Welcome Back Panthers!
THE BURLINGAME B theburlingameb.org
September 28, 2018
Issue 1 Vol. 117
New assistant vice principals arrive at Burlingame PHOTO BY TYLER IDEMA
This is Fichera’s first year as an assistant vice principal. PHOTO BY TYLER IDEMA
Autrey is in charge of underclassmen as assistant vice principal.
BY TYLER IDEMA
Sports Editor
The 2018/19 school year is the first time Burlingame will have not one, but two assistant vice principals. Markus Autrey and Michele Fichera have both been hired to take on the position, and they will be working alongside current vice principal Valerie Arbizu. Despite being hired for the same position, the new assistant principals will have different responsibilities. Autrey will be in charge of ninth and tenth grade, while Fichera will oversee upperclassmen. Autrey taught high school English in St. Louis and Philadelphia before becoming an assistant principal in St. Louis. He then moved to California, where he was the principal at Los Gatos High School for eight years. Last year, he worked as a vice principal at Burlingame Intermediate School. However, when an opportunity for a permanent vice principal position popped up at Burlingame, Autrey applied for the job. “I wanted to be part of a team, a really good, functioning, trusting team workwise,” Autrey said. “I
like community schools, and this is a community school,” he said, referring to how supportive and connected people are at BHS. Fichera taught every history class available during her 13 years at Capuchino High School, in addition to serving as activities di-
“I want to contribute to a place where, as students and adults, we can all work together” Autrey
rector. She worked at the district office for four years before taking up her current position; this is her first time being an assistant principal. “I have worn a lot of different hats in education throughout my career, and I always feel like I want
to learn more or learn how something is done,” Fichera said. The vice principals’ responsibilities are similar. They both oversee facilities, carry out student discipline and work with athletics. Besides working with the freshman class, Autrey administers Service Commission, works with the athletic director and oversees the after-school homework program. He intends to move the school’s goals forward by allowing students to be more inclusive and trying to increase school spirit. “I want to contribute to a place where, as students and adults, we can all work together,” he said. Fichera’s responsibilities include carrying out student discipline, overseeing student activities and supervising the facilities. “There is not almost a part of the school that I don’t interact with in some way,” Fichera said. Autrey and Fichera both face the usual obstacles when it comes to getting used to a new school and a new environment. However, they will use their decorated backgrounds in education to get used to becoming Panthers.
WHAT’S INSIDE Pool construction takes longer than planned Learn about Burlingame’s marijuana policies.
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Read about the current state of SWUN math.
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Hear Martinez’s take on the state of Nicaragua.
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Get the latest scoop on Salt and Straw.
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Hear the story of Alessandro Franco’s flying license.
PHOTO BY JAMES LOWDON
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BY JAMES LOWDON
Senior Reporter
The website of the Burlingame Aquatics Club (BAC) states that construction on the pool will end Sept. 4. A quick look at the current state of the pool suggests that this is far from the truth. Sept. 4 was the initial end date for the project, which started June 1 and consisted of the renovation of the 50 meter pool and pool deck. The project has been delayed, and there are no reported estimates of when it will be completed. The plan was to renovate the 50 meter pool and deck with a new surface of concrete. So far, the pool has been drained, the pool deck has been removed and the lights and other sections of the pool have been drilled out. However, there is no new concrete. The renovation of the pool was going as scheduled until complications were discovered with the pool rebar and electrical system during the initial construction efforts that made further work necessary. This setback has led to numerous other problems. Since this complication was outside the boundaries of the contractor’s work, the school district was forced to rebid to cover the new costs, leading to further delays in negotiating with construction agencies and funding. Currently, certain demolition work is completed, and the electrical system is being investigated, but the pool has to yet again negotiate with the city about their construction plans. Though the SMUHSD has
Pool construction started June 1st, the first day of summer, and should have finished early September. the open support of the city with their construction plans, they also have to wait for approval from the state government before work can continue. Furthermore, pool renovations were planned for the summer because the dry, hot weather allows the concrete to cure quickly and properly. As a result, current predictions for when pool construction will end are unclear, given that the drying of the concrete is dependent on the weather, and it is uncertain as to when the state will approve construction. The BAC and Burlingame High School water polo teams have been severely affected by the pool renovation. The BAC cur-
rently uses King Pool and Joinville Pool for its swim programs and Mercy High School’s pool for its youth water polo teams. Starting Oct. 21, the BAC will suspend Lap Swim, Masters Swim, Group Swim Lessons and Splash Ball until pool construction is finished, as they are unable to support rent at King Pool. Private Swim Lessons and Water Aerobics will continue at Joinville Pool. Burlingame High School has negotiated with the school district to ensure that their water polo teams receive enough pool hours for their fall seasons. As a result, the BHS boys and girls water polo teams travel frequently between
Hillsdale, San Mateo, Capuchino and Mills for their practices, which puts a major strain on their seasons. “I think it is a hard thing that the team… [has to] move forward with. There are a lot of scheduling issues and often confusion, but as long as the team is able to work together and move past this … we will be able to push through and win.” said senior Varsity Water Polo player, Fenn Jones. Fellow team member, senior Andreas Dintcho expressed a similar sentiment. “In this world, it’s either clap or be clapped.”
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News
Administration creates second evacuation zone BY CLAIRE HUNT
Senior Reporter
As of this year BHS will have two separate evacuation areas. The new administration, including vice principals Markus Autrey and Michele Fichera, spent the summer walking around campus and evaluating the safety of our current evacuation route. They have decided to name the tennis courts as a new evacuation area, in addition to the previous area of the football field. Depending on the time of the evacuation, certain classes in the C and D area will go to the tennis courts, while others will vacate to the football field. Details regarding semantics of the new evacuation plan are public, and a map to the new evacuation area is available. Responding to feedback from teachers and the community, the school faced pressure to reevaluate the evacuation plan. There were questions raised over the legitimacy and safety of having one entrance to the evacuation area. With over 1,500 people, including students and staff at the school, one single entrance to evacuate was just not enough. “It really had to do with ac-
cess and whether or not the entire school could get to a safe place in a short amount of time if there’s only one opening,” Fichera said. The teachers and classified staff all have been briefed on the new plans. However, the new evacuation plan needs practice before its concrete establishment can be decided. “We’ll practice throughout the school year, because you really don’t know until you actually practice it live, with 1,500 kids and adults on campus,” Fichera said. “Once we do it for the first time, then we’ll be able to see, ‘is this working, is it not, and do we need to make modifications again?’” Ushered in with the new additions and changes in Burlingame administration, public safety has become a priority among school staff. The dedicated members of Burlingame’s supervising department worked tirelessly over the summer to ensure school safety. “Emergency prep and evacuation is significant for a school and community because we have to have a plan, especially in an emergency, about where we’re going to evacuate to and how do we make sure we’re safe,” Fichera said. “If we have an earthquake, if we have
Building the road to the future
September 28, 2018
a fire, we just want to make sure portant. We want everyone, both safety.” we have structures, policies, and adults and students, to be safe, and procedures set up. It’s really im- we want to communicate out that
An official map shows the new routes, which now include the tennis courts as a meeting place.
