April Issue 2024

What’s Inside:

URLINGAME B THE

Wind ensemble recieves highest honor

BY INY LI Staff Reporter

For the first time in more than a decade, Burlingame’s wind ensemble received the first Unanimous Superior at the California Music Educators Association (CMEA) Bay Section Band and Orchestra West Festival — the highest honor an ensemble could receive at the festival.

Music director Kyoko Yamamoto emphasized the progression of her musicians over the years, and especially the development of this year’s senior class, who has been under her instruction since middle school.

“The first CMEA festival that I took them to was during their seventh grade, and we had gotten the lowest end of the scores,” Yamamoto said. “But since last year, after [receiving the] Excellent standing and getting the highest score this year, it shows how as a group we have really grown as musicians. It especially means so much to us because you can really see the progress and persistence [in these musicians].”

For junior and trombonist Audrey Colvin, who has played trombone for seven years and been a member of the school band for

three years, her main motivation during the performance was not only the satisfaction of earning the highest honor and demonstrating her own music progression, but having fun with the musicians around her.

“I definitely did this for myself,” Colvin said. “I’m also going to miss a lot of the seniors next year, especially since this will be the last CMEA with them. Last year, we also had a CMEA for jazz ensemble and were one away from getting Unanimous Superior, and that was motivating me to really get this for Yamamoto because I knew it meant a lot to her.”

Library takes on new title of student union

Unified PE comes to Burlingame

BY NATALIE GYDE Social Coordinator BY BRINDA IYER

The library will undergo slight renovations before the 2024-2025 school year. These include setting up chairs to accommodate presentations, especially those by the College and Career Center counselors, adding charging stations for computers and turning one of the old book rooms into a reservable conference room.

“We want to have as many people inside of the student union building as possible using all the services that are in there,” Principal Jen Fong said. “I would love to see people in there and they feel like that’s their safe space or community space, a space that they can go get something they need.”

The administration also plans to stock additional school issued textbooks so that students would not need to bring their textbooks to school to study. In order to make space for these textbooks, some books, primarily nonfiction, that have not been checked out in years will be removed from the shelves.

Since only 50 students checked out books during the fall semester, according to data cited by Fong, the

fiction section will also be condensed if necessary.

Although the school library will have a smaller selection of books, Fong emphasized the convenience of the Burlingame Public Library, located a short walk from campus.

After a prolonged year of planning and crossed fingers, the San Mateo Union High School District approved the Unified Physical Education (P.E.) elective course in March. This course presents a new opportunity for students with and without intellectual disabilities to grow closer through sports and exercise.

The class is targeted at Burlingame students who express genuine interest in creating a stronger connection with Bay Academy students as students are paired in a one-to-one ratio of general and special education students. The curriculum will focus on fitness maintenance, sports and game skill acquisition, with many social and community-building opportunities within the class. With support provided from the Special Education administrators and teachers, the course will have an organized structure to navigate working with students in Bay University.

Adaptive P.E. teachers Tara Ciardella and Jeff Torres will be teaching the inaugural year of the course.

“We want to make sure that our students that are in the Bay Academy programs that have special needs are given every opportunity to interact with their [Burlingame] peers as much as they can,” Torres said. “To show them through fitness skills, that they can learn alongside their general education peers.”

Similarly, P.E. department Head Stephanie Lee also emphasized the value of the program beyond the fitness benefits associated with traditional P.E.

“Unified P.E. is less about physical education and more about bridging the gap between gen[eral] ed[ucation] students and special ed[ucation] students,” Lee said. “It provides an opportunity for students who cannot meet the abilities of our P.E. classes to get exposure to alternative methods of fitness.”

Students must abide by certain safety and social requirements in order to best support Bay Academy students throughout the course.

“We’re going to have part of our special ed team come in and train the students that are the gen[eral] ed[ucation],” Ciardella said. “That’ll really educate all of our students on how to work with one another.”

Students in special education courses can sometimes have a harder time socializing, and they may

Students are able to gain significant life skills from the Unified P.E. course.

Students work together on school assignments and socialize in the library.

The wind ensemble poses at Capuchino High School where the CMEA festival was hosted, celebrating their ranking.

Free speech vs. national security

TikTok’s Gen-Z popularity makes potential ban relevant

BY HENRY GARDNER Staff Reporter

It’s hard to deny that TikTok has infiltrated the daily lives of most Americans. The app has 150 million monthly users in the U.S., and the average member of Generation Z spends 12.4 hours a week on the platform, according to a 2022 report from Measure Protocol. But whether that reality is for better or worse is a hotly debated topic among parents, students, and — as of late — the United States government.

Citing issues of national security, the United States House of Representatives passed a bill by a large majority to force ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to either sell within six months or have their platform banned in the U.S. A slightly revised version of the bill — packaged with funding measures — will likely be passed again in the coming weeks, and both the Senate and President Joe Biden seem geared to approve it.

pant than the rest of the nation, as many students across campus use TikTok for dozens of hours per week, making this topic one of serious debate.

Science teacher Michael Dunn, who limits phone usage in his classroom, critiqued TikTok’s major role in spreading misinformation.

“Using social media as your main source of news can create more opportunities for people to believe things that they think are true, but are false,” Dunn said.

Sophomore Paige Cornelius, who uses TikTok for up to three hours a day, believes the the length of videos make it dangerously addictive.

For me, TikTok is an outlet to say everything I want to say without having to actually tell people. Having that outlet taken away will force me to keep those emotions bottled up.

- Momo Egan, junior

At Burlingame, TikTok usage is just as, if not more, ram-

“It’s easier to scroll for a long time because the videos are so short,” Cornelius said. “It doesn’t feel like you’ve been on [the platform] for a long time in comparison to watching something like a TV show.”

For some students, TikTok’s addictive algorithm extends into school hours, as many find themselves scrolling during

breaks or the middle of class.

“I’ve seen a lot of [students] use it during school and it can be distracting,” junior Momo Egan said. “If it’s a free period, and you’re trying to get work done, you often just want to go on your phone, and [TikTok] is the first app you’ll open.”

Despite several clear arguments in favor of a ban, some Burlingame students are against it, citing more concerning threats to free speech and free expression that would result from banning the app.

“[TikTok shouldn’t be

banned] because it’s a platform where people can connect with others and express themselves creatively,” Cornelius said.

Some students aren’t just consumers of content, but rather creators. Egan, for instance, has nearly 20,000 followers, and hundreds of videos.

“For me, TikTok is an outlet to say everything I want to say without having to actually tell people,” Egan said. “Having that outlet taken away will force me to keep those emotions bottled up.”

