December Issue 2022

URLINGAME B THE

Why are sophomores picking junior-year courses in November?

BY JEANNINE CHIANG Sta Reporter

Walk into a sophomore class, sit at a sophomore lunch table or pass by a gaggle of sophomores in the halls, and chances are you will hear some variation of this question: “How many AP classes are you taking next year?”

Sites blocked amid World Cup

ALEX KELLY Business Manager

On Monday, Dec. 5, students started the school day amidst a competitive World Cup knockout match between Japan and Croatia. Eyes glued to their computer screens, much of the school watched eagerly as the two teams battled through one scoreless overtime period, then another — and nally, penalty kicks.

But, sometime during rst period, every World Cup live stream on

the school’s internet promptly shut o . It was a full-on block of streaming sites: Fox, ESPN, YouTube and more. Students and teachers found themselves unable to watch two beloved teams battle for a quarter nal slot in penalty kicks.

Principal Jen Fong and assistant principal Joshua Knudson were not consulted on the decision to block media sites, which appeared to be a district-wide decision.

“I did hear something about how everyone logging in to watch the World Cup has been really af-

fecting our internet,” Fong said. “So I have a sense that the district took some action to produce the ability to sign on so that way we would have WiFi for academic purposes” e decision likely responded to the impact of high tra c on school WiFi, but will also in theory keep students more focused in class. Students don’t agree with the district’s decision, especially as the World Cup moves towards the crucial knockout stages.

See in FEATURES, page 4

District excels in post-Covid state tests

ELLIE NEUMAN Sta Reporter

On Monday, Oct. 24, the U.S. announced nationwide test scores from the prior school year, o ering the rst benchmark for post-pandemic pro ciency. e outlook was grim: math scores nosedived in nearly every state, according to e New York Times, and California saw scores “plunge” nearly 7% as documented by Calmatters.

To many, those results weren’t very surprising: they re ected a period of school closure, nearly two years of acclimating to at-home learning and another year of in-person catch-up by teachers and students.

But for the San Mateo Union High School District, the test results were surprising — because they were

resoundingly positive. When compared to 2019 results, the district recorded a broad increase in student performance on the reading portion and stable results on the math portion of the California Smarter Balanced standardized tests.

In the district, the percentage of students meeting state English standards jumped from 66.9% in 2019 to 73.7% in 2022; math scores barely moved, from 50.4% pro ciency in 2019 to 49.5% did so in 2022.

“We were all kind of bracing ourselves for a big dip,” assistant principal Joshua Knudson said. “ at’s kind of what the state was expecting.”

e results were surprising, but they didn’t happen by chance. According to Knudson, the district’s improvement is in part due to its proactive e orts during the pan-

demic. He said professional development helped teachers deliver online classes and organize Canvas pages.

But that question typically comes in March — this year, AP classes are top of mind in December. Due to the counseling department’s shi to individual meetings, sophomores are picking their junior-year courses just three months into the school year. Many feel unprepared to determine which courses best align with their interests and graduation requirement credits.

“It came as a surprise to me because I hadn’t really thought about [class selections], and it was a little stressful deciding what you’re going to do,” sophomore class president Lexie Levitt said.

In the past, academic counselors would visit sophomore classrooms in March to give a visual presentation on junior-year courses. Each student was expected to check o their choices on a sheet during the presentation. A follow-up counselor meeting was held in April to verify their selections.

However, due to Burlingame’s new block-centered bell schedule, this year’s administration replaced class presentations with individual meetings between November and January. e meetings will allow counselors to check in on current progress and students to select courses.

“Before [the new schedule], it was more like a one through seven schedule, which would make it easy for us to go into classrooms and deliver the information. [ e new bell schedule] made it a little bit complicated for us to deliver presentations,” counseling department chair and academic counselor Earvin Buckner said.

According to academic counselor Luis Mashek, feedback from teachers also pushed them to alter selection times.

“We were trying to be cognizant of the feedback that we had gotten from teachers previously,” Mashek said, “which was [that] it was di cult for them to give up class time, and we thought that if we did this earlier and [had] more individuals in our o ce, that would free up more class time for teachers.”

While the new process takes less class time, meeting individually with students takes up space in the counselors’ schedules.

Shoe store opens on Broadway 5 6 8 11 Stress ramps up during holidays

Men’s gymnastics hurt by Title IX

Christmas at Kohl Mansion

Academic counselor Traci Kreppel meets with a student to discuss course selections for junior year.

GRAPHIC BY SOPHIA BELLA

GRAPHIC BY ELLIE NEUMAN

PHOTO BY JEANNINE CHIANG

THE BURLINGAME B

Editor-in-Chief Jackson Spenner Managing Editor Elise Spenner Sports Editor Michelle Moshkovoy Head Photographer Jake Rothstein Business Manager Alex Kelly Social Media Manager Amanda Nolan Web Editor Arda Inegol Diversity Coordinator Lizzy Wan Social Coordinator Kristie Kim

Copy Editors

Sophia Bella

Isabel Liu

Arshia Chakravartti

Senior Reporters

Daria Burnosova

Staff Reporters

Theo Au-Yeung

Athena Bostonmaer

Jeannine Chiang

Stefan Couloures

Danny Conway

Sophia Doss

Lauren Gonzalez

Natalie Gyde

Joelle Huysmans

Brinda Iyer

Abby Knight

Will Kriner

Ana Lunaparra

Ellie Neuman

Zachary Newman

Sophia Puzon

Ruby Rosenquist

Zachary Shapiro

Teacher Adviser

Melissa Murphy

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Bay Area tech layo s: A boom ends

“I was expecting him to start with the non-technical functions rst, like sales and marketing, and then come to engineering, but he did it across the board,” the Twitter employee said. “Even engineering teams were impacted. But I think in engineering, he didn’t lay o entire teams because you need some engineers to continue the work in the teams.”

A er the takeover, Musk’s leadership changes dramatically altered the culture at Twitter, shocking many of the employees.

BY JAKE ROTHSTEIN Head Photographer

For the last two decades, the tech industry has enjoyed steady growth, o ering a reliable job market for many Bay Area employees. However, recent waves of layo s in the technology sector have raised questions about future growth in the technology industry and threatened Bay Area families.

In late 2022, many tech giants embarked on massive internal restructuring campaigns: Meta laid o 13% of its workforce (11,000) in November, and Twitter laid o 50% of its workforce (3,700) a er Elon Musk’s acquisition of the company last October. Amazon, too, is in the process of laying o employees, announcing in November it plans to lay o 10,000 employees.

e tech industry is hurting for a number of reasons: less venture capital money due to higher interest rates, reduced spending on digital advertising and over-hiring during the pandemic in anticipation of continued growth in the tech sector.

In a last-ditch e ort to resurrect their pro tability, major tech companies laid o massive droves of employees.

“[ e layo s] were kind of necessary,” said an anonymous Twitter employee and Burlingame parent, whose name is withheld for privacy purposes. “I’ve been in the industry for

a long time, and I think things had reached a point where these big companies like Twitter, Facebook or Google were becoming too lax in terms of having employees work in proportion to what they’re paid, so there was bound to be a market correction at some point.”

Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced layo s for social media giant Meta in an online public statement. In the message, Zuckerburg took personal responsibility, citing that he didn’t foresee a “macroeconomic downturn, increased competition and ads signal loss.” Zuckerberg then stated that the company would focus its resources on a “smaller number of high priority growth areas,” such as the Metaverse.

In a somewhat unique situation, Twitter began restructuring when eccentric billionaire Elon Musk bought the company for $44 billion in October. With Musk at the helm, the company aims to turn pro table for the rst time in two years by adding new features such as “Twitter Blue,” forcing users to pay for account veri cation and a blue checkmark. Most noticeably, though, Twitter’s path to profitability included laying o half of its employees across all of its departments.

Although both the Twitter employee and Burlingame parent said the layo s weren’t unexpected, the approach was surprising.

e changes have been night and day,” the Twitter employee said. “In my experience, [Twitter] was one of the most caring companies that really values its employees — there was a lot of trust. Now things have changed drastically… It’s like a startup.”

With Twitter, and other companies letting go of so many employees, it creates a more crowded job market with many employees seeking new jobs.