News Briefs
Your news. Unpacked.
Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination challenged BY CHARLIE CHAPMAN
BY ALEC ABRAMSON
Senior Reporter
Staff Reporter
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s seemingly clear path to appointment fell into doubt last week when accusations of sexual assault were raised. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University, alleged that Kavanaugh assaulted her at a party 36 years ago while he was a student at Georgetown Preparatory School. She claimed that an inebriated Kavanaugh pushed her into a bedroom and attempted to restrain her. Kavanagh has categorically denied the allegations, and has retained the support of President Trump and many Senate republicans. According to her recollection of the event, writer Mark Judge was also present in the room, an accusation he unequivocally denies. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck
City of Burlingame Marijuana
Grassley extended an invitation for Ford to testify in front of the committee. Originally, Grassley scheduled the hearing to take place Monday, Sept. 24. Ford’s lawyers stated that she would not be willing to testify on the proposed debate. PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
PHOTO COURTESY OF CALTRAIN
BURLINGAME, CA — On August 8, 2018, community members gathered in the Burlingame Public Library for an update about the Caltrain Broadway Grade Separation project. The transportation agency faced several questions about the project’s impact on traffic during its construction, and the proposed design of the new Broadway station. The task itself would involve A preliminary design for elevating the track and depressing the grade separation, facing the road at California Drive and Highway 101. Broadway, which is ranked number one on the California Public Utilities Commission list of priority grade separations. While still in the preliminary design phase, the project will be unable to break ground until after Caltrain electrification is completed in 2022.
Kavanugh faced questions about an allegation of misconduct.
BY CLAIRE HUNT
Senior Reporter
BURLINGAME, CA — In the aftermath of Proposition 64, the Burlingame City Council has released an official ordinance regarding the cultivation and prohibition of commercial retail of marijuana. In accordance with Ordinance 25.58.060 (D), no more than six living cannabis plants may be possessed and processed within a private residence at any time. Plants must not be visible from a public place, and people engaging in indoor cultivation must comply with state and local laws, including all applicable buildings, electrical, fire and water codes and regulations. Violation of the ordinance will be treated as a public nuisance, in accordance to California’s Municipal Code. Offenders shall be liable to fines and seizure of property. While San Mateo is one of 18
counties in California that permits commercial cannabis businesses in unincorporated areas, the city of Burlingame has prohibited all commercial cannabis activity. Dispensaries and company headquarters shall not be allowed in Burlingame, but marijuana deliveries are permitted.
Senator John McCain passes away BY CHARLIE CHAPMAN
Senior Reporter
PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
In honor of his service, McCain lay in state at ANNAPOLIS, MD — Senator John McCain both the United States and Arizona Capitol buildpassed away on Aug. 25 at the age of 81. McCain ings. McCain was buried on the grounds of the devoted his life to national service, serving as a na- United States Naval Academy, the institution that val aviator, Arizona senator and a perennial con- launched his service to the United States. tender for the presidency. McCain’s fearless character was displayed in front of the world when he became one of the most famous prisoners of the Vietnam War. McCain was shot down over Hanoi and was subsequently captured by North Vietnamese forces. Although McCain was offered early release because of his father’s position as an admiral, he refused to leave in order to maintain his dignity and the morale of his fellow prisoners. After over five years in captivity, he returned to the United States as a hero and continued his service to our nation. Throughout McCain’s long tenure in the United Commercial sale of States Senate, he was viewed as a maverick, often marijuana has been crossing party lines to advance bipartisan legislabanned in Burlingame. tion. While such moves often garnered criticism, Lt. John McCain pictured in 1964, prior McCain was always guided by a desire to improve to his capture. our country. to take even more Spanish classes during keep their memories fresh and learn new AP English Literature class, AP Spanish AP Spanish Literature their four years at BHS than were previaspects of Spanish culture and literature Literature and Culture is an intellectually BY BENJAMIN NEUMAN ously available. in the new class taught by Julian Martinez. challenging course that require attention Webmaster Before the existence of this class at “We cover quite a bit of history, we and effort. BURLINGAME, CA — Up until BHS, Students who took Spanish immercover social aspects, we cover a little bit “We are learning about different authis year, once a student passed through sion throughout elementary and middle of religion,” said Martinez. “We cover a thors and we are analyzing different AP Spanish Language, their high school school would wrap up their high school lot of things.” books. Pretty much anything you would Spanish experience was finished. With the Spanish in a short two years, leaving This class is for those who are near fludo in [an English Literature Class], it’s just addition of AP Spanish Literature and them two more years to forget what they ent in Spanish, but also have a desire to in Spanish” said Junior Ricardo MaldonaCulture this year, students are now able learned before college. Now, they can learn, read and write. Comparable to an do.
News Facebook virtual reality to move to Burlingame office
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September 28, 2018
Senior Reporter
Facebook’s virtual reality division, Oculus, is currently negotiating with the city of Burlingame about moving to the Bayshore area within the next two years. Facebook is eyeing the 767,000 square foot area at 300 Airport Blvd., which was formerly occupied by a drive-in theater, but was closed 10 years ago. The lot is currently under construction and will eventually boast six multi-story buildings that will host Facebook’s expanding operations. Main construction is planned to be finished in 2019, but a move-in date has not yet been set. Cleese Relihan, Burlingame’s chief economic development specialist, and Kevin Gardiner, the community development director, analyzed the pros and cons of the large employer moving into Burlingame in written responses to the Burlingame B. “[Facebook’s new office] can draw attention, provide more media coverage of our community, result in the creation of more jobs for residents and more revenue for the City to contribute toward community services and create more job opportunities,” Relihan said. In general, Burlingame’s economy should rise since “large tech companies often invest in their communities as they expand. Hav-
ing a large employer can attract more restaurants, eateries and other shops that can bring new energy and excitement to the community, improving the quality of life. With all this synergy and activity, Burlingame’s overall economic health can improve,” Relihan said. Not only is Burlingame’s economy projected to rise, the move could also present internship and employment opportunities to Burlingame High School students. “Bringing more tech companies to this part part of the bay is a great idea,” math and computer science teacher Christina Wade said. “The companies also need to make sure to integrate into our community, like extending invitations to students for internships and field trips. Teachers can teach, but currently there isn’t enough hands-on experiences for students in this [mid-peninsula] part of the Bay Area.” However, some problems could arise due to the presence of a new Facebook office. With possibly more business, employees and job opportunities moving to Burlingame, prices and rent for residential and office real estate in Burlingame may rise due to increased demand and limited supply. Traffic in Burlingame already presents a challenge to commuters, and traffic in the Bayfront area and already congested Peninsula, Broadway and Anza Highway 101 exits may worsen.
