March Issue 2024

What’s Inside:

3 New music

building canceled

THE March 18, 2024

11 Celebrating St.

6/7 Student side

12 Footloose’s

hustles

Patrick’s Day

opening night

URLINGAME B Issue 5 Vol 134

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

GRAPHIC BY CONNIE LU

PHOTO BY HENRY GARDNER

Why is everything firewalled?

BY CONNIE LU

Staff Reporter

Boys’ soccer defies the odds

BY HENRY GARDNER

Staff Reporter

Before the season began, the odds were stacked against boys’ soccer in more ways than one. After losing 15 seniors, calling up nearly a dozen underclassmen and remain-

ing in one of the best leagues in the Bay Area, all signs were pointing towards a throwaway season. But the Panthers remained confident in their ability, and proved everyone wrong. Five months later, they cemented themselves as California Interscholastic Federation NorCal

Champions and as only the second Burlingame athletic team — and the first boys’ team — to win a northern California championship.

The team, led by seniors Kevin

See SPORTS, pages 8/9

Students encouraged to balance class choices

BY ZACHARY NEWMAN

Sports Editor

When students entered the alumni room in February to receive course selection presentations, they probably weren’t expecting a talk about how many Advanced Placement (AP) classes they should consider taking for next year.

But AP class management is exactly what counselors, with the help of principal Jen Fong, are most focused on this spring. According to Fong, that doesn’t mean she wants to cap AP classes — she hopes only to raise awareness.

“I’m challenging [students] to question what they’ve heard about how many classes get you in,” Fong said. “The data shows there’s not a clear pattern. If there’s no correlation between how many classes you’re taking, then take [courses] you like. We have a lot of great extracurriculars here. I think those are examples of great passions. I like students to be engaged in more authentic learning, but we’re not limiting the number of AP classes.”

Junior Ryan Wang still feels like

students aren’t equipped with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about AP classes.

“I agree there’s a problem, and I appreciate counselors are trying to solve it, but what we should do is educate people and students,” Wang said.

“You should take what you want to study. I hear a lot of complaints from classmates that they don’t understand the topics we’re learning in some AP classes. They don’t even find the class interesting. The only thing they care about is the grade.”

In preparation for course selection meetings, Fong gathered data comparing the number of AP classes students took and the quality — ranked by Forbes — of colleges they attended. In addition, she created a model daily schedule calculating the amount of time needed in a day for students. For someone with three APs, Fong found all the

NNIE LU

GRAPHIC BY CO

daily commitments of a high school student amounted to 29 hours.

“It was telling that what we think of as a normal schedule is not normal and not healthy,” Fong said. “You can’t fit all of these activities into a 24-hour day, and sleep [is something] many students are missing out on. I just wanted to bring people to an awareness that this was occurring and have people make informed decisions.”

Wang believes while the counselors and administration had good intentions in trying to solve the issue, he disagrees with their method.

See AP CLASSES, page 3

“This site can’t be reached.” Almost every student or staff member has inevitably encountered this message on a website, whether while trying to access graphic historical content at school or watching Netflix on Chromebooks at home.

Whatever the case, if you’re logged into a district-managed account, device or network, a content filtering system aims to ensure that students and staff can’t access certain content. Additionally, the filter helps uphold laws like the California Student Data Privacy Agreement and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and noncompliance will lead to reduced district funding. Beyond that, restrictions also aim to maintain parental trust and confidence.

According to Simon Bettis, Director of Technology & Information Systems, the three ways the district does this are through restricted Wi-Fi Networks, Google accounts and Chromebooks.

Wi-Fi networks are regulated through a third-party content filtering system. The filter can automatically sort based on set categories and keywords and be individually adjusted based on requests sent to help@smuhsd.org that are subject to review.

But the filter can often block a lot of useful information — a barrier ethnic studies teacher Michelle Riley has encountered while teaching.

“It can be quite frustrating when we’re trying to research a unit about ethnic studies or have the kids look up information about ethnic studies and that academic content is [blocked],” Riley said.

Additionally, Riley has found that the content filter not only blocks useful academic content but also fails to block distracting websites like games. “[Games] is the one area [that] it doesn’t block anything,” Riley said. “So if that is the goal of the [content filter], that is a huge fail, because kids have access to games all the time.”

For Bettis, blocking distracting websites like games is an uphill battle for the content filter because there are always new, unblocked games. Instead, he directs the filter to focus more on blocking disrupting or high bandwidth websites like Netflix for students.

But these restrictions don’t only apply to students. According to Bettis, the limitations on staff Wi-Fi are mostly the same, with some exceptions like access to services like Slack and Netflix.

However, the staff network is still problematic for Riley when preparing for her classes.

See FIREWALL, page 2

2

March 18, 2024

News

See something? Say something.

Anonymous Alerts System creates safer learning environment

BY JEANNINE CHIANG

Web Editor

just a joke, but if you’re sitting there and hearing that about one of your ethnicities, and you hear that over and over, that has a really strong negative impact. It damages community.”

Building on this perspective, Assistant Principal Aimee Malcolm feels it is more important now than ever that students become upstanders by reporting incidents with Anonymous Alerts.

“If I’m able to be an upstander and not have to really worry about someone blaming me for reporting, both go hand in hand with this one,” Malcolm said. “I think it maintains safety for the student who’s reporting it [as] they’re able to remain anonymous but it also lets adults on campus know something’s happening that we really need to have addressed.”

The reporter’s guaranteed anonymity through the Anonymous Alert System has effectively addressed many significant issues in the district. Eby believes that this system has already led to a safer and more secure learning environment.

“It operates like a neighborhood watch system,” Assistant Principal Jenny Gibson said. “We’re in the community together, and we want to keep our community safe.

This system allows people to report things that they’re seeing that they may not feel comfortable reporting otherwise if it weren’t anonymous.”

GRAP

HI C LLE HUYSMAN S JOE BY

In September 2022, the San Mateo Union High School District implemented the Anonymous Alerts Reporting app to ensure that students can freely express a concern or make reports about other students without having their name attached.

The Anonymous Alerts System empowers students to submit tips about bullying, self-harm, violence, mental health concerns or other threatening behavior directly to school officials without revealing their identity.

In the administrative office, the protocol is clear: upon receiving an anonymous alert, Dean of Students Nicole Carter initiates a thorough investigation, first assessing the validity of the claim. Upon confirming a legitimate claim, Carter meets with the student flagged to interview them regarding the report, always covering the five key questions that stay on the right side of her whiteboard.

What happened?

What were you thinking at the time?

What have you thought about since?

Who has been affected by this and how/ in what way(s)?

What do you think needs to happen to make things right?

While these questions are straightforward, they play a key role in Carter’s efforts to educate and reinstate communal values.

“We take every [anonymous alert] as if it is the most serious piece of information,” Carter said. “We run full investigations where I will bring students, teachers,

all kinds of different people and go through the [reported] information together.”

When junior Emma McNamara first experienced harassment from another student, she was afraid to speak up due to potential repercussions from peer pressure.

Thus, she turned to the Anonymous Alert System.

“I was glad to report it because I felt like I was able to get it off my chest…I think just knowing that you’re able to talk about your experiences without necessarily having your name attached to it [is helpful],” McNamara said. “That way, if you feel unsafe, or don’t want to talk about it, you are able to report an incident, teacher, student, or anything without having to expose yourself.”

Like McNamara, senior Maya Eby also found the resource as a safe method to communicate her concerns while staying anonymous.

