Verde Volume 26 Issue 3

VERDE MAGAZINE

February 2025 Volume 26 Issue 3

ON THE COVER

A toy house is encircled by flames in a photo taken by features editor Kensie Pao and staged by cover director Nathalia Arias. The title — “Are we ready?” — illustrates the precariousness of climate change and the far-reaching implications of the recent fires in Los Angeles. Disclaimer: no doll houses were harmed in the production of this magazine.

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 verdemagazine1@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 our business manager at verdebusiness5@ gmail.com.

Printing & distribution

Verde is printed five times a year in September, 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.

Editors-in-Chief

Alma Bendavid

Lia Cardwell

Lizzy Williams

Managing Editors Vit Do

Divya Gandhi

Cate Graney

Features Editors

Chloe Huang

Kensie Pao

Profiles Editor

Sophie Mies

Culture Editor

Maya Rajbhandari

Perspectives

Editors

Eva Chang

Zachary Crystal

News Editor

Niaz Alasti

Senior Sports Editor

Otto Kiss Meyerfreund

Assistant Sports Editor

Stefan Eriksson

Editorials Editor

Andrew Kassel

Business Manager

Maya Rajbhandari

Social Media Manager

Julie Yang

Statistician

Jaron Leung

Photo Director

Lara Saslow

Cover Director

Nathalia Arias

Launch Editor

Lilia Kuzmicheva

Staff Writers

Tessa Berney

Chris Jeon

Darah Katz

Leela Kulkarni

Keira Ling

Ryan Saket

Lilo Sayag

Yardenne Sternheim

Stanley Tang

Ethan Zhang

Adviser

Paul Kandell

FROM THE EDITORS CONFRONTING THE CLIMATE CRISIS

The impact of climate change is no longer a question of “if.” The recent fires in Los Angeles, which have left devastation in their wake, serve as a stark reminder that the effects of climate change are no longer confined to distant places and a distant future. It is here, now, and it is affecting all of us.

In this issue of Verde, we investigate the rising cost of climate change and how our actions can impact nature, for better or worse.

In “Los Angeles under fire” news editor Niaz Alasti and staff writer Leela Kulkarni explore the impact of the Los Angeles wildfires and how their reach has extended beyond Los Angeles, touching Bay Area residents and the world.

The way we approach these disasters has also become an increasingly critical issue. All across California, cities have begun to evaluate their safety measures and inform their residents about evacuation protocols.

In our editorial, we write about how political polarization impacts disaster response and how unified action is crucial for rebuilding communities.

Features editor Chloe Huang and staff writer Darah Katz also investigate the Bay Area’s fire preparedness and the future of disaster management in “The burning issue.”

Although climate change is a grim topic, it is important to maintain hope and remember that we can still make a difference. Palo Alto High School sophomore Avroh Shah, for example, has taken matters into his own hands.

In “Case for the climate” Perspectives editor Zachary Crystal and staff writer Tessa Berney profile his journey as one of the 18 minors suing the United States Environmental Protection Agency, reminding us that our actions can make an impact on the environment.

In a similar vein, Statistician Jaron Leung and staff writer Tessa Berney explore the consequences of artificial intelligence usage on climate change in “AI impacts.”

Their article reminds us that while advancements in technology can be beneficial, they often have environmental footprints that we should be conscious of.

While the challenges ahead may seem daunting, the future is still ours to shape, and every effort contributes to a greater impact. Our thoughts are with the residents of Los Angeles and all those affected by the fires.

the verdicts Stop politicizing natural disasters

FROM BILLIONAIRES TO everyday people, the Los Angeles wildfires have ravaged the homes of tens of thousands. According to Urban Wire, the Los Angeles fires displaced more than 150,000 residents from their homes. More than 16,000 structures have been destroyed, and the city’s homelessness crisis has grown even more severe.

The response to disasters like the Los Angeles fires has become a politically polarized issue. Instead of working towards a solution, politicians and people on social media blame opposing political parties.

Verde believes the United States shouldn’t politicize natural disasters because polarization, whether it’s among politicians or the public, only slows response and makes it harder to create effective solutions.

Natural disasters are inevitable, regardless of what political party you belong to. The best thing we can do to improve the situation is to provide immediate assistance to those who need it most without accusing the other party of mismanagement and inefficiency.

According to Kristin Taylor, a professor of political science at Wayne State University, natural disasters have been used as leverage by politicians for years to gain support or to push their agendas.

“It [disasters] have been a very bipartisan thing, but what we have seen in the last couple of weeks is how that has shifted very dramatically,” Taylor said. “The sitting president uses disaster aid and disaster recovery aid, like the case of California, to get them to change environmental policy like that and to use disaster policy as a political tool to achieve unrelated policy outcomes.”

In a tense press conference on Jan. 24, President Trump criticized FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the nationalized response toward the Los Angeles fires as “incompetently run.” He suggested that the states should handle natural di sasters themselves because localized approaches would be more efficient and effective. Trump also mentioned that FEMA’s response “costs about three times more” than localized approaches

and blamed California’s government for not managing the situation well.

The media has also seen heavy political involvement from Hurricane Helene. The political attacks from both major parties showcased greater polarization, and the election became, in part, a fight over federal disaster relief.

While many were left unhoused and injured, government officials were disputing amongst themselves about who was avoiding the other’s phone calls about emergency aid, according to Axios. This showed a lack of federal coordination, and the bickering did nothing to help the people who lost their homes and loved ones to the disaster.

Previous natural disasters have shown that the government is capable of working together to address these crises.

When the U.S. was devastated by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which also occurred during a presidential election year, President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney halted their campaigns in order to provide assistance in their own ways. They did so by reorganizing a planned rally as a relief effort and making visits to national disaster relief organizations, which shows how disaster reliefs were less polarized than they are today.

Taylor pointed out that, in the past, disaster response was more bipartisan.

“Up until COVID, there was a large degree of bipartisan cooperation between whichever president was in the White House and whoever was in the governor’s seat in each state,” Taylor said. “If you think about Superstorm Sandy, there are pictures Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey standing shoulder to shoulder, like they [were] in this together. They [were] here to help the American people, and in that broad degree of cooperation between federal and state officials, regardless of party affiliation, has been the norm there.”

While we’ve become divided in many ways as a nation, we cannot afford to let these divisions be used as leverage when Americans are

DIVYA GANDHI

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

Art by

launch

Verbatim: Favorite memory from winter?

“This winter, a few of my friends from China drove up to meet me and we went to Valley Fair and hung out.”

— Joy Tan, junior

“I went to India, and I go there every winter and summer break, so it was really fun to meet my friends and family.”

— Amaya Bharadwaj, junior

Verde’sPlaylistFebruary

“I just stayed home, it was really chill and my friends and I watched movies together.”

— Andy Wang, freshman

Art by Vit Do

Text, design and photos by

LILIA KUZMICHEVA

Thoughts on Paper ASB Answers: With junior senator

Savannah Taylor

Q: What is ASB (Assosiated Student Body) currently working on?

A: “We are working on planning various things for Prom, including menu items, decorations and colors.”

Q: What events and activities can students look forward to this semester?

A: “Students can get excited for Spring Spirit Week, Prom and also Lip Dub.”

How does AI affect your daily life?

— Hannah Moked, freshman

See page 20-21

What would you take with you if you had to evacuate due to a fire?

— Nicole Krawczyk, junior

See page 14-18

FIGHTING FOR CHANGE – A crowd gathers at the special Palo Alto Board of Education meeting on Jan. 23. Supporters of Ethnic Studies, like Palo Alto High School social sciences teacher Christopher Farina, believe the class is important because of its emphasis on civic engagement projects. "One of our [Ethnic Studies] students did some work interviewing individuals from the Muwekma Ohlone tribe," Farina said. "Some students have been working trying to advocate for their recognition as a federal tribe."

PAUSD's newest graduation requirement sparks debate

THE PALO ALTO Unified School District is implementing Ethics Studies as a graduation requirement for incoming freshmen after multiple contentious school board meetings that resulted in board member Rowena Chiu being reassigned to a new set of liaison roles.

During a special meeting on Jan. 23, the board voted 3-2 in favor of Ethnic Studies as a graduation requirement. Next year, incoming freshmen will take one semester of World History and one semester of Ethnic Studies. Board members Shounak Dharap, Shana Segal and Joshua Salcman voted to keep the requirement while Alison Kamhi and Rowena Chiu voted to pause the mandate in order to get more community feedback. At the meeting, Chiu said that she felt “unsafe” after receiving feedback from the community.

“During the break, I was visibly shaking, and I had to lock myself in the bathroom,” Chiu told Verde.

On Jan. 27, Chiu reposted an X post from “Asians Against Wokeness” titled “Palo

Alto school board meeting gangs up on Asian school board member.” The post also includes a screenshot of PAUSD employee Danaé Reynolds’ staff profile, alleging that Reynolds “lectures her [Chiu] about how the word ‘unsafe’ is essentially inappropriate for people of Asian background because Asians are not truly oppressed.”

Board member Shounak Dharap said public figures must be careful about their social media presence.

“When the conduct of a board member, intentional or not, puts the spotlight on a professional career educator who never signed up for it, that’s a problem,” Dharap said.

On Jan 29., 13 former PAUSD school board members wrote a letter condemning Chiu for reposting, asserting that “such use of social media is detrimental, unprofessional and unacceptable.” The Palo Alto Management Association released a similar letter criticizing Chiu, and called for her resignation from the school board. The Palo Alto Educators Association also issued

a statement condemning Chiu and revoked its endorsement of her. Chiu said that her X repost was a poor judgement call and that she does not identify nor associate with “Asians Against Wokeness.”

“It [the post] may have put another human being at risk, and moreover, another woman of color,” Chiu said. “I am also a woman of color and it would never be my intention to put another woman of color at risk. I fully acknowledge that that was the impact of that repost and I am deeply sorry that that is the unintended impact of my actions.”

At a board meeting on Feb. 11, the Board voted 4-1 to pass a countermotion that will reassign Chiu to new roles, including Los Altos Town Council Liaison, Santa Clara County Committee on District Organization and the Santa Clara County School Boards Association. This story will be updated online at verdemagazine.com as more information becomes available.

by TESSA BERNEY and

Photo: Aryan Kawatra

Edited and designed by NIAZ ALASTI

Students, staff react to nationwide ICE raids

AS RUMORS OF ICE activity spread around the Bay Area, Palo Alto High School students and staff are grappling with safety concerns.

On Jan. 26, President Donald Trump and his administration launched nationwide immigration enforcement allowing federal immigration authorities to conduct raids.

According to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, these raids intend to find and arrest people believed to be violating immigration laws.

There have been no confirmed ICE sightings in Palo Alto or East Palo Alto, but there have been confirmed ICE sightings in other parts of the Bay Area like San Jose. Because of this, many are fearful for their safety. In addition, the influx of rumors and false reports over the past month have sparked concern about what might happen next.

“It [the ICE raids] impacted my education because at times I'll be thinking about it and I'm not really focusing as much on school,” a Paly student who wishes to stay anonymous said. “Being in an immigrant family is scary and I've just been feeling a little worried. ”

On Feb. 11, members of the Palo Alto Board of Education voted to make information on immigration procedures more accessible on the district website, and send it to families.

“Even if the individual risk of ICE coming to our schools is low, I know the fear is real,” board member Allison Kahmi said.

A teacher at Paly who wishes to stay anonymous said she is worried about the potential impact of ICE’s presence on students’ well-being.

“A school is supposed to be a safe space … a place of reprieve for certain students to escape whatever realities they have to face at home, and having the added worry of ICE could show up on our campus is going to be stressful,” she said.

As of Feb. 11, PAUSD has not released a statement to students about the possible presence of ICE.

“I don't think PAUSD has done enough to provide information about this because I haven't heard anything from them at all,” the student said. “It's just really frustrating not seeing my school say anything about it.”

While the County of Santa Clara urged

RED CARD — A student holds a red card that lists constitutional rights. College counselor Crystal Laguna urges students to stay informed. “My only advice would be for students and families to make sure that they know their rights,” Laguna said. Photo: Kensie Pao

residents not to spread rumors about ICE sightings, without any communication, immigrant students may feel unprotected.