PHOTO BY DARRION CHEN
BY DARRION CHEN
Facebooks’ prospective office building is still under construction at 300 Airport Blvd. It is planned to be finished in 2019. To combat worsening conditions, Facebook “will be required to conform to an aggressive Transportation Demand Management program, which is intended to minimize additional traffic,” Gardiner said. “It will include dedicated shuttle buses, direct access
to regional transit such as Caltrain and BART and provisions for bicycling.” Burlingame citizens’ reactions to the the negotiations have been mixed. “I assume [the new Facebook office] would be good because of
New roundabout on California Dr. BY CHARLIE CHAPMAN
Senior Reporter
Construction on the California Drive Roundabout is now entering its second stage, four months after construction began. The project, which received final approval in March, is scheduled to be completely finished in January 2019. The second stage of construction includes the removal of existing roadway along California Drive and the installation of a new roadway, new landscaping and new utilities. During phase two, California Drive will remain open to traffic but the speed limit will be reduced to 25 mph. Currently, southbound traffic has been diverted along a new roadway through the roundabout while northbound travel remains on the old portion of the road. There is no vehicle access to cars traveling on Lorton or Bellevue Avenue. Although the project is intended to reduce traffic con-
gestion, there has been concern about drivers adapting to the new roundabout. The County of San Mateo released an emergency alert on Sept. 6, warning drivers to be aware of the new route. The alert system is primarily used to warn residents of emergency situations, including natural disasters and
“It is expected that people have questions on how they are to drive it” -Tsai crime, highlighting the concern that the county has over the opening of the roundabout. The project was granted to Redwick Construction at a cost of $2,968,082 in March 2018. While this was the lowest bid presented to the City Council, many citizens have questioned whether the benefits of the project justify the cost. “The interaction wasn’t perfect
and a small improvement in traffic is not worth $3 million,” senior Olya Egrov said. “I am also worried about bike safety. The current plan looks like it will not have a bike lane.” “The final roundabout will allow bikes to share the lane or exit the roadway and proceed along the outside of the roundabout,” said Burlingame Transportation Engineer Michael Tsai. “Dedicated bike lanes within the roundabout are actually strongly recommended against per Federal guidelines.” The city is aware that the roundabout may require an adjustment by drivers. “Roundabouts are still relatively new in the U.S. especially in the Bay Area. It is expected that people have questions on how they are to drive it.” The latest information regarding the roundabout and current traffic conditions can be found on the Burlingame city website.
more jobs and consumers, but increasing the already expensive rent would be bad. And traffic increase worries me,” senior Justin Zheng said. “I’d rather them not move here, but I can see why it would be beneficial for the Burlingame economy.”
THE BURLINGAME B STAFF Teacher Adviser: Melissa Murphy
Sports Editor: Tyler Idema
Editor-in-Chief: Vishu Prathikanti
Chief Photographer: Hanna Sato
Managing Editor: Lily Page
Copy Editor: Caden Thun
Design Editor: Allie Kennedy
Senior Reporters: Tekla Carlen Charles Chapman Darrion Chen Claire Hunt James Lowdon Annie Sun
Business Manager: Moya Liu Webmaster: Ben Neuman
Staff Reporters: Alec Abramson Hubert Chen Wesley Chen Ethan Gardner Mark Habelt Amelia Harris Jacob Lubarsky David Mehran Aidan O’Sullivan Allison Szetu Rachel Yap Caroline Yeow
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF BURLINGAME
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 The Burlingame B staff, the administration or faculty of Burlingame High School, or any person 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@gmail.com>. Letters may be considered for publication. The Burlingame B reserves the right to edit for clarity, length and accuracy. We welcome all comments. This graphic depicts the outline of the roundabout when it is finished with construction.
Features
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September 28, 2018
BY ALEC ABRAMSON
Staff Reporter
Burlingame Elementary School District (BSD) has been annually renewing its contract with SWUN Math since 2013, but not all teachers and students are on board with the program’s structure and effectiveness. The SWUN Math model involves both conceptual and procedural lessons on topics in each unit. In theory, this structure aligns with the Common Core standards, which emphasize critical thinking rather than rote memorization of concepts. But some teachers offer a different perspective on its design. “Rather than going deeply into standards, the units move quickly without much review,” said Becky Glover, a teacher at Lincoln Elementary School. “If students miss school, they miss instruction and have to be caught up.” The Burlingame B reached out to other teachers in BSD for comment; however, according to an unnamed source, none were willing to speak on the record for fear of retribution. Another issue some have with SWUN is the presence of typos and editing errors in the curriculum, which have ranged from simple spelling mistakes to incorrect answers altogether. While Glover says there are fewer than when BSD started with the program, “[they] trip up the kids, or me.” “[SWUN] is fraught with errors that just lead to more confusion,” said Brennan McDonald, a junior at BHS who started with the program in 6th grade. When asked about the typos, a representative from SWUN Math said that they had heard no such complaints from Burlingame, but said there was a process in place to fix them.
