ished over time. and hun“Desensitization helps people dreds cope with scary experiences,” said

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Hannah Stevens, the paper’s lead author.

“When we are repeatedly exposed to something frightening or stressful, we kind of get accustomed to it, or at least to respond less strongly to it.”

Stevens says this increasing desensitization correlates with a decreased number of people complying with public health guidelines. She hopes the findings of her study will prompt more conversation around how to ease COVID-related burnout.

For some, however, this decreased sense of anxiety surrounding pandemic-related news has been a positive change for their mental health.

“In the beginning, I was so anxious and I really think it was causing me a mental health concern,” Palo Alto High School parent Rachel Cleary said. “So for me, being somewhat desensitized, or at least being less anxious has, I think, been really healthy.”

Omicron’s impact Last summer, the number of new COVID cases in Santa Clara County was gradually declining and vaccination rates among residents were on the rise. As many public schools returned to in-person learning, it seemed to many as though the world was beginning a slow transition back to its pre-pandemic state.

“For sure, anxiety has changed over the course of the pandemic,” Paly psychology teacher Christopher Farina said.

“Since we’ve had the vaccine, especially in

this community in Santa Clara County, we have a ridiculously high vaccination rate, and that feels really secure. At this point, we see it [COVID] almost more like it’s just disruptive and not as a crazy fear-inducing thing.”

However, as the Omicron variant spread to the U.S. in December, global cases skyrocketed. Universities such as UCLA and Stanford re-implemented virtual learning, casting uncertainty over previous hopes for returning to normal.

Despite Omicron’s high transmission rates, more and more research has emerged suggesting that Omicron symptoms are typically less dangerous than previous strains. This new data has prompted more people to view Omicron as an inconvenience rather than a health-threatening emergency.

“I don’t think it’s as much because I’m concerned about my own health if I were to catch COVID; it’s more about the disruption that it would cause,” Farina said. “If I catch it, then I’m out of work for five days— it’s just a logistical nightmare.”

This has also sparked debate on how to handle re-openings — do we plan for shutdowns when surges arise or learn to live while managing the virus?

“Do we need to go back to shutting things down? Or do we just treat it like the flu now?” Farina said. “That’s a tough one to answer because, for some individuals or families, they do feel that logistical impact more than others. And for others, they’re just by themselves living in an apartment, and it’s like, ‘Why can’t I just go to a restaurant?’”

and school is integral to that.”

Strict masking policies and the distribution of free rapid tests to students and faculty are some measures that have been implemented thus far to create a safer learning environment.

Amid all these new opinions surrounding recent surges, many feel a sense of burnout around constant coronavirus restrictions. To add to the issue, the opening of previously shut down stores and restaurants also provokes a lack of caution as people begin to congregate in public areas. The public has begun to become desensitized to news covering COVID and have placed this deadly disease — which has caused over 5 million deaths worldwide according to the New York Times — at the back of their

minds. “ T h ro u g h out the pandemic, the public has been repeatedly exposed to scary media reports of COVID health risk and deaths,” Stevens said. “It is not surprising that over time, individuals may be experiencing diminished anxiety, even in the face of an increasing threat.

While our study cannot re-sensitize the public, I hope that it can be an impetus to get that discussion started. Hopefully, it will help people recognize that just because they’re not feeling acutely anxious doesn’t mean the problem has gone away.” v

Paly perspective The decision of whether to implement temporary online learning options or keep schools open during the recent Omicron surge has been a polarizing issue among Paly students, parents and faculty. Some strongly support keeping schools open while others believe that Paly should offer a virtual option.

“I have such an overwhelming gratitude for the school administrators, staff, faculty and everybody who shows up and keeps kids where they’re able to socialize and learn and live in community,” Cleary said. “That’s the most important part of living — being a part of a community,

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Text by ANNUM HASHMI and INES LEGRAND

Art by BLAIR MIGDAL

TESTING positive BALANCING HEALTH AND ACADEMICS WHILE STAYING HOME SICK

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S ASHLEY HUNG got out Kline told Verde. of bed on the first day of the second semester, she felt the The dilemma harsh symptoms of COVID-19 Following the outbreak of the Omithroughout her body — she recalled her cron variant, exposure to COVID-19 has head pounding with a fever and a sharp become an almost guaranteed risk for sturasp in her throat. Hung, a Palo Alto High dents at school. This possibility prompts School junior, moved herself to her desk, many students to make a choice — stay opening up her computer and Schoology. home and risk falling behind in their acShe ran through her list of assignments and ademics, or go to school and potentially messages from her teachers and began her infect others. work to catch up on the seemingly endless According to data from a Verde opt-in assignments typical of junior year. survey of 237 people conducted from Jan. “For me, I thought it was relatively 26 to Jan. 31, 91% of Paly students feel easy to keep up with work because most that falling behind in classes is a reason for of my teachers use Schoology a lot,” Hung choosing to go to school while potentially said. having COVID-19.

Through access to resources and supHung said she recognizes the struggle port from teachers, students face when deHung was able to stay to stay home, It’s showing integrity ciding up to date in her classciting students’ acaes, but not all have and just being a good demic commitments as been so lucky. a major contributing citizen by staying According to factor.

COVID-19 data at home if you have “I think it [the provided weekly decision] is definitely COVID.” by the Palo Alto worsened by Paly’s ac— ASHLEY HUNG, junior Unified School ademic pressure and District, there culture of academic have been over 700 reported positive success, and especially as juniors [because] COVID-19 student cases in PAUSD we’re in one of the most rigorous years of since the beginning of 2022, causing high school,” Hung said. “Having to stay at many students to grapple with being home for a week, or more than a week, will sick and keeping up with also make you feel like you’re missing out school. Absenteeism on what you should be doing to help your rates shot up to academics.”

17% shortly after As someone who stayed home for sevwinter break, eral days with COVID-19 per the CDC though rates guidelines, Hung criticized students who have since chose to attend school while showing been slowly symptoms of sickness. decreasing, “It was frustrating hearing that peoP r i n c i - ple were going to school when they had pal Brent COVID,” Hung said. “It’s showing integ-

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features rity and just being a good citizen by staying dents updated. Kline said he feels that staff at home if you have COVID.” are adjusting well to the higher number of Senior Victoria Liao said she agreed students out on sick leave and the obligawith Hung, emphasizing that coming to tions that come with it. school while sick could have harmful con“They [teachers] are being as accomsequences. modating as possi“I think it is inble and … have been credibly irresponsible I hope that taking care working on bringing because not only are of yourself when you more up-to-date mateyou putting students rial online for students and teachers at risk, are sick and in need of to work on,” Kline said. you are also putting rest becomes the norm, “The accommodations their families at risk are bringing greater and you don’t know rather than having to flexibility and teachers who is in their family ‘power through.’” are bringing some of … so you don’t know their learning from last — WHITNEY AQUINO, Paly Wellness year into the mix so who you are actually outreach worker that students don’t miss hurting,” Liao said.

As Wellness as much material.”

Outreach Worker Whitney Aquino stated, Though many students out sick receive the issue of students attending school while accommodations, Hung urged for more acsick due to academic pressure is a historical- countability on both sides with students ly prevalent problem at Paly. and teachers to support students.

“I think [sick students going to school “Everyone has a responsibility when a because of academic pressure] is a valid student is staying at home because they’re concern, considering in previous years, sick,” Hung said. “Making sure that teachsome students would come to school no ers are utilizing Schoology as much as they matter how sick they were to avoid falling can and also making sure that the students behind,” Aquino said. themselves are reaching out to their teachWhile Liao admitted that such a prob- ers would be helpful.” lem did exist in earlier years, she believed Loomis stresses the important role that conditions have improved over the course teachers play to keep students up to date in of the pandemic. classes and prevent them from falling be“In the past, before COVID, a lot of hind when they are sick. kids would come to school even if they “Teachers can adapt their lessons to weren’t feeling well just out of fear of falling provide options for students who are missbehind,” Liao said. “I still feel that, but I ing class to keep up, using Schoology,” feel like people are a lot more understand- Loomis said. “Or they can call students ing now.” into PRIME when they return to help Science teacher Nicole Loomis said she them catch up on what they missed.” acknowledges this long-standing behavior When teachers have to miss class due among students and anticipates a change in to illness, they need a temporary replacethese practices after the pandemic. ment — but, as Loomis stated, this is com“That [sick students going to school plicated by a lack of availbecause of academic pressure] was certainly able substitutes. the case in the past, but if one good thing “There is a sub comes from living through this pandemic, shortage so many days I hope it will be changing that attitude,” teachers have been Loomis said. “Students and teachers should asked to cover for othstay home if they are sick.” er teachers during their prep periResources and teachers ods,” Loomis said.

When a student goes out sick, responsibility falls on the teacher to support them Staying home sick by publishing resources online to keep stu“I think it real-

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ly differs between different people and the teachers they have and their teaching styles,” Hung said. “I’ve heard that it was difficult for other people to catch up with their schoolwork and to stay on track from home.”

Not only could keeping up in classes be harsh, Hung said she felt being away from others took a toll on her mental health.

“Definitely at times it felt lonely because I only really interacted with three other people,” Hung said. “Staying in contact with friends just through texting and FaceTiming and having just being able to keep myself occupied with school and reading for fun … made it easier.”

Aquino emphasized the importance of prioritizing yourself and your health when you’re out sick instead of placing other responsibilities or beliefs above rest.

