The Roar April 2023 Issue

The Roar

SCHOOL FUNDRAISERS

SCHS clubs and programs raise money for resources

By Nishita Viswajith

The engagement and planning of fundraising is vital for many programs on campus. Many clubs, sports and council programs utilize fundraisers to earn money for their needs with the goal of interacting with their peers and community.

Various programs on campus use social media to share announcements promoting their fundraisers. Junior Class Secretary/ Treasurer Nadine Paula Ngo believes it is important to publicize fundraising flyers ahead of time to ensure the success of the event.

Pre-Med Club juniors Jonathan Garnica and Nadine Ngo sell Spam musubi to fund hands-on activities and raise money for donations to local hospitals and charities.

to make sure that there’s enough time,” Ngo said.

Additionally, Ngo finds the morning announcements useful as they verbally inform students of upcoming events on campus. She also encouraged club leaders to utilize the morning announcements as a resource in order to spread more information about their club.

“People often take it (morning announcements) for granted,” Ngo said. “A lot of clubs don’t take advantage of that, but they should, because it’s a really good way they (peers) hear about fundraisers.”

“One thing that is really important is that these flyers go out a week or two in advance because people don’t check their social media a lot, so you really need

Alongside clubs, various sports teams on campus use fundraising to earn money for equipment, team gear and more.

Peer Helpers advocates for student mental health Coach turnover impacts SCHS athletes

By Aisha Shafik

Originating as a club, SCHS recently began offering a new elective for the 2022-2023 school year, Peer Helpers. The goal of Peer Helpers is to support students in discussing mental health by building safe relationships.

After gaining inspiration from a colleague that had initiated a Peer Helpers program at Half Moon Bay High School, social science teacher Pilar Svendsen was able to explore the program, sparking her passion to start it at SCHS.

“I was really inspired by that (Half Moon Bay’s Peer Helpers program), and when I came to Santa Clara, I always had it in the back of my head that I wanted to start a Peer Helpers program here,” Svendsen said.

The process of transferring the Peer Helpers program to SCHS began in 2019 when Svendsen pitched the idea to the department chairs, later receiving approval from the school and school board. Due to distance learning during the 2020-2021 school year, it was difficult to receive interest from students,

but after merging with Bring Change to Mind club, which advocated for youth mental health, Peer Helpers started a foundation for their program.

In the class, students develop communication, leadership and teamwork skills from the peer training materials, such as textbooks and outside sources.

“The Peer Power workbooks are what I use to springboard the material, but I supplement with a lot of material from community organizations and foundations that are with mental health and mind,” Svendsen said.

Alongside the curriculum, Svendsen is leading both the class and club to continue advocating for social change and positive mental health for students.

“I really want to empower students to empower each other, and so ways I want to do that is to find more opportunities for students to teach and help each other, whether that’s during Tutorial, creating bulletin boards, things that can empower students, encourage students and creating forums for students to have a voice and a safe space on campus,” Svendsen said.

See Peer Helpers, Page 3

New SCHS swim and dive coach Jessi Mankin helps create a relaxed environment during competitions.

By Jazzy Ramirez

Adjusting to a new coach is difficult for many athletes, and adjusting to a new team and work environment is often challenging for coaches as well. SCHS’s recent surge in coach turnover and plethora of new additions to its coaching staff in the recent year has had a large impact on the athletic community, which many believe has positively affected teams’ dynamics.

As a newly-hired athletic director, Nelson Gifford looks to

foster a long-term plan that will better the athletic programs at SCHS. With many new coaching changes over the past year, Gifford still looks to keep SCHS’s core values in mind, something he believes is crucial.

“My goal is to not try to change what Santa Clara has but to enhance the community that’s already built here,” Gifford said. “That was the thing that stood out for me when I got here, is that Santa Clara’s culture and community is very strong and very positive.”

Since entering SCHS’s athletic program, Gifford’s goal has been to increase athletic engagement and recruiting new team members across all sports. He said that 33% of the student body participates in athletics. The 2022-2023 school year brought record numbers of athletic participation and in order to accommodate the growing number of athletes, many new head and assistant coaches were hired, which Gifford believes will provide athletes with optimal support and necessary leadership.

“One of our program goals and department goals is to grow participation and grow numbers,” Gifford said. “Well, the kids have come out, but the next part is, as we break down numbers, how do we add more coaches?”

In addition to hiring new coaches, Gifford noted that the athletic department is brainstorming ways to provide lessons and workshops for coaches in order to build their leadership and coaching skills.

Amelia Tai/Roar Staff

James Kepner/Roar Staff

Students and staff find alternative speakers and resources outside of the classroom to be valuable

By Asia Celestine

After arriving at their first class of the day, a student notices an unfamil iar face setting up the projector. They remember their teacher had scheduled a guest speaker to accompany the class les son and they sit down to listen.

Many teach ers on campus often build their curriculum to include voices from outside the classroom, advocating for perspectives

THE ROAR 2022-2023

editors-in-chief

Amelia Howell

Khadeejah Khan

campus | KennedyRose Stiver

sports | James Kepner

focus | Soojin Spencer

opinion | Elias Panou

a&e | Rebecca LaBarge

spotlight | Khadeejah Khan

visuals | Amelia Tai

online | Mylinh Duong

staff writers

Andrew Littlefield • Joshua Cedro

Nathaniel Hekster

Nishi Vijayvargiya

Theodore Nguyen • Aminah Hedges

Catalina Lopez

Aisha Shafik •Nicholas Iriberri

Sonia Mankame • Jaclyn Duran

Jazzy Ramirez • Ellen Vu

Taejun Spencer • Aaryan Dubale

Amanda Troll

Rhea Gosain • Nishita Viswajith

Asia Celestine

advisor

Bob Ansaldo

Mission Statement

The Roar works to inform students, showcase their accomplishments, and explore issues relevant to them as individuals and as a generation. We value journalistic ethics and professional behavior toward both our sources and our readers. We will investigate and inform students about happenings on- and offcampus, and provide information comprehensively. As a studentrun newspaper, The Roar strives to establish itself as a reliable news source for Santa Clara High School.

Letters and Opinion columns submitted to The Roar must be signed, although names can be withheld. Submissions should be limited to 200 words and may be edited for content, libel, or grammar. Opinion submissions can be emailed to Mr. Ansaldo at ransaldo@scusd.net or submitted to the form on our website: scroar.net.

DISCLAIMER

The opinions on pages 8 and 9 reflect the views of the individual writer, not those of Santa Clara High School.

The Roar Newspaper

and speeches from guest speakers as well as online platforms to enhance their courses and enrich their students’ experiences in their class.

San Jose State Admissions counselor and recruiter Marlen Perez has often visited schools within the Bay Area as a guest speaker to provide insight into college programs. She believes providing a representative from other schools benefits students’ futures.

“It’s very important to get that faceto-face connection with our students, making sure that they

have access to information that if they have any questions, they’re able to ask a San Jose State University representative,” Perez said.

Along with the advantage of connecting with those on campus, sophomore Sophia Stearns noted the impact of adding alternative resources to the student’s schedule. She explained many schedules are limited to seven classes a school year and believes the additional resource of alternative platforms often advances students’ learning experiences.

“It just adds another layer to the learning, especially with the limited classes you can take,” Stearns said. “Having those extra resources and different perspectives are helpful.”

Sophomore Maddy Schmitt

believes students benefit from exposure to speakers who share their experience in various career fields and academic subjects.

“They (guest speakers) talk about their experience in engineering, high school and their path,” Schmitt said.

Senior Kiara Johnson appreciates the outside narrative and alternative perspective that guest speakers provide in addition to her teachers’ curricula and views.

“The teacher always has one view and the person always has another view, so you get to see two sides to the story,” Johnson said.

side outside resources. Social science teacher Christine Byerley discussed her schedule conflict of including guest speakers in addition to her everyday curriculum.

“Just locating these other voices also takes time for me to either find them digitally or find them in real life and get them to schedule and come in,” Byerley said.

Schmitt believes the addition of outside resources in classroom settings ultimately benefits students and their perspectives, which she found helps to educate them and prepare for their futures.

Despite the advantage of gaining alternative perspectives, many teachers often struggle to balance their own lessons along - Amelia

Campus wildlife reflects urban wildlife as a whole

By Aminah Hedges

As humanity has exerted more control over the natural world, various urban environments act as a habit for many animals, forcing humans to share space with wildlife, and interactions between animals and humans can be positive or negative for both parties.

SCHS shares the campus with many animals, including gulls, crows, ravens, squirrels and various songbirds, causing many faculty members and students to reflect on their perspective of the school’s ecosystem as well as share their thoughts on whether or not the animals who thrive on campus are opportunistic, fitting into a new niche.

Biology teacher Suzanne Miller-Moody explained that since animals are often drawn to trash as a food source, the population of animals has created a source of littering on campus.

“I think they (animals) are unafraid,” Miller-Moody said. “I’m kind of ribbing kids for being dirty, messy, but I have witnessed squirrels and raccoons and ravens pull things out of the trash can.”

Living on campus could be harmful for the animals. Being around students could raise animals’ stress hormones and impact how they interact, as well as change their diets. Science and AVID teacher Risha Shah questioned whether or not the campus offered a safe environment for certain animals.

“Are we providing them the right type of foods to keep them healthy?” Shah said. “A lot of the things that they eat can end up just being trash or being unhealthy for them.”

Despite the potential harm,

Gulls,crows,ravensandsquirrelsaresomeanimalsthathave discovered a favorable environment on the SCHS campus.

wildlife has become a part of the school to some. Senior Felix Fonderie thinks fondly of the campus’s wildlife.

“At this point, I’ve gotten used to them, so I feel like it’d be sad if they were gone,” Fonderie said. “I just like having them around.”

