March Issue 2022

WHAT’S

INSIDE

2 News

4 Features

8 Sports

10 Opinion

URLINGAME B

THE

Issue 4 Vol. 132

Burlingame High School, 1 Mangini Way, Burlingame, CA 94010

March 7, 2022

Enrollment projected to decline across district PROGRAMS, STAFF MAY TAKE THE HIT IN COMING YEARS

BY ELISE SPENNER

Copy Editor

Before Cameron Cowan started his junior year, he transferred from Burlingame to Junipero Serra High School, citing a desire for in-person learning after struggling for three months of online school

in the spring. “Serra really had a good plan to come back to in-person classes,” Cowan said. “I really liked the idea of being back in-person, just so I could learn better and have more fun in school, because I found myself falling asleep in online classes a lot because I was unengaged.”

GRAPHIC BY ELISE SPENNER

GRAPHIC BY ELISE SPENNER

Among California’s 58 counties, San Mateo County is expected to face the seventh largest numerical drop in enrollment over the next 10 years: 12,664 students.

Between 1984 and 2017, enrollment steadily increased in San Mateo County. However, in 2017, enrollment began to fall, and it is projected to continue to slip each year. Cowan would return to in-person classes at Serra in November of 2020, four months before hybrid learning was widely available at Burlingame. Like Cowan, across the district, county and state, students left public schools during the pandemic. While enrollment

was already set to decline in the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) due to lower birth rates, migration patterns and an inaccessible real estate market, the pandemic changed the landscape entirely. “Even two years ago, that [enrollment] projection would

have been sort of a flat or steady decline. And that steady decline just sort of is a pretty steep decline,” said Don Scatena, the director of student services for the SMUHSD.

See ENROLLMENT DECLINE page 2

Burlingame debuts sexual violence education club BY SAM JOHNSTONE

Managing Editor

A brand-new club, Panthers Against Sexual Violence (PASV), is working to educate the school on sexual violence and related topics. The club, which meets every other Monday, held their first session on Feb. 14. Founded over winter break, the club is headed by co-presidents senior Jojo Hamdan and junior Lily Hartley. Senior Sofia Sodini supports as secretary, and junior Natalie Sullivan Wu works as the publicist. The girls formed the club out of frustration with the lack of sexual violence education and awareness at Burlingame. “I was so angry. I was like, ‘We need to do something, our school doesn’t have anything.’ And then school restarted, and we actually formed it,” Hamdan

said. The club gained an impressive social media presence in a short amount of time, racking up nearly 200 followers in less than a month. Sodini notes this indicates Burlingame’s interest

We want to use our social media to cover our lesson of the week – we are going to have certain topics like date rape or online sexual violence. It’s like a preview to each meeting,” “

-Lily Hartley in learning about sexual violence prevention and hopes to

use Instagram as an educational tool. “We want to use our social media to cover our lesson of the week — we are going to have certain topics like date rape or online sexual violence. It’s like a preview to each meeting,” Hartley said. Each meeting focuses on a specific topic, such as how an intoxicated person cannot consent. The club was originally going to be a safe space, where students could talk about their personal experiences with sexual violence. However, upon learning they would need a mandated reporter, they felt it would no longer be a safe space, and changed the club to be strictly educational. “We just hope to educate our school, that’s our main goal. Because it’s not really a topic that people are taught about enough, for sure, as we have

seen and heard,” Hamdan said. In the future, the club hopes to host school-wide events and assemblies to bring awareness to the broader community. Currently, they intend on partnering with an organization called “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes,” which asks men to walk in high-heels to confront gender stereotypes and emphasize the detrimental impacts of men’s sexualized violence. “A lot of our following and members are mainly girls, and I think assemblies and other stuff will kind of force the boys to participate too,” Sodini said. Senior Audrey Ravid is one of those members, and she noted the impact this club can have on each individual. “I joined

PASV because I think that in general, and at BHS, sexual assault is not being taken seriously,” Ravid said. “I think this club is a great way to get education and get the support and tools someone may need to share their story or get help.” The club hopes to leave a lasting legacy at Burlingame, possibly through permanently implemented programs. “That way it’s not just a twoweek long unit in freshman year about consent,” Hartley said.

2

Enrollment Decline

News

March 7, 2022

FROM PAGE 1 BY ELISE SPENNER

Copy Editor

In California, three factors set the pace for enrollment: birth rates, migration and immigration. Birth rates are dropping every year: in the 1970s, 24 out of 1,000 women had children each year; today, the number is half that. The pandemic accelerated migration out of California, as families and businesses opted to relocate. And immigration from foreign countries has also slowed. After two years of a pandemic, declining enrollment is almost ubiquitous in California, said Michael Fine, the CEO of the Fiscal Crisis & Management Team, a state-wide watchdog that helps school districts manage their budgets. But the losses are more precipitous in urban areas, coastal regions and areas south of Sacramento, he said. Burlingame and the SMUHSD sit at the center of this Venn diagram, with

the additional burden of skyhigh housing prices. While housing costs are a barrier for new families — most of the people who move into the area are high-earning, well-educated and unmarried, Fine found — the current property tax structure also allows older families to stay beyond when their children graduate. For many districts in the state, declining enrollment could directly impact funding. However, because the SMUHSD is a community-funded district, about 85% of the budget is determined by property taxes rather than the number of students that show up each day. But enrollment could still set Burlingame and the district back, Scatena said. Based on district projections, Burlingame is expected to lose about 10% of its students by the 2027-28 school year — 1,537 students attended in 2020, and just 1,350 students are projected to go to Burlingame in 2027. “Ten percent is basically 10%

fewer students, but it’s also 10% fewer staff, right?” Scatena said. “At Burlingame, you have 100 teachers right now for 1,500 students. You might actually have 90 teachers for 1,400 students. So fewer staff. Fewer staff means you have fewer programs.” Though general funds are based on property taxes, money from certain state and federal programs is allocated based on enrollment. For instance, funding for Career Technical Education courses is on a per student basis — if the population drops, the budget dries up. The potential ramifications of declining enrollment at Burlingame are magnified at Capuchino High School. Capuchino started this year with just 1,115 students — less than any of the other comprehensive sites in the district. By fall 2027, enrollment is projected to fall by 28% to only 805 students. “At some point, when attendance drops, there’s a budget shift or a budget dynamic and all of a sudden things like athlet-

ics, the music program, you can’t support that,” Board President Robert Griffin said. “And I really don’t want to see that happen at [Capuchino]. It’s too good of a school.” The district has a few options for how to respond to declining enrollment rates, Scatena said. Because bell schedules across the district are consistent, students could travel between schools to sample a diversity of programs. Alternatively, teachers could migrate from school to school — the district could hire only one foreign language or music teacher if staff taught at multiple sites. Whatever the district chooses, Fine said, they must act soon. “[Administrators] don’t want to deal with it,” Fine said. “In most school districts you need to respond to those declines relatively quickly. Otherwise, you’re going to get behind, and you’re faced with the cuts. And you’re seeing that play out right now in districts around the state.”

Italian trip canceled for the second year BY ARSHIA CHAKRAVARTTI

Staff Reporter

Since 2000, in alternating years, the Italian student exchange program has allowed students from Burlingame to travel to Capri, Italy and students from Capri, Italy to visit Burlingame, Ca. The Burlingame students travel to Liceo Linguistico Fanti, a high school that specializes in foreign languages in Carpi, Italy, t h e h o m e town of Advanced Placement (AP) Italian teacher Antonella Wemple.

“Last year we were supposed to go — that was 2021. We then moved it to this year, so it’s been canceled twice,” Wemple said. The planning for the 2022 program, where Burlingame students would visit Italy, was already underway when the decision to cancel it was finalized in January. Wemple and Giorgia Battisodo, another Italian teacher at Burlingame, were both worried about the students’ safety, because Italy was experiencing a surge in omicron cases. “It would have been too risky,” Battisodo said. The cancellation of this trip has especially affected senior AP Italian students because they do not have another chance

to go. Senior Sofia Sodini expressed her sadness on this exchange trip being called off due to health concerns for a second year in a row. “I feel like I am missing out on the experience of going with friends,” Sodini said. Although she could not go on the trip with her classmates from AP Italian, Sodini did get to host Italian students during her sophomore year. “That was kind of like a glimpse into what I could have had,” Sodini said.

GRAPHIC BY ISABEL LIU

“I contacted this particular cousin of mine who used to attend this high school and asked him to talk to his teacher, and he did,” Wemple said. “The two of us started talking to each other, and we organized this trip.” When students go to Italy, they travel to different cities and learn more about Italian culture. There, they stay with host families during their first week of attending the school in Carpi. When Italian students come to Burlingame, American students and their families host the students. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic started, the past two trips have been canceled.