“My hope is that students who get sick are able to take the time away from school to focus on true rest and healing for themselves,” Aquino said. “I hope that taking care of yourself when you are sick and in need of rest becomes the norm, rather than having to ‘power through.’” v

VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 25

Text by SASHA BOUDTCHENKO

Art by POLINA VAN HULSEN

PROVIDING PERSPECTIVE

ETHNIC STUDIES COURSE TO BE A REQUIREMENT

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ENIOR CLASS PRESIDENT nic Studies course to graduate.

Mathew Signorello-Katz recalls a The Ethnic Studies course examines video he viewed on his first or sec- history from various untraditional perond day in his Ethnic Studies class. spectives and explores the controversy of “In this video that we were being diversity in the United States. Through a shown, they were talking about housing, discussion-based format, students examine specifically the impleglobal topics — such mentation of affordas cultural appropriaable housing, and how It’s [AB 101] a step in tion and its relation you have these people the right direction to socioeconomic who … say they’re profactors in the coungressive … but when after America ... has try — and other loit comes to changes in begun to realize the cal issues — such as their own town in makPalo Alto’s equity gap ing the town more ac- faults in the ways due to the movement cessible for others who America sees and exagainst affordable maybe don’t have such housing. high levels of income, amines its own histo“My goal is to that progressivism and ry.” offer perspective for that acceptance sudpeople to then come — MATHEW SIGNORELLO-KATZ, senior to their own condenly rids itself,” Signorello-Katz said. clusions on what’s Discussions on happening with our eye-opening topics such as these, and their country, what pieces are missing in history,” manifestations in our local c o m m u n i t y, Ethnic Studies teacher Justin Cronin said. are a major component of the one-semesThe course has been offered as a ter Ethnic Studies class at Palo Alto High one-semester social science elective at Paly School, which, in a few years, will be re- for many years, but only enough students quired for all California high school stu- sign up each year to fill, at maximum, one dents. class period each semester, according to Cronin.

AB 101 Bill — What is it?

Some current Ethnic Studies students, The October ratification of Assembly such as Signorello-Katz, view the new Bill No. 101 will stipulate students, be- bill as an improvement to the standard ginning with the Class of 2030 (current American education curriculum. fourth-graders), to take a one-semester Eth“It’s [AB 101] a step in the

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My goal is to offer perspective for people to then come to their own conclusions on what’s happening with our country, what pieces are missing in history.”

— JUSTIN CRONIN, Ethnic Studies teacher

26 FEBRUARY 2022

right direction after America, having taught a history curriculum that focused mainly on American Exceptionalism, has begun to realize the faults in the ways America sees and examines its own history,” Signorello-Katz said.

Senior Saam Mohsenian also expresses a positive view of the legislation, highlighting the recognition brought to the significance of Ethnic Studies.

“It’s pretty interesting and cool in my opinion how they [California government] made it [Ethnic Studies] a requirement,” Mohsenian said. “It shows the versatility of the class and why they think it’s important for students to take.”

Future of Ethnic Studies Students such as senior Eden Ball believe that requiring the Ethnic Studies class for graduation would benefit future students.

“I absolutely think Ethnic studies should be a requirement,” Ball said. “It is extremely unique

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features when compared to my other required his“The nice thing now is that people tory classes in that there is an effort made in the class want to be there, they want to to bring recognition grow, they want to exto topics on power pand their perspective dynamics that our I think I’ve learned on experiences,” Crocountry tends to gloss nin said. “Once you how to examine hisover.” make it [the class] a Over her time tory with a more horequirement, you lose in the Ethnic Studies some of that dynamlistic lens, to see how class so far, Ball said it ic.” has already altered her intertwined different While details view of history. concerning changes societal boundaries “I think I’ve to the course in fulearned to examine are.” ture are still uncertain, —EDEN BALL, senior Social Studies departhistory with a more holistic lens, to see ment head Mary Sano how intertwined difsaid the introduction ferent societal boundaries are,” Ball said. of an Ethnic Studies requirement could However, Cronin said he has mixed complicate the sequence of social studies feelings about the course becoming a req- courses Paly students take. uisite.

“What’s been talked about is making it

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[Ethnic Studies] a … ninth or tenth [grade] requirement … it would shift everything [potentially social studies requirements and electives within the department],” Sano said.

Currently, students have one free semester in their senior year to take social studies electives like U.S. Foreign Policy, AP Macroeconomics and Sociology. With another required single-semester course, the future of these courses remains uncertain.

In light of the new requisite, Cronin and Sano are awaiting the changes that are to come within the Social Studies department over the next few years.

“We’ve been running it [Ethnic Studies] for … six, seven years, so we’re very proud of that here,” Sano said. “We definitely are invested in what is supposed to happen next.” v

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VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 27

Text by BELLA DALY and SADIE IBBOTSON-BROWN Photos by ANUSHE IRANI

Centered around community WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A PALO ALTAN?

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HE SUN SHINES brightly above the plant-filled backyard, almost as brightly as Rena Jardine’s smile as she recounts a story about nights spent in Palo Alto drivein theaters, where her teenaged daughter and son would lie in the back of their family’s station wagon, watching a movie on the big screen.

“They had play areas for the kids, and we’d stay in the car while the kids would go to the play area,” Jardine recounts, a wistful air to her voice. “There was a big metal mic that would come down, and you’d have to keep the window open a little so it was always cold. I remember some teenagers would sneak their buddies in their trunk because you had to pay for every person in the car.”

For many, Palo Alto is largely known a hub of wealth and all things modern, but for others, like the Erickson family — who have lived here for three generations — it’s a place of tradition, like nights at the drivein, of family and of home.

The question of “what it means to be a Palo Altan” is a difficult one. To answer it,

28 FEBRUARY 2022

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS — Rena Jardine walks through the front garden of the house that her daughter, Ariane Erickson, and granddaughter, Rowan Erickson, both cite as an important part of their past. To Jardine, Palo Alto is a welcoming place with many different kinds of people, places and opportunities. “All of the facilities that you could want seem to be here,” Jardine said. “It’s really a good place to live.”

we spoke with a handful of long-time Palo Altans, including three women from different generations of the same family. This is what they had to say.

Baby Boomers: educational focus Jardine, who moved to Palo Alto in 1963, said the city struck her immediately as a diverse, growing community.

“It’s very cosmopolitan,” Jardine said.

“That’s what I liked about it when I first came here. There are places in America where people haven’t been more than ten miles from where they live, so they’re very closed-minded in their thinking, but Palo Alto has so many foreigners and people who’ve seen what happens in other places, so they have an appreciation for how good people have it here.”

After moving from Scotland, Jardine and her husband raised their two children, Ariane and Bruce, in a house that originally cost them only $40,000. Her children grew up attending local schools within the Palo Alto Unified School District, which, even then, had a reputation of excellence.

“We just knew that it [Palo Alto] was

well known to be a good place for your kids to go to school,” Jardine said. “The school district was very good, the teachers were very good, and a lot of mothers didn’t work, so parents were very involved.”

Overall, Jardine feels that what has always made Palo Alto special is the people who live here, and says that she is glad to live in a community full of educated, like-minded individuals.

“When my dad used to visit here from Scotland, he’d tell us: ‘The people there [in Palo Alto] are so friendly,’” Jardine said.

“People here travel, and they read a lot, and they’re educated. They know what the rest of the world looks like.”

Gen X: community-oriented Palo Alto High School teacher Mary Sano was born in Palo Alto, and grew up attending local schools, spending time with friends and learning from the political activism of her parents.

“My parents took me to protests in San Francisco and candlelight walks around Stanford, and draft card burnings,” Sano said. “A lot of my growing up years

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PARK OF THE PAST — Ariane Erickson smiles at Mitchell Park, a place where extracurricular activities have been held for years. Erickson feels that kids participating in these activities were not pressured as much as kids today are. “I just don’t think the kids had to become super good at whatever they were interested in,” Erickson said. “So if you wanted to ice skate, you could just take ice skating because you enjoyed it.”

are defined by politically what was going on those years, which made for a really dynamic community of interesting people.”

After living in Hawaii for a few years, Sano returned to Palo Alto, where she first observed the rise of technology and wealth in her hometown.

“I didn’t notice that Silicon Valley thing until I moved back here after living in Hawaii,” Sano said. “I remember noticing the level of cars that were driving around town, and that shift of seeing the opulence more.”

Despite this change, Sano feels that the heart of Palo Alto has remained the same, even if the rise of Silicon Valley has influenced its reputation.

“I love living and working in this town, and some of what I did grow up with as far as community and activism and people who care about things is still here, but I feel like it’s harder to see,” Sano said.

Unlike Sano, Erickson did not grow up in a politically active environment.

However, she says she feels that being a Palo Altan means that she is surrounded by a strong community of people who share

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PALO ALTO PRESENT — Senior Rowan Erickson stands in front of Paly’s historic Tower Building, a Palo Alto landmark that’s been around for generations. For Erickson, growing up in Palo Alto and attending local schools has allowed her to see first-hand how fast-paced the city is. “With the tech industry, sustainability and activism — I feel like we’re very progressive,” Erickson said.

her core values. munity is so progressive and open-mind“I’m proud and happy, and I feel fortu- ed,” Erickson said. nate to live in Palo Alto, especially with the Like her mother, Erickson believes that current political climate,” Erickson said. living in Palo Alto has directly impacted her “I always call Palo Alto a bubble within a personality and core values. bubble within a bubble, “I feel a sense and right now, in terms of belonging in this Internally, being a of COVID and the pocommunity because litical polarization, I’m Palo Altan makes me we are all like-mindglad I’m on this side ed and share my valfeel a sense of pride of the spectrum. I feel ues,” Erickson said. as though I’m living in because this commuFor Greene a place where people Middle nity is so progressive eighth-grader School share my values and the Evansame logical thinking as and open-minded.” llelyn Sanchez VarI do, as well as a respect gas, living in Palo —ROWAN ERICKSON, senior Alto has given her for science and concern for the environment.” access to more resources and opportunities that she might Gen Z: innovation and inclusion not have had otherwise.

