BHS Jacket 2022/23 Issue 5

From crowds of hundreds to dozens: The reality of activist burnout at BHS

BY MADELYN PHILHOWER staff writer

This last month alone, many Berkeley High School students attended one or both of two protests: the No to Coal, Yes to Life climate strike in Oakland and a reproductive rights walkout organized by the Reproductive Justice Club. For a long time, particularly at BHS, protests served as a way for students to push for change. However, protest

attendance has dwindled recently.

Senior Rosy Urbano is the lead organizer and outreach coordinator for the Reproductive Justice club.

“(Protesting) gives people a way to put themselves on (a) small platform (and) connect with other people who care about similar issues,” Urbano said. “It’s really (about) making a statement that this is something that is important, and that’s beneficial to everyone

involved.”

Protests can also help strengthen networks and connections, according to Naomi Nickolaus, a senior and co-leader of the BHS Green Team.

To senior Kathleen McLoughlin, “It’s still important to … show support for the people who are facing direct impacts (by protesting).” In 2020, BHS students organized a walkout protesting rape culture at BHS. “We were all fed up and wanted to do something about PAGE 9

Video game based movies consistently fail as a genre

Video game movies have a rocky history, from the ‘90s bizarrely horrible comedies to dull

13

movies

Listen to the The Buzz: What does Halloween mean to you?

Listen to the most recent episode of The Buzz: The BHS Jacket Podcast. Listen on Anchor, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Berkeley High School defeated the Washington Huskies at a home game on Saturday, October

BHS defeats Washington High at Homecoming game

LINDSEY RAYON-PIXTUN

BHS community attends “Unite the Fight” climate summit

climate actions at the local and global level by finding a specific part of the climate crisis that interests them.

“Start a conversation, a climate education program, or a climate strike,” Ivanova said. “Also advocate for climate policies and join an organization.”

BY ELOISE THOMAS staff writer

BY MAYA DANG staff writer

On October 12, Berkeley High School’s “Unite the Fight” climate summit was held at the Downtown Berkeley YMCA Teen Center, with 35 BHS students in attendance. The event was organized by senior Ella Suring, junior Zaia Bachrach, junior Shanza Syed, literature teacher Aryn Faur, librarian Meredith Irby, and BHS vocational specialist and Individualized Education Plan case manager Karis Taylor.

According to Bachrach, the summit was intended to bring together BHS students who have expressed an interest in climate change action to come up with a set of feasible actions that they can take to address the issue. She added that the name “Unite the Fight” was chosen to unify passionate climate groups and students on campus and emphasize the change that BHS can achieve as a community.

“We really want to analyze the work that we’ve done at BHS in the past, and how to think

critically about how we can move forward in a way that’s more effective,” Bachrach said. “Also (considering) the intersectionality of climate change and everyone’s interests,”

Bachrach spoke about the concept of intersectionality, which describes how different interests and social issues connect to climate change. An example is how low-income residents and people of color tend to live in more polluted areas, with more oil plants and water pollutants, causing health problems.

The summit consisted of group discussions about climate advocacy, as well as guest speakers, such as BHS’s Native Student Union (NSU). Topics discussed include the intersectionality of climate change, the effects of extreme weather on our land and planet, different climate organizations around the Bay Area, future events at BHS surrounding climate activism, and ways that students can be more involved in the climate movement.

Raina Ivanova, a youth climate activist and member of the UNICEF Youth Council of Germany, also spoke, describing her past experiences with climate activism, and how students can get involved with

Ivanova stressed the connection between social justice and climate advocacy, explaining how one can fight environmental racism, which is defined as the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on people of color.

Hannah Estrada, an organizer for Youth vs Apocalypse and another guest speaker, also commented on how the climate change movement is especially important for marginalized communities, presenting graphs of the air quality where people of color lived and other quantitative connections between race and environmental justice.

Aniya Butler, a spoken word poet and a member of the Youth vs Apocalypse, shared a poem about the connection between people of color and climate change and talked about the different Bay Area organizations and platforms that BHS students can

According to Butler, the campaign “No One is Disposable” will mobilize for direct actions for intersectional climate and environmental justice. Additionally, Butler described how the California State Teachers’ Retirement System organization is trying to divest all California teachers’ pension funds from fossil fuels by passing a bill and getting teachers to pressure the state

Pipeline, which violate the treaty boundaries set in North and South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming.

and board members.

“We are not asking for sympathy,” Butler said. “We are demanding action against the climate crisis, action against brutal border control, action against police brutality, action against every single oppressive system and activities that are killing marginalized communities.”

BHS seniors and members of the NSU Rita Azul Huhndorf-Lima and Emiliano Santana-Thoele also presented on the effects of climate change on their native land, Native-led groups in the Bay Area, and

“California Natives used to use controlled fires or burns both to care for the land they inhabited and for religious purposes. It was cultural practice and beneficial. But since 1850, it has been illegal for California’s indigenous people to practice controlled burns,” Santana-Thoele said. “Since then, California has become known for its drastic fire seasons, and within recent decades, it has only gotten worse thanks to climate change. Our fire seasons have become longer, fires burn more land, kill more animals, and displace more people.” Bachrach reflected on the possibilities of connecting different personal interests to the climate change movement, given the intersectionality it holds.

“If you are someone that loves art, think about how you or the art that you create can help fight against climate change, and that way you can get involved in climate change in a way that you feel passionate about,” Bachrach said. “Remember that every unique voice matters, and we need that uniqueness to

COVID-19 UPDATEUNITY WEEK RESCHEDULED

Unity week has now officially been rescheduled for the week of October 31.

“This was decided by the team and staff in our hopes to honor Angel and Jazy after the unfortunate events that took place not long ago,” said Vanessa Rodriguez Paz, the freshman representative from Hive 4 on BHS Leadership. “We also hope that this gave everyone time to focus on their emotions and mental health.”

Most recent COVID-19 guidelines outline that masking is encouraged, but not required on campus. In classrooms, BHS can stay safe by keeping air purifiers running and windows open when possible.

“Everyone can help us through this pandemic by being up to date with vaccinations and staying home when symptomatic and reporting positive tests,” Raygoza said. Bivalent vaccine is available at clinics and through health care providers.”

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Computers and Structures Inc., Dorothy A Haas, Joan Firestone, Denise Yip, Joye Wiley, Catherine Zhang and Larry Drumm, William and Heather Clydesdale, David and Karen Eichler, Marjorie and Sander Weinreb, William John Skoonberg, Anna and Henry Lai, CW and Agnes Huang, Ori Tzvieli and Lori Freedman.

“We are not asking for sympathy. We are demanding action against the climate crisis.”

Aniya Butler, Youth vs Apocalypse member

PHOTOS BY EMILIA FREILICH

SUNNY BEVIS-LIPTON

Zeia Bachrach at the summit.

A group of BHS students at the climate summit participate in button making.

BHS students gather during the October 12 climate summit.

Ivanova speaks at the summit.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KAIYA JORDAN

Student advisory committee organizes Title IX information day

BY YSABEL CHU staff writer

The Berkeley High School Sexual Harassment Advisory Committee (SHAC), a student organization working with the BHS Title IX coordinator, will be hosting a Title IX Information Day to spread information and awareness about sexual harassment.

According to senior Ava Murakami, a member of SHAC and the BHS commissioner of women’s rights and equity, the Title IX Information Day

was rescheduled from its original date on October 3, and the new date has yet to be decided. For the Title IX Information Day, SHAC plans on using posters and infographics to share information about what SHAC does, as well as how students can seek help through the Title IX process.

“Something that’s really difficult about the Title IX process is that information used to be really hard to find,” said Murakami. “So this year we want to make it as simple as possible for people. We wanted the goal of this (to be) drawing people’s attention to the fact

that we’re here and people have resources.”

Murakami mentioned that there have been two main challenges to hosting the Title IX Information Day. The first was finishing many preparations to host the event by October 3, its original date. The second: striking a balance between providing information and avoiding triggering students who may be sensitive to information about sexual assualt.

“I was worried about triggering students who are sensitive to (sexual assualt and harrasment) information,” Murakami

said. “So we decided to have all our posters on the (campus) green, so as to not be too much in students’ faces. Students who wanted to not participate or see the information could ignore it if they wanted to.”

According to senior Reem Mahmoud, a member of SHAC, the committee was formed in the 2020-21 school year in response to a student being sexually assualted on campus the year prior.

“I felt that it was important to make a change,” said Mahmoud, describing why she joined SHAC. “The students need to feel safe on campus. And if the school isn’t going to do anything about that, then students need to do something.”

In the past years, according to Mahmoud, SHAC helped choose the outside consent educator who came to BHS and did school wide presentations for each grade. SHAC has also continually worked with the Title IX coordinator to teach students how to

report sexual harassment or assualt.

According to the BUSD Title IX coordinator Jasmina Viteskic, in addition to the Title IX Information Day, one of SHAC’s goals

SHAC’s biggest challenge is changing the culture of BHS and how students manage sexual harassment.

“I think changing the culture is hard because (BHS) has a long history of just being okay with sexual harassment, sexual assault, and it not getting reported,” Mahmoud said. “A lot of students try to fit the mold, or they don’t want to snitch.”

is to bring back an outside consent educator, similar to Shafia Zaloom, who gave schoolwide presentations last year. However, SHAC aims for more than one day to present the curriculum, to supplement last year’s education.

“It (shouldn’t) be a one off, check the box event, but a continual discussion throughout the school year,” Viteskic said. “(It should be) incorporated somehow into the classes that kids already have. We were very happy with our consent education last year, but I think everyone wanted more of it.”

Mahmoud believes

Senior Ella Suring said one of her favorite things about being on SHAC is working with passionate students.

“It’s great to have ... accountability and community because everyone is genuinely interested in what we’re doing,” Suring said. Title IX Information Day has been rescheduled, and will now take place on Monday, October 24.

Questions can go to Vice Principal of School Climate and Student Wellness Doreen Bracamontes at doreenbracamontes@ berkeley.net

State mandated safety committee seeks out new members at BHS

BY AARON STEVENS staff writer

Berkeley High School is currently in the process of finding new members for its safety committee for the 2022-23 school year. An email with an application form was sent out to the community in late August announcing that the school was looking for students and faculty who would like to participate on the committee. They plan to meet on the first Tuesday of each month from 4 to 5 p.m.

This committee has existed at BHS since the passing of the California Assembly Bill 1747 back in 2018. The bill states that every K-12 school must create a safety plan which, in return, creates a safe environment for students and staff.

“Having a School Safety Committee is a mandate, and the committee’s primary responsibility is to review, update, and bring a Comprehensive School Safety Plan (CSSP) to the School Site Council for approval before submitting (the plan) to the state by March of that school year,” said Shaheen Mohammed, Dean of Students.

Mohammed also

explained that each safety plan is made for the following year, thus this year’s CSSP is for the 202324 school year. Members of the safety committee will consist of staff, students, and parents. “Typically, we have the same number of school staff as parents/guardians/ students,” explained Mohammed.

Mohammed added that a record number of students volunteered to participate in the safety committee. “That exceeds the total number of staff on the committee, but I have plans for including everyone through an ad hoc committee that will be charged with updating our emergency supplies in each classroom as well as serving as Student Ambassadors,”

having students involved in that, I think is really important,” Tesch said.