“It serves as a way for us students to talk to administration without having our name attached to it,” Eby said.

In most instances, the anonymous alert case will close after a thorough investigation and a student meeting led by Carter and the administration. If the problem raises severe safety concerns, the Burlingame Police Department can become involved.

However, police involvement is rare, as the most common anonymous alerts revolve around discriminatory language and bullying.

“I think sometimes we say or do things that we don’t always know is having a strong negative impact,” Carter said. “We’ve had more stuff around hate speech, where it’s

1 2

Fill out form on SMUHSD website

Meeting run with students if claim is true

3

Give consequences and restore values

Firewall system From pg. 1

“I was trying to make field trip plans for my publications class to go to a conference, and I couldn’t access the travel website to fill out the permission form,” Riley said. “I couldn’t get it at school which was frustrating because I’m trying to do it for school.”

The district also regulates by flagging students’ Google accounts as under 18. On Oct. 1, 2023, Google announced that users under 18 could no longer access third-party applications without approval from account administrators. This restriction primarily affects the sign-in with Google features offered on many websites, preventing students from logging into services like Slack with their school accounts. On top of that, Google has blocked some of its own services, prohibiting file sharing on Google Photos and restricting search results through its SafeSearch filtering.

Finally, Chromebook-specific filters enable the district to manage at-home Chromebook use. Because Chromebooks are district-managed devices through a district-managed account, the district is legally responsible for all activity on these devices, even if it occurs off-campus.

But because the Chromebook has its own filtering system, it often blocks more web-

sites than the Wi-Fi like access to sites like Dropbox and Open AI’s ChatGPT. This creates an equity issue within classrooms because students with Chromebooks have less access to online tools compared to those with personal computers.

When you layer on additional bypasses like personal hotspots or VPN’s, the equity gap widens even more. Students with personal hotspots or VPN’s — which are not possible on the locked down chromebooks — can completely bypass the Wi-Fi restrictions mentioned above.

While district-wide Chromebook mandates can help with this problem, the district has decided not to require Chromebook use because many families want their children to have the choice to use their own computers. But issues like these are reevaluated yearly, and may be subject to change. For now, Chromebook mandates are up to each school, and Burlingame maintains that students should have a choice.

Overall, access to information is a complex topic involving layers of legal compliance, student safety, and the interests of students and their families.

“There’s just a lot of control over what we’re trying to look at and see, and being able to access information is important,” Riley said.

March 18, 2024

3

News

Moderating AP classes

From pg. 1

“Limiting APs is not going to solve the problem of people getting competitive for no reason because they’re stressed out,” Wang said. “People care more about how many you are doing instead of which certain ones you are doing.”

Junior Emmett Kliger agreed the counselors needed to address the issue and believes school culture plays a role.

“At Burlingame, there is a race to how much you can succeed,” Kliger said. “While it’s great that our school offers so many opportunities, it makes it very challenging for students who want post-high school success if they’re not taking the most APs. Kids who probably should take [less], feel they need to take [more] just to compete.”

Fong also emphasized the importance of prioritizing student wellbeing, which she believes taking too many advanced courses can negatively impact.

“I’m definitely concerned with students’ mental health,” Fong said. “Getting enough sleep by taking a realistic schedule I think is important and taking classes that you really love, not just because you think it’s going to look good for college.”

Kliger’s solution: a maximum number of AP classes students can take each year.

“When colleges evaluate your application, they would see BHS has a cap on four, just like if a school doesn’t have AP classes, a student doesn’t get penalized for that,” Kliger said. “I still think there should be room for students to show they want to exceed, but we should lower the standard a little so more students can succeed and aren’t hurting themselves in the process.”

Kliger believes enacting his plan would help solve the problem and reduce student stress.

“It allows students to take classes they want to enjoy while getting rid of the extra stress,” Kliger said. “I’ve heard a lot from current sophomores, ‘It’s one year of my life. What’s the worst that can happen?’ That’s a dangerous mindset because yes, it’s just one year of your life, but these are formative years that need to be enjoyed. If you’re saying [you] want to throw it away for the sake of getting into a good college, I don’t think that should be the point of high school.”

Burlingame’s standards unaffected

BY KAYLEE HWANG

Staff Reporter

1600. 36. For decades, high school students around the world measured themselves against these metrics of perfection. Or, that is, until the COVID-19 pandemic nearly four years ago, when colleges began adopting “test-optional” policies, meaning students did not have to submit SAT and ACT scores. While the change ostensibly addressed the lack of access to test locations With Ivy League colleges requiring standardized test scores, studuring the pandemic, stan- dents prepare for what comes next in college applications. dardized test score requireare ubiquitous at Burlingame, people for their college, some ments had long been criticized students have and will con- people can’t afford to get tufor favoring wealthy, white aptinue to take the tests, hoping tors to help with SATs,” Cordeplicants and putting minority their scores will increase their ro said. and low-income students at a chances of getting into comOn the other hand, sophdisadvantage. petitive colleges. omore Adelle Farris sees valBut as of this spring, colleges “It’s just making what was ue in requiring standardized are beginning to revert to old already basically required, of- testing, as she believes it is a practices. Recently, three Ivy ficially required,” said sopho- good way to demonstrate one’s League schools — Dartmouth, more David Rabinovich. “Most overall academic performance.

Yale and Brown — reinstated people who are applying to “I feel like I’m a good test standardized test scores as a these schools are already sub- taker, so if schools start manrequirement. However, colmitting their test scores any- dating it more, it will benefit lege and financial aid advisor ways.” me,” Farris said.

Jonathan Dhyne However, he unAlthough Farris underdoesn’t believe “It’s just makderstands that if stands the inequity to some exthat mandating other, less competi- tent, she believes that testing these tests will ing what was tive colleges follow is — and should continue to be s i g n i f i c a n t l y already basiin the footsteps of — just one metric to take into impact Burlin- cally required more competitive account when choosing which game. schools and require students to admit. She also officially “We don’t test scores, it could believes that grade inflation at have a ton of required” negatively impact Burlingame makes a 4.0 GPA students that those who have easier to achieve, decreasing apply to schools -David Rabinovich lower-than-average the significance of course rigor that require it, standardized test scores. and thus making standardized and those students that want When junior Rhian Corde- tests a more accurate depiction to take it have taken it over the ro learned that some schools of a student’s capabilities. past handful of years,” Dhyne had begun reinstating the test “Although getting A’s and a said. score requirement, she was five on the AP test does show Many students at Burlindisappointed. your performance, I feel that game said the same. Regard“It’s not fair for a lot of stu- the SAT and ACT is a good repless of university policy, bedents because while schools resentation of a student overcause high academic standards may be trying to get the best all,” Farris said.

GRAPHIC BY CONNIE LU

GRAPHIC BY CONNIE LU

Principal Jen Fong compiled data from last year seniors, finding little correlation between APs and acceptance into top schools.

SAT reinstated

New music building canceled for modernization project Staff Reporter At the end of 2022, music director Kyoko Yamamoto sat down for another meeting regarding a new project for her program: a $5.3 million music room. But during that meeting, Yamamoto learned that the project was scrapped due to lack of space and building code violations. Instead of a $5.3 million budget, the program would receive $1.9 million for renovations to the current building.

“I was confused,” Yamamoto said. “In my mind, I thought we were getting at least two new rooms. Other schools don’t have to switch around between different rooms. I started calculating and [thought] that the more we have meetings, the less we’re going to have [in general].”