For others, wildlife has provided an educational opportunity for science curriculums. MillerMoody starts the school year making a field guide with her freshman students.

“This year, we incorporated any and all of the non-plant life we saw,” Miller-Moody said. “We got some squirrels, some seagulls, ravens… a few bugs.”

After implementing a nature walk into her class’s curriculum, Shah explained the benefit of students seeing and referring to biotic and abiotic factors in a real ecosystem.

“Being able to see butterflies, being able to see squirrels, being able to see birds – different types of birds, different types of plants – these are all biotic factors,” Shah said. “(Students) see the

connections that they can make that, ‘Hey, humans, animals and plants all fall under this one category.’”

Urban wildlife is widespread throughout cities, not just in Santa Clara. In order to survive in urban environments, animals often have to adapt. According to an article by National Geographic, urbanization drives changes in dominant behaviors and inherited traits. Cities can isolate animal populations and introduce new environmental factors, providing scientists with an opportunity to watch evolution in real-time.

Miller-Moody believes that the effects of urbanization are unavoidable.

“To think that the way we humans use land and interact with nonhuman animals doesn’t have an effect, we’re fooling ourselves,” Miller-Moody said. “Honestly, the more pessimistic side of me sees humans being much more a detriment to the evolution of organisms than a benefit.”

While adaptable animals may be able to fit into an urban eco -

system, others like insects may not survive as well. The possible removal of species in an urban area impacts the whole ecosystem.

“You take out many more than five or six (species) and then you are looking at ultimately an ecosystem in slow collapse because the redundancy has been taken out of the system,” Miller-Moody said.

Human impact on wildlife brings up the question of conservation. Urbanization often cuts off connections between animals’ habitats. Biology teacher Eric Wozadlo cited protecting habitats as a means of safeguarding wildlife.

“The number one way to do that is to create or allow a habitat for them to create buffers between suburban-urban

“The world functions better with more biodiversity. It just has a natural cycle feature built in.”

- Felix Fonderie senior

“Learning about that is good insight to know what I want to do for my future,” Schmitt said. wildlife boundaries,” Woazdlo said. “To limit sprawl.”

Fonderie believes the conservation of wildlife is essential to human survival.

“We have to keep them alive,” Fonderie said. “The world functions better with more biodiversity. It just has a natural cycle feature built in.”

Shah feels the responsibility for conservation extends beyond the possible environmental consequences.

“Our job as a community and as humans in this world should be to protect each other and that includes the animals that are in our community as well,” Shah said.

Tai/Roar Staff

Ellen Vu/Roar Staff

The possibilities of summer grant students endless job and program opportunities

By Rhea Gosain

As summer approaches, many students are seizing the opportunity to apply for programs, internships and jobs. Some students have found strategies for completing college applications, strengthening social skills and more.

Counselor Oscar Martinez mentioned the importance of productivity during the summer due to college examinations.

“Gone are the days where 4.0 students stand out and are the most qualified for a big university,” Martinez said. “Now they want students who have a good GPA but also volunteer or are doing extracurriculars, sports, are involved in their community, starting a club or even being an officer in a club.”

Along with one’s academic achievements, Martinez believes one way to appeal to college applications and stay active in the summer is to help those in their community.

“People like helping others who are helping each other,” Martinez said. “Schools want the best, and the best are those who are helping by making their community and world a better place.”

Along with the opportunities for one’s future, Martinez ex-

Fundraisers

Continued from page 1

For the baseball team, many fundraisers are often hosted through restaurants, encouraging friends and family of the athletes to donate to the team. These fundraisers are often called Dining for Dollars, in which a portion of a customer’s order will go to the club or organization hosting the fundraiser.

Varsity baseball coach Pedro Martinez uses fundraisers to spread awareness about Santa Clara baseball.

“I thought it was good for community building, and a lot of people from the community come that have either played for me in the past, their parents played or are current players,” Martinez said.

Fundraising also allows players to buy jerseys, practice equipment, and apply upgrades to certain facilities. Instead of having a designated amount of money the baseball team wants to raise, their goal is to produce and save enough funds so that gear is accessible throughout the season without depending upon fundraisers or having to spontaneously host one whenever they are in need of funds.

“We›re attempting to have money so we are not living yearto-year on our fundraisers,” Martinez said. “If we need something in the middle of the year, we can get it instead of waiting until next year because we have to fundraise.”

ManySCHSstudentsplantoexploretheirpersonalinterests bymeansofvariousopportunitiesavailableduringsummer.

plained summer is also a time to discover one’s interests.

“If they (a student) already have an idea of what they want, it’s about focusing and investing their time towards that activity,” Martinez said. If they don’t know what they want, it (summer) is a great opportunity to know what’s out there.”

Martinez recommended students pursue their interests and possible occupational routes to discover where their subject or career-related passions lie and gain experience in those areas.

Similar to many sports teams, the SCHS music department finds fundraising useful in order to purchase new equipment and upgrade their current systems. Music director Johnny Erdman is grateful for fundraising because it allows him to express his passion for performing and sharing music with his students.

“I embrace that (fundraising) because it only opens up doors for us to share our music with more people and do new and exciting things with music,” Erdman said.

Sophomore Maya Villarreal, who is involved in marching band and winter guard, also feels that fundraisers are helpful in spreading the value of music around the campus.

“Fundraising is really, really important to us because band and music really gets overlooked,” Villarreal said. “So we›re always just trying to get money back in the program.”

Clubs on campus also use fundraising as a way to raise money for the community. Clubs like Interact are raising money to donate and provide food to underprivileged families. Since SCHS’s Interact Club is part of a district with other high schools’ Interact clubs, it is important for them to reach their goals, and they will often collaborate with the other schools to do so.

“We have a goal set every year to earn enough money to donate to the program, and it would feel wrong if we didn›t do our part,” Ngo said.

Other clubs, such as Pre-Med Club, use the money they fundraise for their own projects, as well as to

“Anyone can do school time, but summers are the chance where you can gain other types of experiences,” Antony said.

Antony shared that in order to be accepted, she had to start applying as early as January. After discovering multiple programs, she found many of the applications required personal interest essays.

“I tried to write something that showed why I would be the best candidate and why I would fit their (the program’s) mold the best,” Antony said.

I could list while applying to future jobs or internships, get some official experience in customer service and working with kids and get a jump start on saving up,” Orr said.

Similarly, junior Hayden Vinson plans to embark on his second year working for California’s Great America. Due to developing social skill sets and customer service experience, Vinson now feels more comfortable and confident interacting with customers.

“What will help students be successful is volunteering at something they want to do,” Martinez said. “If they already have an idea of what they want, it’s about focusing and investing their time towards that activity.”

In addition to volunteering, freshman Isabel Antony is applying to programs, including the Rosetta Institute and the California State Summer School for Mathematics & Science, to pursue her passion for neuroscience in a hands-on manner.

give back to others.

“We use our money to donate to hospitals and charities, especially children›s hospitals,” Ngo said. “We also use our money to run our case studies, which are a bunch of hands-on activities that simulate what it›s like to be in the medical field.”

Despite the efforts of many club’s fundraisers, Ngo noticed many students’ frustration with the seemingly expensive costs of goods sold in fundraisers but explained prices are often continuing to increase.

“People don›t realize that fundraising is really, really expensive, and the companies that we buy from don’t price their things cheaply, even if we buy it in bulk,” Ngo said.

Ngo believes if more people were to brainstorm ideas for fundraising projects, the school would have a wider variety of items sold.

“One person can’t come up with a bunch of good ideas, but if a bunch of people came together and talked about a common interest in fundraisers, we (SCHS) would have a bunch of unique fundraisers,” Ngo said.

For many, participating and helping run fundraisers benefits the campus and the program’s own goals.

“Anyone has the opportunity to help us because those funds only help the greater good of our programs,” Erdman said.

Along with volunteer programs, many students have sought job opportunities over the summer. Senior Serena Orr plans to work as recreational leader at a camp she attended as a child.

“I wanted to help recreate the experience I had as a kid for other kids and contribute to the programs they are having,” Orr said.

Orr wants to start working this summer so she can be more financially independent in college. She is motivated by the opportunity to gain experience and provide service to kids, which she feels will be useful in the future.

“I wanted to get some job experience for the future that

Peer Helpers

Continued from page 1

“That’s really important to me.”

The class dynamic also emphasizes building a community where students can feel safe talking to each other. Senior Zaya Coronado depicted the opportunities given to students, such as self-care practice, which help create a comfort

“I’ve learned how to make people feel more welcomed,” Vinson said. “Especially if people are having an issue, I’ve learned how to make it so I can calm the person down and be like, ‘Oh yeah, I understand what you are feeling, but this is how it works.’”

Martinez recommended students consider balancing being active over the summer while involving themselves in professional programs and social opportunities.

“Don’t miss out on your childhood,” Martinez said. “Do the things you enjoyed doing growing up and when the opportunity presents itself, if you have the time and energy to still do all the things you love, go take advantage of it.”

“When I get into an argument, I don’t act out like I normally would have,” Patterson said. “I kind of learned how to calm myself down, and I know how to control my emotions better.”

Svendsen expressed her insight toward approaching issues regarding mental health.

“I think mental health is everybody – everybody has mental health – and I think it’s a lifelong practice to have strong mental

able environment for the stu dent and those around them.

“I used to really struggle with communicating. I used to have a hard time saying how things affected me,” Coronado said. “The skills that I’ve learned in that class have really taught me how to get other people to understand how I’m feeling and what I need from them.”

Alongside Coronado, senior Lindsay Patterson believes the class to be helpful in communicating with her peers and noted that the skills offered in the class have supported her personally in stressful situations.

it,” Svendsen said.”