As a result of several safety issues at BHS in recent years, many students report feelings of concern. “I don’t really feel safe at this school in general. I mean, anything could happen, and I feel like our school won’t know how to handle it,” said Harriet Roan, a sophomore.

“Whenever there is a traumatic event that affects our school and community, they only show support for one or two days max, and then it’s back to normal,” Roan added, regarding her thoughts on how BHS has handled tragedies and violence in the past.

While the specifics of what the committee will address this year are currently unspecified, BHS’s school site council shared this year’s goals regarding safety in the most recent safety plan document, accessible on BHS’s website.

aiming for a more positive school climate by using alternatives to suspension, such as restorative justice. Another goal for this year is to reduce absenteeism by using prevention, early intervention, and concentrated support for students with a higher than 10 percent absence rate.

Safety and mental health have been of top priority and high concern during recent berkeley school board meetings. During the September 21 meeting, John Calise presented on the district’s efforts regarding

safety. Schools are in the process of making campuses safer and more secure. The district is adding more cameras and security locks to campuses. BHS is also in the process of implementing more and more mental

the campus a little bit more so we can keep our attention on the front door. It is a really big school, so we’ll never have everything accounted for, but through collaborating together we’ll be able to identify those gaps,” Tesch said.

health services for both staff and students.

“We have made some new changes just to secure

“(BHS) is nestled in a busy area, so naturally, we may encounter things related to what’s happening in the community. But I think that mostly people have pretty good intentions, and every time there has been any kind of safety concern we’re notified, and then we act on it really quickly.”

Mohammed said.

Cassandra Tesch, the dean of attendance, also shared her thoughts on the committee and safety at BHS. “I think in terms of safety, it’s important for everybody to be aligned on what it means for us to have a safe environment, both physically and mentally. So,

The document explained that the site council aims for more preparedness for emergencies such as armed intruders, earthquakes, and fires. The document also said that Berkeley Unified School District schools must have two armed intruder drills per school year. The site council is also

MALIN MORELL

FIONA FIREPINE

Students created posters in preparation for Title IX Information Day.

A record number of students volunteered to participate in the safety committee this year.

“It is a really big school, so we’ll never have everything accounted for, but through collaborating together we’ll be able to identify those gaps.”

Shaheen Mohammed, Dean of Students

“The students need to feel safe on campus. And if the school isn’t going to do anything about that, then students need to do something.”

Reem Mahmoud, BHS Senior

“I don’t really feel safe at this school ... Anything could happen, and I feel like our school won’t know how to handle it.”

Harriet Roan, BHS Sophomore

BHS college counselors reflect on college costs, mental health

BY AVHA MEISELS staff writer

As seniors begin to submit their first college applications, many students have started thinking about the huge costs that come with attending most universities, which include application fees as well as the actual tuition.

The process of finding financial support has been extremely stressful and confusing for many students, including Mark Amianda, a junior in the Multilingual Program (MLP).

Amianda described his background, moving from Kenya to Berkeley last year. “My mom is still in Kenya and she can’t afford to pay for my college because it’s so expensive. I don’t know if I’m going to have enough money for college because right now I only have enough to apply to two colleges,” Amianda said.

He added that his only source of information is Berkeley High School

college counseling, and that he plans on reaching out to those counselors to get more information on financial aid and scholarships. “Hearing about financial aid makes me feel like it’s going to help me apply to college. It makes me feel relieved from stress,” Amianda said.

According to Jennifer Hammond, a BHS college

According to BHS college counselor Yasmin Navarro, low-income students are more likely to find full-ride scholarships and grants at Ivy Leagues because these universities have more money to give. In contrast, in-state schools tend to give loans rather than grants, which can harm the student in the long-run if they aren’t properly educated on repaying these sums.

counselor, there are many different types of financial aid available to students, such as loans, which they would have to repay later, and sometimes grants, which students don’t have to pay back. Additionally, students can apply for scholarships, as well as free or reduced application fees. When it comes to financial aid packages, some schools can offer more money than others.

Navarro described how this entire process is extremely tough on students’ mental health, though the issue has become normalized in today’s culture. “I see it affecting students and I see students who maybe don’t necessarily know how to broach the subject of affording college internalize it,” she said.

She continued, describing how educating students on financial aid may help them build a better relationship with money. “In reality, the more they talk about finances and financial aid, the more

it can empower students to make college decisions that are smart financially,” Navarro said.

Hammond also explained that there are many jobs available to college students that can help them to pay off debt while attending university, rather than after. She

emphasized the importance of students having this knowledge, as it opens up opportunities, no matter their income.

“You just need to get educated and make wise decisions, keeping finances in mind, but not making decisions solely based on that,” Hammond said.

She strongly urged all students to educate themselves and seek options that allow them to attend colleges, no matter their financial status.

“You shouldn’t assume, as it will be easy to, that as a low income student, (you’re) not going to be able to afford college,” Hammond said.

School board: STEM camp, literacy action, bell schedule reform

BY OSCAR WALLENSTEIN staff writer

The Berkeley Unified School District Board convened on the evening of Wednesday, October 12. Topics included a STEM maker camp for rising seventh to ninth grade BUSD students, a literacy settlement to support students with reading, and the controversial bell schedule redesign process.

The public comment portion of the meeting was dominated by an equity

showcase presentation on the Berkeley Maker Camp. The camp is for seventh to ninth graders, run by the BUSD Career Technical Education (CTE) Program in partnership with the Berkeley Public Schools Fund and the City of Berkeley. The goal of the camp was to diversify the STEM career path by recruiting underrepresented students in STEM fields.

They also aimed to provide a high quality summer camp experience for 150 students at no cost, and introduce BUSD middle schoolers to

BHS’s CTE program.

Professional STEM fields are disproportionately white and male when compared to other careers, and the presentation aimed to demonstrate the program’s success in creating a diverse camper population. Black students made up 28 percent, Asian American or Pacific Islander students made up 13 percent, and Hispanic or Latinx students made up 36 percent. The attending body was also diverse in gender.

One parent said, “Thank you so much for this

opportunity that you offer to students at BUSD. I was looking and trying to find something for my son to keep him busy during this summer. He asked for STEM, but camps are really expensive and hard to afford.”

In 2023, the CTE program wants to provide afternoon or weekend STEM opportunities during the school year to participants from that summer. They also want to run Maker Camp again, this time opening it up to rising sixth and tenth graders. Additionally, they aim to expand internship opportunities for eleventh & twelfth graders, and consider collaborations between middle school summer school and Maker Camp. Finally, they hope to open more summer job opportunities for BUSD classified staff to work in Maker Camp.

Also discussed in public comment was a Literacy Action Plan that will ensure that all BUSD students will be able to read and write before the end of second grade. Lindsey Nofelt,

mother of two Berkeley students said that this was a “historic opportunity to right long-standing academic wrongs.”

“Berkeley Unified students have consistently fallen below grade level in reading (and) the core reading curriculum needs to be reviewed and reassessed now, instead of next year,” said Katy Reese, mother of two Thousand Oaks Elementary students.

BHS ninth grader Eva Levenson spoke of her experience as a dyslexic child in a BUSD elementary school. She described how her vocabulary was advanced compared to her peers, but in second grade she was embarrassed at her inability to read. Luckily, her family was able to pay for tutoring. By sixth grade, she was reading above the expected reading level.

Her mother, Rebecca Levenson, told the story of her first child, who was dyslexic, but was born at a time in her life when she could not afford the extra tutoring that her younger sister received.

Eva and Rebecca Levenson

requested that BUSD adopt a new system including tutoring and help for dyslexic elementary school students similar to what Eva Levenson received.

Towards the end of the meeting, members discussed the bell schedule redesign process. BHS parent Cecilie Rose said that to ensure a bell schedule that everyone would benefit from, transparent and straightforward data was needed from the redesign committee. She explained that the redesign process needed more parent involvement, as only 242 BHS parents had been surveyed, and 66 percent of those were parents of white students, despite the fact that white students make up only 42 percent of the student body.

Seth Fleischer, a specialist in equity in learning and the workplace, said that this schedule overhaul has the opportunity to “fix chronic absenteeism, with a particular advantage for minorities”. He continued, saying that “the students, not a cost-neutral solution, should be the priority.”

“(Discussing financial aid) can empower students to make college decisions that are smart financially.”

Yasmin Navarro, BHS college counselor

ROBERT GELLNER

INFOGRAPHIC BY GABRIELLA BUSANSKY

OPINION

editors:

AP curriculum must not be disregarded

BY AVA RAMSDALE staff writer

Many Berkeley High School students have had a teacher who begins the year by stating that they don’t like the Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum and therefore won’t be teaching it. This presents problems for students who rely on inperson instruction to help prepare them for the AP exam and understand the college-level curriculum. Students must either selfprepare for the exam or skip it altogether, due to feeling illprepared for the test. This leads to inequality of preparation and exam access. AP teachers have a responsibility to follow the curriculum provided by the College Board, as it ensures that all students are taught the same material, giving them equal opportunity.

When students sign up to take AP classes, they expect to be taught an accelerated curriculum that is as rigorous as collegelevel classes. Many students

aim to take the AP exams in May, but if the teacher refuses to teach the material, they will have to prepare on their own for the exam. This is problematic, as not all students have the time or resources outside of school to thoroughly teach themselves a college-level course. Therefore, this disproportionately affects students who have less access to outside resources

is important that these skills be taught throughout the year. Teachers like Sperske also use AP Classroom to prepare their students for the exam, a resource only available to those enrolled in an official AP class.

Some teachers simply don’t like the AP curriculum, whether it be the content they are provided with or the time constraints they are given to teach the material.

Crystal Rigley, Personal Finance and AP Economics teacher at BHS, said that teaching all of the AP material, especially to seniors going through college applications, was tortuous and negatively affected their mental health. Rigley said she teaches just over half of the AP content, which allows for her to teach more relevant and helpful content. Rigley also provides a flex period on Mondays which students who want to take the AP exam can use to self-study using videos on Google Classroom. This is an efficient alternative for teachers that decided not to teach all of the AP content.

SHINING A LIGHT ON: ANXIETY

SIMONE ZABARSKY

Ann Sperske, a Academic Choice (AC) history teacher at BHS, said it’s not possible for students to effectively prepare themselves for the AP exams without the proper tools. There are a variety of skills and test-taking tools students develop through AP courses, and therefore it

them and choose their own content. However, teachers should not entirely disregard the AP curriculum. Instead, students who want to learn the AP material should be given an in-class opportunity to learn the AP content, such as a “flex” Monday period, which is essentially a study hall.

While it is reasonable that teachers would want flexibility in their material, students deserve the opportunity to learn the material they signed up for and have equal access to the AP exams. It isn’t fair for teachers to eliminate that option for students who might be seeking college credits or even just looking to learn from the class they selected. Teachers have a responsibility to give their students the knowledge they need to succeed, and in the case of AP classes, that looks like following the AP curriculum.

District-wide drug education will save lives

BY SERENNA REDWOOD staff writer

Last year 1,146 teenagers died as a result of a drug overdose in America, and it is reported that 1 in every 7 teenagers has a substance abuse disorder according to American Addiction Centers. Drugs have the power to destroy lives, and if teens were given honest drug education, these lives could be saved.

Berkeley High School has not implemented districtwide drug education and this must change for the sake of teenage safety in the community.

