December Issue 2023 by The Burlingame B Newspaper

What’s Inside:

4 Reselling shoes

THE December 18, 2023

8 Competitive

6/7 Diverse holiday

hockey stars

traditions

12 Try the B’s crossword puzzle!

URLINGAME B Issue 3 Vol 134

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

PHOTO BY CONNIE LU

Workers on strike Burlingame workers strike over speech suppression amid contract negotiations

Gym construction has remained inactive since May.

Gym construction cleared to begin BY CONNIE LU

Staff Reporter

PHOTOS BY JAKE ROTHST EIN

BY JAKE ROTHSTEIN

Managing Editor

The San Mateo County American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 829 union picketed in front of Burlingame City Hall for 16 hours on Dec. 4, citing intimidation and suppression of free speech from City Management amid stalled contract negotiations. Although the picketing was attended by over 100 AFSCME members, guest speakers and union supporters and marked the first city strike since 1981, no apparent progress has been made in negotiations in the weeks since.

“There were three incidents of unfair labor practices where city managers threatened employees after they spoke up to the city council and exercised their rights and public comment to advocate for fair wages and better working conditions,” AFSCME representative Rod Palmquist said. “[One example was] after [an employee] spoke at city council, the superintendent of parks told the employee that the mayor of Burlingame, Michael Brownrigg, takes comments personally and that we, as in AFSCME, have to watch what we say.” In response, AFSCME helped workers file official re-

taliation charges against Burlingame with the California Public Employment Relations Board. Even with the suit filed, AFSCME reported continued suppression of speech from Burlingame managers. The lack of progress was a key motive for the strike, which received support from 96% of the union. “The retaliation and the unfair labor practices kept happening [after the suit was filed],” said AFSCME member Dante Campania, a sewer lead worker. “Nothing was said from city council or city managers [regarding the suit].”

See “Strike,” page 2

The Burlingame gym was demolished in May. In the seven months since, the area has remained an inactive pile of dirt. But that’s set to change soon, as the construction plan was approved by the Division of the State Architect (DSA) on Friday, Dec. 7. Because the gym is such a large construction project, approval has been difficult. The district team spent five hours reviewing the construction plan with the DSA in Oakland on Tuesday, Nov. 28, but still emerged without full approval, needing to revise three structural safety issues. According to Associate Superintendent and Chief Business Officer Yancy Hawkins, who oversees the facilities department, the gym plan was split into two parts, causing delays. Typically, the demolition and construction of a building are approved together in one plan, but in order to ensure approval of construction of the portables before the school year began, the district team worked with the DSA to expedite approval of that half of the plan — demolition and portable construction — while pushing the actual construction plan for later consideration. So, for the past seven months, the first half of the plan was approved, but construction couldn’t begin until the second half was approved. These issues with the construction plan have frustrated many members of the Burlingame community, including Principal Jen Fong. “I’m extremely disappointed that there has not been active construction for the past two, three months,” Fong said. “I was hoping we would have the gym back in January 2025, but in the back of my mind, I knew that [there] was a possibility it would be later. I haven’t been told, but I’m assuming that August 2025 would be a more appropriate date to hope for.” Hailey Miller, a junior on the varsity girls’ basketball team, is especially frustrated. For the next two seasons, her practices, games — and most crucially, her senior night — will be at another school. “[Not having a gym for senior night] kind of makes me a little angry because it’s my senior year and I’ve been at the school for four years and so [to] not have the gym is heartbreaking,” Miller said. Athletic director John Philipopoulos has worked hard with other administrators to ensure that athletic programs have space to practice despite lacking a home gym. “We’re often getting practice slots that aren’t always the most desirable because we have to work around the home school,” Philipopoulos said.

See “Gym construction” page 2

December 18, 2023

News

Gym construction From pg. 1

New advanced course at Burlingame

BY BRINDA IYER

Copy Editor

Starting in the 2024-25 school year, juniors and seniors can take a semester-long advanced ethnic studies elective. The course will closely resemble the Intro to Ethnic Studies course, which is mandatory for freshmen, but will go into more depth on each topic. The plan to implement this course at Burlingame has been in motion for a few years, preceding Principal Jen Fong. Schools throughout the San Mateo Union High School District, such as Hillsdale High School and Capuchino High School, already offer the course. At Burlingame, current U.S. History teacher Megan Nasser will teach the course and has been given authority over the class content. “There’s something about the curriculum that I feel very passionate about,” said Nasser, who previously taught the intro class. “I think it’s the focus on marginalized voices and perspectives that draws me in the most. I really like discussing a lot of things that don’t usually get covered in high school.” The advanced course will last one semester so it doesn’t weigh too heavily on students. Its fast pace should keep students interested and motivated. “[In] one semester you get that organic, initial honeymoon period when you’re first getting to know a teacher and you’re first excited about the content,” said Matthew McDermott, who currently teaches AP Government and Politics and Intro to Ethnic Studies. “It’s an elective, it should be pretty high-interest, high-engaging style. We want to give a lot of students a voice to decide what they want to study.” Because the class is only one semester, students will have more free reign over their schedules and the opportunity to ex-

GRAPHIC BY SOPHIA BELLA

“It’s nothing that we didn’t expect and all of our district schools, athletic directors, [and] administration have been very helpful and welcoming. Our coaches, kids and families have done a great job managing as well,” Philipopoulos said. Athletes like Miller have had to deal with diminishing morale and location inconveniences without a gym. “I really miss having the gym because it was convenient,” Miller said. “It was right here and I miss being at our home. It feels odd to play somewhere else.” For many, the gym’s absence isn’t just about the facility; it’s about the environment that brought the Burlingame community together. “We had the staff versus student volleyball game out on the front lawn, and there were only maybe 50 students outside, whereas when we did it previous year inside the gym, there were probably 500,” Fong said. “That’s a little sad. I don’t know if we’ll have a March Madness tournament for all students [like previous years]. It’s definitely sad not having those kinds of lunchtime events with larger groups of students in the same place.” Despite the difficulties resulting from the gym’s absence, the performance of athletic teams remains strong. “In the fall, we had one of our indoor sports win a CCS championship but didn’t play a single home game, [and] we didn’t have a chance to cheer for them,” Fong said. “I’m hoping that we [succeed] with our winter and spring indoor sports as they won’t have that home court advantage. That affects us, but I think the success of the team showed that it’s not a requirement to have your home field in order to win a championship.” Aside from athletics, the portables have been able to replace the gym’s other functionalities — namely, as a locker room and office for teachers. “The gym is irreplaceable, there’s nothing we can do about that,” Philopopoulos said. “The portables in a lot of ways [are nicer], though the one thing we don’t have is a shower and a bathroom for the coaches. They’re bigger, [and] cleaner. All the staff is in one space here and everybody’s been really cohesive, cooperative and getting along well so it hasn’t been terrible.” Overall, Fong thinks that the issues caused by the absence of the gym underscored the strength of the Burlingame community. “I think the gym’s demolition and corresponding construction really shows how great our community is,” Fong said. “Whenever you have some kind of adversity, like not being on schedule, it will just show again that [Burlingame] does have strong collaboration. As a community, we’ve shown repeatedly that we can rise above adversity, and that we are good problem solvers.” While Burlingame misses the presence of the gym, many are looking forward to the new building. “[The] improved facilities will promote participation... providing a facility that our students, families and community can be proud of, not only now, but for the next 100 years,” Philipopoulos said. “We want to make sure that we are doing right for our current and future families and we feel confident that we’ve done that.”