In light of these perceived issues, teachers have felt the need to supplement SWUN with their own materials. Glover, for instance, said that she provides her students with “logic problem solving lessons, math manipulatives and games.” In fact, SWUN itself is designed as a supplementary curriculum. It does not appear on the 2014 California Department of Education list of adopted mathematics curriculums (an updated list has not yet been released), although BSD worked with the company directly to develop it into its core curriculum. A California policy change in 2009 loosened restrictions on categorical funds and permitted BSD to use state funds to pay for the program. District officials who brought SWUN Math to Burlingame in 2013, however, remain strong proponents of the program. Dr. Maggie MacIsaac, BSD’s superintendent, said that SWUN Math’s early alignment with Common Core along with its rigorous professional development programs for teachers were major motivators in the district’s decision to adopt it. “Typically what publishers do is regurgitate what they’ve had for years,” MacIsaac said. “They don’t change, they’re not flexible.” The superintendent mentioned other available options at the time, such as Engage New York, but said that they did not provide as much teacher training as SWUN did. BSD Board Trustee Davina Drabkin, who was president in 2013, highlighted what she called “an upward trend in assessment metrics” since SWUN’s implementation. “It’s validated our hypothesis that understanding the core con-
cepts would help students with unfamiliar math problems and situations,” Drabkin said. While there have been increases in scores, the percentage of students who exceeded standards dipped slightly in 2017 on the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC) exam as compared to the previous year. But it was Susan Anderson, BSD’s District Math Specialist, who formally presented SWUN to the Board of Trustees with MacIsaac back in 2013. Anderson was the new Specialist at the time, and had had very positive experiences with the program at both San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and Oakland Unified School District (OUSD). “SWUN Math focuses on academic language and understanding why the mathematics works,” Anderson said. Interestingly, both SFUSD and OUSD had terminated their contracts with SWUN by 2013 (Anderson’s tenure at each district also closely correlated with their respective relationships with the company). Testimonials from OUSD, which piloted the program starting in the 2006 academic year, are prominently featured on SWUN Math’s website. However, an OUSD math leader (who had worked with SWUN for several years) offered a critique of the program. When Oakland used SWUN, students took the California Standards Test (CST) rather than the SBAC. The OUSD official, who asked to remain anonymous for this story, said that while SWUN was relatively effective in increasing scores, it relied on tricks to find the answer rather than an understanding of concepts. “SWUN Math taught [a] trick for comparing fractions, and it
PHOTO COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SWUN Math: friend or foe?
District officials tout higher test scores, but there was a slight decrease in performance in 2017 as compared to the previous year. would give the right answer every time,” the source said. “But [students] wouldn’t understand fractions, and that would make math way harder in middle school and beyond.” The OUSD district employee’s compilation of CST scores that tracked proficiency as students progressed through elementary and middle school showed a significant decrease in performance as students faced more challenging problems. “I noticed that the scores from students who were SWUN trained fell even more than those who used the other programs,” the source said. According to the compilation, there was an average 23.8% drop in math proficiency in schools use SWUN Math compared to a roughly 12.4% drop in proficiency for those who did not. In 2011, OUSD terminated its contract with SWUN in favor of a curriculum combining Math Expressions with content developed
by Oakland teachers. A representative from SFUSD, meanwhile, confirmed that no school had contact with SWUN after 2013, but would not provide any insight as to why the contract was terminated. Either way, Burlingame intends to continue with SWUN Math. There are former students who liked using it, including junior Sophia Young, who “appreciated its structure in comparison to the curriculum [she] uses now.” Separately, SWUN was a sponsor at last academic year’s Burlingame Community for Education (BCE) Foundation’s annual dinner dance. BCE, however, did not respond to a request for the specific amount. When asked what the district had heard from parents and students about SWUN Math, MacIsaac joked, “You know, I’m never going to make everybody happy.”
Canvas’ spiffy features are slow but sure to please Senior Reporter
After its pilot last year, Canvas officially replaced School Loop as Burlingame’s learning management system (LMS) in August. By using an LMS, teachers, students and parents can develop a mutual understanding of students’ academic progress. Canvas has many desirable features, including a web page for each class with links to modules, class agendas, assignments and more. Unlike School Loop, Canvas connects to Google Drive and Turnitin, meaning that everything students need to submit work is in one place. Colleges across the
country from the Ivy League to the California State University system use Canvas, so becoming familiar with it now may help students in the future. For teachers and students who have been using School Loop since sixth grade, however, Canvas poses a challenging learning curve. “The transition from School Loop to Canvas has been a little hard because a lot of teachers and students are still learning,” sophomore Cherilyn Yu said. To ease the transition, several teachers began to use Canvas last year. The district held professional development days to teach its faculty how to use the new LMS, which has more options and tools
for teachers to use while grading. This semester is the first time the entire school has used Canvas. “Canvas is very organized and more flexible than School Loop, but it is harder to check grades efficiently,” junior Diana Milne said. Yu agrees, bringing up a problem many students face while navigating Canvas—unlike School Loop, grades do not just pop up automatically on the main Canvas dashboard. In the long run, though, this difference could teach students to value their individual classes above their grade point average. “I don’t think about my grades as often anymore,” Yu said.
PHOTO BY TEKLA CARLEN
BY TEKLA CARLEN
Dennis J. Murphy
Your Peninsula Neighbor 415.310.7956 | dennis@dennisjmurphy.com dennisjmurphy.com
Students can access Canvas in its mobile form, on their tablets or on the desktop website.
Features
September 28, 2018
Burlingame Intermediate School experiences bus problems Nothing says “middle school” more than a bus packed with rowdy kids. When the children create more ruckus than normal, however, repercussions ensue. Such is the case at Burlingame Intermediate School (BIS), which has a private bus agreement with the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans). This year, SamTrans decided to send fewer buses to BIS after school. “They were only bringing two buses instead of three, so many of the kids had to walk four blocks to get to a public bus,” BIS seventh-grader Anisa Newman-Silva said. The two small buses barely fit half of the kids who relied on them to get home. Students took the El Camino SamTrans bus instead, which is in no way associated with BIS. “This was concerning to many in the BIS community, including parents, teachers, staff and administrators,” said Dean of Students Dave Moore.
Another challenge was BIS’s ticket system. As tickets to board the bus became more elusive, students would run and shove one another to be the first to get one. The system favored sixth graders, so seventh and eighth graders with tickets were few and far between. “Many people make bad decisions on the buses, and the bus drivers tell them to stop, but they won’t,” seventh-grader Mikayla Garcia said when asked why she thought SamTrans did not want to bring three buses. According to Dan Lieberman, Public Affairs Specialist for SamTrans, the company sent only two buses for financial and ecological reasons. The BIS bus route was not the only one affected by this choice. Students such as seventh-graders Finn Lorian and Santiago Tarango created petitions to bring back the third bus. Lorian received 130 out of her 500 needed signatures before BIS sent out an email that solved the main problem. Thanks to a collaborative effort between the school administra-
PHOTO BY ASTRID CARLEN
BY TEKLA CARLEN Senior Reporter
The 46 SamTrans bus route services BIS every day, dropping off and picking up students tion, SamTrans and the communi- not been eliminated. As long as “Since there are no immedity, two buses still pick the middle students are still fighting to get ate changes in the kids’ behavior, schoolers up, but they are now bus tickets and “making jokes that [SamTrans] is probably not going stretch buses. This has stopped people don’t like and getting phys- to want to bring more buses and most of the children from walking ical” on the bus, Newman-Silva might stop bringing a stretch bus believes the after-school tension eventually,” Newman-Silva said. to El Camino everyday. Even so, the root problem has will continue.