The BHS community is not unfamiliar with drug use; it’s very common to enter a bathroom full of people vaping. This is too often expected and normalized. However, we forget that uneducated and unsafe drug use can have serious consequences .

Nina Thompson, president of the BHS Harm Education and Reduction Organization (HERO) club at BHS spoke on how this

issue affects BHS students. According to Thompson, the club has seen BHS kids with many different experiences, ranging from risky experimentation to much bigger issues.

“People can get addicted or dependent,” Thompson said. “Use can get in the way of their school work… (and) some people on the more extreme side (have) to go to rehab or other forms of treatment because it (is) getting in the way of their health.”

At BHS, HERO is trying to provide missing education and advocate for drug education. Almost everyone who is a junior or younger should have gotten an inclass presentation from HERO in their freshman year on reducing risk with drugs. Although this is a step in the right direction, most schools don’t have this, and there is a need for districtwide implementation of drug education.

This is why BHS carries a responsibility to include drug education in the high school curriculum. A massive amount of

misinformation about drugs is out there. The effects of drugs are easily underestimated or exaggerated, which means a one-time experiment can lead to addiction.

Abstinence-based drug education is also problematic, as it does not give teens the information they need in order to be safe. We know that abstinencebased sex education does not work to reduce teen pregnancy and STDs. In the same way, abstinence-based drug education doesn’t work to reduce overdose and addiction.

Non-abstinence-based

drug education teaches students about different kinds of drugs, what they do, what they look like, and how addictive they are. It also involves informing students on what to do in case of an overdose and who to go to for help.

Not providing accurate drug education allows misinformation to spread, meaning that most teens won’t know how to deal with unsafe situations or where to go for help. Providing accurate in-school drug education would have a hugely positive effect on the way teens approach and use drugs.

Anxiety affects everyone regardless of if you are diagnosed with it or not.

“Chronic anxiety can lead to serious mental health problems, depression, substance use, and even suicide," the American Academy of Pediatrics states on its website. “It can interfere with the ability to focus and learn, causing school problems that can have lifelong impact. It can also lead to physical problems, such as headaches, chronic pain, digestive problems, and later heart disease.”

Recently, doctors have noticed a high increase in anxiety, especially surrounding teens. Standardized testing, school work, insecurities, double standards, social media, and friendships affect teens on a daily basis, causing anxiety to build up.

As adolescents, we care a lot about our social life, relationships, and extracurricular activities. These things are mostly centered around school, so that's where we get most of our social interactions during an average week. During the school day we have to balance getting to classes on time, doing well in those classes, while at the same time forming friendships. Because of the immense pressure to do well and succeed in life, anxiety is almost inescapable at school.

When anxiety is talked about, it is usually paired with depression — makes sense, right? They do come hand in hand oftentimes. Although that can be true, anxiety is deeper than just feeling a deep “urge for your room to be neat” and it's most definitely not the same thing as depression. On many occasions I've heard anxiety be explained as something unimportant. This is the message that we are sending to people all because of the fact that anxiety is rarely talked about in a school setting.

Anxiety comes in many forms, with many different behaviors and compulsions that come with each type. Some forms of anxiety include OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), and GAD (generalized anxiety disorder). These show the range of anxiety disorders. You may get panic attacks once a month or everyday, either way it's an important concept to discuss.

When I was younger and would start feeling anxious I had no clue what was going on with me. Why was the air suddenly thin? Why was I shaking? Why was I scared? These were all important questions I needed to know to feel safe and to avoid feeling alone.

If you or someone you know is dealing with anxiety, make sure to reach out and try to offer a sympathetic ear. Sometimes just knowing someone else cares enough to listen can make a significant difference. If you feel uncomfortable talking to someone you know, I urge you to visit Teenline.org

ALEXANDRA MORGAN

CLAUDIA BLOOM

BHS must initiate the end to local gun violence now

In the early morning on October 8, Berkeley was shaken by another shooting near the University of California, Berkeley, leaving one person dead and three people wounded. Just two weeks earlier, on October 1, the Berkeley High School community lost two brothers to gun violence. According to Berkeleyside, as of October 15, there have been at least 40 confirmed gunfire incidents in Berkeley this year, resulting in 3 deaths and 15 injuries. At BHS this past month, the effects of the tragedy have spread. Many students know someone who recently experienced the horror of losing a loved one, or you yourself knew someone who was killed, whether that's a friend, classmate, or family member. Regardless, the impacts of gun violence on our local community of Berkeley and Oakland are clear. Bay Area youth must take action now to protect ourselves from gun violence and limit access to firearms in our community.

Compared to other states, California does have strict gun laws. However, on a local level, there is even more that we

can do to simply limit the number of illegally sold guns in the community. For example, according to Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, laws in Oakland require gun dealers to report their inventory to law enforcement on a regular basis, and also video record all sales of firearms. However, neither Alameda County nor Berkeley have this law. We must advocate for it, as it could deter local gun dealers from illegally trafficking firearms.

But even the strictest gun control laws by themselves will not eliminate gun violence. It’s community programs that further decrease the impact of local gun violence. Just miles away from Berkeley in Richmond, The Operation Peacemaker Fellowship, which was created under the Advance Peace Program, was found to result in 43 percent fewer gun violence related crimes. The program went into neighborhoods with increased crime rates, where they mediated conflicts and mentored at-risk youth.

The Advance Peace Program also aimed to decrease gun violence through a program called Neighborhood Change Agents: formerly incarcerated people who work with communities of color experiencing gun violence, who are often distrustful of police. The program has been implemented in several Californian cities, and according to a UC Berkeley study, two years after Advance Peace Program was implemented in Stockton, it "interrupted 44 gun-violence conflicts and mediated over 500 community conflicts that prevented escalation into gun violence."

However, one of the issues with programs like Advance Peace is that they simply don’t have enough funding, especially compared to the police departments that receive more funding for similar, less successful programs. According to Berkeleyside, in June of this year, the Berkeley City Council approved a plan

to "put about $10 million more toward its police department in both 2023 and 2024." The plan will fund around 20 currently empty Berkeley Police Department positions, restoring the BPD to its pre-pandemic staffing level. In comparison, the Berkeley City Council only increased funding for community agencies that focus on public safety and health by 4 percent of it.

Here’s the bottom line: America has waited long enough for the federal government to take significant action to fight gun violence. The recent deaths of BHS students reveals to us that the issue of gun violence is our issue. It is a problem that will only continue to destroy our BHS community if left unaddressed. We cannot wait for change on a national level, or even for local politicians to make changes. We as students must be the ones to take initiative to save our community. We must advocate for stricter gun laws on a local level. We need to pressure the Cities of Berkeley and Oakland to invest in programs like Advance Peace, as we have seen their positive impact. As our community members grieve, the rest of us must work to minimize the amount of times our community will grieve again.

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Teachers at BHS cannot afford to provide classroom supplies

BY KALI PROUD staff writer

Teachers’ wages have been an ongoing issue across the United States, and in Berkeley, many argue that people playing such a central part in our community deserve to be paid more fairly. But another less discussed issue is how many teachers end up having to spend their own hard-earned money on supplies for the classroom. Expecting teachers to pay out of pocket for necessary classroom supplies is both unfair and unreasonable.

Students need everything from binders to art supplies. Every year, teachers receive a grant of around $300 or $350 to spend. Maia Wachtel, a Universal Ninth Grade English teacher, says that every year she uses the full grant. While she tries not to spend too much of her own money, usually no more than $100, she does rely a lot on parent donations. Being able to provide enough supplies can also directly affect how students feel in a classroom. “It creates an environment that feels much more supportive, much more welcoming, and much more conducive to learning,” Wachtel said. “If they feel like even if they show up unprepared, there’s still a safety net for them to have what they need in order to do the learning activities.”

Teachers should be able to provide that environment for students without dipping into their own money. Furthermore, certain classes differ in needed supplies, an example being more technology-heavy classes

like science and math.

“If they lose their calculators or a lab equipment breaks, then not replacing that would mean that there would be a lab group that wouldn’t be able to do the lab,” Wachtel said. “I think it would make sense for teachers who are new to Berkeley High School or new to the profession to have larger stipends than more veteran teachers because they are starting with less. A lot of my materials are leftover from last year and the years before, but I remember my first year or two, I had to stock my classroom from scratch.”

It’s clear that the school should give larger grants to at least some of the teachers. Without the ability to fully provide students with everything they need, teachers won’t be able to teach to the best of their abilities, and students won’t be able to learn as much as they could.

Some may argue that school resources should be directed towards more urgent issues, but this overlooks the fact that

this is an urgent issue of its own. The problem of classroom supplies is not a hypothetical, it is a reality. There is certainly a lot of work that the school needs to do in terms of problem solving, but that doesn’t mean that this issue should be ignored. The urgency of this particular topic lies in the fact that it already affects teachers and students. It needs to be included as a priority among the school’s agenda.

Evidently, classroom supplies are incredibly important to the productivity and flow of a class. It’s the school’s responsibility to ensure that teachers can provide an environment where students will have the best learning experience possible. More resources should be given to teachers so that both them and their students never feel like the class is lacking in any way. Students shouldn’t feel like they have less access based on their teachers, especially when it comes to an issue that can disproportionately affect less privileged students and teachers.

BERKELEY HIGH

Sofia MiriamRodriguezReichenberg

YASMEEN BAWANY

GABRIELLA BUSANSKY

Teachers recieve limited grants for classroom supplies.

Group work, in practice, serves as sexist self-fufilling prophecy

BY SIMONE FAULKNER staff writer

“It’s convenient,” said Berkeley High School senior Stella Wellborn when describing group projects. Group projects are used by teachers in order to grade less and teach less. Instead of having to teach a number of topics to the whole class, small groups teach themselves. Then, instead of grading 30 assignments, they grade five. It’s an understandable tool for overworked teachers who are out of time. Like Wellborn said, it’s convenient.

fulfilling prophecy which will continue in later life if it continues to be enforced.

“From very early on, boys and girls are learning these gender roles and practicing them, so in the future they’re going to build habits and think that this is normal,” Wellborn said. This dynamic has existed since early education and has yet to change. The elementary education stereotypes of girls being hard working,

to behave and learn with others. However, it’s difficult to cooperate with others through collaborative work that enforces gender roles.

Group work isn’t just unfair to the student who is forced to do all the work — often a woman — but also the students who will not learn because they are not given the incentive to do so. It’s easy to slack off when someone else is doing all the work for you.

“(Group projects) are a manifestaion of a much larger and less escapable issue that has existed for centuries, without much change.”

However, group projects are often unfair. Subtly, all of the work shifts to one student who is often forced to complete the work assigned to multiple. More often than not, this student is a woman.

Group work is sexist, not by design, but in practice. It solidifies students’ roles based on their gender, a self-

“good” students, and boys being misbehaving, “bad” students persist as gender roles.

This dynamic continued into high school, where it transformed from a stereotype into the new normal. The purpose of school is socialization, teaching students how

Collaboration that comes with group projects is a necessary skill, especially as a part of jobs in later life. Group work allows students to either be helped or be challenged by their peers, but often, the same person being challenged by their peers is forced to help them at the same time. If group projects were perfect, the work would be divided evenly among students, and each would do their own part, with the help of their group mates. However, this isn’t the case and a lot of

effort would be required to reform the dynamic in which female students are forced to handle all of the work. It’s almost impossible to change a system that has been unconsciously accepted for so long.