For some beyond our cam-

pus, TikTok isn’t just a stress reliever or creative platform but a source of their livelihood. According to a TikTok spokesperson, TikTok Shop has over 200,000 sellers and an affiliate program has attracted more than 100,000 participants. And for good reason — Americans now spend over $7 million a day on TikTok Shop.

“Some people are really freaking out [over the ban], especially small businesses,” Egan said. “They’re freaking out because TikTok is great with helping these businesses.”

Library altered to Student Union

From pg. 1

She encourages students to take advantage of this proximity, suggesting they could explore a wider variety of books available there.

Fong also stressed that the library will remain a library and will simply serve other purposes now, with the hope of reaching a larger student audience.

“I’m calling it the Student Union because it has these other programs and I want to make sure everyone knows about them,” Fong said.

Library media specialist Rebecca Valasco believes that while libraries are still important, turning them into multipurpose spaces will increase their relevance to students.

“I think libraries still hold great value to society,” Valasco said. “But I do think that libraries and those spaces have to adapt to how times are changing and how technology is taking a bigger role within our society.”

Valasco also acknowledged that due to the convenience of modern technology today, the slight altering of the library will

not detrimentally affect students’ ability to research and learn.

“I don’t think [students] are necessarily losing anything because everything’s at their fingertips with Google,” Valasco said. “The hope is that these changes to make it more of a Student Union will make it more like an effective place for them to want to come in and study. The goal is to make it an inviting place for them, to have clubs hold some of their meetings [here] and some of their fun gatherings in the space.”

According to Career Coordinator and Service Liaison Carrie Hermann, the library’s renovations will help create more room for students to connect.

“The administration team is really good about trying to balance all the concerns and needs of so many different people, whether it’s students, or teachers and staff,” Hermann said.

“So my sense is that any changes that are made are really going to be to the benefit of the students, to ensure that they have the right amount of space.”

The United States House of Representatives introduced and passed a bill to ban TikTok. The bill now heads to the Senate, where politicians remain undecided on how they will vote.

College ‘myths’ create pressure to take Calculus BC

When sophomore Lucas Zhu recounts his freshman summer, it’s not his Vancouver trip nor his internship that comes to mind, but the grueling six weeks of cramming Algebra 2 and Precalculus with only one motivation in mind: achieving the prerequisites to take Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus BC in his sophomore year. But the effort didn’t pay off — after conversations with Calculus BC teacher Erik Bennett, he chose to wait until junior year to take the class.

“I realized it wasn’t a great idea to take two courses [simultaneously],” Zhu said. “I was doing everything at a pace of two concepts per day, and there were five concepts in each unit. I did fine on the test [...] but it wasn’t until a week before school started that I realized I forgot everything.”

And Zhu isn’t alone — many students use the summer to cram year-long math courses to take more challenging courses during the school year. However, as the counselors begin to organize schedules for next year, students who signed up for BC have been pulled out of classes to be questioned on their motives.

This is the first time Bennett is involved in the schedule-making process, meet-

ing with students regarding their intentions to take his course. Overall, he found it an “eye-opening” experience.

“There were students who said ‘I really enjoy math’ and students who said ‘I just need this on my transcripts, or my parents want it on my transcripts so I can get into a good college,’” Bennett said, “And when I ask them ‘What is a good college?’, they [may not] have a [specific] college in mind, and that [seems] problematic.”

Junior Audrey Johnson’s motivation for taking BC stemmed from her genuine interest and wish to incorporate math in her future endeavors. But for others, this may not be the case — competition and pressure to stack up on APs can keep students from understanding the scope of what they’re signing up for.

“As you add more students, there’s going to be more competition, especially with the direction society’s going in,” Johnson said. “I think a part of our sense of worth as a person is to take as many classes as possible. It’s [the mentality] where ‘If I can take the hardest classes, then I’m smarter and better.’ That’s not necessarily true, but we’ve created a system where it feels that way and can be harmful.”

This is especially true for

mathematics — as many perpetuate the belief that taking BC improves one’s admission rates into a top school, more students sacrifice their well-being to cram material into a shorter time frame.

“I think there’s a trend towards accelerating math education at this school,” Compressed 2 teacher Carol Hardesty said. “Speeding up your math education, in my view, isn’t usually a benefit — colleges want to know that you have a solid [foundation] for

college-level math.”

Principal Jen Fong is on a mission to combat college admission myths, including the belief that taking BC is more beneficial to an application than AB.

“I looked at the list of the Burlingame class of 2023 [who attended] the top 100 colleges on the Forbes list,” Fong said. “27 students on that list never took AP Calculus, and they’re at a top 100 college. That’s a myth that we hold on to [since] we believe we must take this

Unified PE

From pg. 1

have possible physical disabilities. Because of this, special education students often face a harder time integrating into such courses. However, with their expert experiences, both Ciardella and Torres are prepared to meet the heightened needs.

“[This course] is going to educate [Bay Academy students] on how to socialize better and for gen[eral] ed[ucation] students that want to learn how to work with students safely,” Torres said. “So myself and [Ciardella] will come in with modified equipment with modified lessons. We have our OT and PT, which are occupational therapists and physical therapists, they’re going to come in with sensory ideas.”

Juniors Sophie Berkovits and Cara Rogers are co-presidents of the Best Buddies club, which connects Burlingame students with those in the Bay Academy program, and both are signed up for the course next year.

“We already have a lot of skills around patience and knowing what’s appropriate and what’s needed best to support those students,” Rogers said. “It’s a chance for all students to let loose and get a break from the regular classroom and be able to have those opportunities to create bonds through sports.”

As Lee said, the class aims to bridge the gap between students by allowing them to bond over physical activity, and this course opens the door to personal connection and understanding.

“Special education students are in very minimal classes that general ed-

course to achieve something, and frankly, it’s not true.”

Zhu, who is currently taking AP Statistics and will enroll in BC next fall, now advises his peers not to follow his lead.

“Don’t ruin your life experience,” Zhu said. “It doesn’t help you get ahead faster. If you wanted to, it’s always better to slowly accelerate yourself and pace [yourself throughout your school years. Don’t put too much burden on yourself in such a short term.”

ucation students are in, so we really don’t get much exposure to them,” Berkovitz said. “I feel like having a class where we will get introduced to more people, we will be able to understand each other more as a student body and our differences.”

While students from Bay Academy do participate in some general education classes, Unified PE will be the first to enroll students on a one-to-one ratio, and its unique class size will promote a low stress environment.

“I think it’s a great addition because I think most Burlingame students are kind of in their own little bubble and they don’t really go outside their own bubble, so this course will really connect all of our students versus keeping everyone separate,” Lee said.

While some students might hesitate to join the course as a result of lack of exposure and experience around students with disabilities, Ciardella emphasized the support provided.