By encouraging students to form relationships with one another and attempt to become a positive influence, Svenson ultimately strives to connect the class’s curriculum and potential to the student’s well-being.

“This is a class that can impact every single student on campus, and I know I can’t reach every student on campus, but I want to empower our youth and people in the class to help reach others,” Svendsen said.

Rebecca LaBarge/Roar Staff

Athletes emphasize the importance of health

By KennedyRose Stiver

Many high school sports require athletes to exhibit forms of mental and physical commitment, which has led many student athletes at SCHS to examine where their priorities lie in terms of health factors and their emotional and mental connection to their sport.

Attempting to maintain one health factor, wrestler and track and field member junior Kai Johnson emphasized the importance of prioritizing one’s physical health.

“If you treat your body like it’s just some tool, it will eventually wear out just like every tool, so it’s something that you really want to make sure you’re focused on,” Johnson said. “You want to be able to stay in the condition that you want to be in.”

In addition to the benefits of maintaining one’s physical health, JV soccer player sophomore Siobhan Grace reflected on her mindset throughout her season and noted that athletic performance often supported her lifestyle in a positive manner and acted as an outlet to improve her mental health.

“Anything in my life, everytime I’m playing soccer, it just goes away, so that helps so much, especially if I’m anxious or I’m sad or anything like that,” Grace said. “I just have soccer, and I refocus and I’m good to go.”

For some sports in particular, physical health is prioritized over mental health in order for the athlete to be able to perform well in their sport. Varsity tennis

player sophomore Rehaan Karnik explained that his sport requires players to compete individually, resulting in the athlete’s responsibility to maintain their own health rather than an entire team relying on each other for highquality athletic performance.

“You can substitute someone struggling or not having a good day (in a team sport), whereas in tennis, you can’t just pull

social isolation over winter break and explained the benefit of staying connected with the communities on campus that not only he values most but also value him most.

“I started to have a lot of trouble going into winter and without having many people around me, I started to feel isolated, alone,” Sawaya said. “Coming back to track was coming back to a

Spring Sports

age a positive, understanding and validating environment within their team.

“If they (a teammate) need a break, respect that boundary and let them have that break, and be able to tell when it’s time that you need to be ready to either focus, or times when you can laugh and play around just so you can balance a little bit of fun with the sport,” Johnson said.

Johnson also recommended that new athletes consider their future in the sport prior to participating in or committing to the often strenuous physical and mental demands of the activity.

“If you can research it and check it before and make sure that you’re physically and mentally ready for it, you might find something that you actually like to love in the long run,” Johnson said.

Upcoming dates

pressed the struggle to sustain a positive mindset in an athletic environment.

“You can be mentally saying, ‘Do I want to do this anymore?’

If I’m not getting better, it’s just a waste of time,’” Karnik said. “Being able to not give up on something, it’s hard to do, like what are your motivations behind it? What do you really want to do, and how much are you willing to put into changing that?”

Cross country and track and field member senior Brian Sawaya described his experience with

attempt to create a posi tive environment in which his teams feel supported.

“When I’m on the course, I have so much time that there is a lot of interaction between me and guys individually, like ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ ‘What’s up?’” Vannest said. “Just having a conversation with them, making them feel I care because I do care.”

Accompanying emotional support from coaching staff, Johnson advised athletes to check in with their teammates and encour -

Grace addressed the burnout that many athletes face when pressured too much to the point where such pressure surpasses healthy encouragement. She recommended athletes work to support their teammates and encourage improvement in healthy moderation to prevent burnout-inducing pressure that can negatively impact both an athlete’s mental and physical health.

“There is a certain line that hasn’t been discussed enough,” Grace said. “The line of pushing someone to be their best and pushing them too far because you can see it in many athletes. A lot of them get burned out because they’re getting pushed too far.”

Athletes share their stories with discrimination

there is in boys basketball,” Guerrero Tapia said. “People think in boys basketball they go faster than girls basketball.”

Vaswani thinks that people are discriminatory toward certain genders due to predispositioned athletic standards. She suggested competition may cause some to have mistaken perceptions of athletes.

“When this competitiveness comes in, they want to have the best people on their team to win and so they try to pick the people that would be the ideal fit, and sometimes girls are not in their options,” Vaswani said.

ManyathletesatSCHShavefacedsomekindofdiscriminationintheirlives,leadingtomentalandphysicalstruggles.

By Catalina Lopez

Athletic discrimination is a belief that people of certain backgrounds, whether that be on the basis of race, ethnicity, culture, religion or gender can be inferior as an athlete. Some SCHS students input that discrimination can be shown in many different forms, all equaling the same thing: hate.

A handful of students shared their stories of discrimination.

When she was little, sophomore Preesha Vaswani experienced sexist discrimination when she played football. Vaswani is glad that girls playing football, a male-dominated sport, is more standardized today.

“I wasn’t even allowed to play sports or was always the last pick solely because I was a girl,” Vaswani said. “I was a quarterback, but it was very controversial that I was a quarterback because I was a girl. Now, I think it’s more normalized because you see girls on football teams a lot more often.”

Girls playing various sports is common nowadays. Many, however, believe that female athletic participation is overlooked when compared to its male counterpart. Sophomore Danna Guerrero Tapia, a member of the girls JV basketball team, noted there was a lack of support at the girls basketball games compared to the boys.

“I noticed that there’s less people watching girls basketball than

On top of gender inequality, some students believe race plays a big factor regarding discrimination in sports. Freshman Marcelo Aguilar feels that society often views athletes based on their skin tone not their talent.

“Even though coaches and other people see them as a good athlete, they also see the athletes as they are based on society,” Aguilar said. “Then they don’t see the athlete as how they play everyday.”

Senior Joshua Antony takes into account that along with race, money is also a factor in athletic discrimination. He believes that depending on the sport, only certain people can afford to participate and play considering high expenses.

“Hockey is predominately white and it’s pretty expensive to play, so only really rich people can play hockey,” Antony said. “There might be discrimination in some

sports, but I think it varies from sport to sport.”

Antony believes one’s wealth plays a huge factor in the world of athletics, and that people look at athletes’ appearances and create assumptions about their athletic ability. He feels athletes with better equipment are presumed to be better at their sport.

“People have this tendency to see people with top-notch gear, so they must be better since they spent a lot on the sport than people with more run-down clothing,” Antony said.

Religion also plays a role in discriminatory acts, according to Vaswani. She feels athletes with certain religions who wear certain clothing are more overlooked than others when that clothing is a part of their culture or religious practice.

“I think people who are required to wear certain clothes because of their religion, they’re often looked at as weird,” Vaswani said. “They’re wearing different articles of clothing that other people can’t wear. They can’t wear the uniform because of their religious values.”

Antony believes that having diversity everywhere, including sports, is what makes a team, and nobody should fear facing discrimination.

“Make whatever team you’re in an inclusive and welcoming environment for people with different backgrounds,” Antony said.

Baseball Track Swim

Softball

Badminton

Boys Tennis

Boys Volleyball

Rebecca LaBarge/Roar Staff

Amelia Tai/Roar Staff

What Now?

Members of the athletic community reflect on their options after high school

By James Kepner

Much of the youth involved in sports aspire to be professional athletes at some point in their lives. These dreams, however, are often cut short, leaving many with yearns to still make an impact in the sports world in ways alternative to playing at a collegiate or professional level.

Growing up, SCHS physical education teacher and coach Adrian Castillo played a wide variety of sports including baseball, soccer, football, wrestling and basketball. Once in high school, he narrowed it down to football, wrestling and track and field. As a child, he always dreamed of playing a profes sional sport, during his time at Palo Alto High School, he realized that playing at the next level was not in his future though he still wanted to make impact.

“I wanted to continue being part of the sports world and contribute and give back to the community, so I decided to pursue coaching instead,” Castillo said.

Although the decision was difficult, Castillo looked to adults in his life for advice. His football coach, high school friends and his parents were ultimately the ones who helped him to decide what to do in life.

“It was hard, obviously, making the shift of kind of accepting that I wouldn’t be playing sports anymore,” Castillo said. “But I am happy to have the alternative to still be participating in sports and give back to them.”

Varsity soccer player senior Emma Coelho will be attending West Valley Community College in the fall of 2023, hoping to transfer to a Division I program in the future. There, she looks to continue her soccer ca

big dream of mine.”

Similar to Castillo, Coelho expressed she looks up to the adult role models in her life, which includes her older sister. Since they both grew up playing soccer, Coelho felt like her sister pushed her to be her best and fulfill her potential. Coelho credited her sister and her parents to be the main reason she is pursuing her dreams and doing the things that she enjoys and loves.

“I’ve always looked up to her,” Coelho said. “She’s also my high school coach, so she’s always been here for me. She helps me grow as a player. She’s always supporting me. She’s always there for me at games and practices. I feel like she’s always pushing me to be a better person.”

Additionally, Coelho’s club soccer coach in middle school has also had a positive impact on her life.

“He helped me be the player I am today with learning new things and stepping out of my comfort zones,” Coelho said.

not continuing sports in the future.

“I always tell them to continue doing what they’re doing, enjoy it,” Coelho said. “I just want them to make sure that they’re doing what they love and not feel forced to do it.”

After high school, Castillo had to decide between working a job or playing sports while he went to college. He ultimately chose

“I always tell them to continue doing what they’re doing, enjoy it. I just want them to make sure that they’re doing what they love and not feel forced to do it.”

-Emma Coelho, senior

the path of working as a college student in order to pay bills, but if given another chance, Castillo would have tried to continue his athletic career.

ing it. Try to ride it out as long as you can.”