“A lot of recruiters have been contacting me, but I think that could be because I have a lot of experience. I don’t know for junior people,” the Twitter employee said. “Venture capital is still owing. So there are startups that are still hiring, so I feel like the people who’ve been laid o [will] nd some work in some company. It’s just when [layo s are] so sudden, it takes time.”

Despite skepticism from many about the future of Twitter, the Twitter employee still feels there is a chance of the company succeeding.

“I don’t quite believe that [Twitter will] just go away,” the Twitter employee said. “Anyone with that kind of drive, can hire new people and make it successful… so there’s a chance that [Twitter] will be even more successful than it was. I just think that the way he’s behaving — it’s very erratic and not very principled.”

Sophomores select courses early

FROM PG. 1

“It’s a little bit of a bummer because we could be doing other interventions or groups or checking in with other students. So it’s de nitely time-consuming,” Buckner said. “ e goal of the planning meeting was to keep it at 15 minutes per student and [although that may be the case for many of them] if you’re starting from scratch, the student doesn’t know what to pick, or if they didn’t go to the presentation, it’s going to take a lot more than that.”

Academic counselors currently meet with an average of ve students per day for course selection. However, immediate support takes priority, so every day is unpredictable. e process is further delayed when students are unresponsive to sum-

mon passes.

“I don’t know if the teachers aren’t giving you passes, or if they’re taking tests or they’re absent. ere’s a lot of reasons, but then when we try again, it’s just a lot of extra work,” academic counselor Traci Kreppel said.

For students, junior-year course selection opens the door to several AP and honors courses. When faced with that decision, students tend to overload themselves with time-consuming courses, the counselors said.

Sophomore Dora Yang is one of those students challenging herself with he y junior classes. She nds that the early approach leads her to question if she’s prepared for the course load.

“Everything is just happening so early, and I don’t know if I’m

making the right choice by taking ve AP classes. I’ve prepared myself for it, but the fact that I’m thinking about this in November honestly makes me nervous for next year,” Yang said. “ ere’s a lot of uncertainty from me and my friends…[as to why] why we’re making such a big decision not even past our [sophomore year] rst semester.”

Sophomore Anastasia Ku plans to prioritize her after-school activities, and she rmly believes that an overload of AP courses isn’t needed.

“I feel like you don’t have to pressure yourself to your full limit because you should work to your own expectations…you don’t have to have academic validation from others,” Ku said.

Meta and Twitter both laid o thousands of employees this fall.

GRAPHIC BY JAKE ROTHSTEIN

An update on the war against devices

As cellphone use rockets and student engagement plummets, phone-free classrooms are coming even closer to becoming a reality.

Enter Yondr, a San Francisco-based company which provides schools, businesses and entertainment venues with phone pouches designed to completely restrict phone usage.

During the 2019-2020 school year, San Mateo High School (SMHS) implemented Yondr as a solution to the growing phone addiction epidemic. All SMHS students received a magnetic, auto-locking Yondr pouch, which they locked their phones in before the start of each pe riod.

While most students and even a few adults oppose the cellphone ban, many others, like English teacher Sophie Abitbol, can understand the appeal behind removing phones from learning environments.

“What I’ve seen in the past 20 years is technology has bled into the classroom to levels that…really impact [stu dents’] ability not only to focus on instruction and what I’m trying to teach, but also their ability to engage with each other in the classroom,” Abitbol said.

Abitbol herself has Yondr pouches placed beneath each desk, reminding students of the consequence of using their phones in her class.

Although history teacher Annie Miller also acknowledged that cell phone usage is worse than in previous years, she said banning phones is the “last thing that [she] want[s] to do.”

“Banning cell phones would

be easy, but I don’t think it would be, in the long run, the right decision,” Miller said. “It feels more like a band-aid. And the issue is that I want all of us, adults included, to learn basic social skills and understand the importance of when to use our phones and when to put them away.”

Similarly to Miller, while biology teacher Michael Dunn believes that cell phone use should be restricted to some extent, he thinks that a blanket ban prohibiting cell phones is too extreme.

“I think [a phone is] actually a really useful tool if the teacher knows how to manage having the students

I’m going to want to peek,” Robie said. “Or if it vibrates, or if I get bored for ve seconds, and then I’m going to miss out on stu . It happens to me all the time.”

To collectively overcome this addiction, Miller proposes an open, school-wide discussion to help students and faculty members alike reach a consensus on phone use.

Whatever stance teachers or the district chooses to take, junior Keziah Gopalla proposes that they stand strong and act early.

GRAPHICBYANALUNAPARRA

“Further into the year these habits have already been built, and it’s harder to prevent students [from using their phones],” Gopalla said. “ ere’s always going to be a few students who will go on their phone, but setting expectations and ensuring that cell phone usage is limited throughout class can be very bene cial.”

Miller concludes that while most students are “interested, kind, wonderful” and genuinely invested in their education, phone addiction has grown to be increasingly unhealthy for students, both academically and socially.

Where to get gas?

BY STEFAN COULOURES Sta Reporter

Exiting Highway 101 at Broadway Avenue, it’s hard to miss the four gas stations lined up along the thoroughfare. e Valero station appears rst, followed by the A & A Gas and Mart and Chevron right across from each other. Drive down to the end of Broadway, and you’ll nd a 76 gas station at the intersection with El Camino Real.

Mart.

“It’s much cheaper than the ones around this area, or it’s the cheapest one in Burlingame compared to the one [Chevron] right next to it,” Kim said. “So my family and I always choose there.”

Government teacher Matthew McDermott believes that gas is priced too highly in Burlingame. Living outside of Burlingame, McDermott usually gets gas in Danville or Hayward.

[turn] them o at appropriate times and on appropriate terms,” Dunn said.

It’s important to note that this is not just a problem for teenagers. e addictive features of phones, including games, social media and messaging apps, a ect everyone — even teachers. While it’s easy to criticize teens on their phones for lacking self-control, Spanish teacher Kent Robie points out that this is a skill not even some adults have developed.

“If I have my phone out in a meeting, there’s a good chance

Although the main issue is the addictive nature of the technology being used and not the users of that technology themselves, Miller urges students to consider the power they have in in uencing whether phones are removed from classrooms.

“Students need to understand that if [teachers] see behavioral changes we’re going to advocate for them to be able to [keep their phone privileges], but if my job shi s from becoming someone who is teaching us history to being a babysitter, I’m gonna vote for those phones to go away,” Miller said.

During the spring and summer months of 2022, various factors caused the gas prices at these stations to uctuate dramatically: the U.S. cut o gas imports from Russia during the Ukraine War, California faced gas shortages at re neries and in ation increased prices across industries. At their peak, regular gas prices rose from $3 per gallon to $7 per gallon. While students do not always pay for their gasoline, they still pay attention to the unpredictable gas prices — especially with the concentration of stations near Broadway. Junior Minjun Kim has been driving for less than a year, but has already found a preferred station: the A & A Gas and

“We need gas but there’s so many di erent options to buy in other places…it was $4.29 yesterday [in Hayward] for the 87 [regular gas],” McDermott said.

In the rst week of December, both the Valero and A & A provided the lowest price for a gallon of regular gasoline at $4.39. e two Chevron gas stations and the 76 station all charge just under $5, while the Shell gas station located on Old Bayshore Highway is currently 20 cents cheaper, at $4.79.

Wherever students, teachers or community members get gas during this winter season, there are plenty of options to choose from.

GRAPHIC BY ARDA INEGOL

District test scores improve despite state downturn

FROM PG. 1

“We made sure that kids, students, families and teachers had the tools they needed to be able to engage in distance learning,” Knudson said.

In addition, schools emphasized student engagement on Zoom.

“ e expectation that we had that students keep their cameras on was important,” Knudson said. “ e schools worked really, really hard to provide teachers with the skills and everything they needed to maintain that level of engagement.”

Senior Alison Saunders took the Smarter Balanced tests last year as a junior a er over a year of distance learning, and credited the district for making necessary adjustments.

“We’re very fortunate to have a school board that’s pretty in tune,” Saunders said. “Because being on Zoom was so di erent. No one really knew how that would a ect kids’ learning.”

e disparity between state and district performance aligns with historical trends.

“We are funded as a district at much higher levels than other

districts across the state,” assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction Julia Kempkey said. “ ere’s less teacher turnover, and all those things really do make a di erence on the scores.”

However, while reading scores increased, there was little change in math pro ciency. Kempkey noted that this difference has been the case statewide for a long time, and the pandemic only exacerbated the imbalance.