“A lot of students may have a little bit of fear about working with students with disability but our course is really structured with all professional help possible,” Ciardella said.

Students and administrators can’t wait to see what the course will offer next school year and in years to follow.

“We’re excited to offer this program because there will be so much more community on the school sites. These four years go by so fast, if you don’t have those chances to meet people that you normally wouldn’t get a chance to, that’s kind of sad,” Ciardella said.

Seniors Clara Zhong and Sharon Andersson discuss the process of solving one of their math problems during their Calculus BC class.

Destigmatizing mental health

BY BRINDA IYER Copy Editor

Between 2009 and 2019, feelings of sadness and hopelessness in high schoolers increased by 40%, according to data gathered by the Centers for Disease Control. However, out of the 10 million teenagers who battle with depression each year, 60% do not seek help.

Therapy has been scientifically proven to modify gene expression and brain structure, rewiring the brain to change behaviors and mindsets. Wellness counselor Wendy Daniels, who has noticed a general trend of anxiety and stress in Burlingame students, recommends therapy as an outlet to declutter the brain of negative thoughts.

“I think there’s a lot of pressures for teens right now to be successful and to get into good schools and just comparison with friends,” Daniels said. “So I think anybody can use therapy to understand that you don’t have to be like somebody else, or you don’t have to do all of these things to get into a good school. It’s really about giving you the coping skills to manage these stressors, and even giving you some clarity on who you are as an individual and not having that comparison with other students.”

Numerous types of therapy exist, including interpersonal therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy and more. Each type of therapy can be beneficial for rerouting nega-

Reducing stereotypes surrounding therapy

tive thought patterns, improving communication and enhancing self-esteem.

Senior Emily Young has been going to therapy for three years and said that learning different coping mechanisms and having someone to talk to has been beneficial for their mental health.

“[Therapists] have had many patients, so to speak, and so they have a lot of experience,” Young said. “And it’s not really someone you know, it’s not like a family member or a friend, so there’s no judgment really.”

For Young, learning others’ points of view can be beneficial when overcoming problems, and the objective feedback a therapist offers can provide tailored solutions and coping mechanisms.

“It’s easier to have someone else to lean on when you’re struggling and someone who can give you advice,” Young

said. “Plus, people are going to have different opinions and different perspectives to what you think on your own.”

Daniels agrees that getting an objective opinion can sometimes be more helpful than talking to a friend or family member.

“A lot of times there’s things that people aren’t really seeing because they’re involved in a certain experience,” Daniels said. “When kids talk to their friends, their friends probably don’t have the right things to say, or they’re probably dealing with similar issues and don’t know how to give advice because they’re also going through it.”

In Daniels’ experience, some do not seek out therapy when they need it because of the stigma that surrounds therapy and the discussion of mental health.

“People [may] feel ashamed

of what they’re dealing with and don’t want anybody else to know,” Daniels said. “There can also be that stigma of, ‘Oh, if you’re going to therapy, maybe your mental health is not okay.’ Other times there’s this idea that by going for mental help in a school setting that somehow that impacts your future, which it doesn’t because mental health is a space where no one needs to know what you’re sharing.”

Young agrees that there is a stigma surrounding the idea of needing help and, therefore, surrounding therapy.

“People are like, ‘Why can’t you handle your life on your own? Why do you need to talk to someone?’ Or, like, ‘You’re troubled, you’re mentally ill,’” Young said.

Young also feels that people who don’t think they need therapy may scorn those who do, further adding to the stigma.

“People aren’t going to experience the same things as the next person,” Young said. “So they could have an easier life or just different struggles where maybe they don’t need therapy, or a better support system where they don’t need therapy, and so maybe they kind of look down on it.”

Young believes that it is important to educate people on therapy’s different purposes and benefits to combat these notions and reduce judgment.

“[We need to] inform people that some people prefer therapy and that it’s just a different outlet or resource just so people are going to be less ignorant about it,” Young said.

Daniels believes that by providing more information about therapy in the mainstream media, society is making progress toward destigmatizing mental health and getting help when needed.

“There’s celebrities talking about it, talking about their own mental health, and the struggles they deal with and seeking therapy to help them move through that,” Daniels said. “I think advertising students who have found [therapy] helpful is a good way to put it out there. All of these clubs or groups that can push out information about therapy or seeking support for mental health is a good way to get the word out there that therapy isn’t bad, it’s just another way to take care of yourself.”

GRAPHIC BY SOPHIA BELLA

NYT games are trending

BY SOPHIA DOSS Senior Reporter

If you find yourself bored in class, I challenge you to look across the classroom. Chances are, everyone else is, too. But, unlike you, they’ve found an antidote, abandoning their notes or homework in favor of infamous New York Times (NYT) games like Wordle or Mini crosswords — or newer fads such as Connections and Strands. Over the past year, the popularity and obsession with these daily mind puzzles has exploded, with “more than 10 million people” playing Times’ games daily, according to NYT global chief advertising officer Joy Robins.

It’s no surprise that teenagers are addicted to their phones and obsessed with social media, a crisis that many parents and teachers have gone to lengths to mitigate. However, as far as games go, English teacher Timothy Larkin prefers the NYT games over others in his classroom.

“As far as distractors go,” Larkin said, “I’ll take the New York Times games over the other games students tend to play in class. They don’t affect the classroom in any negative way, [and] especially as a language arts teacher I have to appreciate logic-based games.”

Typically, when you think of mobile games that consume students' attention in class, NYT games aren’t clumped in this addictive stereotype. The reason for this may be the game's different makeup compared to multiplayer or non-skill-based online games, as NYT games are time-constrained and logic or word-based.

Niche music tastes Students eschew mainstream artists

From Taylor Swift to Drake, mainstream artists often seem to dominate the listening preferences of Burlingame students. However, many students have eschewed popular trends and curated niche music tastes.

“I wouldn’t say they’re as addicting as mobile games like Brawl Stars or Clash Royale,” freshman Rain Yang said. “Since they’re daily you can’t really overplay them because there’s only a certain amount you can play.”

However, this is not the case for every student, for whom playing these games has become an everyday task. Senior Ivannah Gutierrez, for example, completes one or two of the puzzles regularly.

“It’s very addicting,” Gutierrez said. “I do it every day to keep my streak alive, it’s become a part of my daily routine.”

Aside from the elements of repetition, they also promote connectivity and community among classmates, with students sharing their high scores or engaging in friendly competition with one another. Yang plays the mini crossword almost every day with the sole purpose of competing against his friends and beating each other's high scores.

“I do it basically every day and compete with my friends with who can get the fastest time,” Yang said.

Although this is a common trend between games and students, NYT games aren't directly opposed to the goals of an academic environment, as they promote problem-solving and increase student brain stimulation and concentration.