The project had been in the works for more than a year. On May 20, 2021, the San Mateo Union High School District’s (SMUHSD) Board of Trustees approved the allocation of $5.3 million from the Measure L bond, a $385 million obligation

bond issued to improve facilities across all SMUHSD schools, for a new music building at Burlingame.

“The success of every student in the music program is of utmost importance to the district,” said Capital Facilities Fiscal Manager Jose Quintana. “We want to make sure that they have the best space available to them.

This includes input from the teacher, Site Administration, the district stakeholders and what was presented to the Board.”

In November 2021, Quintana and consultants began assessing the A-Building theater and eventually proposed building a structure alongside the space.

However, due to building code obstacles, administrators canceled the project.

“The quad area right next to the theater would be [much more congested] by adding additional square footage,” Quintana said. “[The] exit from Building-A to the quad [would have to be narrowed] to go around that newly built area. Additionally, the ADA compliance doesn’t meet the ramp [compliances].”

According to former principal Paul Belzer, several other locations, including the senior quad lawn and cafeteria space, were considered. Administrators also weighed alternative renovations, such as merging the music room project with the gymnasium construction or modernizing the current room. They settled on a less costly modernization project of $1.96 million, set to begin this summer.

“After sharing with the Site Administration regarding our initial plan, there were reservations around cementing that plan,” Belzer said. “It was more that there were some concerns expressed, and we turned our attention to the gymnasium instead because that was a top-priority project.”

These improvements include new instrument lockers, a flatscreen TV, practice room renovations, soundproofing, public address systems, roof-mounted air conditioning units and a transformation of the break room in the C-Building into a storage unit and practice room.

With Yamamoto teaching

PHOTO BY INY LI

BY INY LI

The music room modernization is set to begin in early June 2024. five classes next year — choir, strings, concert band, jazz ensemble and wind ensemble — and directing a marching band, she emphasized the importance of having enough space.

“Right now we have less concerts because having concerts means [theater director Cindy Skelton] has to move her class — the stage,” Yamamoto said.

“But every other school in the district, on the day of the concert, they just book the center and carry their stuff in.”

Band president Tilly Haskell has experienced firsthand the music department’s constrained storage rooms.

“We literally have no more space to get and organize new

music,” Haskell said. “[When I first] joined the music program, I didn’t think of it as insufficient for us to play at our fullest potential, but when I started going behind the scenes, the [band space] did feel confining.”

With such little space on hand, Yamamoto believes her students dedicate more than what they receive in return.

“Until the last day, we’re working to celebrate the school,” Yamamoto said. “On the opening day, we’re playing in the quad. In the Little Big Game, we’re doing the halftime show. Can I tell football people we can’t go to every home game because we’re busy? I don’t think so.”

4

March 18, 2024

Features

Computer science teacher shortage California continues to lag behind national average Senior Reporter

California and computer science — you can hardly have one without the other. From the headquarters of Apple and Google to the bustling industry in Silicon Valley, California is the heartland of the tech field.

However, according to a 2022 figure from SFGate, only 40% of California high schools have actively employed computer science teachers, falling short of the national average of 53%.

While these two ideas seem to contradict each other, the allure of high-paying Silicon Valley jobs could actually be causing the teacher shortage, pulling away locals with computer science degrees.

“If you have a background in [computer science], you could go work in the industry and be making twice what you’d be making as a teacher,” said computer science and math teacher Christina Wade.

Wade also attributes part of the shortage to the decrease in teachers overall, stemming from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the profession.

The process for becoming a computer science teacher is also more difficult and lengthy than the process for becoming a regular teacher or working in a different computer science-related field. Along with a math credential, computer science teachers are required to get an additional computer science credential, referred to as an “authorization.”

“That process itself can be a big burden at times for teachers to take on because it’s another task put on their plate,” said Sonny Lau, who also teaches computer science and math. “That is a bit of a roadblock to prevent teachers from wanting to become computer science teachers.”

Those who choose to work in the computer science industry also don’t have to obtain the mandatory teaching credentials that all teachers must obtain.

Additionally, in the aftermath of the pandemic, the emergence of online courses and learning programs altered students’ learning process and decreased the need for on-site learning. Lau expressed mixed feelings about the usefulness of online options, citing pros and cons of the change.

“I think online tools are great at providing immediate feedback,” Lau said. “However, because comp-sci is so technical, there are times where students get feedback, and they don’t understand the feedback that’s given to them. A personable touch can really help with that.”

Wade, on the other hand, expressed more disapproval of online courses. While she acknowledged that they can be helpful for some students, she questioned whether the average student could maintain academic integrity in an online setting.

“Everybody developed really bad learning habits during

PHOTO BY WILL KRINER

BY WILL KRINER

Christina Wade teaches her fourth period AP Computer Science A class on March 11. online learning. There’s a lot of shortcuts and students aren’t mature enough to be accountable,” Wade said. “Students will just look at answer keys instead of doing their work.”

This also raises the question of whether the computer science curriculum needs any changes. Wade, who started the computer science program for the whole San Mateo Union High School district in 2013, believes some alterations could be made.

“It’s an ever-changing field,” Wade said. “It would be better if we had more collaboration with industry to come up with different types of classes that we can offer. Unless there’s a

huge demand, it’s really hard to offer those types of classes.”

Lau disagreed, preferring to keep the curriculum as is.

However, he still emphasized the importance of the subject as a component of high school education.

“Where students start to program is something that can be defined more or defined better,” Lau said. “If we as a state or a country feel as though programming is a language students should speak, then I think it will eventually be integrated, kind of like a foreign language.”

As this problem continues to persist, the solutions for employing more computer sci-

ence teachers are unclear.

“Until there is a change on a bigger scope, there [won’t] be more computer science teachers,” Lau said. “But I don’t know the solution for it.”

Wade expressed a similar uncertainty for the future of the teaching field, especially given the growing issue of housing prices in California.

“I think that they’re going to have to sweeten the pot somehow to entice more teachers to come out and to get more people to pursue teaching, especially in STEM fields, “ Wade said. “Because the pay has not kept up with the cost of living.”

March 18, 2024

5

Features PHOTO COURTESY OF PIERCE SCHUMAN

Students hit the gym According to recent data, there’s been a nationwide spike in teenagers at the gym. And Burlingame is no exception. Like clockwork, students finish school and drive straight to gyms such as Prime Time or 24 Hour Fitness.

BY JAKE ROTHSTEIN Managing Editor

BY HENRY GARDNER Staff Reporter

The social media surge Working out or hanging out? game people in there all the time. I especially like it when they seek advice from other people w h o have more varied experience, but it’s always good to see someone start and then see that progress. It’s fun to see other people’s journey,” Schuman said.

D’A

NG

EL

O

CH

E AV

Z

with others can also make weight-lifting easier as friends can act as spotters and also help keep their partners accountable.

“I would honestly recommend reaching out to friends to go work out with to start out,” Tunca said. “You keep yourself accountable but also learn from your friends if they are more experienced, so it’s definitely beneficial.”

As students flood the gyms, many students make connections with each other, as younger, less experienced gym-goers can seek out advice and assistance from more experienced lifters.

“I like to see more Burlin-

OF

way to work harder.”

For many students, weightAccording to senior Kaya lifting at public gyms is as Tunca — who frequents the much a social activity as it is a gym six days a week — there workout. Many students work is a spectrum of influencers, out with friends, socialize with with some setting unrealisother gym goers or just use it tic expectations and others as a reason to get out of the creating more informative house. and motivational content.