“Reading and interpreting and understanding materials

I think you can do more independently as a high schooler than when you get into the upper level math classes,” Kempkey said.

A closer look at the data also reveals that scores were lower for low-income and minority students. e district attempted to ease socioeconomic hardships by providing hotspots and Chromebooks for students without Wi-Fi, but some pandemic challenges were beyond their control, Kempkey said.

And even pre-pandemic, socioeconomic challenges caused

signi cant disparities in student outcomes.

“ ose di erences have been there for a long time, and we’ve been working on how to address that through our equity and our anti-racism work,” Kempkey said.

Overall, administrators credited students and teachers for their performance.

“I think it says a lot for our population of students who knew that those scores were important to the school and were kind of important to them,” Knudson said.

PHOTO

BY STEFAN

World Cup elates fans but disrupts classes

“ e students who are watching it now, they’ve told me this the rst time they’ve watched it, so I think there’s a little bit of that bandwagon with: this person’s doing it, let me jump on the bandwagon,” Junquiera said.

ere was a bright side to the winter World Cup: Students could watch the tournament at school with other soccer acionados or dedicated friends. Some teachers, such as government teacher Matthew McDermott, helped facilitate watch parties during breaks and lunch.

fans like Contreras or LaCrosse may also end up staying home and missing multiple periods to watch competitive matches.

But these in-class acts pale in comparison to Sammy Faham’s trip to Qatar for the World Cup.

bit fake, it feels all like perfectly made, but I don’t think it’s a problem. It’s kind of like a soccer Disneyland,” Faham said.

“

e WiFi is atrocious no matter what, and I think it doesn’t inhibit our ability to study,” senior Rohin Young said.

Even with the blockage, students are nding ways to get their World Cup ll. Mobile apps which show the games are still available on cellular data, and students can still connect their computer to their phone’s hotspot to get around the rewall.

e controversy over student streaming traces back to FIFA’s decision to hold the World Cup during the winter. With the desert country of Qatar hosting this World Cup, the tournament was moved to the cooler months of November and December — in the middle of the school year. Matches will kick o during

school hours until winter break, and students and teachers must balance regular classwork with the action in Qatar.

“[ e timing’s] more inconvenient, and I can’t watch as many games as I usually do,”senior Josie LaCrosse said. “But I think that I’m trying to make it fun, and it’s fun to watch it with my peers.”

For the opening stages of the tournament, many students watched matches in class in an e ort to catch every goal and defensive masterclass. is was especially problematic for morning classes, when the games typically take place. English teacher and Brazil supporter Marina Junquiera noticed a number of students xated on the World Cup instead of doing their schoolwork.

On Nov. 21, McDermott hosted a watch party for the USA vs. Wales game, and physical education teachers (in light of the rain) shortened the day’s lessons to watch soccer in the gym.

“Watching the U.S. game in our American government class was great — that’s probably been a highlight of the year so far,” senior Alejandro Contreras said.

Some students even took World Cup watching to another — perhaps more detrimental — level: skipping class. Junior Janek Pistor stayed home from his rst and second periods on Tuesday, Nov. 22 to support his team, Poland, in their match against Mexico.

“ e game was very important to me, and I wouldn’t [have been] able to focus at school anyway,” Pistor said.

As the World Cup enters its late elimination stages, student

Faham missed the two days of school prior to anksgiving week for his trip. During that time, he went to 5 games and roamed around a newly-constructed country. In fact, his family was the rst occupants in his recently-built Qatar apartment. Despite doubts surrounding the motivations and moral authority of the hosts, Faham enjoyed the joyous environment of the World Cup.

“You might see that it’s a little

Inevitably, however, this World Cup has been embroiled in controversy. It is hard for viewers to ignore that corruption enabled Qatar to host the tournament, that migrant workers were subjected to poor treatment during the building of stadiums and infrastructure and that the country is notorious for human rights abuses.

“Simultaneously, while I enjoy this World Cup, I also know that the Qataris kind of bought out FIFA, and they de nitely exploited many lives,” Contreras said.

Jankowski catches wind as competitive sailor

BY ARSHIA CHAKRAVARTTI Senior Reporter

Senior Katherine Jankowski runs cross country and plays the tenor saxophone in the jazz band. But her interests reach farther than school extracurriculars.

Jankowski is proudest of her accomplishments on the water: she has been sailing competitively since her sophomore year, competing with the Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation (PYSF), a nonpro t sailing organization based in Redwood City.

“I nd it really fun. I really like going fast and being on the water and being outside. It’s just really pleasant,” Jankowski said.

Although Jankowski began her competitive career in high school, she started sailing recreationally in middle school.

“ ere was always this kind of community, so I knew people there and I would just kind of return and I found it a lot of fun,” Jankowski said.

A er participating in sailing for a couple of years and receiving a rudimentary training in the sport, Jankowski discovered and joined the race team in her sophomore year of high school.

“I started taking the steps necessary to actually continue to a higher level,” Jankowski said.

During her two years with the team, Jankowski has accomplished memorable achievements and has connected with

this close-knit community.

e 2021 Fall Dinghy was held at Saint Francis Yacht Club, and my partner and I scored I think second place…then similarly, we did the 2022 Spring Dinghy that following year and my partner and I scored third place, so I was pretty proud of those two,” Jankowski said.

Unlike many team sports, competitive sailing requires teams of two per boat. ese two athletes also have separate jobs while racing. e skipper drives the boat in the back, and the crew sits in the front to balance the boat and man the smaller sail.

Building a relationship with your partner is critical, according to Jankowski.

“Ideally, you would want to be with the same person throughout each regatta because you get along better and you know how the other person sails, you trust each other more, it’s like building a team,” Jankowski said.

In sailing, competitions are called regattas, two-day endeavors during which Janowski and her partner compete in a total of 10 races. Each individual race lasts approximately 45 minutes.

A er a regatta, each team receives a nal score that combines their placings in each race. Each athlete’s goal is to have the least amount of points by the end of the competition.

ere are many technical as-

pects of sailing, which must be mastered to succeed in the sport

“It feels like there is a problem-solving aspect to it too, like every time we have a race course, it’s really fun to try and gure out what the optimal way to get around it fastest is. It’s just interesting, like trying to think that way,” Jankowski said.

While Janowski enjoys the problem-solving aspect of sailing, it can also pose a challenge.

“I think sometimes it can be really hard to just kind of identify everything that you need to do and then actually execute it properly,” Jankowski said. e sport also presents other challenges.

“Teamwork is a big aspect of it, and another thing is kind of just mental stamina and just the ability to sit in a boat for several hours at a time and then just keep going and keep being motivated to try to win,” Jankowski said.

rough sailing, Jankowski has earned valuable lessons that are applicable in her life.

“Once again, I think mental stamina is a big thing. It’s just important to be kind of level headed for as long as possible just in many aspects of life. Another thing I would say is pretty important is teamwork and being able to like work with another person and trust them,” Jankowski said.

Looking past high school,

“I am de nitely looking at schools that have sailing teams and looking at what their teams are like, especially the venue and how long it takes to get there and whether it’s a club sport or a varsity sport,” Jankowski said.

Although the general participation in sailing has stayed

consistent over the past couple years, there seems to be a relative rise in popularity in the sport.

“People de nitely don’t know that much about it, and it is an amazing sport, so I do encourage that people try it too,” Jankowski said.

Jankowski hopes to continue competitive sailing.

Katherine Jankowski leans out towards the water while racing at the St. Francis Yacht Club.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. FRANCIS YACHT CLUB

On Monday, Nov. 21, students in McDermott’s class leave their usual lunch spot and head inside to watch USA take on Wales in their rst round of the World Cup.

PHOTO BY ALEX KELLY

New kicks in town: Shoes come to life with Reborn store

BY STEFAN COULOURES Sta Reporter

Reborn, a new shoe store on Broadway Avenue, is bringing the freshest and hottest kicks to Burlingame. Reborn opened its doors this past July and carries exclusive, highly sought-a er sneakers and clothing.

Ray Liang, the store’s owner, is a passionate shoe collector who has been buying and reselling shoes for 15 years. With Reborn, Liang aims to make shoes that are di cult to purchase online accessible through a local, in-person experience.