Martinez’s return to the dark past
BY HANNA SATO Chief Photographer In America, children’s worst fear is the monster under the bed. In Nicaragua, children’s worst fear is being killed walking down the street. At 9 years old, Spanish teacher Julian Martinez was forced to flee from Nicaragua and its destructive civil war. Martinez remembers the dark past he left behind in light of the horrific events currently occurring in Nicaragua and understands the pain Nicaraguans are feeling. Since being re-elected in 2007, Nicaragua’s president, Daniel Ortega, has steadily strengthened his grasp around the government and media and eliminated restrictive constitutional policies. Protests began in April regarding the government’s neglect towards forest fires on the Indio Maiz Biological Reserve. The protests transitioned into a protest about new social security policies, eventually becoming a protest against Ortega’s corruption and authoritarian government, led by university students. However, Nicaragua has a zero-tolerance policy for protesting, and paramilitaries and police began shooting protesters. Since then, more than 300 people have been killed. “It’s a return to the past,” Martinez said. “Especially because
what I remember is a time of turmoil and instability.” As a young child, Martinez witnessed horrific bombings and shootings, similar to the atrocities being committed now. In a recent
“I hope our teachers can make a connection between what it’s like to take for granted the right to vote, which is something so basic and simple. But people are dying in order to vote.” -Martinez letter from his sister, Martinez learned that his family had been targeted by the paramilitaries and the public in order to gain access to their small food store. Because
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people have no food, they have resorted to stealing. They even threatened to burn down Martinez’s family’s house. His family believed they were all going to die. Martinez has seen how people in the United States cannot and probably never will understand what it islike to live during a civil war. There is a level of unawareness and ignorance in America, particularly because there has never been a conflict of similar violence and brutality within the past century. By living in both countries, Martinez has seen the difference in the involvement of young adults in politics. He described it as “a revolution made by the young people,” who are working to change the system and be involved in the political conversation. “They are so involved in the political conversation and it’s something I don’t see here in our country. When we go to vote, our young people don’t vote in the elections. It’s the opposite of what happens in Nicaragua. We have to fight in order to vote. Young people want to vote and have an election” Martinez said. “It makes me angry that the young people of Nicaragua, the future of their country, are being killed by the police and government. Justice is not being served.” PHOTO COURTESY WIKIPEDIACOMMONS
Nicaraguan protesters assemble in the city of Managua to protest voting rights.
BY AIDAN O’SULLIVAN - Staff Reporter
Kristin Kunzelman joins BHS as the new band teacher. Kunzelman’s passion for band is evident in the classroom, where she helps students grow musically. Senior Eugenia Zhang believes Kunzelman brings a positive change to the band’s formerly static condition because of her devotion to the class and her students. “She’s definitely set higher standards for the band this year and I think we’ve all been pushed to work harder and practice,” Zhang said. “She’s a refreshing change of pace and I think her efficiency and new ideas will help the band grow,” Zhang said. “I’m excited that my last year of band is with her.”
NEW BURLINGAME FACULTY
SEARCY C105 + C110
LAZALDE C115 New math teacher, Carlos Lazalde, has plenty more to offer the BHS community than his passion for the art of Taekwondo. He is eager to dive into the year and cultivate students’ love for math, teaching Algebra I and Algebra II in room C115. With a college education from UC Berkeley and experience teaching in Walnut Creek at Las Lomas High School and in Union City at James Logan High School, Lazalde brings valuable teaching experience with him to BHS. His teaching philosophy stresses the growth mindset; his motto is “practice makes proficient.” “If students can buy into the idea of practice making them grow, I think it’s more consistent with the growth mindset approach… instead of having students believe that if they’re not perfect, they’re doomed to fail,” Lazalde said.
Keyon Searcy, a new special-ed teacher, is motivated to support and advocate for students with learning disabilities. While striving to eradicate societal stigmas around special-ed students, Searcy hopes to ensure his students are celebrated and embraced by the BHS community. Searcy will encourage students to express themselves without reservation and develop the self-confidence necessary to overcome challenges. “I want to advocate for students that may not necessarily know how to advocate for themselves and I just feel like every student has a story,” Searcy said. After working for two years at the Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support in Savannah, Georgia, Searcy is ready and determined to make his own unique mark on Burlingame’s special-ed program.
BENNETT C201 + C208
BROCKBANK C207
BHS welcomes new biology and chemistry teacher, Thomas Bennett. Bennett started his science career in Seattle, Washington, where he worked in biotech. “The pay was really good in the [biotech] industry, but it wasn’t that much fun and I’ve always wanted to work with kids,” Bennett said. Bennett eventually quit his job in biotech to become a full time teacher. When asked why he chose to teach at Burlingame High School, Bennet said, “Burlingame is amazing. I’m really happy with everything I’ve seen so far. The staff is very supportive… and the kids and the administration are fantastic. So I feel like it was a blessing to work here.”
This year, Brennan Brockbank has stepped into the role of teaching Chemistry and Physics at BHS. Brockbank has a profound fascination with the sciences, evidenced by his energetic lectures and exciting experiments. “I went through high school science knowing that someday I wanted to be teaching high school science,” Brockbank said, noting he wanted to teach since he was 13. Before coming to Burlingame, Brockbank worked as a science coach for the Burlingame School District, a science coordinator for Ravenswood City School District and a content developer for Teachers’ Curriculum Institute in Mountain View. Brockbank has loved teaching at BHS so far and believes “it is an excellent place to be a teacher.”
KRAUSE D105 + D125
MARTIN C111
Donna Krause is a new health and Guided Studies teacher at BHS this year. Prior to teaching at BHS, Krause was the dean of students at both Mills and Capuchino High School. Krause did not always plan to be a teacher, as she started out college as a pre-med. Eventually, she realized she wanted to become an educator. Krause then became a substitute Dean of students and teacher. After subbing as the Dean at San Mateo High School, Krause was offered a job as the Dean of Students, and later at Capuchino High School. Krause stated that her goal for this year is to “try to make every student as successful as they can be, do well academically and feel good about how they did.”
Growing up in San Jose, California, Spanish teacher Sally Shurter realized in high school that she loved Spanish language and culture and had an innate talent for it as well. In college and graduate school, she studied abroad in Costa Rica, Peru and Spain and loved being immersed in Spanish. Before teaching Spanish, Shurter taught English abroad but said, “I realized through learning how to teach English that I actually loved teaching,” and she missed having Spanish as a central part of life. She previously taught at Mills High School and has been in the district for eight years, and she is excited to be at Burlingame, saying one of her goals this year is to “get my students excited about the Spanish language.”