“You don't know who's sitting next to you who might feel impacted by this,” college counselor Crystal Laguna said. “So making sure that everybody shares those [red card] rights even on their social media can help somebody without you even knowing that it could.”

by NATHALIA ARIAS and MAYA RAJBHANDARI

Advanced Media Studies to be offered as dual enrollment course

SMILING STUDENTS — Junior Scarlett Frick works on a project in a MAC computer lab. Journalism adviser Rodney Satterwaite hopes that the college credit for juniors will encourage more students to join. "The juniors don't get anything [college credit], so we feel like there should be something for the juniors," Satterthwaite said. Photo: Niaz Alasti

IN AN ATTEMPT to have more students involved in journalism classes, Advanced Journalism and Media Studies will have a dual enrollment option starting next year.

Currently, students can receive dual enrollment credit for the prerequisite Beginning Journalism course, and honors credit for Media Leadership and Management, which is only available to seniors.

Students enrolled in Advanced Journalism and Media Studies (AJAMS) would be able to receive dual enrollment credit from Foothill College, as well as a GPA boost.

Journalism adviser Rodney Satterthwaite says that this course is a good op-

portunity for both second semester sophomores and juniors to get college credit.

“The juniors don't get anything [college credit], so we feel like there should be something for the juniors,” Satterthwaite said.

Unlike the dual enrollment project students are required to complete in Beginning Journalism, Advanced Media Students will most likely not have to do a lot of extra work beyond what already is required.

“The class [AJAMS] that all the students in publications take will align really closely with the class we are aligning it to at Foothill College so it doesn't look right now like there's going to be a lot of extra work,” Satterthwaite said.

by LILIA KUZMICHEVA

SMILING SCULPTORS Juniors Orla Hedstrom and Farrah Kardwell use pottery wheels to work on their projects. Art teacher Mike Da Ponte hopes that splitting Art Spectrum into two more specific classes will make it easier for students to join different programs like ceramics and glassblowing. "Art Spectrum has always been the gatekeeper of doing sculpture early on," he said. Photo: Niaz Alasti

Art Spectrum to split

THE ART SPECTRUM class at Palo Alto High School is slated to split into two different classes next year, making some students upset about the lack of a general art class.

Starting next school year, the class will split into Art Spectrum, focusing on 3D art, and Art Spectrum: Digital Art Emphasis, focusing on 2D art. Each of the classes will be prerequisites for advanced art classes at Paly, and are available to all students.

“I think opening a pathway for drawing and painting, and sculpture allows kids the freedom to choose the things that they want to do early on and focus on that,” said art teacher Mike Da Ponte.

Some students feel the decision will remove students’ ability to try out all the art forms offered.

“By splitting [Art Spectrum] in half, you’re making people who would have just picked one class completely unable to discover this thing that could have made them really happy,” sophomore Geneva Gadda said.

by LEELA KULKARNI

AI made available to students on Schoology

GEMINI 13+, a teen-friendly version of Google’s generative artificial intelligence model, is now accessible to high school students as of the start of the spring semester.

Gemini 13+ ensures that students have access to artificial intelligence, especially if they rely on district-issued Chromebooks, according to Academic Technology Specialist Kristine Ludemann. She added that the PAUSD AI Leads hope the use of this tool will enhance learning in the classroom.

With privacy being a crucial element for students, the AI Leads group, consisting of teachers across the school district, enabled Gemini 13+ because Google provided student data privacy agreements, according to Christopher Farina, a teacher on the committee.

The decision has been in the works since the 2023-24 school year and was spearheaded by Farina and Paly technology lead Christopher Bell. Farina said that with the introduction of Gemini 13+, teachers will be able to instruct students on how to use artificial intelligence responsibly and ensure they don’t take shortcuts that harm them in the long run. According to Ludemann, Gemini 13+ has added data protection to filter appropriate content for teens, making it more reliable for high school students.

“This is a majorly impactful piece of technology that has the potential to be really transformative and beneficial,” Farina said. “I would hope that by next year, there’s more adoption of it among courses and departments where it does actually make a difference.”

JEON

PAUSD considers removing high school boundaries

WITH DISCUSSION emerging about the potential elimination of the high school boundaries, Palo Alto Unified School District officials are weighing the pros and cons of giving students the option to choose which school they attend.

Superintendent Don Austin addressed concerns about enrollment imbalance at a student council meeting.

“Some students were concerned about the choice being made by parents instead of them," Austin said in an update on Jan. 17. "For that reason, some sided with the idea that boundaries are good and provide some certainty.” However, he added that “simply loosening up the transfer process would be

a good first step.”

Palo Alto High School Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson acknowledged that the idea is still in its early stages but sees many reasons why it may be worth considering.

“One of them [reasons] is, why not?” Berkson said. “Two is, why not give the students a choice when we can?”

Currently, students who wish to attend a high school outside of their designated boundary must go through a lengthy transfer process. Berkson noted some students attempt to justify their transfer by requesting unique class offerings, such as glassblowing, offered at one school but not the other, rather than their actual preference for a school. However, concerns were

raised about the potential imbalance of enrollment between Paly and Gunn, as more students seek to transfer to Paly than to Gunn. Berkson suggested that enrollment limits would be created to prevent over enrollment.

“I think they'd have to cut it off at some point,” he said. “If it did happen, it would start with a freshman class and grow from there.”

With the proposal in its early stages, Berkson expects discussions to continue into next year.

“I'm sure there'll be a lot of discussions at the board level,” Berkson said. by CHRIS

by STANLEY TANG

Glassblowing gets new equipment

PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL'S glassblowing studio is receiving over $150,000 in new funding, which will be used to replace old equipment, according to assistant principal Jerry Berkson.

The funding will come from a Career and Technical Education grant. The current tools are out of date, and no longer meet safety requirements, according to Michael Da Ponte, Paly’s glassblowing teacher. Da Ponte says this will also increase the energy efficiency of the equipment. The tools will arrive in November and include a $54,335 furnace and a $7,886 glass warmer. However, these prices are subject to change, according to Berkson.

The department will also get two new kilns, which Da Ponte says will increase the amount of artwork that kids will be able to create. Senior Oliver Rasmussen, a glassblowing student, says he hopes that the new equipment will help get more people excited about glassblowing.

“It [the equipment] will make a lot of things easier, encouraging students to push themselves and grow as artists,” Rasmussen said. “We’ll have to see what actually happens … but I hope it increases involvement because glassblowing is so rare and unique that students should take advantage of it."

C&CC switches to Maia Learning

THE COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER is switching to college planning platform Maia Learning this year for Palo Alto High School juniors.

The district announced the switch in December, with a webinar for both students and parents about the platform, and is in use now.

This new program will also be implemented for freshman and sophomores to start with post-high school exploration College and Career advisor Sandra Cernobori said.

Cernobori said the district signed a contract with Maia Learning for juniors as a trial, to work out challenges with the platform early on.

Maia Learning has features that help students, including searching for colleges, programs and careers.

“Features like when you put something in your “considering” list, you’re able to see how many letters of recommendation the college needs,” Cernobori said.

According to Cernobori, there were many problems with Naviance, the school’s previous college planning platform, including the customer service and data on the platform being outdated.

“It [Maia] has so far been very helpful looking at colleges and looking at their admission rates,” junior Merise Boda said.

Boda shared many of the same frustrations Cernobori had with Naviance, and enjoys the switch to a new platform because of its simplicity.

“Naviance was insanely complicated to use, like I could not do anything,” Boda said. “But with Maia Learning everything is all in one spot, it’s very easy to use, it’s very simple.”

by YARDENNE STERNHEIM

hopes that the new equipment will entice more students to try out the program. “I think as we kind of grow into this program, we’ll bring in a lot more stuff, hopefully really transforming it into something Paly’s never seen,” Da Ponte said. Photo: Niaz

by DARAH KATZ

MAC celebrates 10th anniversary

WITH STUDENT DJs playing songs from 2014, a terrific hors d’oeuvres menu, a nostalgic student video, and a special edition magazine, Palo Alto High School students and faculty on Feb. 26 will be celebrating the school’s Media Art Center’s 10th anniversary.

The MAC has been more than just a building on campus — it is home to multiple programs, including the photography program, the Child Development Pathway, the Audio Music Program, and the school’s journalism program.

Students are looking forward to the event, featuring a panel discussion led by former Campanile adviser Esther Wojcicki and six journalism graduates from 2014.

“I'm really looking forward to alumni coming and just revisiting,” said Kaitlyn Gonzalez-Arceo, head of marketing and advertising for the special edition magazine. “I know it can be pretty nostalgic. I'm really looking forward to just everyone coming together and celebrating something that has been really significant to the Paly community.”

The event will be a fundraiser event for the MAC boosters, which is reopening purchase opportunities for custom pavers in the MAC courtyard.

It will also be a way for current students to connect and learn from alumni and former faculty members.

“Having so many different people from so many different eras of the MAC around is going to just be sort of (exciting),” journalism adviser Rodney Satterthwaite said. “They're all sort of separated, but they're all connected together in the same way. … I'm really looking forward to seeing students from eight or nine years ago and talking to them about what they're doing now.”

by KEIRA LING

GLASS GURU Glassblowing teacher Mike Da Ponte works on a cup in the glassblowing studio. Da Ponte

Alasti

BURNINGThe PREPARING FOR LOCAL WILDFIRES

“

TText by CHLOE HUANG and DARAH KATZ

BURNING ISSUE ISSUE

HIS IS NOT REALLY AN IF, but a when.”

With record-breaking wildfires burning in Los Angeles this January, the fear of a similar potential disaster looms over the Bay Area now more than ever.

According to Palo Alto High School science teacher Nicole Loomis, the parallels of Bay Area environmental conditions to Southern California should alarm the local community.

“Unfortunately that [wildfire risk] is kind of just the reality,” Loomis said. “This is the chaparral, fire is normal, and we’ve decided to build a bunch of human settlements that are not fire resistant, and then have energy infrastructure that compounds the risk with [power] lines that are above ground.”

Northern California has a history of fires like the 1991 Oakland Firestorm, which was compounded by the same issues that propelled the Los Angeles fire. Loomis said that since the unprecedented Oakland fire came rolling down

the hills into a highly populated area, there is a high chance of a similar emergency hitting Palo Alto and Los Altos Hills, especially given the energy infrastructure in the Bay Area.

In recent years, the City of Palo Alto has been working to address the root environmental issue of fireprone vegetation by cleaning dangerous trees that would catch on fire easily.

“

wildfires.

“We installed a dozen of these new sensors that really are incorporating cutting edge technology and AI software into the Foothills,” Stone said. “They will be able to sense and alert us if a fire breaks out in our most vulnerable places within Palo Alto, which will give us a significant advantage to be able to respond as quickly as possible.”

We’ve now entered an era where we are in a fire season, 24/7, 365 days out of the year.”

— GREER STONE, Palo Alto City Council member

“For example, eucalypus trees are basically a tinderbox,” Palo Alto City Council member and former mayor Greer Stone said. “So we’ve got a lot of clearing of eucalyptus trees in vulnerable areas up in the Foothills and along Page Mill Road.”

Additionally, the city has worked extensively on implementing technology and other measures to prevent the outbreak of

In the unfortunate event that a fire does spread in Palo Alto, our fire department needs the necessary resources to fight it. According to Stone, Fire Station No. 4 on Middlefield does not have a fire engine, but Stone is actively collaborating with local agencies to get them these resources and hire more firefighters.

Stone said that Palo Alto has a temporary fire department stationed in the fire-prone region of the Foothills. Beyond local first

responders, we also have resources across the county to help us in the event of an emergency.

“We have really great partnerships, both regionally and across the state, to be able to come to Palo Alto aid if we need it,” Stone said. “We have a mutual agreement with other fire departments within the region, similar to what we have with law enforcement, that if there is a significant event that requires more resources than what the City of Palo Alto has, we’d be able to have a county fire response.”

fires. So, it’s definitely shifting. As you increase the temperature, as you change precipitation patterns, you’re going to have the impacts of that, where you might have increased drought in some places, and that’s going to make your fire risk worse.”

I’m optimistic that both Palo Alto and the region... are going to do everything we can to keep the community safe.”

— GREER STONE, Palo Alto City Council member

Despite these efforts, fires are becoming more and more unpredictable. According to the Western Fire Chiefs Association, Northern California’s peak fire season is usually from June to November, with Southern California’s peak fire season beginning earlier in May. However, as climate change increases, the concept of a fire season has begun to change.