Paly senior Rowan Erickson, daugh“I feel like most people define it [being ter of Ariane Erickson and granddaughter a Palo Altan] by money, but for me, comof Rena Jardine, agrees that Palo Alto is a ing from a low-income family, it means city of advocacy and has made her a more more,” Sanchez Vargas said. “For my parinclusive person. ents, it means that their kids have been able “Internally, being a Palo Altan makes to have the opportunities they never got to me feel a sense of pride because this com- have.” v

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VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 29

Text by CARLOTA BLANCO and JERRY FANG

Art by PALINA KUZMINA

teen SUBSTANCE PANDEMIC RESTRICTS DRUG ACCESS

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EENS EXHALE e-cigarette smoke as they socialize. Red plastic cups dot the room. Music blares. This typical party scene in movies has been mostly absent from teen culture for the past two years.

Following multiple restrictions on popular teen activities, nationwide teen drug use has fallen significantly— the largest decrease observed in five decades, according to the Monitoring the Future study by the University of Michigan, an ongoing

30 FEBRUARY 2022

research project that has studied American Drug use at Paly youth since 1975.

While national trends reveal a deThe percentage of 10th graders that re- crease, teen drug use continues to be a ported using alcohol, from 2020 to 2021, prevalent problem, including at Palo Alto has fallen from 40.7% to 28.5%, a decrease High School. Junior Katie Firtch said she of 12.2%. The percentage of 10th grad- has heard from several second-hand sourcers who vaped in the es of drug use at Paly past year has fallen by this year.

It is cool again to say 12.4% as well, from “I’ve heard that 34.6% to 22.2%, the no. And we need to there have been drug study says. exchanges in class,” emphasize that.”

According to the Firtch said. “People hypothesis posed by have been exchang— BONNIE HALPERN-FELSHER, the principal investigaStanford professor ing things from backtor of this study, Richpack to backpack beard Miech, “Among hind the teacher.” the many disruptions adolescents have exFirtch said she believes there are two perienced as a result of the pandemic are reasons why Paly students use drugs. disruptions in their ability to get drugs, dis“The first reason is they think it makes ruptions in their ability to use drugs outside them in the ‘in-crowd,’” Firtch said. “They of parental supervision, and disruptions in think it makes them cool. The second is peer groups that encourage drug use.” that they may feel pressured. They want to Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a develop- alleviate the pressure from school so they mental psychologist and professor of pe- [turn] to chemical abuse.” diatrics at Stanford University, said that alHalpern-Felsher believes that teen though drug use was already on the decline misconceptions about drugs are especially beforehand, it’s logical that the decrease harmful. continued during the pandemic.

“The problem is that a lot of times “We know that a lot of drugs are a so- teens think that using drugs helps them cial product, so teens are using them to be when the truth is what it's really doing is able to socialize together,” Halper-Felsher hurting them more,” Halpern-Felsher said. said. “When you don't have the ability to "It's kind of a false sense of pleasure, but it's socialize as much, it makes sense that drug not really pleasure.” use is gonna go down.”

Paly Wellness Center Mental

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USE DROPS Health and Wellness Coordinator Eva Martinez said avoiding drug use and peer pressure is dependent on a strong personal value system.

“It comes back to really being clear on your own motivation for not drinking or using drugs … [and] constant reminding yourself of what it is that's driving your decisions," Martinez said.

intended dangerous message to teens that marijuana is safe.

“I think it’s more that the perceptions are changing,” Halpern-Felsher said.

“Teens think it's less harmful. Teens who were considering using it are maybe more likely to then go ahead and use it because they think that their feelings are validated.”

Improving the conversation Popular culture Halpern-Fisher said she believes much With a large presence in popular cul- of the substance abuse issue stems from ture, drugs can appeal to teens through inadequate education and lack of conversasongs and hit TV shows like “Euphoria,” tion, and explained that many parents and which shows teens using drugs frequently. educators do not know how to initiate conHalpern-Felsher said she is concerned versations with teens on the topic. about the widespread consumption of such “Sometimes they don't have the edmedia and how it portrays drug usage. ucation themselves to know how to talk “I have a lot of concern about how about it,” Halpern-Felsher said. “So they drugs, particularly cigfeel uncomfortable arettes, vaping, and Parents want to talk … Parents want marijuana are porto talk about these trayed in the media, in about these things, things, schools want movies [and] in music,” schools want to, but to, but they don't alHalpern-Felsher said. ways know how.”

“Young people listen they don't always Most of the edand ... look up to the know how.” ucation Paly students celebrities who are usreceive on drugs ing or promoting those — BONNIE HALPERN-FELSHER, is in Living Skills, Stanford professor a required, semesproducts.”

Firtch said she beter-long course that lieves popular culture does not paint the sophomore Ashray Gupta said is beneficial full picture of addiction. to students. However, students can choose “It glorifies it in a way, and although when to receive this education, and as a the media does sometimes show the more consequence, many delay it. negative side of drug use, it’s often not “Students usually take Living Skills as associated with anything devastating and a senior, and in the three years before they life-changing,” Firtch said. “We don’t see take Living Skills, there’s not much educathe inside part where they [drug addicts] tion on that [drug use],” Gupta said. struggle and they succumb.”

Halpern-Felsher wants students to know that they should not feel embarrassed Legalization of using drugs and wanting to stop.

Government legalization of marijuana “It's really important for young peofor adults in some states, including Cal- ple to know that they're not alone and that ifornia, has created additional effects on a lot of adults and peers are there to help teen substance usage, with mixed results. them quit,” Halpern-Felsher said. “There Halpern-Felsher said that usage did not was a time where it was not cool to say no change much after legalization, but she also …. It is cool again to say no. And we need believes legalization may be sending an un- to emphasize that.” v

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National

28.5% 22.2% 17.3%

of 10th graders used alcohol

of 10th graders vaped

of 10th graders used marijuana

At Paly

25.4% 10.8% 15.0%

of 9-12th graders used alcohol

of 9-12th graders vaped

of 9-12th graders used marijuana National data presented is 2021 data from Monitoring the Future, a national ongoing study of American youth conducted by the University of Michigan.

Paly data is from an anonymous opt-in survey by Verde Magazine of 237 students and was collected from Jan. 26 to Jan. 31 through a digital form.

VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 31

Photos by YASH SHETTY

Text by YASH SHETTY and ALLEGRA WEST

Behind the lens GETTING TO KNOW STUDENT FILMMAKERS

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VERY COUPLE OF MONTHS a newly released blockbuster movie captivates the general population for weeks on end, before being taken over by the next big release. Yet despite the undeniable popularity of these films, the actual creation of them always seems to be located far away — in the depths of places like Hollywood — out of the general public’s view.

A few Palo Alto High School students are bringing this part of Hollywood to Palo Alto, each with their own unique style.

Saniyah Syed Senior Saniyah Syed started as a creative writer, utterly unaware of how she could apply this skill to the world of filmmaking. All that changed when she took video editing lessons at a local community center, where she caught the eye of a teacher who recommended she try out video production and writing for film.

CAMERA CLICKS — Senior Saniyah Syed has recently transitioned from simple photo taking to a newfound interest. “In the last year, I found a really big interest in music video production,” Syed said.

32 FEBRUARY 2022

Syed immediately clicked with the to different styles that he would later use craft and began to experiment with dif- as he began to pursue film more seriousferent styles, before finally focusing on ly. ‘narrative’ pieces.

Learning and researching the differ“Right now I’m … doing narrative ent components of filmmaking allowed because I like to tell a certain story,” Syed Bard to find his niche: cinematography said. “I’ve kind of experimented with and editing. With Bard’s focus on those horror, but that was really early on. … I two areas, he prefers to work with friends like to experiment a lot.” whose screenwriting skills complement These narrahis cinematogtives also allow raphy and editSyed to create I want someone who watch- ing expertise. c o n t e m p l a t i ve es [my videos], to get a life “I usually stories that force get my friends the viewer into lesson out of it.” to write and a state of self-re— SANIYAH SYED, senior then I’ll be the flection. main director,” “I usually Bard said. “I’ve take a psychological or philosophical never been a big idea guy. … I’m mostly approach [to filmmaking],” Syed said. “I a cinematographer and a visual person: I want to spread a bigger message about a love editing.” life lesson; I want someone who watches Bard’s work is heavily influenced by [my videos], to get a life lesson out of it.” the media he sees around him. He often Syed has found that she can rep- finds inspiration for his films from noresent these life lessons through the re- table movies and directors — for examal-world issues she sees around her. ple, Oscar-winning director Christopher “I like to talk about social issues,” Nolan — whose film quality he aims to Syed said. “Recently, I did a film about replicate. substance abuse and childhood trauma, “When I watch a really good movie and how that affects how you perceive the that makes me be like, ‘Oh my gosh,’ I world around you.” want someone to watch my movie, and When creating these pieces, Syed feel that way,” Bard said. “I think that’s places a heavy emphasis on the post-film- the biggest thing: when I watch a movie ing editing process. that makes me want to make a movie.”

“I try to be as creative as possible Bard wants his viewers to be moved and do different things each time for by his films, which short films allow him each module,” Syed said. “I try to get out to do while still remaining on a limited of my comfort zone on editing, so maybe budget.

I’ll try to layer more sound effects than “I try to have … a more introspecusual.” tive kind of thing,” Bard said. “I like to make movies that make you think about JT Bard yourself, your own psyche.”