Sadly, group projects will exist in different forms for

the rest of our lives. They are a manifestation of a much larger and less escapable issue that has existed for centuries, without much change. While the bigger issue is concrete, behavior is malleable and with recognition of the problem, small changes can be made

on the interpersonal level. Wellborn said that “people don’t understand what it’s like to be a woman in a group of all men.” Though they can’t grasp the discomfort of that dynamic, their recognition of the roles that accompany it could go a long way.

Academic competition pushes students to find inner potential

BY VIOLET MILLER-BRADY staff writer

Expanding teaching through global perspectives is crucial

BY SHANZA SYED staff writer

If you asked the majority of Americans what the Revolutionary War was about, they would probably be able to tell you that it was the United States’ fight for independence against the British. Yet if you asked them what the Battle of Algiers was, they’d most likely be at a loss. Selective teaching of history within the U.S. remains a longstanding issue. It supports a divisive and Eurocentric narrative. It is imperative that Berkeley High School history classes should teach a more global perspective.

In a highly divisive society where each country exists separate from the rest of the world, people tend to see themselves first as citizens of their respective countries, before seeing themselves as citizens of this planet. This results in a superiority complex in which richer and

more politically powerful countries brag about the quality of life being higher than many developing countries.

If history was taught from a more global perspective, it would not only explain the current situation of countries with developing economies, but encourage empathy toward the people living with detrimental effects of colonialism. By removing the disconnect between people from different nations, teaching from a global perspective opens the door for mutual understanding. When people with different lived experiences come together, they each bring unique ideas and perspectives to the table.

Having only one year of Global History that teaches commonly known events at BHS does not set up students to interact with others outside of the U.S. The U.S. makes up 5 percent of the global population.

Collaboration is the key to solving some of the biggest issues today such as climate change, and for that to happen people must be culturally aware.

Many argue that other countries’ history, while it may be relevant to other peoples’ lives, isn’t relevant to our own lives. While this is partially true, as what happens in other countries isn’t directly related to where we live, there are lots of indirect impacts. The war in Ukraine impacted our grain supply and U.S. geopolitical relations with Russia continue to experience strain. The list goes on and on, which proves that in order to understand the current world and how we got here, an understanding of global history is important.

Learning global history is essential to understanding the world we live in as well as to bridge the gap between nations in order to solve real world issues.

As many of us can attest to, high school students put a lot of pressure on themselves to succeed. The future remains a daunting idea to entertain, and feeling the need to be perfect in school doesn’t help with this stress. However, this pressure can also push students to work harder, try things out of their comfort zone, and get used to the struggles people face after high school. At Berkeley High School, academic competitions allow students to gain immense knowledge on a subject through a supportive team environment.

Some of the competitions available at BHS include the Mathletes Club, Spelling Bee, Debate Club, and Model UN. Anoushka Chitnis, a senior on Mathletes, has been a part of the club since ninth grade and has participated in several math competitions.

For Chitnis, seeing other student’s

accomplishments was really inspiring and drove her to put in more work studying. She talked about her experience as a freshman on the team, “There would be multiple teams from our school, so everyone was allowed to compete ... being part of (Mathletes) pushed me to want to be one of them, and want to be one of the best. I’d review math and just work harder for it.” Negative comparison doesn’t matter as much as finding potential.

Another major benefit of academic competitions is that students learn a lot about the subject. There are advanced classes offered, but these clubs give even more immersive study of the topic, and the

competitive aspect keeps students interested in a way that classes don’t for many people. For kids with a competitive drive but without athletic passion, these sorts of competitions are an outlet for that competitive spirit.

During academic competitions, there is a large chance that students, and their team, will lose. While it can be disheartening, it pushes them to be more prepared the next time. For some students, losing isn’t something that they are very used to. Gaining this experience and learning how to maturely deal with competition is an important life skill, vital to becoming a successful adult. Learning how to lose during academic competitions is a beneficial way for students to push through disappointments and continue to work hard.

It may seem like these kinds of competitions add unnecessary stress, but they help students improve at subjects while enjoying the learning process and push them to strive for greatness.

Students deserve the opportunity to work for a goal that will showcase and improve their skills. Without these challenges, there is no more drive.

NAVEEN SANKA

ELIOT PERDUE

Auden Svoboda, Caelen Fry, Hazel Fosket-Hydes, and Konani Chinn work on a group project.

GABRIELLA BUSANSKY

Is homecoming royalty an antiquated tradition?

PRO

After a long-time absence of school-wide dances, Berkeley High School’s will hold a Homecoming dance this year. On top of the school-wide surprise regarding the return of the beloved dance, many students find themselves deeply excited. The return of the Homecoming dance comes with another tradition: Homecoming Royalty. Homecoming Royalty nominees are the people thought to best represent each of their small learning communities, and this practice provides the perfect chance to unify BHS, highlight certain members of the community, and add a little bit of extra fun and excitement to the event.

Many students are excited to nominate someone as a representative of their small school, vote, or participate in any other manner. It is a fun way to learn about new people and celebrate friends and peers. Every small learning community is included, allowing every student the opportunity to participate in both the nomination and the voting process. Though participation in the voting process isn’t mandatory, it is encouraged, giving all BHS students the opportunity to spotlight their peers and share their appreciation for the people in their communities.

Some might comment on how in media and film, school dance royalty is usually only portrayed in one way: popular, heterosexual couples. However, BHS students possess the power to break down barriers and challenge the stereotypes of what royalty should be. BHS has such a diverse community, and anybody can be nominated for Homecoming Royalty. It is refreshing for students to be given the chance to vote for the people who truly deserve to be recognized as leaders and representatives of their small schools and for all that they have to offer.

Though some might think that allowing BHS to have student-chosen Homecoming Royalty promotes harmful competition, it actually encourages good behavior and community involvement. This isn’t much of a competition or election. Though there are winners, nominees aren’t campaigning for themselves. They are simply voted for based on how well they are thought to be representative of their learning community.

On top of this, anybody who doesn’t want to participate in the event is not forced to. Students should remember that a beneficial aspect of participating in the voting process for Homecoming Royalty is getting to know more about the nominees.

The purpose of Homecoming Royalty is to add excitement and intrigue to Homecoming festivities, while also providing a positive environment for students to have a spotlight. While Homecoming Royalty keep students engaged and involved in the dance festivities, it also does a lot more for the BHS student body. It provides students the opportunity to support one another, challenge stereotypes, and overall, strengthen the community at BHS.

BY PHILIPPA ZLATEV staff writer

CON

Going out with friends, shopping for formal wear, and cute Homecoming proposals all seem like fun experiences, leading up to a fantastic night of dancing that will unite students. However, that isn’t the case. With the inclusion of Homecoming Royalty into this years Homecoming dance, behind all of this glamour lies a popularity contest that will cause unnecessary tension. Homecoming Royalty is an overrated high school tradition that encourages division and endorses toxic ideas about social hierarchy.

Although the title of Homecoming Royalty can carry a lot of pride and endow a sense of belonging for students, it promotes toxic favoritism amongst the student body. Students must fit into specific categories and boxes that allow them to be viewed as candidates for royalty, and therefore, get nominated. There’s little chance that students who aren’t seen as social butterflies will be uplifted, so the tradition becomes a clear popularity contest amongst well-known and respected students who already enjoy the privileges of being popular. Gaining the title of Homecoming Royalty simply boosts existing status and causes tension within the student body, due to the continuation of an enforced attention hierarchy.

Homecoming is supposed to be centered around students enjoying themselves, and, realistically speaking, the students who will enjoy themselves the most will be those who win. There is no way that a popularity contest can unite BHS when all it does is cultivate negative emotions and feelings within the student body.

When competition is governed by surface level factors, whatever intended meaning it has is lost to its impact: extensive self-esteem damage for students. Not being voted for may make them question their likeability, physical appearance, and personality. None of these should be judged based on a popularity contest where those who are already respected are competing to be recognized even more. This perpetuates the outdated ideas of fitting in with conventional beauty standards, which forms a false narrative and standard of what makes people worthy.

Although some say high school royalty is a harmless and fun tradition solely meant to spice up the night and add a healthy amount of suspense and fun, creating a popularity contest to provide a few hours of entertainment is not worth the long-lasting division it builds. It can create a lot of anxiety and unease about social status, which is the last thing students need, considering all the chronic stress and anxiety they are already experiencing. Rather than challenging pre-existing narratives, it perpetuates them, and damages students in the process. Therefore, Homecoming Royalty is a tradition better forgotten. It opposes BHS's progressive stances and harms students and their confidence.

BY AVA RAMSDALE staff writer

FEATURES

Activism momentum risks losing significance due to burnout

it," said Eliza Fosket-Hydes, BHS alum and 2020 protest organizer, “A walkout was (what) came to mind (as an action) that would bring a lot of awareness and something that we were all actually able to do (as students).” The walkout accrued massive attendance from students and staff alike, leading to the eventual hiring of a Title IX officer at BHS.

During the 2020 protests, “Almost the entirety of the student body showed up across the street from school, and it was incredible, it was super well organized,” McLoughlin said.

attendance is a pattern that has become more widespread in recent years. Fears around accruing unexcused absences and missing work can discourage students from participating in protests, leading to sparse attendance. On top of that, “it's really easy to feel like it doesn't make an impact for one more person to go,” Nickolaus said.

For many students,

sophomore Lenka Simon. “We're not changing any minds by (protesting).”

Another impact on protest turnout for BHS students is burnout.

“There are huge protests, and the government does not make change,” McLoughlin said, “That becomes really exhausting for people, because you're putting in this time and effort and … nothing gets done.”

“There are huge protests, and the government does not make change. That becomes really exhausting for people, because you're putting in this time and effort and … nothing gets done.”

Kathleen McLoughlin, BHS senior

“People got up and spoke about their experiences, McLoughlin said. However, when the Reproductive Justic club hosted a similar walkout this year, “50 people showed up,” McLoughlin said.

The pattern of low BHS

protesting widespread issues can feel pointless. “(With) national issues … I feel like protests and walkouts aren't really going to do anything because we're in California and because we're (a) Berkeley School,” said

As a highschooler, making a direct impact on issues can feel hard to achieve. “That feeling of powerlessness… is very real,” Urbano said. “That gets to a lot of people and makes them lose their motivation… so then they have a hard time showing up for a lot of different causes.”

Fosket-Hydes linked this feeling of fatigue to the pressures placed on students when in person learning resumed. “After quarantine

ended and everyone went back to school, a lot of people treated it as (though) …everything should be the same and you should be able to function in the same way that you were able to before (the pandemic, as though) nothing is different, but that's wrong,” she said. “So much is different.”

In order to overcome schoolwide burnout, supporting one another and finding creative solutions to problems remains vital. “What protests do is create a sense of unity and community, (but) you can also do that to smaller (actions)...Emotional burnout comes from feeling alone, so making sure that everybody feels heard is super important,” McLoughlin said. Making change can take many forms, such as spreading awareness on voting measures, volunteering, donating, and supporting local businesses.

Creating networks of organizations within BHS

to focus on local issues could bring people together and increase the impact of actions, Nickolaus said.

