Issuu

UpIn TheAir

Meet The Team Meet The Team

EDITING

Gwen Garcia ‘27

Ixchel Roman Medina ‘27

DESIGN

Mila Halvorson ‘26

Michaela Watson ‘28

Victoria Galvan ‘28

Briana Alcazar Pulido ‘29

PUBLICITY

Monica Huynh ‘28

Isabella Horst ‘28

Ria Carr ‘28

Lilly Hamby ‘28

Victoria Galvan ‘28

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Inanna Arsova-Klejnot ‘26

Hayley Smith ‘26

Table of Contents Table of Contents

3 Cake Day

Gwen Garcia

4 Multiple Selves

Inanna Arsova-Klejnot

5 Crib

Ally Patterson

6 American Dream, or a New American Nightmare?

Lauren Castiglione

10 Red Ribbon Week

Michaela Watson

11 AP Art Fake Cake Features -----------------------------

Gwen Garcia

Amelia Sablad

Mae Tureson

Helena He

Gracelyn Tysee

Sofia Sisitski

Kaelyn Saner

Elizabeth Cabrera ------------------------------

18 OLP Literary & Arts

Varinia Campos

19 Cherry Jubilee

Arianna Moore

20 The Love of A Friend

Blythe Hanson

21 Nine Months Without You

Isabella Reggev

22 Where’s Your Head At

Mae Tureson

23 Starry-Eyed

Nora Montemayor

23 Introspective

Nora Montemayor

24 Happy Birthday to Me

Nora Montemayor

24 Avatar Nora Montemayor

25 The Sweet Street

Maya Pace

26 Full Flower Moon Cake

Ria Carr

27 Pretty Innana Arsova-Klejnot

28 Spark Julie Higuera

29 The Mask of Puzzles

Abigail Gant

32 A Sweet Feeling

Veronica Konecke-Terrazas

33 Field in Spring

Sofia Sisitki

American American American Dream or a Dream or a Dream or a New New New Nightmare? Nightmare? Nightmare?

Lauren Castiglione ‘27

We are all familiar with the patriotic slogan “The American Dream,” the belief that in America, anything is possible. For centuries, the United States has been associated with the rags-to-riches ideal; that is, working one ' s way up the ladder from nothing to achieving financial wealth is an achievable goal. Americans have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, a luxury that not everyone has. We take pride in the fact that we are free to make our greatest life goals come true. If you apply yourself diligently and work unflaggingly, you can create a stable and substantial life for yourself. While this paradisiacal ideal is appealing, is it still just as possible today? Or was it likely to occur in the first place?

The familiar phrase originated in colonial times to promote the idea that the Western' New World’ offered brand-new opportunities for freedom and self-made wealth (for white

men, of course). The birth of the new country, where citizens were governed by people, for the people, laid the foundation for fresh chances. People migrated from far and wide to start over and make a life for themselves. At this time, the dream was obtainable for some, but nowhere near achievable for marginalized groups such as women, enslaved African peoples, and Indigenous peoples. Later on, as the Industrial Revolution emerged, the American Dream became further desired as the new era paved the way for the first millionaires. Such immense personal wealth was unheard of, and yet, what everyone longed for. Still, poverty skyrocketed, prejudice continued, and any hopes of living in a life of luxury were out of reach. Between the early days of the Industrial Revolution (1870) and 1910, millions migrated to America, driven by the promise of economic opportunity. Between 1914 and 1945, two world wars took place, as well as the Great Depression, leaving the U.S. in a fragile state. Following World War II, America regained economic stability, enabling more people to climb the economic ladder. About a decade later, segregation was abolished, opening up more opportunities for African Americans. After this, America was truly known as the land of the free, attracting asylum seekers. Since then, over 70 million people have immigrated to the U.S., chasing the American Dream, where they could build a better life, create a home, and be free to live as they pleased.

Fast forward to today, and the American Dream is not what it used to be. The dream of owning a house and having no financial worries is a far-fetched aspiration. A combination of inflation, a high cost of living, student loans, and overall escalating prices contributes to the hardships faced by modern U.S. citizens. Over the past 20 years, housing prices have risen by approximately 65% and rent has increased by 36%. Basic amenities like food and gas are now a luxury that not everyone can afford. People with average incomes can hardly manage to bestow the bare minimum. Over 26 million U.S. residents cannot afford even basic healthcare. The national debt is at an all-time high of $36.22 trillion and continues to grow by the minute. In 2024, it was reported that approximately 771,480 Americans were experiencing homelessness, an 18% growth from the previous year. Pay gap-wise, women are paid on average 83 cents for every man’s dollar, and Black and Hispanic households make 33.3% less than White households. As a result of the chaotic state of the economy, more members of the younger generation are choosing not to have children, not to attend college, and not to purchase property.