Choir concert brings students together BY LEILANI DOUGHERTY

Staff Reporter

we always make a lot of good memories in the weeks leading up to the concert and at the concert itself. So the whole experience is just really fun, and it’s a nice thing to look forward to,” Andaya said. This is the first year of the Peninsula Chamber Singers, and students are eager to continue their choral performances, including their final performance in the spring. “I’m really excited about making more music and carrying over what we’ve been learning all year,” Moshkovoy said.

AR YF AH N BA

CA

CABAN PHOTO BY FARAH

sang “Waiting in the Wings,” a song featured on the “Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure” series. Although the practices leading up to the concert are rigorous, meeting for multiple hours at Hillsdale, Andaya had nothing but positive reflections on her third year as a chamber singers. “[The concerts] help us continue to build good relationships w i t h each other, and

OB OT PH

The Peninsula Chamber Singers performed alongside Hillsdale High School and San Mateo High School’s choirs for the Hillsdale Music Pops Concert Series on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at Hillsdale. The Peninsula Chamber Singers is the ‘third-tier,’ most advanced group in the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) Choral Program. Singers are required to audition, and the class is available to sophomores, juniors and seniors from any of the

SMUHSD schools. Currently, the group has 26 members from Burlingame, San Mateo and Hillsdale. The class meets every Tuesday and Thursday evening at San Mateo High School. Burlingame currently has four students in the Peninsula Chamber Singers: seniors Emiko Andaya and Seoyoung Kim, junior Michelle Moshkovoy and sophomore Daniela Cano. The four Burlingame singers join San Mateo and Hillsdale students to put on their quarterly performances. This past concert’s theme was Disney, and featured songs from “Cinderella,” “The Lion King,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and more. Andaya had a solo performance in which she

Left: Senior Emiko Andaya has been a part of Burlingame’s Choir since her freshman year. Right: Junior Michelle Moshkovoy performs solo cover of “I’m Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” for the Hillsdale Music Pops Concert Series on Wednesday, Feb. 23.

B

THE

BURLINGAME B STAFF

Editor-in-Chief Lexi Goldstein Managing Editor Sam Johnstone Sports Editor Isaac Bostonmaer Business Manager Farah Caban Webmaster Alex Kelly Head Photographer Michelle Moshkovoy Copy Editors Elise Spenner Mattingly Germack Senior Reporters Kristie Kim Safiya Loomba Julianna Oliver Jackson Spenner Lizzy Wan Staff Reporters Sophia Bella Daria Burnosova Arshia Chakravartti Wali Chaudry Leilani Dougherty Arda Inegol Isabel Liu Amanda Nolan Jake Rothstein Teacher Adviser Melissa Murphy Policy Statement: The Burlingame B is a student-run newspaper with the sole purpose of providing an open forum for student expression. Anything printed represents the opinion of the writer, but not necessarily that of the Burlingame B staff, the administration, or the faculty of Burlingame High School or anyone affiliated with the San Mateo Union High School District. The Burlingame B does not discriminate against race, political oritentation, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability. Although The Burlingame B will never refuse to publish guest submission based on the aforementioned factors, we reserve the right to edit or not publish them. Letters to the Editor Disagree with the writers? Bring your letters to the room A120 or email them to <theburlingameb@ gmail.com>. Letters may be considered for publication. The Burlingame B reserves the right to edit for clarity, length, and accuracy. We welcome all comments.

Website: www.theburlingameb.org Phone: (650) 558-2899 Email: theburlingameb@gmail.com Address: 1 Mangini Way Burlingame, CA 94010

March 7, 2022

BY LIZZY WAN

Senior Reporter

Staff Reporter

BY ARDA INEGOL

Staff Reporter

PHOTO BY ARDA INEGOL

Burlingame offers a selection of 16 different sports for students to take part in over three seasons. Though it is the players who participate in the games, coaches are a crucial part in shaping their team, and they each favor a unique and personal style of coaching. John Philipopoulos, the head varsity football coach, takes an open-minded approach to coaching. He not only physically prepares his athletes for games, but also aims to maintain a positive atmosphere in the locker room. “I would say that kids do play off of the energy of myself and a lot of our other coaches,” Philipopoulos said. Additionally, he believes it is very important to provide a safe environment for athletes so that they can improve their game without worrying about judgment. Philipopoulos noted that to create such an environment, it is crucial to communicate with athletes and let them take initiative during practices. “It can’t be about you. You have to be all about the kids. You have to be adaptable,” Philipopoulos said. “Then, you have to really take a step back and kind of observe the environment, and see how you can best fulfill the needs of the students that are in that environment.” The balance between creating a connected team while also individually helping players to improve is also important in baseball, another team sport. Shawn Scott, the varsity head coach, embraces this responsibility and works on improving his players’ mental strength. “We talk about a mental approach to the game, a mental approach to their daily work at school,” Scott said. Scott also understands the emotional aspects of the game, and he wants his athletes to be just as respectful off the field as they are on the field. Though he wants his athletes to have a say in decisions made in practices, he also wants them to listen to his instructions. “I like to be mellow, get my point across to the kids and then let them go out and have as much fun as possible,” Scott said.

Giving players a voice is also important to assistant tennis coach Marci Martinucci, who fosters a player-based, democratic approach to coaching. “We make a lot of decisions for the team and we let them make a lot of decisions by themselves as well,” Martinucci said. “And they’re very capable.” She believes that this style of coaching helps increase the overall team morale, motivating the athletes to do their best and opening up opportunities for self-improvement, which then helps the team’s overall Coach Shawn Scott success. Michelle Riley, the girls’ junior varsity soccer coach, feels that success is dependent on coaches, who play a substantial role in shaping the team because of their ability to provide the players with the necessary information and tools. “I really try for the girls to be in a position to ask for what they want,” Riley said. “I think that’s one of the big takeaways from sports — being able to take criticism from other people like, ‘Hey, you didn’t show up? Well, here, this is what I need from you.’” Riley believes a team spirit Coach John Philipopoulos that brings players a sense of belonging is crucial, for students must understand that they are part of a team and working towards the same goal of winning. “I think you learn discipline and how to be reliable and have the feeling that someone’s depending on you to be there,” Riley said. Overall, Burlingame’s coaches each foster a distinctive coaching style; while Philipopoulos focuses on giving the football players more space and comfort, Scott likes to energize his team through lectures and Coach Marci Martinucci directions. Furthermore, Martinucci’s interest in the players’ self-improvement shapes her team, while Riley boosts her team’s confidence through a collective team spirit, creating different experiences in the various sports the school offers. In the end, Burlingame’s coaches help their teams get through difficult games and are the ones that are there for the athletes. Each coach has a different way of improving their team during the season, and this ultimately contributes to the success many Panthers have on the court, field or gym. Coach Michelle Riley

PHOTO BY ARDA INEGOL

Junior Amanda Nolan’s grandparents opened their family bakery in 1974, Yasukochi’s Sweet Stop, in the heart of Japantown. Famous for their coffee crunch cake, the shop has been thriving ever since. Growing up in Japanese Incarceration Camps, founder Hisao Yasukochi helped prepare meals for others imprisoned in the camp mess hall. When he returned from the camp, he was able to learn the basics required for baking, specifically making cookies and bread. He continued to work at bakeries throughout his teens, developing his passion for working in the kitchen. After deciding four-year college wasn’t for him, Yasukochi went to City College of San Francisco where he took a restaurant course. Once he completed the course, he co-founded Antoine’s bakery. Simultaneously, he was also learning the recipe for the now-beloved coffee crunch cake recipe from a candymaker. After the closure of Antiones, Yasukochi opened the Sweet Stop bakery with his wife, Hastuye Yasukochi, on Sutter Street in Japantown. The bakery gained more traction following a 2020 feature in the San Francisco Chronicle. The shop is busiest around the holidays, selling around 200 of their coffee crunch cakes and 50 of their other cakes. “The holidays, it was so busy,” Yasukochi said. “I mean I didn’t have to do anything [besides bake]. We had friends coming in, [past] workers that came in to work for me, they all came, people working in the front like [Amanda Nolan]. I just stood back and baked and didn’t have to do anything [in the front].” While running the bakery, Hisao and Hatsuye raised their family of three daughters. The eldest daughter and Amanda Nolan’s mom, Stacey Nolan,