“The more people collaborate with each other, and come together over certain issues on a larger scale, the more we can get done, and the more we’ll have an impact,” Nickolaus said.

Focusing on issues within BHS can lead to palpable change in the community, Simon said. “The only reason we have a Title IX coordinator is because

people were protesting that issue (in 2020). Students can make real change.”

According to many of these students, healing from burnout is necessary in order for BHS to be a hub for social change in the future.

Urbano said, “Change doesn't just happen with a single walkout, it (happens by) consistently trying to exercise your ability in lots of different ways. That's how we can really engage with these topics in a way that makes a difference.”

Student proctors practice responsibility and autonomy in school

BY AELIA GYGER staff writer

While teachers relentlessly work around the clock, before and after the bell rings, a little help to our educators is always welcomed with open arms. Student proctors, or teacher’s assistants, can be seen in some classes, either grading small papers, washing lab equipment, or helping out students, all in efforts to make the teacher’s job a little easier.

Salem Graves has been coming to the library at lunch every day since their freshman year, and over time presided over the comic section of the library. Now a senior, Graves

proctors for the library during fifth period. They are in charge of reshelving books, keeping track of the catalog, and making displays, along with their fellow proctor.

“I normally go over to behind the desk (to) take out the cart,” Graves said, describing what a day in the life of a proctor can look like at the library. “We check in any books that have been returned and I take all those returned books and I reshelve them. I might add or subtract from the displays,” they added.

Giacomo Carlone proctored Andrea Sanguine’s ceramics class.

have me do various tasks, I would clean stuff or set

or mop the ground, and sometimes I would just do my homework,” Carlone said. “That's pretty much what (proctoring) is.”

Seniors can proctor classes with an open space in their schedule, where they have the choice for an

Especially because I'd say, if you have a busy schedule, and you want to lighten your load, it's definitely a good way to have extra time to do work.”

While proctoring can be beneficial for the student, it can be equally helpful for the

teacher and a student.”

In his classroom, Chernack’s proctors were usually given the tasks to grade work where no background knowledge was needed: put in pregraded work in the computers, get the mail. All small tasks students could do easily.

But these aren’t the only jobs of proctors. They also help students, and provide words of advice.

“I'd often ask them to share their experiences as upperclassmen about

been at BHS for the past five years, has three proctors.

“My proctors have always been great role models,” she said. “They've been upperclassmen … who have been able to talk to my ninth graders about the small school that they're in and give (relevant) advice.”

Desi Reicher, a proctor for Panebianco’s first period class, is a senior at BHS, and recommends people to be a proctor if they can, and to choose their teacher wisely.

“I picked my teacher

ELLIOT SCHRAG

Student proctors Desi Reicher, Salem Graves, and former proctor Giacomo

Carlone attend a proctor period every day during school.

PHOTOS BY HENRY GRANT

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LAUREN HUANG

PLANTERS

TOBI HAIMS

Do lockdown drills serve their purpose?

BY CLARA TJEN staff writer

Though this column is about planting, it’s technically not about a plant. It is about a very special type of organism: the mushroom. Fungi are their own kingdom consisting of over 12 million species. Although fungi seem similar to plants, DNA sequencing has revealed that fungi are actually more closely related to animals.

Plants are autotrophs, meaning they use photosynthesis to produce their own food from light and molecules in the air. Fungi, like animals, are heterotrophs. They obtain nutrients from other organisms and organic material. What differentiates animals from fungi is that while animals ingest and digest food, Fungi secrete digestive enzymes into their environment and then absorb the nutrients released - pretty crazy right?

Unlike plants, which reproduce by creating seeds, (which you hopefully read about in my last column!) fungi grow from either spores or tissue culture. Every mushroom releases thousands of microscopic spores, each spore containing its own unique genetic material. Growing spores is very similar to planting apple seeds because it is unpredictable: each spore will sprout a mushroom totally different from its parent. When a spore lands in the right environment, which is usually damp and rich with decaying plant matter, the spore grows a small thread called a hypha. As hyphae continue to grow and branch, they form a network similar to a root system called a mycelium. Signals like a change in moisture, temperature, or humidity prompt the mycelium to condense, forming primordia, or “pins”, which are the smallest stage of mushrooms. Primordia grow to form mature mushrooms which release spores, allowing for the cycle to begin again.

Mushrooms can be foraged in the wild, and there are many mycological clubs where mushroom lovers, or mycophiles, can exchange knowledge and build community around mushroom foraging. But, mushrooms can also be cultivated. Sasha Gomes, a senior in BIHS, has grown oyster mushrooms in her own backyard.

When a friend started growing mushrooms, Gomes took it upon herself to do the same. She explained the process, which begins with purchasing spawn and substrate. Spawn is the material that has been inoculated with a specific strain of mycelium, or “mushroom culture.” There are many types of spawn, but the most popular for home growers are grain spawn and sawdust spawn. “The substrate is what you put the spawn in. It’s where the mycelium can grow and the mushrooms feed off of it,” said Gomes. “I boiled the straw to make it really sterile, so there’s no competing bacteria and it won’t mold over,” Gomes explained. Then, she layered the spawn and substrate in a laundry basket, distributing the broken up sawdust into the straw.

“Over the next few weeks, I saw the mycelium, which looks like this fuzzy white stuff, spreading through the straw,” Gomes recalled. “Sometimes I would go out and there’d be like a new little mushroom that wasn’t there the day before. It was just a very cool and exciting thing to see.”

This past spring, a BHS student threatened to carry out an attack involving firearms. Two BHS students were victims of gun violence just this past month. Just recently a fatal shooting ocurred at an intersection near the BHS campus. Some believe that lockdown drills are a way to prevent further harm, while others they are not an effective tool to keep students safe in the case of an active shooter.

Senior Raina Nelson said, “(I’m) grateful we do them … (because they) help build the muscle memory that will be vital in any emergency response.” Nelson said preparing for a situation as “chaotic, unfamiliar, and terrifying as an activeshooter situation” is crucial for all students, so that they “are still prepared to execute the steps necessary to remain safe.”

Rebecca Villagran, a Berkeley International High School (BIHS) history teacher has a different perspective. “I don’t think

(lockdown drills are) very effective and it gives this false idea that if there was an active shooter, there would be a way to fight back against somebody with a gun,” she said, “What we really need is to know if we were going to evacuate, where do we evacuate to?”

For some, lockdown drills are more than just hiding under a desk, turning the lights off, and locking the door. “I have to ensure that students and staff who require accommodations in a real emergency have access to those things during the drill and staff who support them are trained.” said Dean of Students Shaheen Mohammed.

Additionally, previous trauma can cause students to feel unsafe while during lockdown drills. “Maybe some people have been held up at gunpoint or had experiences with guns,” Villagran said.

In addition, Mohammed said, “Some have had real life experiences that may make a drill traumatizing.” For these students, a lockdown drill is not beneficial.

Even for students without

previous trauma around guns, Villagran said that lockdown drills may cause general anxiety. “Imagining it, students will sit in class and be feeling trapped, or like ‘I’m on the third floor, I couldn’t leave’. So I think they do more harm than good,” she said.

Unfortunately, for most students in the U.S., lockdown drills are now as common as fire and earthquake drills. When asked about how she feels after lockdown drills, freshman Sofia Bloom said, “... we’ve done lockdown drills and fire drills, and all this since elementary

school, so I’m used to it.” Fires and earthquakes are natural occurrences, while lockdowns only happen when gun violence is on the rise.

Villagran said, “I think the problem is we’re being reactive and giving this false sense of ‘if you know how to do a lockdown drill, we can protect ourselves’.”

For better or for worse, lockdown drills seem to be a practice that are here to stay.

Regardless of how it may affect various students Mohammed said, “The objective should remain that we improve our practices and get better together.”

Walter Mitchell: The M gate’s friendly face

BY JULIA BRIMMER staff writer

Berkeley High School Safety Officer Walter Mitchell, has served BHS for over two decades, and has been involved in the Berkeley Unified School District community his entire life. Mitchell attended what is now known as Rosa Parks Elementary, Martin Luther King Middle School, and BHS.

“I love when you all come in and you’re having a great day and excited about being here,” Mitchell said. “That makes it worthwhile to me.”

Before acquiring his position at BHS, Mitchell worked at America West Airlines in Tempe, Arizona. This entailed flying back and forth between Arizona and California three days a week, since he was still mainly residing in Berkeley.

Mitchell then began working at BHS in 2000, after breaking up an altercation involving his daughter at a school football game. “I had to get in between my daughter and her friends just to make sure nothing happened to them and the head of security at that time, he had asked me about wanting to work here,” Mitchell said. Knowing that his daughter would be attending the school, he accepted the position.

Family has and continues

to play an important part in Mitchell’s life. Every few weekends, when he gets the chance, he will make the trip to Southern California to meet up with his family. When the beginning of the school week comes around, he leaves for Berkeley at 12:30 a.m. to get to the school by 8 a.m., when it opens. Mitchell also spends much of his time taking care of his 90-year-old mother.

History also comprises Mitchell’s closely-held values. He is especially well read on the history of slave trade; his current readings cover abolitionists such as Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison.

In describing the best aspect of his job at BHS, Mitchell laughed, “The students!” Mitchell explained that his typical work day mainly consists of monitoring the outside of campus while the gates are open. During the school day, he helps monitor the campus on the inside. “To see you guys, you know, the freshman (going through) graduation and on to college, (and) then they wanna come back and visit, it’s really nice,” Mitchell said.

Overall, Mitchell believes that BHS is fairly safe. He said that he and his team do a fairly good job, especially with the help of the Berkeley Police Department. He said that, while the safety team tries its best, the fact that BHS is an open-campus makes it hard to

secure. He expressed hope that the fencing around campus might be improved.

According to Mitchell, “patience, understanding, and a sense of humor” are all integral aspects of being a good safety officer.

BHS sophomore, Alita Saenz, said it’s important to have welcoming and kind officers at school because “the safety officers could be the only thing essentially keeping us safe … if we can trust them personally, it makes them seem more reliable.”

While Officer Mitchell confessed that he doesn’t know most students very well, the importance of his presence has been felt by many in the community. BHS sophomore Uly Rawitscher usually sees Mitchell posted at the M gate. “I think his impact was big during COVID-19,” Rawitscher said. “Just by giving out masks for people who didn’t have masks on

them was very helpful, and I think he made a positive impact as a whole.”

After 22 years of working at BHS, Mitchell’s career is coming to an end. He said that once his granddaughter, currently a junior at BHS, graduates, he will be done with his work at the school.

“(I plan on) just traveling and then I’ll work … I built my own catering business in Southern California and (have) two radio stations,” he said. While Mitchell is looking forward to checking these experiences off his list, he said that he will miss his interactions with the students at BHS.

“I think that’s good for him,” said Rawitcher, reacting to the news of Mitchell’s near retirement. “He’s obviously been working here for a long time, and can’t work forever. I hope he does get replaced by someone who’s as welcoming and amiable as him.”

Mitchell (above) has worked at BHS for over 20 years.

LILA HALLWARD

ADEA HANSEN-WHISTLER

School board candidates call for change in Berkeley schools

Norma Harrison has worked as a school teacher, typist, and grocery clerk. She feels like the current education system does not teach the correct things and it’s focused on helping corporations. Harrison said, “This system is a babysitting service. So parents,

friends, family can go to their effective cubicles to make profit for owners.” Harrison is looking to redesign with a new educational structure including how we organize knowledge into different subjects and end segregation by age of student.