According to senior Angelica Chan, the learning aspect of various NYT games daily negates the fact that they’re a class distraction.

“I feel like you learn little facts every day,” Chan said. “It exercises my mind and makes me feel more intelligent.”

As new puzzles are released on a daily basis, their popularity will only increase.

“I don’t see a reason for them to stop being popular,” Yang said. “I don't see a shortage of people playing them, as long as people are bored in class people find games to play and these seem to be really popular and nice and easy.”

BY KAYLEE HWANG Staff Reporter

LORIAN: ALTERNATIVE

Senior Finn Lorian finds solace in the nostalgic allure of artists from the late 90s and early 2000s, like Mazzy Star. “Fade Into You,” Mazzy Star’s most popular song, holds a special place in Lorian’s heart, as it evokes memories of idealistic moments like those portrayed in the TV series “Gilmore Girls.”

From The Cure’s iconic anthems to Tyler the Creator’s innovative hip-hop and Mac Miller’s introspective beats, each of Lorian’s favorite artists uses their music as a platform to speak to their life experiences.

“Don’t be scared to explore new genres because music is a way to really understand the perspectives of other people who have different experiences than you, and you get to get a little bit of insight into their lives through their music,” Lorian said.

With favorite tracks ranging from Kendrick Lamar’s “King Kunta” to Mac DeMarco’s “20200817 Proud True Toyota,” Lorian’s taste reflects a deep appreciation for the diverse stories woven into music.

KATZ: ELECTRONIC

Junior Angie Katz’s music taste knows no bounds. Katz has explored everything from rap to indie and electronic to local bands, and has attended over 10 concerts and 50 gigs. In the winter, Katz gravitates towards metal, including favorites like “Cos metic Plague” by Dystopia, while upbeat tunes dominate her sum mer playlist like “You Could Be The One” by Snow Strippers. Her rap preferences diverge from mainstream, favoring artists like Yung Lean and Goth Money Records.

Katz emphasizes the importance of music in society, viewing it as a unifying factor that connects individuals through shared interests and experiences.

“Everyone needs to go to at least one concert. No matter how much it costs, it is an experience like none other,” Katz said. “You will 100% at least make one friend at a concert because music connects our society.”

BOZINOVIC: ROCK

Sophomore Alexander Bozinovic fell in love with rock music as a little kid, thanks to his father’s influence. Growing up with music by the Beatles and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, he delved deeper into his interest and found himself drawn to the bass guitar. Following his father’s footsteps, he embraced the guitar and learned to play classics like “Californication” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Bozinovic finds joy in his ability to connect with and play the tunes that have bonded him with his father and continue to resonate across generations.

“Music has connected people so much. My dad listened to these bands 30+ years ago, and now I can still listen to it. It helps us bond,” Bozinovic said.

Bozinovic treasures timeless classics such as Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing,” Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under the Bridge.”

GORIN: KOREAN POP

Throughout the pandemic, sophomore Abby Gorin made many online friends who introduced her to K-pop. Since then, she has become a member of the strong fanbase for some boy and girl bands, including BTS, ENHYPEN, TWICE and TXT.

K-pop’s frequent music releases and active fan interactions distinguish it from Western music culture. Although Gorin acknowledged the negative reputation that follows K-pop fans, Gorin cherishes the fan base’s sense of community and connection.

“I made a lot of friends at BHS because they have the same music taste, and they are some of the most genuine people,” Gorin said.

Through blogs and social media, K-pop enthusiasts like Gorin deepen their appreciation for the music and find solidarity with fellow fans.

“I really hope that fans can be open about what they like because music is music and it shouldn’t just be confined to the judgment that people make about the character of a person,” Gorin said.

One of The New York Times' newest word games, Connections, quickly captured student interest.

The Mission Haight-Ashbury

BY HENRY GARDNER Staff Reporter

One of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods, the Mission, is named after the oldest church in San Francisco, Mission San Francisco de Asis. While the Mission contains elements of many cultures, its most prominent is that of the Latino community, with strong elements of Mexican culture visible.

The Mission’s colorful and creative murals are a prominent example of the neighborhood’s culture. Meera Desai, one of the nine women who painted the five-story “MaestraPeace” mural, has been involved in the art form for many years, offering her a front-row seat to the development of the neighborhood and the constant evolution of its culture.

“[Art] is basically what the mission is known for, it’s got a very creative history,” Desai said. “Even now, the mission is still creative… [The mission] holds a lot of value as a creative arena.”

Beyond just murals, the Mission is also home to an incredible food scene, with

historic restaurants like local favorite La Taqueria and a historic musical community, including legendary acts like the Grateful Dead, Carlos Santana and Janis Joplin.

Despite the district’s rich history and art, it is victim to a widespread stereotype that has spread rampantly throughout the Bay Area, and the rest of the country: that San Francisco is a dangerous and unvisitable place.

“There are still many people who live in and love San Francisco, and I believe that [the city] will improve and things will get better,” Desai said.

“There’s still a lot of great things that happen in [San Francisco] now as well.”

In addition to the challenge of combating an unfair reputation, the Mission district also faces another common SF problem: gentrification.

“[The Mission] also used to be home to many artists because it was known as a sort of an affordable district,” Desai said. “That has changed over the years and a lot of artists now have moved out to the outer Bay Area cities.”

Discovering San Francisco

It may be one city, but it’s a melting pot of countless cultures. Each of San Francisco’s cultural communities embodies a unique heritage, whether through art, food, history, music, traditions or architecture. Explore four of these cultural neighborhoods and uncover the hidden gems of San Francisco.

BY ALEX BERTELLI Staff Reporter

The main streets of San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood have distinctive markings of hippie culture, and the residential areas are lined with eccentric and elegant Victorian houses. Walking Haight Street’s six-block span, you will encounter quaint shops, streetside art vendors and colorful murals.

Hippie counterculture thrived in Haight-Ashbury during the 1960s. People were drawn to the community in pursuit of new experiences, connecting through the exploration of art, psychedelics and anti-consumerist lifestyles. This culminated in a peak of around 100,000 young enthusiasts in Haight-Ashbury during 1967’s “Summer of Love.” Though Haight-Ashbury’s hippie community largely declined after that year, sentiments such as peace and self-expression are still prevalent today.

“I think people come here because of the history of this place — and the time when we were becoming aware of

alternate ways of living,” said Alex Skelton, a local artist distributing prints along Haight Street. “These areas are kind of Meccas of ideas. There’s a lot of shops that sell things related to philosophy or expanding your mind or art or music or other human cultural things that aren’t just about money.”

That being said, it’s hard to overlook the impact consumerism has had on Haight-Ashbury.