worked at the bakery throughout middle and high school, serving customers in the front and decorating cakes in the back. “Looking back, overall, it was a great experience, which I can appreciate more now than back then: being able to spend time with family, building and growing the business,” Nolan said. “I enjoyed seeing many friends and family members who often stopped in just to say hi or to lend a hand, building that sense of community.” As Yasukochi slowly transitioned to retirement, he was ready to pass the bakery on, but wanted to keep it in the family. However, his three grown daughters already had their own successful careers, so his grandson Kenji Yick stepped up to the plate as head baker. Yick graduated from the French Culinary Institute in 2011, and helped out around the bakery since he was a kid. When he was in high school, he would manage the cash register and help consumers choose their pastries. It wasn’t until he was 19 that he began to experiment in the kitchen, and he soon came to work full-time at the bakery. “When I started working there during the summer, right after culinary, I was really enjoying it and having a good time learning from [my] grandpa,” Yick said. “I decided that it was something that I wanted to do, and he wanted to start his retirement phase, so he was looking for someone to take over, and since none of the daughters wanted to do it, it kind of fell on me to do that.” Though the pandemic has brought tragedy to the bakery, as co-founder Hatsuye Yasukochi passed away from COVID-19, they haven’t stopped bringing joy to customers and Japantown through their delectables. Serving coffee crunch cake as well as other pastries and desserts, the bakery is open Wednesday through Saturday.

BY WALI CHAUDRY

PHOTO BY JAKE ROTHSTEIN

Yasukochi family bakery still flourishes after 48 years

Different coaching styles have common goal: empowerment PHOTO BY MATTINGLY GERMACK

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAWDY PHOTOGRAPHY

Hisao and Hatsuye Yasukochi surrounded by their three daughters and family in 2014 at Washington Park.

3

Features

PHOTO BY LIZZY WAN

4

Features

March 7, 2022

History teachers address “critical race theory” curriculum BY JACKSON SPENNER

dents want to know the whole story too.” This trend toward a more equiWhen Annie Miller teaches table, diverse curriculum is quite a lesson about Thomas Jefferson preva to her students at Burlingame, she discusses his legacy as one of Virginia’s largest slaveholders — not just his involvement in the founding of the U.S. When she gives a presentation about the “Roaring ‘20s,” she also dedicates time to the people that didn’t find it so roaring: African Americans terrorized in the Jim Crow South. Miller believes in what she calls “historical scholarship” — teaching and learning about the people who fought for justice in l e n t a t America. Burlingame. S t u d e n t s “Good historical scholarship are mandated to take an Ethmeans that every story is nu- nic Studies course, teachers anced and complicated,” Miller undergo anti-bias training on professional development days and English classes incorporate books from across the ethnic and gender spectrum: “A Raisin in the Sun,” “The Hate U Give” and “There There,” to name a few. Just this year, sophomore Advanced Placement (AP) European History was replaced by AP World History. “I mean, it’s definitely said. “I a step in the right direction,” know that I want to know the Ethnic Studies teacher Meghan whole story, and I think stu- Nasser said. “We emphasize

Senior Reporter

counter-narratives and the stories that often get left out. To include those diverse stories is to really get a true sense of our history — a more complete story.” Today, though, teachers like Miller and Nasser are up against a wave of backlash. A movement against the teaching of “critical race theory” — the idea that racism is central to U.S. history — has been steadily growing in American politics. According to several political strategists, CRT will be a major debate in upcoming midterm elections. As Miller is quick to point out, however, “critical race theory” is actually a law school course; it has nothing to do with her high school curriculum. “Do I teach critical race theory? In terms of how it is defined academically, no — critical race theory is a college class,” Miller said. “But do we [at Burlingame] teach history that examines how race has impacted who we are? Of course — because if we didn’t, we wouldn’t be doing justice to our students.” According to Edweek, more than 25 states have introduced bills restricting the content that history teachers are allowed

to discuss in class, and 12 have adopted policies. This legislation commonly includes “drastic limits and funding cuts for anti-bias trainings and diversity and inclusion initiatives,” per the NAACP. And, while these laws haven’t penetrated California policy, it’s difficult for Burlingame’s teachers to ignore the debate circling the nation. “If this could happen in Tennessee, why couldn’t it happen here?” Miller said. “It’s scary. It’s really scary. And I think it’s doing our country and our students such a disservice.” “Teaching history includes teaching hard history, and I think it’s unfortunate that some teachers are prohibited from teaching real aspects of what happens and what is happening,” Nasser said. For the time being, however, Bu rl i n -

game and the surrounding community seem to be taking steps in the opposite direction. In fact, on Jan. 20, the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) Board of Trustees unanimously voted to pass a racial equity poli c y

proposed by staff and community members. Among a multitude of objectives, the policy aims to “examin[e] the historical roots and contemporary manifestations of racial prejudice and discrimination, White privilege, White supremacy culture, anti-Blackness, implicit bias, institutionalized racism, mass incarceration, and liberation.” “I think we do our best to cover some of these really key points and open perspectives,” Nasser said. “And never — ever — to force, indoctrinate or tell you how to think.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Peer Point: Disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline PHOTO BY MICHELLE MOSHKOVOY

Senior Nick Reed (left) serves as a liaison and junior Celia Slavet (right) is part of the executive board for Peer Point, a restorative justice program. BY MICHELLE MOSHKOVOY Juvenile Crime Rate Report by Slavet said. “Our entire prothe San Mateo County Sheriff ’s gram’s aim is to support youth Head Photographer office — California and more- and to keep them out of the juJunior Celia Slavet and se- over the U.S. maintained a rel- venile system. And our actual nior Nick Reed volunteer with atively high juvenile recidivism hearings are run by youth, of Peer Point, a peer-driven re- rate nationwide at 75%, accord- course with adult supervisors.” storative justice program that ing to ytjustice.org. The process begins with the serves as an alternative to the Zero-tolerance policies that respondent, a minor who has traditional juvenile system for enforce mandatory expulsions, been referred to Peer Point for a youth in San Mateo County set suspensions and other puni- misdemeanor or citation. Motito launch in April — discard- tive actions are a pipeline for vational interviewing and trauing any type of adversarial prac- students, especially those from ma-informed questioning is tice normally seen in a juvenile low-income communities, to done by student volunteers, and court hearing. end up in the criminal justice the result is a restorative plan. Although crimes involving system rather than a classroom. “[It] addresses all the needs juveniles in San Mateo’s North Peer Point is based out of the of the respondent to get them Fair Oaks area recently dropped Boys & Girls Club in East Palo back on track: community enby 51% — from 31 cases in 2019 Alto, one of their partners. gagement, a community projto 15 in 2020, courtesy of a 2020 “We are for youth, by youth,” ect, mentoring, tutoring —

they’re in lieu of punishment,” Slavet said. Austin Willis, a senior at Crystal Springs Uplands School, began development for a restorative justice organization in the county to no avail five years ago. Slavet joined the cause in February 2020 as a member of the executive board headed by Willis, where they “started getting the ball rolling,” Slavet said. Reed then joined as a liaison when Zoom training began in January 2021. Reed is a member of the youth leadership team of about 20 students, and Slavet sits on the student-run board of four that is supported by an adult supervisor. Around another 150 names have been put down as possible volunteers. “[We’re] training volunteers, and doing mock hearings or mock restorative circles where we basically act out what the actual process will be in preparing volunteers through the actual training system,” Reed said. With a current budget of about $300,000, and a goal of $1 million in a few years, the program is looking to take 75 to 100 cases per year. For reference, Youth Transforming Justice, a similar restorative justice company in Marin County, takes on 50 kids a year, with a 99% completion rate and 6% re-

cidivism rate. “When we get a bigger budget, it’ll be a lot more kids,” Slavet said. “In a normal justice court it’s a lawyer talking on behalf of the youth. And when a lot of things are being decided for the youth, they don’t really have a lot of say. We want to create an equal ground where the respondent coming through our program feels respected.” That goal resonated with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, an organization created by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerbeg and his wife Priscilla Chan. In 2021, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s Community Fund committed to supporting 75 organizations across San Mateo County that uplift underserved communities. Peer Point was one of those fund partners, and received a twoyear grant of up to $200,000. “Over the past year we’ve been applying to over 15 grant applications,” Slavet said. “It means a lot that we were chosen as the initiative fund partner.” While not yet fully operational, the team’s efforts are beginning to come full circle, much like the concept of restorative justice. “We would love for the [respondent] to come back and serve as a volunteer,” Slavet said. “So it’s a cycle, that’s what’s restorative.”