Senior JT Bard was first exposed to Films like his 2019 personal narravideo creation on YouTube in the second tive piece ‘Wandering’ — which won the grade, which prompted him to begin 2021 Luminescence Student Film Festimaking films of his own. These videos val — have a dystopian, dreamy feel that sparked a love for filmmaking and direct- puts you in a pensive state. But despite ing, while simultaneously exposing Bard his success with short films like ‘Wan-

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Whenever I see a really good movie, I build up some jealousy. I’m like, ‘Dang, I wish I could do that.’”

dering’, Bard hopes to transition to longer-length movies in the future.

“I’m planning on pursuing filmmaking as a career,” Bard said. “I would really like to be able to make my own feature films … and work on big projects.”

Bennett Hardy From the second his mom told him that a career in film was possible, junior Bennett Hardy became infatuated with the idea of being a filmmaker. He started making simple YouTube videos in third grade, and since has evolved, now creating fully-formed films, ripe with proper editing, staging and directing.

Like Bard, Hardy’s films are inspired by the movies he watches recreationally.

“Whenever I see a really good movie, I build up some jealousy,” Hardy said.

“I’m like, ‘Dang, I wish I could do that.”’

Instead of longer-length films, Hardy has opted to focus his efforts on

— BENNETT HARDY, junior

shorts that serve to depict the struggles and messages he sees around him. Contrary to many short films — which direct a message at their viewer — Hardy likes to present a narrative that his viewer can then take what they want from.

“For my first few movies I tried to spread the idea of trying hard and staying off devices,” Hardy said. “But now I try to make stories where characters change and focus on a character-driven story rather than push my ideas onto people.”

Film is now a major part of Hardy’s life, and has become something that he knows will continue with him in the future.

“I don’t know what … role I’ll be in the film industry, but I know I’m going to be right there when they say action,” Hardy said. “That’s my dream. I just want to be there when they’re making it.

I wanna be a part of something that’s bigger than me.” v

FILM FANATIC (TOP) — Senior JT Bard takes a video with his camera, a piece of equipment that has enabled him to pursue his passion for video creation. “I think movies and film are the ultimate form of storytelling,” Bard said.

VIVID VIDEOGRAPHY (BELOW) — Junior Bennett Hardy zooms in on a shot for one of his upcoming films, “Searching for an answer.“ “I like to entertain my film buddies and students with my movies,” Hardy said.

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T A I K O 34 FEBRUARY 2022

Text by GOPALA VARADARAJAN and OLIVIA MILNE

JAPANESE DRUMMING TAKES CAMPUS BY NIGHT

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ROUCHED DOWN WITH her arms raised high above her head, Pilar Beccar-Varela swiftly shifts her body weight forward to beat a large raised drum, filling the air around the Palo Alto High School Student Center with the booming rhythmic sound of Taiko. In unison with her four ensemble mates, Beccar-Varela lets out a dramatic shout and begins to speed up the tempo of her playing, building up to a rousing finish.

Taiko, a distinctive style of Japanese drumming, is an art form that is rapidly growing in popularity, according to StanfordTaiko.

During Taiko performanc-

es, artists stand playing a set of massive upright drums, mixing in energetic body movement and enthusiastic whoops.

Originating over 2000 years ago, Taiko was first performed during religious festivals and as a method of communication. With various types of drums lifted on wooden stands — ranging from the muffled sounding Shime used to play fast rhythms to the higher-pitched Hirado drums that accompany folk singing — Taiko has transformed from a form of accompaniment to a fascinating performance art form in recent years.

The art form of Taiko first arrived in the United States in the 1960s, and a small community of Taiko drummers began to form in the Bay Area. This community has since grown, with groups including San Jose Taiko, Drum Revolution and Stanford Taiko performing frequently at local events and festivals.

Sensei Kensuke Sumii, Director of Drum Revolution, a Bay Area Taiko program, first learned Taiko in 1998. Sumii went on to create his own group, Drum Revolution, in 2005.

“Taiko is very new as a musical instrument,” Sumii said. “In only the last 40 or 50 years it’s become popular, but before then, Taiko wasn’t the instrument to perform.”

When Taiko student Beccar-Varela first saw a Taiko performance

profiles Photos by OLIVIA MILNE

v

Art by KAORUKO OGATA

DEDICATED DRUMMING (ABOVE) — Taiko student Pilar Beccar-Varela beats vigorously on her drum, working tirelessly to create a powerful sound with her ensemble. “[Taiko] is beautiful, and rigorous, and disciplined and cooperative,” Beccar-Varela said. “I just think the whole art form is amazing.”

PRACTICING IN PALO ALTO (LEFT) — Drum Revolution Director Kensuke Sumii guides his students through their thunderous drumming at the Palo Alto High School Student Center. “We used to have a class in Cubberley but neighbors complained about the sound … so then we moved here,” Sumii said.

at a theater in Berkeley, she was immediateHowever, with Taiko being an exly captivated. tremely strenuous activity, Adelman said “Within the first 30 seconds I started it takes practice to adjust to the different to cry and I was like, I need to do this,” stances and unceasing body movements, Beccar-Varela said. especially for beginners.

The Japanese drum also caught the at“Being able to play for even three mintention of Matt Adelman, another Drum utes is very difficult,” Adelman said. “When Revolution ensemble I was [teaching] the member, when he dis- I love the brain-body class for the begincovered the instrument ners, the thing that synergy of thinking at his university orienreally got them was tation. After finding really hard about doing one minute Sumii’s Drum Revolujust continuous rhythms but also being of tion program, Adelman play.” grew to appreciate the exhausted at the same For many betiring, yet captivating, ginners and seasoned time.” art. performers alike, “I love the brainTaiko gives them a — MATT ADELMAN, Taiko student body synergy of thinkpersonal insight into ing really hard about their strengths and rhythms but also being exhausted at the capabilities, as well as a unique musical exsame time,” Adelman said. “You’re getting perience. both the mental and physical parts of it all “[I learned] that I’m capable of more coming together.” than I thought I was in terms of just being

“

able to push myself and keep going even though your arms feel like they’re going to fall off,” Beccar-Valera said.

After years of weekly practice and dedication, Sumii’s group of musicians can withstand three-hour sessions of grueling, yet gratifying, drumming.

“My favorite part of class is sound uniformity,” Sumii said. “If we can create a uniform sound that’s really good … it’s a good feeling.”

As the Taiko community inside the Bay Area continues to grow, Sumii hopes that he can spread Taiko to younger generations as well.

“There are many college Taiko groups, but no high school Taiko groups,” Sumii said. “I’m hoping someday in the near future I could create a Palo Alto High School Taiko class.” v Drum Revolution will be performing at the Palo Alto High School Performing Arts Center on April 2.

VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 35

Text and photo by ANYA MONDRAGON and ANDREW XUE

Art by BLAIR MIGDAL

Meet Music Team5

ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMPLE SET BY TEACHERS

STARTING ON A GOOD NOTE — Every morning, the Music Team5 embarks from school district headquarters with their instruments and music equipment in tow. “There are inconveniences,” music teacher Gary Ortega said. “When you're on a bike, you're limited with space and things that you can carry.”

B

RING! BRING! Biking away from the district office on a Monday morning, music teachers Allison Zenner, Keith Hunter, Gary Ortega and Shawn McGinn ring their bike bells at Palo Alto High School's Churchill crosswalk. The clamour of clear notes is a fitting start to the week for these Palo Alto Unified School District bikers known as “Music Team5,” who, over the course of the work week, travel exclusively by bike to all 12 local elementary schools to teach music.

“If we weren’t traveling as a team, it’d be more challenging,” Zenner said. “Because we have each other, we’re always able to help pick the other person up make it to school on time, which is a miracle. It’s pretty fun.”

The Music Team5 Instagram account has grown significantly over the past year. It now boasts nearly 200 followers and dis-

36 FEBRUARY 2022

plays group pictures, fun biking videos and even music breathing exercises for students.

In addition, the team runs a Twitter account and was featured on the “The Rose Pedals Podcast,” which promotes a biking lifestyle. Music Team5 tries to make learning for students enjoyable by keeping a sense of humor and fun.

“We started the Instagram and Twitter accounts hoping to help the parents to get to know us a little bit better,” Zenner said. “It’s really more for reaching out to the community.”

Another benefit of social media is the opportunity to set a good example.

“Change starts with one person, and starts with community awareness,” Zenner said. “We hope to be some of the examples around town of environmentally-friendly and healthy citizens.”

With Palo Alto’s bike-friendly weather, the music group hopes to encourage the community to embrace greener methods of transportation.

“Not only are we helping the environment but we hope to demonstrate how to maintain healthy minds and bodies,” Zenner said.

As they become a prominent fixture of the PAUSD community, the Music Team5 hopes to show their students how to be environmentally conscious and resilient to obstacles while biking safely.

“The community’s eyes are on us,” Hunter said. “We teach many students and so when we’re biking, I think one of the things in the back of my mind is being conscious of are we riding safely? Are we being good examples for the community and our students? There’s some weight to that as we are trying to bike and have fun together.”

Overall, for the Music Team5, teaching music and biking to school is more than just a part of the job.

“It’s [biking in a group is] a lot better than working in isolation,” Hunter said.

“And it feels great to be a part of something bigger than just one of us.” v

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Junior Carly Chandler stares at her phone erboard in the NYT in confusion and deep thought. After a few Games app that players can permoments, a burst of insight hits her, per- sonalize — those who they send their ‘NYT haps because the answer was right in front Mini link’ to can be added to their exclusive friends and compete of her: knees! finisher’s list. On this board, players can with friends and family,” senior Clues like these are part of the daily see one another’s solving times, creating Hathaway Bush said. “It’s also a super short New York Times an element of friend- game so it’s fun to help me wake up in the mini crossword ly competition and morning.”