Reichi Lee is an attorney with two kids attending BUSD schools. She values listening to students, and shared how she wants to conduct Berkeley High School office hours with open dialogue. Endorsed by the BHS Stop Harassing club, she shared, “Safety is a top

priority for me. … If I get elected, it’s going to be a top funding priority.” Specifically, she wants to fully fund new tools for students such as trauma informed emergency plans, crisis intervention programs and door lock upgrades.

Tatiana Guerreiro Ramos works as a co-director in the academic support program Classroom Matters. She has kids in public schools and touched on how her inspiration to run is from them and their peers. Guerreiro Ramos said, “I’ve seen so many

students who have been failed by the system, including my own children. I want to try and change things from the inside.” She plans to create a BHS committee to evaluate teachers and enact the law allowing 16+ year olds to vote in school board elections.

Mike Chang, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, has three children who have attended BUSD schools. Chang said public schools are critical to Berkeley’s health. He is focused on school safety, Title IX issues, and supplying interpreters

and translators for Latinx students at BHS. He plans to help students’ mental health by creating “some long lasting wellness centers across each of the schools, where students can access a counselor or be directed towards other wraparound services.”

Jennifer Shanoski, a single mom of two BUSD kids, teaches chemistry at a local college. Shanoski is a strong believer in community and feels that she should join the school board to give back to the district and improve Berkeley public schools. She wants to

collaborate with students to understand the issues from their perspective and face them unitedly. Regarding BHS safety, Shanoski said, “It’s really important that we stop looking at Berkeley as an isolated island and start collaborating.”

Ka’Dijah Brown, current school board president, is running for re-election. She is a sixth grade public school teacher who attended Berkeley schools her whole life. On the school board, Brown has worked to diversify staff and find affordable housing options

for teachers and faculty. To students, she said, “Your voice is incredibly powerful. Your voice will change the world. So please use your voice in Berkeley.” Brown encourages students to get active.

BY SABINE ROSEN staff writer

OUSD Office of Equity pioneers targeted racial justice initiatives

BY PEARL GAUTHIER staff writer

“Just looking at the data, it’s very clear that African American students, families, and educators need and deserve targeted support,” said Iminah Ahmad, co-founder and program director for the Office of African American Female Excellence at Oakland Unified School District (OUSD).

On September 16, OUSD held a Racial Justice, Equity, and Healing summit, inviting all of its staff, families, student leaders, and community partners to learn about ways to strengthen their support for Black students. Ahmad explained that the summit served to spark conversation, educate participants on antiracism, and celebrate Black culture and achievement specifically within OUSD, hoping to continue the fight for Black community members needs to be met.

The summit, held on OUSD’s staff development day, occurred mostly on Zoom, ending in a Black Joy Celebration. The online portion contained workshops, which aimed to educate and inspire faculty, covering topics like the four C’s of anti-

Blackness, the n-word, and empowering Black students. The ending celebration included performances, games, and catering from student chefs. “It was really beautiful,” Ahmad said.

The majority of participants were faculty and families, who looked to serve the students through educating themselves. Ahmad noted that after looking at feedback forms, many participants had breakthroughs, inspiring possible future change in classroom policies and a better overall understanding of dynamics surrounding Black members of OUSD.

“I really want to see (Black students) feeling like they have a real place in this district, they are seeing their value, feeling like they are heard, they are supported, and that their schools are a place for them,” said Ahmad.

This summit was the first OUSD has ever had specifically targeted towards the Black community, and may even be the first of its kind nationally. It was made possible by OUSD’s unique and extensive Office of Equity, which spans the school district and contains

targeted initiatives for underserved groups like African American Female Excellence, Latino Student Achievement, Arab Asian Pacific Islander Student Achievement, and LGBTQ+ Programs. The Office of Equity was founded in 2016; its initiative of origin was OUSD’s African American Male Achievement (AAMA) initiative, founded in 2010. Last year, a new position was created for a Racial Justice Coordinator, who will focus on implementing

equity throughout OUSD.

According to Jamal Muhammad, targeted strategies specialist for OUSD’s AAMA initiative, Oakland schools have a history of systemic racism, causing disproportionate damage to its Black students. “Unfortunately, the conditions that produce the need for an Office of Equity are there,” Muhammad explained. “But at the same time, years of grassroots organizing, community activism, and a fight for justice has created people that can answer the call.”

The combination of an intense need for racial justice intervention within OUSD and a history of activism created a sort of perfect storm that provided a push for a revolutionary program to be created.

“This is a continuation of the legacy Oakland has,” said Ahmad, explaining that decades of advocacy for Black students by groups and figures like the Black Panther Party and Superintendent Marcus Foster have

led to the current welldeveloped Office of Equity in OUSD.

“I personally can attest to the power of being able to have a class full of Black boys,” said Muhammad regarding AAMA, which has created elective classes and programs across OUSD specifically for Black male students. AAMA focuses on fostering a “positive cultural identity” and education surrounding Black men’s “innate excellence” within its students. Muhammad said that AAMA students have expressed an appreciation for the space the classes provide to just be themselves, and receive love and support. “(Students in AAMA) get a sense of cultural pride, identity, love, support, engagement, encouragement, and empowerment,” Muhammad said.

OUSD’s Office of Equity is unique, and according to Ahmad and Muhammad, likely the only of its kind in the country. Because they are pioneering the work that they are doing, there is always room to improve. “We’ve still got work to do, in terms of increasing our presence across OUSD, especially in terms of policy around suspension,” Muhammmad said. He explained that a

main concern of the Office of Equity currently is the disproportionate rate of suspension and absences among Black students specifically, as well as other marginalized groups.

“I would say (working within the Office of Equity has been) the most rewarding eight years of my professional life,” Muhammad said. “It’s been an honor, and it’s been humbling as well, because there’s things I had to unlearn and relearn. … I don’t think there’s anything more valuable than this type of work.”

In terms of the future, OUSD is on track to have summits in January and June.

“What we’re doing with the summit, with my office, with the Office of Equity, is institutionalizing the change. … We’re making this a core part of how our district operates, and that’s something that I would love to see across the country and around the world,” Ahmad said, explaining the value of institutionalized change over just conversations and workshops. “White supremacy was institutionalized into these systems, and racism was institutionalized. So the changes and the antidote to that need to be institutionalized as well.”

COURTESY OF NORMA HARRISON

COURTESY OF REICHI LEE

COURTESY OF TATIANA GUERREIRO RAMOS

COURTESY OF MIKE CHANG

COURTESY OF JENNIFER SHANOSKI

COURTESY OF KA’DIJAH BROWN

ENTERTAINMENT

PAJAMAS & THEIR POTENTIAL IMPACT ON LEARNING

MADELEINE KELLY

Pixies band: Back again with ‘Doggerel’

BY MUHAMMAD DELGADO staff writer

Pixies made a longlasting impact on the alternative music scene in their early days, with albums like “Surfer Rosa” famously inspiring Kurt Cobain, PJ Harvey, Thom Yorke, and so many others. Now they’re back with “Doggerel,” their

first studio album since 2019.

Black Francis, with his signature eccentric lyrics, returns in this aptly named album. The word “doggerel” can mean anything from “crude” or “irregular” to “burlesque” or “humorous.”

Pixies have traditionally been noted for popularizing the loud-quiet, hardsoft dynamics that would

become a staple of grunge music. In “Doggerel,” they add something new to the mix.

Opening with “Nomatterday,” David Lovering’s stoic drums drive the track forward until a sudden tempo shift knocks the song into an energetic latter half, with an amusing chorus that can make you giggle and sing along. These wild shifts happen a few times throughout the album and highlight the untamed nature of Pixies.

visions of old man Elvis, still alive and gyrating around a liminal 7-Eleven, as well the man riding around Los Angeles on a toddler-sized pony, wearing nothing but a Zorro hat, mask, and cape as the legendary Don Diego.

Does what you wear impact how you do in school, or simply how you perceive yourself? And more importantly, does it potentially af fect your performance on tests or exams?

Fashion at BHS features an interesting medley of style and inspiration: some people plan their outfits nights in advance while others simply throw on whatever’s clean. Neither is wrong because there is really no wrong way to dress. Berkeley High School is a school where no obvious dress code exists. This means that we have kids showing up on both ends of the for mality spectrum. Some opt for suit jackets, al though many stick to the tried and true basics of sweats and a tank top.

Many kids will choose pajamas as the school year progresses as their favorite basics to fall back on. It’s generally seen as a pretty smart choice by many students. It’s not hard to see why, especially considering how little time stu dents have in the mornings and the superior comfort of this type of clothing. I looked into this phenomenon online to try to decipher if this was the norm at other schools, too. And to be honest, I was really surprised. I was met with countless articles authored by what seemed to be angry moms with too much time on their hands. They ranted about how distracting pa jamas are in a classroom setting and how disre spectful they could be to a teacher.

From what I could find, there is no definite research that what you wear to school has any impact on your learning. However, there is research that says that what you wear to work could impact your performance. A study con ducted by the professors at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University found that what kind of clothing you wear might affect your performance on tests, based on your associations to a certain form of cloth ing. The study took people wearing lab coats and some people not wearing them and con ducted tests. The conclusion was that because lab coats were associated with attentiveness and carefulness, subjects were more likely to exhibit such values during testing. This led to the conclusion that the underlying meaning you might assign to your clothes might have an effect on how well you perform certain tasks. They called this “enclothed cognition.” How ever, that study only included one test, which didn’t have that many similarities to what you would be tasked with doing in a school setting.

While clothes may potentially have an im pact on how you perform, comfort levels — both physically and emotionally — are ulti mately more important. So just do whatever feels right for you and understand that while people may have different opinions on the mat ter, there is no concrete proof that you should dress a certain way.

IRIS LE LIBOUX

“Vault of Heaven” is one of the exceptional tracks on this album. The twangy guitar gives the song the feeling of a cowboy’s tune, although the subject is far more quixotic than anything you’d find in a Leone or John Wayne film.

The music video, produced by bassist Paz Lenchantin, features a cast of old folks dressed as 20th century pop stars goofing around a 7-Eleven. You’ll find yourself wanting to believe the surrealistic

“Get Simulated’’ is certainly Pixies’ proudest track off the album. In fact, Paz and Joey name it as their favorite. The bass and rhythm guitar crawl forth over the drums like a spider up a water spout. Francis sings in whispers until a heavy synthesizer washes over the track, making for a hypnotic ending.

“Doggerel” is a quirky mixture of funk-adjacent sleaze and strange guitar. The bandmates and producer Tony Fletcher have really settled in with each other as collaborators and have come out with some excellent tracks. There’s something in “Doggerel” for everyone: from catchy lyrics and sweet melodies to heavy rock riffs and draggled rolling rhythms.

Halloween’s evolution from kids to teens

BY LUCY GRIFFITH staff writer

Is there another holiday that encapsulates growing up like Halloween does? As kids grow up, the costumes, activities, and meanings of the holiday shift dramatically.