For the majority of his work career, Castillo has been in the education field. Due to his relationship with athletic director Nelson Gifford, Castillo was made aware of an opening in SCHS’s physical education department. Once accepted into the position, he has never looked back.

“I love my job,” Castillo said. “I love working with the kids. I love working with the staff. Our P.E. department is pretty chill for people, and we support each other very well. So it’s just overall a good environment.”

Alongside his position as a P.E. teacher, Castillo also fulfills the role of assistant varsity football coach and head JV boys volleyball coach. In the future, Castillo hopes to become the head football coach, but most importantly, become a mentor and leader for the athletes on campus.

Coelho said. “But, obviously, I will look at Stanford or Oregon soccer because that is a really

New Coaches

Continued from page 1

He hopes that this, in turn, will improve students’ athletic skills and confidence.

“We’re also talking about trying to do more formalized instruction, like a class, training or seminar where we can walk coaches through the program,” Gifford said. “We’re still working on that because we recognize that one of our purposes is to support students by supporting coaches, and the better job we do supporting coaches, hopefully the better job the coaches can do in supporting the students that they work closely with.”

According to Gifford, the new head coaches on campus hired within the past year include varsity boys water polo coach Jean Kendall, varsity baseball coach Pedro Martinez, badminton coach Benjamin Rowe, swimming coach Jessi Mankin and wrestling coach Bronson Herrera. Other coaches include girls badminton assistant coaches Yann Chan and Colby Hughes-Gosalvez, assistant JV girls soccer coach Khan Pham and assistant varsity football coach Adrian Castillo.

Sophomore badminton player Martyna Kaminska feels new badminton coach Benjamin Rowe’s efforts to improve the team, such as more intense and purposeful practices, have paid off.

“Right now, we’re doing actual drills, and he (Rowe) is actually teaching us different shots, techniques and footwork,” Kaminska said.

Although Chan and HughesGosalvez are young coaches, Gifford does not believe a coach’s age impacts their ability to lead a successful team.

If Coelho’s dream of professional soccer does not work out, she still has aspirations to get her master’s degree and smoothly transition into adulthood. She recommended fellow high school athletes to follow their passions, even if it means

“If I were to go back again, I would have tried to stick with the sports and play for as long as I can,” Castillo said. “Especially with football, there’s not many opportunities to play after high school, especially organiz -

“I feel like I provide students a safe space but also an opportunity to grow and find their potential,” Castillo said. “That’s the ultimate goal for me as a coach. I want to make sure that students get that social aspect of being together on the team as well as challenging themselves physically.”

“We’re seeking lifelong learners,” Gifford said. “We will hire 25 year olds, 55 year olds and 75 year olds. It doesn’t matter. As long as you’re here to coach and learn and get better you’re going to fit.”

Kaminska credited the small difference in age between the coaches and players as the reason why she has bonded so well with the new coaching staff and feels the dynamic between coaches and players has brought an immensely positive impact to the team.

“I think with their age because they’re all really, really young, I think you get that better communication with them,” Kaminska said. “It was a little scary at first, but then you actually talk to them, you open up, they open up and you form a really good relationship with them. It’s like a little friendship.”

Assistant badminton coach Yann Chan also mentioned the small age gap positively affects his relationships with athletes.

“I feel like I’m able to better understand whenever they’re talking about something. I don’t feel very disconnected because if, say they’re talking about something school-related, then I’ll probably be able to also understand,” Chan said.

Kaminska finds the new

coaching staff approachable to seek advice from and appreciates that they often provided helpful insight during games. Additionally, swimmer freshman Jace Vu also appreciates that her coach, Jessi Mankin, is very relaxed and approachable.

“She is very nonchalant,” Vu said. “She’s really chill. She’s open to talk about any topic.”

Chan explained that although it is important to provide athletes with high-quality coaching, frequent coach turnover can have a negative impact on athletes.

“I think consideration also has to be taken in what the

Chan has always loved coaching and credits his father for inspiring his passion. During high school, he coached basketball for a nonprofit organization. Chan plans to use his experience in coaching to achieve his goals for SCHS’s badminton team.

“The first thing that comes is player improvement, and that’s what we put most of our efforts toward and making sure they have fun,” Chan said.

Alongside the joy of coaching and playing, Chan understands both the positive and negative sides of the sport and the obstacles that come with it, which includes the struggles of adapting to new coaches.

Chan said. “I think it’s best to keep the same coaches once you start learning from them for a period of time until you really learn to a certain point.”

“Coach turnover is definitely one thing that affects them (the players), and they’ve been very understanding of what we’re trying to do and kind of allowing us to play that role,” Chan said.

“One of our purposes is to support students by supporting coaches, and the better job we do supporting coaches, hopefully the better job the coaches can do in supporting the students that they work closely with.”

-Nelson Gifford, Athletic Director

SCHS SEES AN INCREASE IN WELLNESS CENTER APPOINTMENTS

By Jaclyn Duran

Students have sought help in spite of their fears of reaching out and the stigma around mental health, resulting in an increasing number of students using self-sign ups at SCHS’s Wellness Center for additional support.

Social science teacher Kyle Short has noticed that academic burnout could be one factor pushing students toward seeking mental health support.

“Sometimes it’s necessary to take a step back, especially for those who have taken a lot of things, like clubs, sports and outside activities, to be conscious of people’s capacity,” Short said.

Burnout is not always academic. Social science teacher Emily Haven adds that emotional and mental burnout can cause students to feel hopeless, turning to counseling as a last resort.

“It takes students getting to a point where they feel a little bit broken, like their friends can’t help them,” Haven said.

Much of the mental health advocates on campus attempt to fight the stress of others finding out one is in counseling, feeling like it is a sign of weakness. Senior Damian Margarit finds that many students let their fear of being perceived as weak stop them from asking for help.

“I definitely think it is pretty scary for people to reach out because it’s ad-

mitting that you need help and that can be seen as weak, but maybe getting help is the opposite,” Margarit said.

Freshman Audrey Bartolome included how students may overlook that counselors pride themselves in client confidenti that the fear of reaching out may also be motivated by privacy concerns.

“I think they do feel scared to ask for help because they don’t know if the informa tion that they’re sharing is safe with the person they’re sharing it with,” Bartolome said.

Additionally, the stigma around men tal health leads many students to believe they should work through their mental health is sues, without the help of counselors. As Short has however, trying to work through mental issues without professional health will only intensify these problems.

“I think a lot of people still hold up to the old notion that you can just kind of tough it

out, eventually problems will go away,” Short said. “I think it’s important for people to realize that problems will fester.”

Oftentimes, students attempt to help themselves through self-care. Self-care is typically advertised as face masks, bubble baths and painted nails. Haven, however, believes real self-care expands beyond this.

“True self-care involves taking time to know your identity and your priorities and building a life and rhythms and routines that protect those,” Haven

Haven believes that asking for help is never a sign of weakness, nor is it a

TEACHERS PROMOTE MENTAL WELLNESS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS

broken. It doesn’t mean that you are flawed. It just means that you are prioritizing yourself, and that allows a lot of things to shift cognitively.”

By Theodore Nguyen

ent Health Aw

M“Seeking help means that you are prioritizing yourself,” Haven said. “It doesn’t mean that you are

ASIAN COMMUNITIES DISCUSS HOW GENERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS IMPACT THEIR MENTAL WELLBEING

By Khadeejah Khan

The Bay Area is home to a vibrant and diverse Asian American community, which is reflected in SCHS’s staff and student population. Many Asian American members of the SCHS community have had the unique experience of being in an academic environment while navigating their own mental health.

When English teacher Maichen LiuGrossman and her family moved from Davis, California to Canada, she recalled being placed in English Language Development classes because she came from a bilingual household, despite her ability to fluently speak English. Being an educator, Liu-Grossman hopes to create inclusive environments for all students, regardless of their backgrounds.

“Being alienated by the school system in many ways and the assumptions about my language is something I always carried with me,” Liu-Grossman said. “Now as a teacher, I want to make the classroom, especially the English classroom, a place where students can feel comfortable. I want them to be able to explore ideas and develop their voices as writers.”

Many Asian American high schoolers today struggle with meeting their family’s expectations when it comes to careers.

Liu-Grossman’s decision to pursue English was initially met with disapproval from her parents.

“When I applied to college, my dad was like, ‘So you’re gonna do biochemistry?’ because he was a biochemistry major. When I said, ‘No, I think I’m gonna do English,’ he was like, ‘What? You won’t be able to get a job,’” Liu-Grossman said.

Similarly, science teacher Saheed Mohamed originally pursued a career in the medical field, primarily due to his parents’ expectations. By his third year of college,

he began to volunteer in emergency rooms and discovered the reality of the career was different from what he imagined.

“It’s not all action like you see in the shows,” Mohamed said. “For various reasons, I realized that ca -

“A lot of it is generational,” Hirsch said. “If we learn now, we don’t have to be the Asian parents that carry that cycle to our kids.”

For Hirsch, her mother was the one to break the generational cycle, inspiring Hirsch to become more comfortable around talking about mental health.

Since COVID-19, many have altered their working and living environments. The past three years have seen a steady increase in mental health awareness and educators have been prioritizing student wellness. This growing mental health awareness has brought about an employment increase in emotional support staff across many educational institutions.

Compared to last year, SCHS English teacher Kate Rossner believes students are more aware of the resources on campus.

While mental health awareness has been emphasized this year, special education teacher Alex Chavarria believes that there was an upward trend in mental health issues amongst students during the pandemic.

“I think the mental health aspect got a little worse for our students,” Chavarria said.

“Not being able to go to classrooms, school, that social aspect, and then doing everything on the computer, I think some students were okay with that. They enjoyed that. Some students didn’t like that part of it.”

Post-distance learning, many teachers have been adapting to the new circumstances with students, considering student wellness while making classroom decisions.