“I would say a significant “There’s a lot of influportion of my time is actually encers that definitely [are] spent interacting with other worth watching and give people [at the gym], which is great advice and I would recfun,” Schuman said. “It’s like ommend taka way to relieve ing advantage stress and to of a lot of onhelp with mental line tools to health. You talk get started in to people, and the gym right you lift — it’s [a] like how to do two for one.” this exercise, Working out how to do that exercise [and] how to plan out a diet,” Tunca From 2010 to 2019, While most said. gym-goers enjoy there was a 69.8% Even fre- increase in gym mem- the lifting exquent gym berships for those perience, many goers like also face difficulunder 17 Lazarov, who RESEARCH BY CHRISTINA GOUGH ties during their works out fitness journey, around five days a week, seek including struggles with diets out advice and inspiration and fatigue. for workout plans online.

One problem that arises for “[I get my workout ingym-goers on diets is the inspiration] mostly [from] sotense eating plans. Typically, cial media,” Lazarov said. “I plans either promote bulking, think most of us [use] social eating at a calorie surplus, or media. So I follow some incutting, a calorie deficit. fluencers who tell you how “Sometimes it is [difficult], to do a specific exercise because bulking, it’s a lot of and like how many times to food, and you have to push target a muscle group per yourself to take those last few week.” bites in order to eat it because you need to in order to gain

P H O T O C O U R T E SY

Competing with yourself vation to do their schoolwork and other extracurriculars after intense gym sessions.

“I feel very fatigued after t h e gym, especially after you take a shower and settle at home and eat dinner and everything. It gets really hard to get started on homework,” Lazarov said.

OF

D’A

NG

EL

O

CH

E AV

Z

muscle,” sophomore D’Angelo Chavez said.

Junior Austine Delima considers his diet vital to his progress. Currently, while bulking, Delima aims to consume 5000 calories a day and 120-130 grams of protein. Although Delima consumes far beyond what the average person would eat for his body mass index, he runs track, which makes it difficult to maintain his weight class.

“Since I [am running] track it’s really hard for me to bulk… since I can’t really recover that many calories, so I’m also losing weight,” Delima said.

Beyond diet, students can struggle with fatigue and moti-

P H O T O C O U R T E SY

After the pandemic, exercise content exploded on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. This surge in popularity offers clear benefits — increased motivation for users to go to the gym, primarily — but it can also perpetuate unrealistic physiques or timeline expectations for those who go the gym.

“There’s a lot of people, especially women, [who] have had plastic surgery, and then they’ll get on camera and say ‘oh, here is a workout to get this physique,’ and a lot of [male influencers do the same by using] anabolic steroids,” senior Isabella Lazarov said. “I think it sets unrealistic standards for people.”

Due to social media platforms’ addictive nature, it is easy for many users to get caught up in comparing their own figures to gym influencers who often show off unrealistic physiques.

“A lot of the time I’ll get lost looking at other physiques on social media and then I’ll try to attain them and then you look at your body sometimes, and you think, ‘Oh, dang, that’s not what I look like yet,’” Schuman said. “Sometimes when I’m maybe not feeling as good [watching social media gym content is] a little difficult to handle but I think most of the time for me, it’s like a motivational

Focusing on the mental, not physical “Implementing discipline even on some days that you d o n ’ t w a n t to go [is important],” Chavez s a i d .

“You need to work out in order to better yourself and just keep on going even without having any [external] motivation.”

OF

PIE

RC

ES

CH

UM

AN

looked back then, [and] I have gained almost 30 pounds in the past year, and I’m really happy with the progress.”

Other students go to the gym for their mental health, productivity and self-esteem. “[The gym] helps me focus more and it keeps me sane,” Schuman said. “I feel like a pretty active person, and when I lose that activity, I get pretty lazy.”

For some students, such as Chavez, pushing yourself to go to the gym doesn’t require direct motivation as much as a broader commitment to the discipline needed to achieve your fitness goals.

P H O T O C O U R T E SY

PHOTO COURTESY OF D’ANGELO CHAVEZ

For many, the gym also helps overcome insecurities, build confidence and ease mental health struggles.

“I started [working out] because I was a bit out of shape,” Schuman said. “I was a little self-conscious about my body.

Weightlifting helped me mentally compensate for being a little self-conscious. I think that’s what a lot of people would say.”

Like Schuman, many gym goers cite negative self-image as a common catalyst in their gym journey.

“I motivated myself because I was really skinny,” Delima said. “I didn’t like how I

6

7

Side Hustles

BY ABBY KNIGHT Copy Editor

BY EMMA YU Staff Reporter

BY SOPHIA PUZON Senior Reporter

PH

OU

OC

OT

US

IMK

ABBY KNIGHT

A SH F AV

SY O

RTE

HT

U CO

KNIG

O

OT

ABBY

ON G AW ANN F JO

O BY

OT

YO ES

PH

RT

PH

PHOTO BY

N PUZO

SOPHIA PUZON

PHIA

PHOTO BY

Y SO OB OT

PH

CERAMICIST

BOOK AUTHOR

BABYSITTER

VET ASSISTANT

ARCHITECT INTERN

SWIM INSTRUCTOR

Under the handle @home_pottery_ goods, senior Emily Young crafts and sells unique ceramic pieces. Young first took a ceramics class in middle school but began to take ceramics more seriously while at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. As their skills began to develop, friends and family took notice.

“When I started to get more serious about it, I practiced a lot and the pieces I created would get better,” Young said.

“Family and friends around me would see the stuff I’m making and say ‘They look really cool,’ and would want one as well if I would be willing to make one for them.

I usually said yes, and would sell them.”

Young takes inspiration from the Advanced Ceramics class, where students create individual and self-guided works.

While Young is often inspired by other students’ works in their class, commissioners who pay Young to make a piece for them will sometimes describe a unique vision that Young translates into art.

While the appeal of making money first led Young to entrepreneurship, it is the support and recognition they receive from those who buy and enjoy their pieces that keeps them motivated.

“People actually enjoying and wanting to buy the things that I make is kind of a confidence boost, it gives me hope and makes me want to continue it,” Young said.

While most eighth graders were sitting at home playing video games or watching movies during quarantine, senior Isaac Van Voorhis was writing and self-publishing a book on investing. The book, titled “The Portfolio Blueprints,” is intended as a guide to elementary investing for middle and high school students.

At first, Van Voorhis was skeptical about writing a book due to the time commitment and difficulty, but after doing more research, he found it more feasible than he had initially thought.

“It was honestly easier than I was expecting it to be. You hear ‘writing a book’ and think it’s a three-year commitment, [but] it only took me about three weeks to write and a month or two to edit it,” Van Voorhis said.

As a teenager in the middle of a global pandemic, Van Voorhis faced limitations when trying to publish his book. So, instead of relying on a traditional publisher to release his book, Van Voorhis looked into publishing it himself through digital marketplaces such as Amazon.

“You can often get kind of scrappy with things and bypass a lot of the time you think it would take,” Van Voorhis said. “If you take nontraditional routes, you can learn a lot by doing things that aren’t so conventional.”

Junior Carly Peters started babysitting for a family friend when she was 12. Since then, she has built up a network of clients and now babysits for eight families, caring for kids for around three to six hours per week. Peters typically finds families through traditional networking — referrals from other families and posting ads on Nextdoor.

Last year, Peters’ schedule was frequently booked with babysitting gigs. But because babysitting is an entirely selfrun operation, Peters had the freedom to lower her number of gigs per week when entering junior year.