“We’ve now entered an era where we are in a fire season, 24/7, 365 days out of the year,” Stone said.

Loomis agrees, expanding on how climate change has been affecting the frequency of fires across the country.

“Fire season is definitely expanding,” Loomis said. “That’s been happening all over the U.S., we’ve even had fires on the East Coast this year. … It’s so wet over there, so it’s very unusual to actually have

In addition to a year-round fire season, climate change has caused La Niña weather changes to occur more frequently, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. La Niña is the ‘warm phase’ of a natural climate pattern, which among other things causes winters to be hotter and drier, fueling more frequent wildfires.

“They haven’t really worked out exactly why climate change is causing it [La Niña], but it’s cycling faster,” Loomis said. “ It has to do with wind directions, ocean currents, it’s a very complex system, and we’re messing with that system. We’re changing the temperature of the atmosphere, and that’s going to propagate all the way through that system and have impacts.”

The severity of the Los Angeles wildfires are driven by the naturally dry desert chaparral climate of Southern California, strong Santa Ana winds, and the impacts of La Niña weather, according to Loomis. Additionally, there has been an abnormally

small amount of rainfall this winter.

“[When] you add on the Santa Ana winds, which blow really hot, dry air from the desert out to the ocean — instead of the other way, which is normal — you get this really dry vegetation which makes excellent wildfire fuel,” Loomis said. “Any kind of a spark is going to cause a problem.”

Loomis recommends that residents fireproof their houses in the meantime.

“If you’ve got a wood roof, maybe it’s time to swap that out for something that doesn’t burn so easily,” Loomis said. “If you’ve got natural gas, make sure you know how to turn it off in the event of a disaster like an earthquake or a fire.”

However, despite the heightened risks, Stone is hopeful that Palo Alto will do its best to prevent the possibility of a wildfire.

“Moving forward, we [the city] will really think of this as both a public safety issue, but also part of our climate strategy,” Stone said. “I’m optimistic that both Palo Alto and the region are taking this seriously, and we are going to do everything we can to be able to keep the community safe.” v

Los AngeLes under fire

CITY OF STARS GOES UP IN FLAMES

THEY SENT ME A PHOTO of the house and it was completely gone.”

That was how Palo Alto High School Class of 2022 alumnus Max Barthelemy learned that his house in Pasadena had been completely destroyed. Barthelemy’s story is similar to an estimated 16,000 other Los Angeles residents who also lost their homes in the various fires. Multiple fires across Los Angeles County have burned over 40,000 acres, according to Forbes. Most notably, the Palisades fire, which ignited on Jan. 7, burned over 23,000 acres of land. At its peak, the fire placed 200,000 residents under evacuation warning, according to CalFire. The Eaton fire, which started on the same day, burned over 14,000 acres of Altadena and Pasadena. On Jan. 22, the Hughes fire ignited north of Santa Clarita, quickly growing to more than 5,000 acres in less than two hours, according to CalFire.

One prominent issue is poor air quality in a city already famous for its pollution.

“The latest news story is the ash, which is just blowing around everywhere,” Paly science teacher Nicole Loomis said. “That’s going to be particulate matter, which is a real problem [for] anyone with asthma or COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].”

The Environmental Protection Agency also found high levels of lead and chlorine in the air, 0.45 micrograms per cubic meter, which is three times the limit set by the EPA.

“If lead is getting into people’s bloodstreams, then that’s not good either,” Loomis said. “That’s a neurotoxin, especially for children.”

Though rain would improve air quality, it could also cause other complications for residents.

“That [rain] could cause its own issues, because generally speaking, after you have a burn and then it rains, you have mudslides,” Loomis said. “Anything that wasn’t taken out already by the fire is at risk of being taken out by the mudslides.”

“Some of the cities in the southern United States will basically become unlivable.”

— NICOLE LOOMIS, science teacher

Environmental effect

While the blaze has been the main concern for firefighters and homeowners alike, experts worry about the issues residents will face once the fires subside, believing they will be just as harmful.

The danger of this year’s fire season was also compounded by severe drought conditions and the Santa Ana winds, according to Loomis.

“Normally, the winds would blow from the ocean toward the desert, but now they’ve flipped,” Loomis said. “So you’re getting this really dry, warm air coming at high speeds. It’s been a real challenge for the firefighters because any spark could land on something that could be ignited.”

According to Loomis, increasing temperatures due to climate change not only potentially pose a risk for more wildfires in the future, but could also jeopardize the homes of people all across the country, not just Southern California.

“There are projections that some of the cities in the southern United States will basically become unlivable in a number of de-

cades due to climate change,” Loomis said. “Phoenix has been cited as one, where there’s barely any water and temperatures are already high. It’s possible that LA could have those conditions as well. We don’t exactly know, but climate models do predict that things will get hotter and drier.”

Losing history

The Los Angeles Conservancy, a historic preservation nonprofit in LA County, estimates that over 50 historic buildings were lost in the fires, a devastating loss for a city known for its history and architecture.

“They go from legacy businesses that have been there for decades, like Altadena Hardware … then very modern contemporary, groundbreaking architecture like the 708 house, which is in the Palisades,” said Andrew Salimian, director of advocacy at the conservancy. “It’s a real range of places that are beloved to communities and then high style architecture.”

The city’s famous architecture has drawn tourists for years. Therefore, some anticipate that the city’s tourism rates will fall.

“I wonder how that’s going to impact even wanting to come, for fear,” Paly history teacher Mary Sano said. “I think just even the desire to come [to the city] might be somewhat squelched.”

Paly English teacher Lucy Filppu, who grew up in Southern California, mentioned other famous landmarks that were nearly destroyed by the fires.

“The flames got down to Will Rogers Beach in Santa Monica,” Filppu said. “I thought it was going to take the Getty, which is one of the most amazing museums.”

Hostile housing

According to CalMatters, the fires have damaged or destroyed an estimated 12,000 buildings. This sudden lack of housing has worsened LA county’s already serious homelessness problem. As stated by the LA County Homelessness Initiative, the homeless population was over 70,000 in 2024.

The influx of people without homes has started to impact the

Text by NIAZ ALASTI and LEELA KULKARNI

already tight housing market in LA. Barthelemy’s house in Pasadena burned down in the fires. While this temporarily left him without a place to live, he ended up in an apartment.

“I found a place for a very reasonable price but it took a long time to find it because there were some variants in prices,” he said. “There are definitely really high prices, and there were not that many options to choose from for housing.”

Barthelemy’s experience is not a unique one. According to radio program Marketplace, thousands of displaced people are now struggling to find housing.

This influx of potential buyers has already raised the price of housing, as well as the cost of rent.

As a result, local and national government agencies have offered support to those in need. California governor Gavin Newsom signed a relief package on Jan. 23 aimed at helping the LA

SMOKY SKY (FAR LEFT) – Marcel Colchen takes a photo of the gray and orange sky. The fires released dangerous chemicals like lead and chlorine into the air. “If lead is getting into people’s bloodstreams then that’s not good either,” Palo Alto High School science teacher Nicole Loomis said. Photo: Marcel Colchen

NEIGHBORHOODS LOST (MIDDLE LEFT) – Paly alumnus Max Barthelemy’s entire block in Altadena is destroyed by the Eaton fire. Barthelemy’s experience is shared by over 16,000 other LA residents. “I was much more fortunate than a lot of people, who lost their entire house that they grew up in, for me I was just a renter, “ he said. Photo: Max Barthelemy

WALKING THE WRECKAGE (MIDDLE RIGHT) – Max Barthelemy’s father takes a picture of what was left of his son’s house. Barthelemy couldn’t believe what had happened when he received the photo. “There was this strange disconnect with it [the photo],” he said. Photo: Max Barthelemy

HILLS ABLAZE (FAR RIGHT) – A wildfire burns hills in the distance. In light of the fire, some Palo Alto residents worry that a similar catastrophe could happen here. “We are all facing catastrophic climate change,” Paly English teacher Lucy Filppu said. “This could be us.” Photo: Marcel Colchen

area recover from the fires, according to the Associated Press. Some of the $2.5 billion will go towards sheltering displaced people.

According to its website, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been paying for debris removal and fire suppression efforts. It also has offered financial assistance to help people pay housing costs and replace personal property. FEMA’s support applies mostly to people without insurance.

But even with insurance, some homeowners are struggling to cover expenses and 12% of Americans don’t have housing insurance at all, according to CBS News.

“Insurance companies are already bailing on California and Florida due to the natural disaster risks,” Loomis said. “If you don’t have house insurance, you can’t carry a mortgage on your house. Then when it burns down, you’ve absolutely lost everything.”

WHAT’S LEFT – Metal street numbers lay among what was left of Max Barthelemy’s house, only some of the debris left over from the fire. “I can’t guess, but it’s going to be years before everything is rebuilt,” Director of Advocacy for the LA Conservancy Andrew Salimian said. Photo: Max

The number of buildings lost has created a discrepancy between the construction needed and the amount of resources available.

“Rebuilding that many homes in a short time span takes time and there’s not necessarily enough contractors, enough architects to all be working on that at the same time,” Salimian said. “So it’s going to be a real crunch in terms of labor and skilled labor to rebuild. I can’t guess, but it’s going to be years before everything is rebuilt.”

Palo Alto residents react

The fires have urged some Palo Alto residents to prepare a plan in case a local natural disaster were to hit, though some experts say it’s only a matter of time.

“Plan for your future, because it’s here.”

Rebuilding the destroyed structures will most likely take years, Salimian explained.

— LUCY FILPPU, English teacher

“It’s going to be a long process,” he said. “I do know the hazardous materials are an issue right now. There’s lead, asbestos as part of the buildings that burnt down have just been scattered everywhere.”

“It’s definitely not an if, it’s a when,” Loomis said. “We live with that risk all the time. You [should] do everything you can to mitigate risk.”

It’s also recommended that Californians pack and regularly update their “go bag” with multiple days of food and water, as well as other emergency supplies.

“It [the fires] did cause us to look at our emergency kits, update things [and]

make sure batteries were not expired,” Sano said.

Some have also turned to donations as a way to help those affected by the fires. Filppu’s walking club, Power Moves, has dedicated their laps to the cause and have raised over 4,000 dollars as of Feb. 3.

Barthelemy has also received new clothes and a new sketchbook as the result of a GoFundMe set up for him by a family friend.

“Fire isn’t somebody else’s problem,” Filppu said. “It’s all our problems. Don’t pity people in Southern California. Get active, get informed. Plan for your future, because it’s here.” v

LOST LIVELIHOOD (TOP LEFT) – A destroyed house sits against a smoke filled sky. This photo was how Max Barthelemy learned that his house had burned down. “In the beginning, I was pretty hopeful,” he said. “[Then] I saw the photo and I knew it was.” Photo: Max Barthelemy

ONE WALL STANDING (BOTTOM LEFT)

– The only wall of Max Barthelemy’s house that survived stands among the debris. His will be permanently changed by the fire. “There will always be a little part of me that, everytime I leave somewhere, I’ll be scared that everything I leave behind will disappear in a fire,” he said. Photo: Max Barthelemy

Barthelemy

Text by TESSA BERNEY and JARON LEUNG

THE HARMS OF MODERN TECH ON THE ENVIRONMENT

AS SOPHOMORE JASLYNN LEE opens ChatGPT, she inserts a photo of her homework, asking the chatbot to create an answer key.

This is just one of many ways Palo Alto High School students are using artificial intelligence every day. However, most don’t realize a single query takes 16 ounces of water to produce an answer.

centers will increase by 160%, while the share of energy consumed by data centers will rise from 1% to 4% of the world’s energy consumption.

Large-scale technology investments have led corporations, such as Microsoft, to explore other options to match the surge in energy required to train new AI models.

On Sept. 20., Microsoft signed a power deal to resurrect an old nuclear power plant. An article from Reuters states that “power from the plant would be used to offset Microsoft’s data center electricity use.”

“The new models come out and the old chips go to waste.”

— SREEKANTH GOPI, founder of Neuroheart

In the blink of an eye, AI extensions have seamlessly trickled their way into our lives.

From AI therapists to personalized AI boyfriends, society is venturing further into a future powered by technology. AI, however, has a higher price than just buying raw materials: it’s also taking a toll on our environment.