5

Features

March 7, 2022

District will not ban books despite national movement GRAPHIC BY LEILANI DOUGHERTY DATA BY THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

BY LEILANI DOUGHERTY

Staff Reporter

Public and private schools across the country have experienced a recent spike in book bannings, from the Holocaust graphic novel, “Maus,” being removed from a Tennessee school district’s eighth grade curriculum to a Pennsylvania school district removing the LGBTQ+ classic, “Heather Has Two Mommies,” from school libraries. Although these bannings have yet to happen at Burlingame, the larger conversation about literary censorship affects schools everywhere. The English curriculum in the San Mateo Union High

School District (SMUHSD) features a number of books that are banned at schools in other states. “1984,” “Beloved” and “Of Mice and Men” are just a few of the ‘banned books’ that Burlingame students read in various years and levels of English classes. These books were banned elsewhere for reasons that vary depending on the school district, but most of the arguments for banning include profanity, racial slurs and sexually-explicit content. Books chosen for SMUHSD are approved by the English Curriculum Council, which meets every six weeks to review and develop curriculum. The district co-coordinators, Alison

Block and Brittany Redgate, look for new and relevant books to add to English courses, or review books suggested by teachers throughout the district. New books are entered into the curriculum as funding permits, and come as often as teachers find necessary. “I’m looking for books that represent the students in my room, that have connections to locality,” Block said. “Books that feature characters that have a variety of life experiences and perspectives that our students can relate to or learn from.” In the past five years, the district has received specific funding for ‘culturally relevant’ texts to be added to the English curriculum. This push has led the district to add books like “The Hate U Give,” a novel about a 16-year-old Black girl who witnesses a fatal shooting by a police officer, and “There There,” written by Oakland native Tommy Orange about his life struggles growing up as a Native American man. Redgate and Block reiterated the importance of teaching

culturally relevant topics to students not just in the district, but in society as a whole. “I think if everything feels very ‘other than’ themselves within a classroom, then that leads to that understanding that, ‘I’m not a part of this,’” Block said. “But I think it’s also important if you’re reading a book that the character seems very different from you within a text. There’s also value in that to me because that’s the way we gain compassion and empathy.” Redgate offered similar thoughts regarding the importance of students’ reading about current societal issues. “A story might be reflective of something that resonates with them and calls them into an experience in a way that helps deepen their perspective of themselves, which I think is fundamental to democracy, is the exploration of self,” Redgate said. The district’s 2021-2022 goals included a number of initiatives to diversify staff and create more opportunities for minority students to be seen, in

order to create a more inclusive community. Including texts in Burlingame’s curriculum that discuss minority voices from multiple perspectives was done with the goal to make students feel seen and heard. “I think it’s interesting to learn about the other side of things, and it’s important to talk about cultural issues in all our classes,” said senior Brianna Filoteo. As discussions about book bannings continue, the Curriculum Council reiterated the significance in examining texts that might force uncomfortable conversations. “If we ban books, we also ban the kind of conversations we can have around books, which doesn’t lead to informed decision making … I’m in the business, as an educator, of exploring ideas and not censoring them, but helping the student access the skills that they need in order to have informed conversations about texts,” Redgate said.

GRAPHIC BY SOPHIA BELLA

Little Free Libraries: small in size, big in impact Staff Reporter

If you have ever explored the streets of Burlingame, chances are you have stumbled across small, brightly colored libraries with an engraved plaque or a “take one, share one” message. These miniature libraries are registered to a national nonprofit book exchange organization called Little Free Library. With over 125,000 Little Free Libraries across the U.S., the locations are managed by individual stewards that sign up to bring a Little Free Library to their community. In Burlingame, there are around 12 registered libraries. “Since my walk back from school in eighth grade, I [passed] by around three or four Little Free Libraries on my way home — that’s how I discovered them,” freshman Evie Scott said. Anyone can volunteer to build (or purchase a pre-made) Little Free Library structure and maintain it. The book exchange runs on an honor system, where people can choose to both keep and contribute their own books. “[Little Free Libraries] have no strings attached,” Scott said. “You can take a book, keep it and donate a bunch of books. If you can’t go to a library or struggle with returning books on time, it can be really helpful.” These simple guidelines allow libraries to remain stocked with a diverse, ever-changing selection of reads. Many different genres of books, appealing to a variety of age groups, are all funneled into one spot. “The [genre of books] is really all over the place,” Scott said. “It’s a lot of used books;

sometimes picture books, and there’s also the Antiracist Little Free Libraries.” Antiracist Little Free Libraries, following a similar concept to the original ones, were created by a Bay Area nonprofit called Rise Up Against Racism. The organization, founded after the murder of George Floyd in June 2020, aims to bring libraries with antiracist messages to communities all over the Bay Area and beyond. Pooja Shah, an Antiracist Little Free Library steward in Burlingame, had hers installed in February 2021. “[Rise Up Against Racism] works with a bunch of local artists, who are all people of color, to paint them,” Shah said. “Then stewards, like my family, sponsor them and then have them be a part of our community.” Shah was interested in sponsoring an Antiracist Little Free Library, which included a library for her property and a sister library that is placed in an under-resourced neighborhood. “So it’s not just library sponsors that have them, but rather anyone who may not have access to books that have protagonists or other characters who look like them,” Shah said. Once Shah sponsored the library, Rise Up Against Racism curated and bought a collection of antiracist-themed books to put in for both young and old readers. All of the books were purchased at Marcus Books in Oakland, the oldest Blackowned bookstore in the United States. Once painted and stocked, Shah’s specialized library was installed. “We had a say in where we wanted it [placed], and if there were any books that we want-

PHOTO BY SOPHIA BELLA

BY SOPHIA BELLA

Freshman Evie Scott checks out books at a local Antiracist Little Free Library on Walnut Avenue. ed [to provide],” Shah said. “For example, being an Indian-American woman, I wanted to make sure there were books that represented my community as well.” Unlike the swapping system of Little Free Libraries, this particular one is meant to follow a more conventional library exchange system. The idea is to borrow a book to educate yourself and spread awareness, then return it for other people to read and enjoy. “People aren’t familiar with the [Antiracist Little Free Library] model as much, so we end up having more people that take books and don’t return them,” Shah said. The COVID-19 pandemic, especially the phase of statewide quarantine, brought more traffic to the location. People going on walks for fresh air would stop by and browse the

selection. “People were home way more than before, and they would go on walks, because there wasn’t much else we could all do.” Shah said. “As a result, there were a lot more people that gained access to our library that may not have otherwise been going.” Shah’s specialized selection of antiracist and social justice-themed books provides an important element of diversity among the original, local Little Free Libraries. “I started to notice [the Antiracist Little Free Libraries] in April of last year,” Scott said. “They provide books about people who aren’t often depicted in fiction — I think that’s really important and cool.” To Shah, one of the main goals of the Antiracist Little Free Libraries is educate, dismantle biases and have more

empathy for the perspectives of others. “We’re in a critical period of time in our history where there’s a lot of inequities that marginalized communities face,” Shah said. “Those are now rising to the forefront of everyone’s consciousness.” The Antiracist Little Free Library has multiple levels, separating childrens’ picture books and stories for elementary and middle school readers, while dedicating a whole shelf to content for adults. Shah believes it is important for all community members, children and adults alike, to have an opportunity to expand their knowledge of the experiences of people of color. “Being able to provide access to enable learning is, frankly, one of the greatest kinds of gifts I could ask for,” Shah said.

6

7

Women of Color We Admire AMERICAN POET

Maya Angelou Staff Reporter Sophia Bella looks to Maya Angelou for inspiration. The African American author has published several works of writing, including “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” and “And I Still Rise.” She also won the Presidential Medal of Freedom award. “Maya Angelou was one of the first people that really helped me discover my interest in poetry and writing. Even from a young age, her works were a huge inspiration,” Bella said. “Later on, especially when I read her memoir ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,’ her books, speeches, poetry and spoken word taught me a lot about being brave and celebrating your individuality. I really look up to the fact that she’s empowered so many people, especially other women of color, through something she was passionate about.”

OU YO RTES

F W I K I C OM MO

NS

O

BY

C BO ISSA STON MA ER

Sports Editor Isaac Bostonmaer looks up to his grandma, Fatemeh Saniefar. Being Persian, she taught Bostonmaer how to embrace his heritage. “She has the best advice and is a perfect example of how someone should act and treat others. I want to be like her when I’m older,” Bostonmaer said.