“It’s really nice because I did try to have a job, and it was really hard because my schedule isn’t always consistent,” Peters said. “And I don’t like being tied down to specific hours when I just have so much to do. So having gig jobs is a really great way to work on your own time.”

Babysitting has provided Peters with not only money but also memories. Peters recalls a gig where she babysat for a fashion-obsessed child who decided Peters needed help with her prom outfit.

“And so she spent the next three hours designing a prom dress for me, so she drew it out and she colored it in and she described my makeup look that I should wear, my nails, what I should have in my purse, what kind of purse, what kind of shoes, the whole thing,” Peters said.

Senior Ava Shimkus has always had a passion for helping animals. Over the summer of her sophomore and junior year, she decided to turn her passion into a career.

“I always loved animals, but I wasn’t sure if I loved the medical part of it too,” Shimkus said. “But I think watching the surgeries really solidified it for me. [I could] participate in them, which [was] a really cool experience.”

Shimkus works as a paid veterinary technician at the Peninsula Avenue Veterinary Clinic. Her job includes giving vaccines, running blood tests and writing medical records. In college, Shimkus plans to pursue veterinary medicine.

“I get a lot of real life experience in a field that I’m interested in,” Shimkus said. “[And] I get paid like a regular job.”

Unfortunately, dealing with nervous animals has consequences, including bites, scratches, stress and emotional exhaustion.

“It’s a very high stress environment,” Shimkus said. “[It’s] physically and also emotionally taxing on you.”

Shimkus, however, finds that the enjoyable parts make it worth enduring the negatives.

“There’s so many positive things that happen as well, like when you see an animal that [wasn’t] doing well making a full recovery,” Shimkus said. “It’s just great to see, and it’s really rewarding.”

Working three part-time jobs would be a demanding schedule for anyone. However, senior Joanna Wong manages to do it while maintaining excellent grades and applying to colleges.

Wong works as a paid intern at an architecture firm called Group 4 Architecture, where she sends samples to clients, builds outreach boards, and creates presentations.

“I do a wide variety of things, [so] I get a taste of what every single person does,” Wong said.

Wong hopes to major in architecture in college to start a career as an architect or design expert. “[Working at the firm] helps me understand what it is [to be] an architect because I’m next to them, and I get to learn what they do,” Wong said.

Predictably, her workload can become overwhelming to manage while juggling three jobs.

“It’s hard to make sure I’m on top of everything,” Wong said. “[I] end up working until late midnight sometimes.”

Sleep deficiency aside, working three different jobs is worth it for the array of skill sets Wong gains along the way.

“I can do a lot of different things I wouldn’t have been able to do if I worked at, like, a Boba shop or something,” Wong said.

When he’s not at swim practice, you can find junior Josh Ortiz teaching kids to swim at the Burlingame Aquatic Center (BAC). Ortiz began swimming when he was six years old and joined the swim team his freshman year. Ortiz has been working as a swim instructor at BAC since last summer and chose the job not only for the financial prospects but also because it required a skill he had already mastered.

“I mean, I knew how to swim, and I’ve been at BAC for a bunch of years, so I feel like it was just a natural transition for me to start working at BAC,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz typically works on the weekends, as rushing from school to the pool can be challenging. In the summer, Ortiz’s schedule is much more packed, as he teaches lessons six to seven days a week.

Although swimming isn’t something Ortiz wants to pursue in the future, the role has given him an idea of what career field he wants to enter — teaching.

Aside from the convenient location, working at the BAC also gives Ortiz the opportunity to make an impact by teaching children crucial swimming skills.

“I’d say when kids are able to understand something after you’ve taught them after multiple practices and they’re finally able to get it down, like a stroke or how to do something, how to breathe correctly, that’s definitely super satisfying,” Ortiz said.

Emily Young

Isaac Van Voorhis

Carly Peters

Ava Shimkus

Joanna Wong

Josh Ortiz

8

March 18, 2024

Sports

Golf puts team first

Girls’ lacrosse preps for league

Reigning PAL champs rely on collaboration

PHOTO BY ARDA INEGOL

PHOTO BY JOSIE WETTAN

Senior Gigi Bottarini faces off against her Menlo opponent in a draw during their game on March 6.

Sophomore Ethan Cyb putts on the second green at Half Moon Bay Golf Links as senior Nate Teitelbaum analyzes the break during their match against Sequoia on Thursday, March 7.

BY JOSIE WETTAN

BY ARDA INEGOL

Staff Reporter

As the wind hits the Old Course at Half Moon Bay Golf Links, two players help read each other’s challenging putts, leading to two par saves and an ensuing victory — a typical scene at a Burlingame boys’ golf match.

While golf is technically an individual sport, with each golfer working independently to add to the overall score, this year’s team maintains a highly-connected and collaborative environment.

One of the team’s standout players, sophomore Cole Weyer, asserts that his teammates are essential in helping him stay positive throughout a round.

“We pick each other up when we hit bad shots,” Weyer said. “[We] help each other with the

overall golf game.”

Head coach Jon Ramirez is particularly proud of his players’ ability to consistently motivate each other. Even so, he says that his players rightfully treat subpar golf with occasional silence to bolster individual reflection.

“Whether it’s calming each other down, or helping each other with shots, giving each other distances, but also knowing when to kind of, not say anything,” Ramirez said.

Senior Nate Teitelbaum believes the team’s strong atmosphere is key to its success and will pay dividends as the players continue matchplay. Of course, it is also helpful that all golfers on the team are highly-skilled athletes.

“I think this is the best team I’ve ever had,” Teitelbaum said.

“We’re putting up lower scores than we’ve ever scored.”

This motivation is precisely what boys’ golf needed to beat rivals Aragon and Hillsdale early in the season. And they have not wavered since. With an undefeated record, they are already well on their way to winning the Peninsula Athletic League championship for the second year in a row, and their success in the Central Coast Section tournament seems inevitable. But, as Teitelbaum explains, all players are there for each other, no matter victory or defeat.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to play with my boys, keep having fun, keep putting up good scores, keep pushing each to play better and better,” Teitelbaum said. “I want to show the world what we have.”

Soccer claims state championship

From pg. 1

Azcarza, Hank Lane, Charlie Lane, Altai Ordubadi, Jordan Dean, Felix Sutherlin and Sammy Faham started strong with four consecutive wins, but began to slow down, losing three of their next six games. Despite this minor setback, the Panthers came back even stronger, going unbeaten for their next nine games and securing a spot in the Central Coast Section (CCS) Division 1 — the highest CCS division.

In the CCS semi-finals, the Panthers fell to the only opponent who beat them multiple times this season, Saint Francis High School. Due to Burlingame’s previous record, they secured a spot in the Division II NorCal Championship and didn’t look back.

The Panthers won three consecutive NorCal playoff games, including an overtime thriller in the NorCal final against Dougherty Valley High School — the No. 1 seed in the tournament.

The Panthers’ game against Dougherty Valley was one of the most exhilarating of the year. It was filled with aggressive tackles, outbursts, technical fouls and an overtime game-winner scored by sophomore Dylan Rossen.

PHOTO BY HENRY GARDNER

Last season was a breakout year for girls’ lacrosse.

They ended with a 13-4 record and a league co-championship, dropping just one game in the West Bay Athletic League Skyline Division.