“Stores are not doing any rst come, rst serve anymore,” Liang said. “It’s just everything’s based online or [in] a ra e; it’s a lot harder [to get] even a general release shoe. So a lot of current customers actually rely on us to try to get a good shoe reseller and get exclusive sneakers.”

Since the rise of pop culture in the 1970s, the sneaker community has steadily earned a prominent place in the fashion world. irty years a er the cre-

ation of iconic shoes like Nike’s Air Jordans, the global sneaker market now rests at a whopping $79 billion and is expected to rise to $120 billion by 2026. e resale market was valued at $6 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $30 billion by 2030.

Liang is one of those resellers, providing exclusive apparel and footwear from popular brands such as Nike, Jordan and Yeezy, as well as popular clothing brands such as Bape, Supreme, Anti-Social Social Club and Fear of God.

Reborn occupies the location of former rug store Tribal Weave Studio, and is the only store dedicated to apparel and footwear on Broadway. Although Liang believes sneaker culture is for everybody, he acknowledged that the store attracts a younger audience. Situated about a mile away from Burlingame’s campus, it is no surprise that students are paying a visit to the store a er their classes.

“Our top client here are the teenager kids,” Liang said. “A lot of high schoolers come down here almost every day. ey know what’s in right now and what’s popular.”

Reborn allows its customers to try on sneakers to ensure they t well before making a purchase, an incentive for Burlingame students wary of purchasing ill- tting shoes online.

One of those teenage shoppers is senior Jack Williams, an avid shoe collector and a regular presence at Reborn. Not only does Reborn let Williams to try on new shoes, it serves as a hub for Burlingame’s sneakerhead community.

“It makes me happy knowing that other people share the same interests as me,” Williams said. “Accessibility-wise, it’s really nice because most of sneaker shopping is done online so it’s cool to see everything physically, and you can try stu on for sizing.”

Senior Jared Berkovits used to buy and resell shoes avidly in seventh and eighth grade, usually online. Despite not being as invested in sneaker culture anymore, he still loves getting a box of new kicks when he can.

“I’ll de nitely be open to [going to Reborn]. if they have something I need, something I want, it’s one of the rst places I’ll go,” Berkovits said.

Best Spots on Campus

BY ZACHARY NEWMAN Sta Reporter

Burlingame is lucky to have an amazing campus that is not only beautiful but also o ers something for everyone outside of the classroom. Here are some of the best spots on campus:

SENIOR QUAD

Want to nd a senior during lunch? Chances are this is where they will be. Located by the theater and across from the D-Building, the senior quad‘s secure location, numerous benches and proximity to class make it an ideal spot for seniors to have lunch.

LIBRARY

e packed library shelves are the perfect place to nd your next read. e library is also an excellent spot to cram last-minute schoolwork or a break from the hustle and bustle of a high school day. Whether or not you’re eager to check out the latest novel, the library presents a solid option for tutoring, studying and quiet time.

FRONT LAWN

If you want to participate in leadership

Pal events or student vs. sta games, then the front lawn is the place to be. Settling on the green front lawn under the trees is an excellent way to begin club meetings, fun events or your lunch.

PHOTO BY ZACHARY NEWMAN

PHOTO BY ZACHARY NEWMAN

PHOTO BY ZACHARY NEWMAN

Panther

e new Reborn store welcomes customers with a warm and exclusive aesthetic, displaying many of the most iconic shoes currently on the market.

PHOTO BY STEFAN COULOURES

PHOTO BY ZACHARY NEWMAN

By the lunch cart and D-Building, the inclusion mural area is the perfect spot for a break or lunch. e many benches to chat and eat, the easy access to food and the proximity to the spirit shack make this area perfect for hanging out.

MURAL AREA

GRAPHICBY KRISTIEKIM

Typically when it comes to winter break, the stress that I have is planning for the next semester because I am a relatively new teacher, and it’s my rst time teaching sophomores.

REEMA ASIA

QUOTES AND STATISTICS

COMPILED BY JOELLE HUYSMANS

I feel a little of stress towards the holiday season because I want it to be really fun for my family and I feel like things kind of fall on my shoulders.

CAROL HARDESTY

holiday burnout

BY ISABEL LIU

Copy Editor

According to the American Psychological Association, 41% say the level of stress in their life increases during the holiday season. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, over 80% of students experience stress at school, with the majority claiming nals as their biggest stressor.

When taken together, these two statistics demonstrate how di cult the nal weeks of the winter semester can be. Students experience a multitude of stressors, and life just seems to pile up.

“Recently, I had to spend a weekend doing Robotics, and I couldn’t get any work done,” senior Jason Zhai said. “And that really just pushed my schedule down a lot.”

For Zhai, being overwhelmed o en results in procrastination — and he certainly is not alone.

86% of high school students struggle with procrastination, according to education company Magoosh.

“Sometimes I’m like, ‘Oh my god, I have six assignments due’ and start panicking,” Zhai said.

“Procrastination stems from a lot of fear… and that fear inhibits me from doing a lot of stu that I want to do.”

Illness also plagues students during the winter months. Senior Nathalie Huang recounts what it was like to return to school a er anksgiving break, when students and teachers were missing from sickness and vacation.

“I felt like all my classes were pushing everything to be nished before the break,” Huang said. “And then when we came back from break, teachers and students were gone, so we weren’t really doing anything in class. It’s going to add more pressure towards nals.”

But illness doesn’t just disrupt schedules — it can also be a demoralizing setback, especially a er two years of working tirelessly to avoid a virus.

“I kept wearing a mask this year, which is rather ironic, because I caught [COVID] over [ anksgiving] break,” senior Sarah Min said, “but I probably will keep wearing it anyways when I go back because hearing people constantly coughing and sni ing in class is rather unsettling.”

Finals also reveal some of the long-term e ects of lockdown on student learning. Students report still feeling the e ects of the lost learning hours.

“ ere’s some parts of math that I’m missing a little bit because my teacher was on Zoom, and we sat in a big auditorium and we had to stare at a little screen,” sophomore Angie Xu said. “It’s getting stressful because we’re getting closer to nals right now.”

While the holidays appear to be a time of relaxation and fun, that’s hardly the reality for students at Burlingame. A mounting pile of deadlines, browser tabs and tests lies behind the festive lights and decorations — and students are forced to do whatever they can to cope.

“It’s more stressful,” Huang said, “but I’m taking it day by day.”

college stress during the holidays

BY KRISTIE KIM Social Coordinator

tis the season of stress

As the holiday season approaches, nals and college application deadlines loom around the corner. Reporters from the B talked to students and teachers around campus to better understand how academic and social stress impaired their ability to celebrate the holiday season.

A National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) study showed that 64% of people with mental illness report holidays make their conditions worse.

A 2020 survey identi ed that 50% of respondents were worried about being able to a ord any gi s during the holiday season. (Credit Karma)

College looms large in the mind of every senior, whether they’re choosing to attend a four-year university, community college or pursue an alternative pathway.

e peak of application season also happens to hit right around the holidays. Amid festivities and celebrations, seniors must juggle applications, essays, long lists and calendars with due dates in big, bold font.

e deadlines for college applications also coincide with school holidays. e deadline for the University of California and California State University schools was Nov. 30 — three days a er anksgiving break.

Most schools have regular decision deadlines in early January, which lands squarely in the middle of winter break.

In some cases, applications must

be submitted by New Years’ Day. at means many seniors will spend the nal hours of the year scrambling to edit essays — not celebrating.

Senior Josie LaCrosse is applying to schools with various deadlines. She began the process during the summer a er her junior year, devoting hours to essays, supplemental essays, activity lists and standardized tests.

“It de nitely does encroach onto

my holiday season and time o of school. Even though we do have a break, I’m de nitely going to be working a lot on my applications,” LaCrosse said. “So while it is a break from senior year schoolwork, it is not necessarily a break from senior year applications.”

While balancing school work with college applications is di cult, LaCrosse emphasized the importance of

getting into a good routine and taking breaks to prevent burnout.

For senior Ethan Wan, spending time on his applications, even if during a break, is worthwhile in the long run. Nonetheless, he is excited to be nished with the process.

“I think for me, nishing the college applications, at least for UCs, is a holiday gi in itself,” Wan said. “It just makes it a little easier when I know

that I have other things done so that I can enjoy my break.”

Senior Jeena Jajeh started her application process in May of her junior year in order to complete applications early. She applied early to most schools to expedite the application process, but has a few regular decision schools remaining.