54 puzzle, released on Students are not the only ones who In the science lunch social media sharing weekdays at 7 p.m. that many teen play- have become obsessed with Wordle recentroom, I got at least one ers seem to enjoy.

PST and 3 p.m. PST ly — some of their teachers have too. on weekends. The Another online “In the science lunch room, I got other teacher hooked New York Times word puzzle rising at least one other teacher hooked on it on it [Wordle]. Several in popularity among [Wordle],” Lupoli said. “Several of us play created its miniature crossword — coined teens is Wordle. Re- it [now].” of us play it [now].” the “Mini”— in the leased everyday at As the popularity of word games has — MICHAEL LUPOLI, science teacher summer of 2014 to midnight PST, users grown across Paly’s community, school help beginners prachave six tries to guess publications have capitalized on this trend. tice their solving a five-letter word. In November 2021, The Campanile started skills before scaling up to the main cross- Once each player guesses the word of the including their own unique crossword in word. day, they have the the lifestyle section of Once an activity popular among the option to share their newspaper.

57 older generations and avid linguists, word their process with The crossword games have recently become a popular hob- their friends in the is created by seniors It made me really by teens do with their friends. form of a small Neil Rathi and Ronak happy because when Monga, who try to inFifty-seven percent of Palo Alto High graphic made up School students said they regularly play of colored, squarecorporate Paly themes, we were writing it, I daily word games such as the NYT Mini, shaped emojis like Spirit Week activiwas a little worried according to a late January opt-in online representing their ties, in the puzzle’s key Verde survey of 237 students. journey to solving words. that people wouldn’t Junior Jia Hiremath discovered the the puzzle. These Rathi and Monbe interested.”

NYT Mini last summer, and has since simple, yet widega both agree that the completed the mini crossword nearly dai- ly understable, most rewarding thing — RONAK MONGA, senior ly, holding an impressive record time of 13 graphics can also about publishing their seconds. be easily shared to crossword is seeing peo“I introduced it [the Mini] to a lot of Twitter feeds and Facebook timelines. ple solving it together at school. my friends and I got them to play them as Created by Josh Wardle, released in “It made me really happy because when well,” Hiremath said. “Eventually I realized October of 2021 and recently acquired by we were writing it, I was a little worried that they had a leaderboard for the daily the NYT, Wordle has gained exponential that people wouldn’t be interested,” Monga mini, so I tried to get as many people as popularity with over 300,000 daily users, said. “But at lunch you can see a bunch of possible to join mine.” according to the NYT. people doing it and someone even DMed The NYT mini crossword has a lead“I like how you can share it with your me on Instagram asking for help.” v

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VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 37

Text by GOPALA VARADARAJAN and ESTHER XU

SALVAGING

ATTEMPTING TO AMEND ‘WEST

C

LOTHESLINES CARRYING issues of racial and gender stereotyping, multitudes of colorful fluttering misrepresentation of Latinx people and fabrics hang above a narrow al- criticism towards a white author writing ley. Worn-down bricks and rust- about Latino culture. ed metal fire escapes adorn the sides of the “I do also think the white authorship compact buildings along with barred win- inevitably limits our perspectives of the dows and graffiti.

Sharks’ [Puerto Ricans’] lives and stories,” As this colorful scene fades out, two Film Composition and Literature teacher young “Puerto Rican” women are seen Alanna Williamson said. “What was more playfully arguing with each other. Yet, al- troubling to me about the original was the though both of the characters are intro- white casting and white washing of Puerto duced as Latinx, only one of them is played Rican roles.” by an actual Puerto Rican woman. The othPortraying the Puerto Rican characer? A white woman with a face darkened by ters in the film, white actors used heavily makeup. faked accents and had painted faces while “West Side Story,” a 1961 Academy stereotyping Latinos as rowdy and promisAward-winning mucuous. In an attempt sical romance film dito amend these issues rected by Robert Wise I think that it would from the first film, a and Jerome Robbins, is new adaptation of have been great to a widely praised classic “West Side Story” was “Romeo and Juliet” have a little more difilmed and released in spin-off featuring starDecember of 2021 by versity. crossed lovers living in Oscar-winning direcNew York City who — EMMA JOING, senior tor Steven Spielberg. find themselves caught Although the in a conflict between overall plot and song two local gangs, one Puerto Rican and the lyrics from the 1961 film were left practiother white. cally untouched, this new version of the Yet despite its ubiquity, the film is classic musical emphasizes the more signifplagued by controversies surrounding the icant themes of bigotry and race instead of

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38 FEBRUARY 2022

Art by BLAIR MIGDAL

THE STORY?

SIDE STORY’S’ APPROPRIATION romance and drama by adjusting various But it’s not that I disagree, and it’s not that characters and settings. Legitimate Latino someone writing to a specific lived experiactors were also chosen to play the char- ence isn’t telling a universal story.” acters in the film, this time with no more In addition, some argue that the ste“brown facing.” Yet, regardless of all these reotypes from the first film, depicting Puercareful changes and to Rican women as resolved issues for culsexual and men as tural authenticity, for It’s very important for violent, have already some, this increase in shaped how Amerieach of us to tell our representation was not cans see the Puerto story from our unique Rican community. significant enough.

“I think that it So does “West perspective and lived would have been great Side Story ‘21” save to have a little more di- experience.” its predecessor, or versity,” Palo Alto High is it all just a useless — KINDEL LAUNER, English teacher School senior Emma endeavor? Is this clasJoing said. “I know sic Romeo and Juliet they really tried, but I story destined to be think that they could have gone a little bit flawed with cultural controversies? further.”

As one of the first films to integrate Some critics view West Side Story as Latino characters and culture in America, unsalvageable regardless of the changes this negative influence that the film has had since the fundamental problem still isn’t on Latino cultural representation may be addressed: a white author writing about already too ingrained within society to be Latino culture. erased.

“I think it’s very important for each “Media sets expectations and patterns of us to tell our story from our unique in our heads for how we group people, so perspective and lived experience,” English having diverse stories about diverse people teacher Kindel Launer said. “ I don’t know is hugely important,” Williamson said. “If if, as a white woman, I could tell a story you’re never represented you also might not of a black woman or an Asian woman … feel like you matter.” v

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VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 39

reading resurgence Text by PAISLEY ANNES and MERWA MAROF

Art by MEYA GAO

BOOKTOK’S INFLUENCE ON LITERARY MARKET

D

ON’T YOU EVER GET off your phone? The reason you have back pain is because of that phone, you know.

Are your eyes permanently glued to that screen? Does your generation ever pick up a book and read?

Next time your parents incessantly pester you with these questions, you can tell them: Yes, Gen Z does read. In fact, the rise of BookTok — a niche community on the social media app TikTok — in tandem with the pandemic, has skyrocketed book sales among teens, especially those of novels popularized on BookTok. The term “BookTok” appeared around the time of creation of TikTok in 2016, but during the 2020 lockdowns, a community began to take shape, with the tag #booktok amassing 7.3 billion views by April 2021 (currently total: 38.8 billion).

People were at home and bored, looking for a way to occupy their time — and reading was the perfect solution.

Since

40 FEBRUARY 2022

2020, as the community has continued vealed that nearly half of UK book buyto grow and top creators have accumu- ers ages 16-19 were TikTok users around lated millions of followers, BookTok’s 60% of which were women. extraordinary power to dictate which Book recommendations and reviews books become best-sellers has continued are typically included in 30-second vidto escalate, and Palo Alto High School eos, detailing the emotion or aesthetic of readers are no exception to this influence. the book paired with dramatic music.

“I was reading “The most this article for a school popular videos are essay… and this one I think it inspires and about the books book “Song of Achilthat make you fosters an environles” was [not getting] cry,” said TikToker any attention until ment of conversation Pauline Juan, who it got on TikTok and has over half a milwhere you can disthen it became super lion followers unfamous,” senior Arran cuss books ... like an der the username Kooner said. “That’s @booksiveloved, online book club.” the only reason I read in an interview it.” with the New York — ARRAN KOONER, senior In 2012 “Song of Times. “If you’re Achilles” won the prescrying on camera, tigious Orange Prize, but after gaining your views go up.” popularity on BookTok, the copies sold Along with the prasial of a wide per week increased nine-fold, accord- range of books, users have said they find ing to NPD BookScan, a platform that BookTok to be a welcoming, uplifting tracks print copies of books sold at most group. The community advocates for U.S. retailers. a healthy, calming mind-muscle-using BookTok’s main members are teens habit while providing a positive digital and young adult women who tend to space for fellow readers to connect. promote romantic young adult “I think it inspires and fosters an fiction. A study by Nielsen environment of conversation where you Book Compacan discuss books, you can reply to peony, reple and you can talk about your favorite parts — like an online book club,” Kooner said.

Fascinated by the renewed interest in reading BookTok has provided teens, we read some of the most commonly recommended books in this online community and offer you our thoughts on these popular reads. v

“

“Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Age rating: 14+ Considering how often BookTok endorses this book, we expected more. “Six of Crows” is the first book of a fantasy duology and is built within the same world as Leigh Bardugo’s other popular duology, “Shadow and Bone.” The first six chapters of the book are solely dedicated to world-building, and while we understand in some cases it is necessary to be patient as the author constructs the setting and characters, in this case, we were let down. The descriptions themselves were confusing — the book was narrated in English, but the characters communicated in an odd mix of English and the many fake languages scattered throughout the book. Apart from this confusion, the plot was not terrible — a ragtag group of teens who had found themselves on the wrong side of the tracks band together to pull a major heist. The characters were well built and the rotating perspectives added dimension to the story, but it wasn’t a notable page-turner. We felt like we could predict the book’s ending about halfway through.