Ethnic Studies elective

pose themselves to other classes during the year. “In high school, you’re required to take four years of English, whereas in college, they might say you can choose from the humanities, choose an English or history class and there’s some options,” Fong said. “So in this case, it’s a little bit like starting to express that autonomy and deciding what your class schedule will look like.” The course will be project-based and hands-on, meaning students will have more control over their exploration of the topics. McDermott hopes that once students take Ethnic Studies as freshmen, they will be emotionally ready to discuss sensitive topics in-depth and get involved in activism efforts in the advanced class. “Our students [will] have matured academically and intellectually. The idea of being an activist and making a change will be there from the beginning, and it will be much more central to everything,” McDermott said. “You have to understand a problem to solve a problem, so hopefully the upper level [course] is going to work on really thinking of solutions based on the work in Modern World History, in English, in the whole school.” After a positive experience

with the Intro to Ethnic Studies course, sophomore Adriana Tjader hopes to take the advanced course during her senior year. “I’m really interested in the study of people and how we’ve evolved and what social norms we follow today,” Tjader said. “So I think that taking another class about [ethnic studies] and transitioning from that into my [future] job would be really good. I feel like I learned a lot from the [Intro to Ethnic Studies] course. It wasn’t boring, there was always something to do.” The advanced course will not just revisit topics from the intro class — it will shed light on new issues while avoiding subjects already covered in depth. For instance, the course will not feature the topic of redlining, as the Intro to Ethnic Studies and English 1 classes already teach that. Nasser hopes her class will be a comfortable, homework-free space for students to express themselves and engage in thought-provoking discussions. “[This course is] for those who want to hear more unique stories and hopefully have a sense of community,” Nasser said. “That’s one of my biggest goals, to have a safe space where we can talk about issues, be honest [and] explore ourselves. And hopefully, it’ll be really fun.”

Workers strike in Burlingame over contract negotiations AFSCME states that the strike is solely in response to retaliation and unfair labor practices and bears no relation to contract negotiations and worker compensation. However, these issues are inherently related because the alleged intimidation occurred when the two concerns were voiced to the city council. Currently, AFSCME is six months into negotiating a contract with Burlingame, locking all raises and bonuses until a contract is finalized — one that AFSCME hopes will include a wage hike. “Our wages are going further and further behind, and we’re experiencing pay cuts in real inflationary terms,” Palmquist said. “If you compare the jobs in Burlingame with other areas and cities, workers are paid less

for doing the same work that is more highly compensated by other regional cities around the Bay Area.” With rising living costs and uncompetitive salaries in the Bay Area, many workers have sought higher-paying work in other counties. “We’ve lost several people. Just in the last year in the water division we had three guys come in. We trained them for a year and a half, two years, they got their licenses, were just starting to get going, and all three of them left within a month or two,” Water Quality and Meter Lead Worker Richard Stephens said. “They got promoted to lead worker, but then they left to go to a higher-paying position [in other counties].” Workers that do stay struggle to afford to buy or rent in

Burlingame — one of the most expensive cities in California — and must contend with lengthy commutes. “Almost everyone commutes into [Burlingame],” Campania said. “Even when I started, people were commuting in from really far. We have a lot of people coming across the bridge every day. And it’s just gotten worse and worse and worse. You know, we seem to be getting further out and further out into the valley.” The AFSCME strike didn’t have a major effect on public safety as there was still a minimum number of required workers operating critical utilities in case of an emergency. “We proactively reached out to the city to make sure that we were maintaining critical services for health and safety,” Palmquist said. “Our members

PHOTO BY JAKE ROTHSTEIN

From pg. 1

Due to picketing, Burlingame Public Library was closed until 2 p.m. also work in sewer, water supply, City Hall and payroll in utilities in processing payments for residents — really, most of the city. We’re the largest union in the city.” One thing that many union members mentioned was a lack of respect and appreciation from city leadership.

“We deserve to be heard. We deserve to have the things we’re saying about what we need in workplaces and with wages be taken seriously, and I’m just disappointed,” Burlingame Librarian Jennifer Bousquet said. “I think they’re investing a lot of time and energy in fighting us instead of working with us.”

December 18, 2023

Features

Taking engineering into their own hands Seniors Lyons and Gordon build motorcyle from scratch Staff Reporter

Their journey began with a simple question: “Why can’t we do that, too?” While browsing YouTube in the summer of 2022, then-juniors Ian Gordon and Drew Lyons came across videos of people building electric motorcycles from scratch in their garage. One video in particular — by James Biggar — caught their attention because he created a customized vehicle using only scraps, universal parts and common tools. “It was the first video we watched where we really thought, ‘Oh, we could actually do this,’ because he made a point in his video to use the most basic tools — really accessible tools that anyone has,” Gordon said. Another motivating factor was the fact that Gordon’s father, a software engineer, frequently tinkered and already had a garage full of metalworking tools. Though Gordon and Lyons had practically no experience machining, assembling, or designing large-scale mechanisms, they were determined to learn on the go, taking a trial-and-error approach throughout junior year. “The first thing we did was with no plans, so we just had to wing it,” Lyons said. “We had to learn everything from

scratch — Ian’s dad helped out a lot with it — but we had to learn how to weld, had to learn how to grind.” Throughout the school year, they met many times a week, burned countless holes in their clothes and learned a lot of important mechanical skills. However, because they designed the bike frame from scratch, they encountered many issues and eventually had to restart. “We pretty much scrapped our entire year of progress on the motorcycles because it was just a learning thing,” Gordon said. “Once we restarted, we were able to get back to where we were super fast because we knew what we were doing [and] made plans the second time.” To prepare for their second attempt, Gordon and Lyons designed a 3-D model to lay out the bike’s components spatially. They also researched bike geometry, helping them determine important angles and connections in advance. Gordon and Lyons acquired the metal for their second bike at a junkyard near Hillsdale, and bought the electrical components on eBay. After getting all the necessary parts, the next step was to precisely measure, cut, weld and shape the metal to form the frame of the bike. Gordon and Lyons try to

PHOTO COUTESY OF DREW LYONS AND IAN GORDON

BY ALEX BERTELLI

Seniors Ian Gordon and Drew Lyons hope to complete their second iteration of a self-built motorcycle by the end of winter, learning from their earlier mistakes to expedite the process. work on their bike whenever they can, but college applications and extracurriculars can make it challenging to find time. Some weeks they work every day after school, and other weeks they can only meet on weekends. “We definitely keep it as consistent as possible because we know that it will lead to our best progress. We never [take] big breaks,” Lyons said. Their rapid progress in the past few months has pushed the vehicle near completion. As of now, they only need to

finish the steering and battery case, which they predict can be completed by the end of winter. Reflecting on the experience, both Lyons and Gordon have developed a genuine passion for engineering and hope to do more similar projects in the future. “I won’t do as big of a project again [anytime] soon, but I definitely want to do some smaller projects to keep me busy, keep me with something fun to do,” Gordon said. Their advice for anyone

Meet Burlingame’s micro-influencers

Junior Momoko Egan had been making videos and taking photos for many years when one randomly went viral early in high school. Her virality marked the start of her newfound passion for bringing people together over shared experiences. “I like making sure that people don’t feel alone,” Egan said. “I hope it helps people to understand that they’re not the only people that feels like that, and it makes me feel happy that people are understanding that there are other people out there.” Through her account Egan has been able to reach thousands of people and now has over 15,000 followers. Egan emphasized that making videos has also helped her process and work through situations. “I like that people agree with me, or relate to me, and I could share my emotions and feelings. And it’s like an outlet for me to express all my feelings,” Egan said.

BY JOSIE WETTAN Staff Reporter

@_zoeellaabbey_

PHOTO COURTESY OF ZOE ABBEY

For freshman Arman Strochak, posting on social media is not just a passion — it’s both a creative outlet and a potential career path. Specifically, Strochack has developed a knack for photo editing and an eye for combining colors to pop on his Instagram grid. “A lot of people liked how my Instagram was and how I put colors and pictures together on my profile… But I want to be an interior designer, I like to take little colors and palettes. All it takes is small little things to help you be more creative.” Strochak has had a platform for multiple years, amassing over 2,000 followers and numerous viral videos, some of which have received over 18,000 views. “Don’t let anybody criticize what you’re doing, because as long as you’re happy you will grow stronger and have more fun,” Strochak said. “Always be proud of what you do because one day you may [achieve] your goals.”