“I’m trying to get all my regular decisions done before winter break

When family comes who you don’t know very well, it’s rather di cult to immediately acclimate to them and act like you see each other all the time.

LYRA SHENG

I’m not too stressed about the actual out of school part of it, but school life, I am going to be slightly stressed for the nals.

FRANCESCA CABAN

seasonal depression

BY ABBY KNIGHT Sta Reporter

For many students, cold weather, holiday tunes and festive decorations are harbingers of a joyful time spent with friends and family. However, for the 0.5% to 3% of people a ected by seasonal a ective disorder — also known as seasonal depression — the holiday period leaves them feeling down, tired and listless.

“If [you’re] feeling depressed or [you’re] feeling blue, please know that you are not alone,” Health and Physical Education teacher Laurie Hudelson said.

Symptoms of seasonal depression can include having di culty concentrating and sleeping, losing interest in activities you once enjoyed and feeling hopeless.

“Just like a di erence in patterns. A di erence in what they normally would do would be kind of like an indication that maybe something’s going on,” said Jami Weatherson, who teaches the erapeutic Elective Class.

Seasonal depression can get in the way of daily tasks at school, in relationships and in preparation for the holidays. Under these circumstances, it’s almost inevitable that people start feeling overwhelmed.

“I think it’s di cult for students because school has started, and then nals are coming up and then you’re dealing with depression,” sophomore Maya Wolfe said. “And it just kind of sucks because you’re juggling all this stress.”

Students impacted by seasonal depression may su er from mood changes and overall feelings of misery.

“You can wake up one day and feel ne, and the next day you feel the worst you’ve ever felt in your life,” Wolfe said.

Talking to a friend, family member or trusted adult is another way to feel heard. More speci cally, connecting to those around you can make you feel happier.

“Volunteer, if you help at a soup kitchen, if you get out and help your elderly neighbor, maybe rake their leaves or do something positive for some other people. at really boosts your emotions and makes you feel good,” Hudelson said.

Along with the wellness center, the 988 hotline and websites such as Starvista, Safe Space and California Coalition for Youth o er mental health resources. Talking to friends can also help.

“It helps students to talk to students about their feelings, as long as they have that healthy boundary set up,” Weatherson said. “I always feel like youth helping youth is way more empowering than adults helping youth.”

Although there are some ways to deal with seasonal depression, it can be extremely hard for individuals to feel well enough to take on daily tasks.

“Seasonal depression or just depression in general can make you feel unmotivated,” Wolfe said.

“Like to the point where you can’t even get out of bed in the morning or brush your teeth or brush your hair.”

so I don’t have to deal with that over break,” Jajeh said.

Although school and other activities interfered with her application process, senior So a Beacon managed to nalize early action and state schools by the deadlines. And with some schools o ering rolling admissions, students are informed about their results depending on the individual’s submission date rather than a

college releasing letters at once. “ e most exciting part of applying is probably getting in a submission and feeling successful,” Beacon said. “ en obviously for some EAs, getting that acceptance makes you motivated to continue applying and trying your best because it all pays o in the end.”

SPREAD DESIGN BY SOPHIA BELLA

BY JACKSON SPENNER

WEIGHING IN

BY ZACHARY SHAPIRO Sta Reporter

In wrestling, depletion is a given: e sport forces athletes into taxing competition a er weeks of dieting to meet a speci c weight class. To succeed, wrestlers must push themselves to the limits of exhaustion.

It’s one of the reasons why participation in the sport, particularly in California, has decreased in the last decade from 27,634 in 2013, to 19,900 athletes today, according to cifstate. org. is trend is evident even at Burlingame, where the wrestling team’s size dropped by half during the 2021-2022 season.

Some could say that this is just a result of the natural rigor of the sport; fewer kids in the new generation of athletes are up for the demanding wrestling-style conditioning. But in fact, the demanding nature of wrestling is actually what draws many to the mat.

“I like it because I get to push myself, and because I like making myself better, challenging myself and just being di cult to myself,” junior wrestler David Kracke said.

Instead, many point to the brutality of cutting weight as a reason that students turn away from wrestling.

e issue has not gone unnoticed over the past few decades, with several adjustments made to the weigh-in rules. Changes kicked into high gear a er three infamous instances of college wrestling-related deaths occurred within a couple months of each other in 1997. But the problem persists: Between 1983 and 2018, 28 high school wres-

tlers died cutting weight.

Now, many states, including California, have implemented a weight certi cation process. Before the season, where each wrestler gets assessed on their current height, weight and body mass index.

“You are then guided as to how much weight you can lose per week, per month throughout the season. is helps protect the wrestlers from over-dieting and dehydrating themselves,” said Burlingame’s head wrestling coach Ernesto Nunez.

Lighter and leaner wrestlers have less body fat to burn o , and therefore can’t safely drop as much weight. us, the lower weight classes only have 5-7 pound di erences between them. A er winter break, each weight class threshold is increased by two pounds.

To discourage wrestlers from rapidly cutting for weigh-ins and then replenishing in the day before competition, weighins can now only occur two hours before a tournament begins. Moreover, urine testing — which prompted wrestlers to dangerously diet instead of shedding water weight — has been removed from high school competition.

But perhaps the biggest change has been the stigma around weight cuts. In previous generations, it was a token of hardiness to maximize a cut, and coaches would encourage their wrestlers to do so in order to compete in certain slots. However, both coaches and wrestlers now avoid glorifying weight cuts.

“ ose days are far gone,” Nunez said. “I can’t

With some mid-year drama in the 2021-2022 season and the subsequent exit of the former head coach, the wrestling program faced a number of uncertainties entering this year. And a er two highly-skilled senior captains graduated in the spring, the team was in need of new leadership. Since then, former assistant coach Ernesto Nunez has stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park. Boys’ partici pation is at a high, and the girls’ side of the squad has reemerged with a vengeance a er falling apart last winter. Be yond that, the team is practicing with a special energy. When they step out of the mat-room doors, it is steamed up from the heat of 30-plus hard-working wrestlers.

tell my guys to wrestle at a certain weight, and ultimately the weight assessment gets the nal say.”

It is now within a wrestler’s jurisdiction to decide how much, or if, they want to cut.

“You should be able to control your body because it’s yours. It may be hard, but if you really want to wrestle in a lower weight class, just run a little more and don’t be afraid to use your body,” Kracke said.

Ultimately, the weight-cuts and weight class rules can’t be eliminated or loosened because they make the sport fair.

“It has to be strict because the best thing about wrestling is it’s a pound for pound sport,” Nunez said. “It wouldn’t be fair if I had a kid who weighed 105 lbs wrestle someone who weighed 115 lbs, so it’s nice that everyone is in their proper weight class.”

Most Burlingame wrestlers have taken a mature approach, acknowledging the nature of wrestling competition and learning how to be safe in the process. But they still understand that the sport demands commitment — perhaps to an unhealthy level — from its athletes.

“[One of the reasons participation is decreasing] is the rigor of the sport…if you look at our training schedule you’re going to be here for two to three hours a day,” senior wrestler Erika Jiang said. “But it would also be ignorant to just glance over weight cuts and eating disorders…it de nitely is a problem.”

Male gymnastics lacks collegiate attention

BY ALEX KELLY Business Manager

In the U.S., there are only 15 NCAA men’s collegiate gymnastics programs. For women’s gymnastics, there are 81 — ve times as many.

In 1969, there were over 200 men’s programs, but that number has diminished in the a ermath of Title IX, the well-intentioned education amendment enacted in 1972, requiring men’s and women’s sports at colleges to be funded equally.

Because colleges ock to fund their massive football programs, men’s gymnastics tends to be an a erthought.

at reality has an outsize impact on seniors Alex Istock and Kai Louie-Badua, who have worked towards college gymnastics their whole lives.

“When it comes to cutting teams, because of things like Title IX which I fully support…unfortunately, smaller sports generally get targeted, and men’s gymnastics is one of those,” Istock said.

Istock is one of the lucky few: He recently committed to the University of Michigan’s Division 1 program, o ering the ideal combination of sport and academic rigor.

Louie-Badua’s path to college gymnastics has been di erent. He hasn’t received o ers from his top NCAA choices, so he has branched out toward Gymnastics Association of College Teams (GYMACT) schools — institutions with a club men’s gymnastic team.