Every time Generative AI like Google’s Gemini or OpenAI’s ChatGPT are used, 2.9 watt-hours of electricity are used, almost ten times as much energy as a simple Google search, according to Goldman Sachs investment bank.

With Generative AI’s extreme energy cost, limiting the amount of data centers may become crucial to protecting the planet. According to Coresite, there are over 2,700 data centers in the United States. These data centers span rows and rows of machines processing information, and large quantities of electricity are required to keep the servers running.

Junior David Wu, president of the Paly AI Club, said that generative AI models like ChatGPT and Gemini are extremely computationally intensive.

“You need to run a lot of operations in order to actually run these generative models.”

— DAVID WU, president of Palo Alto High School AI Club

Additionally, the same source predicts that, by 2030, demand for power from data

“You need to run a lot of operations in order to actually run these generative models, and that requires computationally intensive chips such as GPUs [Graphic Processing Units],” Wu said.

Water usage is also a huge issue when it comes to maintaining data centers. Search engine companies have reported massive jumps in their water consumption, mainly due to AI. Water Technol-

ogies reported that Microsoft’s latest environment report shows a 34% increase in water consumption from 2021 to 2022 due to the public relase of AI chatbots.

In 2022, during the Google Gemini Google reported they used 5.6 billion gallons of water. That is the equivalent of 8,500 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The main reason data centers use so much water is to keep temperatures in check by flowing cold water in pipes through a liquid cooling system. Heat generated by machines is absorbed by the water and transferred into the air by a radiator.

I take bad notes that aren’t very legible,” Gonzales said.

As innovation in the AI field skyrockets, schools have seen the advantages of giving students equal access to AI versus spending time trying to restrict its usage. Google Gemini 13+ is enabled for all students in their Palo Alto Unified School District accounts.

“People only talk about what creates it, but really we should be talking about helping to prevent it.”

— NATHAN LEE, president of Paly Environmental Service Club

Sreekanth Gopi, the founder of an AI-powered mental wellness company called Neuroheart, explained how AI can have both negative and positive impacts on the world.

“I would say there is no need to control the positive AI application developments [healthcare, data analysis, innovation], because AI is evolving and the energy required to train it will reduce,” Gopi said. “For three, four years, we will have these large issues and then it will go down.”

On the other hand, AI has the potential to accelerate climate change.

“Electronic wastage is a huge issue,” Gopi said. “We will use it [microchips] for maybe a year then the new models come out and the old chips go to waste.”

AI is becoming a main contributor to e-waste and climate change, but people continue to use AI because it can provide aid with schoolwork. Paly sophomore Thais Gonzales uses AI on a daily basis to take notes in class.

“It’s just nice to know that it’s there if

This decision contributes to the PAUSD Promise goal of fostering innovation and utilizing technology to enhance student learning. The PAUSD shared in a ParentSquare email how “AI can potentially be a powerful tool in enhancing student learning and making learning more accessible. We will continue to explore its potential benefits in classrooms.”

Clearly, artificial intelligence is a double edged sword due to the negative and positive impacts it has on our society. The president of the Paly Environmental Service Club, Nathan Lee, says he is concerned at the lack of effort to mitigate climate change.

“People only talk about what creates it [climate change], but really we should be talking about helping to prevent it,” Lee said.

Considering many Paly students use ChatGPT as an everyday tool, there are numerous ways students can take responsibility to offset their carbon footprint.

“There are so many different ways you can get involved in protecting the environment,” Lee said. “When you leave the room, turn off the lights. Save water and be conservation minded.” v

Case for

The climate

STUDENT PARTAKES IN ENVIRONMENTAL SUIT

Editors’ note: Shortly before publication, U.S. District Judge Michael Fitzgerald ruled to uphold a motion filed by the defendants in Genesis B. v. the United States Environmental Protective Agency. This article will be updated digitally as we receive more information; please visit verdemagazine.com to read the updated version.

FROM FLOODS AND FIRES to droughts and destruction, California has entered a new era of uncertainty. Watching climate change-related disasters ravage the planet, his health and home, Avroh Shah is searching for justice.

As one of 18 plaintiffs in a landmark climate case, Genesis B. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Palo Alto High School sophomore has already dedicated himself to the environment and to the future. His group of plaintiffs are searching to make long-term change to help the environment by forcing the EPA to change its methods.

est. Going camping in Yosemite, or walking in the Baylands with my family. Small things like that really taught me the importance of having an environment and standing up for it when it’s endangered.”

His affinity for nature and his life experiences have led him to pursue climate advocacy, including small, local initiatives and being part of a landmark climate case.

“I’ve always been taught to fight for the things that you love, to protect your home, to keep your home clean,” Shah said. “To me, the earth is our home. We only have one planet at the end of the day. So, I’m just doing that I’ve been taught to do, which is to fight for our home.”

He became one of the first plaintiffs to join Genesis B. v. EPA after getting in contact with Julia Olson, founder of Our Children’s Trust, a non-profit law firm that provides legal support to the plaintiffs of Genesis B. v. EPA.

If you win at the federal level ... we can make some real change.”

“Of all the things I’ve done, advocacy-wise, this, by far, has the potential to make the most impact,” Shah said.

— AVROH SHAH, sophomore

This all started at a young age, after spending numerous hours in nature.

“I’ve always felt a strong sense of joy and a connection to the outside world,” Shah said. “It’s generally where I’m happi-

The Genesis B. v. EPA case documents state the EPA has violated the U.S Constitution by allowing harmful levels of climate pollution to accumulate in the air and using deceptive tactics to make the number of people affected in their reports less than it is in reality. Shah took action by joining the lawsuit.

“I saw a drastic lack of action on the topic locally, and I felt that there’s no point in waiting around for people older than me

to take action,” Shah said.

He also joined the case to help children without a voice on a national level since many people, like him, suffer from the impacts of climate change.

“I’m someone who’s a little smoke-sensitive,” Shah said. “There’s various health hazards that come from that. Also, there were some floods that damaged my house and a tree fell on my house.”

According to Climate CaseChart, a database for climate-based litigation, the plaintiffs filed this lawsuit alleging violations of the Fifth Amendment by allowing “pollution from the sources it regulates at levels that discriminate against and injure children.” This complaint alleged the EPA knew the impacts of carbon dioxide emission on children’s health, but did not address them directly.

The case also states that besides not acknowledging the health impacts, the EPA uses discounting tactics that put a monetary value on people’s lives.

For example, when the EPA issues permits for projects that could harm the environment, it performs a cost-benefit analysis to decide how many people will be affected if the permit is approved. The plaintiffs argue it is against their constitutional right to be considered as less than an adult when the EPA does analysis on how many people climate change is affecting.

“What the number [discounting tactics] does is for people who are under 18 it puts that monetary number on their life as less than someone who’s an adult,” Shah said.

After filing suit on Dec. 10, 2023, the Department of Justice filed a motion to dismiss the case, which was upheld by the judge because of a lack of redressability in the preliminary hearing.

Shah said a notable moment in the case was when Chief Legal Counsel Julia Olson addressed the judge’s claim of lack of redressability.

“She said, ‘It’s not just what happens in the past, it’s what happens in the future,’” Shah said. “Because these harms are ongoing, and they’re only going to get worse if we continue to perpetuate the discrimination happening at the EPA. That really stood out to me.”

Since the preliminary ruling, the plaintiffs have amended their complaint after the DOJ filed a motion to dismiss.

This is currently being reviewed by Judge Michael Fitzgerald of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Shah said if they win the case, the EPA would stop its discounting practices, which would have a long-term impact on the fight for climate change.

“The government has agreed that if we win, they would provide injunctive relief, which means that they would cease their discriminatory discounting practices,” Shah said.

Considering the scale of climate change, having this case is a chance for Shah to make a huge impact.

“You get a lot of wins locally, but when that stretches out, that doesn’t actually do much for the climate,” Shah said. “But if you win at the federal level, especially in a country like the United States, which historically has the highest emission, we can make some real change.” v

LEADING THE WAY — Shah’s connection to nature motivates his consistent activism. “I’ve always been happy out in nature and felt a strong attachment to the environment,” Shah said. Photo: Tessa Berney

LITERACY LEVELS AT PALY INCREASE WITH MORE PROGRAMS AND SUPPORT AVAILABLE

AT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL, STUDENTS with learning disabilities and language barriers are rewriting their academic stories, thanks to various literacy programs that turn challenges into opportunities for success.

The Palo Alto Unified School District’s goal is to have students reading at their grade level by the end of third grade, according to the Every Student Reads Initiative. However, some students fall behind and do not reach the district’s goal until much later.

school as unimportant and she believes this is because of their limited language skills.

“Oftentimes for folks who struggle to access the academic language in their classrooms, it isn’t a great place to be, yet it’s their job [as students],” Launer said.

“ It’s very exciting to think that we have support for students at all levels.”

— KINDEL LAUNER, literacy teacher

Paly is lucky to have a program that is designed to help teach and improve both language and literacy skills. Literacy teacher Kindel Launer’s role is to ensure students are getting the instruction and support that they need to succeed in and outside of the classroom with reading, writing and comprehension skills.

Launer said that many students view engaging in

Most of the students that Launer supports have dyslexia, a learning disability that makes it difficult for the brain to process written language.

According to KQED, everyone has electrical circuits in their brain. Those with dyslexia have a different way that those circuits move in their brain. Someone with dyslexia has “markers,” or challenges with the task at hand like understanding that consonant blends have a certain sound, meaning how quickly the person retrieves information.

Launer explained the distinction between typical learning pathways and those of the 20% of the population with dyslexia.

“For most people there is a particular pathway, and then for the 20% of us [the dyslexic population], there’s a different pathway,” Launer said. “And then within that pathway there

Launer says that by high school, most students with dyslexia have learned to bypass the marker challenges in their brain, but that may require them more study and test time. This is called compensatory learning.

“The brain circuitry can take a bit longer to get through, so students might be studying for longer than their peers,” Launer said.

The literacy program, implemented at Paly, gives extra support to the students who need it. Launer and the literacy specialist teachers at Paly work with the students who have learning disabilities, such as dys-

lexia, to ensure a positive and effective learning process. This has improved both literacy skills and more broader skills like reading comprehension.

Not only does the PAUSD program help with native English speakers, but it also supports those who move from abroad. Gunn High School offers the “official” language program in the district to new English as a Second Language students.

Students who move from another country with little to no experience in speaking English are enrolled in the literacy program to help them learn and progress in the language and

“Regardless of where they go to school, the challenges around the words, having parts and words having sounds and letters matching, is like a whole new ball game for folks who speak Man darin [for example],” Launer said.

In addition to Paly’s literacy classes, various literacy programs play a crucial role in the data gathering process, helping teachers to identify which students require the most support.

To build on these efforts, the Multi-Tiered Student Support System works alongside the regular literacy program to provide targeted instruction.

The purpose of the MTSS program is to structure a plan for teachers who have students that require extra support in their studies.

“MTSS supports teachers in delivering the instruction that students need to make prog ress,” Launer said. “That’s what MTSS does, tries to figure out when a student has a partic ular need.”

Along with the MTSS program, i-Ready, a web-based program for students, has been a core tool of aiding student support. i-Ready helps teachers assess reading and math levels, identify learning gaps and provide personalized instruction to meet individual needs.

During freshman and sophomore year, students are required to take the i-Ready diagnostic so that administrators and teachers are aware of the students who require the extra support, and they are able to provide for those students. Students take the diagnostic over the course of a week, with each session lasting the entirety of a class period.

To lighten the work to sustain the information, Paly is looking at another, quicker option to gather information about student’s skill levels called Renaissance which would keep student’s attention and not feel demanding.

Compared to i-Ready, Renaissance is a much quicker and more efficient option.

“It’s 25 questions, 30 minutes,” Launer said. “And I think that at the high school level, it’s more manageable.”

course subjects to attendance, even looking at their surveys that you all [students] submit to us, and kind of getting a good picture of what a student looks like,” Shen-Lorenson said.

Overall, the literacy program at Paly which has been built with different platforms, databases and focused support, results in students showing more success with their academia and regular life skills.

“It’s very exciting to think that we have support for students at all levels,” Launer said. v

BIOLOGY bottleneck

FRESHMAN COURSE MERGES TO ONE LANE

AS SPRING APPROACHES, to think of the upcoming school year. Incoming freshmen are flipping through the Palo Alto High School course catalog, contemplating their schedule for their first year of high school.