@momo.egann

PHOTO BY JOSIE WETTAN

@armanchristopher_

who wants to take on a similar project is to prepare well and take small steps to begin. Though their inexperience created issues early on, it was ultimately the act of starting that sparked all of the progress to come. “Just do it. Stay consistent,” Lyons said. “Consistency and efficiency are key. You need to be efficient, so use your time wisely. Don’t just listen to something and forget — listen to it and try to take it in.”

Senior Zoe Abbey has been posting content on TikTok for years, where she has gathered over 14,500 followers and received over one million likes. Abbey emphasized that while having a following online may seem like a dream from an external perspective, it comes along with its own struggles. “I didn’t realize how stressful it could be [being an influencer],” Abbey said. “I don’t even have a large following. You never know the comments you might get and the things people will say.” While TikTok is more of a hobby than future career path for Abbey, running the page is still a source of pride. “I’ve had some of my videos be sent around in group chats, I mean, like, it hurts me,” said Abbey. “But that won’t stop me from posting, because I post the things that I like. It’s my TikTok platform.”

December 18, 2023

Features

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KAYA TUNCA

Students resell shoes, turning hobby into business BY SOPHIA DOSS

Senior Reporter

running the business for as long as I did,” Tunca said. Senior Connor Lynch is also a long-time shoe aficionado. He was first introduced to the industry in 2015 after witnessing his brother’s success with reselling items from the designer brand Supreme’s PH

S OS AD HI

@plug.of.650, two years ago. “I first started off by making a social media page on Instagram and going to sneaker events in the area,” Tunca said. “As I got more serious I began to network with other [resellers] and looked to buy as many shoes as I could.” When he first started in the business, Tunca would sell whatever was in demand, whether that was Jordans or Yeezys. It was important for Tunca to be one step ahead to keep up with the trends. As his business grew, Tunca gained more knowledge about shoes and market trends, and is now able to anticipate the market’s behavior. “The sneaker market nowadays is very competitive,” Tunca said. “When I first started it wasn’t as bad but now it’s pretty hard to get into.” Although Tunca has paused his business now to focus on academics, he is satisfied with the impact he has made in the sneaker industry. “I didn’t want to be half in half out with my business as school has gotten more challenging, but I really enjoyed

For most people, reselling shoes is a casual hobby or an off-hand effort to make a few bucks. But for select Burlingame students, it is a full-fledged business venture, resulting in both profit and valuable financial knowledge. Sophomore Jake Simon discovered his passion for shoes when tasked with a year-long passion project in eighth grade. While he originally wanted to start a clothing brand, he realized he had more of an interest in sneakers. “I actually got the idea when I was talking with my dad,” Simon said. “During COVID a lot of collectable items were going up in value so [shoes were] a great business opportunity.” Simon pitched his shoe investing idea to his dad’s friends and colleagues through a carefully-crafted slideshow. In his pitch, he requested and received a $50,000 long-term investment, which he promptly invested and used to buy more shoes. Simon plans on running his business until August 2024 and

has currently resold 37 pairs of shoes. “I was really lucky I got into the business [before COVID],” Simon said. “COVID-19 prices were really inflated which meant a lot of the collectibles went up in value and I could make a good profit.” Simon currently reinvests his profits to buy and resell more shoes, and continues to learn life-long lessons about business management. While Simon has had success with his company so far, he recognizes that his start in the shoe reselling world was unusually lucky. “Starting off I was much more naive, and I didn’t have a lot of experience,” Simon said. “But finding that thing that I’m genuinely passionate about was so important and has made me a lot more successful.” Senior Kaya Tunca’s entrance into the shoe world differed slightly, stemming from his love for basketball — and his persistent search for good basketball shoes. Reselling shoes was a natural extension of this hunt, starting his own shoe business on Instagram,

My brother would buy Supreme off their website before they sold out, the resale value was really high so he made a good profit from it, that’s what first piqued my interest.” -Connor Lynch

website. When Lynch began reselling in 2017, he mainly focused on Air Jordans and Yeezys, popular sneakers at the time. Since he didn’t have social media at the time, he used the app Grailed, where he could list and sell his shoe collection. Around 2020, he created an Instagram account, @650snkers, and continued his business on that platform. It wasn’t the easiest time to dip his toe in the business: Initial COVID prices were artificially inflated, and as lockdown wore on, the sneaker market declined in tandem with the overall stock market. Because the need for shoes wasn’t as high, not as many pairs were being resold, impacting sellers and buyers. Like Tunca, Lynch has put his business on hold for now, but it has sparked a passion for entrepreneurship and exposed him to a potential career path. “Even though I’m not currently reselling shoes, I’d still be interested in pursuing this in the future. I’ve already learned a lot from the business,” Lynch said.

December 18, 2023

Features

Prioritizing grades over health Academic pressure causes students to attend school despite sickness BY JEANNINE CHIANG

Web Editor

missing school doesn’t help. “It’s really the environment we’re in. Being in the heart of Silicon Valley, it’s just so competitive. So [while] grades get you into college, ultimately, your health is more long term,” Schuman said. Biology teacher Michael Dunn is not new to the struggle of educational excellence, and the resulting reality that students will come to

IC PH RA N AN JE BY E IN G IAN CH

ication and fought his discomforts while he continued to attend school. Schuman cited the competitive academic culture at Burlingame as a factor behind his decision. “Academic pressure is already a lot just by itself. Particularly in our area, it’s very competitive. Everyone chooses to take a lot of difficult courses so when you’re sick, it’s really difficult because you’re like ‘I don’t want to fall behind’ and a lot of the work is very demanding, and it’s just stressful to fall behind,” Schuman said. Living in Burlingame, Schuman highlighted the peer pressure and unrealistic standards to take countless advanced classes with perfect grades. Put simply, maintaining grades even with perfect attendance is challenging, and

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school no matter how

they feel. “Even before the pandemic, this was a situation where a lot of people just didn’t think about the implications of coming to school sick. It’s also a problem in the workplace [as] the number one cause of food poisoning from restaurants is from sick workers showing up and preparing the food when they’re sick. It’s a societal problem,” Dunn said. But that societal problem — the pressure to endure through work or school and ignore personal health — has unique impacts at school. Whether a student spreads illness to other classmates, teachers or family, those who are more vulnerable to disease can suffer consequences that extend far beyond academic stress.

“Ten percent of our students live in a home with someone who is elderly, or someone who has diabetes or heart condition or lung con-

dition, and those students, if they catch COVID, or influenza at school, and bring it home, they’re jeopardizing loved ones at home so that’s a consideration that we don’t talk about very much,” Dunn said. However, he does acknowledge the unique academic pressure at Burlingame and its inevitable contribution to mental anxiety. “I see a lot of mental health issues coming from just that constant pressure to succeed to take tons of AP classes to get a GPA that’s higher than [a] 4.0,” Dunn said. “So regardless of the time of year, and the amount of infectious disease that’s going around, that’s a problem.” For students like Pisarevich, teacher expectations are

another overwhelming aspect of returning from illness. “I was out for almost a week sick, and my teachers expected everything to be done the day I came back but I didn’t know any of the material,” Pisarevich said. “I had to do the classwork and homework, and still continue to do the homework that was being given when I came back.” So Pisarevich had to simultaneously catch up on previous work, learn new concepts and recover from her illness — difficult given she takes a balanced schedule with three Advanced Placement courses. Pisarevich also feels that many teacher accommodations are highly ineffective, suggesting that teachers should excuse assignments that students miss while sick. “Teachers should help their students catch up, but not just by extensions because if they’re given extensions, they have to do the work at the same time they’re being given other work,” Pisarevich said. Nevertheless, illness has an impact on students that doesn’t have an easy answer. “There’s a lot of academic pressure because everybody wants to maintain their grades and don’t want to see a drop,” Frikert said.