In English, teachers like Rossner have focused on building small communities in their classes through feedback groups to help students feel more comfortable with collaboration.

“(It’s) so no student feels alone in class, that they have a small group of people that they really get to know, that they can get comfortable with,” Rossner said. “We believe sharing and writing is really important, but that’s not something you necessarily want to do with complete strangers.”

what’s going on.’”

Some students, like senior Lindsay Patterson, have noticed teachers taking the initiative to relieve classroom stress.

“I’ve had teachers like Mr. Van Dyke take us out of class for a little break to walk to the garden, and I think that definitely relieves stress,” Patterson said.

“When climate becomes drier the plants also start to dry out and become fuel for fires,” Tan said. “In

Others, like junior Leila Duran, have had teachers who discuss and talk about mental health, utilizing exercises that lessen

But on a professional level, it’s like, it’s not gonna do much for students who are really struggling, and they’re (wellness staff) not introduced enough in class.”

For students like junior Zoe Craig, it can be difficult when booking appointments due to long waiting periods.

“I feel like it’s really hard to get an appointment,” Craig said. “When they were talking in Peer Helpers, it was like… you can’t just walk into the Wellness Center and ask for help. You need to go to the office first. You need to talk to this (person). You need to see if there’s an available slot.”

Both students and staff believe that student outreach is low in part due to the limits of the wellness staff and the amount present at Santa Clara.

anxiety among students.

reer wasn’t for me. I didn’t want to become a doctor because I couldn’t see myself in that life.”

Looking back at her younger self, Liu-Grossman sees her students undergoing similar struggles she did when she grew up, and she does not want her students to feel discouraged the way she did.

“It was tough,” Liu-Grossman said. “When they are telling you, ‘You are going down the wrong path,’ it takes some of the joy out of what you want to do.”

Many expectations and goals stem from generational trauma and cycles. Senior Arwen Hirsch urged people to break the cycle and do what makes them happy.

“Growing up, my mom didn’t see a lot of conversation around mental health, so she got into the psychology field herself,” Hirsch said.

“I am glad my mom went into the field and made an effort to do that, which helped me get even more exposure to mental health.”

Hirsch’s mother’s career in psychology also inspired Hirsch to get involved with Bring Change to Mind Peer Helpers, serving as copresident for her senior year. Through BC2M, Hirsch hopes to create more open conversations among students when it comes to mental health.

“Starting from a young age, we need to normalize conversations on these issues so people can know that there are resources like Peer

Helpers where students can help students,” Hirsch said.

As a parent himself, Mohamed strives to be as present as possible for his son, whether it be supporting his passions, or watching his sports games.

“It’s a generational thing. Everyone wants what they couldn’t have,” Mohamed said. “I played sports, and my parents couldn’t go to my games. Now, I’m able to go to every single one of my son’s basketball games, lacrosse games, whatever games he’s playing.”

Liu-Grossman’s daughter was a 2018 SCHS graduate. She recalled situations where she was careful not to pressure her daughter the way her own parents did to her.

“I put a lot of pressure on her to take on certain courses, but I had to catch myself a lot of the time because I didn’t want to become my own parents as I wanted to let her do what she wanted to do,” Liu Grossman said.

According to Mohamed, the most important thing high schoolers have right now is time. He urged students to advocate for themselves right now, rather than letting expectations build up even more as they grow older.

“I think it’s more important to be happy than to have money,” Mohamed said. “If you have to argue with your parents to do something you’re passionate about, then do what you’re passionate about. Your parents may not like it, but if it’s gonna happen eventually, it might as well happen now than when you are 30 or 40 years old.”

“One of the things that I’ve noticed is that students seem to be more aware of the resources that are available on campus,” Rossner said. “They seem to be more upfront and comfortable sharing concerns with teachers or me.”

Other teachers, like history teacher Kyle Short, have focused on checking in with students to address mental health concerns.

“I always have some (wellness) materials posted around the classroom,” Short said.

“There’s some brochures over in the bookshelf for people to take a look at, and then if I have concerns about a student, let’s say they’re sleeping a lot in class and they’re trying to check out more than they usually are, I usually send a request to the Wellness Center to say, ‘Hey, if you have time, take a look and interview the student and see

“Something that I really appreciate about (Ms. Svendsen) is that she’s very open to discussion about mental health,” Duran said. “Whenever the opportunity arises, she’ll give us – like before a test – she gives us time to breathe and do yoga exercises so that we’re calmed down and we’re not all anxiety, panic right before taking tests.”

While teachers provide a first line of response to students, they do not serve as mental health professionals the way Wellness Center staff do. Yet, Duran believes the campus lacks awareness about its resources.

“I feel like they’re not talked about enough, or… they could be more,” Duran said. “It’s just, basically, it’s just a common, peaceful place to hang out, which is nice. And they allow you to talk with counselors.

“I think generally (student outreach is) just limited by the amount of staff they have in there,” Short said. “They could be doing more, but I recognize that they’re probably at capacity and they’re not able to, at current staffing, be able to do more than they can.”

Since the pandemic, the SCHS community appreciates the district’s efforts to accommodate the growing needs of students when it comes to mental health.

“I think the schools are realizing in our district that mental health is a big component to be successful at school,” Chavarria said. “(It’s) not just at school, just in life and how to deal with certain (hardships), overcome certain obstacles, just everyday life stuff. I think the school – the district’s – trying to do a better job at that, and I see it.”

MENTAL HEALTHCARE FIELDS FAIL TO FOSTER DIVERSITY

By Sonia Mankame that diversity is important in the mental healthcare field, despite not having a preference when receiving help from someone.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, the presentday mental health field lacks diversity. Considering the multitudinous backgrounds of individuals struggling with mental health problems, there is a need for diverse workers in the mental health field.

According to SCHS Wellness Coordinator, Uwey Belletto, diversity is an important part of the mental health industry. The lack of diversity in the mental health field she observed inspired her to work in the mental healthcare field as an Asian American individual. “I really needed somebody with an Asian American background just because of a lot of the customs and expectations and pressures and family dynamics that could be hard for someone (not of my ethnicity) to understand,” Belletto said. “Even though I think people (not of my ethnicity) could understand it, I just kind of thought it would be easier with somebody that just came from my same background.”

Sophomore Julia Daroczi, agrees

“Some people probably want to talk to someone who is like them about their mental health,” Daroczi said. “They want someone to relate to and someone who understands most of their individual problems.”

In favor of more diversity in the mental health field, junior Kyran Warren finds that minorities often struggle with mental health.

“African American people have to deal with negative actions from others and just racism in general,” Warren said. “The LGBTQ community also receives feedback from other people which affects their mental health.”

Belletto has also observed that while one’s background may be important, many people look for other aspects in mental health workers to determine whether they are comfortable with them or not.

“Some people really don’t care about the worker’s background,” Belletto said. “It’s more about ‘What connection do I feel to this person? Do I feel safe with that person?’’’

Freshman Katelynn Ng said people face mental health problems that vary depending on their backgrounds and present environments.

“For example, if someone is in a country where the majority of their community is of a different ethnicity, then the individual may feel isolated from their peers, or different,” Ng said. “Also, someone’s gender may impact one’s mental health because of the different biases different genders face.”

Freshman Heidi Beltran believes that while race and gender are both primary factors in a person’s mental health, money also contributes to people’s mental wellness. CNBC reported that money problems negatively impact 42% of Americans’ mental health.

“The less wealthy a person is, the more problems they face and the more they struggle with their personal mental health,” Beltran said. “People who are poorer tend to have less access to literally every necessity of a good life. They can’t afford good studying resources, colleges and even basics like food and shelter, which definitely damage people’s overall mental health.”

As a South Asian student, senior Prateek Kundu feels that the mental well-be -

ing of men is commonly disregarded in Asian households.

“I think (a stigma against mental health) is very prominent in Asian cultures. In my own experience, as I am Asian-Indian, it’s frowned upon for males to receive mental health (treatments) and counseling.” Kundu said. “(We’re expected) to just ‘Get through it’ and ‘Do it for the family’ and they would basically gaslight you into not getting treated for your mental health.”

Belletto noted that after decades of discrimination toward all sorts of minorities, the mental health industry is finally trying to prioritize and include minorities.

“A lot of psychotherapy and mental health is rooted in a more AngloSaxon male view…” Belletto said.

“That ideology is really starting to disappear, and the question of ‘How do we treat, honor and incorporate other cultures and ethnicities and backgrounds into mental health and have a wider and wider way of treatment and support in the mental health field?’ is being considered more often.”

Amelia Tai/Roar Staff

Rebecca LaBargei/Roar Staff

Amelia Tai/Roar Staff

Rebecca LaBargei/Roar Staff

Bay Area Reflection: Endless Suburbia

By Aminah Hedges and Nathaniel Hekster

California has a history of ill-advised suburban developments stretching from the 1800s to the present day. East Los Angeles, LA’s first suburb was subdivided in 1873. The neighborhood hosted middleclass families in houses of a folk Victorian style using premanufactured elements that imitated the rich. The houses offered water pipes and access to horse-drawn streetcars, some of the first in LA. Today, East Los Angeles has gone the way of many early suburbs and has been swallowed by the LA sprawl.

As veterans returned from World War II and the economy recovered from the Great Depression, white middle- and working-class families fled to newly-built suburbs, which provided new housing and the promise of the American Dream. The booming suburbs were built with the assumption that most families would own a car. Naturally, this was linked with a surge in automobile sales, as families moving to suburbia needed them to travel in the city. Built for consumers, the suburbs set the tone for America’s residential and middle-class expansion.