Normally, students pause, having to choose between Biology and Biology Honors.

However, after a 3-2 vote during their meeting on Jan. 21, the Palo Alto Unified School District Board of Education decided to drop the Biology Hon ors course for the 20252026 school year, giving incoming freshmen only one science option when choosing their course schedule: Biology.

The new course will be a hybrid of the cur rent Biology and Biology Honors classes, closer to the rigor of Biology Honors.

Mia Wong, an eighth grader at Greene

Middle School, says that the removal of the two lanes restricts her from making her own choice, and can also impact her in the long run.

“I feel like removing the two classes could remove the pressure from the decision making, but at the same time, it feels limiting,” Wong said. “It wouldn’t align with my aca

they move forward,” Brimhall said.

Brimhall said she believes that having a single course will prepare students for future classes and avoid making students in non-honors Biology feel as though they are falling behind if they take another honors science course in the future.

“It will help reduce stress for some students who might end up in the wrong lane that need to change, but also prepare more students to access more classes as they continue to Paly and feel like they’re really prepared to go,” Brimhall said.

Wong, however, emphasized the importance of having the two lanes to try and satisfy every incoming freshman’s different learning styles and their time commitment.

ing would not impact STEM subjects,” Chiu said. “Obviously, bio is the first of that.”

Many decisions made by the school board align with the ideas of the PAUSD Promise, which was introduced in 2019.

Merging the two lanes will follow this promise by reducing student stress and prompting equal education opportunities for all students.

“ It will be understood that bio is what everyone takes so that honors label will not matter.”

— ELIZABETH BRIMHALL, biology teacher

“You could have a more balanced workload for other classes, and those who have a busier schedule won’t have as much homework, and can provide a good pace for learning,” Wong said. “It might not challenge some people who are looking for a deeper understanding of Biology, and if they want to pursue a career in science, then one lane might not prepare you as much as Bio H would.”

One of the biggest arguments for merging the two courses is the fact that freshmen year courses are not eligible to receive weighted credit from a University of California or California State University, so taking Biology Honors will not provide a GPA boost and will not be taken into consideration by these colleges.

Brimhall said that having a single course option is beneficial for students during the college process.

According to the Superintendent’s Update on Dec. 20, this will be a smooth change for the incoming freshmen, and the course will reflect a higher-level Biology course, being current Biology Honors course.

“With no GPA impact and the potential to smooth 9th-grade transitions, this approach supports the school’s commitment to providing excellent, equitable education,” Don Austin wrote in his update. “The school profile will reflect the highest introductory Biology course while setting the stage for potential Honors lanes in Chemistry and Physics in later pathways.”

Another argument for merging the Biology lanes is the elimination of labels of “honors” and “regular,” which reflects the PAUSD promise.

“ I feel like removing the two classes could remove the pressure from the decision making, but at the same time, it feels limiting.”

— MIA WONG, Greene Middle School student

“If there’s only that one single lane bio when colleges look at that, they’re going to know that they took the highest class that is offered for ninth graders,” Brimhall said. “It will be understood that bio is what everyone takes so that honors label will not matter.”

Rowena Chiu, a school board member elected this year, voted against removing Biology Honors.

One of the reasons for this is a major concern for many parents in the PAUSD community, which is that Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) courses like physics and chemistry will continue to delane like the Biology course.

“There was some concern expressed by parents when humanities sources were delaned, but there was a promise that the de-lan-

Students are now able to be put in the same classroom and not categorize themselves by what Biology class they take.

Chiu explains that even though merging the two courses will eliminate the labeling, the most important thing is meeting the needs of all students, and the way to acheive this is to continue to have the two Biology lanes.

“It is not about what we call the classes, but how we meet the needs of a diverse range of students and their accompanying abilities,” Chiu said.

Chiu said she believes that having the two courses will encourage students more and provide choices for students so that they can create their course schedule according to their needs.

“PAUSD is a district that always prided itself on centering student autonomy, student voice and trusting students to make their own decisions,” Chiu said. “They might be ninth graders, but I think it’s important to equip students with voice and influence at the earliest stage possible and to allow students to make these decisions.”

FALSE ALARM

RECENT SWATTINGS RAISE SAFETY CONCERNS

IN NOVEMBER, Palo Alto High School received two threats of violence in one week. Both threats, made by unknown individuals, were fake.

These incidents, known as swattings, occur when someone falsely reports a threat to gather law enforcement at a specific location.

In schools, these threats are often made by students looking to promote fear among the student body or avoid taking exams. For example, in 2023, a Paly student threatened to “shoot up” a classroom on the day of their final exam.

However, the recent swattings were not done by students at Paly.

“Before, it [swatting] was more localized,” Principal Brent Kline said. “But now it has become an international thing. … The one that we had about three months ago came from somewhere in the Midwest.”

According to the Educator’s School Safety Network, 63.8% of

reported acts of violence in America during the 2022-2023 school year were false. However, it can be difficult to determine the validity behind these threats when they are initially made.

“Additionally, a lack of information can make it difficult for administrators to decide how to respond.

“The threats aren’t really clear,” Kline said. “But there are two procedures that we do: Secure the perimeter, which means you go into classrooms, you shut the blinds and instruction keeps going on. And lockdown, which has changed in a variety of ways. It’s an always-changing protocol, but in the last two years it’s been more significant in terms of ‘run-hide-

fight.’”

Assistant principal Jerry Berkson says safety protocols must be carried out correctly to avoid unnecessary confusion and panic.

Lockdown ... is an always-changing protocol, in the last two years, its been more significant in terms of ‘run, hide, fight.’”

— BRENT KLINE, Paly principal

“My first response [during the recent threats] was to call the district and let them know what was going on, … and ask for directions,” Berkson said. “Had we done an actual run-hidefight, we would have had mayhem.”

Berkson says that Palo Alto Unified Shool District has been improving communication during these events to alleviate some uncertainty.

“When any of these incidents have happened, I’ve been outside, I know what’s going on, I’m confident things are good,” Berkson said. “But

if you’re locked in a classroom, you don’t know that, so we try to get communication out to teachers as soon as possible.”

Despite these improvements in communication for teachers, some students and parents still feel unin formed during these events.

“It’s kind of unclear what the pro cedure is,” junior Yoray Chen said. “If we’re in the middle of a break, or in the bathroom, or if it’s right before school, what should we do? I think it would be helpful if they [administra tors] clarified the situation with better communication.”

While swatting incidents may not involve real weapons, they contribute to a larger conversation about school safety and the accessibil ity of firearms.

“There are more licens es to sell guns than there are McDonald’s, Burger Kings and Starbucks combined,” Lesley Hu, an advocate against gun vio lence who founded the non-profit or ganization Pierce’s Pledge, said.

Hu says she believes the best thing that parents can do is keep guns out of households during stressful times.

“We know that a household is 400% safer when a gun is not pres ent,” Hu said. “When it comes to school shootings, I personally believe that, when you see your child having some issues or a mental health crisis, … that’s the time to take the gun out of the home.”

Beyond policy discussions, repeat ed threats can take a toll on students’ mental health, making it difficult for them to engage in their education. Though recent threats at Paly turned out to be hoaxes, their impact was felt across the community.

“Palo Alto is a relatively safe neighborhood, so the idea that there could be guns and gun violence is re ally low,” Chen said. “But I think that students have become more alert, and they are more worried about what happens in schools because they think it shouldn’t be this way, that it should be safe.”

S K O J ’S COFFE CAF E

SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS SERVE FOOD, DRINKS

ALMOST TWO DOZEN students, aides and teachers move around room 409, the room that houses Sko Joe’s Cafe. Like a well oiled machine, aides guide students who line up to put on aprons, wipe down tables, set up the cash register and wheel out the delivery carts.

Sko Joe’s Cafe is staffed entirely by Palo Alto High School students in the Extensive Support Needs program, which is a subprogram of the Special Education program.

According to the Palo Alto Unified

School District website, the Special Education program is for students with Individual Education Programs who need more support.

A student who works at Sko Joe’s says that he believes working at the cafe is an engaging experience.

“It’s kind of interesting to see new faces,” he said.

opened to give his students experience with real-world activities.

“We’re more focused on functional skills, daily living skills.”

Sko Joe’s Cafe operates from 9:30 to 10:30 every Friday morning, serving both teachers and district office employees. It is advised by Paly special education teachers Dan Galluccio and Lisa Jauregui.

— DAN GALLUCIO, special education teacher

“We’re more focused on functional skills, daily living skills,” Gallucio said about the ESN program. “All the things that prepare our kids as much as possible to develop any sort of independent skills, and prepare them for the real world, [so that] maybe one day they can get a job.”

The cafe serves coffee, tea, hot chocolate and fresh baked cinnamon rolls for $3, as well as apples or bananas for $1. They also offer a rotation of seasonal items.

According to Gallucio, Sko Joe’s Cafe

Sko Joe’s grew out of the Future’s Cafe, the original student-run cafe, at the beginning of this school year. It has been up and running since then, serving teachers and staff who order items. The drinks are picked up by staff or delivered to by students.

“It is the same thing as the Future’s Cafe, but it is elevated in a sense,” Gallu-

THE FACE OF SKO JOE’S CAFE — The cafe’s logo, a viking with coffee cups for eyes, was designed by students in the Extensive Support Needs program and their instructional aides.

Photos by LEELA KULKARNI

cio said. “Me and Lisa … really created a lot of good changes in the model, [with] a less simplified menu for the kids. Really emphasize making sure that we are cleaning and taking care of it [the cafe] throughout the week.”

Now, a semester in, both Gallucio and Jauregui said they have seen positive effects on the students.

“Their math is mostly about money. And to see them apply that in a real world setting is great,” Jauregui said.

The students shop for items across the street at Town and Country.

“We’ll take inventory, and then … the kids and us will go to Trader Joe’s. They will shop for everything. They’ll look for the best prices, best deals,” Gallucio said.

According to Gallucio, the students learn many valuable skills running the cafe, which they do themselves.

“For being professional, we have our kids work in the cash register,” Gallucio

said. “So when someone comes in, we prompt them like, ‘Hey, we got a new customer coming in.’ And then you see more often, the kids get more comfortable recognizing those triggers, recognizing, ‘oh, there’s a person, I need to say good morning.’”

Gallucio also commented on the food served at the cafe.

“We’ve gotten a pretty high praise on cinnamon rolls,” he said.

For instructional aide Edward Tonga, his favorite part of seeing the students working at the Cafe is the relationships that they build with each other and with staff.

“Seeing the interaction with the kids and with the teachers and students as they serve, [is a highlight],” he said.

The preparation for Sko Joe’s starts early in the week. According to Galluccio the students take inventory on Tuesdays, and set up the cafe on Thursdays. “They get everything set up so that they can come in on

Friday and just, like, push the buttons and get it rolling,” he said.

According to Tonga, a typical day at Sko Joe’s starts by getting the food ready.

“We start off with laying out what we have to, then we put on aprons, washing hands. We actually have things done the day before,” Tonga said. “When we come in on Friday, all we do is just turn it [the coffee maker] on and get the water going.”

Gallucio says he is pleased with how Sko Joe’s Cafe is going.

“[The students are] running a business with our support, but it’s all student-run, which is the goal,” Gallucio said. v

BARISTA BUZZ (TOP) — A student worker at Sko Joe’s Cafe hands a customer a cup of coffee over the counter.

CAFE CHATTER — Palo Alto High School special education teacher Dan Gallucio looks towards the entrance of Sko Joe’s Cafe. ”Interacting with customers, making cinnamon rolls, making coffee, making tea; they [students] are doing it themselves,” he said.

READY FOR WORK (BOTTOM) — Aprons branded with the Sko Joe’s Cafe logo hang from the entrance to the cafe.

Text by KEIRA LING and KENSIE PAO

NEW MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR TACKLE 2025

ON

JAN. 6, IN PALO Alto’s City Hall, Ed Lauing and Vicki Veenker took their seats as mayor and vice mayor, respectively, after being elected by their fellow City Council members — an annual practice determining who will steer the city’s priorities for the upcoming year.

Lauing, who has spent over a decade in city government and Veenker, a longtime policy advocate, now face the challenge of tackling Palo Alto’s most pressing issues, from housing development to climate action.