In other words, they entered this spring ready for a new challenge. They intentionally scheduled pre-season face-offs against the best competition in the Bay Area, including Menlo School and Menlo-Atherton High School. But despite the tough matchups, Burlingame fared well against Menlo-Atherton, only losing 7-10 and beating Notre Dame Belmont, who play in a lower league, 9-5. However, the team had a tough loss to Menlo School losing the contest 17-5.

“We scheduled a pretty tough preseason schedule, playing teams that are high-level teams,” head coach Phil Wang said. “I think this team’s ready for it, but they need to see them. They need to see the high-level teams too.”

Burlingame is determined to replicate and build on last year’s success. In practice, Wang emphasizes focusing on the fundamentals, including winning ground ball contests and strong passing and catching. As the non-league games come to an end, Wang is intent on preparing the team to compete when it matters most.

“Everybody’s growing into different positions and I’m learning a ton about the players and how they play in game situations,” Wang said. “I know the players are getting better too because you can’t simulate game situations at practice, but I know I tell the team ‘you’ve got to get better every practice, be just a tiny bit, 1% better and every game too,’ I know we’re learning during the game.”

Although the team lost multiple valuable seniors from last year, senior captain Zaina Michael is confident about the team’s chances in league.

“We have some really strong players, and we have good mentality and good skill. So there’s not much of a difference [from last year] besides our old players leaving,” Micheal said. “If we keep the practice up and keep the energy up at practice, we’ll be as successful.”

The squad is also filled with lots of young talent, including three freshmen and, most notably, sophomore Haleh Ansari, who is one of the most dominant players on the field.

“Haleh’s just got a motor that just runs at a high level,” Wang said. “She hasn’t even shown her full speed play yet. But she’s getting more and more comfortable with [calling her own number].”

In Burlingame’s matchup against The Menlo School, the Panthers’ defense struggled to stop the Knights’ shots. They also lost most of the one-on-one draws, which led to extended offensive possessions, and extra goals for Menlo. However, both Micheal and Ansari were able to convert points for Burlingame’s offense.

In their final pre-season game on March 12, Burlingame played extremely well, beating Lowell High School 14-5. The Panthers also played Woodside Priory for their opening league game and dominated 12 - 6.

Business Manager

Four of Burlingame’s seniors celebrate after Altai Ordubadi’s game-tying penalty, sending the game to overtime.

“In the beginning, we came out a little slow,” junior Owen Schroeder said. “In the second half, we took possession a lot, and started pinging the ball around, which led to us having a better second half, and win.”

What makes the Panthers’ title run particularly impressive is the contributions from young players. At points during the season, the majority of the starting lineup was underclassmen, with sophomores like Rossen, Jack Clarke, Dax Mytels, Ricardo Felix and Darren Wagner shining alongside freshmen Thalin Rees, Kamran Basar and Ayaan Palaniappan.

“It’s not easy for the freshmen and sophomores to step up and play with juniors and seniors at

a varsity level, but they just kept getting better and better,” head coach Anthony Dimech said.

Many team members credited this year’s incredible success to Dimech, who guided the team to an 18-4-1 record and the aforementioned NorCal title despite losing 15 of last year’s seniors. “[Coach Dimech] is a critical reason why we were successful this year,” Faham said. “We worked harder than most teams we played against, and credit for that has to go to Dimech.”

Overall, boys’ soccer successfully turned a season marked by many as a “rebuilding year” into the greatest season in the program’s history and one of the greatest seasons for any team in Burlingame history.

March 18, 2024

9

Sports

Spring Athletes

LOCKING IN

lead the way

BY ZACHARY NEWMAN

Sports Editor

frosh phenom

BY JOELLE HUYSMANS

Diversity Coordinator

PHOTO BY ZACHAR Y NEWMAN

In second grade, freshman Alexa Chang’s parents signed her up for swimming lessons at the Burlingame Aquatics Club (BAC) hoping that she would learn the vital skill. At the time, she also indulged in numerous other sports, including soccer, gymnastics and ballet. It did not take long, however, for Chang to discov- e r that swimming was her true passion.

Fast-forward seven years, and Chang participates on the BAC team, competes in national meets and was even selected as one of the top 12 girls in California to practice at the Olympic training center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Although she specializes in long distance events, her personal records are impressive across the board.

So when Chang tried out for the high school team this spring, it was no surprise that she not only made the varsity team as a freshman but also became one of the team’s most valuable swimmers.

“High school [swimming] is really nice.

[Swimming] is very team-based because we are all collectively trying to beat another school,” Chang said. “So it’s easy to make a lot of friends and really get to know your team well.”

No matter the time of year, Chang considers swimming a big priority. She swims every day in the afternoon, returning home at 7:30 p.m. and wakes up at 5 a.m. for an additional morning practice every other day.

“Swimming has been such a big part of my life,” Chang said. “It’s where I found a couple of my best friends and I do it basically everyday. So I always thought it would be great if I could continue in college.”

PHOTO BY JOELLE HUYSMANS

A brick wall

BY BRINDA IYER

Copy Editor

On the run

BY KAYLEE HWANG

Staff Reporter

PHOTO BY BRINDA IYER

T

PHO

Senior Luke Nielsen’s success as the boys’ varsity lacrosse goalie has been nothing short of extraordinary. When diagnosing his unprecedented success, it would be easy to point to his mind-overmatter mindset, his unwavering commitment to daily training or even his parallel career as a professional juggler. But according to Nielsen, there’s one overarching reason for his progress: love.

“I just love [lacrosse],” Nielsen said.

“Loving what I’m doing is the main driver.”

When watching Nielsen play, it would be difficult to guess that he has only played lacrosse for three years. Nielsen is on the USA National Team and trained with a professional lacrosse player during the offseason. To Nielsen, mental strength matters just as much as physical strength.

“Play with your physicality, but playing with your mind is another important thing in a position, and that’s something that no prior experience can help you with,” Nielsen said.

Nielsen also attributes his performance on the field to his biggest supporters: his teammates.

“They give me a lot of hope in the cage because I can’t perform if I don’t have the defense in front of me, and they’re just phenomenal,” Nielsen said.

LEE

OB Y KA Y HW ANG

Foreign exchange student and junior Lilly Kolmsee only has a few more months before returning to Germany, but she sure has made every moment running for the Panthers count. Since August, despite her cross-country or track practices, Kolmsee has woken up every morning at 5:30 a.m. to swim at the school pool and run for an hour before school begins.

Although Kolmsee arrived at Burlingame this fall, she started running at the age of 11, when her horseback riding instructor urged her to compete in Vierkampf competitions — an event with two miles of running, a 50-meter freestyle swimming, riding a dressage test and completing a jumping course.

When Kolmsee joined cross country this past August, she fell in love with it — and just in time to help the girls’ varsity team win its first Central Coast Section Division III title.

“I will definitely miss the people because it’s like a big family. Track and cross country is just so special. Everyone should try to find a sport that they like so much that they want to go to practice every day,” Kolmsee said.

She enjoyed cross country so much that she decided to join track. At the season opener on March 6, Kolmsee ran the mile, 800 meters and 4x400 relay. Although she didn’t beat her personal record, she was happy with her performance, as she placed third in the women’s varsity 800 meters.

Kolmsee hopes to qualify for CCS in the two-mile event before she returns to Germany. But whatever she does on the track this spring, she attributes her success to everyone who has helped her along the way.

“I wouldn’t be here without the support of my family, especially my dad, who always used to run with me and cheer me on in every one of my races and [a] difficult workout,” Kolmsee said.

While he may be seen joking with his teammates or having fun in the dugout, when it is time to take the mound, senior Luca Scatena is all business. His unique ability to block out the noise and deliver in the most significant moments has brought him success during his time throwing for the varsity baseball squad.