# of students with ≥ 1 reported absence(s)

DATA COURTESY OF ROXANNA MORENO

This November, junior Luke Frikert caught the flu and missed 10 days of school as a result. But for Frikert, his illness was a secondary concern. “When I got sick, the first thing I was thinking about was, ‘What am I going to do about my grades?’ [and] ‘What about this assignment that’s due?’ instead of focusing on getting better,” Frikert said. During his 10 days at home, Frikert missed a math test and a biology test, among others, and found himself playing catch-up over Thanksgiving break and when he got back to school. “When I got back, I had to make all that up so it was a long process of cramming, [and] studying when I got better,” Frikert said. Frikert isn’t alone. This fall, 719 Burlingame students have reported at least one absence due to sickness. It is not a stretch to assume that all 719 have felt the consequences of falling behind in their classes every time they miss school. “When you’re sick, there’s so much schoolwork you need to make up [and] if you stay at home, you’re just putting yourself at a disadvantage,” Frikert said. “A lot of students don’t want to be in a situation where they haven’t had time to review or ask questions in class and then just be thrown into taking the test.” Every student knows the ramifications of missing school, so many just… don’t. The relentless effort to achieve perfect attendance and the fear of falling behind on schoolwork can create an environment where students will come to school sick, sacrificing their health to maintain good grades. When faced with the question of “health or school,” students struggle with deciding whether to prioritize their physical well-being first or temporarily ignore their wellness needs. “If you’re sick for two days,

that means you miss 90 minutes of each class and have to make up the classwork and the homework,” said junior Penelope Pisarevich, who was out of school for a week while sick. “Especially in classes like math, you’ll have to teach yourself how to do the math and it just becomes really difficult and piles up.” When senior Pierce Schuman caught walking pneumonia, he dismissed his symptoms, took med-

Holiday Traditions

Annie Miller

tle bit more and more, so when they were tiny, it’d be like ‘help set the table,’” Miller said. “Now they’re starting to get to a point where they can do more. And so I hope that’s a tradition that they might continue.” Christmas isn’t the only holiday Miller partakes in now — because her husband is Jewish, their family also celebrates Hanukkah. For Miller, celebrating two holidays makes for a wonderful December. “December rolls around and I am so pumped and so excited,” Miller said.

her children. “As my parents have gotten older, my brother and I have taken over the cooking. And so that’s been really special and so each year as my kids get older, we involve them a lit-

Masa Milojevic When sophomore Masa Milojevic transferred to Burlingame from Belgrade, Serbia two years ago, she brought with her the Orthodox Christian traditions and culture she grew up with. One tradition is the Orthodox celebration of Christmas on Jan. 7, in commemoration of Jesus Christ’s birth. Each year during winter break, Milojevic and her family take a flight to Belgrade to celebrate the holiday season with their friends

Sasha Dozorov Inci Yagmurlu

resides there. She visits her home country every summer and finds Eid and Ramadan the most special when they occur during her summer in Turkey.

do with colored sand,” Chakravartti said. “We put out lights and stuff.” With the commercialization of Christmas and Hanukkah, Chakravartti feels that many Hindu holidays have been overshadowed.

and we just spend time with each other,” Chakravartti said. Besides cooking, decoration is a huge part of Chakravartti’s Hindu traditions. “In the front of our house, we do Rangoli which is the stuff you

“I feel like if we were to be more inclusive of other religions and stuff, we should kind of tone down Christmas a tiny bit,” Chakravartti said. “But I know in the U.S. at least, most people celebrate Christmas, and that’s a fun thing to do. But if we just wanted to be more inclusive, maybe add some other things.”

For sophomore Sasha Dozorov — of Russian origin — preparations for New Year celebrations b e g i n months in advance. He and his family typically prepare food beforehand, which is stored until Dec. 31, when they will feast on a variety of traditional dishes. One of Dozorov’s personal favorites is the Olivier salad, a potato salad with finely diced vegetables, eggs, potatoes, pickles, cheese and tossed in mayonnaise. Another trademark

Samson Einhorn

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AAHANA CHAKRAVARTTI

When Dec. 7 comes around, sophomore Samson Einhorn gets ready for Hanukkah, the eightday Jewish festival commemorating the miracle of light. According to ancient stories, the Maccabees, a group of Jewish rebel warriors, successfully revolted against the Seleucid Empire. While trying to reconstruct the destroyed Second Temple of Jerusalem, the Maccabees were left with just enough oil for a candle to last one day. Miraculously, the candle burned for eight days,

a section of an oak tree — most commonly referred to as “badnjak” — and burns it in the oven once back in the house. When Christmas day comes around, Milojevic’s family prays and gathers for a Christmas breakfast to enjoy česnica, the round loaf of bread

that Dozorov enjoys on New Year is the cabbage soup known as shchi, which he says is particularly meaningful to him because it has been a family tradition for generations.

As the clock ticks toward midnight, Dozorov and his family typically watch the traditional Soviet TV show “Little Blue Light,” which includes singing, dancing, political announcements and summaries of the year. At midnight, Dozorov makes a wish and sets resolutions for the upcoming year while watching colorful fireworks go off in the sky. “My favorite part [of New Year] is after midnight, when we go outside and look at the fireworks,” Dozorov said. “It’s so beautiful and I think really the best way to start a new year.”

“For us, [New Year’s] is a very food-oriented holiday,” Dozorov said. “Food kind of has the power to bring people together because everyone is making it together and eating it together so that’s why we take it so seriously during the holiday.” which enabled the group to rededicate the temple, ridding it of Greek idols. Each day of the celebration, Einhorn gathers with his family to recite blessings and light one candle of the menorah — a sev-

brings the family closer together,” Einhorn said. “We get to do all of these fun traditions together like lighting the menorah and having dinner so it kind of relights our own candle in a way.” Einhorn’s favorite memory of celebrating Hanukkah is traveling to Israel with his family for the holiday. “That was probably the [most fun] Hanukkah I have ever had,” Einhorn said. “Israel is sort of considered the holy land for Jews and celebrating it there made it even more special. The entire city was decorated and there were fireworks, it was awesome.” PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAMSON EINHORN

and normally during all the festivals and stuff in India it gets super loud, so whenever there’s a festival or something we always go out to eat

Aahana Chakravartti Senior Aahana Chakravartti has celebrated both Christmas and Hindu holidays for her entire life. Her family honors Hindu holidays like Kali Puja, Holi and Diwali throughout the year and partakes in secular Christmas celebrations during the winter. During December, Chakravartti spends time with her extended family and often goes skiing in Colorado or visits her family in India. “Over [In India], there’s this one street that is decked out in lights and a bunch of stuff for Christmas,

“[You celebrate with] family usually, but you can also be with your friends. For example in Ramadan, you can invite your friends too. It’s not like Thanksgiving where you’re like ‘I’m going back to my family’s house,’ you can [celebrate] with your friends too,” Yagmurlu said. Yagmurlu believes that because Christmas is such a common holiday across the world, it has diminished the attention paid to holidays such as Eid and Ramadan. “Christmas is always the same date every year, so people really got used to it. And in this country, there’s not that many Muslim people,” Yagmurlu said.