Mayor Lauing

Mayor Lauing had been involved in city government for 13 years before getting elected to City Council in

2023. In 2010, Lauing first served on the Parks and Recreation Commission for seven years. Then, in 2017, he served on the Planning & Transportation Commission for six years.

“My colleagues were able to get a lot done for the city,” Lauing said. “It was very rewarding to see what we could get done to make this great place [Palo Alto] even better.”

Lauing’s background in software as CEO of multiple companies, managing groups and budgets, allowed him to learn how systems of people worked. This ultimately led him to run for city council, where he got elected by his colleagues to become mayor this year.

“I bring a lot of expertise and youthful enthusiasm,” Lauing said. “I know how the system works, and it’s just really satisfying for me … I can see that we’re making progress to improve on problems and to keep the good things and not go in the wrong direction.”

This year, Lauing and the other six members of the City Council want to work on four “big picture” priorities for the city: affordable housing, climate action, integrating electric appliances and economic resilience.

First, Lauing wants to focus on bringing housing development in Palo Alto to the maximum capacity possible. This means providing lower-income housing designed to be more affordable.

“We want that [housing] to be lower income housing than just all mar-

imous vote, Lauing takes on the role of mayor in 2025. “It’s an honor to stand up there to represent Palo Alto,” Lauing said.

ket-rate housing,” Lauing said. “That way, folks in five or eight or 10 years can come back here and be able to afford it. That’s the commission I’ve had all the way back to the Planning Commission.”

Lauing says working on housing development is especially important in promoting diversity in our community. While fixing housing issues is challenging, due to the high costs involved, Lauing said that these challenges make him want to work even harder on the problem.

“I just have such a mission to try to get younger people to live here, people of color to live here and lower-income people that we want as our neighbors, but they just can’t afford the rent, let alone ever buying,” Lauing said. “We have to solve that problem. Our town is not going to be diverse, and I don’t like that. … It’s good to be growing up in a diverse community, and that’s the only way we can get there.”

A second priority Lauing would like to work towards is continuing the city’s climate action goal, 80 by 30 — cutting Palo Alto’s carbon emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2030. This ties into the third priority of integrating electric appliances into all Palo Alto homes, Lauing said.

“This continues in spite of the new administration,” Lauing said. “We’re investing a lot of money in getting the [electrical power] grid ready to be able to handle that much extra capacity, not just for EVs, but for potentially turning all of our homes into full electric appliances.”

City Council’s fourth priority is economic resilience: restoring local shopping centers to their pre-pandemic status. This includes opening up stores in empty shopping center spaces and improving the disheveled areas of downtown.

Lastly, Lauing would like to add some-

READY TO REP — Ed Lauing poses in front of Palo Alto City Hall. After a unan-

Photos by KENSIE

“We will be notifying journalists, paper journalists and the public that a press conference is happening. I’m a little bit worried about the public, but that’s the point. We need to let them at us.”

Vice Mayor Veenker

Veenker’s journey to becoming vice mayor of Palo Alto began with her 35-year law career. She opened her own law office in Palo Alto, Veenker Law Offices, specializing in all stages of patent and intellectual property disputes.

Veenker is involved in lots of local volunteer work, which includes founding a nonprofit, Sibling Cities USA, that aims to help bridge regional divides among American cities. The signs outside of Palo Alto City Hall represent the different sister cities Veenker has established.

“My background is in chemistry, so when a lot of climate action revolves around implementing Climate Technology, [they] are things I’m used to learning about,” Veenker said. “Palo Alto is really at the forefront of climate action relative to many other cities, and I’ve held other regional positions outside of the city that drove Palo Alto with the climate action work.”

“ I thought I knew what there is to know about Palo Alto but everyday I learn something new.”

— VICKI VEENKER, Palo Alto Vice Mayor

Some of these climate action plans Veenker works to improve include the City’s Sustainability and Action Plan or S/ CAP, a comprehensive outline laying out the City’s strategy to achieve ambitious carbon reduction goals. Veenker is in charge of making sure goals are met to achieve the overall S/CAP objectives, which also include the 80 by 30 goals, as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

action, Veenker hopes to complete housing projects, including a home electrification project scheduled for this year and development for transitional housing, the teacher housing project, housing for intellectually and developmentally disabled adults and the grid modernization program.

One thing Veenker said she likes about her job and being on City Council is the endless possibility of learning new things about the city.

“We, so far, just have our pilot pair, which is Palo Alto and Bloomington, Ind., which has been just an amazing connection … that’s helped me look at cities and how local groups are similar in different areas, and what roles they play in our daily lives.”

Veenker said that the volunteer work and community projects she’s worked on led her to be more active in policy making. In 2022, Veenker was elected to a four-year term on the Palo Alto City Council. Her current position as vice mayor for the next year is a one-year appointment, serving as her third year of the City Council term.

For her term as vice mayor, Veenker is interested in teacher housing, community health and safety, but most of all climate action.

According to Veenker, communication with other communities is imperative for successful climate action to occur.

“Climate action will take more than just Palo Alto to succeed,” Veenker said. We all have to succeed. So communicating to others, learning from them, showing them our successes and challenges is something that I personally really want to promote.”

In addition to her plans for climate

STEPPING INTO OFFICE — Veenker poses for a photo in front of the City Hall. She has been elected by the City ouncil as vice mayor to serve the 2025 term. “It is a very complex job, but that makes it really fascinating,” Veenker said.

“It is extraordinary what we have just as a city,” Veenker said. “In addition to all the normal city stuff that every city has, we [Palo Alto] own and run a golf course, we have an airport, we own and run all of our own utilities … I’ve lived here since 1992, and I thought I knew what there is to know about Palo Alto, but every day I learn something more. It’s a wonderful city, it’s a privilege to serve, and I will do my best to do a good job.”

v

PAO

Text by LARA SASLOW and STANLEY TANG

Photos by LARA SASLOW

MAGICAL MILESTONE

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF MAGICAL BRIDGE

AT THE GRAND OPENING

of Mountain View’s Magical Bridge playground on Jan. 25, hundreds gathered to celebrate 10 years since the organization’s first playground opened in Palo Alto. The crowd cheered and kids flooded the vibrant accessible play structures as the ceremonial ribbon was cut.

The Palo Alto playground has been a cherished destination, and the Mountain View location makes inclusive play more accessible for families in the area.

Founded by Olenka Steciw Villareal, Magical Bridge began with a simple vision: to provide children of all abilities a place to play.

Today, the organization designs and creates playgrounds for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

nity, but it needs to translate to our schools, to the job force.”

Villareal said that there have not been other playgrounds in the area that have had the same focus as Magical Bridge.

“It’s a little bittersweet that 10 years in, we are still the only public playground that is creating thoughtful places for the community,” Villareal said. “So we wish there were more, but until such time, we’ll keep doing what we’re doing.”

Magical Bridge is set to create more playgrounds, including one for the Morgan Autism Center, one in Daly City, one in Marin County and three in Singapore.

Thida Cornes, the Mountain View Los Altos High School District’s vice president, was at the opening event.

“This is very meaningful to me, to have it in the community, as a person with a disability, and [with] a kid with a disability, we played in the Palo Alto Magical Bridge and we really wanted to bring one to Mountain View,” she said.

District 24 Assemblymember Marc Berman gave a speech at the event.

“ Be smiley, be welcoming, be inclusive, that’s what kindness is.”

— HARRIET STERN, Curator of Community Kindness at Magical Bridge

“The Magical Bridge tends to attract about 20,000 guests every month, and over the course of 10 years, that hasn’t changed,” Villareal said. “That means people want a place like this.”

Villareal said she started Magical Bridge so that her two daughters, one of whom is disabled, could have a place to play together.

“We’ve really created something special and beyond my personal family,” she said. “This is a very large group of people that we now serve that are still overlooked in designs of public places [and] programs. The playground is the first step, or first place where you feel part of your commu-

“In a time when there’s so much anxiety in the community, when there’s so much division in the community, to have something like the Magical Bridge playground where everybody, of all abilities and all ethnicities and all walks of life, can come in and have some joy and also learn and interact with people that are different from them is exactly what I think our community, our state, our nation needs more of,” Berman told Verde after his speech.

For many, including those directly involved in the organization, Magical Bridge is more than just a playground — it’s a space for inclusion and connection.

Harriet Stern is a Palo Alto High School parent and part of the Magical Bridge staff.

Stern’s journey at Magical Bridge be-

gan with her son, who became a Kindness Ambassador at age 12 after having a positive experience at the park, where he currently facilitates events and activities for the organization.

“He was really happy to be with kids who were different from him, and he really recognized the value and friendship with kids who are different from him,” she said.

Due to a staff shortage during COVID, Stern became a part-time employee as the Curator of Community Kindness; she finds people who might be interested in volunteering some of their time to Magical Bridge.

“I’ve tried to create a community of volunteers who could be volunteers for all of Palo Alto, for whatever you need,” Stern said. “If you need anybody to help with any activity then you can contact Magical Bridge and we would impart kindness, impart our good behavior. Really that’s what it is. Be smiley, be welcoming, be inclusive, that’s what kindness is.”

Stern said that Magical Bridge’s 10year milestone marks a decade of creating opportunities for both children and adults with disabilities to play in places previously inaccessible to them.

“Olenka started Magical Bridge out of necessity, but now it’s just a matter of education, and it’s really come a long way in 10 years to educate people about how to have an inclusive play space,” she said. v

SPREADING KINDNESS (TOP) — At the opening of the new playground on Jan. 25, Harriet Stern explains an activity to a child. “It’s getting more inclusive at every single playground everywhere,” she said.

WORDS OF WISDOM (BOTTOM LEFT)

— Olenka Steciw Villareal speaks at the event. “Quality over quantity, is what I say. So we’re trying to represent quality and bring people together,” she said.

FAMILY FRIENDLY (BOTTOM RIGHT)

— Eddie, a local resident, enjoys the new park with his daughter. “I have three kids. We know the Magical Bridge from Palo Alto, it’s a really nice park. So we came for the ceremony and [to] hang out,” he said.

Text by STEFAN ERIKSSON and RYAN SAKET

SpongeBob Spectacle

STUDENTS

WORK DILLIGENTLY ON THE UPCOMING MUSICAL

WHEN ENTERING THE

Haymarket’s wood shop, there is a strong smell of sawdust, clanging of hammers, grinding of saws and scratching of sanders.

Theater students are crammed into a small shed-like classroom working meticulously on creating props for this year’s musical, “The SpongeBob Musical,” to be performed April 24-27.

differences in plot, Paly’s production of SpongeBob is distinct beecause of it’s music.

“We’re encouraging people to use their voices, which is a huge part of musicals.”

— MICHAEL NAJAR, musical vocal coach

“The SpongeBob Musical” will be based on the Nickelodeon cartoons, but will feature variations to make it a performance unique to Palo Alto High School.

Sarah Thermond, the program director of the performance, says that while lots of the characters and overall plot remain the same, some things differ from the original Spongebob cartoons.

“It’s definitely a new story that I think leans into a little bit more kind of satire and making fun of the town politics than the cartoon usually does,” Thermond said. “There’s a whole sequence where there’s a rock band that shows up that is not present in the cartoon at all, so it adds some fun characters there. Patrick Star ends up with a cult following at some point, and that’s not from the cartoon.”

Thermond said in addition to the

“Instead of a usual musical having someone who composes the music and lyrics, the people who wrote the script actually reached out to a bunch of different pop and rock bands and asked them to write songs for the show,” Thermond said. “So you’ve got like Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie, Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, the Plain White Tees and a bunch of other ones. It’s also very different from the cartoon in that it’s kind of also a tour of a bunch of different musical styles.”

Sophomore Cameron Richards plays Mr. Krabs in the show. Richards says that most of the rehearsals are currently focused on vocals because they are so early in the process.

“

“Probably 90 percent of our rehearsals are vocal rehearsals, and it’s sort of just getting all the ensembles to know the different harmonies, and then have the main characters know their parts,” Richards said. “That’s the biggest lift for me, probably just because it can be very demanding for your voice and your

vocal health can degrade over time.”

To help with the process, Paly choir teacher and vocal coach Michael Najar said he tries to instill enthusiasm for the music into the actors.

“We’re encouraging people to use their voices, which is a huge part of musicals,” Najar said.