Levittowns and other suburbs featured mass production to create cookie-cutter houses and an emphasis on material possessions that pushed consumerism. The suburb’s lack of public spaces and focus on family togetherness came at the expense of the community, creating a sense of isolation

Over time, the Bay Area has become a flourishing suburbia with a history of large suburban planned developments. Starting in the Gold Rush, California faced a series of booms in demand for housing. The creation of suburban areas provided an opportunity for developers to profit from the demand by creating repetitive, cookie-cutter houses.

Silicon Valley’s housing and economy is directly linked to the technology industry. Shea and Shappel are a big suburban developer in the Bay Area, linked to many of its housing booms and have directly contributed to suburban growth. Housing prices skyrocketed and people were pushed into the suburbs. Around the Bay Area, neighborhoods are categorized by low-rise buildings

and an auto-centric transit system.

“Cozy” neighborhoods are stale and repetitive. There are many neighborhoods characterized by typical grids of generic five-floor patterns that are uncannily indistinguishable from each other. What was once an easy way to save time has made neighborhoods eery and impersonal.

Highways, expressways and gargantuan geography-splitting motorways tie all of these carelessly planned suburbs together. To stand a chance on one of these, Americans need a passable car, parameters defined by the global automobile industry.

The Bay Area infrastructure is virtually impossible to navigate, with a heavy reliance on cars, resulting in a lack of a good transit system. Instead of integrating a way of getting from suburb to suburb.

The Bay Area builders of the 1850s and post-war 1900s did what was the fastest and cheapest. The resulting gridlocked road system that leads suburbs

to downtown does not make sense for the average commuter.

In the Bay Area, the public transit system is composed of several different systems, each funded and constructed separately. These systems do not work together due to clashing schedules, routes and prices. Thus, taking the VTA to Caltrain to Muni just is not reasonable.

Better coordination is necessary. With the several smaller companies in the Bay Area, usable public transit systems usually cluster around bringing people into downtowns, not between suburbs. There is also a distinct lack of walkable infrastructure. Even if efficient and effective transportation were to be put in place, a lack of walkability limits the effectiveness of public transit. Most cities in the Bay Area make wide use of stroads, an ugly word to describe an ugly affliction. A combination of streets and roads, stroads take the worst

The suburbs have a noticeable effect on its residents’ quality of life. Their reliance on automobiles corresponds with a lack of sidewalks, making walking dangerous, especially at night. The addition of sidewalks is often opposed for being too urban, limiting a potential solution to the plight of the suburbs. An absence of sidewalks worsens existing issues, making it harder to access public spaces and isolating families into their own bubbles.

Having accessible infrastructure like mixed zoning, more carefully-designed roads and better bike paths and sidewalks makes moving from place to place easier. Reforms like these work hand-in-hand with changes to the public transit system, allowing people to travel more safely and conveniently. Better public infrastructure simultaneously addresses the environmental issues of the suburbs while also connecting residents and breaking isolation.

aspects of both and leave behind the benefits.

Stroads are often three or four lanes on both sides separated by an island or median with skinny sidewalks and bike paths on both sides. Stroads make travel dangerous by having driveways that lead to stores, creating dozens of potential points where a car can swerve into the driveway and hit a pedestrian. Bay Area roads do not do a good job of indicating to drivers when they should look out for pedestrians. A simple paint pattern along an intersection is not enough to communicate the severity of confusing a crosswalk with a left-turn lane.

Large roads should not be packed with entrances in and out of stores, sidewalks and bike lanes. Most streets should be one-lane, at the very most. If room is left, sidewalks may be used by restaurants for outdoor dining, and a bike lane can be added, as well as parking for cars so that they do not have to cross the sidewalk.

With a reliance on cars and isolated family units, shared public spaces take a hit in the suburbs. The mall is an iconic aspect of suburbia. While providing a self-contained, walkable place, malls are not an ideal solution to suburban sprawl’s lack of shared space. A good public space is easily accessible, has a wide range of activities and has a wide age appeal. Being purely focused on commerce and largely accessible only by an automobile, malls lack the hallmarks of good public spaces and exacerbates the issues of the suburbs.

The widespread nature of malls and lack of public spaces, in general, is indicative of a larger problem within suburbs: isolation. Everything from suburbs’ history to design to transit systems creates a lifestyle focussed around individual family units, only interacting with other units for work or commerce.

The suburbs and the American Dream breed consumerism and negatively impact their residents’ quality of life.

The suburbs were never built with actual concern for residents’ well-being. Suburban sprawl creates unattractive isolated neighborhoods with isolated families. In the Bay Area, suburban sprawl is linked to a high cost of living and its messy public transit system. It is time to reconsider the suburb’s place of pride in the American Dream.

Amelia Howell/Roar Staff

Revitalizingourcommunitiesneedspublictransportation,walkabilityandmorehumanexcellence.

American poverty breeds obesity

By Nicholas Iriberri

From 1980 to 2020, the CDC has reported that obesity rates in the U.S. have increased from 13.4% to 41.9%. This dramatic increase has had a significant impact on the health system and the well-being of millions of Americans. The rise in obesity across America is detrimental to the population and is an inevitability as the financial gap grows.

As the rates of obesity have risen, so has the divide between the social classes in the United States, as reported by Pew Research. This financial gap has grown since the 1980s, and has created a poorer lower middle class that relies on cost-cutting measures to survive. Although the financial gap is not unique to the U.S., it has one of the largest financial inequalities of any developed country, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

The rise in financial inequality is one of the major factors affecting the rise in obesity rates in the country, with the problem only worsening as the gap grows. One factor causing the rise is the immense costs it takes to remain healthy in the modern age.

OP-ED

A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health demonstrated the difference in price to eat healthily as opposed to buying cheaper, less healthy foods. The study reported that on average, eating healthy costs around $1.50 more every day, which adds up to approximately $540 more a year per person, which can strain smaller food budgets in a household.

These price differences are caused by less healthy foods being easier to produce en masse, which allows for cheaper sales and encourages unhealthy eat -

ing. The direct correlation has been observed in communities with higher rates of poverty. According to the NIH, the rates of obesity in a county with a poverty rate of >35% are substantially higher at 145% opposed to more wealthy counties.

The impoverished areas also have a disadvantage to health that intensifies an already major issue. Areas often suffer from lack of access to fresh food and food varieties, creating a shortage of vital nutrients and making it exceedingly difficult to maintain a balanced diet as recommended by health experts.

Justice for Sarah Winchester

These shortages are known as “food deserts” and are prevalent across the U.S. The problem most often appears in areas with lower incomes and lack of access to other amenities, such as good education. Although there are numerous factors that cause food deserts, impoverished areas face a high risk of becoming a food desert, especially during food shortages and crises like COVID-19. There is no quick fix for such a complex and intricate issue as food shortages, yet progress has been made. Programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provide resources for low-income citizens to gain access to food and alleviate some of the problems in the system caused by the financial inequality.

Although there has been success from SNAP and charities tackling the issue, the problem remains critical and the cause of the inequalities are deeply rooted in the American wealth and health systems. Only through the lessening of the wealth gap and the equalizing of food availability, both in stores and price, can the obesity epidemic be truly managed and ended.

Republicans cannot stomp out Black history

ation of Florida’s tendency to modify the education system to align with a narrative of white-washed history cleansed of accurate accounts of historical movements and events. According to NBCBLK, AP African American Studies initially began as a means to increase AP course enrollment amongst African American students. Florida’s legislative actions have crushed the potential of the course, closing the gateway to higher education for many minority students.

The refusal to offer AP African American Studies is a detriment to Floridian students, as the course acts as an introductory basis to college-level humanities, sciences and social studies courses.

By Taejun Spencer

A majority of Californians know the story of Sarah Winchester. She was the heir to the valuable fortune of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Nowadays, she is remembered as the subject of a ghost story – a woman who spent her final days haunted by all those killed by Winchester firearms.

Sarah Winchester lost her only child to cot death, never birthing again. She lost her husband, never marrying again. She retreated into her home and was branded as unholy and ghastly for it due to her times’ perception. Although she was branded like this, the truth was that she suffered from severe arthritis, causing her to lack the ability to travel out of the home often. However, there is more to the story than it seems.

According to Growjo, a corporate valuation index, the Winchester Mystery House grossed $13.5 million in 2022. But it thrives off of sensationalist ghost stories, spooky tales and most importantly, sexism. Profit relies entirely on the old and bigoted perception of women and their mentality.

Much of the Winchester house’s modern-day perception is skewed, reaching an innate conclusion. Even the odd and eerie conflicting Victorian and labyrinthine styles of the house are viewed as Sarah Winchester building at breakneck speeds to appease the ghosts, which is a false belief as the house was built over several periods, being repaired after the carnage of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

In 60 high schools across the nation, the College Board is conducting a pilot test of the new Advanced Placement African American Studies course. Students have been engaging with course content throughout the school year and will participate in a faux AP Exam in May to determine its success. The addition of the course marks the pivotal recognition of African American history and encourages multifarious history curriculums. Despite this, its implementation has come under vicious attack from Republican political figures.

In January, the Florida Department of Education rejected AP African American Studies in

a brash and controversial move against the “woke” ideologies that verberate throughout the course. Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, stood behind the decision, citing the course’s inclusion of Black queer theory and the prison abolition movement as violations of the state’s educational standards. DeSantis condemned the course as the indoctrination of a leftist political agenda, chalking up the course’s in-depth coverage of enslavement and African diaspora as lacking educational value.

Whilst DeSantis is applauded for being an opponent of the woke, he deprives students of the vital educational opportunity to study a

critical aspect of history that has formed many of the inequalities present within modern society.