“I’d say fashion is the biggest thing… There’s a bunch of thrift stores, a bunch of vintage clothing and jewelry,” said sophomore Zoe Scopazzi, who frequently visits the neighborhood to shop. A local shop employee similarly noted the area’s shift into a more conventional, attraction-oriented district of San Francisco.

“There’s a lot of tourists on this street… I would say it used to be more of a music culture back when it was getting big but now I see a lot more fashion-minded people here,” said a local shop employee. “A lot of the stores that were here when I was in high school aren’t really here anymore.”

BY HENRY GARDNER Staff Reporter

As the city’s hub for LGBTQ+ culture, the Castro is an epitome of San Francisco’s diversity. One of the area’s most prominent displays of culture is the annual pride parade, which draws thousands of San Francisco residents and celebrates LGBTQ+ history and activism.

“Nowadays, they [host the parade] at Civic Center, and it’s a whole big event,” Castro Farmers Market manager Mia Simmans said. “Even though it’s not officially up here, there’s a lot of after-parties and pre-parties and other events that the bars will host.”

Castro’s culture is a direct product of its storied history, as the district is known for the LGBTQ+ activism that has and continues to occur there, leaving a prominent mark on the neighborhood.

“[The Castro] is like a national monument to the LGBTQ+ community who migrated into San Francisco,” history teacher Annie Miller said. “[The Cas-

tro] is a neighborhood that is celebrated for its unique cultural history of making people feel safe, loved and cherished.”

The Castro contains many references to LGBTQ+ culture, including dozens of pride flags, including a 30-foot rainbow flag on the corner of Castro and Market.

Despite the Castro’s rich history and culture, it’s suffered the consequences of rising living prices and gentrification.

“[The Castro] is way less diverse than it used to be. [Gentrification] has gutted San Francisco in a profound way, and it’s whitewashed San Francisco as well,” Simmans said. “I don’t think gentrification has done any favors at all for San Francisco.”

Despite the challenges that the Castro and San Francisco as a whole might face, residents and visitors alike remain confident that the city is still as vibrant, diverse and full of culture as it once was.

“[San Francisco] is really one of the most lovely places to live in the whole world,” Miller said.

“I think the reality of San Francisco is very far from its stereotypes.”

The Castro Chinatown

BY JOELLE HUYSMANS Diversity Coordinator

Cross the street from San Francisco’s downtown financial district and you will feel as though you have stepped into another world and culture. Rows of colorful lanterns, the iconic Dragon Gate and a series of embellished pagodas indicate that you have entered one of San Francisco’s most popular neighborhoods. Although the 30 blocks of tea rooms, souvenir shops, local dim sum and boba businesses appeal to the tourism economy of Chinatown, the neighborhood continues to celebrate its distinct identity and culture — remaining the world’s oldest and largest Chinese-American enclave.

As generations of Chinese Americans made San Francisco their home, Chinatown developed a strong sense of community through the struggles and happy moments that families endured together. When reminiscing about his childhood in Chinatown, Stanley “Uncle Gee” — the godfather of Vital Leaf Tea’s founder, a tea room in China-

town — recalls that all of the residents in his building left their apartment doors unlocked and children ran around the floor playing with one another.

“Everybody was all living on one floor so it became just like a village,” Gee said. “Everybody knows everybody. We call each other uncle, aunt, grandpa, grandma, we are everybody’s family. In Chinatown, we respect each other, and we help each other during difficult times. That’s the game plan.”

Last year, freshman Danielle Song participated in the Miss Teen Chinatown Scholarship and Charity Gala organized by the Chinatown Lions Club. While competing in the pageant she was able to discover the distinct culture rooted within San Francisco’s Chinatown.

“I’m definitely grateful to have participated in this pageant because it showed me a different culture and way of living that I don’t usually see in the city,” Song said.

“It feels like a completely new community where everyone is connected from their background, and they are proud of it.”

PHOTO BY HENRY GARDNER

PHOTO BY ALEX BERTELLI PHOTO

HUYSMANS

Sailors form a new sports team

BY CONNIE LU Staff Reporter

This year, Burlingame has a third aquatic sport — not swimming or water polo, but sailing. Although sailing is not an official school-sponsored activity, four students represent Burlingame through their nonprofit sailing club, the Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation (PYSF).

Like other sports, sailors practice multiple times a week and compete, representing either their club or school, depending on the size of the boat races. However, sailing still isn’t as popular as sports like soccer or basketball. This typically stems from the perceived cost barrier and the inconvenience of traveling to a marina.

Sailing for a nonprofit comes with less initial cost and thus requires lower commitment. Still, sophomore Lucia Hayes, founder of Burlingame’s sailing club, finds that they perform decently in regattas.

“I think because we’re a nonprofit, it’s a lot less competitive than things that require you to buy your own boat or have a higher commitment,” Hayes said. “I wouldn’t say we’re the best, but I wouldn’t say we do the worst either.”

Sophomore Finn Hayes, who also sails with the club, emphasized how sailing for a nonprofit lowers the cost of entry by providing gear and boats, making it a more accessible sport.

“But the place we do it out of, [PYSF], has a bunch of

boats, and just like any other sport, you pay for a season,” Hayes said. “It’s just about the same price as most other sports.”

Hayes thinks that the ex penses of owning and main taining a boat scare a lot of po tential sailors away.

“If you wanted to buy your own boat, those can be quite expensive, especially new [ones],” Finn Hayes said. “And then not only buying the boat, but also having to store it and upkeep it can add up. So there’s a very heavy connota tion about the expenses when talking about sailing. And that’s why I don’t think there’s as many because people see the kind of bar and they think it’s too high.”

Statistics teacher Jeffrey Spoering, who advises Burlingame’s sailing club and is a sailor himself, thinks that the sport’s expenses would be less of a problem if people knew more about the sport.

“I think that there can also be financial barriers or perceived financial barriers because a lot of places will have scholarships for students if they want to get involved, but they must not know about it,” Spoering said.

Junior and sailor Nia Raghavan also finds that sailing isn’t a well-known sport among her peers.

“When I tell people I do sailing, they’re like, ‘Is that even a sport?’” Raghavan said. “The only reason I even knew about it was because I knew someone who already did it. If I didn’t, I probably wouldn’t

be sailing [today]. When I tell people I sail for BHS they’re like, ‘We have a sailing team?’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, we do.’”

The team has felt the impact of a lack of awareness and interest in sailing. While they had seven members for last year’s fall season, this year, they dropped to only four members, the minimum to compete.

“We only have four [members], and you need four people to even have a team,” Raghavan said. “If you have less than that you can’t even compete. So the more people that can join, the better and I think that if it’s an official sport, more people would be inclined to join it.”