that is an essential component of meals in Serbian Christmas. Once the česnica is broken, one can find a wooden stick promising good health for the upcoming year or a coin promising an abundance of money. “ M y favorite memory from Christmas was probably that one time where I won a coin from the česnica,” Milojevic said. “My grandma is the one that makes the dessert and she usually gives it to my brother or my dad because he’s the head of the family so I was so happy when I succeeded in getting it.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SASHA DOZOROV

PHOTO BY ABBY KNIGHT

Junior Inci Yagmurlu’s holiday season looks a bit different from those who celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah. Yagmurlu celebrates two Muslim holidays, Eid and Ramadan. The timing of the holidays shifts each year in accordance with the Islamic lunar calendar; this year, both events will take place in the spring. According to Yagmurlu, the purpose of Eid is to show obedience to God, which originates from a story in the Quran. On the other hand, people celebrate Ramadan to fast and show forgiveness for God and

empathy for those who are impoverished. Yagmurlu was born in Turkey, and the majority of her family still

and extended family. Following Orthodox Christian traditions, the head of Milojevic’s family journeys to the woods on Christmas Eve and chops down

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MASA MILOJEVIC

cooks and not into food, and this is the one night of the year where it was delicious, thoughtful food that was prepared with love and care,” Miller said. Miller’s love of this tradition has compelled her to pass it down to

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANNIE MILLER

Most people who celebrate Christmas wake up on Dec. 25 to open presents by the tree. This isn’t the case for history teacher Annie Miller, who celebrates the holiday on Christmas Eve — a Catholic and Sicilian tradition passed on from her Sicily-born parents. As a child, Miller’s favorite Christmas Eve ritual was the preparation of seven different types of fish, a tradition known as The Feast of the Seven Fishes. “My parents were not good

Season of Celebration

BY ABBY KNIGHT Copy Editor BY JOELLE HUYSMANS Diversity Coordinator

en-branched lamp. Einhorn’s Hanukkah traditions also include playing the dreidel and eating latkes (a fried potato pancake) with applesauce. “Generally our grandparents and cousins visit us so it definitely

December 18, 2023

Sports

For athletes with asthma, an extra opponent

Competitive hockey Egan, Chan sacrifice for travel sport

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MOMOKO EGAN

GRAPHIC IA BELL BY SOPH

Junior and goalie Atom Egan readies to defend a shot for the Santa Clara Valley Blackhawks.

BY ALICE LEE

Staff Reporter

BY ZACHARY NEWMAN

Sports Reporter BY NATALIE GYDE

Social Coordinator

and preparation, trying to adhere to the same process before and after each practice or game. “You have to have a weird routine,” Egan said. “I always put on my gear the same way. I always pack my gear the same way. I always tend to put my stick in a certain position.” Egan and Chan both practice for four days a week. When combined, the training and round-trip commute takes about five hours. The onerous time commitment forces Chan to do his schoolwork late at night. “Since my practices are far and go from about five, and [I] get home at 10:30, I don’t have time sometimes for homework. I have to stay up late doing it, [and while] I prioritize school over hockey, it’s still kind of draining,” Chan said. But competitive hockey isn’t just a sport Chan and Egan play locally, as both travel with their teammates around the country once or twice a month. In spite of the taxing commitments, from tournament travel to daily practice, Chan hopes the sport gains popularity. “[Ice hockey] makes you feel more unique,” Chan said. “But sometimes, I wish more people played because then you could have more bonds with others. I wish it was more popular.”

New wrestlers shine in tournament BY SOPHIA PUZON

PHOTO COURTESY OF KELSEY FLENNIKEN

Asthma is not a physical injury — it is a chronic condition that can cause one’s airway to narrow and swell, making it hard to breathe. But for student athletes with asthma, it may as well be, severely impairing them in sports games and practices. Asthma is a lifelong disease, but an inhaler — a device that lets one breathe in medicine — can alleviate symptoms. Senior Tem Battsooj, however, has a more severe case of asthma that can require a nebulizer, a machine that pumps medicine into the lungs. “[When I was younger] I had to breathe through the nebulizers, through a machine. And that part really sucked because I just couldn’t participate in sports as much and I always had to be just at home. So I used to do karate and soccer, but then I eventually quit just because it was just too much,” Battsooj said. Diagnosed with asthma at birth, junior Miranda Sibley, who plays three varsity sports, has also experienced considerable setbacks due to her asthma. “I have had to sit out of certain games and practices, but it’s not really something I have control over. Even with an inhaler, it helps a little bit, but it’s still pretty bad,” Sibley said. While it may appear that asthma simply impacts one’s ability to breathe while running, other factors such as anxiety or stress about the sudden attack can exacerbate its effects. “[When I feel like I’m about to have an asthma attack], I usually have a bit of a panic attack, so I kind of stop breathing. My first thought is to calm myself down and take some deep breaths, [but] still it can be challenging,” sophomore Halle Newman said. In Battsooj’s experience, teachers and coaches are generally accommodating and respectful, especially because the condition is so prevalent. “I think PE teachers and coaches, they’ve understood that asthma is a big issue. So in my latest season of volleyball, I would always be granted a break, and then there’s times where I literally took like a week off,” Battsooj said. Their peers, however, often shrug off the condition as an excuse to avoid exertion, the athletes said. “I think people assume that you’re just saying it to get out of running but it’s a more serious issue that a lot of people experience. It feels like my throat is clogging up a little bit, and I’m gasping a lot,” Newman said. To avoid these assumptions, some feel an obligation to ignore their asthma symptoms for the sake of their team or game. “Especially when it’s a close game and I feel like I don’t want to risk having to call a timeout and ask for a substitute, sometimes I’ll just suck it up and just try to fight through it,” Sibley said. As Battsooj acknowledged, asthma’s consequences vary by athlete and by day, but always remain top of mind. “I think asthma is more subjective to the person because asthma sometimes won’t affect your performance too much, but when it does happen, it’s like a major inconvenience,” Battsooj said.

It may not have the acclaim of football, the popularity of basketball or even the pervasiveness of soccer, but competitive hockey is still a big deal for some students at Burlingame. Despite limited hockey participation in California, juniors Colin Chan and Atom Egan have gone all in on the sport. Chan lived in the suburbs of Vancouver as a child and picked up ice hockey at the age of five, training, conditioning and competing daily. When Chan moved to Burlingame, he was suddenly one of the only students playing ice hockey. But that didn’t deter him: Currently, Chan plays on the Junior Sharks’ AAA squad in San Jose as a left winger. In comparison to hockey-crazed Canada, Chan has observed that the lack of popularity in California makes playing difficult and expensive. “Because [ice hockey] is a lot more expensive in California, it’s harder to access. There are [fewer] rinks, a lot of the things we use [are] around $200 to $300 each and there are multiple pieces that you need to buy,” Chan said. According to FloHockey, a source of news coverage for ju-

nior, college and professional hockey games, the average annual cost to play is over $5,000 — more than ten times the cost of America’s most popular sport, tackle football. Egan also attributes his interest in hockey to Canadian influence. He first picked up the sport when he was seven on the recommendation of Canadian relatives. Egan has played for multiple teams in the years since but currently competes for the Santa Clara Valley Blackhawks in Fremont. Egan plays goalie, which he believes, contrary to popular knowledge, is the sport’s most difficult position. “Everyone thinks I just sit there and stare at the ground,” Egan said. “But it’s the most physically demanding position in the sport. I have to constantly be attentive and I have to constantly be squatting down.” But it’s not just the physical aspects of goaltending that make the position hard to perfect. It also requires mental strength and concentration. “If I get too pumped up, I start to freak out and then I get a bit too stressed,” Egan said. “It’s a really stressful position because I have to stop 95% [of the shots] or I look kind of bad out there.” Like many other goalies, Egan is superstitious about his routine

Senior Reporter

The co-ed wrestling team showcased their competitive spirit on Saturday, Dec. 9 as first-time wrestlers, along with boys’ and girls’ varsity athletes, competed at their respective tournaments. The team found success at the PAL Novice tournament with many first-time wrestlers impressing at their inaugural competition. Notably, wrestlers Ian Keyak and Mark Betanzo placed first, while Julien Lee, Lucas Kim and Daniel Von Brommsen placed second and Marina Chan and Georgey Kuxin both placed third. In addition, senior Thinsang Tamang placed fifth in the boys’ varsity Bay Area 61 tournament.