Gov. DeSantis has implemented measures censoring what subjects a teacher can cover within their curriculums. The Parental Rights in Education Act, colloquially referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay Bill’’ has had the effect of stigmatizing LGBTQ+ individuals and silencing LGBTQ+ educators. In his battle against the woke, DeSantis has villainized educators, placing limitations on their First Amendment rights and their academic freedoms.

The banning of AP African American Studies is the continu-

The results of the pilot test have thus far been successful, with many students expressing gratitude for the course’s indepth coverage of Black history. Despite this, Florida’s decision still stands, and the schismatic actions of Gov. DeSantis are alarming as Florida edges closer to being a state devoid of any race- and genderrelated education. In the other 49 states where it remains legal to teach AP African American Studies, the course will play a large role in establishing African American studies as a cornerstone of the academic world and an integral part of the U.S. education system.

The sources that paint Winchester as being infatuated with ghosts are unreliable too. She was supposed to have hosted many seances in her house. Mary Jo Ignoffo researched extensively into primary sources of the time in her book, “Captive of the Labyrinth: Sarah L. Winchester, Heiress to the Rifle Fortune.” Ignoffo found that much about Winchester was relatively normal. She laughed, joked and even maintained positive relationships with her house’s many workers and employees.

Still, society’s perception of women such as Winchester remains to this day. While fun for the whole family, Winchester Mystery House harbors many negative stereotypes and origins that are demeaning to women who do not fit society’s perception of their actions, even so that Winchester is judged by the standards of the 19th century and not modern day.

TheGOPhastakentostompingoutcriticalracetheory’srepresentationinclassrooms.

AsAmerica’spovertyratehasincreased,sotoohaveobesityrates.

The facade of San Jose’s WinchesterMysteryHouse.

Aminah Hedges/Roar Staff

Amelia Howell/Roar Staff

Amelia Tai/Roar Staff

‘It’s like a roller coaster’ The SCHS community appreciates sad movies, shows and media

By Ellen Vu

Junior Venice Ella Mayor opens her laptop ready to watch a movie with popcorn and a smile, ending with their face red with tears. They knew what they were getting into with “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Despite the somber elements of the film, they rewatched, reliving the moments.

Sad movies are aimed to make viewers feel emotion for the characters and often leave audiences teary-eyed and heartbroken. Some may wonder why they continue to sit through a movie knowing it will likely sadden them. SCHS students and teachers discuss their experiences and reasons for watching tragic movies, knowing it will bring them sadness.

Anime fans often know what they are in for when they put on their favorite shows as many animes have notoriously sad premises and endings. Freshman Lee El-Domeiri recalled crying after watching “A Silent Voice,” a Japanese drama known for its heartbreaking ending.

Panou’s Paper Panel

after seeing others experience the same problem.

“There were a few parts that I felt emotion for the character and any movies that dealt with alcohol abuse combat because my dad had that issue, so it kind of stirs up memories, which I don’t think is a bad thing,” Reyes said. “It makes you think about certain things.”

Sad films are often popular for the emotions they bring out, whether they are positive or negative. Many people learn about themselves or their past after watching an emotional show.

By Elias Panou

“I expected it to make me cry because a lot of people told me that it was really sad,” El-Domeiri said. “But I didn’t expect it to be that bad because I tend to not cry at movies easily, but for some reason, this one hurt.”

Despite normally being unaffected by emotional shows or movies, ElDomeiri tends to match their enter-

tainment to their moods. They enjoy sad shows when they need help understanding their emotions as vulnerability is often a hard feeling to process.

“I get to feel emotion,” El-Domeiri said. “The more I watch sad movies, the more I have an excuse to be more emotional rather than just cry for no reason.”

Verbally communicating emotions can be difficult, especially for students. Similar to El-Domeiri, Ella Mayor finds watching movies that match her current mood help her to express how she feels.

“I think I just tend to watch it because it just lines up with whatever emotion I have, and I tend to want to continue feeling that emotion,” Ella Mayor said. “It’s like a roller coaster. I want to ride that roller coaster until I finish, and so I think watching a movie helps facilitate that.”

Films are more likely to affect how viewers feel if they can relate to the emotions characters experience. Relating to experiences on the screen can help viewers to feel less alone. Ella Mayor enjoyed “Everything Everywhere All At Once” for its representation of a complicated family relation-

ship, though it left them sobbing.

“I could relate to the characters in the movie, even if it’s a sci-fi film, and a lot of it is outlandish,” Ella Mayor said. “I think the core concept of mother-daughter relationship between an immigrant mother and her immigrant daughter is what resonates with me.”

Typically, movies that are aimed toward younger audiences are meant for smiles and laughter. According to English and theater teacher Angelo Reyes, adults can see the meaning behind films better than younger audiences as they have experienced the themes throughout their life.

“You don’t have to pause and as you get older, you start enjoying movies that are really driven by the dialogue, and you start connecting more to topics that you may have gone through in your life,” Reyes said.

Movies that covered alcoholism, like “City of Angels’’ and “The Notebook,” were memorable for Reyes as they resonated with his own experiences with people struggling with alcohol abuse. Despite the complexity of alcoholism, Reyes learned to think of his situation in a more positive light

“I think I just tend to watch it because it just lines up with whatever emotion I have, and I tend to want to continue feeling that emotion, it’s like a roller coaster. I want to ride that roller coaster until I finish, and so I think watching a movie helps facilitate that.”

- Venice Ella Mayor, junior

Some may start understanding that sadness is not always a bad feeling and that finding a healthy outlet to express their sadness can be beneficial.

Many at SCHS, like Reyes, use films to process their feelings whenever they are not feeling their best.

“It (seeing similarities in life and film) helped me understand that topic more and it helped me deal with it, and if you’re a person that doesn’t like to converse about certain things, it’s good to let it out,” Reyes said. “You don’t want to bottle all that in and then burst unexpectedly.”

How does social media change music?

By Amanda Troll

Since the rise of social media platforms such as TikTok, the number of songs that have gained recognition and streams has in creased drastically. Countless art ists use the opportunities that social media gives them to promote their music to new audiences and expand their influence. Some believe that there are good and bad sides to songs blowing up. Many SCHS stu dents have mixed feelings about the rise of music through social media.

Sophomore Ellie Calderon shared that there are upsides to the tiktokification of music, such as in troducing new genres and songs to audiences, which benefits both art ists and listeners.

“I feel like it could really intro duce artists,” Calderon said. “It gives artists more popularity, and you can add more songs to your playlist.”

Similarly, freshman Skylar Mechlin noted there are many reasons song exposure is good, but there are also downsides, such as

songs becoming earworms and overplayed.

“It’s bittersweet,” Mechlin said. “Some of the songs that they make

songs ruins its quality over time.

Senior Jackie Vo gave an example of the blown up song “Bad Habit” that has got ten on her nerves

“My life consists of me getting screwed everyday, everywhere,” a homeless man once told me, slugged down outside of my local 11-7. I ignored him at the time, but soon it began to dawn on me what he was telling me – a man, down on his luck, spitting at me something deep and powerful. All I saw in his hands was a torn, old, rusty and yellow mess of paper where I could just eke out the words, Raymond Carver.

At first, I thought that he was quoting something, so I rushed down to the Central Park Library, searching for a copy of anything by Carver, checking it out and eagerly rushing through the pages to find the source of this odd quip. I couldn’t find anything. So I read a little deeper into one of his classics: “Will you Please be Quiet, Please?” Soon, I understood everything.

The book came at a time when the poverty line was rapidly increasing in America – 1976 – the year of our bicentennial anniversary. In a collection of short stories, Carver aimed to write down the little things in life, the sort of things that any average working class man would experience: divorce, layoffs, family dichotomy, depression and alcoholism. The grittiest little details that had become so synonymous with American life really spoke to Carver.

Vo also recognized that social media has a large impact on the music industry, which on one hand, signifies that songs are reaching countless audiences. On the other hand, it demonstrates that music is being shown repeatedly everywhere, and the audiences that viral music has started to reach are not limited to Gen Z.

“Some popular music is used as background music on popular videos on Facebook, which is where all the moms, aunts, dads go,” Vo said. “It really goes to everyone.”

With the ever-changing community that is the internet, it does not surprise many that there are countless controversies. Whether they enjoy the tiktokification of music or despise it, many agree that it plays a large role in society.

What really resonated with me was the mayhem in Carver’s stories. A vacuum salesman barging his way into a house to show his product’s capabilities, young boys frantically hunting and fishing, letters and phone calls being perceived as something magical. In every way possible, strangers were entering and imposing on everyone’s lives and changing their day. Every character contrasted each other. In a calm and flexible tone, Carver pioneered minimalist style, making me feel like I had a part to play in everyone’s life – much like that homeless man entered mine.

Carver’s “Would You Please Be Quiet, Please?” is a beautifully composed and masterfully written collection of short stories. Reading his prose feels like a breath of cold, crisp air. Raymond Carver shaped American society through very little toil, influencing generations of playwrights, writers, and actors. Of course, his presence looms over the heads of Americans daily.

times, they kind of ruin songs by making them annoying.”

Many agree that overplaying

and people do not shut up about it. It’s like the only one of his songs that people know,” Vo said.

“TikTok has had an interesting impact on the music industry, and some of it’s good, some of it’s bad,” Mechlin said.

For the everyday Americans down on their luck, living out of their cars, who have their whole life captured in a Safeway shopping cart and broken down shoes, who deal with familial dichotomy, empty stomachs, with substance abuse – they live in Carver’s vision.

Somestudentsfindsombermediatobeahelpfulemotionaloutlet.

Rebecca LaBarge/Roar Staff

“I get to feel emotion, the more I watch sad movies, the more I have an excuse to be more emotional rather than just cry for no reason.”