Lucia Hayes thinks that summer programs are another way to recruit new members.

camps,” Lucia Hayes said. “Usually a summer camp introduces them how to use a FJ [Flying Junior] boat and then they’ll continue into high school and try it out.”

While sailing can initially be overwhelming, Raghavan says that as you practice more, it becomes much easier.

“I think getting into sailing, there’s definitely a learning curve, but once you get over that, it’s really fun,” Raghavan said. “It’s really easy to get a lot better.”

One of the hardest parts about sailing is the immense communication and awareness needed.

“You have to be wary of not just you and your partner but all of the boats around you,”

can impact how you do, like the weather and other boats around you and [more].”

Overall, Burlingame’s sailors make up a small but mighty team, and they hope to recruit more people interested in the sport.

“Anybody is welcome,” Spoering said. “If you’re looking to find out where you could go get engaged in sailing yourself, then the sailing club has all the infortion on how to make that hap pen.”

Twin sisters reconnect culturally through dragon boat

BY INY LI Staff Reporter

It was any other day of dragon boat practice for sophomore twins Libbey and Lindsey Kwok, trudging towards the boat after grueling hours of conditioning. As newcomers to the San Francisco Community Youth Center’s (CYC) dragon boat team, they knew it was not one’s typical high school sport. But they were not prepared for the plethora of dragon boat terminology that would come with it, including the phrase “bailing out” — scooping swampy sludge and the occasional dead bird with milk jugs out of the boat.

And that’s barely grazing the surface of what dragon boat truly encompasses. It demands dedicating up to 14 hours per week for training, 12-hour-long competitions and extremely intense workouts ranging from squat pyramids to warmup miles. Dragon boat is not a sport to be reckoned with.

“It’s definitely one of the most intense things [I’ve done],” Libbey Kwok said. “It just shocked me when I first started because [our typical practice consists] of a warmup

mile, then an hour-long land workout which is usually Tabata, and then we go into the water for paddling, which is a workout on water. They just don’t waste any time. Even if you’re injured, you have a different set of workouts to do.”

With such rigorous workouts and high expectations from their coaches and captains, the twins said the commitment to their training has shifted their overall attitude.

“It’s definitely a mindset change,” Libbey Kwok said. “During practice and my overall experience on the team, I’ve learned to push myself a little more both physically and academically. Before this, I wasn’t doing physically strenuous activity, and so this pushes me in a different way. My overall mindset has just been a lot more positive and more goal-oriented.”

Synchronization is key to success in a sport that involves 20 people working simultaneously on the same boat. The secret behind such harmonization involves considerable bonding between team members.

“Grade level and what school you’re from isn’t really

we establish a really strong bond with each other. We all have a very close relationship with our coaches, and they’re very supportive. People go out to eat together and have lunches with our coaches for fun.”

Although it offers physical benefits and community building like any other sport, dragon boat is more than an after-school activity. As a family with a Cantonese background who previously resided in San Francisco’s Sunset district, this sport has allowed the twins to physically and spiritually reconnect with their cultural

natown, the environment was very friendly, and we would openly speak Cantonese on the streets,” Libbey Kwok said. “And I guess we lost that connection because there’s not as strong of a community that really emphasizes celebrating that culture here. So after joining the team, it was more of a connection because we get to regularly go back to [San Francisco].”

For the twins, their overall experience has allowed them to become physically and mentally stronger, with the bonus

first years on the CYC dragon boat team, they highly encourage anyone seeking a physical challenge and a community to bond with to join. “It’s very community-based,” Lindsey Kwok said. “Even though we’re all split into teams, you can tell everyone is friends with each other. There’s a big dragon boat community in San Francisco, and many people who grew up doing dragon boat come back to coach or host competitions. It’s like a home away from home.”

Located at Leo J. Ryan Park, the CYC’s dragon boat team poses for a team picture after the NorCal CA Dragon Boat championships in the fall of 2023.

Junior Nia Raghavan and sophomore Kieran Clarke are pictured hiking their boat at the Sea Otter Regatta at Monterey Bay on October 7, 2023.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL FIALA

PHOTO COURTESY OF NIA RAGHAVAN

Track athletes make history at Arcadia Invitational

BY KAYLEE HWANG Staff Reporter

For the first time in Burlingame history, seniors Cora Haggarty, Avah Reichow and Elise Spenner and sophomore Stella Newman competed at the 56th annual Arcadia Invitational on Saturday, April 6.

The Arcadia Invitational extends invitations to the fastest high school athletes from 48 states, making it one of the largest and most prestigious national meets in the country. Over the years, the event has produced 36 national high school records and hosted 203 future U.S. Olympians.

“Just going in, you can tell it’s a higher caliber [event] than all the other meets just because it’s so big and presti-

gious, so it was really cool to be able to have the experience to run there,” Reichow said.

It was a full circle moment for track and field head coach Chris Coleman, who attended the invitational — and won the 4x400 meter event — as a high school athlete. Bringing the Burlingame team to Arcadia this year invoked a deep sense of nostalgia and pride for him.

“It was an absolute honor to be accepted into the Arcadia meet,” Coleman said. “I’m glad we were able to make that happen for this class of athletes and it’s an honor to be a part of it.”

On the track, Reichow competed in the women’s open 300-meter hurdles with a stellar time of 44.90 seconds. She

ran her season best, placing third in her heat and 10th overall out of 44 athletes. After her showing at Arcadia, Reichow is now ranked third in the Central Coast Section (CCS) for this event.

“I was really happy with my performance and it was really cool to be able to have the experience to run there,” Reichow said.

Although Haggarty produced an impressive time of 58.25 seconds in her women’s open 400-meter race, the school record holder was disappointed with her performance.

“I just had a bit of an off day with the 400 [meters], but it was a good learning experience about being patient with

this sport and just continuing to focus on my workouts and my upcoming races,” Haggarty said.

Haggarty placed 28th out of 46 competitors, and despite not putting together her best performance, she found great significance in the experience.

“Even just being there was such an honor and being able to compete with the talent that was there was an opportunity that I’ve never had before, so it was all very special,” Haggarty said.

Aside from their individual performances, Reichow and Haggarty joined sophomore Newman and senior Spenner for the women’s 4x400 relay. The team showcased their exceptional talent, achieving a

new personal record with a time of 4:01.53 seconds and securing an impressive 11th place out of 27 teams.

“It was really special to be able to go to the invitational with my 4x4 team,” Reichow said. “The 4x4 is always super fun and we were able to walk away with a [personal record], so that’s always really exciting.”

Since the regular season wrapped up on Wednesday, April 10 against Half Moon Bay High School and South San Francisco High School, all four athletes, along with the rest of the track and field squad, are preparing for the Peninsula Athletic League Trials on April 25 at Menlo-Atherton High School.