Freshman Luke Diehl wrestles against an Aragon High School arthlete during the PAL Novice Tournament at Woodside High School. Varsity wrestler Lauren Aguilar continues to add to her impressive resume. The junior was the only Burlingame athlete on the mat at the Roger Briones girls’ tournament, where she emerged as champion with an undefeated

record of 5-0. The team now turns its attention toward January and February tournaments, as well as the first league dual meets of the season.

December 18, 2023

Sports

Soccer defies expectations

BY HENRY GARDNER Staff Reporter BY JOELLE HUYSMANS Diveristy Coordinator

GIRLS

BOYS

The Panthers dominated against Gunn High School on Saturday, Dec. 9, recording a 6-0 game to improve their overall record to 3-3 as of Dec. 14. At this stage of the season, the team has completed the Firebird Classic and is now involved with pre-season games. Owing in large part to a great offensive line — including senior midfielder Cora Haggarty and freshman Hannah Goldberg and senior Kaylee Ng on the forward line — the team has already scored 16 goals. In comparison to that number, the Panthers have conceded just four, mainly due to critical performances by senior goalkeeper Alicia Smith and an impressive defensive line that features returning senior center back Roisin Glynn and sophomore right back Sophia Mausehund. Next up on the girls’ calendar is a match against Aragon High School on Monday, Dec. 18.

Boys’ varsity soccer is off to a hot start, with a 5-1 record as of Dec. 14 and a chance to win a major tournament. Despite their young team — the squad has only five returning players — Burlingame has been dominating, recording three shutout victories. Although led by senior captain Hank Lane on the backline, the team has also benefited from underclassmen contributions, including sophomore winger Dax Mytels and defenders Jack Clarke, Ricardo Felix, and Thalin Rees. After the winter break, the Panthers will look to continue their success in league play, and ideally make a deep run into the Central Coast Section playoffs later in the season. Despite their excellent preseason showing, the Panthers will face stiff competition if they hope to win their league, as five of their six opponents have also lost one game or less. PHOTO BY JOELLE HUYSMANS

PHOTO BY HENRY GARDNER

BY THE NUMBERS

DeFENSIVE Dominance

Panthers’ pre-season record the Panthers’ pre-season record 3-3 5-1 the after the Sunnyvale Tournament. after the Firebird Classic.

underclassmen are on the varsity team, giving them a youthful edge.

scored by senior captain and for5 goals ward Elise Spenner, leading the team.

goals scored by the Panthers this season, with just three conceded.

allowed by senior Alyssa Smith in 1 goal her first three games.

Basketball better than ever

GIRLS

BOYS

PHO TO

BY ZA CH A RY

N MA W NE NE CHIANG

PHOTO BY JEANNI

For a young and mostly inexperienced team with a new head coach, boys’ varsity basketball has held its own so far this season. As of Dec. 12, the Panthers boast a solid 5-2 record. Their two losses were slim defeats by a combined thirteen points, while the Panthers have won three contests by nine or more. In addition, the squad has a plus-84 point differential through their first six games, including an 88-24 beatdown of Waldorf School in the 46th Burlingame Lions Invitational. In the finals, the Panthers lost a tight, low-scoring affair to undefeated Palo Alto High School. With the encouraging start, there is reason to believe this team can compete in the PAL Bay Division. Seniors Alain Kazarian and Ryan Dougherty have been offensive contributors, with junior Marcus Tapia and sophomore Anthony Atkinson getting off to strong starts as well. The Panthers play King’s Academy and San Mateo High School before league competition kicks off in January.

They score At will

5-2

the Panthers’ pre-season record after the Lions Invitational.

53.8

points scored per game on average by the Panthers.

BY ZACHARY NEWMAN Sports Editor BY JEANNINE CHIANG Web Editor

points scored by sophomore Anthony Atkinson against Mountain View.

Consider this: Girls’ basketball has already won more games than they did last season — and league play hasn’t even started. With a 7-1 record as of Dec. 7, the team needs just two more wins to qualify for the Central Coast Section playoffs. Why the sudden and unexpected dominance? Strong team chemistry and resilience, despite just six returning players. Led by new head coach Ned Diamond and co-captains Miranda Sibley, Hailey Miller and Sofia Cavalieri, practices revolve around implementing plays, strengthening passes and avoiding turnovers. The value of those practices is evident on the court — the team recently recorded a 58-8 blowout win against Pacific Bay High School. Looking ahead, the Panthers will compete in the Notre Dame Belmont tournament before beginning league play after winter break.

Almost Undefeated

7-1

the girls’ record leaves them two wins away from CCS qualification.

13.3

points per game for junior Hailey Miller, the team’s top scorer.

points scored by the team in their blowout over Pacific Bay Christian.

December 18, 2023

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 Reporters Sophia Doss Will Kriner Sophia Puzon Staff Reporters Alex Bertelli Margo Bigue Evelyn Du Henry Gardener Brendan Gilmore Kaylee Hwang Alice Lee Iny Li Connie Lu Audrey Wei Josie Wettan Emma Yu Teacher Adviser Melissa Murphy

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

As a school, we pride ourselves on being engaged with political issues and willing to respectfully discuss controversial topics in the classroom. But that philosophy does not naturally extend to teachers’ freedom of speech. According to the state of California’s Education Code (Ed Code) 7055, teachers cannot express political beliefs in a classroom setting. However, in an era where we can barely agree on basic facts, let alone divisive political topics, it can be extremely hard to differentiate between expressing an inclusive social value and an alienating ideological belief. Trying to make a one-size-fits-all solution to the question of teacher expression on campus is impossible and will only result in alienation and division. Teachers should not feel that any ideological statement they make will be met with backlash — instead, they should feel safe to engage in dialogue with their students. Currently, at Burlingame, we openly accept teachers who display pride flags and posters because they promote inclusivity amongst the

Various Burlingame teachers display posters and symbols supporting certain social values in their classrooms. community. But if a teacher were to take a stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict and the issue of Palestinian sovereignty, we can assume the response would not be as generous because students from both backgrounds could feel alienated. However, that is a subjective line drawn in the sand on an issue that cannot be reduced to black and white. Consider, as well, that while it may be easy to draw lines between acceptable and unacceptable values at our school, it is a far different situation in other parts of the nation: In states like Texas and Florida that have majority right-leaning populations, many students may object to the progressive values present in our community. Because where one resides impacts their perspectives

on specific issues, it is essential that we understand all views and their origins. But again, if we were to adopt a cautious approach under the auspices of being inoffensive to everyone, we would disrespect our teachers. As journalists, we have a unique perspective on free speech issues. We constantly grapple with our freedom of expression in the classroom, and more often than not, we understand that there is no easy answer to these questions and engage with that ambiguity. Similarly, we think that instead of trying to forcefully moderate teacher speech, we should take the opportunity to discuss the merits and limits of free expression on campus.