“I think [GYMACT is] really positive, really bene cial, and is doing a good job to bring more opportunities to men’s gymnasts aspiring to come into college,” Louie-Badua said.

ere are currently 14 GYMACT schools — just shy of the number of NCAA programs. While GYMACT schools cannot provide scholarship money or preferred admittance, they o er another opportunity for students to continue men’s gymnastics.

“People o en look down at the club programs as if they’re not as good as NCAA programs, which I de nitely don’t think is true at all,” Louie-Badua said.

In fact, many of these schools are former Division I programs that fell apart a er losing funding. For example, the University of Minnesota’s men’s gymnastics program recently lost its NCAA status but became a GYMACT school to remain at a high level of competition.

For senior Lindsay Yang, who is committed to the women’s gymnastics program at Brown University, the gender disparity in gymnastics isn’t just about Title IX, but the popularity of each sport.

“I think opportunity wise, it’s easier for girls. At the same time, there’s a lot more female gymnasts than males,” Yang said.

e imbalance in participation stems from an imbalance in viewership. For example, the 2022 NCAA women’s championships aired on ESPN and ABC while the men’s nals appeared only on SoonerSports.TV.

“You’re not used to seeing men’s gymnastics on the TV as much as you are women’s. Most people have heard of Simone Biles or Gabby Douglas, they haven’t heard of Sam Mikulak,” Louie-Badua said.

Despite current shortcomings, the increase in club programs could pave the way for future NCAA programs and opportunities for male gymnasts.

“Especially with the rise of this club movement, I don’t think that we’re going to be disappearing anytime soon,” Louie-Badua said.

Kai Louie-Badua prepares for the high bar event at the 2022 Level 10 National Championships.

GRAPHIC

WiNTER SPORTS REPORTS

BOYS’ SOCCER

Coming o a successful season where they topped the Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) Bay Division with a 6-13 record, boys’ varsity soccer will look to return to form this season. Despite losing a group of seniors, Burlingame maintains their core players from last season, a majority of whom are now upperclassmen. Young talent and new leaders will help this team as they look to push beyond the rst round of the Central Coast Section open divi sion. A 2-0 win in their opening game against South San Francisco High School was promising as the team looks to continue building chemistry and their winning culture throughout the season.

GiRLS’ SOCCER

Girls’ varsity soccer has impressed in their rst three games of the preseason, including a 7-0 blowout against Terra Nova High School. A er last year’s open-division appearance and the loss of a dominant senior class that included three college commits, the addition of seven energized freshmen has helped drive success this season. e lineup also includes an established group of upperclassmen, many of whom started on varsity as freshmen, so expect the Panthers to be competitive in the PAL Bay Division. Ahead of their tougher matches, the talented squad — who already have an easy chemistry — will continue to use the early season to nd their footing.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Fresh o a second consecutive CCS title last year, boys’ varsity basketball has started their season with a 4-1 record. eir only loss came from a heartbreaking buzzer-beater against Hillsdale High School on Tuesday, Dec. 6. Senior center Kyle Haslam, who battled injuries last season, has strengthened the Panthers’ presence in the paint, averaging 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks a game.

Senior guards MJ Dowd and Zaden Martin, who are averaging 13.5 and 13 points respectively, have also become cornerstones following a departure of the entire starting line-up. Senior point guard Kevin Chiu has helped facilitate a steady o ense and leads the team in assists.

GiRLS’ BASKETBALL

Girls’ varsity basketball is still nding their rhythm a er starting the season with a 1-4 record. A er three prominent players from last season’s roster transferred to elite private school teams, only three players are returning to this varsity squad, leaving the team with an uphill battle. Acclimating nine new varsity players into their roles will be a di cult task, but there are encouraging signs throughout the roster. In particular, sophomore Hailey Miller and senior rst-year player Malia Schmidt have carried the scoring load in early games for the Panthers. e young team will play in the Newark Memorial Tournament in preparation for their league opener against Aragon High School on Jan. 11.

Girls’ basketball rebuilds

BY AMANDA NOLAN Social Media Coordinator

e girls’ basketball program ended the 2021-2022 season triumphantly with a 19-8 record and an appearance in the Central Coast Section (CCS) seminals. ey then said goodbye to six seniors. However, they were unaware that they would also lose four other starters before next season.

In May, senior guard and Southern Utah University commit Ava Uhrich announced her decision to play for Pinewood School, a northern California powerhouse that nished with a 20-1 record last season. In the summer, senior forward Elana Weisman transferred to another northern California powerhouse, Archbishop Mitty High School, ranked No. 19 in the nation by MaxPreps. At the end of the summer, junior Sachi Urishima joined Uhrich at Pinewood. A er the rst tryout, senior Michelle Moshkovoy informed head coach Joe Dito that she wouldn’t play that season. is le senior guards Vanes-

sa Li, Joy Yeo and Nora Leslie as the only players remaining from last year’s championship team, and gave Dito nine roster slots to ll for the upcoming season.

“ ey were presented with an opportunity that they couldn’t refuse. We wish the girls all the best,” Dito said. “ ey were a big part of our program, and we expect some great things from them in the future.”

Despite losing many star players, Dito sought to rebuild the team with a new starting lineup. He scouted underclassmen who could learn from three-year varsity players Yeo and Li and form a strong foundation for the program in the coming years.

“It gives the younger girls an opportunity to move up quicker than they would normally, so it gives them more time to gel and play together. So you always have to look at the positive side of it,” Dito said.

A er two years of spectacular team chemistry with an almost identical roster, Li didn’t know what to expect from a new team. However, she has strived to help less experienced players become

more comfortable and condent.

“I think my job is to make them learn about each other and feel comfortable playing with each other and being friends on and o the court so that when seniors do leave,” Li said. “It’s not like they are lost, and they will have something to go o of for the next following seasons.”

Yeo has a similar mentality and is using the experience to help players nd their passion for the game.

“I de nitely think that there are going to be times where I have to step up and advocate for others who can’t speak up for themselves. I want to be that leader on and o the court,” Yeo said.

Although the team lost 4722 to George Washington High School in their season opener, the team is maintaining a positive perspective.

“It was tough because we had girls of di erent ages and different skill sets,” Yeo said. “But what really brings the trust as a women’s program together isn’t the individual skill, but team-

work as a whole, and how well you’re able to bring it to the program.”

In Li’s nal season, she’s hoping the girls can master their technique and become a cohesive group. Dito continues to use preseason games as a time to experiment with di erent lineups and strategies.

“I’ve shi ed my focus from

winning a banner to just having fun because this team is so new that it’s hard to expect a banner as we’re still learning about each other,” Li said. “[I want to make sure] that they feel like they have a community by the end of this even a er we graduate because that’s what’s gonna help them be successful — teamwork.”

A er losing its entire starting lineup, a fresh team picks up the pieces

PHOTOS BY JAKE ROTHSTEIN

PHOTOS BY DANIEL CONWAY

PHOTOS BY AMANDA NOLAN

PHOTOS BY MICHELLE MOSHKOVOY

GRAPHIC BY SOPHIA BELLA

High school fashion: a new student uniform?

BY JOELLE HUYSMANS Sta Reporter

Burlingame doesn’t require its students to wear a uniform, but walking through the halls, I wouldn’t fault you for thinking otherwise. Although the Panther uniform is not as obvious as the white shirts, navy blazers and plaid skirts of private schools, it’s not hard to recognize a monotonous pattern in students’ out ts, particularly in the brands they wear every day.

Day a er day, I nd myself surrounded by swarms of students dressed in Urban Out tters and Levi’s denim, probably paired with a Brandy Melville baby tee. Students aiming for an athletic style are likely dressed in the popular Lululemon align tank with Aviator Nation sweatpants.

Before diving into the matter, I’d like to set the record straight. In no way am I an exception to wearing those predictable clothes. Although I occasionally try to liven up my style by experimenting with thri ed pieces, my fashion interest inevitably gravitates toward the safe choices of popular brands.

PHOTO BY JOELLE HUYSMANS

I never feel safe running in the dark

BY AMANDA NOLAN Social Media Manager

e 5 a.m. breeze startles my body as I open the front door and force myself outside for my run. I grab my sweatshirt, wrap my legs in baggy joggers, warn my dad to worry if I’m not back within the hour and set out into the darkness.