As children, it’s common to dress up in imaginative and colorful costumes, and kids parade around their elementary schools, showing their outfits off and making crafts in class. It’s a favorite day for many because of traditions like trick-or-treating and the opportunity to bring home a huge haul of candy. Many would trade candy with their parents for a treat that wouldn’t rot their teeth, or with friends to get their preferred selection of sweets. For young children, the holiday is mainly about innocence and excitement.

Middle school brings a new era of selfconsciousness for most kids, which definitely holds true at Halloween. Nobody wants to dress up as their favorite Sesame Street character anymore because they’d rather explore more mature ideas, like horror movie characters and more sexual costumes, or they simply don’t want to be seen as “weird.” Trick-or-

treating with your parents or family is suddenly seen as “uncool” and the new norm is to go out with friends. In Berkeley, kids go to streets like Mariposa Avenue and Josephine Street with big crowds, candy cannons, and the chance to have a good time. This kind of independence is often new for a middle schooler.

In high school, the holiday yet again morphs into something new for the majority of adolescents. Teens have more freedom, which opens up a world of possibilities. Candy becomes much less of a hot commodity when you can simply buy it at the drugstore. Teens also start

going to parties.

However this also brings the highly sexualized standard that femaleidentifying teens are held to when it comes to their costumes. Young girls are made to don constumes that were once innocent, a cat or even a bunny, but instead of a furry jumpsuit, they can be seen in revealing lingerie that puts their bodies on display. The media perpetuates this standard, as is seen in the popular movie “Mean Girls,” when Cady Heron, the teen protagonist, says, “In girl world, Halloween is the one day a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything

else about it.” Although this is a satirical quote from a lighthearted rom-com, it accurately portrays the societal pressure women and girls face when choosing Halloween costumes.

The pandemic put a pause on this holiday but with life returning more or less back to normal, Halloween will be in full swing. It’ll go back to being our most important coming-of-age holiday. The Halloween transition happens at different times for everyone. Whether you choose to watch a horror movie with friends, go to a rager, or stay home to hand out candy to cute little kids in pumpkin onesies and bat wings, Halloween is back.

Entertainment editors:

Freedman

Marina

MORGAN OSTRER

For children, the meaning of Halloween lies in collecting candy during trick-or-treating.

Romance reality TV shows fail to deviate from heteronormativity

another glance.

“Too Hot to Handle” could have easily represented a queer relationship, but instead displayed lesbian fetishization, invalidating the whole community.

Additionally, “The Bachelor/ Bachelorette” constantly follows a heteronormative narrative. The show’s theme involves people finding love with the opposite sex, and that just seems old fashioned. “The Bachelor” has aired for over 20 years, and despite complaints, not once have they considered revising the show’s design.

was asked why there aren’t homosexual Bachelors/ Bachelorettes in an interview with the New York Times, he said, “The question is: ‘Is it a good business decision?’ and after, ‘Is (it) our job to break barriers, or is it a

a major step forward, but we have yet to see a “Bachelor/ Bachelorette” season in which two members of the same sex end up together.

BY AMAR WALKER staff writer

Many watchers of dating reality TV shows know the feeling of wishing that two contestants will fall in love with each other. Sadly, this rarely happens, and it won’t improve if reality TV doesn’t change it’s exhaustingly

boring heteronormative formula. This shouldn’t be the norm. We need more queer representation in reality TV.

Admittedly, shows like “Too Hot to Handle” and “Love Island” occasionally slide in a couple snippets of LGBTQ love. But it feels performative, considering that they rarely build a

relationship or go on a date with someone of the same sex. In season three of “Too Hot to Handle”, two women, Georgia and Izzy, shared a kiss just to be rebellious. When the male contestants found out, they called it “hot.” However during the season, Georgia and Izzy exclusively dated men and never gave each other

ARTIST PROFILE

The variety of mediums, techniques and styles that art holds are endless, as are the feelings that art can evoke. Shai Eastman, a senior in Academic Choice (AC,) is as talented as art is expansive, and she refuses to limit herself to one medium.

Eastman began truly exploring their artistic side when they took an Introduction to Figure Drawing class during the pandemic. They went on to take two years of IB studio art at BHS. Currently, she participates in theatrical spoken word, music, charcoal drawings, as well as painting with acrylics and oil.

The different mediums of art carry different purposes for Eastman. While music is relaxing for them, theater is more about fostering a space of emotional expression. In her drawings and paintings, she hopes to create personal reflection for her viewers. “I definitely hope that it invokes thought, and that the meaning isn’t super clear, but you’re able to create your own perspective,” they said.

Eastman has a few works they are particularly proud of, often featuring important parts of their life and their values. “I have one in process right now that is a comment on reproductive rights and specifically parenthood from the feminine side and birth, and I’m really appreciating making that piece because it’s very intense and I put a lot of thought into it,” they said.

While her dream is to study health and sex education, Eastman hopes to continue art as a possible minor in college, and regardless, will continue to create beyond high school.

— Elta Tracy

“Too Hot to Handle” could have easily represented a queer relationship, but instead displayed lesbian fetishization, invalidating the whole community.

business?’ ” In the end, all any reality TV show cares about is making money, remaining afraid to take the leap and potentially damage their success.

One of the sole queer love stories in this genre was on “Bachelor in Paradise”, in which a lesbian couple, Demi and Kristian, got engaged. Their story was very wholesome, and even though it didn’t work out in the end, the majority of the viewers loved it. So why isn’t this normalized?

When Chris Harrison, the former “Bachelor” host,

The one other time an out LGBTQ individual starred in “Bachelor Nation” was on “The Bachelorette Australia.” Brooke Blurton, the first bisexual Bachelorette, took the spotlight in 2021, serving as a groundbreaking event in which Blurton dated both men and women. In the end, she got engaged to a man. Though a rollercoaster of a season and

Blurton’s season was the least watched in Bachelorette history, with less than 500,000 people viewing her finale. Previous seasons brought in over 1 million viewers. This inconsistency may have been due to the overall dramatics of the season. Or, more likely, the shock of having a bisexual bachelorette caused people to take a step back. Due to this, Bachelor Nation made less money, and hasn’t invited openly LGBTQ individuals onto their show since.

The entertainment industry must stop prioritizing its own financial success, over its influential responsibility to American society. Society is progressing at a rapid pace. If reality TV can’t keep up with that, we won’t be able to call it reality TV for any longer.

Video game films are lackluster

BY ZACHARY YOO staff writer

In 1993, “Super Mario Bros.,” the first major movie based on a video game, was marketed with the tagline “This Ain’t No Game.” Despite the film’s disastrous performance both critically and commercially, it absolutely lives up to the slogan. “Super Mario Bros.” is nothing like the games it’s based on. This film began the curse that is video game movies, and since ‘93, countless beloved video game franchises have received their very own theatrical embarrassment. From “Street Fighter” to “The Angry Birds Movie,” video game movies have just never been very good.

One of the main reasons video game movies consistently fail is that storylines in the games themselves often aren’t very interesting. A story about birds who fight pigs to save their eggs is fun on the handheld screen of an iPhone, but just doesn’t work for an hour and thirty minutes on the big screen.

These movies often go through identity crises when drastically altered from their original mediums. In 2001, “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” was released, featuring a cast full of new characters. These changes might’ve aimed to cater to more to the tastes of general audiences, but they only make the film more ridiculous. Lara fights

against the Illuminati, who she must stop from finding an ancient artifact and gaining the power of time travel. The movie was received middlingly by viewers, but received a zero out of five stars from ING, a popular gaming news outlet, calling it “unbearable.” This begs the question: who are these movies even for?

Modern video game movies have improved, but still don’t really make the cut. Though 2019’s “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu” was well received, its praises were mainly focused on its depictions of the franchise’s iconic creatures rather than actual content. Three years later, the movie is ultimately unmemorable, falling into irrelevance as Pokémon explores other ventures.

The genre’s most recent successes, the “Sonic the Hedgehog” films of 2020 and 2022, were both

received positively by general audiences and hardcore fans alike. But while the Jim Carrey-led action comedies are alright, they’re plain average within the wider category of children’s movies. This is where modern video game movies have found their niche, as inoffensive but uncreative entertainment for the whole family.

Video game movies have a rocky history, starting in the ‘90s with bizarrely horrible comedies, and continuing today as dull family movies. Mario, Mr. Video Game himself, will throw his cap back into the ring next year with “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” to be portrayed by Chris Pratt. The iconic Italian character might star in the first truly great video game movie, but the history that he jumpstarted in the first place foretells otherwise.

LEILAH DOOSTAN

Modern trends of vintage tech encourage user sustainability

BY OCHI GRACE staff writer

In recent years, a revitalization of old technology from the early 2000s and even as early as the 1980s made a rampant return among today’s youth. Previously deemed outdated technology such as flip phones, Walkmans, record players, and wired headphones are all making a visible comeback. The real question is, why now? This fad, or at least a part of it, is thanks to celebrities such as Bella Hadid, Zoë Kravitz, and Hunter Schafer, who participate in trends like wearing wired earbuds instead of modern, wireless options. This choice in technology even gained exposure from high-influence fashion names like Vogue, turning the use of classic-style earbuds into a fashion statement.

The rise in old technology can also be attributed to the revival of early 2000s Y2K fashion, often associated with things like low rise jeans, bedazzled clothing and accessories, bright colors, and cropped tops.

Social media platforms like TikTok have also had a major impact on its revival, with Y2K styling tips that feature 90s tech going viral. These videos also include bedazzled flip phones and iPod classics being used as

big brands like Apple and Samsung releasing new models regularly, the cycle of supply and demand of newer tech creates unnecessary waste. When many tech companies made the switch from wired earbuds to wireless earbuds by removing the headphone jack in 2016, they created an unspoken requirement for consumers to buy the newest set of headphones or earbuds available along with their phone.

By popularizing items that are relatively cheap, the trend challenges the idea that expense equals fashionability.

functional accessories.

The use of older technology can actually be seen as something beneficial and serve as a way to combat the high waste and hyper-consumerism of new technology. With

A trend that focuses on bringing old technology back to life could be just enough to break the consumer mindset of technology. Not everyone is willing to pay over $500 for Apple AirPods Max headphones, many would rather gravitate toward an older set of wired headphones. This trend is accessible in terms of affordability and encourages upcycling

alongside secondhand purchasing.

By popularizing items that are relatively cheap, the trend challenges idea that expense equals fashionability. TikTokers and other social media influencers also created an emphasis on sustainability by highlighting how upcycling is an alternative way to express creativity in fashion.

However, one downside is that the overall quality

of older technology doesn’t always compare to the quality of newer technology. Many of these pieces are less likely to have ideal features such as noise cancelation, or an advanced comfort fit. It depends more on what the customer is prioritizing, whether that’s appearance, comfort, sound quality, or affordability.

However, high cost does not always equate to higher quality. Overall, it really

depends on individual preference.

Fashion trends are repeating themselves in ways that encourage sustainability and new perspectives on hyperconsumerism in regards to clothing and accessories.

While there remains much more work to be done, this revitalization fad promotes creative individuality, allowing technology to best fit its wearer’s ideals.

— Raven Fonseca Jensen

— Nicholas McGlashan

GEORGIA PAULOS

Vintage

GABRIELLA

Cross country races rivals over rolling hills

BY COLINA HARVEY staff writer

On October 12, the Berkeley High School crosscountry team traveled to a meet at Point Pinole, where they raced against nine other schools. The course was three miles long and consisted of rolling hills as well as paved and unpaved paths.