AGGARWAL A110
NASSER A129 Megan Nasser is the newest addition to the Burlingame history department. She teaches Contemporary World Studies and U.S. History in room A129. After graduating from UC Santa Cruz, majoring in philosophy and history, she taught a variety of subjects at Berkeley International High School. Now at BHS, this is her 11th year teaching. As she puts it, “BHS has a great feel to it. I have so many intelligent, thoughtful and inquisitive students and the staff is super fun and supportive.”
Josette Aggarwal may be a new face on BHS’ campus, but this will be her 21st year teaching English. Aggarwal began her career teaching English as a second language, and then taught at schools in Los Angeles in San Francisco. Today, she teaches freshmen. While she has a complete list of favorite books, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is the first she mentions. “While I was teaching it, I just became more aware of a lot the the subtleties of the novel and its complexities,” Aggarwal said. So far, she has been impressed with BHS’s campus, teachers and administrators. “Everyone is very welcoming,” she said.
BY ALEC ABRAMSON - Staff Reporter
BY WESLEY CHEN - Staff Reporter
SIJSTERMANS C205 Prior to coming BHS, Marloes Sijstermans attended Stanford University’s undergraduate program in human biology. She then received her minor in education and acquired her master’s degree in science education. After graduating from college, she worked at Raoul Wallenberg High School in San Francisco and taught AP Environmental Science, Biology and AVID, a program that aids low-income, first generation and underrepresented students with college acceptance. However, she states that BHS is different from other schools because “It’s a place that’s very innovative and we’re constantly thinking about how to make our teaching and learning experience better.” She has already formed new connections with her students and staff members, and hopes that her students can critically analyze what they see in the world around them.
BY ALLISON SZETU - Staff Reporter
SHURTER A201
DESIGN BY ALLIE KENNEDY
Alecia Martin, a new addition to the BHS math department, brings her 13 years of teaching experience to the Burlingame community. Between her years of teaching, Martin took a break to work as a bookkeeper and accountant for several years, as she felt it provided a practical application of the math she taught. Most recently, she taught math for five years in the United Arab Emirates. Martin aspires to teach math in an enjoyable way and encourages students not to shy away from the subject. “I’ve always had one good teacher that stood out from the rest,” Martin said. “Now I want to be that good teacher for others.”
BY DAVID MEHRAN - Staff Reporter
BY AMELIA HARRIS - Staff Reporter
KUNZELMAN C101
BY CAROLINE YEOW - Staff Reporter
BY ETHAN GARDNER - Staff Reporter
BY JACOB LUBARSKY - Staff Reporter
BY RACHEL YAP - Staff Reporter
BY MARK HABELT - Staff Reporter
Opinion
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The value of individual sports BY DAVID MEHRAN Staff Reporter It’s 3:45, a half hour after school lets out. Some student athletes jog out to the field, some trek to the pool and some navigate through locker rooms smelling of sweat and deodorant. All of them have to go to practice. Sports hold an important place on the campus, not just for athletes. Players, band members and spectators all play a role in the athletic community. All sports are different in the skills they require of participants, both physically and mentally. But in general terms, sports fall into one of two categories: team or individual. While both hold value in the skills they develop, individual sports have a much longer lasting and meaningful impact on athletes, both in the lessons they teach and opportunities they present. Team sports are enjoyable because they give athletes the chance to bond. Making friends, social-
izing, and having a good time all have value. However, team sports lack any long-lasting emotional and psychological benefits for athletes. “I like the relationship I build with my teammates and working together as a group,” said junior Connor Kall, who is a baseball and football player. This camaraderie definitely holds social merit. But for many athletes, that’s the extent of their team experience. The idea of dependence on teammates misleads many less-experienced players, causing them to be carried by the more experienced. For example, the star players on the varsity soccer team travel to CCS with the benchwarmers. Some say this is an opportunity for players lacking skill to learn from better players. However, more often it creates a sense of unfulfillment among lesser players who feel it was just a victory for the team’s top members. The
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BURLINGAME B
myth that all players on the team have an equal stake in success is far from reality. On the other hand, individual sports curb feelings of hierarchy and skillful deficiency. Individual sport success is 100 percent up to the athlete, the individual. “Individual sports build perseverance,” said junior Alec Sasano, who participates in swim. ”You definitely need to get in the mindset where you don’t give up, whereas team sports you can depend on others.” With individual sports, achievements, failures, wins and losses can’t be blamed on teammates or corrected with a switch of positions. This total responsibility makes losing much harsher and victory immensely more rewarding. However much effort an athlete puts into training results in that much success; never more and never less. Most importantly, committing to individual sports imparts a lifestyle that indicates success later in life. Several years down the road, studying at 2:30 a.m. on a Wednesday night for a college exam in the morning will require perseverance and willpower. The skills of determination, perseverance, and self-reliance are a cornerstone of individual sports. These values aid athletes throughout the rest of their lives. While team sports provide a fun athletic social experience, individual sports allow one to commit to achieving self-set goals and learn an unparalleled level of perseverance.
Evacuation frustration BY HUBERT CHEN Staff Reporter The evacuation site for C and D building classes has been changed to the tennis courts in an attempt to reduce congestion on the football field. This change brings up some concerns and questions regarding the tennis courts’ safety and effectiveness as an evacuation site. Last year during an evacuation at BHS, most of the students would have to walk through the basketball courts and the single 10 foot wide entrance between the football bleachers and softball cage onto the football field. The C and D building students would enter the football field from in between the tennis courts and swimming pool. Although the change in evacuation site was made to reduce congestion while going to the field, diverting only the C and D building students should have no effect on the massive congestion between the football bleachers and the softball cage since the C and D building students already enter from a different entrance in the first place. Not only is the change in evacuation site ineffective, it is also unsafe and dangerous in the case of an emergency. The tennis courts are an enclosed area with 10 foot high fences on all four sides — an obstacle that is difficult to scale for many. The tennis courts’ access points consist of two doors: one 48 inch wide door and one 96 inch wide door. With the C building holding anywhere between 300 and 500 students at
a time, these two access points are not adequate to allow the fast flow of students in and out of the tennis courts. Furthermore, the doors to the tennis courts are normally locked to prevent unauthorized usage. During an emergency, it would be impractical to require someone to unlock the doors to the evacuation site. If it were to be necessary for students to leave the evacuation site because of a school shooter or an approaching fire, it would be a slow process, threatening the safety and well-being of the students. “It’s almost as if we are going into a cage,” sophomore Arthur Powers said. When questioned about the topic, sophomore Aaron Becker said that he “won’t feel as safe [on the tennis courts] as [he] would on the field” during an evacuation. With obstacles such as 10 foot tall fences, limited and locked access points and failure to address the problem of congestion, the tennis courts fail as a safe and effective evacuation site. To properly address the problem with congestion, it may be a worthwhile investment to move the softball cage elsewhere, which would widen the entrance to the football field significantly. Outside of the softball season, it serves no purpose other than as a storage area. Another solution could just be to evacuate onto the softball field. It is not fully enclosed and even larger than the tennis courts.