Taylor Swift is... Holding us together

Overrated, overhyped

BY ELISE SPENNER

BY KAYLEE HWANG

She is probably in it for the money. She is definitely not a musical genius; in fact, she owes much of her success to iterating on overused romantic tropes. And she single-handedly contributes to global warming with her superfluous private jet flights. But I don’t care. Taylor Swift can do whatever she wants, for whatever reason she wants, and I will still cheer her on. Because Swift manages what no politician, celebrity, or artist has pulled off in the 21st century: She brings people together, instead of shoving them apart. There is a reason that Taylor Swift owns your social media feed, whether she has been spotted consuming “seemingly ranch” or rocking an Evermore-inspired outfit for a night out — Taylor Swift breaks algorithms. Whether you’re a tween girl from New York, a millennial lawyer from California, or a girl dad somewhere in between, it’s not a stretch to infer that you’re also a Taylor Swift fan. In fact, more than half of Americans say they are fans of Taylor Swift, and those proponents are split evenly along gender lines. And while Swift fans are disproportionately white and liberal, they aren’t all white and liberal — in other words, a random sampling will be more diverse than most friend groups at Burlingame. I could wax poetic about Taylor Swift’s invincibility — she is a one-woman economy, she put Travis Kelce on the map, she has written a banger about every permutation of teen situationship. But here’s the kicker: If my hypothesis holds true, you, reading this, already know all of that. You don’t need me to tell you. You already know about the friendship bracelets and the Chiefs sweatshirts and the easter eggs and the impending release of Reputation (Taylor’s Version) because your brother, or your girlfriend or your For You page informed you. In other words, if you’re reading this, it’s too late. You, along with half of America, are a Swiftie.

In the music industry, few names resonate as profoundly as Taylor Swift. Embraced by millions of fans, her top-charting hits and mesmerizing stage presence have made her one of the most famous and successful artists of all time. Although I do recognize her talent and savvy business skills, I believe her career is highly overrated. Her music is often repetitive and annoying, and I believe her soaring popularity isn’t due to artistry, but stems from her manipulative marketing techniques. When she released and recorded her first albums, she wasn’t nearly as widely known. However, after establishing a platform, re-releasing the same songs under “Taylor’s version” led to a remarkable surge in her success. The rise of devoted “Swifties,” combined with growing excitement for her re-recorded albums, paved the way for every new release to outdo the last. Her continued success, largely based on re-recordings of her older songs, is why I believe she truly doesn’t deserve all this praise. Along with her re-recordings, Taylor Swift’s songwriting, notably about her exes, spurs her fans to criticize her former partners online, possibly causing harm. Her ex-boyfriends, such as John Mayer and Jake Gyllenhaal, faced severe backlash, including death threats from her fanbase. Due to her fanbase’s excessive obsession, the constant buzz and media attention around Swift can be overwhelming; in short, we’re tired of hearing about Swift all the time. This hype, fueled by an incessant focus on all things Taylor Swift, arguably exceeds her actual worth as an artist. Taylor Swift was named TIME magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year, but does she really deserve to win the same award as Gandhi, renowned scientists and figures like Winston Churchill and Albert Einstein?

Editor-in-Chief

Staff Reporter

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SEATTLE TIMES

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.

BY THE BURLINGAME B EDITORIAL BOARD

PHOTOS BY SOPHIA BELLA AND ABBY KNIGHT

Editorial Politics in the classroom

December 18, 2023

Entertainment

Winter movie reviews ‘Napoleon’ BY ARDA INEGOL, Business Manager

Director Ridley Scott’s new biographical drama about French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte unveils what happens when the underdog receives too much power. Released on Nov. 22, the movie has performed below average at the box office, raking in about $170 million globally compared to a $200 million budget. Additionally, it has a moderately low 59% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. With no apparent financial or digital confirmation of its success,

‘Trolls: Band Together’ BY AUDREY WEI, Staff Reporter

In “Trolls: Band Together,” Justin Timberlake reunites with his old castmates to produce another installment in the Trolls series. The cast includes big names such as Troye Sivan who plays Floyd, Anna Kendrick who plays fan-favorite Poppy and Camila Cabello, who plays Poppy’s long-lost sister Viva. The movie begins with the leader of the BroZones, John Dory (Eric André), who wants the band to achieve

perfect family harmony (both literally and figuratively). However, after one mistake, the band falls apart. Years later, Floyd is taken by the “evil frauds” Velvet and Veneer. To save Floyd, the band must work together to reunite. However, reassembling the band proves to be a challenging task. Branch is scared he might get abandoned again and Spruce and Clay are tired of John Dory’s need for perfection. The brothers argue but Poppy intervenes and reminds them that perfection is not necessary, but rather, caring for one another is what truly matters. Poppy unexpectedly discovers her long-lost sister Viva, who left the Troll clan due to the Bergens’ — once monsters that ate Trolls — constant attacks. Although the trolls do not receive Bergen attacks anymore, Viva does not want to leave her hideout and go back to Troll village. However, when Viva meets Poppy’s Bergen friend, she realizes that not all Bergens are bad and decides to go with Poppy. The movie features exhilarating remixes from famous artists like Backstreet Boys, Van McCoy, and NSYNC. Its catchy songs and silly jokes make for worthwhile entertainment, keeping the audience entertained and engaged throughout. Ultimately, the movie’s main lesson about the importance of caring for one another and not striving for perfection stands out, making the film a fun entry into the franchise.

‘Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’

BY KAYLEE HWANG, Staff Reporter

2/5 Known as the “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Elvis Presley was one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. One of the first celebrities in the era of mass media, his career and persona were under the spotlight for decades and although Elvis always had his critics, he was widely idolized. That didn’t change after his death — the 2022 movie, “Elvis,” for example, focused on glamorizing his career. However, the newly-released film “Priscilla,” based

BY ALICE LEE, Staff Reporter PHOTO COURTESY OF LIONSGATE STUDIOS

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES

3.5/5

‘Priscilla’ PHOTO COURTESY OF A24 STUDIOS

PHOTO COURTESY OF COLUMBIA PICTURES

4/5

“Napoleon” may sound like an easy skip, but it deserves your time. Even though he is 49, Joaquin Phoenix does a fantastic job playing the French leader. At times quirky but otherwise dead serious, he maintains a ticking-bomb-like emotional state that directly matches Napoleon’s real personality. Oftentimes, it feels as though Phoenix is improvising to make Bonaparte more annoying, but somehow, the depth of his acting makes the character more likable. Josephine, Napoleon’s wife, played by Vanessa Kirby, manages to steal the show whenever she appears on screen and is crucial to the plot. At one point during the destructive Russian Winter, Bonaparte acknowledges that he is nothing without Josephine (something he had previously denied after a fight between the two). The best and most memorable scene of the movie is the depiction of the Battle of Waterloo, which showcases everything from the rain that delayed the start of the battle to the square battle formation employed by the English that led to the French loss. Scott’s extensive cinematic reputation with films like “Alien” and “Gladiator” explains his masterful construction of the scene. Despite its long runtime (2 hours and 38 minutes), Scott makes the most out of every scene and never ceases to entertain the audience. With its electrifying war sequences, characters and direction, “Napoleon” is Scott’s latest and perhaps final masterpiece.