”

going in life and appreciate the things I

FORMER FIRST LADY

P

H

Emmi Cate, Burlingame Junior

O

TO CO

”

lessly patient. I love my mom’s cooking and that the food she makes is a big part of our family

BURLINGAME TEACHER PH

OT

O

Nicole Carter

BY

BU RL

IN

Kristie Kim, Burlingame B Senior Reporter

Staff Reporter Leilani Dougherty takes inspiration from former First Lady Michelle Obama. In her time as First Lady, she has advocated for poverty awareness, nutrition and physical activity among youth. Since leaving the White House, she has written a memoir, “Becoming,” where she talks about motherhood in addition to her time as First Lady. “She was the first First Lady of color and had a large, inspiring career as an attorney before obtaining the role,” Doughtery said.

GA ME

Erika Jiang Burlingame Junior

EPORTE R

anyone could give

AFF R B ST

”

My aunt has taught me kindness, the greatest gift

Business Manager Farah Caban is inspired by Burlingame’s very own Ms. Carter. Head of the leadership class, she helps create school events that all students can participate in. She plays a vital role in building Burlingame’s community. “She is always advocating for people who don’t have a voice at BHS. She also constantly is trying to do what is right and doesn’t let other people tarnish her beliefs,” Caban said.

IKI COMMONS

enjoy talking to her about our days — she is end-

OF W

life; she is constantly supportive and always mo-

SY

My mom has always been a huge inspiration in my

TE UR

Michelle Obama

tivates me. She is always there for me and I always

“

Fatemeh Saniefar

[My mom] encouraged and motivated me to keep

have.

“

OC

OT

“

OT

FAMILY MEMBER

PH

tion and flourishing in the fields of business, technology and politics, all while fighting wage gaps and underrepresentation at management levels. The women of color in our community — mothers, sisters, friends and the women we see on screen make a difference in our lives. Here at Burlingame, from Maya Angelou to Ms. Carter, female role models have a positive impact on our student body. Themes of passion and perseverance shine through among the inspirational figures, qualities that are passed down from generation to generation, each taking their own strides in bridging the gaps women of color face.

PH

WOMEN OF COLOR WE ADMIRE

With the first official Women’s History Month celebrated in 1988, the late 20th century marked a period of social change. Decades later, education surrounding the oppression of women of color is still crucial. Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) women, who account for over 20% of the U.S. population, are historically underrepresented in the workforce and overrepresented in poverty statistics. As more BIPOC women attain higher education diplomas, embarking on new paths and inspiring younger generations, this trend becomes increasingly outdated. Women of color are rising above centuries of discrimina-

DESIGNED BY BY SAFIYA LOOMBA

Senior Reporter

WRITTEN BY BY LEXI GOLDSTEIN

Editor-in-Chief

BY KRISTIE KIM

Senior Reporter BY LIZZY WAN

Senior Reporter

Sports

8

March 7, 2022

Panthers compete in winter sectional playoffs boys’ basketball claims second consecutive ccs title, falls in regional tournament PHOTO BY MATTINGLY GERMACK

Senior Carson Robenalt dunks during the Panthers’ semi-final victory over Sobrato High School on Thursday, Feb. 24. BY MATTINGLY GERMACK

Copy Editor

Lightning struck again for the Panthers, as the No. 2 seed boys’ basketball team captured their second consecutive Division III Central Coast Section (CCS) championship with a 5546 win over No. 4 Aptos High School.

Unlike last year, victory came in their home stadium, following Aptos’ semifinals upset over No. 1 Santa Cruz High School. The highest seed is awarded homecourt advantage in the playoffs, and Burlingame fans rose to the occasion. The bleachers were packed to the brim, and students without tickets crammed against the gym’s windows to get a view

of the game. Aptos kept the game close, leading 34-33 entering the fourth quarter, on the back of an unreal performance by senior Cameron Saldana. Saldana finished with 30 points, breaking a record set from 2002 for most points scored in a Division III CCS championship game. But Burlingame found their groove late, outscoring Aptos 22-12 in the fourth quarter — nine of those points coming from turnovers. The title is an exclamation point on what was already an incredible season for the Panthers. It was their first 20-win season since 2013-14, when transfer senior Frankie Ferrari — now a member of the Santa Cruz Warriors, the Golden State Warriors’ G-League affiliate — turned in a season performance that won him Peninsula Athletic League Player of the Year and the Panthers a CCS championship. The Panthers title berth didn’t come without adversity along the way. In the quarterfinals, Ca-

girls’ basketball secures a spot in divisional playoffs Staff Reporter

When the regular season ended on Feb. 14, the No. 3 seed girls’ varsity basketball team proudly entered the Division II Central Coast Section (CCS) tournament. They won their first CCS game on Feb. 22 against No. 6 seed Oak Grove High School at home by a score of 63-57. At the start of the game, the game layed out pretty even; both teams didn’t have trouble racking up points, and the score remained close. By halftime, it remained anyone’s game, as the score was within four points; 30-26. As the game progressed into the third quarter, the Panthers aggressively took the ball to the rim. Elana Weisman and Ava

Uhrich helped the girls stay in the lead, scoring 16 of the team’s 20 points that quarter. Towards the end of the third quarter, the girls began feeling the pressure of CCS playoffs as tension began to rise on both sides. “The Oak Grove game was super intense. We would score, they would score,” Weisman said. As the room filled with adrenaline, the Panthers had their eyes set on victory. The girls maintained a strong defense, and found success forcing turnovers, allowing the team to remain in the lead by a small margin. With the Panthers leading 5755 with a minute on the clock, they knew they needed to protect the ball at all costs. The last minute of the game was merely

soccer squads end winning seasons

fouls going back and forth, ending in a 63-57 Panther victory. After winning against Oak Grove, the girls advanced to play No. 2 seed Aragon High School, which they lost by a score of 55-53 in overtime. From the beginning, the game was neckand-neck. Despite the loss, the Panthers still qualified as an atlarge bid for the NorCal playoffs. Seeded No. 16 in the Division III regional playoffs, Burlingame played No. 1 seed Lincoln High School on March 1, making the 131 mile drive there and back. Simply outplayed, the Panthers’ season came to an end in a tough 58-32 loss. “Losing was hard on us. I will miss our seniors, but our team is mostly sophomores and juniors, so we have a good chance next year,” Weisman said.

burlingame wrestlers compete in ccs, state champs PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS MORA

BY MATTINGLY GERMACK

Copy Editor

Both of the wrestling team’s co-captains, seniors Xavier Bruening and Calvin Pineda, placed in their respective weight classes during the Central Coast Section (CCS) championships on Feb. 18 and 19. Pineda finished sixth in the 138-pound weight class, and Xavier Bruening finished second in the 285-pound class. Three other Burlingame wrestlers competed at CCS, but didn’t place. Freshman Quinn Jones competed in the 113-pound class, sophomore Ariunbold Purev-Chang in the 120-pound class and senior Louis Bruening in the 145-pound class. Pineda joined the wrestling team his sophomore year, and by his own admission was far from the wrestler he is today. He didn’t qualify for CCS that year, and during his junior year the team did not compete due to COVID-19 restrictions. But he didn’t let those setbacks deter him from honing his craft. “When I got out of sophomore year, I realized ‘Oh [expletive], I like [wrestling],’” Pineda

Senior Xavier Bruening is named victor in his match against Felipe Dematos of Lodi High School. said. “I practiced, even during the summer, probably every day of the week.” Xavier Bruening’s second place finish meant an automatic qualification for the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state championship. The tournament was held at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield, which hosts both Bakersfield’s minor league hockey team and California State University, Bakersfield athletic events. The state championship was a far cry from regular season meets — hosted mainly in high school

of the fourth quarter by senior Carson Robenalt. Dowd said after the game that it was just the second in-game dunk by a Panther during his 19 years as head coach. When the final buzzer sounded, Burlingame won by a score of 64-35. This year’s team may not have an individual superstar at the caliber of Ferrari, but they boast a well-rounded starting lineup with five close-knit seniors that have filled meaningful varsity roles all four years in high school. “We’re not the most skilled, we’re not the biggest guys, but we’re dogs, I’ll tell you that,” senior and co-captain Lou Martineau said. Their fairytale season came to an end after CCS, as they lost by a score of 53-45 to No. 8 San Ramon Valley High School in the first round of California Interscholastic Federation playoffs. But an unparalleled run led by an outstanding senior class will not be soon forgotten.

gyms — in both competition and venue quality. “CIF is a whole ‘nother animal… they’ve got everything you could possibly ask for,” Xavier Bruening said. “Everybody there deserves to be there.” He finished in the top 12 of his weight class, the highest any Burlingame wrestler had ranked in the state tournament since official tracking began in 2006. “I’m happy with the way I wrestled,” he remarked. “I think two wins in CIF is an accomplishment.”