Najar said the goal is to see the actors start taking on the life of their characters as they start to master the vocal aspect of the musical, as it gets closer to showtime.

It is mostly a funny show, but it also makes some pretty interesting statements.”

— SARAH THEREMOND, Musical Program Director

“When you get closer to the end of a musical, the students know more of the music, and they start becoming the characters,” Najar said. “Learning the music and becoming the character is an ongoing process all the way up until the opening night.”

Richards said that every actor has a

different process of transforming into their character.

“For every actor, I think it’s different,” Richards said. “For me, I like to do about half and half, sort of an internal, how are you feeling in the scene, sort of textual analysis, and then the other half is sort of just getting up there and trying things out.”

There is also a lot of work going on behind the scenes.

The costume department, the hair and make-up department, the lighting department, the props department, the sound department and the deck crew all play vital roles in the musical.

These departments are responsible for designing the sets, props and costumes among many other things.

Stage manager junior Omkar Perinkulam oversees everything having to do with the technical side and collaborates directly with the program director.

“I am calling the show, giving instructions to the soundboard. … I give out the cues to the deck crew to execute set chang-

es,” Perinkulam said. “I am at most of the rehearsals, taking notes on things.”

Another important role is the deck crew, which is in charge of moving various props onto the stage during the musical.

Sophomore deck crew member Wyatt Saxon explained his responsibilities.

““I do a lot of moving around stuff,” Saxon said. “I operate the fly rail, which is how we raise and lower things [props] during the musical.”

Thermond said she is looking forward to the musical.

It’s definitely a new story that I think leans into a little bit more kind of satire and making fun of the town.”

—SARAH THEREMOND, Musical Program Director

Perinkulam said that most people on the crew are currently spending about two and a half hours per week on the musical.

He says that the workload for the crew ramps up as the musical grows closer, sometimes up to six hours per day.

“I think it’s the weird balance of everything,” she said. “It is mostly a funny show, but it also makes some pretty interesting statements. … There are definitely jokes that are meant for an older audience, even though it’s accessible for a younger audience. I think the show has a lot more going on in it than people might be expecting, and it’s kind of fun to do a musical that people don’t already know.”

Richards encoouraged students to come to the show.

“It’s a really fun show,” Richards said. “It’ll be a little goofy, but I hope everybody comes to see it if you can.” v

SWINGING ARMS — Actors in the musical enthusiastically rehearse as they practice one of the many dances. Photo: Ryan Saket

FIERY ARTS TEACHER GROWS PROGRAM FROM FIRE TO FORM

FOR PALO ALTO HIGH school

visual arts teacher Michael Da Ponte, teaching wasn’t exactly a pathway he envisioned pursuing.

“I kinda fell … into that [job],” he said.

Da Ponte originally studied design in college, with an internship lined up after graduation with the Blackhawks, a hockey team. But in senior year, he discovered his true passion — glassblowing.

“I derailed my plans and stayed [in college] a couple of years to learn glass,” Da Ponte said.

After graduating, he taught glassblowing at a Chicago high school for 12 years. Over the summer, a new opportunity presented itself — teaching at Paly.

“I got fed up with my old school and the admin there, then this job showed up,” Da Ponte said. “It was a unique chance to take over a program and make it my own.”

One of Da Ponte’s first challenges at Paly has been garnering enough interest in the glassblowing program. As much as Da Ponte enjoys glassblowing, he recognizes that the process may be a hard sell for some students.

lifting-glass-into-kiln action, but also allows kids to implement other forms of art.

“There will be more variety for kids that don’t want to get hot, sweaty, and gross in the shop,” Da Ponte said. “We’ll also layer the knowledge and have more techniques that kids can go off of.”

In his free time, Da Ponte is an artist himself.

“The current stuff I’ve been making is typography — the use of letters and characters in graphic design,” Da Ponte said. “I make letters into these huge glass figures, and use them to tell a narrative about my identity and who I am as a person.”

“There’s a lot of artists who are good at what they do, but they can’t teach.”

— MICHAEL DA PONTE, Palo Alto High School Visual arts and design teacher

“It’s physical and really hot,” Da Ponte said. “You get sweaty and kinda gross — not everyone wants to do that.”

Da Ponte plans to create a more inclusive curriculum — one which not only offers opportunities for students to partake in the glassblowing process without hands-on,

Da Ponte said he doesn’t believe in favorite artworks.

For him, the process is most valuable.

“It’s less about the object I’m making, and more about the intimate relationship I have with it,” Da Ponte said.

“Every piece I make, I spend anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple months making it. By the time I’m done, I’m ready to move on.’”

Da Ponte finds solace not from fixating on past works, but from constantly

looking forward to his next artistic pursuit.

“My favorite piece is probably the next piece I make, because it’s always like, ‘what’s new, what’s coming, what’s exciting,’” Da Ponte said.

As an artist, Da Ponte recognizes that sometimes, coming up with an idea is the hardest part of the artistic process.

“I think it’s my job to show my students that I struggle just as much as they do with ideas sometimes,” Da Ponte said. “You need to figure out how to move past those hardships and setbacks.”

Creating art is one thing — teaching it is a whole different story.

For Da Ponte, one of the greatest difficulties of teaching has been juggling his innate artistic taste with his responsibility as an educator to accommodate the creative visions of students.

“There’s a lot of artists who are good at what they do, but can’t teach,” Da Ponte said. “If you can do both, you’re in this cool middle ground. It’s a weird thing to teach — art’s very personal, and it takes over your life when you’re a professional.” v

FIRE AND GLASS — Michael Da Ponte, Palo Alto High School visual arts and design teacher, holds up a finished vase over a flame while helping a student in his PRIME class. “I enjoy the process, and I enjoy making these ideas I have into tangible realities,” he said.

Photo by LILO SAYAG

THE STATE OF THE UNION

STUDENTS’ ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE AMERICA

WITH TRUMP’S re-election, radical executive orders being signed, threats to deport thousands, if not millions of Americans from their homes and growing concerns over privacy as big tech progressively increases its hold over social media, there’s never been a more contentious time to be American. Politically,

Ethan Avena, sophomore

TRUMP

economically and socially, the country is changing at a rate unprecedented in history, leaving Americans wondering where they’ll be when the dust has settled — and for some, whether they still have a place in this country or not.

As we reach the halfway point of the decade and the country continues to shift with the tides, America’s meaning to its citizens continues to evolve as well.

And for students who will soon make up the countries workforce and electorate, these changes will shape the way they view America and bring adjustments for the decades to come.

This month, Verde asked Palo Alto High School students what word they’d use to describe their country. These are the responses they gave us. v

Ilai Ziv, junior

“That’s who everyone’s looking at right now —- how he got voted into presidency, his controversies, the fact that he’s in charge of the nation, what he’ll do, what he’s gonna bring, how he’s gonna change America, what America will look like under him.”

Ana Castilho, senior DIVERSITY

“I think America is a very diverse place. … It’s very inclusive, and people are very accepting of each other and very different from each other. I feel like self expression is something people value a lot here. And you have a space, kind of like a stage to externalize who you are, in whatever way you wish for.”

Photo: Otto Kiss Meyerfreund

“The greatest empire to ever exist. Gonna get a lot cleaner with the new presidency. I love it here with the diversity, a lot of opportunity for growth, a lot of job opportunities, a lot of people want to move here.”

Photo: Ethan Zhang

Nathan Jiang, senior AMAZING

FREEDOM

“My parents grew up in China, which had a really rigid school system that doesn’t allow for many opportunities outside of taking the gaokao [high school exam]. … What I think makes America very unique is the diversity of voices, and the fact that we are immigrants, we are differ- ent. And I think that’s what makes us unique.”

Photo: Ethan Zhang

Photo: Ethan Zhang

Text by NATHALIA ARIAS

Mac Echoes of

CELEBRATING MILLER’S POSTHUMOUS ALBUM

I“F I DIE YOUNG, promise to smile at my funeral,” Mac Miller sings on “Balloonerism,” his second posthumous album, released on Jan. 17, seven years after his death in 2018.

“Balloonerism” was largely created and recorded in 2014 — around the same time as his album “Faces,” which was released in May 2014. Even so, this album has been looming over fans for years. With leaks and snippets of the songs surfacing on the internet on platforms such as SoundCloud and YouTube, fans had some ideas of what might be on the album.

mental and unusual sound draws listeners into what is to come next.

Next is a track titled “DJ’d Chord Organ (feat. SZA).” This track opens with soft and nostalgic notes played on a chord organ. It isn’t until 53 seconds into the song that we get the hard-hitting vocals of SZA and Miller, unfolding the story of someone in a panicked state running away.

“We believe the project showcases both the breadth of his musical talent and fearlessness as an artist.”

On the fifth anniversary of Miller’s first posthumous album, “Circles,” fans got the official, high-quality version of “Balloonerism.” With features from artists like Dylan Reynolds and SZA, some fans are saying it is his best work.

— @92tilinfinity, Mac Miller’s estate

The track “5 Dollar Pony Rides,” released as a single, is a more playful listen. The upbeat jazz-funk sound makes this song about fleeting pressure catchy, but the lyrics are still deep. Miller talks about the back-and-forth between him and a girl, saying “Let me give you what you want, ooh and maybe later, what you need.”

The album opens with an unusual 33-second track titled “Tambourine Dream,” featuring only the sound of a tambourine with no vocals. The experi-

He continues explaining how they are just wasting each other’s time while reminiscing over memories they share, like kissing underneath the rain clouds and staying out late.

A standout track is “Stoned.” In this song, Miller is telling someone a story

about a girl he knows who uses marijuana to escape reality. Miller sings about how she is depressed, watching sad movies and getting lost in her thoughts. Without the power to help her, he joins her in her sorrows and they get “stoned” together. He sings about things that he notices about her, saying “she hates that she cries when she’s all by herself, and she is always all by herself.”

What makes this song stand out is the layering of sounds. Miller sings lyrics followed by other people’s comments to the story like “no way” and “always.”

Another example is when he talks about how she locks herself in the bathroom and you can hear the layered sounds of him knocking, trying to get in.

Many of Miller’s albums have underlying messages of death and drug use, as Miller has always been open about drugs, addiction and their effect on his life. For example, the song “Mrs. Deborah Downer” refers to downer drugs, and in the album “Faces,” made around the same time, the first track opens with the line “Shoulda died already.”

Since “Ballonerism” was released after his death, many lyrics have had an impactful message on the fans’ listening, as they mirror Miller’s death of an accidental drug overdose. One lyric that was

shocking to hear was on the track “Funny Papers.” Miller sings, “Somebody died today. … Didn’t think anybody died on a Friday” and Miller died on a Friday at the young age of 26.

Posthumous releases are not uncommon in the music industry, with albums like Amy Winehouse’s “Lioness: Hidden Treasures,” Jeff Buckley’s “Sketches For My Sweetheart The Drunk” and Selena’s “Dreaming of You.” However, this can be controversial as record labels continue to make money off of artists even after their deaths.

On one side, the fans of these artists would love to have more music and continue to appreciate their sound. Others argue that music released posthumously is unethical because the artist should have full consent and knowledge of what is being put out in their name.

After Miller’s death in 2018, his estate has been in the hands of his mother and brother, who authorized the release of the album.

According to the Instagram account @92tilinfinity run by the owners of his estate, Miller’s mother and brother said in a post “Releasing Balloonerism was something that Malcolm frequently expresses being important to him…We [owners of his estate] believe the project

showcases both the breadth of his musical talents and fearlessness as an artist.”

Shaurya Thummalapalli, a freshman at Palo Alto High School, said he thinks that the release of “Balloonerism” was a good addition to Miller’s discography, even if released after his death.

“Their label just uses them for money,” Thummalapalli said. “But I feel like Mac Miller’s label is really just putting out music for the fans.” v Art by KEIRA LING

STUDENTS SHARE THEIR UNSPOKEN DIALOGUE ANONYMOUSLY

HOVERING OVER THE delete button is something we all have done. Will you regret what will happen if the message is sent?

The Unsent Message Project, first created by Rora Blue in 2015, is a website that displays anonymous digital messages to first loves on colored square backdrops.

According to the Unsent Message Project website, “The term first love is open to interpretation and messages have been submitted to lovers, best friends, exes, parents, siblings, and even pets … The Unsent Project aims to provide an emotional outlet for those that need it.”