Parents need to check themselves BY CADEN THUN
Copy Editor
If you’re a kid in the U.S. talking to an adult to whom you have never spoken before, you know that an extremely predictable set of questions is coming your way. “What’s your favorite subject in school?” “What do you like to do?” “What sports do you play?” The question about school makes sense — every kid has to go to school. The question about what you like to do also makes sense, as everybody likes to do something, and most people are keen to discuss their passions. The sports question, too, is a logical one to ask a kid. After all, how many kids in America have never played a sport before? But some of the answers the sports question can elicit from a kid warrant more scrutiny than they typically receive. “I play on a year-round AAU basketball team and I play baseball too.” “I do cross country, track, and lacrosse.” “I do gymnastics and club soccer.” More often than not, kids will be multi-sport athletes, and many of them play sports competitively. The time commitments some competitive sports entail are inordinate. A top-level 10-year-old club soccer team will practice four to five days a week, with games every weekend and sporadic tournaments occurring throughout the year. Kids are usually expected to arrive early for games, sometimes an hour in advance, and games are frequently an hour-long drive away. It is no different with competitive cheer, basketball, baseball,
lacrosse, football, or any other sport. What is odd, then, is how many kids are involved in high-level sports. One would think that for parents to be complicit with driving their kids all over the place and sacrificing their weekends for the sake of a youth sports team, they would have a good reason for doing so. Maybe they’re convinced of their kid’s ability to earn an athletic scholarship or become a professional athlete. Maybe they think that their kid’s childhood will be significantly enriched by the camaraderie and discipline fostered by high-level sports. But if every parent of a kid who plays a high-level competitive sport had to justify their child’s expenditure of time on sports, would most of their answers be justified? I seriously doubt it. Go to a few AAU basketball games. Regardless of how old the kids are, one consistency will make itself evident: inexorable shouting emitted from the sidelines. The source of that shouting? Parents. Anyone who has played a youth sport, competitive or otherwise, is familiar with the trope of the sideline coach. That one parent who somehow knows exactly what their kid should be doing at all times, and who feels obligated to stridently vocalize their analytical prowess from the start of the game to the final whistle. At some games, parents who are not sideline coaches are the minority. The prevalence of sideline coaches at youth sports games is indicative of a trend: lots of parents want their kids to play competitive sports so that they, along with their kids, can bask in the glory of a win, and so they can vicariously experience all of the
emotions sports evoke. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Parents should be allowed to be proud of their kids, and if they can derive some happiness from watching their kid play a sport, then good for them. “It’s like pretty much watching yourself,” said Kai Galia, a BHS senior who has been playing high-level competitive soccer since he was in elementary school and The tennis courts are enclosed by ten foot fences with locked gates. whose dad has always been vocal from the sideline. Galia has never minded his dad’s presence at his games, and why should he have? Playing soc- BY DARRION CHEN cer always brought him joy, and Senior Reporter sharing that with his dad was never a problem. But there are plenty of parents out there who push their kids into playing high-level sports without asking if their kids actually want to be playing competitively. “You shouldn’t be wasting your time just because your parents are forcing you to play something,” Galia said. Galia noted that in Switzerland, where he lived for one year towards the end of elementary school, his teammates were far more spirited. “Over there, they want to play the sport. They want to go pro, they want to be like their idols,” he said. “The kids have more passion. They want to win the game.” Until parents stop being more passionate about their kids’ sports than their kids are, time will continue to be squandered driving to practices and games, and Swiss soccer fields will continue to be more passion-filled than American ones.
It’s raining anvils
PHOTO COURTESY OF HUBERT CHEN
Varsity swimmer sophomore Cherilyn Yu races in the 100 meter.
September 28, 2018
Entertainment
September 28, 2018
Got good eats?
Salt and Straw hits Burlingame
BY TYLER IDEMA
Sports Editor
Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles are all locations for Salt and Straw shops; soon to be added to that list will be Burlingame. Replacing Kara’s Cupcakes, Salt and Straw will be selling its unique variety of ice cream, which boasts classic flavors from San Francisco. In addition, it will prowwide milkshakes and sundaes along with to-go pints of their ice cream. Salt and Straw will open in Burlingame soon, and is pushing for a late October launch date. Founded in Portland by Tyler and Kim Malek in 2011, Salt and Straw adds a delicious twist to ordinary ice cream flavors. Chocolate Gooey Brownie, Double Fold
Vanilla and Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons highlight classic Salt and Straw flavors that have been provided at most of its locations. Along with these classics, Salt and Straw plans to add customer favorites like Breakaway Matcha and Black Raspberry, a Dandelion Hazelnut with Cookies and Cream and a Mt. Tam Cheese with Toasted Acme Bread. “[We] want to make real ice cream with real ingredients that also kind of pushes the boundary to create really interesting and innovative flavor combinations,” said an anonymous representative of Salt and Straw. What truly makes Salt and Straw one of a kind is not its flavors, but what goes into the mak-
ing of its ice cream. Salt and Straw uses organic and sustainable ingredients to compliment its flavors. It handcrafts all of its ice cream, and obtains its ingredients from local partners, some of whom have their own eponymous flavors, like Mt. Tam Cheese with Toasted Acme Bread. Burlingame is just the beginning of the expansion out into the San Francisco peninsula, and this location is the first scoop-shop in the area. “We’re thrilled to open a scoop shop in such a tight-knit community like Burlingame, creating a new gathering place for locals to convene and treat themselves,” said Kim Malek, co-founder and CEO of Salt & Straw.
BY CADEN THUN BEN NEUMAN TYLER IDEMA
Coconut Bay
PHOTO BY TYLER IDEMA
When trying to find good Thai food in Burlingame, look no further than Coconut Bay. Located only a couple minutes away from BHS on Howard Ave, Coconut Bay has an extensive menu that has something to satisfy just about everyone, including vegans. The spicy angel wings are a popular appetizer, and the green, red, and yellow curries are all delicious. The only caveat is the price. While Coconut Bay’s prices are by no means outrageous (the three curries are $12.50), they might repel some students looking for a quick, cheap bite after a minimum day at school. Nevertheless, Coconut Bay is an ideal spot to dine with family. It is spacious, has a friendly atmosphere, and the food never disappoints.