While our sweet home America is full of opportunities and freedoms, it is clear that it isn’t so gracious to all. The financial chaos that none of us created hits us hard every day for the rest of our lives. Now, Americans aren’t fantasizing

about getting rich; they are hoping to simply get by. A new dream has emerged: to seek a life elsewhere, in a country that can better meet the needs of its people. The United States is no longer the utopia it once promised to be. While it is still possible to fulfill one ’ s needs and desires, it often requires more luck, hard work, and favorable circumstances to achieve. The harsh reality is that what was once the American dream has evolved into a financial struggle for many.

Michaela Watson ‘28

Cherry Cherry Cherry Jubilee Jubilee Jubilee

Ariana Moore ‘29 Ariana Moore ‘29

Her love is sweet

Like cherry jubilee

On a midsummer’s day, Quick to melt

Her love is vibrant

Like saltwater taffy, Of memories heartfelt That deceived my lens of reality. Her love is soft like meringue, Ephemeral, delicate, and quick to collapse. Her love is tangy like the lemon gummies that Pierce my mouth with its sourness and bitter aftertaste. Her love is like the white chocolate that Lacks soul like white chocolate lacks cacao, yet still easy to indulge. Her love is like caramel that brings promises of comfort and warmth, yet clings to me, leaving reminders of the way things used to be.

Her love is like a sweet shop, evoking contentment and solace with the sight of such delicacies

Yet like her love, the sweets are fleeting, doomed; bringing only temporary ease before leaving me with empty calories. Those things I should have seen. Those things I should have realized Those things I should have noticed, But only denied.

Because at some point, Her love was sweet like cherry jubilee on a midsummer’s day.

I don't hate how you disappeared Nine months

Long enough to forget my voice

Long enough for the silence to become intentional

I don't hate how I memorized your absence That checking my phone became muscle memory

I don't hate the excuses I made for you, Telling myself you were busy, healing, or changing Anything except honest

I don't hate that you left without a word, No explanation, no warning, Just gone, like I wasn't worth a sentence

I don't hate how you left without a goodbye Without a fight

Without even the decency of an explanation

I don't hate the memories Or laughs that still echo When I least expect them to

What I hate Is that I miss you On days when I swear I don't

That I’ll save things I'll never send

That losing you wasn't loud or dramatic Just quiet enough to hurt longer

And the worst part After nine months of nothing I don't hate you

Not even close

Not even a little bit

Not at all

Where’syourheadat? Where’syourheadat?

Introspective

Avatar

BHappyirthday To Me

The Sweet Street

Carr ‘28

Talking with my mom in a language of flowers

Petals twisting and twirling above our heads the sweet smell of cake

vanilla and sugar and lavender

Floats from the oven the alarm rings and I sing “it’s done!”

we open the door and exclaim with delight we pull the cake out golden like a wildflower too impatient to let it cool we frost it right on she opens her hand and reveals the most important part of the cake: Sprinkles!

stars, circles, spirals pink, blue, green they sparkle and shine catching the light

The cake is blossoming in a full flower moon

Ria

ing? raight ucentbleach, hrough, withshinytips, , dgapingthighs, ndyellowtans, ves, rywhere dstheyhave ts agel, ry, wrists withthebleedingpromiseof belonging.

Spark Spark

Behold! I am the hearth of the home you call your body

Hold me in your bloody palms,

I am warm, am I not?

Compare me to sun-kissed dandelions

And melted cherry snow cones

I am what keeps you, and the hundreds of creatures that breathe within you, alive!

In your grasp, I pulse and twitch-

You are very cold, have you been told?

I don’t understand

If you grow any colder, we won’t make it home

And those whose eyes spark when they see you Will definitely despair, certainly so

So place me in your chest cavity

Feel the warmth in your chest,

And I’ll feel the liver, lungs, bones, and all sayHello!