PHOTO BY ISAAC BOSTONMAER

BY DARIA BURNOSOVA

puchino High School gave them everything they could handle, leading 30-29 at half. But Burlingame’s physicality was too much for Capuchino to handle down the stretch. Burlingame finished with an absurd 22 offensive rebounds — nine of which came from senior Will Uhrich, who finished with 23 points and 17 total rebounds and seven assists. Burlingame got off to another slow start against Sobrato High School in the semifinals, as Sobrato jumped out to a 10-0 lead to begin the game. Burlingame clawed back to make the score 27-24 Burlingame at halftime, and exploded in the second half. They opened the third quarter with four consecutive 3-pointers and didn’t look back, outscoring Sobrato 37-11 in the second half. “We started getting into the paint and kicking it out, and got some great looks,” head coach Jeff Dowd said. The second half onslaught was capped off by an ultra-rare dunk in the closing minutes

Junior Calvin Wagner holds onto possession for Burlingame under heavy pressure from Bellarmine’s defense. BY ISAAC BOSTONMAER BY MICHELLE MOSHKOVOY

Sports Editor

BOYS: Ending with a total record of 13-2-4, the boys’ soccer team finished their season with a Homestead Christmas Tournament title, Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) Bay Division title and a nail-biting final matchup in an Open Division playoff game — the highest-ranked and most competitive division in the Central Coast Section (CCS). As league winners with a noteworthy record, Burlingame was ranked as the No. 4 seed coming into the Open Division CCS playoffs. Burlingame hosted Bellarmine College Preparatory, the No. 5 seed, on Feb. 19 in the quarterfinals. Determined to face this challenge head-on, Burlingame played with intensity and grit in the second half, coming back to cut a 2-0 deficit to a 3-2 one. In the final minutes, hoping to tie the match, Burlingame maintained the majority of the time of possession, opening many promising shots — with the last even hitting the upper crossbar. But unfortunately, the Panthers were unable to hit the back of the net when it mattered, losing the game 3-2. “We came away with two trophies and we get to hang another banner in the gym,” varsity head coach Anthony Dimech said. “We went eighteen games undefeated before we got our first loss, so it was a great year.”

Head Photographer

GIRLS: Finishing second in the Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division (13-5-1, 6-3-1 Bay Division), the girls’ varsity soccer team was ready for their hard work’s culmination: the Central Coast Section (CCS). The CCS soccer committee placed the Panthers as the No. 8 seed in the open division tournament against eventual champion and No. 1 seed Mountain View High School (21-0-1), ranked 12th in California according to MaxPreps. “It was a horrible seed in that we should have been a Division I or II school. Sequoia and Burlingame had identical records,” Burlingame head coach Philip De Rosa said. A lone difference in preseason powerpoints put Sequoia third in league and in the first division for CCS. Advantageous seeding or not, Burlingame took the field against Mountain View on Saturday, Feb. 22, losing 4-0, despite two early scoring opportunities. “My experience was telling me ‘oh boy, you’re gonna wish you’d had those two goals,”’ De Rosa said. “And we did, we wish we had them.” Still, De Rosa sees a silver lining from the season and being placed in the open division. “I told the girls, ‘you have to keep in mind this section goes from San Francisco all the way down to Salinas, Monterey and Carmel. And out of all of those schools, Burlingame was one of the top eight,’” De Rosa said. “That’s an accomplishment.”

March 7, 2022

9

Sports

SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW BOYS’

Photo by Mattingly Germack Pictured: Holden Glavin

Photo by Jake Rothstein Pictured: Cole Jones

BOYS’

BASEBALL

LACROSSE

“Everyone’s gonna be trying to beat us [as resigning Division III Central Coast Section championships]. I think we’ll be ready for the competition.” Senior Blake Dempsey

“This is my last year, and it’s going to be a good one. But I want to... build a connection and execute.” Senior Owen McCarthy

GIRLS’

“Our guys have put in the effort. They’ve put in the practice. They’ve given everything that they possibly can.” Coach Ryan Bolanos

Photo by Daria Burnosova Pictured: Elizabeth Fitzgerald

Photo by Kristie Kim Pictured: Softball infield

GIRLS’

LACROSSE

SOFTBALL

“I’m excited for the season, I feel like we are rebuilding a new team. We have a lot of younger players, so I feel like as captains we get to set the team into the preseason mode and come closer as a team.” Senior Ella Bradley

“I feel like this year — compared to last year — the whole lineup for batting is pretty solid, which is so great. Because last year, it was struggling, and now, I feel like we have a good foundation.” Senior Emmi Cate

BOYS’

Photo by Arda Inegol Pictured: Ari Mishra-Agoram

Photo by Isaac Bostonmaer Pictured: John Fitzgerald

BOYS’

TENNIS

GOLF

“It’s been super fun. I think we have a great group of guys this year — we’re all pretty close. We won [against Hillsdale]. I think that was a great morale boost, and so far I’ve just been enjoying every minute.” Junior Arihant Mishra-Agoram

I’m very optimistic [for this season]. The game of golf is all about taking one shot at a time and having patience. If we’re able to have patience and take our time, I think we’ll be very successful.” Coach Jon Ramirez

BADMINTON

Photo by Farah Caban Pictured: Jayden Ma

Photo by Arshia Chakravartti Pictured: Janek Pistor

VOLLEYBALL

“Badminton has taught me that everything is attainable if you just train and work hard towards it.” Junior Erika Jiang

“I think we’re doing well so far, I mean not everything has come together fully yet, but I think by the time the games start we’ll be ready to play” Sophomore Aidan Kelley

“Playing badminton is not just physical. It should be mental.” Coach Sal Banquiles

TRACK AND

FIELD

“I think this is most people I’ve seen since my freshman year, and we have a lot of good runners.” Junior Romer Rosales-Hasek “We’re excited about the opportunity to have a full season, which we haven’t had in two years.” Coach Chris Coleman

BOYS’

Photo by Sophia Bella Pictured: Mason Rosales

Photo by Amanda Nolan Pictured: Kelsey McDonald

SWIMMING “I just want to have one normal season. That’s the big overarching goal right now.” Coach Dennis Clement “I’m looking forward to working with everyone and bettering ourselves to get faster and gain more skill in the water” Junior Jonathan Kon

Opinion

10

March 7, 2022

Future of masks at Burlingame unknown, what to do? BY THE BURLINGAME B EDITORIAL BOARD Last Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the indoor mask mandate lift will apply to public schools, though masks are still strongly recommended in classes. It goes into effect on March 12, almost two years after Burlingame closed schools in response to the growing threat of COVID-19. Just after Newsom’s announcement, the San Francisco Unified School District declared that their schools would not be taking part, and neighboring counties often follow their lead. However, San Mateo County has yet to publicize their decision. As a low-risk county, allowing vaccinated students to remove their masks during school hours sounds fine on paper. San Mateo County’s vaccination rate for ages 12 and up is 96.7% as of March 1, and 70.5% of Califor-

nians are fully vaccinated as of March 2. However, relaxed masking protocol won’t only impact those present in the classroom. Students and teachers still have vulnerable family members at

GRAPH

IC BY K

RSTIE K

IM

home: children under the age of five who aren’t vaccine-eligible and high-risk immunocompromised relatives and neighbors. While most of our school community might not suffer from going unmasked, lifting

the mandate will still have ramifications for friends, neighbors and loved ones. As we move towards an endemic approach to COVID-19 — accepting that the virus will remain a peripheral, but not central, presence in our daily lives — it is imperative that we continue to meet the needs of the least comfortable and most vulnerable members of our community. First, teachers deserve a say in their classroom policies. If a teacher has an immunocompromised relative at home, they should have the right to ask all students to mask up. But if another teacher tolerates unmasked, vaccinated students then that’s their prerogative. Furthermore, under Newsom’s policy, only vaccinated students will have the option to remove their masks. Because vaccination status isn’t and shouldn’t be public knowledge,

ensuring that all unvaccinated the omicron and delta variants students keep their masks on came to be — we got lax with safety restrictions. If and when another variant emerges, it is likely to be more transmissible than the omicron variant or more virulent than the delta variant. As variants evolve, the protection provided by antibodies and vaccination will likely wane. As a result, we shouldn’t get will be nearly impossible. Teach- attached to optional masks at ers and administration need to school; if we’ve learned anything be aware if their students aren’t over the past two years, it’s that vaccinated, so they can stay as COVID-19 is far from predictsafe as possible in the classroom. able. Last week, the Hillsborough On March 12, masks could School District announced that be optional in the classroom for it will allow all students, regard- vaccinated students in San Maless of vaccination status, to re- teo County. But the pandemic move their masks indoors start- isn’t over, and we shouldn’t act ing on March 14. like it is. This is not a safe or responsiDisclaimer: This article was ble option for Burlingame, as we written on March 2, and the have a significantly larger stu- information may be subject to dent population. change by delivery. It is important to recall how