Since its release, the website has gathered over five million responses from peo-

ple all over the world.

In 2022, Verde conducted its own version of this project, sending out a Google form with the prompt “Submit any message to someone else on campus, indicate the recipient’s first initial, and then choose the color you associate with the message.”

This year, Verde decided to run the project again with the prompt “Submit any message (anonymously) saying something you wish you would have said to someone else on campus.”

From Jan. 27 to Feb. 6, Verde put up QR code posters around Palo Alto High School along with a Schoology message with the link to an anonymous form.

A note: “All messages will be filtered through for hateful and threatening words

and phrases towards a person or group,” was put on both the form and poster for students to follow.

Many of the responses Verde received surround the theme of love and friendship even though not explicitly instructed to do so.

From this survey, it is clear that many messages left unsent are messages of appreciation, yet they are left unsent for fear of conflict or consequences.

Below is a collection of the student responses. All messages were kept in their raw, unedited form with the colored backdrops chosen by the sender. 18 of the 32 responses are displayed in our print issue, while the rest can be found digitally on verdemagazine.com. v

I’m sorry

You are the light of my life!! I never knew it was possible to miss someone in advance until I started thinking about what college will be like without you.

right person wrong time what a sad turnout just know if i couldve i wouldve

I love you so much you’re the sweetest person ever and you’ve really taught me what friendship is

I’m sorry that I’m awkward around you — I never know where our friendship stands. Still, I care about you and wish you all the best, always <3

you are my best friend, even if i’m not yours. so glad we met freshmen year.

wish we were still friends

Every hour with you passes quicker then the last, the best present you could give me is waking up to your face

Always thought you were so beautiful, I’m so grateful that I’ve gotten to know you and I hope we can get closer.

You’ve been my friend since middle school and we’ve slowly started to grow apart, I hope we continue to connect after high school and hope you find your place in the real world.

I wish you could have just talked to me Y S K S J L W A A E C A

I miss us before you changed

Text by CHRIS JEON and RYAN SAKET

Why is the NBA

FANS SHOULD LET GO OF THE PAST AND SHIFT

THEIR ATTENTION TO THE NEXT ERA OF STARS

TOO MANY three-pointers. Poor referee decisions. Soft players. Although individuals may have different reasons for their opinions, there is one thing most basketball fans can agree on: The NBA is declining.

As a result, we believe many of the complaints regarding the league’s decline in viewership include a lack of defensive effort and an excess number of player absences, on top of the significant emphasis on threepoint shooting.

These grievances are valid, as the number of three-point attempts per game has increased from 22.4 shots per game during the 2014-2015 season to 37.4 shots today, according to StatMuse.

And while it’s reasonable to blame these issues for the NBA’s decline, we do not believe they are the root of the problem as the quality of play has not sig

attracted an average of around 11 million viewers per game on ABC. These NBA Finals featured top stars Nikola Jokic, Jayson Tatum and Luka Dončić, but they have not brought nearly the same level of excitement as the NBA Finals from 2015 to 2017 which averaged over 20 million viewers per game on ABC, according to Statista. This three-year period featured showdowns between Curry’s Golden State Warriors and James’ Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals, garnering the highest average viewers in the past twenty years and significantly expanding the league’s audience.

Despite the presence of multiple generational talents today, NBA ratings are down 17% from 2023 to 2024 for the league’s national partners TNT, ESPN and ABC, according to CNBC Sport. The NBA’s current situation is very similar to when basketball legend Kobe Bryant was on the verge of retirement, during which tons of viewers had their eyes on Curry and James as the next faces of the league. With today’s

young stars making history and rivaling their performances, why shouldn’t fans do the same now?

One notable player who isn’t appreciated enough is San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. Standing at an astonishing 7 feet 4 inches, Wembanyama possesses an 8-foot wingspan and is a deadly threepoint shooter. Wembanyama is also leading the NBA in blocks and showcasing a style of basketball none have seen before, and will undoubtedly play a major part in the league’s future.

Another great young player entering his prime is Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who is currently the front-runner to win the MVP award. Gilgeous-Alexander has virtually no flaws in his game, with a

FALLING OFF?

Despite their amazing highlights and statistics, fans don’t look up to these players the same way they did with Curry and James. We believe that nostalgia and glorification of the past prevent them from properly acknowledging the new generation’s achievements and idolizing them in the same way.

Palo Alto High School sophomore Conrad Lui, an avid NBA fan, said he can’t see Wembanyama or Gilgeous-Alexander becoming legends of the same level as Curry and James.

“Neither Shai nor Wembanyama will likely ever reach LeBron and Steph’s legendary status,” Lui said. “Those two changed the game forever, while Shai’s playstyle isn’t transcendent, and Wembanyama still has a long way to go despite his incredible potential.”

Lui says he doesn’t consider Gilgeous-Alexander a remarkable player because he leans on free throws to score points.

about him getting an and-one while flopping, or trying to draw contact.”

We believe the influence of social media on viewers’ perceptions is another major reason for the NBA’s decline. While Gilgeous-Alexander does shoot many free throws, most of them are due to the fact that defenders can’t guard him and are forced to foul him. But because there is a false narrative on social media that he flops and foul baits, many fans do not appreciate his skill. Before being consumed by these narratives, fans should, as Gilgeous-Alexander’s star teammate Jalen Williams said, “Just watch the games.”

“

before turning 25, according to StatMuse. A triple-double is where a player records double digits in three statistical categories. But this trade elevated his public exposure to another level, portraying the massively greater reach trade headlines have compared to on-court performances.

Paly sophomore Jayden Dhaliwal commented on how the masses gravitate towards drama surrounding players rather than appreciating their performances.

I do think sports fans in general tend to get caught up in the headlines and what’s eye-catching.”

Another example of social media dictating fans’ perceptions is the situation involving Dončić, where it was announced on Feb. 2 he was being traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, according to ESPN. Dončić is considered an NBA su perstar by most fans and has many accomplishments deserving of praise. He has the second most triple-doubles in NBA history

— JAYDEN DHALIWAL, sophomore

“I do think sports fans in general tend to get caught up in the headlines and what’s eye-catching,” Dhaliwal said. “One of my cousins said he doesn’t like the trade because Luka’s unathletic and fat, yet another media headline that people consume. What people, including my cousin, don’t see, are the ridiculous stat-lines and impossible records that a 25-year-old Slovenian accomplished, which even some of the best in the game

The fact is, although beloved stars are getting older, the NBA is in the hands of several exceptional players who will make great strides and undoubtedly become basketball icons. Even if all-time greats like Curry and James transformed the game, it doesn’t justify ignoring the new generation. We get it, the “good old days” are fun to look back on, but if you stay stuck in the past, you’ll miss what’s right in front of you. v

MOVING ON

HOW I REDEFINED MY LOVE FOR SOCCER

MY ALARM BUZZED in the early morning. I got up out of bed and put on my away game jersey before embarking on a quiet hour’s drive to my game in Half Moon Bay. With each minute getting closer to kickoff, my excitement grew. As the game started, I slowly got into my groove, staying calm and waiting for opportunities to appear. Finally, I was able to seize the moment and score a goal to keep my team in contention for our league title.

For the past five years, many of my weekend mornings followed a similar routine involving my club soccer matches. That lasted until last year when I ultimately decided to quit the sport.

As a child growing up in Brazil, a soccer-dominated country, I surprisingly hated the sport. Up until I was 10 years old, I refused multiple attempts from my mom to get me to join my school’s soccer team and socialized mostly with people who also disliked the sport.

tournament, we spent hours sitting in front of the TV, watching and discussing all the games together.

After that winter, I finally enrolled in my school’s team and a club team, and I began playing and watching soccer at any opportunity I had.

Right after I fell in love with the game, I started spending hours looking at statistics from games around the world, watching my favorite players’ highlights on YouTube and watching every game I could with my dad.

During the 2019 Copa America, which was held in Brazil, I attended the opening match between Brazil and Bolivia with one of my cousins and my uncle. Later, my parents even organized a watch party for me to watch the final between Brazil and Peru with my friends.

The years of my life that followed were filled with change; I moved countries, I had to make new friends and I had to adapt to a new environment. But, through all that, one of the few consistent things in my life was my love for playing and watching soccer.

When I first arrived in the U.S., I began bonding with a lot of people over our mutual love for soccer, which made it a lot easier for me to adapt to a new environment.

I began feeling a huge societal pressure to quit the sport because I wasn’t going to play in college

However, during the 2018 World Cup, my soccer-obsessed cousin from Florida came to visit us in Brazil, and after witnessing his passion for the game firsthand, I also fell in love. During the

Despite changing teams after moving, soccer was still an activity I could rely on to excite me and bring me happiness, regardless of where I was and with who I was. So much so that a soccer team was one of the first things I joined after moving.

On top of that, soccer was also something that allowed me to stay connected

to Brazilian culture; it allowed me to stay connected to friends back home by prompting conversations about games. Almost every day, it gave me an opportunity to hear Portuguese and learn about current Brazilian cultural news through soccer social media pages.

Over the next four years, I continued developing my skills playing for Palo Alto Soccer Club, where I made a lot of friends and built one of my first communities in the U.S.

During my junior year, however, I began feeling out of touch with the game. I still enjoyed playing, but practices had become less exciting and felt more like a burden on my life.

On top of that, I began feeling huge societal pressure to quit the sport because I wasn’t going to play in college. That pressure came in part from friends in school who had begun their recruitment process and teammates who also quit soccer to focus on school.

I remember seeing people around me at school who had huge aspirations to play in college, making me feel like I was spending all this time on something that wouldn’t help me in college or getting

a job. And, though this had already become clear years prior, the growing pressure to perform well in school made me feel like playing soccer was nothing but a “waste of time,” which also contributed to my feeling of disconnect with the game.

So, after discussing with my parents, in the latter half of my junior year, I decided to stop playing soccer. I didn’t enroll with my club for the upcoming season, and just like that, I quit the sport.

At first, all the free time felt amazing; I really enjoyed all the freedom and opportunities that I had. I also thought that the extra time to focus on academics helped me, but not as much as I thought it would. My afternoons were so empty that sometimes it was hard for me to focus on school, instead getting distracted by more exciting things.

However, as time passed, I began to miss the competitiveness of the sport. I still played soccer with friends and watched it as much as I could, but I really missed the community and the competitiveness that I had with club soccer.

That was until the end of my junior year when I found a solution to keep the fun of the sport, as well as my freedom. Between the struggle of AP exams and preparations for finals week, one of my friends from my old soccer team invited me to a simple “pickup match,” which I attended.

The match, which was played on a linesless grass field rather than a regular turf soccer field, consisted of around

40 players, ranging from ages 12 and up to people in their 70s. This transformed the sport which I previously considered highly competitive into a more casual pastime, with the sole purpose of being enjoyed.

I continued attending these pickup league games twice a week for the entirety of the time I was home during the summer and the beginning of my senior year.

Participating in these games helped me realize how fulfilling it can be to do things without heavy expectations or goals.

I feel like much of the reason I wasn’t enjoying club soccer was because I felt like I wasn’t meeting the societal expectations of being at a level where I could be recruited for college.

At pickup, I didn’t have any of these expectations on me, which was freeing. I could play with intensity and passion, but I didn’t have to give the same commitment or play with the same expectations as I previously had.

Joining these pickup games reminded me that soccer, like all sports, is, at its core, simply meant to be a fun and joyful activity.

However, in today’s world, especially in the Bay Area, we put a lot of pressure on teenagers to perform in their sports and secure college recruitments without realizing that doing that can ruin the excitement and joy of sports.

Today, though, I still miss the fun that comes with competitive soccer. I’ve been able to replace that with playing the sport simply for enjoyment, without any big goals or aspirations.

Overall, this entire experience taught me the value of doing things simply for the sake of having fun instead of seeking achievements and glory.

It made me realize that not everything in life has to be done with an end goal in mind. I believe that this perspective on life is something we lack nowadays, and I encourage more people my age to pursue doing things that simply make them happy, especially in sports. v

SOCCER SPRINTS — I sprint to to receive a through ball in a rainy game for my club soccer team, Palo Alto Soccer Club, in Santa Cruz. Photo courtesy of Victor Meyerfreund

Palo Alto Unified School District

Palo Alto High School

50 Embarcadero Road

Palo Alto, CA, 94301