- Lee El-Domeiri, freshman

The Roar’s recipe review: carnival food favorites made at home

Deep-Fried Oreos Funnel Cake Corn Dogs

By Joshua Cedro

Deep-fried Oreos are one of the most popular foods found at carnivals and fairs. They are straightforward to make since they only require pancake batter (which can be made with ingredients found around the house) and Oreos. A deep fryer is not required as vegetable oil and a pot can work as a replacement. Although it does not require too many ingredients, it can be challenging to make deepfried Oreos due to how fast they fry. If the Oreo is in the oil for too long, it will burn, and if it is not cooked for long enough, the pancake batter will still be raw. There is not much room for error when making deep-fried Oreos. While there is no exact estimate of time, the Oreos should typically be fried for about 15 to 20 seconds and flipped halfway through. Even though it is challenging at first, with practice, mastering the frying time will become easier. While more difficult, the recipe was still fun to make and tasted good. This is a recipe I recommend everyone try to make if they are craving Oreos with a twist.

Funnel cake, another classic carnival treat, is very similar to deep-fried Oreos. It is a quick recipe, requiring only the batter and any desired toppings. Like deep-fried Oreos, funnel cakes do not require a fryer to make, only vegetable oil and a pot. Even though the batter for the funnel cake is easy to make, the most challenging part is frying the batter. A big part of making this recipe is achieving the correct structure. To correctly make funnel cake, slowly drizzle the dough in the oil, and occasionally overlap the dough to get the best results. It is important to consider that when making funnel cakes at home, keeping them in a consistent shape without proper equipment is difficult. As many recipes recommend, it may come out with chunks of dough instead of one consistent thin line. The structure of the funnel cake will get better with practice, so despite challenges starting out, technique will only improve. This recipe is a great one I highly recommend for any who craves this treat but cannot go to a carnival to get one.

Many carnival foods are deep-fried, and corn dogs are no different. Corn dogs are harder to make compared to funnel cakes and deep-fried Oreos. They do not require too many ingredients, but the addition of cornmeal to the batter makes them hard to work with as well as a large amount of frying oil required to fully fry the corn dog. Cutting the hot dogs in half is a good way to make more corn dogs while using less oil to fully fry them. The hot dog tends to slip off of the batter when dipping and frying, but one way to prevent this is to pat the hot dog dry before dipping it into the batter and frying it. The frying process is similar to the funnel cake and deep-fried Oreos: insert it into the oil, spin it around the oil so it fries evenly, and take it out after about two minutes, or once it is golden brown. While corn dogs can be difficult to make, I would still recommend them. Remember to be careful of the hot splattering oil as it can lead to burns.

Pimple patches, pajamas and pull-overs: students partake in ‘dressing down’

By Mylinh Duong

Over the years, a manicured image at school from formal outfits has shifted to dressing down in pajama pants, hair curlers and pimple patches. A line between busy and lazy, the SCHS community reflected on the norm for casual dress code at high school.

For sophomore Stephanie Padilla, wearing what makes her feel comfortable and safe is her preferred style. Padilla noticed the normalization of students donning pimple patches and hair curlers at school and attributed its popularity to the rise of aesthetics.

“I think the idea of aesthetics has contributed to these looks becoming more normal. Most people do it because they do have pimples that they want to cover on their faces or they just want their hair to be undone at school.”

- Stephanie Padilla, sophomore

“I think the idea of aesthetics has contributed to these looks becoming more normal,” Padilla said. “Most people do it because they do have pimples that they want to cover on their faces, or

they just want their hair to be undone at school.”

Senior Amanda Weinger found it unique that students are enjoying a casual style. She compared current trends of dressing to ones from older generations.

“I know that back in our par ents’ generation, that (casual wear) was considered kind of a no-no. I feel like going out of the house with a roller in your hair was seen as super undone and not professional,” Weinger said. “Now that people our age are able to feel comfortable doing that, it’s kind of an improvement in society in a way.”

Ho rizons teach er Hao Pham grew up in the 1980s, where cliques such as jocks, skaters and geeks existed. Pham reflected on current social and environmental influences on students.

“When talking about students, they can be influenced by a variety of media and everything else. However, the immediate influence is their teachers,” Pham said. “Myself and others, sometimes we had staff that when I grew up, they would actually dress up. Sometimes when we have staff that dresses more casually, that could affect students.”

Pham believes the lenient dress code affects student learning depending on the individual’s habits and maturity.

“From my professional viewpoint, it can be beneficial as long as students are being

things like that (casual wear) are becoming more normalized since all my friends do it,” Torres said.

“I think this culture has grown partly because of the free dress. You can wear a lot of things, so why not wear what you wore to

Similarly, Padilla thinks relaxed outfits should be accepted among students. She finds that having freedom of choice in clothing has been beneficial.

“It should be normalized because I don’t see why people should judge other people for wearing what they like,” Padilla said.

“Dressing down has really helped me learn better because I’m learning in clothing that makes me feel

me develop my own style.”

For Torres, a lack of time in the morning can contribute to a growing scene of casual wear among the student body.

“It’s really noticeable that things like that (casual wear) are becoming more normalized since all my friends do it. I think this culture has grown partly because of the free dress. You can wear a lot of things, so why not wear what you wore to bed.”

- Michell Torres, junior

clothing they dress down in has certain logos and brands is impacting our population, our students and our learning in some negative way, then it’s not beneficial.”

Junior Michell Torres finds that a lot of his friends’ wardrobe consists of pajama pants and fuzzy slippers. He shared that the change to casual wear has surfaced from a laidback dress code.

“It’s really noticeable that

After attending a Catholic school for nine years, Weinger appreciates the opportunity to dress freely and not be restricted by a dress code.

“I was forced to wear a pleated plaid skirt that had to fall below the knee and wear collared shirts,” Weinger said.

“Coming here and being able to dress how I want without feeling restricted was really empowering in a way that helped

“Another major thing that comes to mind is wanting to get more time in bed,” Torres said. “A friend of mine comes in with pajamas half of the time because they always wake up so late. You’re already in those clothes, might as well go to school in them.”

Weinger believes it is important for students to openly express themselves through their styles without feeling restricted.

“I think the way you dress is how people initially perceive you,” Weinger said. “Dressing how you want is like a snapshot into your personality and who you are as a person.”

Joshua Cedro/Roar Staff

Joshua Cedro/Roar Staff

Joshua Cedro/Roar Staff

Cultural Dances on Campus

Cultural clubs use dance as a form of celebration and self-expression

By Aaryan Dubale and Nishi Vijayvargiya

Dance is deep-rooted as a meaningful foundation to many cultures and has been for centuries, with each culture having its own unique style of expression through dancing. Many cultural clubs at SCHS have contributed to enriching and diversifying the student body through dance performances that showcase their culture and its various traditions.

SCHS hosts a variety of club presentations throughout the year, including the Filipinx American Student Association’s presentation in October, Diversity Week in January, Black Student Union’s Black History Month presentation in February and more. These presentations are hosted to showcase clubs’ culture, in which members display their dances, share the history of the dances and their culture and perform national anthems. During their Black History Month presentation, BSU provided students with a step dance performance, a Black cultural dance where dancers clap their hands and stomp their feet to make noise like an instrument.

Nia Bozant enjoys the technique behind step dancing and ap preciates how it unites her community.

two different steps, and it makes a difference. It makes

different noises, doing different things,” Bozant said. “It’s something that makes me want to keep practic ing. It helps build community when ever you’re doing it with the people that you’re doing it with.”

SCHS’s Vietnamese Student Asso ciation is working toward a cultural dance performance later in the year, with members beginning to practice on campus. They are currently prac ticing Vietnamese fan dancing, which is a dance style where the dancers use fans to make elegant formations.

VSA vice president freshman Natalie Nguyen has been fan dancing since she was five.

“We dance with fans, and some times it doesn’t have to be fans. It can just be umbrellas or whatever we have,” Nguyen said. “It’s very elegant, and it usually consists of multiple people.”

Nguyen started with doing performances at her Vietnamese temple and then moved on to dancing with her Girl Scout troop. Nguyen is ex cited to use her background in fan dancing to help students at SCHS be come more familiar with the dance style.

Nguyen encouraged people of all cultures to try out fan dancing. She

Pudasaini, helped choreograph freshman dances for BOTC’s 5

“One of the main reasons I started Jaashan at SCHS is because most of the other schools around us have Bollywood dance teams where they are able to compete with other schools, but in our case, we don’t have anything like that,” Bhatia said. “We feel as though our culture isn’t seen as much. I feel like Jaashan brings out our culture like movies and songs. It gets people really interested in our movies and everything.”

Bhatia encouraged all SCHS students to try out for Jaashan due to how fun and easy Bollywood dance is.

“I think a lot of people think you need experience to join, but it’s really not true,” Bhatia said. “We have over six months to prepare, and Bollywood dancing isn’t even that hard. You just have to be fluid with your movements.”

Cultural clubs are not the only form of dance expression on campus. The Battle of the Classes event on March 24 and its 5 Minutes of Fame component included dance choreographies from all four classes. Freshman Class Publicist, Priya

school-wide events, many appreciate dance for its ability to allow SCHS students to celebrate their peers’ talents on multiple occasions. Bozant feels that step dancing is the creation of music through collective human talent, and is grateful for the sense of community it incites.

“I think stepping is just something that kind of brings people together in a way because you’re practicing it together and you’re basically making music with people,” said Bozant.

Similarly, Nguyen appreciates fan dancing because it helps her feel more connected to her culture.

“It boosts my confidence and I’m Vietnamese, so I feel connected,” Nguyen said.

Bozant admires cultural dancing because of the positive and uplifting effect it has on the dancers.

“I think that dance culture is something that people use to express themselves, make friends through and use like an art form,” Bozant said.

Visuals by Jazzy Ramirez and Amelia Tai