Boys’ volleyball gains momentum with freshmen

The future is only bright for boys’ volleyball, a team that has improved dramatically in the past few years and made big strides since the beginning of this season. This year’s lineup has proven successful in most matches by combining an ever-improving defensive line with strong offensive tactics. What’s most impressive about the Panthers’ success is undoubtedly their youth — specifically, two freshmen in the lineup, Owen Carroll and Julian Lee, have consistently started matches this season and made outsize contributions in the team’s wins.

Owen Carroll: Standout Server

Carroll has only been playing volleyball at the club level for two years, but he has managed to make an impact in his first year on the varsity squad. So far, Carroll has established himself as one of the strongest servers on the team and a solid defensive player.

“We have a lot of players that can serve, but he’s just really outstanding,” head coach Lawrence Ngai said.

Carroll has made significant contributions to Burlingame’s per formance in matches, but also proven to be a good teammate in practice. However, it took some time for Carroll find his groove and establish his role.

“At the beginning of the season, I was not play ing my best game at all. I think it was because I was part of a new team and I was playing against bigger players. But, throughout the season, I eased up to the team and I’ve gotten a lot better now.”

Carroll has certainly shown improvement as the sea son has progressed, which is reflected in the Panthers’ numerous wins so far this season, most of which have occurred in recent weeks.

While this is only Carroll’s first year on the var sity team, Ngai is optimistic about his growth and strength on the team.

“I can see a lot of potential that he’s going to bring to the team in the future…moving out of his defensive position and into an offensive tion.” Ngai said.

I can see a lot of potential that he’s going to bring to the team in the future…moving out of his defensive po sition and into an offensive

- Lawrence Ngai

BY ARSHIA CHAKRAVARTTI Copy Editor

Julian Lee: Versatile Offense

Similar to Carroll, Lee has been playing competitive volleyball for about two years and has clearly stood out in his first season as an aggressive, offensive player who reliably produces results for his team.

“I think I’ve gotten a lot better at hitting and blocking… I get a lot of advice from my teammates,” Lee said.

This is Lee’s first year competing for his school, so making the varsity team was initially daunting. But with the presence of fellow freshman Carroll, he was able to adapt.

“It’s good that I had another freshman, because I wouldn’t really know that many people.” Lee said.

After observing Lee play in tryouts and throughout the season, Ngai mentioned that Lee’s versatility on the court stood out to

“He’s just a freshman, but he’s eager to catch the ball, the setter trusts him, and that’s very important,” Ngai said.

Now, with almost a full competitive season under his belt, Lee is looking ahead to what next season will hold for him and the

“I’m looking forward to see how the new players affect our playing level,” Lee said.

On Saturday, April 6, senior Avah Reichow competed in the women’s open 300-meter hurdles at the Arcadia Invitational, placing 10th overall out of 44 athletes.

BEditorial The rise of girls’ sports

BY THE BURLINGAME B EDITORIAL BOARD

We’re all familiar with basketball stars Lebron James, Steph Curry, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Now you can add Caitlin Clark to that list. On Feb. 15, Clark passed the standing record for most points scored all-time by any college player — men’s or women’s — in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) history, earning a total of 3,951 points. Although she has risen to be a standout player as the first pick in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) draft, Clark still faces wage inequality in contrast to her male counterparts, obstacles that relate to many world-wide female athletes.

For instance, Clark’s starting salary in the WNBA is $76,535 a year — over 137 times less than a National Basketball Association (NBA) top pick’s salary of $10.5 million, according to CNN. Because the WNBA is a younger program and having shorter seasons, the wage gap is in part due to the lack of viewership and profitability from the program itself, when compared to the success of the NBA. Tragically, it is likely to take years of investment before the WNBA resembles the NBA in popularity and salary.

Despite wage inequalities, significant progress has been made for women’s sports. This can be attributed to the landmark Civil Rights law, known as Title IX, Education Amendment of 1972. The

Act prohibits discrimination based on gender in education programs and activities, prompting a massive rise in investment in female sports.

More recently, the 2022 decision to permit the usage of the famous title “March Madness” has allowed the women’s bracket to gain more recognition after prolonged years of consistent struggle.

A similar trend of progress and a remaining need for improvement is apparent in Burlingame sports. One major stepping stone was the addition of girls’ flag football, in the 2023-24 school year, promoting inclusivity and working toward equality in sports. Adding on, the high attendance for Burlingame girls’ volleyball games reflects the progress made on the college stage.

Although games were relocated to other schools due to gym reconstruction, the stands were consis

tently filled with Burlingame students and parents, especially on their senior night.

However, football games still continue to rack up the largest attendance by far. When you think of American high school, you think of football games. The socialization and glorification of Friday night games is what draws the high number of attendees. However, the same cannot be said about the overall anticipation around attending a girls’ sports game.

It’s difficult to cultivate a solution that can solve gender inequality in sports, but seeing the recent advancements that female athletes have made on the collegiate level has inspired future generations of female athletes, and will hopefully trickle down to the Burlingame community.

Take a trip abroad, to Italy or elsewhere

BY MARGO BIGUE Staff Reporter

A water taxi in the pouring rain to the canals of Venice. Dancing the Tarantella in Capri. A walk through the corridors of the Colosseum and the ruins of mysterious Pompeii. A savory Tuscan farm lunch.

Over 14 days, I was among the 29 Burlingame students and four teachers who experienced all this and more while visiting ten cities in Italy as part of the Italian language program.

But aside from the aesthetic appeal of a trip to Europe, our journey to Italy confirmed my belief that every student should travel to a foreign country during high school. Not only do you immerse yourself in a new culture, but it encourages independence and self-reliance as students learn to navigate unfamiliar environments and solve problems.

There’s no denying that experiencing a different culture can be challenging, intimidating and tiring, especially with a packed itinerary, as we had on this WorldStrides tour. But if you are open, willing and adventurous, a trip abroad will open your mind to the beauty and depth of a country’s culture, from its art to its cuisine and history.

Every day, we immersed ourselves in the richness of Italian culture, touring museums and artfilled streets, savoring delicious food and marveling at countless

historic structures, from the striking Duomo in Florence and San Gimignano’s famed 14 towers to the Spanish Steps and Trevvi Fountain in Rome. Each site told a story, igniting our curiosity about the people and historical events that shaped Italy. Take Florence, for example. As I walked in the middle of the busy city square, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore stood before me. It’s not just a church; it’s a vestige of Italy’s long history. As I casually ate lunch next to this architectural masterpiece, I marveled at its intricate geometric pattern made from marble.

It also teaches patience on a rainy day. When in Rome, our patience was tested as we spent hours waiting in lines and navigating crowds in a torrential downpour to the Sistine Chapel. But after a while, we got used to it, and rather than be frustrated by the passing

minutes and inhospitable weather, we took the time to observe our surroundings and soaked up (literally) the sites.