We shouldn’t get attached to optional masks at school.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HBOMAX

Rejection wall put college admissions in perspective

BY MATTINGLY GERMACK

Copy Editor

Let me paint a picture that many seniors can relate to, or will relate to by April. After investing countless hours of your life on applications and anxiously waiting for what felt like an eternity, the email you’ve been envisioning in your head for months has finally arrived. Your dream school’s admission decision is here. You’ve been imagining and what your life will look like for the next four years since you submitted your Common Application. Imagining your new roommate, friends and surroundings. College is an oasis of fresh opportunity; you can become whoever you want to become, all while receiving an incredible education at a school you worked so hard to get into. Now, the only thing that separates you from that dream is a portal login and a hyperlink. You can feel the excitement in every exaggerated heartbeat as you enter your username and password, take a deep breath and click “View Decision.” You didn’t get in. Getting rejected from any college, let alone your top choice, is gut-wrenching. With so many applicants and so few

spots, the admissions process is essentially a lottery. But after a rejection, it sure doesn’t feel like one — it feels like your fault. There are numerous reasons one could get rejected from college. There’s tens or even hundreds of thousands of applications to some schools; you may have just not been the perfect fit. No single grade gets you rejected or accepted; but it feels like it. You remember every failed test, every missing homework assignment from the past four years that shaved points off of your GPA. What if I had sacrificed that extra hour of sleep two years ago in order to study for that chemistry test I didn’t do too well on? What if, during freshman year, I went over that essay on “The Kite Runner” one or two more times? Would my grade have jumped from a Cto a B-? Would my life be on a different trajectory if not for the short-sighted decisions of my past self? These feelings are only fueled and exacerbated by social media. Seeing people announce their acceptances into schools that turned you down, you can’t help but compare yourself to the ones that can now live your dream. What I and many other students in similar predicaments fail to recognize is the shared experience that rejection is;

we’re not broadcasting our failures like we are our acceptances. This secrecy only amplifies what’s already an extremely hard pill to swallow. It doesn’t make sense to suppress the ugly emotions of rejection when they’re something we’re all experiencing. Why don’t we talk about it more? One way that some schools have helped their seniors accomplish this is with the introduction of an anonymous college rejection wall. There, students can post their letters of rejection in a safe, open environment, helping them realize that the feelings they’ve been keeping private are shared by many, if not most, of their peers. The trend was popularized by Palo Alto High School, which introduced their wall during the 2008-09 school year to a great reception. A handful of schools in the Bay Area, one of the most academically competitive regions in the country, have since adopted the trend — including Crystal Springs Upland School, a private high school in Hillsborough. Their board has reportedly had a similar effect on seniors there, as they are better able to recognize the shared struggle that rejection is and move forward from it together. “It’s nice to kind of laugh it off,” Crystal Springs senior Rhea Dhalla said. “It’s a good way to move on from it.” Burlingame, in particular, would benefit greatly from a rejection board. According to US News, Burlingame ranks just outside of the top 7% of California high schools and just inside the top 7% of schools nationwide. This prestige inevitably fosters a culture that expects a level of success unrealistic to attain all of the time and expects you to sweep your failure’s under the rug. Evaporating the competitive nature of admissions would help us all collectively exhale, and realize that we’re all in this together — through the good, bad and ugly. And a rejection wall at Burlingame would allow us to do that.

HBO’s “Euphoria” is anything but euphoric BY JULIANNA OLIVER

Senior Reporter

Trending show “Euphoria” is captivating, raw, award-winning and being praised a little too much for the wrong things. “Euphoria” premiered in June of 2019, with 15 episodes spanning between 50-60 mins. The second season began to air on Jan. 9, releasing one of its 11 episodes every Sunday. “Euphoria” is an HBOMax original and can be streamed there. The show has just been renewed for a season three, but the timeframe on its release is unknown. We should not glamorize “Euphoria” and it’s characters. I scroll through social media and see teenagers and young adults joking about how they “pop” Tylenol or vitamin gummies after watching the latest episode. People rate extremely harmful and toxic characters based on looks and attractiveness, rather than addressing the complex issues at hand. These personal and realistic scenes and emotions are not something to take lightly. Not only are the jokes simple-minded and overused, they invalidate those who have experienced these traumatic events and desensitizes us to how terrible these types of experiences really are. The show is a teen drama that revolves around the main character, Rue (Zendaya), who struggles with drug addiction and often gets herself into trouble. The other characters’s storylines also touch on issues such as sexual assault, abuse, sexuality confusion and other heavy

topics. Sam Levinson, son of Academy Award-winning director Barry Levinson, directs the show. It’s safe to say that Levinson has struck a chord with many who have suffered from addiction. I found countless stories of past-addicts who have said the storyline is “eerily accurate,” when scrolling through public forums such as Reddit and Quora. According to Vox’s Nylah Burton, Levinson talked at the 2019 premiere of the show about how he had suffered from addiction in his teen years and early 20s. His raw and personal experience imprints on the show and creates characters that are portrayed in such a realistic way, such as the complex Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi). He is a destructive character dealing with sexual confusion and attempts to navigate through a world of toxic masculinity. He threatens those around him, abuses his significant others and loves to control those he holds close. Jacobs is an extremely complex character, one I should not see teens talking about how they would let this violent character “take ownership” of them on social media. I really enjoy watching it, don’t get me wrong. The show has very layered characters, amazing music and great cinematography — all things it should be praised for. But please, look past the glitter and don’t romanticize the very things the show is trying to open your eyes to.

Community

March 7, 2022

11

Downtown businesses look to make a comeback BY JACKSON SPENNER

Senior Reporter

BY ARDA INEGOL

Staff Reporter

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Burlingame Avenue — a hub for independent, local businesses just blocks from the Burlingame campus — had vacancies in over 13% of its rentable buildings, with a total of 22 unoccupied retail spaces. Now, that number is steadily decreasing; with the addition of businesses such as Tiny Tea Co., Caffe Stellato, Wahlburgers and Reliance, vacancies dropped to a mere 7.3% in December 2021. Downtown Burlingame is a notoriously expensive area for businesses to operate out of. According to Joseph Sanfillipo, economic development and housing specialist for the City of Burlingame, city officials estimated in 2021 that average commercial rent was $55 per square foot per year (sqf/yr). For comparison, retail space in San Francisco County is about $42.40 sqf/yr, according to LoopNet data. “Do I think the rent prices here are normal? Definitely not,” Liz Detert, owner of Busy Lizzy’s Baked Goods, said. “I think they are way higher than what they should be — but it is kind of the best area in the Peninsula to

do shopping, go out dining and things like that.” Detert opened her brickand-mortar bakeshop in May 2021. Previously, she sold treats at the Burlingame Farmers Market — where “rent” is just $50 per weekend — and moved to a pop-up location during 2020, where she grew her business enough to open a store in May of 2021. But, as Detert emphasized, transitioning to a permanent space is becoming more and more of a challenge for prospective store owners. “I grew up [in Burlingame] — where it was all mom-andpop shops and small businesses,” Detert said. “And now, I feel like I’m the minority of the small businesses that are here… all the spaces are getting taken over by national brands.” COVID-19 h a s

Jan. 2019

only exacerbated the difficulties that trouble businesses like Detert’s. Jenny Keleher, board president of the Burlingame Downtown Business Improvement District, noted that foot traffic has still not returned to pre-pandemic levels, even though vacancies are dropping. “People still aren’t back — they still want those outside areas, but they don’t want to hang out in stores like they used to,” Keleher said. “So businesses are still on the fence, still hanging in there. It’s not back to normal.” Keleher, who also coowns a running store, A Runner’s Mind, points to the federal Pay-

Jan. 2020

check Protection Program as their biggest help over the past two years. “This is a tough place to do business… those federal loans, they helped pay for rent, and the money was tax free,” Keleher said. “It was pretty dire. But things seem to be coming back.” According to Keleher, the city government also tried to negotiate with landlords to give businesses a break, but to no avail. Yet, as both she and Detert noted, landlords have their own bills t o

pay and problems to solve; they don’t deserve all the blame. “You have to also understand both sides of the coin… as a landlord, you do want to make money because it’s a property that you own,” Detert said. Ultimately, while Burlingame’s small businesses may get a glimpse of recovery, the constant struggle they face to turn a profit and stay afloat won’t disappear anytime soon. “As an owner, I’m trying to work as many shifts as I can to get back on payroll if the rent starts to increase even more,” Detert said. “But really, it’s also just [managing] profit margins in terms of the cost of your products — that’s number one.”