I’ll guide you to see their sparks

With them you’ll wash your hands of our blood

And we’ll go home

We’ll go home

The Masks of Puzzles

Saturday, June 6th: It was an exciting night out in San Jose, California, illuminated by the lights of Downtown and the laughter of people having a good time. It was a very particular night for a specific group of friends from Abraham Lincoln High Everyone seemed to know them, and they had no known enemies, as they got along with almost everyone who interacted with them. The group of five laughed and walked down the lamplit streets, having fun and being a typical high school friend group. Kent Dodd, the oldest at 16, and seemingly the most immature of the group, was walking backward in front of the others, his messy, dirty blond hair falling slightly in front of his pale blue eyes. Katrina and Frankie McIntyre, the sisters, both 15 and 3 months, walked side by side, glaring at each other.

“Will they EVER stop fighting?” Daniel asked. Daniel Leonard, the second oldest at 15 and 10 months, glanced at the two nervously, keeping his distance between the bickering sisters.

“You know them, they always do,” Jessica, aged 15 and 8 months, the calm, observant one, responded with a roll of her eyes.

“Exactly!” Kent sighed, also with a roll of his eyes. “It’s always the small things Like, the most unnecessary things to argue over!” Kent continued as he walked backwards, hands behind his head. “Girls are weird.” He muttered.

Katrina and Frankie, initially in a heated debate, paused and glared at Kent. “Excuse me?!” They shouted in unison.

“Oops..” Kent muttered with a face of instant regret. “Uhhh, truce?” He asked with a shrug, his voice rising an octave. Kent raised his hands in surrender as the sisters proceeded to scold him, while he tried to shy away. Try as he might, he didn’t succeed.

Eventually, the sisters huffed and stopped bickering, leaving the others, especially Kent, more at ease. They walked along the lamplit streets in silence for a while, enjoying the sounds of the world around them, until a faint rustling from the brush along the side of the walkway caught Jessica’s attention.

What is that? A raccoon? A possum, maybe? Or maybe some homeless guy or weirdo trying to scare us? Jessica thought to herself, a knot forming in her stomach. Something was moving around, and apparently, she was the only one to notice it. As the group drew closer, she hesitated

“Yo, Jess, you good?” Daniel asked, looking at her, confused. The others paused as well

“ There’s something in those bushes over there.” Jessica pointed out, squinting into the dark shrubbery along the sidewalk The others looked at the bush she was referring to, trying to see into the shadows. The lamplight above them began to flicker, causing them to instinctively tense and look around.

“What’s going on?” Frankie questioned, her voice confused. The light above them stopped flickering, but the one in front of them went out. After a brief second, it flickered back on, revealing an ominous figure, sending a chill down everyone’s spine. A silhouette dressed all in black, wearing some kind of full-face mask. Upon inspection, the mask looked like a bunch of puzzle pieces, scattered around, not piecing together

“Welp. I’m out,” Kent said as he turned on his heels, trying to walk the other direction He hardly managed a step away when Frankie grasped the back of his shirt, pulling him back.

“Ahgk–! Okay, okay, I won’t leave!” Kent exclaimed, rubbing his throat; his face became serious as he furrowed his brow. He stared the strange figure down, as if trying to figure him out.

“Who... who is that?” Katrina murmured, taking a step closer to her sister.

“Who are you?” Frankie called out to the figure. Her heart was in her throat as a feeling of danger danced through her gut. When the figure didn’t reply, Frankie tried again with a different question. “What do you want?”

“Frankie.. they’re not answering...” Daniel muttered, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Should we do what Kent did? Just walk away?” His voice wavered, his hand gripping Frankie’s shoulder.

“See? Dan here gets it,” Kent grumbled, crossing his arms , “We should just do what I was trying to do.” Kent glared at the person who still stood, ominous and silent, in front of them What is this dude’s problem? Why is he just staring? Weird. Kent thought to himself, as even he had to admit that something was wrong He did not like the situation they were in one bit

Frankie was nervous; everything in her gut screamed that this was not just some peaceful prank. “I think that’s our only option.” She paused, not taking her eyes off the stranger. “Yeah. Let’s just... go the other way. We all just walk away from him.” Everyone nodded in agreement. There was a moment’s pause before Frankie spoke to the figure again, “Well, uh... great costume, man–- but we'd better go. Come on, everyone.”

They all turned in the opposite direction and tried to walk away, but didn’t get very far. They froze in place when a second figure, identical to the first, appeared Then another And another And yet another Five figures in those puzzle-piece masks surrounded them, appearing silently out of the shadows. The group huddled closer together, their hearts pounding and minds racing They were helpless as they watched in horror as the strange, silent figures broke their stances and, like a pack of wolves cornering their prey, began closing in.