“It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Age rating: 17+ If you enjoy crying, this book is for you. The standalone novel will take your emotions (and trust issues) on a journey full of extraordinary twists and turns. Colleen Hoover tells the story of protagonist Lily Bloom’s two romances. First, there is Atlas, a romantic interest from her teenage years, whose story is told via journal entries.

Then, there is Ryle, the man of her dreams who doesn’t “do” relationships. Hoover seamlessly intertwines the two tales into one; her fast-paced writing makes it nearly impossible for you to put the book down. In addition to the romance, through Lily’s teenage journals, Hoover describes the heartache and emotional trauma of growing up in an abusive household with heart-wrenching beauty. Hoover’s writing is especially captivating due to her similar experiences of domestic abuse growing up. If you’re planning on reading the book in public, be ready for some strange looks as you bawl your eyes out.

“A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Age rating: 17+ This book is no anomaly to the typical BookTok recommendation: it’s utterly heartbreaking. The novel follows the lives of four friends and their experiences with childhood trauma, abuse, disabilities and addiction. While over 700 pages long, Hanya Yanagihara keeps you strung along, forcing me to stay up all night to complete the book. Along with the engaging plot, Yanagihara’s prose is wonderfully articulate and detailed, yet not overly flowery. This book contains very graphic material and is not for the faint of heart, but the intense description of drug-use, self-harm and abuse exponentially elevates the pain and sorrow you experience with the characters. Similar to “Six of Crows,” at times “A Little Life” can be hard to understand as the perspective switches between the main character’s younger selves. If you are planning on reading this book — be warned — each page is a beautiful type of self-torture. The pain we felt for the characters was palpable, but the author provides just the smallest glimmer of hope to keep you from quitting the book.

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BLUE BIN VINTAGE

PROMOTING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH THRIFT SHOPPING

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N AN ALMOST-OVERfilled outdoor rack, brown and blue plaid flannels, oversized graphic t-shirts covered in indie band logos, baggy embroidered sweatshirts and unique patchwork jackets greet passersby with a kaleidoscope of bold fashion choices. Inside, warm light, energetic music and more racks of antique tops and pants welcome customers to Blue Bin Vintage.

As the Peninsula’s newest vintage thrift store, Blue Bin Vintage has attracted customers not only from Palo Alto but also from neighboring cities since founders Ahmad Amin, Andrew Limos and Jason To opened its doors on Sept. 4 on Bryant Street downtown.

“There is nothing like what we do [selling vintage clothes] here in Palo Alto or on this side of the Peninsula,” Store Manager Melissa Lopez said. “To get to somewhere

Text by AJIN JEONG and AANYA KUMAR Photos by AJIN JEONG VOGUE VINTAGE (LEFT) — Blue Bin Vintage Store Manager Melissa Lopez organizes the restock of clothing on racks. Opened on Sept.

4, Blue Bin Vintage has attracted customers of various ages from nearby towns. “I really like how Blue Bin Vintage is targeted towards a specific audience, which tends to be younger, but also has 90s and 70s archives [styles],” Paly junior Shiki Toyama said.

SEARCHING FOR SWEATERS (RIGHT) — Menlo Atherton High School students look through the sweater collection rack in Blue Bin Vintage. As vintage clothes gain popularity, many teens have hopped on the thrifting trend. “My love for thrifting stems from the joy of finding something great to add to my wardrobe,” Paly sophomore Austin Eng said.

“

Thrifting is a very good bridge between affordability and sustainability.”

— SHIKI TOYAMA, junior

like this, you have to drive up to San Fran- so that it doesn’t go to a landfill.” cisco or down to San Jose. There was a gap In the past decades, fast fashion trends in the market and we decided we could fill have stimulated unethical practices in the it.” fashion industry, contributing to climate Unlike fast fashion companies that cre- change, according to The Atlantic. ate and contribute to waste, Blue Bin aims “The trend cycles are getting even to better the environshorter and shorter ment by connecting We’re reworking it, each month, which customers to sustainPalo Alto taking out stains, fix- isHighcrazy,” able, recycled clothing.

School junior “If things don’t sell ing holes … just trying Shiki Toyama said. there [at thrift stores “Thrifting is a very like Goodwill], that’s to give clothing new good bridge between the last chance for this life so that it doesn’t affordability and susclothing,” Lopez said. tainability.”

“If it doesn’t get bought go to a landfill.”

Thanks to its benthere, then it’ll go to a — MELISSA LOPEZ, efits, thrifting has Blue Bin Vintage store manager recently gained populandfill and that’s something that we’re helping larity among students to prevent by giving it a new life. Either if who wish to express themselves creatively we’re reworking it, taking out stains, fixing through personal fashion choices. holes … just trying to give clothing new life “I like to be the only one that’s wearing

“

it [a piece of clothing],” Toyama said. “I really like having stuff that’s unique to me, and creating outfits off of that.”

Other students, including sophomore Austin Eng, says he feels proud to support moral fashion practices.

“I think thrifting is a great alternative to fast fashion,” Eng said. “Personally, I appreciate that thrifting is sustainable because it’s an excuse to buy more clothes without the guilt.”

For those who are just beginning to thrift their clothing, Eng ​​ advises them to approach the process without expectations and allow themselves to step outside their comfort zone with their purchases.

“Go thrifting to enjoy the randomness of possibly finding something that speaks to you,” Eng said. v Blue Bin Vintage is located at 520 Bryant St. in downtown Palo Alto.

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Text by MIYA WHITELEY and ANNUM HASHMI

TRANSPHOBIC COMMENTS SHROUD ROWLING’S LEGACY

ics have retained their obsession with the series and its characters. However, recent controversy surrounding author J.K. Rowling has led others to reflect more critically on the series and its creation.

Commemorating an iconic franchise The “Harry Potter” movie franchise was an instant success, and to celebrate two decades since the first “Harry Potter” movie hit the screens, a special 20th-anniversary reunion was released on HBO Max on Jan. 1. Fans all over the globe eaAGERLY OPENING HER gerly awaited the release of the reunion computer on New Year’s Day, ju- and for a chance to relive the magic of the nior Adelaide McCarter settled movies with its creators. in for the moment she had been “Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Rewaiting weeks for — watching the newly turn to Hogwarts” is nearly two hours released “Harry Potter” reunion special. long, featuring most of the main cast As “Harry’s Wondrous World” played and movie executives. The special inover a panning shot cludes behindof Hogwarts in the I feel like ‘Harry Potter’ the-scenes opening minutes, moments, a wave of nostalgia was supposed to create a commenwashed over Mc- universe with the mestary on arCarter as she retistic choicmembered curling sage that it’s ok to be difes during up in bed reading ferent ... and JKR’s statethe creation the original “Harof the films and ry Potter” novels ments have ruined this insight on what and staying up late for me.” the young actors watching the iconand actresses — ADELAIDE MCCARTER, junior ic movies with her were experiencfriends. ing during a time Chronicling the adventures of a of growing pressure in the public eye. young wizard, the “Harry Potter” book “It made me really happy to hear that and movie franchise has become an inte- they [the young actors] were able to have gral part of Generation Z and millennial fun on set as children because that unchildhoods since the first book was pub- fortunately isn’t true in all productions, lished in 1997, having sold 500 million and it makes me happy that the directors, copies worldwide and being translated producers and older actors went out of into 80 different languages. The cine- their way to make sure the children on matic adaptations of the books have been set were having fun,” McCarter said. just as popular, bringing in over $8.5 bilThe young actors and actresses are lion at the box office worldwide. After 20 what brought the series to life, but these years, many die-hard Harry Potter fanat- children were forced to grow up in the

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44 FEBRUARY 2022

limelight –– a lifestyle that placed a lot of pressure on them at a young age.

In the reunion, Emma Watson, the actress who played Hermoine Granger, recounted how at one point she felt so isolated that she considered not returning to the franchise.

Hearing about the struggles many young actors had to deal with was eye-opening for some viewers.

“It was very interesting to hear her [Watson] talk about the pressure she faced basically growing up in front of the cameras,” McCarter said. “I guess I had never really thought about what having so many people watching you come of age would be like and it honestly sounds

Art by KATIE WU

like it would’ve been really hard.”

Watson ultimately chose to stay and finish out the remaining films.

“No one had to convince me to see it through,” Watson said. “The fans genuinely wanted you to succeed and we all genuinely have each other’s backs. How great is that?”

Art vs. artist One notable figure missing from the reunion was author J.K. Rowling. Instead of being physically included, clips from a 2019 interview were inserted sparsely.

While the reason why Rowling was not included in the reunion was not specifically stated, it has been widely speculated

that she was omitted due to her recent said. transphobic statements.

With issues coming to light about “I thought it was the right decision the series and its author, the question to only include clips of J.K. Rowling … I that remains for some fans is whether know the majority of the “Harry Potter” they can continue to enjoy “Harry Potfanbase hates J.K. Rowling,” senior Na- ter” without supporting Rowling and her talie Chueh said. “It’s clear the franchise ideas. For some, the harmful comments wants to distance themselves from her.” have made it nearly impossible to enjoy In June of 2020, Rowling wrote a the series. tweet mocking a news headline that in“I feel like ‘Harry Potter’ was supcluded the phrase “people who menstru- posed to create a universe with the mesate” instead of “women,” which Rowling sage that it’s OK to be different … and made clear she JKR statements disapproved of. have ruined this Fans immediate- I think that this franchise for me,” McCarly responded by has brought so much joy ter said. “It kills pointing out the the sense of maginsensitivity of to people that I think it ic this series aims her comment, but would be a really big ask to create for chila few days later dren. This is heartRowling defended of them not to engage breaking because her actions in with it at all just becuase the children and an extensive people JKR has blog post, fur- of the author.” excluded through ther offendinsensitive — ERIN BRADY, junior her ing millions of comments and acfans worldwide. tions are arguably This was not the first or last time Rowl- the people who need it most. That fact ing demonstrated transphobia, but it was makes me very sad and it is hard for me the first time she received widespread at- to look past that.” tention and scrutiny for it.