Jan. 2021

Burlingame Avenue retail vacancy, 2019-present

Burlingame’s historic connection to the auto industry

Policemen and a businessman on Lorton Avenue, then Main Street, across from Columbus Dodge, which is now Il Fornaio. cars out to the “country” on BY ALEX KELLY weekends to escape the foggy Webmaster and gloomy weather of the city, For over a century, Burlin- leading many to Burlingame. game’s economy has relied on Even more cars began passing its auto industry, whose foun- through when U.S. Highway dations date back to the early 101 was built in 1926; its final exit to El Camino Real was Bur1900s. Today, there are over 15 au- lingame’s Broadway. With cars tomotive dealerships in Burlin- constantly running throughout game and many more auto-ori- the town, more and more auented businesses. During the to-related businesses popped up early 20th century, cars became in the downtown area of Burlinone of the hottest commodities game. “By that point, I think by in America. Some of the earliest businesses to take advantage of the mid to late ‘20s, lots of peothe growing industry were the ple own cars, like lots and lots Burlingame Garage — located of people. So you want to offer in the space the old Steelhead something people are buying,” Brewery pool hall occupies Pfaff said. The industry remained stagcurrently — and the Columbus nant in Burlingame for another Dodge Dealer, which was where Il Fornaio is today. Both ‌busi- 20 years until the electric trolley that ran down California Drive nesses were on “Main Street.” “Auto Row, if you want to call went bust in 1949, widening the it Auto Row, was within Burlin- road. With the prime real estate game — that downtown Burlin- open, dealers moved their busigame area — and it started on ness to California Drive, creLorton Avenue, which used to ating Auto Row as we know it be called Main Street,” Burlin- today. Retail auto industry is Burlingame Historical Society presigame’s largest sales tax generator, dent Jennifer Pfaff said. From the few businesses at and as of June 2021, automobile the beginning of the century sales and services account for grew many more. People from 33.4% of sales tax collections. San Francisco would take their The city collected a total of $4.7

million in the Fiscal Year 202021 from the Autos and Transportation group, which includes auto dealers, auto supply stores and auto repair shops among others. The industry not only exists in dealerships, but in the many mechanic and auto-body shops located in Burlingame. Mechanics like Adna Berryman, who now runs Adna’s Automotive, have been working on Auto Row for decades. Independent shops like his have popped up around the dealerships over the years. “Independent shops, I wouldn’t say we’re bottom feeders, but we feed off the crumbs of the dealerships,” Berryman said. “You’re trying to capture some of that workload that they can’t handle.” But recently, independent automotive repair shops in Burlingame have been struggling. Auto manufacturers are creating specialized equipment only accessible to dealership-attached repair shops. This means businesses like Berryman’s wouldn’t have the necessary software to reprogram certain car parts, therefore cutting out independent auto repair shops from the economy. “So it’s forcing us to have to either buy their software or they just won’t release it to us and we can’t do the job. So you’re being limited on how much you can actually make money,” Berryman said. Even small things like keys, which shops like Adna’s used to be able to quickly order and program for clients, now cost $150 at dealerships. As independent auto shops trend downwards, Burlingame’s auto industry will continue to evolve, grow and change.

Jan. 2022

Student Life

12

March 7, 2022

Burlingame’s shift in fashion

BY AMANDA NOLAN

Staff Reporter

Walking the halls of Burlingame is like a blast from the past — fishnets, maxi-skirts, low-rise jeans and chunky boots. After more than a year in quarantine, students are taking the opportunity to revive previous fashion trends. The pandemic afforded students time to reflect on their identities — how they want to express who they are and what they think of themselves and the world around them. “I wasn’t at school, spending time with other people, and [quarantine] gave me the opportunity to just sit with myself and think, what are the things I like? What about fashion do I like? How does it reflect my values?” senior Bryanna Fisher said. Fisher first took an interest in grunge fashion as a middle schooler, where she found style as a powerful tool to embrace her true self. Her uniqueness has shined

through since she was young, seeking individualism rather than following trends. “If I don’t totally fit in, I have this opportunity to use clothing as a way to not fit in, and I found a joy in that,” Fisher said. Today, Fisher doesn’t limit herself to one style; instead, her diverse wardrobe draws from various music genres: 2000s pop, ‘90s subculture fashion and metal head. Senior Kate Christian, who has always been drawn to fashion, also developed her personalized style in distance learning. While Christian believes fashion is subjective, she tries her best to avoid following micro trends. At first, she struggled to push herself to explore new styles, but finding one “out of your comfort zone” piece to wear every day helped her amplify her wardrobe. Eventually, she was able to adjust to a new style that better expressed her identity and creativity.

“My fashion is a way for me to express myself beyond my personality,” Christian said. “It might sound cliché, but it shows my uniqueness.” Social media, especially TikTok, popularized the trend of thrift shopping. While thrift shopping has been an affordable option for decades, the glamorization of second-hand, vintage clothing items brought more people to Goodwill or Depop. For senior Isabelle Breslin, thrifting helped to diversify her style. She was exposed to various kinds of fashion from ‘60s mod, ‘50s dineresque, ‘80s punk and Y2K fashion to the styling of Paris Hilton and Wes Anderson, which she started to embody in her sophomore year of high school. Self-described as a maximalist, Breslin emphasized her use of color and pattern in her styles and isn’t afraid to be loud through her clothing.

“A lot of people are afraid of color and shy away from that,” Breslin said. “I like to pile on lots of layers and stuff.” Junior Isaac Chacon also utilizes color, channeling a more feminine side. Since his freshman year, Chacon’s indie style caught the critical eye of many others, but with time, he learned to stop caring about how others thought of him. “The more I wear, the more comfortable I get, and eventually, more people start to realize how unique you really are,” Chacon said. Beyond clothing, fashion communicates to society how one feels about the world and themselves, through the expression of art, that one may have a difficult time verbalizing. Being at home provided students the opportunity to find themselves and how they want the world to view them. This new perspective altered our minds forever.

PHOTOS BY AMANDA NOLAN GRAPHICS BY FARAH CABAN

WORDLE CRAZE 1537 Played

85

Win %

20

Current Streak

22

Max Streak

A

D

I

E

U

R

E

P

A

Y

T

H

E

T

A

S

N

A

K

E

F

L

A

M

E

B

G

A

M

E

BY DARIA BURNOSOVA

Staff Reporter

Burlingame students are abuzz about Wordle, a word game that has taken over the internet. The game is simple — each player has six attempts to guess a randomly generated five-letter word. The word resets daily and is the same for every person, making it an exciting experience each day. Once you complete the puzzle, you see your winning streak and the option to share your results with peers, often inciting playful competition amongst friends. Sophomore Kelsey Holzman loves the sharing feature in particular. “I think that it’s more fun when you share it with each other. So then you have friendly competition that

adds to the game,” Holzman said. Wordle was created by Josh Wardle, a New Yorkbased software engineer, and his partner Palak Shah. Together, they published it on the internet in October 2021 and watched its popularity grow. By mid-January, Wordle boasted over 300,000 daily active users according to the New York Time (NYT). As Wordle gained traction, spinoffs of the game popped up, including Taylordle, where the final row is Taylor Swift-related, attracting the “Swiftie” fans. Another popular Wordle variation is Crosswordle, a more challenging alternative as you work backwards from the final word in this Sudoku-based variation of Wordle. As of Feb. 27, ac-

cording to CNET website, there are 14 verified other adaptations of Wordle. These games as well, have been gaining popularity on the internet. In late January, the NYT bought Wordle and installed the unchanged game on their site. Recently, Twitter users have been chattering about how they believe Wordle got more difficult, ‌ despite the publication rejecting these theories. Variety’s chief TV critic Daniel D’Addario posted a tweet backing up the NYT. He tweeted on Feb. 22, “‘Is Wordle getting harder?’” is a funny way to pronounce ‘I don’t know the word ‘tacit.’” The tweet received almost 100,000 likes and over 5,000 retweets.