3.5/5 Let’s give credit where credit is due: Suzanne Collins is an evil genius — it would be hard to make a bad movie out of “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” Thankfully, the directors of the Hunger Games prequel did her justice. The movie is fast-paced but followable, and the characters remain nuanced despite

on Priscilla Presley’s 1985 memoir, “Elvis and Me,” explicitly turns the focus toward the relationship between Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu. Starring Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny, director Sofia Coppola depicts an accurate resemblance of Priscilla Presley’s hardships through the film. Despite its correct portrayal of Priscilla’s life, the movie fails to deliver a compelling narrative due to its lack of action and climax. Throughout the movie, Elvis refuses to have sex with Priscilla due to her age. When she expresses her sexual desires, he pushes her away, reminding her that there are plenty of other girls who would want to be with him. But before that conflict can be resolved, Elvis proposes to her, and they get married. Then, Priscilla walks into the house, announcing she’s pregnant. The lack of clarity leaves viewers confused, as a lot of their toxicity in the relationship stemmed from Elvis’ controlling manner around their sexual life. Although the film is well produced, the storyline fails to keep the audience engaged. Instead, it keeps teasing a climax that never appears. The final scene — Priscilla going into Elvis’ hotel room after one of his performances and announcing that she is leaving him — comes out of the blue, as the audience never sees the build-up or breaking point in her decision to get a divorce. The film also ends very suddenly and provides no clear catharsis, leaving viewers frustrated.

the condensed format. The basic plot is true to the book: Following an unfair selection process, Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a teenage girl from District 12, has to participate in the Tenth annual Hunger Games, a deadly game for public entertainment. And while the first half of the film shines a positive light on Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blythe), with his good looks and charisma, it is slowly revealed that Snow is not the kind character he first appeared to be. By the end, it becomes clear that Snow will develop into the main antagonist of the series. The actors were also casted extremely well — during the competition, Zegler’s incredible voice shines through her character’s undying passion for singing, and Zegler and Blythe’s natural chemistry makes up for their relationship’s lack of consistent development. However, the good acting cannot cover up the movie’s most inherent problem: lack of time. Simply put, the film is not long enough to display all the events in the 500+ page book, resulting in a bare-bones plot that leaves its audience with more questions than answers. Even with its flaws, the movie is probably what most viewers are looking for: it adds depth to the world and characters of the original four movies and features great action and musical sequences. In short, do not expect this movie to shrink the Hunger Games fandom; if anything, it will grow.

December 18, 2023

Student Life

PHOTO BY INY LI

Goodbye, field. Hello, stage!

Music Department brings festive spirit to winter concert er, lovingly referring to her as “Mama-Moto.” “What [Yamamoto] does see is the musician part of us and pushes us to be our absolute best version of ourselves,” Shi said. “She devotes so much of her energy and time to be there for every student, even if that student doesn’t reciprocate those feelings back. And I think that’s a really big part of who she is and how we’re able to collectively work together to make a cohesive concert.” For Yamamoto, these chances to perform with the sole spotlight on the music department are especially important for Burlingame’s program. “This is the opportunity for my students to show they have been studying, as it’s a curriculum they signed up to take,” Ya m a m o to said. “This is also crucial for me to speak to the parents and show why I need support from Music Boosters and the school. It’s my way of saying, ‘Okay, this is what we are producing, therefore, could you please support us?’” SB

DOWN 1 Like Frosty before he melted* 2 Villain’s hideout 3 Vegetable mix whose main ingredient is not quite lettuce 4 Structure in Jenga 5 Out for dinner, perhaps 6 Bank offering, for short (fund scrambled in “offering”) 7 Heroine in “Beauty and the Beast” and eaten whole* 8 Ginger ___ (drink) 9 Siesta 10 What a tree might offer 11 Makes money 12 Friend of the Seven Dwarfs* 19 Winter wonder... that’s also affecting the answers to the six starred clues in this puzzle 22 Palindromic way to address a woman 24 Hotel 27 Sheep’s noise 28 Bit of frozen ammo* 29 Name hidden in “umbrella” 31 Neighbor of Pakistan and Afghanistan 34 Double checks 35 Place to get a bite 36 Common sweetener 37 Food-inspecting org. 38 Legumes that are often stirfried and eaten whole* 42 Deep singing voice 45 Verbal hesitations 46 Spoke 51 Quickly fry, in a pan

47 Guy’s partner 50 What a lying child might make?* 51 Quickly fry, in a pan 52 From that point on 53 Silly, nonsensical 55 Clifford who wrote “Waiting for Lefty” 58 Epic story 59 Roman robe

62 Opposite of “aye” 64 Unexpected break from school, perhaps*

SOLVE ONLINE WITH ANSWERS!

1 Initials of a famous civil rights activist 4 Rocky peak (or a privacy-oriented browser) 7 Impact sound in a comic 10 Stitch up 13 Small battery size 14 Hydrogen’s atomic number 15 ___ Whitney, inventor of the cotton gin 16 Mocking laugh 17 Nada 18 Couldn’t make up one’s mind 20 Nickname for singer Grande 21 Providing a cure (or a term for certain summer school courses) 23 Failed to 25 Poet Teasdale 26 Like people from the country west of Syria 28 Part of a bracelet 30 “Only just found out...” in text 32 Writer Rand who wrote “Atlas Shrugged” 33 Sports drama television series 36 Liquid holder 39 Cousin of an alpaca or guanaco 40 Name found twice in “banana”

41 Humiliate 43 Young fellow 44 Animated martial arts movie following a protagonist named Po 47 Precious rock 48 Filming location 49 Seven ___ 50 Hitmen 54 Fling 56 Manicure targets 57 Discovered through thorough search 60 Firearm 61 Out of the loop 63 Religious idol 65 And so on... 66 Sprinted 67 Obtain 68 Honorific Turkish title 69 Famous martial artist and actor Bruce 70 Visual organ 71 Annoying pop-ups 72 It can follow gamma or sting 69 Famous martial artist and actor Bruce 70 Visual organ 71 Annoying pop-ups 72 It can follow gamma or sting

team, tried new things, and overall just had fun with it. And that’s what made it sound really good.” After performing in his first winter concert, freshman Ben Sakal expressed a deep appreciation for the consistency of the band community despite the transition from middle school to high school. “It’s good to be able to be a part of something so big that it’s bigger than yourself,” Sakal said. “Being able to come together and make music in the band is a big deal because alone, we [would be] so much less than [what we could be].” But the festivities and music could not have been possible without the director herself. With four sections to prepare and coordinate, Yamamoto is the driving force behind the music department: an at-times strict and rigorous teacher, but one who students see as a second moth-

W C R O S S ACROSS R D

BY ALEX BERTELLI Staff Reporter

ning films “Home Alone,” “How to Train Your Dragon” plus a lyrical composition of the “Marvel Studios Fanfare” as heard from the intros of all Marvel movies. “For woodwinds, we had many fast parts that had to be played with weird fingerings that didn’t flow well with the rest of the piece,” said sophomore and clarinetist Emma Shi. “We had to play notes that we aren’t generally used to playing because it’s not seen often.” To conclude the performance, the wind ensemble played music from “Frozen”’s Academy Award-winn i n g soundtrack and played holiday hits such as “Sleigh Ride” and “The Nutcracker Suite.” “Wind ensemble is definitely full of people that have the motivation and drive to succeed and do really well,” junior trumpeter Eleanor Points said. “We all worked together as a

PH O

The music department, led by music and choral director Kyoko Yamamoto, hosted its 100th annual winter concert on the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 6. The four ensembles — jazz, wind, concert band and choir — demonstrated what a true high school music unit can sound like: flawless playing and caroling to thunderous applause. But this would not have happened without the combined effort of Yamamoto and her students, who dedicated hours to practice for the event while simultaneously preparing for the Little Big Game performance and other home football games. The choir opened the concert with performances of “Time After Time,” “Caribbean Blue” and “September,” featuring multiple solos plus the jazz ensemble in the background. “It was relatively smooth since we’ve really been working on these pieces for a cou-

ple of months now,” junior and chorister Nico Bennett said. “I had a solo at every choir concert since I joined, but I had my first improvised solo, a scat solo, and there was a little bit of nerves there, but overall it was more fun than stressful.” Following that, the jazz ensemble played fan favorites, including “Joshua,” “Spain” and “Tank!,” sho wcasing their versatility after months of focusing on pep band performances for football. “As a department, we’ve played everywhere and done a lot of pep band stuff, but showing this other side of us is really important because it gives the audience more perspective of who we are as musicians,” senior drum major and jazz student Ryan Dokoza said. To kick it up a notch, the concert band performed lyrical soundtracks from award-win-

BY INY LI

Staff Reporter