However, many fans don’t want “I have seen on social media that Rowling to take away from any happeople in the LGBTQ+ community … piness and comfort the series brought specifically transgender people have talk- them, and are finding ways to participate ed about how they feel really betrayed by in the fanbase without directly supportJ.K. Rowling for having these opinions,” ing Rowling. junior Erin Brady said.

“I think that this franchise has Rowling’s transphobic comments are brought so much joy to people that I not the only issues fans have with the se- think it would be a really big ask of them ries — fans have cited a general lack of not to engage with it at all just because diversity in characters and even harmful of the author,” Brady said. “They’re constereotypes. tinuing to enjoy the franchise but are “This [the lack of character diver- taking precautions to buy the books secsity] definitely can negatively affect the ondhand, or try to buy merchandise that readers looking for representation of isn’t directly from her [Rowling], just do themselves in books and movies,” Chueh everything they can.” v

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Text and art by PALINA KUZMINA

Losing home

EXPLORING THE COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MY HOMELAND AND IDENTITY

I

’VE NEVER LIVED in one place for myself, that ground would be swept from manent throughout my life. Even if everylong. For as long as I can remember, underneath my feet. Even after we settled thing went wrong abroad, I felt that I could I’ve been moving from country to in America, I was still on the move between always go back. It was not a home that I country and house to house. I have different houses. Fifth grade was the first lived in, but it was one that existed for me. only the faintest memory of the first time time in my life where I stayed in the same It was a place that kept me grounded—its I left my home. I was around three years school for longer than a year. For so long, I recognizable atmosphere and familiar faces old when my family moved to Moscow felt like I couldn’t attach myself to anything always remained the same. from Minsk, the capital of Belarus. We re- because every home felt only temporary.

But no longer. Due to a combination turned to Belarus just two years later, then How could I feel this way? I was priv- of growing public discontent, a possibly to Switzerland, back to Belarus, until my ileged enough to be able to live in so many rigged election and pandemic-related issues, family finally moved to America when I different places and experience their cul- the Belarusian population erupted in prowas in third grade. tures. From far away, test against the government and continues When I was In a sense, I have lived I could’ve been mis- to do so now. It’s hard to speculate about younger, I was altaken for a beautiful what could happen to Belarus in the future, ways envious of oth- everywhere, and yet shooting star, but but whatever it may be, those changes will er kids who got to belonged nowhere. in all reality, I was be felt throughout, and the country will spend summers with but a lonely satellite likely never be the same. their friends, instead floating without orWhen I visited Belarus in the summer of spending three bit in the vacuum of of 2021, with international borders closed, months away because summer break was space. Sometimes my path would intersect entering the country was a much greater the only time they could see their extend- with others, but every friendship outside struggle than before. Sticky-eyed and exed family. But as I grew older, I developed of my family was only a fleeting moment hausted from spending hours in airports, a different type of envy. I was jealous of of connection. I allowed myself to be car- claiming luggage only to check it in again people who were able to visit their grand- ried through life by and get on a different parents or to casually see their cousins over the flow because it Even if everything flight, I felt like the the weekend. was pointless to hold journey would never Secretly, I was resentful of people who on to anything. In went wrong abroad, I end. But I knew I had grew up in one house their a sense, I have lived felt that I could always to do it, because that whole lives because I everywhere, and yet summer would be the go back. It was not a could never ex- belonged nowhere. last time I’d ever see perience that.

I never resented home that I lived in, my grandfather.

Every time my parents for inflictWhen I arI’d ground ing all these changes but it wes a home that rived, everything felt within my life be- existed for me. different. Belarus was cause I always knew no longer the home they were doing it I had come to love. for me. The sacrifices Layers of paint coated they made were much greater than having the walls where anti-government signs were to switch schools, they had to abandon drawn the night before, and the streets lay their entire past lives in hopes that their uncomfortably empty. People were pitted kids wouldn’t have to do the same — I’ll against one another — the person who was always be grateful for that. once a friendly neighbor could now possibly Belarus was the only place that felt per- be working with the government to expose

46 FEBRUARY 2022

MY FAMILY AND I — A collection of childhood photos of my mom holding younger me (bottom left), me with my grandparents (top middle), me in a park (top right) and me walking outside with my dad (bottom right) from when I was living in Belarus.

dissenters. The homes of my family members were hauntingly empty. Many had fled to different countries, some passed away.

Everyone has a different definition of “home.” Some feel it’s a physical place, others believe it is tied to family or a community, but what if neither are there anymore?

The Belarus that I’ve attached myself to may only exist within my memory. I spent the summer living in a shallow imitation of the home I can now only remember through a rosy filter of nostalgia.

The envy I had felt before has evolved once again. I am not just jealous of people who lived in one place their whole lives, surrounded by their families. I am jealous of people who have that home to call their own. Even if it is all the way across the world, it was there somewhere for them.

Sometimes as I lie awake late into the night, I close my eyes and imagine that I’m lying in my old room. I trace the lines where the walls touched the ceiling, trying to remem-

ber the texture of the floral wallpaper and my current situation may be. Perhaps we’re its slightly damp smell. And for the briefest all lonely satellites floating aimlessly. We all moment, I can believe that I’m still there. have things to tether us in place and give us It’s hard for me to say that Belarus is identity, part of mine was the place I was my home. Of course born, and that conlogically it is, that’s nection was severed. where I was born. I We all have things to But I have other ascan squint really hard tether us in place and pects of myself that and see it all through create the person that a blurred lens of igno- give us identity, part I am. rance and say it still of mine was the place And so, who am looks the same. But I? I’m a student, a I can sense my con- I was born, and that daughter, a sister, a nection to my home connection is severed. friend. I’m observant, country slip through reserved and somemy fingers. With times painfully lognothing to tether me, ical. I’m an artist, a my body feels like a lonely hunk of metal reader. I love music and clothes and doing aimlessly floating in space, a capsule losing my hair. I’m someone who loves too little contact. and is loved too much. I’m a satellite driftNot every story ends with the promise ing in space. I may not have a home, but I of hope or happiness. I’ve learned the only know who I am, and that’s all I need for the way to live is to make peace with whatever time being. v

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FINDING MY SOUL IN THE KOREAN LUNAR NEW YEAR AWAY FROM SEOUL

C

(Seol)

Te

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by

AJ

IN

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48 FEBRUARY 2022

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H O P . C H O P . C H O P . The rhythmic sound of my mom dicing green onions wakes me.

It’s earlier than usual, but I get out of bed easily, my heart full of excitement for the day ahead: Lunar New Year, or Seol in Korean.

In the kitchen, my mom is sprinkling tiny cylinders of green onions into a pot of tteok-guk — a traditional Korean soup rich with dime-sized rice cake slices and dumplings — and always eaten to celebrate Seol.

I hurriedly wake my dad and my sister, and we set the dining table with spoons, chopsticks and plates of kimchi and seaweed. When the tteok-guk is finally ready, we sprinkle seaweed into our bowls, ladle the hearty broth out and drink a spoonful of soup together. Mmm. A perfect first meal of the year.

In Korea, people say that once you eat tteok-guk on Seol, you have finally gained a year in age. My sister and I used to eat several bowls in hopes of getting older faster — looking back now, I wonder why we wanted to grow up so quickly. Although the soup burns the inside of my mouth, the taste of a year’s worth of maturity is delicious.

I remember what Lunar New Year used to be like when I lived in Korea. We would drive to my grandparents’ house a day or two before the holiday. On new year’s morning, we would get dressed in hanbok, Korean traditional clothing, and do a new year’s bow (sebae) to my grandparents, uncles and aunts, who would make me well-wishing remarks for the new year (deok-dam) and give me money to fill my money pouch.

Then, I would prepare food — plates

of side dishes, bowls of rice and soup, the energy of my grandmother’s house, traditional Korean desserts and mak- filled with love and extended relatives. geolli (rice milk alcohol) — with my But in Palo Alto, my excitement for grandma, mom and aunts always there to the New Year’s day is annually diminprovide me with new cooking tips. Later, ished in my house — fewer relatives; less we would set up an food, less noise altar to honor my I wonder if I even have and less energy. deceased relatives Sometimes, I with their favorite the right to say that I celwonder if I even dishes and bow to ebrate Lunar New Year. have the right to them. There would say that I celbe plenty of food for all of my visiting extended family, ebrate Lunar New and we would gather around the table Year — I only to eat together, my uncles compliment- follow a fracing me on my cooking (to which I would tion of the Koalways laugh: We all knew my contribu- rean traditions tions to the meal were limited).