The meet was successful for BHS, with men’s varsity taking first place and women’s varsity taking second place. In addition to team accomplishments, Olaf Dietz, a junior, and Carina Nottingham, a freshman, placed first and second in the men’s and women’s

races, respectively.

A highlight of the meet was that both the men’s and women’s teams prevailed over their rival, Piedmont High School. “In the league, we go back and forth with Piedmont, but we know them really well. So, we’re rivals but it’s all fun,” Dietz said. Sonia Delangle, a senior, appreciates the rivalry with Piedmont because if she “sees someone pass who’s (a Piedmont runner), it’ll definitely make (me) try to go catch them.”

Each course that the team races hosts its own set of distinct features, and as such, Point Pinole presented unique difficulties at times. Head Coach Bradley Johnson

said that what makes the course challenging is that, “(Coaches) can’t get a lot of instruction in because the athletes are away from you for the entirety of the race. They’re on their own, which could lead to athletes to kind of fall asleep in the middle of the race.” Kai Kumar, a senior, says that the course is difficult because, unlike other courses, “you’re not doing loops over and over again so you don’t know where you are in the course.”

Since cross-country is a more individual sport, there is great variance in the performances of the individual runners. Some did well, while others have room to improve. However, one consistently positive

aspect of the meet was the supportive culture, including the teammates cheering from the sidelines. For Hanna Gohlke, a senior, the cheering is“what makes the race.” She says that “if there was no cheering people would gain 10 to 20 seconds because of the amount of energy you get when there are people watching you and you have your team.” Delangle stated that it’s really nice to see her “team looking out for (her) and cheering (her) on.”

“I think that everyone gave it their hardest. I think that’s just what our team does. We do a really great job of keeping it positive to others around us,” said Gohlke.

DE UGARTE

SASHA BALASUBRAMANIAN

Centuries merge niche groups of cyclists

BY LULI GALINSON staff writer

Athletes on Berkeley High School’s mountain biking team are not confined to one faction of the local mountain and road biking community. Many BHS cyclists participate in broader local groups that frequently come together for 100 mile century rides. These road biking events often happen in Santa Rosa and other places around Napa Valley. Usually, bikers pay 100 dollars to participate in the race, which begins at six or seven a.m. Along the trail, there are rest stops with food, drinks and bike mechanics. The niche but thriving events draw a range of cyclists and are filled with a sense of community.

BHS senior Neruda Diaz is on the BHS mountain biking team, and is a member of cycling clubs Waffles and Wheels, which is an all-ages group that rides every Thursday, and Be The Change, which is

focused on uplifting riders of color and meets every Saturday. Between these two groups, he has ridden five centuries in the past three months.

He says anyone can get into biking, even complete beginners. “The first

“Right away, you feel more connected to other people… you don’t feel like people are judging you or making assumptions about you based on how you ride,” she said.

Andy Graham, a BHS parent, has been biking for almost his entire life, during which he participated in many century rides. He gets his motivation from the other riders.

having so many cyclists on the route for any given day makes it super fun.”

Graham says that the reason he keeps going to these races is because he can keep on improving. “Every year, it’s a different experience, and at the same time, I feel like I can challenge myself more because I know what’s coming.”

In the past, “he” was considered the gender neutral third person pronoun. Now, most of us have come to realize this language comes from a time when women weren’t considered in the equation of life outside the home. The English language moved to using “he or she” as an equalizer of sorts. Comedian James Acaster made a point in his Netflix comedy special that I remember often. He said that, now, really the only people who use “he or she” are men. They do it with a pause, “he… or she!” as if forgetting women all together. He ends the segment by explaining that women use a word unfathomable to men — “they”.

Language is fascinating. It changes with time and cultural influences, leaving behind bits of history and the continuous need to edit. Words become hurtful or unnecessary because of the way they are used. Words are changed or added to make things better. Except some words, which are intended to make things more equal and end up just leaving a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. The main culprit: “dudette”. The conversation around whether or not “dude” is gender neutral is a whole other debate. While blatantly feminizing the word, dudette creates a frilly, fragile feeling to it. This takes away from the meaning and ostracizes women into a realm of undudelyness.

Other words remain in a gray area. Is the word “actor” a truly gendered word? Should the use of “actress” fade out of existence? Words like “waitress” leave ample room to misgender people. While the -ess suffix has become less commonly used, it still is very much something that should be thought about.

century ride I did, I was really nervous,” Diaz said. “I thought, ‘These guys might drop me or go too fast’ but they slow down or stop any time you need them to.”

Another BHS senior, Amalia Kermaninejad, likes how laid back the century rides’ communities are. “They have a different feel than other bike races because you’re riding with so many different people. You don’t need to feel any sort of pressure, it’s much more social.” She added that the biking community in general is very accepting compared to other sports.

“There’s all the people around you that you don’t even know, out there on their bikes, also doing the century. Some are doing their first, some who have done many before, but

Since the biking community is so close, most of the events and trails are discovered through word of mouth. Centuries are but one example of the regular, intense sporting events that happen outside of the athletic mainstream in this tight-knit and active community.

Perhaps more interesting, though, is the word “heroine”. It’s derived from ancient Greek and not a creation in a similar vein to “shero’’ or “herstory”, both plays on the fact that “hero” and “history” both contain the pronouns he and him. However, it is pronounced almost identically to a drug with a sinister history and effects. When searching for the history of the word heroine, the first Wikipedia article was about heroin. While for some, words like shero or heroine could create empowerment, they make me feel slightly uneasy. Who decided that the word “hero” was masculine in English? Heroes and heroines become separate, instead of one united group of problem solvers.

Words are also created as a way to include the excluded. Like I mentioned above, shero and herstory were created to add women into the equation. The words womxn and folx have also been implemented, in order to include nonbinary people. However, they remain awkward at best. Folks is already gender neutral, so changing the “s” to an “x” is just weird. Additionally, women is a gendered word for a reason. Womxn very much gives the vibes of spaces for “women and nonbinary people” even though they’re really just talking about people assigned female at birth.

Language is complicated. Words serve a place in time, but times change. Maybe words and our use of them should as well.

Neruda Diaz, an avid century rider, rides his bike.

NOLAN WHITEHILL

On October 12, BHS cross country competed against nine schools at a Point Pinole course.

“They have a different feel than other bike races because you’re riding with so many different people.”

Amalia Kermaninejad, BHS senior

BHS takes Huskies in Homecoming win

BY LEO SILVERBERG staff writer

A crowd, decked out in colorful flower necklaces, packed into the tropical Homecoming football game on the afternoon of Saturday, October 15 to watch the Berkeley High School Yellowjackets defeat the Washington Huskies in a 53-19 blowout.

There were many BHS football alumni in attendance, including Nathan Dahl, class of 1999. “(This) current excitement is something we didn’t have. We didn’t have this number

of fans,” said Dahl, who saw over 10 of his teammates in the crowd during the game.

The Jackets came in off of a 27-23 win against Hayward, where they were labeled as a big underdog.

According to senior linebacker Elijah Dupaty, “Last game really brought us together as a team … we really stepped up from the past weeks and started building up like a program.”

Athletic Director Ross Parker brought up that the BHS football program was one of the best in the area 10 years ago, but has struggled since, until noticeable improvement this year.

“This team has taken leaps and bounds,” he said.

The Jacket offense started slow. On their first drive, they failed to get a first down and were backed up near their own end zone.

However, their bold decision to fake a punt succeeded, converting a first down. Soon after, sophomore BJ Thurman caught and ran for a 50 yard touchdown. From then on, there was no slowing the team.

Star senior wide receiver Jackson Harris got an interception, and on the next play ran for a 60 yard touchdown. It seemed as though every time the ball was in his hands, no one could tackle him - he got five total touchdowns, including a kickoff return.

“I think he’s definitely the motivating factor of this team … I’m surprised he doesn’t have more attention, because holy … he’s good,” said starting center and junior Eli Moulton. The victory was a family affair as Jalen Harris, Jackson’s brother, also had a touchdown, and multiple long kickoff returns.

Junior quarterback Drew Henderson was accurate and precise throughout the whole game as well, and BHS cheer presented an exciting three-part halftime routine.

Coach David Perry praised the team’s character. “They’re learning that when things get tough, you lean on your brothers and you lean on your teammates.”

The community leaned on each other during a solemn moment at halftime, when the game jersey of BHS class of 2017 linebacker Brandon Bailey, who passed away this summer, was presented to his mother Tanisha Wilder by Perry and Tiffany Sutherland, BHS cheer coach.

With generations of athletes and alumni behind them, and fresh energy this year, the team is reaching new heights. “We knew that we were going to be doubted by everyone, (this season),” Dupaty said postgame. “We come out on this field every day to show that we’re not the same old Berkeley, and that this year is a whole new team.”

Coaches overlook importance of sleep

BY ZADA SANGER staff writer

For high school students, sleep is often sacrificed for homework, college applications, extracurriculars, and seeing friends. Despite a generally callous attitude towards sleep, it remains a crucial foundation to mental and physical well-being.

Student-athletes are especially affected. Long practices and late-night games can force these students into unhealthy sleeping habits. Berkeley High School junior and Long Beach State volleyball commit Preslie Yates said that, “A good night’s rest makes me more aware of my surroundings and faster to react.” Despite this, “coaches are not active in helping players prioritize sleep; my club team will hold practices until 10 o’clock at night during finals week,” said Yates.

BHS senior varsity soccer and volleyball player Amelie Haji said that “practices from six p.m. to eight p.m. don’t leave enough time for work to be done in between

school and practice, so I have to do all my homework when I get home at like nine.”

Interviews with 10 various BHS studentathletes showed an average of seven hours of sleep per night, from a range of three and a half to eight hours. Children’s Hospital recommends that teenagers get eight to ten hours of sleep per night to maximize overall health. For adolescent studentathletes, nine to 10 hours are recommended.

Beyond the mental and physical tax on athletes, it is in the best interest of athletics programs to be involved in ensuring that players are able to have adequate rest, because their own success is dependent on it. Boardcertified psychiatrist Dr. Lex Denysenko, MD, asserted, “Poor sleep habits have been shown to increase exhaustion and injury in athletes, in addition to causing cognitive consequences resulting in poor reaction time and accuracy.” Sleep has too heavy an influence on health and well-being to continue to be ignored by coaches.

Camille Jacala is a junior at Berkeley High School, and captain of the girls varsity volleyball team. Jacala started playing volleyball at 13, inspired by her mother, who also played. She is a setter for both the BHS and her club team; the latter of which is where she coaches elementary school volleyball players in addition to playing. She hopes to remind them to have fun and reduce the pressure around the sport, while inspiring them to be passionate about volleyball and improve. She finds that her years in volleyball have helped develop her leadership skills. “I’ve grown in my ability to take initiative and be responsible,” she said, adding that “volleyball has helped me to have more selfawareness … and develop a strong worth ethic.” Beyond volleyball leadership, Jacala is president of the Asian Pacific Islanders Club, where she uses the skills she’s honed as captain and coach to empower the BHS community.

— Finola Jackson

LEV

AVA MUSSI

The animated student section cheers on, sporting leis.

The BHS football team charges the field with force from a cloud of blue smoke.

GWENDOLIN WEBER-STOVER