Perhaps the most memorable part of the trip, however, was at the end when we stayed with an Italian host family and attended the Uccellis High School in Udine. As I sat around the dinner table with my host family, I felt at home and enjoyed a simple, home-cooked meal of fresh pasta and tomatoes as we bonded over funny travel stories. As I settled into my bed on the last night there, I reflected on this picture-perfect trip and I felt grateful that I could communicate with my host family and experience firsthand a slice of Italian daily life and culture.

Caitlin Clark, a superstar for the University of Iowa’s women’s basketball team, was selected as the No. 1 WNBA draft pick by the Indiana Fever.

PHOTO BY JOHN MAC VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The Burlingame Italian language program and their hosts traveled to the Duino Castle in Trieste to take in the views of the gulf.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CELINE PERRY

Students celebrate religious holidays

BY JOSIE WETTAN Staff Reporter

For junior Zoe Browdy, April 22 marks the begin ning of her favorite hol iday, Passover. Browdy celebrates the seven-day Jewish holiday com memorating the Jews’ es cape from slavery in Egypt.

“I would say [tradition] makes me feel like I’m a part of something that’s really big…I used to go to a Jewish K-8 school. So I was in a very tight-knit community of people who were Jewish,” Browdy said. “Now I feel like it’s even more important for me to be doing these activities because it makes me feel connected to my Judaism and it’s really nice.”

Aside from the fun traditions, one of Browdy’s favorite aspects of the holiday is its ability to bring family together.

“The thing I love about Passover is that I always spend a lot of time with my extended family,” Browdy said. “We always have a big Seder, and we have a big meal altogether. I love spending time with all my cousins and grandparents.”

Ramadan

Passover Easter

BY EVELYN DU Staff Reporter

While Ramadam may seem like a simple month of fasting to out siders, that overlooks the hours of dedication, symbolic significance and rewarding feelings at Eid — the end of Ramadan.

PH

Senior Jiya Mahmood is among the few at Burlingame who fast in the month of Ramadan.

“[Ramadan] is to show that [Muslims] are grateful for the food they have,” Mahmood said.

While Ramadan is physically and mentally challenging, Mahmood always looks forward to celebrating Eid with her family by dressing up and getting henna tattoos.

“It’s a good time to spend with your family. [We] eat together and just enjoy the month that you had, where you’re fasting and just relax, because it was a really long one.”

For Muslims, Ramadan is a testament to their faith, themselves and family values.

“[Ramadan] makes me feel closer to my culture and my background,” Mahmood said. “Because I know that [my family] participates in this and [I] feel more connected to what they did.”

BY JOSIE WETTAN Staff Reporter

While it isn’t uncommon for families to participate in Easter egg hunts on the Christian holiday, freshman Lincoln De Jesus’s family also enjoys doing prayer circles to thank God and set intentions for the year. Since being confirmed in the Catholic church last year, De Jesus can play a larger role in the traditions of his family.

“Now I get to say a prayer. We all go around and say one thing and that’s only after you’re confirmed,” said De Jesus. “I also learned a lot about Easter last year. So now I know more about why we do the stuff that we do.”

De Jesus’s family also participates in more traditional practices like Easter egg hunts and adds personal touches, such as inviting their church’s pastor over to celebrate.

“[Tradition is] important to me because I feel like it just connects my family more because usually we don’t see each other at this time of year because we’re all super busy,” De Jesus said. “And that just brings us together.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF LINCOLN DE JESUS PHOTO COURTESY OF ZOE BROWDY

COURTESY OF JIYA MAHMOOD

Leadership hosts annual cultural week

Leadership’s Diversity and Inclusion Commission welcomed students back from spring break with its annual cultural week from April 8-12. Notably, Thursday, April 11 featured the second annual International Food Night and students showcased cultural performances ranging from dances to musical acts at lunch throughout the week.

wolf on a guitar. Both Bounds and Haskell believe the celebration was a great way for students to feel connected to the school.

“When you’re at a school, it can feel like you’re kind of isolated from everyone if you’re not really like engaging with them,” Haskell said. “So being able to share a part of something that’s outside of school for us, and a part of a greater culture, for a lot of people I think can really connect the school student body.”

national Food Night in the A-Building. Students set up tables and offered food from a variety of countries. Diversity and Inclusion introduced something new this year: passports, allowing students to collect stamps from tables’ countries they visited.

from L.A. we usually [eat this meal] a lot more, like we’ll have a bánh mì for lunch, like a weekend, [the sandwiches] are not something I’ll only make here,” Madden said.

Last year, the performances were combined into one cultural assembly held at flex. This year, Diversity and Inclusion decided to scatter performances throughout the week because it doesn’t take away flex time and provides a more relaxed environment.

Events extended beyond the school day. On Thursday, leadership hosted the second an- nual Inter -

A mariachi band kicked off the week with a performance at lunch on the main stage on Monday, April 8. On Wednesday, April 10, seniors Myla Pallera and Tanat Alberts performed a Thai-Laos song, senior Tyler Wong performed a Chinese-American dance inspired by martial arts and sophomore Scarlett Bounds and senior Tilly Haskell performed a traditional Irish dance. Then on Friday, April 12, sophomore Kevin Moran sang and played “Born to be Wild’’ by Steppen -

Students were able to showcase parts of their identity through food. Sophomore Anthony Wen, for example, brought Chinese noodles, a staple food in his life, while junior Reiter Madden represented Vietnam with deconstructed bánh mì sandwiches, with sausage meat and pickled vegetables on a French baguette.

“When my grandma comes up

Originally, the celebration was scheduled as a fall event. In the fall se- mester, the Club and Class Commission coordinated with cultural clubs to find students that were willing to per-

form in the cultural celebration. Many did not have time to participate and there were insufficient student volunteers, so leadership moved the event from January 29 to February 2. The week was then postponed to April to ensure the performers had enough time to perfect their acts.

“We wanted to have more time to focus on supporting performers, giving them more opportunity to practice and refine their presentation, and scaling back the pressure by doing a lunch format as a trial just to see if that approach created a more inclusive, perhaps less intimidating performance space,” leadership advisor Bethany Li said.

Senior Diversity and Inclusion lead Ava Gonzalez chose to spearhead the organization of the cultural week because of its power to showcase students’ individuality.

“I’m really passionate about diversity inclusion on the campus, and I feel like those two

events are where people really enjoy it and appreciate different cultures, and things that they usually wouldn’t see, like that’s great,” Gonzalez said.

PHOTOS BY ABBY KNIGHT, GRAPHIC BY SOPHIA PUZON

EDITED BY RAIN YANG