I would follow In the afternoon, we would play if I were in traditional games. My favorite was yut- Korea. My relnori, a board game where one would atives and the throw four sticks and move a collection hum of exciteof markers based on how many sticks ment in the house flipped over. Each family would form a are missing. team, and my cousins and I would cheer Yet, I don’t think for our parents until late at night — the I have to determine how apyounger members propriately I am of the family would celebrating. I’m fall asleep and those I’m not in Korea, so I not in Korea, so I who were able to cannot perfectly folcannot perfectly stay awake would follow the tracontinue the cele- low the traditions, but I ditions. But I bration through the can still celebrate in my can still celend of the night. ebrate in Since I moved own way. my own to Palo Alto, my way, hanbok does not fit me anymore. In my as over a million Korean everyday jeans and hoodie, I do the se- Americans have modibae to my parents with my sister; I am fied the traditional Luembarrassingly rusty and nearly fall nar New Year to conoff-balance. My parents, laughing at our nect with our culture. attempts to suddenly show respect, say a Maybe that is few words of well-wishing and hand us a why tteok-guk is still few dollars. For my relatives, we compro- one of my favormise by bowing through a video call the ite dishes — it is day before — since Korea is nearly a day served with memoahead — but I wish I could give a prop- ries of Lunar New er bow, receive well-wishing remarks in Year and my relperson and earn the prized new year’s atives, but in its cash like I used to. steam, I also A day after my relatives in Korea cel- see my roots, ebrate Lunar New Year, my mom buys my culture, or prepares a few dishes along with her my ancessignature tteok-guk, but just enough so tors, my that there will not be an overwhelming c h i l d h o o d , amount of leftovers. In Korea, there nev- my family and er seemed to be enough food to match my future. v

VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 49

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Growing into

DISCOVERING MY OWN ÁO DÀI

Text by SOFIA ANTEBI

W

Art by ARUNDHATI PARIH

ARM APRIL AIR kissed my dad’s Jewish family lived there for my face and ran through generations. I was raised surrounded by a my hair: a sharp contrast Jewish-Mexican community here in Palo to the sweltering heat of Alto, but was never exposed to an equally Saigon and Can Tho. I grabbed onto my strong Vietnamese community, so I did not cousin’s waist as she took me along Nha have the same opportunities to naturally Trang’s coastline on her mo-ped. I took in express my Vietnamese identity during my the expansive beachy horizon, water and childhood. sand rushing by as we sped along the busy I often think about whether growing road. When we finally came to a stop, I up multiculturally forced me to experience gave her the best “cam on” (thank you) that a watered-down version of each of my I could. cultural identities, and long to find a way I first visited Vietnam in fifth grade. I can participate fully in all facets of my Upon arriving, I was identity. immersed in symphoOver the years, I often think about nies of my unfamiliar I’ve tried to learn homeland: motorcy- whether growing up Vietnamese, create cles swarmed every a cookbook with multiculturally forces my grandmother’s street like schools of fish and distant cous- me to have a wateredrecipes, and revisit ins welcomed us at But all of down version of each Vietnam. loud family gatherthese pursuits were ings in the city. Over culture or if there left unfinished due to those two weeks, I one reason or another is a way I can fully took in the expansive — and my connection scenes: mountains participate in all with my Vietnamese sprouted out of Haweak. facets of my identity. half remained long Bay while lotus On my flowers and night elementary school’s markets decorated the Mekong River. annual international day, I cycled between Though Vietnamese culture had Mexican dresses and Áo Dài, the traditional always been present in my life through Vietnamese garment, usually wearing food, family and language, visiting Vietnam whichever fit me that year. Looking back, opened my eyes to just how American-ized I don’t know why I had them, since those my cultural experiences had been. Many were the only days I wore them, and so they of the traditions and moments I enjoyed sat in my closet, only to be worn once a there were unlike anything I experienced year. growing up in America. My mom and her While my mom has always expressed siblings came to the US as refugees when Áo Dài’s importance, she never really they were young, so even the Vietnamese explained it to me. I recently stumbled traditions we did uphold were shaped by across Vietnamese photographer Chiron my mother’s upbringing in California.

Duong’s series called “Portraits of Áo Dài,” In comparison to other aspects of whose beautiful images of Vietnamese my cultural identity, my Vietnamese roots women celebrating the garment increased have always been much less familiar to my longing to connect with Vietnamese me. While I am not ethnically Mexican, culture.

52 FEBRUARY 2022

my Vietnamese roots perpectives

v

ÁO DÀI CONCEPT SKETCH — I made this drawing for my design portfolio as an exploration of my own Vietnamese identity. I wanted to juxstapose the usual silk with chainmail to represent how I view the stong Vietnamese women in my family, and include moving water elements modeled after embroidery often showcased on traditional Áo Dài.

Art: Sofia Antebi

I started going through little rabbit holes and finding Vietnamese fashion designers, photographers, creative directors and musicians. At times, it felt like I was viewing Vietnamese art as an outsider, almost like a tourist — seeing and experiencing more and more, I hoped to connect with the themes and eventually claim them as my own.

Viewing the themes and imagery these creatives express gave me a deeper understanding of Vietnamese culture and where it could fit into my personal identity.

One of my mom’s colleagues was helping me with my art portfolio, and told me to “show them what it is about your story that only you can tell.” I laid in my room, wracking my brain to find a story only I could tell.

Inspiration struck. I knew I wouldn’t drinking water). My clever grandmother have the time or resources to fully actualize made sure to save some for her and her my vision, but the idea sufficed. I designed family, allowing them to survive the treacherous journey. a concept sketch for And after this my own rendition of I know I will keep focused exploration of Áo Dài as an homage my Vietnamese roots, to the resilient women searching to find one I began to see the in my family, by using Vietnamese aspects chainmail rather than that does — and conof my life in very silk. It includes water tinue to grow into the different ways. as a moving element Usually, during to reference the story beautiful garments Lunar New Year (Tet of resilience my mom that are my Vietnamin Vietnamese), we get told me when I was together with family, little— about how she ese roots. clean the house, light and her family were stranded at sea after being hit by wave after incense, feast on grandma’s cooking, and wave, miraculously making it to a refugee receive red envelopes filled with small gifts camp after having to resort to throwing of money. While this year was no different, heavy belongings overboard (including I experienced it very differently.

My family and I went to little Saigon San Jose to buy ingredients for our Tet feast, drink sugar cane juice and eat patê sô. My mom pointed out the many people wearing Áo Dài, celebrating the new year in traditional fashion. When we stopped by one of the stores sporting a big “SALE” sign and tried on some Áo Dài ourselves, I watched in awe as my grandmother interacted with the storekeeper and helped me find ones to try on.

After trying on dozens of different Áo Dài, I found a perfect dark blue garment with flowers embroidered on the chest, it had the staple high neck and cuts on the sides. I was disappointed when it didn’t quite fit me right, but I know I will keep searching to find one that does — and continue to grow into the beautiful garments that are my Vietnamese roots. v

VERDEMAGAZINE.COM 53

Text by KIERAN ZAJAC

Art by BLAIR MIGDAL

PEERING INTO POLITICS MY EXPERIENCES PARTICIPATING IN DEMOCRACY

“M

ARCHERS HONOR KING and Call on Senate to ipating in Rep. Anna Eshoo’s Student Advisory Board which started Pass Voting Legislation.” in November 2021. While on the student advisory board, I learned “Texas abortion ban remains in effect after appeals about policies that Congresswoman Eshoo sponsored, specifically court ruling.” ones that affected me directly — such as a section in the hotly-debat“An Arizona Trump rally and voting rights march under- ed Build Back Better Act. In it, she proposed an increase in funding score the fight for democracy.” for mental health programs in public schools, which directly impacts These headlines and similar ones plaster the front pages of news students at Paly. Working closely with her and learning about policies outlets like the New York Times and CNN. When I first discovered opened my eyes to the ways my life was impacted by the work of seemthat I could have my own opinion on popular topics, not just copying ingly distant politicians — and added to my desire to become more those of my parents or brothers, it was like bepolitically engaged. ing tossed into an ocean of information where According to an anonymous Verde survey I was left to drift until eventually being able to I was left to drift until of 237 Paly students conducted from Jan. 26 think independently. to Jan. 31, 77.6% of students consider politics eventually being able to I am the youngest of three brothers and at least moderately important to them, while my siblings are stereotypical STEM engineers think independently. only 56.6% consider themselves somewhat who devoted an excessive amount of time to or more politically active. For a student body Palo Alto High School’s reputable robotics club. I knew that STEM where the overwhelming majority values politics, there is more that was not my true passion, and was struggling to find out what inter- students can do to actively participate in politics to make a lasting ested me — that is, until November 2016, the month of a notorious impact. presidential election year in American history.

The best thing to do is to prepare yourself to vote when you turn A middle school club hosted a mock election between the two 18. According to the US Census Bureau, only 51.4% of eligible voters candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and I was eager to 18-24 voted in the 2020 election, the lowest turnout among all age participate in my first election. However, when it came time to check brackets. Knowing when important elections are and educating youra candidate’s name on the ballot, I realized that I knew almost nothing self on relevant issues and different candidates’ proposals will better about either one. How could I be prepared to vote for a candidate prepare students for when they vote. Also, California offers pre-voting but have no idea what their platform was? Even though my personal registration to sixteen and seventeen-year-olds so that their registration vote did not make any difference, it was empowering to feel like I was is activated when they turn 18. actively engaging in the democratic process that makes American polMany students at Paly have voiced concerns about course curricuitics unique. I still needed to look up each candidate’s voting history, la, various student support services and even the quality of school endorsements and causes they supported in order to make sure I had lunches. It is important to go beyond just voicing concerns and a thorough enough understanding of the kind of candidate I was highlighting problems; you must actively be part of the process going to vote for. of addressing issues that matter. So go out there, register to vote, One incredible opportunity that has given me proactively research, and keep your eyes on the systems that have the chance to pursue my political interests is particso much control over our lives. v

54 FEBRUARY 2022

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