Outside, it’s silent, except for the sound of my tennis shoes pounding against the pavement. But in my head, no matter how loud I turn up the volume on my headphones, I can’t block out every girl’s worst nightmare — being kidnapped, raped or murdered.

During my morning runs, I want to focus completely on myself, my goals and my pride. In reality, however, these moments are when I feel most vulnerable and most conscious of my surroundings.

According to a survey conducted by Runner’s World, 60% of women claim they have been harassed while running. e General Social Survey from 2012 concluded that over 45% of women are afraid to walk alone in the dark of their own neighborhoods while just 19% of men are. ese worries aren’t irrational; I’ve heard countless stories of women who have been kidnapped or murdered a er exiting their homes.

I remember what my mom always tells me: always keep one of your ears alert. Instead of enjoying my run, I’m stuck half-listening to music and glancing back every minute to see if anyone’s trailing me. I tell myself that I shouldn’t feel unsafe: A er all, I’m running in the small town of Burlingame where

“nothing bad happens.” Yet, this fear exists no matter where you live — it’s impossible to ignore that, at any moment, your life could be stripped away just like Eliza Fletcher. A mother and teacher, Fletcher was jogging in Memphis in the early morning when she was approached and thrown into a vehicle by a man who ultimately murdered her. Fletcher’s story is not unique — another woman killed at the hands of a man — but it validates the fears and vulnerabilities of every woman.

Every bright pair of headlights immediately feels like a threat. Every car I hear behind me is a cue to run faster. I continue to move forward, waiting for a glimpse of the sunrise. e answer to my problem is not to run during the day or wait for the sun to rise. I shouldn’t have to change my behavior or adjust my run times — men sure don’t have to. As a female, it’s second nature to fear the actions of a predator and to doubt the safety of my environment. Sure, I can try to mask the thought of the

terrifying scenarios as I run, but the alarm bells still ring in my head whenever a person or car approaches. I continue to ask myself: How can I nd my safe space as I run alone through early morning darkness?

“Play your music louder.”

“Ignore those thoughts.”

“Take a self-defense class.”

Instead of trying to x this societal angst that’s instilled in every woman, I just try to take back as much control as possible. In nding my safe haven, I’ve realized that I’ll never feel entirely safe — and I think that’s okay. It’s life, and I have to nd a way to adjust to the fear. Instead of wasting my runs fearing the unknown, I’ve found ways to calm my mind and get the most from my morning exercise. I’ve learned to embrace the darkness and the fear that accompanies it. I take a deep breath and run faster.

Over the years, a select few brands have become a mainstay amongst high school students, and for good reason. Not only do these brands provide exceptional clothing, they are suitable to every season and the manufacturing is high quality as well.

Although popular brands o er obvious bene ts, monotony in school fashion can get boring and sometimes annoying. You can’t show up to school wearing Lululemon leggings without knowing that 20 people will be wearing the same thing.

Why do students choose to wear the same few brands to school? While some claim to purchase these items because of their high quality, most of us still use them as a way to t in. It is concerning to think that the main motivation behind students’ style is simply to climb the social ladder. ese items are also very expensive, and prices shock me every time I shop. A er strenuous searching through the racks, I nally nd something cute and wearable. To my great disappointment, I ip over the tag and notice the triple digit prices. But then again, the attraction is too strong and sometimes I surrender, spending all of my savings on it.

It wouldn’t be fair to talk about high school fashion without mentioning those who break the mold, dressing in line with their personality and passions. I congratulate those of you who can defy social standing and give us a glimpse of what fashion is truly meant to be: not a way to boost your self-esteem, but a way to embrace your identity and express yourself.

e holidays: gi -wrapped capitalism

BY THE BURLINGAME B EDITORIAL BOARD

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, toys in every store,” sings Michael Bublé in his holiday classic. A er all, that seems to be the U.S. cultural embodiment of the holiday spirit.

From Hallmark romps to children’s movies, Hollywood depicts “holiday cheer” with a tree full of presents, a house strung with lights and, of course, a big-bellied Santa Claus with a bag full of gi s.

However, for many people, holiday luxury isn’t a reality.

While others wait all year to give and receive, ultimately, the holidays aren’t all about materialsm.

Rather than scrolling through social media to see what your friends and favorite in uencers received, it’s important to remember what the holiday season is all about: spending time with loved ones and enjoying each other’s company.

e National Retail Federation predicts that even with challenges from in ation, they forecast holiday retail sales throughout November and December to be between $942.6 billion and $960.4 billion.

Statistically, most Burlingame citizens are contributing to that spending in ux. Burlingame’s poverty rate was last reported to be 3.91% in 2020, by Data USA.

But with the wealth gap that exists in the U.S, not everyone gets to purchase items on their wishlists, let alone go on skitrips or Black Friday shopping crazes.

With a poverty rate of 14.4% across the total U.S. population, according to researchers at Columbia University — the highest percentage in six decades — there is no doubt that many struggle nancially during the holiday season. Regardless of socioeconomic status, many continue to face a similar struggle, spoiling the supposed true meaning of the holiday season.

ese statistics may feel like a stark contrast to the symbols of the holiday season because these struggles aren’t depicted in the classic winter lms. ey’re also a stark reminder of the privilege many of us possess.

For those who are struggling to pay the rent and put food on the table, the newest iPhone, PlayStation or headphones becomes an a erthought. To many, the holiday season is no more than another nancial burden.

is doesn’t mean that people should feel guilty for celebrating and treating themselves during the holiday season. Nevertheless, it means that those of us with privilege and resources have a duty to be conscious of what we have.

Check up on your family, friends and others, perhaps with a hot chocolate in hand. Spend this time enjoying each other’s company and not worrying about what to buy next.

Rows of colorful tops displayed at the Hillsdale Mall’s Lululemon store, a favorite of Burlingame students.

I CAN’T BLOCK OUT EVERY GIRL’S WORST NIGHTMARE

You can’t show up to school wearing Lululemon leggings without knowing that 20 people will be wearing the same thing.

Christmas at Kohl Mansion Mercy-Burlingame lled with nostalgia and holiday warmth

Fire department toy drive sparks joy

BY DANNY CONWAY Sta Reporter

While wealthy families in San Mateo County may be accustomed to giving and receiving an abundance of presents during the holiday season, not everyone is as fortunate. In an attempt to spread holiday joy in the local community, the reghters in the Peninsula Fire Protection District (PFPD) are hosting their annual toy drive, which accepts donations until Dec. 24.

Central County Fire Captain Herman Barahona has been in charge of the operation for the last 18 years and received a Je erson award in 2021 for his work heading the drive. During his tenure, the toy drive’s reach has grown exponentially. e drive used to rely solely on word of mouth, but Barahona created a website and social media pages to increase publicity for the drive.

“I grew up in a large family. Seven brothers and sisters together,” Barahona said. “During Christmas, we didn’t get much. I’m busy nonstop from October to December, on top of my normal job. In the end it’s bene cial...It feels great to give back.”

BY BRINDA IYER Sta Reporter

On Nov. 30, Christmas at Kohl Mansion brought Mercy High School’s alumni, students and family members back to sweet, sentimental childhood memories in anticipation of the holiday season.

For years, the event has been hosted by the all-girls Catholic school, but it was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. is year, over 65 vendors attended the event to showcase their merchandise to the local community. Items ranging from one-size leggings to intricate handmade jewelry were on display.

For Lynn Harvey, who graduated from Mercy back in 1973, returning to Kohl Mansion was like coming home. When she attended Mercy, the mansion served as an auditorium with several libraries.

“[ e mansion] is beautiful,” Harvey said. “It has a lot of good memories for me. ere’s a time when you don’t really want to go to an all-girls school, but I think it really made me a better leader, more outspoken, more willing to speak up.”

Harvey was not the only one reminiscing about school days at the event. Denise Almendral is not only a Mercy alumnus, but is also the mother of a current Mercy student.

“I’m here with two of my other girlfriends,” Almendral said with shopping bags of crystals in hand. “ ey’re also alumni and we come here every year. It is a tradition, actually.”

For the holiday celebration, Kohl Mansion was given a festive makeover. Fully decked Christmas trees shimmered alongside various garlands, wreaths, lights and decorations. e rooms were cozy and joyful, brimming with chatter and laughter from both the vendors and customers as the smell of cookies and chocolate dri ed through the air.