Take his outing against Serra High School on March 8, for example. Despite a sputtering Burlingame offense that couldn’t generate one run, Scatena backed up his teammates and threw seven strong innings, allowing just one earned run in a complete game. It was Scatena’s poise that allowed him to slow the game down and retire batters.

“Staying in it, even though there were guys on, the crowd was heckling,” Scatena said. “I stayed in and I was pounding [hard]. I tried my hardest.”

Scatena’s impressive numbers are nothing new. Last year, he posted a 2.10 earned run average (ERA) with a perfect 6-0 record. But he’s risen to a new level this spring and as of March 12, owns a gaudy 0.93 ERA in 15 innings pitched.

For Scatena, baseball is more than just a game — it is a constant source of joy in his life.

“I love playing baseball. It’s everything,” Scatena said. “I feel like I’ve played baseball my whole life.

The people I meet just makes the game better.”

Baseball

Track and field

5-2 overall

Meet @ El Camino 3/27

BADMINTON

Swimming

1-2 overall

meet vs mills 3/21

LACROSSE

softball

girls: 12-8 W vs Priory BOYS: 2-1 W vs Sequoia

overall 4-2

STATS CORNER

*as of 3/14

10

March 18, 2024

Opinion

THE BURLINGAME B Editor-in-Chief Elise Spenner Managing Editors Sophia Bella Jake Rothstein Sports Editor Zachary Newman Business Manager Arda Inegol Web Editor Jeannine Chiang Diversity Coordinator Joelle Huysmans Social Coordinator Natalie Gyde Copy Editors Arshia Chakravartti Brinda Iyer Abby Knight Senior Reporter Sophia Doss Will Kriner Sophia Puzon Staff Reporters Alex Bertelli Margo Bigue Evelyn Du Henry Gardner Brendan Gilmore Kaylee Hwang Iny Li Connie Lu Audrey Wei Josie Wettan Emma Yu

PHOTO BY ABBY KNIGHT

B

Editorial Preserving our library

BY THE BURLINGAME B EDITORIAL BOARD At Burlingame, the library is for everything but reading. Take a peek into the library at lunch or during class periods, and you’ll find students working on schoolwork on their computers, talking with friends, playing chess, checking in with College and Career Advisor Jonathan Dhyne and Career Coordinator Carrie Hermann or occasionally checking out books for their English classes — but not reading.

The data backs up that anecdotal evidence: around 50 books were checked out by students in the fall semester. In response to the decline in traditional use of the library, the administration has decided to take a different approach to the building.

As part of the school’s goal of providing a broader range of services through the library, the College and Career Center moved into the building last year. But the administration plans to go further, rebranding the library to a student union as a more communal space for students to interact and complete school work. This includes removing books that have not been checked out for over a decade and updating inventory to cater to student needs and interests.

Although repurposing the library would cater to student interests, doing so gives up on our students without making a real effort to solve the root problem: we don’t read. With growing technology use and addiction, many teenagers do not feel interested in reading books, let alone checking one out from the

Modernizing the library would provide more technological benefits for students, but would take away from the value the library holds. library. We tend to prefer digital textbooks over physical ones, we use SparkNotes or LitCharts rather than reading assigned English books and we spend our spare time surfing social media instead of enjoying a novel. Revamping the library just perpetuates this problem, increasing dependency on technology rather than reducing it.

Instead of gutting our library, we should keep some of the library aspect and maintain a balance between the interactive student center and the library’s quieter study environment.

Other schools in the Bay Area, such as Palo Alto High School, have also faced similar issues, but rather than rebranding the library, they have created more avenues that promote the use of library resources. Some of these resources include tutoring programs or programs to promote reading. Adding resources like student ambassadors and op-

portunities for librarians to teach students about research methods and credible sources will allow students to learn important real-world skills.

If the library introduced a wider variety of literary options, students would feel more motivated to check out books to read. The library’s arrangement could be more welcoming if there were more books in the first place. Restocking the few shelves in the library with books students want to read and adding proper organization in the library, would draw more students to rekindle their love of reading.

In short, doing away with our library would be an injustice to our students. Let’s at least try to give them a space where they feel confident and excited to read and make use of all a library has to offer. Let’s not give up on reading yet.

Teacher Adviser Melissa Murphy Policy Statement: The Burlingame B is a student-run newspaper with the sole purpose of providing an open forum for student expression.

Anything printed represents the opinion of the writer, but not necessarily that of the Burlingame B staff, the administration, or the faculty of Burlingame High School, or anyone affiliated with the San Mateo Union High School District. The Burlingame B does not discriminate against race, political orientation, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability. Although The Burlingame B will never refuse to publish guest submission based on the aforementioned factors, we reserve the right to edit or not publish them.

Letters to the Editor Disagree with the writers? Bring your letters to the room A120 or email them to <theburlingameb@smuhsd.org>.

Letters may be considered for publication. The Burlingame B reserves the right to edit for clarity, length, and accuracy. We welcome all comments.

Underclassmen lack class options

BY JOSIE WETTAN

Staff Reporter

Many eighth graders enter high school expecting to be free of course constraints and able to enroll in their choice of classes. In reality, while freshmen can choose to take a seventh class as an elective, aside from math, they have very few options on how to fulfill their other requirements. For students who opt to take classes like directed studies, AVID or Self & Social Empowerment, taking other electives is not even an option.

And while sophomores have more leeway,

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

JOELLE HU

such as opting to take Advanced Standing English or Advanced Placement (AP) World History, choices still remain limited. Administrators at Burlingame should work to make changes to help accommodate more student choice.

Because the school schedule has seven periods, the number of classes students can take is limited. However, Burlingame does offer a zero period before school for specific classes like service commission.

At other schools in the San Mateo Union High School District, such as Aragon, San Mateo and Hillsdale High School, there is a zero period offered for a wider variety of classes, such as physical education (P.E.). With a more flexible zero period, students could attend classes in the morning, and then have more time for jobs or responsibilities after school. If the zero period is built upon with more class offerings, students

would also be able to take more classes as underclassmen so, during senior year, they can focus on things like college applications and the SAT. The district could also offer more flexibility for fulfilling the P.E. credit. Currently, only the standard P.E. class meets the required two years; there are no alternatives like dance or yoga. Half Moon Bay High School is an example of a school that has more options for receiving the P.E. credit, including an independent P.E. study course.

I also think that Burlingame should give underclassmen more freedom to take classes online or off campus. The school already allows students to take math classes off campus, as well as students in AVID to take P.E. over the summer going into sophomore year, so for other students who want to free up their schedule, this would be a great option. Students who are especially interested in science could take chemistry the summer going into their sophomore year, so they could take more AP science classes later in high school.

Overall, students have a variety of interests and goals which is why they should be given more options in terms of how they want to complete their credits and what classes they want to take.

March 18, 2024

11

Community

Going green for St. Patrick’s

BY BRENDAN GILMORE

Staff Reporter

St. Patrick’s Day — a world-renowned holiday centered around Irish culture, the Catholic Saint of Ireland, food, and drink — takes place annually on March 17. At Burlingame, Irish and non-Irish students alike celebrate the holiday with trips to the San Francisco parade, traditional meals and Irish dance shows.