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One of the art stands downstairs belonged to pendant vendor Amy Balsbaugh, who makes necklaces and keychains out of images from damaged items that would typically be thrown away.

Barahona and his colleagues collect the toys in barrels placed at six di erent re stations in Burlingame, Hillsborough and Millbrae. Typically, by the end of the drive, the re ghters ll 325 barrels. While many other toy drives donate to broader organizations, like Salvation Army, PFPD partners with local agencies to ensure that the toys are placed in the hands of San Mateo County children.

Unlike many other toy drives, the drive continued even during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, although collecting the toys was much more challenging than in years past.

From an upstairs balcony, festivalgoers enjoyed a beautiful bird’s eye view of the main chamber on the ground oor — by far the most decorated and crowded room in the mansion.

“I’m really big on saving things and being nostalgic too,” Balsbaugh said. “[I think we should] not have such a disposable culture, and just nd new purposes and new uses for [the items].”

DENISE ALMENDRAL

Downstairs, attendees received full meals as they wandered among various cra s booths and dining tables.

For charcuterie board vendor Charlie Barron, the people and the atmosphere of the festival made it worth his time.

“All the excitement [is the best part],” Barron said of Kohl Mansion. “It’s like going to the amusement park without having to wait in line.”

Barron had been creating charcuterie boards since he was a child, but stopped in 2019. On a whim, he started up again when his wife requested a board for her friend; the nished product drew unexpected attention, and even went viral on Insta-

Festivalgoer friends Danielle Lopez, Francine Miramontes and Sheryl Llarena were in agreement on their favorite booth of the evening: spinning guardian angel clips handmade by Wisconsin migrant Kathleen End. e clips featured creatively painted angels that sat atop wooden clothespins.

End was selling the angels in the main room with her stepson, Pedro Brito, who had just arrived in California from Brazil.

“I was trying to nd something that would both help me make a little money and also meet people by being out selling things,” End said as Brito carefully packaged an angel for a customer.

At the last minute, End was o ered a booth at the event. e serendipitous opportunity was an ideal way for her to start her time in Burlingame, End said.

“Personally, I have just loved meeting with so many nice people,” End said. “I am new to California, so just being friendly and getting a warm welcome is great.”

“More people needed toys because they weren’t working, but then we were also not receiving as many for the same reason,” Barahona said.

is year, Barahona has partnered with Meta — formally known as Facebook — to place barrels on the company’s Bayfront campus in an e ort to gather donations from employees.

ey’ll be posting photos and hashtagging it. I’m hoping it will be very bene cial. It’s basically free marketing,” Barahona said.

Donations of new, unused toys are also accepted until Dec. 24 at re stations in Burlingame, Hillsborough and Millbrae. For more information, visit the Peninsula Fire Protection District’s website.

“Anything helps,” Barahona said.

Over 65 vendors came to Kohl Mansion to showcase their carefully-cra ed goods. ey emphasized how much they enjoy the festival’s spirit.

e Mercy High School campus was thoroughly decked for the holidays, with a festive atmosphere that could be felt in every inch of the room.

Because the COVID-19 pandemic hindered toy collection last year, the re ghters are more determined than ever to make this drive a success.

PHOTO BY DANNY CONWAY

GRAPHIC BY ELISE SPENNER

We come here every year. It is a tradition.

Humans of urlingame

Keira Au

Don’t be surprised if freshman Keira Au struts down the halls of Burlingame like a model on a runway: Au, in her rst year of high school, has already appeared at both New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week in the creations of Ashlyn So, one of the youngest Asian-American fashion designers. So is known for merging fashion with activism and has created multiple clothing lines that confront racial discrimination against Asian Americans.

Notably, So invited Au to model her collection based on Bruce Lee’s quote “Be Water,” at Paris Fashion Week. ey also appeared on the Ellen Show together.

“[Modeling for Be Water] meant that I could stand up for my race and send the message of Stop Asian Hate,” Au said.

At a young age, Au and So have garnered the attention of fashion critics, journalists, media workers and most importantly, youth designers and activists. e duo proves that it is possible to accomplish great things at any age.

So’s collections emphasize diversity and equity, and Au said there is a conscious e ort to re ect those same values through the chosen models.

“It wasn’t just stereotypical,” Au said. “ ere was a lot of variety within all the models.”

William Stobaugh

Junior William Stobaugh has always been interested in computers. In fact, he learned to code at just eight years old. And while other high school students looking to make money might apply for jobs at local restaurants or co ee shops, Stobaugh recently channeled his coding experience toward creating his own startup business.

Stobaugh caught the entrepreneurial bug a er taking a course on web development.

“I wanted to help the community but also practice programming, so I decided to do website consulting for small businesses,” Stobaugh said.

Stobaugh searched for clients on Google Maps, manually si ing through local businesses on Burlingame Avenue and sending personal emails to o er his services.

Eventually, Stobaugh got a response, and his rst customer: Deja vu Juice Bar. But Stobaugh knew that his manual method of attracting customers was unsustainable, and he used his programming skills to nd a solution.

“On Burlingame’s website, they have a list of every company in Burlingame,” said Stobaugh. “I made a bot that scrapes for the website, and it saves all the phone numbers and names for the companies. So now I have a list of 800 phone numbers I can call.”

Ryan Gyde

With a father from Australia and a mother from Singapore, senior Ryan Gyde is a dual citizen of both countries. Gyde lived in Singapore until the age of 13 before moving to the United States on a student visa. Once Gyde graduates, he must enroll in classes at a local community college to prove his student status.

However, due to his citizenship in Singapore, once Gyde turns 18 he is required to complete two years of mandatory military service to show loyalty to his country.

“What I’ve heard is that it’s pretty gruesome, but nowhere near the level of America because we obviously don’t ght wars or anything. It’s still an unwanted process that I don’t want to go through,” Gyde said.

Unlike many students in the class of 2023, Gyde will not be joining his fellow class mates in their fall semester at a four-year university. Instead, Gyde must defer his ad mission for two years and plans to start his freshman year in the fall of 2025, a er he completes his mandatory service.

“I don’t agree with it at all,” Gyde said. “I should not be forced to do this. I can’t even skip out on it for like a couple of years because you have to do it when you’re 18. So I have no choice really unless I want to get banished from the country and arrested when I try to go back in.”

Carine Suherman

To any spectator at the Little Big Game rally or Tree-Lighting Ceremony, sophomore Carine Suherman looked like a con dent dancer able to nd any beat in a song. But her con dence and excellence on the oor was years in the making, and stems from over a decade of musical training.

Suherman found her passion for dancing in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, when she spent hours fascinated with videos published by dance studios. Suherman taught herself how to dance and choreographed performances on her own, quickly gravitating toward hip-hop.

Suherman’s musical journey began far before 2020. When she was ve years old, Suherman discovered her sensational talent on the piano keys. She performed at local recitals until, at the age of 11, she placed in two categories at the United States Open Music Competition. She was invited to compete in an international competition at Carnegie Hall in New York, traveled to Belgium and performed at London’s Royal Albert Hall. ere, Suherman learned she ourished under the spotlight.

Now, when she performs in front of the school body with the dance club, her nerves are limited and she channels her musical rhythm. Next year, as the future president of the dance club, Suherman plans to recruit even more talent to diversify their style and help students nd their creative outlet.

Holiday Food Survey

BY DARIA BURNOSOVA Senior Reporter

e end of the year is approaching, and the streets are quickly lling with holiday cheer and joy. e B surveyed students about the best holiday meal, dessert and drink. According to student responses, these are Burlingame’s most popular holiday refreshments.

Top Breakfast Cinnamon Roll

“My mom always makes cinnamon rolls over the holidays, and I think they’re really good.”

- junior Olivia Fleming

Top Dinner Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

“Mashed potatoes and gravy is a classic anksgiving food. I really like it.”

- junior Olivia Fleming

Top Beverage Hot Chocolate

“I chose hot chocolate just because it’s a nice thing in the winter to keep your hands warm when you’re holding it. And warming up when you drink it.”

- senior RJ Hunsaker

Top Dessert Pumpkin Pie

“You only really need it one time a year, and it’s fun and sometimes you make it homemade, so it’s nice to have it with your family.”

- senior Chiara La Mark

Pro led by Athena Bostonmaer

Pro led by Jake Rothstein

Pro led by Lizzy Wan

Pro led by Amanda Nolan