O RE

ORE

LM

PHO TO B

GI

BR E

N DA

PHOTO BY

E

N

G

Y

BR

ILM

G I LMORE

PH O

AN ND

RE

PHOTO COURTESY OF AINE O’TOOLE

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAEVE CANNIFFE

PHOTO COURTESY OF RYAN DALY

TO

B BY

AN ND

Every St. Patrick’s Day, Daly and his family put a green spin on classic breakfast foods.

With her family’s involvement in the parade, Canniffe hasn’t missed a single St. Patrick’s Day.

When O’Toole was in elementary school, her teacher read aloud books on the history of St. Patrick’s Day.

Ryan Daly

Maeve Canniffe

Aine O’Toole

Senior Ryan Daly, who is part Irish, feels that you don’t need to be Irish to celebrate the holiday. For Daly, St. Patrick’s Day is more than just a holiday, it is a way of life.

With generations of his family celebrating the holiday, Daly views St. Patrick’s Day as an opportunity to grow closer to his Irish culture in more entertaning ways.

“We always wear green and just for fun, we’ll see how much green food we can eat,” said Daly. “For breakfast, we’ll get green bagels, and drink green milk, [and for dinner] we’ll eat some Irish food…[as much] green as much as possible.”

Among many other things, one of Daly’s favorite memories from St. Patrick’s Day is going to San Francisco to watch the annual parade that cruises down Market Street.

“We’d go out, [and] we’d watch all the floats,” Daly said. “We [would] just celebrate with a bunch of family, friends and stuff. I have a bunch of friends who are Irish, so [we’d] just go up there and have fun.”

Senior Maeve Canniffe has always had a behindthe-scenes view on the organization of the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in San Francisco as her parents help to manage the event.

“I have never missed a St. Patrick’s Day parade,” Canniffe said. “The parade used to be super small… [but] my parents, along with some other people, expanded it.”

Canniffe is also a lifelong Irish dancer, and performs yearly at the tip of the parade alongside her sister. Although perfecting the routine requires long hours, she feels that the seeing the smiles on the audience’s faces while she dances makes it all worth it.

Being not only Irish but also an avid participant in the parade, Canniffe believes the holiday can be celebrated regardless of one’s ethnicity.

“Anybody can be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day; that’s why I think it’s important to recognize the culture and history, to connect with other people,” Canniffe said.

Every St. Patrick’s Day, Aine O’Toole and her family cook a classic Irish dinner of corned beef and cabbage.

While she cherishes all of her St. Patrick’s Day memories, her favorites are from elementary school.

“My mom and other Irish parents would get this leprechaun costume…come into our classes and read a story, share Irish culture, and [explain] how leprechauns are tricksters,” O’Toole said.

Contrary to popular belief, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade did not occur in Ireland but rather in the United States.

“In Ireland, they do celebrate it, but it’s [more of] just for kids to get chocolate and be tricksters,” said O’Toole.

O’Toole’s parents were born in Galway, Ireland, so she has a unique position on the differences of how St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in the United States and Ireland.

“Unfortunately a lot of the history on St. Patrick’s Day was destroyed, drinking and eating Irish stuff is the way it’s often celebrated,” O’Toole said.

12

March 18, 2024

Student Life

Formal at the circus

WINTER

BY MARGO BIGUE

Staff Reporter

FORMAL

PHOTOS BY F

AME B STAF

THE BURLING

Students enjoyed an evening of laughter, friendship and magic at this year’s winter formal, a “Night at the Circus” at the Hyatt Regency on Friday, March 1. In preparation, the junior class cabinet, which organizes the event annually, sold over 660 tickets and assembled carnival games, including a fortune teller and ring toss.

“Since Burlingame doesn’t have a gym, we made a deal with the Hyatt to be able to host both our homecoming and formal in their event center,” class president Lexie Levitt said. “We wanted to pick a theme that allowed for other activities and games, and that’s why we chose the carnival theme.”

The event offered various food for students, from macaroons and cupcakes to pizza, all served on tables with old-timey red and white-striped tablecloths. The dance floor was the center of the festivities, where students showcased their dance moves under the glow of colorful lights.

Fitting for a carnival-themed dance, “Carnival,” a new release from Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s album “Vultures 1,” was a hit on the dance floor.

“I saw a lot of people running and at first I could hear what was playing. Then I started hearing the lyrics of the song ‘Carnival’ and I started running as well,” junior Happy Lee said. It was really funny. It got really messy in the mosh pit, but it was a fun time.”

The combination of delicious treats and festive decorations, including carnival-themed backdrops for photo opportunities and balloon arches, made it a night to remember.

“It was a successful theme. My favorite part was the games, I watched my friends play and saw super cool prizes,” Lee said.

PHOTO BY EMMA YU

Footloose prepares to rock (and roll) the stage The cast members of “Footloose” crowd around Ren McCormack, played by junior Nico Bennett, during a rehearsal. The musical debuted on March 15.

BY EMMA YU

Staff Reporter Last Friday, March 15 marked the opening night of Burlingame Drama’s spring performance: “Footloose” the musical, adapted from the 1984 award-winning film.

Footloose centers around an energetic teenager named Ren McCormack, who discovers the hardships of moving to a new town, where rock music and dancing are illegal due to the main antagonist, the Rev. Shaw Moore. There, Ren meets Ariel Moore, the Rev. Moore’s outgoing, troublemaking and rebellious daughter. “[Ariel] has so many emotions, so many struggles, and difficulties that she tries to conceal,” said senior Elizabeth

Diehl, the actress playing Ariel Moore. “It was hard [to act out] at the start of the production, but I think I’ve gotten so [much more] comfortable.”

The devoted cast and crew of “Footloose” have been rehearsing every day for about three hours since early January. During the week before opening night, dress rehearsals ramped up to six hours each day.

“I think everyone’s at a high level of stress and excitement,” said junior assistant stage manager Happy Lee during rehearsal. “It’s really exciting to see everyone in their costumes, and it’s fun to perform with all the set pieces. [But] it’s also stressful trying to make sure that [all] the queues line up, and we’re

trying to perfect everything as best as we can.”

Although the cast perfected the performance by opening day, it was not an easy process.

Footloose is one of the most aerobic and dance-heavy musicals Burlingame drama has ever debuted.

“The dancing rehearsals have been really intense,” Lee said. “We’ve never done a show with this much [dancing]. I think the cast is also getting used to it, but they’ve come really far.”

Lee was not exaggerating.

During rehearsal week, the cast spent a grueling six hours a day in the theater, a process that took a toll on the entire cast. Fortunately, the cast and crew’s close bonds kept morale and productivity high.

“It’s really the people that energize me, and I think there’s just this positive energy flowing throughout the entire performance,” Diehl said.

“There are four other girls that I work closely with, who are my best friends in the show.

We all support each other so much, [and] there’s never a dull moment.”

Diehl is intentional about preserving the welcoming atmosphere for freshmen cast members, as the support of veteran members was crucial for Diehl when she first joined theater. “[When I was a freshman], so many of the juniors and seniors welcomed me into the community, and I’m very grateful for that,” Diehl said.

“I tried to do the same and I

really just hope that I created the same environment that I got as a freshman.”

Freshman Aidan Vega, who plays a bully sidekick named Lyle, is living proof that Diehl’s efforts have paid off. “[Footloose] has definitely been a big chunk of my freshman year and I’m having a lot of fun,” Vega said. “I’m branching out to new people and finding a community that is very welcoming.”

Until the sixth and final performance is over, the cast and crew will continue rocking the stage.

“We’ve been working really hard,” Lee said. “It’s gonna be great. The dancing [and] the singing is amazing. You really can’t miss it.”