Rise Pizzeria Only instituted around a year ago, Rise has solidified itself as being one of the best casual hang out areas on Burlingame avenue, while also providing great pizza. The pizzeria is located close to El Camino, and provides a fire pit as well as a large screen projector for movies and sports games. Rise is open all week, and provides a happy hour Monday through Friday from 3pm to 5pm and Saturday through Sunday from 2pm to
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4pm. Those are great times to hang out with friends while also enjoying decreased prices. Rise’s menu is more pervasive than one may think. While they provide a classic red sauce option for their pizzas, they also have added a white sauce option to mix things up a notch. Rise Pizzeria is a great place to hang out, and an even better place to eat, so make sure to check it out when you get the chance. Rise has a great atmosphere, and a variety of dishes - not just pizza. They also have meatballs, brussel sprouts, and high quaity burrata. Additionally, they have gooey brownie-chocolate chip cookies that make for an amazing dessert.
Ike’s Place When it comes to sandwich shops in Burlingame, Ike’s Place is hard to top. Located on the corner of Howard and Primrose, Ike’s is the perfect place for a quick lunchtime break with some quality food. With a menu containing hundreds of different sandwiches, it is unlikely that anyone will find nothing to eat, rather most everyone will be overwhelmed with the amount of appetizing choices Ike’s has to offer. The atmosphere at Ike’s is very relaxed and the system they use to take and make food orders is very efficient, resulting in small lines and quick service. Next time you are looking for a place to get a fast, substantial lunch, do not pass on Ike’s, Burlingame’s top sandwich shop.
Salt and Straw’s Burlingame location will open in October.
BlaKkKlansmen
BY JAMES LOWDON
Senior Reporter
“BlacKkKlansman,” directed by Spike Lee, is based on the true story of Ron Stallworth, Colorado Springs’ first black cop, who infiltrates and puts a stop to local klan efforts. The most iconic scene in the movie occurs when Stallworth dials a phone number found in a Ku Klux Klan newspaper ad and finds himself talking to David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the KKK. From there, Stallworth, along with a Jewish cop named Flip Zimmerman, works to infiltrate the KKK. Zimmerman acts as an undercover cop while Stallworth continues to establish contact over the phone. The ridiculousness of the movie’s premise feeds into a comedic tone that emerges frequently within the movie, but the movie itself is not a comedy. Humor is used to provide comedic relief between the intense scenes and imagery. The scenes in which Zimmer-
man uncovers the Ku Klux Klan’s plans and training while in the belly of the beast are particularly anxiety-inducing and can be exhausting without relief. However, sometimes the humor undermines the seriousness of the themes presented in the movie. From the clothing to the music, the recreation of 70’s culture helps capture the mood of the era. However, though the movie takes place in 1979, viewers are inundated with not-so-subtle allusions to today’s society. Do not expect any nostalgic escapism in this movie. Overall, BlacKkKlansman is an enjoyable movie with the comedy, 70s nostalgia and groovy music, but these elements serve to emphasize the dark themes of the movie and leave viewers to reflect. The movie, released on the anniversary of the ‘Unite the Right’ rally in Charlottesville, ends with footage of the rally as well as video of the car driving through crowds of counter protesters at the rally. PHOTO COURTESY OF BLACKKKLANSMAN
Zimmerman (left) and Stalworth (right) infiltrate the KKK.
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Sports
September 28, 2018
Girls junior varsity volleyball Girls water polo bonds due serves up fiery competition to pool construction PHOTO BY CLAIRE HUNT
PHOTO BY MOYA LIU
Setter sophomore Neha Bandrapalli practices her volleyball skills before a home game Junior Isabel Downey catches a pass during during the varsity away game against against Hillsdale High School. The team has started the season with nine wins. Cappuccino. Pool construction has posed a new challenge to the team this season. “It’s clearly hard to be the away team evtained their aggressiveness and kept Notre BY CLAIRE HUNT BY MOYA LIU ery time,” Jordan said. “It’s kind of rough, Dame Belmont scrambling 2-0 (25-18, Senior Reporter Business Manager but it keeps things interesting. We get to 25-22),” head coach Chris Chiu said. Despite the Burlingame pool being un- go somewhere new every day, which is reWhile the temperature outside is start“Our team works very well together ing to fall, the girls junior varsity (JV) vol- on the court. Everyone is supportive and der construction, the Panthers are looking freshing, on the bright side.” leyball team is heating up. The team started encouraging but still competitive,” junior forward to a spirited season. Practicing From showing up early to cheer on othits season winning nine straight matches, Talia Friedman said. “I am looking forward mornings and nights, the team has bonded er teams, to ‘secret fish’ rituals, the Panthers which include five league games and four to getting to know my team better and over its current obstacles. are the epitome of school spirit. At the Their sense of intimacy is derived from beginning of the season, each player is asnon-league games. keeping our winning streak going.” Within the last six weeks, the Panthers Despite their winning streak, Chiu is the amount of time they spend together signed a secret partner to bring an encourdefeated Sacred Heart Prep, Los Altos, San more concerned that his players try their setting up and taking down pool arrange- aging gift to before every game, and then Mateo, Aragon and Hillsdale, all by the hardest than he is that they win. “They ments, as well as their dependence on each they reveal their ‘secret fish’ by the end of score of 2-0. the season. could win against a weak team without other during games. “There’s a lot of set up and take down In addition, the team won two major giving it their best effort, and that doesn’t “Some of my favorite memories of wainvolved with this sport and we all rely on ter polo are of being here when I was a league games against formidable oppo- really mean anything,” Chiu said. nents. One of Chiu’s goals is to get them ready each other in the games, so that sparks a freshman,” Jordan said. “I remember feel“The first was an upset over a tradition- to play varsity next year. He would like to lot of camaraderie,” senior Ava Jordan said. ing such camaraderie with my teammates, This season, the team is working to which was really great. And now that I’m a ally strong Sacred Heart Cathedral — 2-0 help his players grow and mature as athovercome the challenge pool construction senior I’m excited to bring some of those (25-14, 25-21). The second was against letes and as people. another traditionally tough team, Notre On Oct. 2, the Panthers will be playing poses. Varsity currently has one win under vibes to my freshmen.” Dame Belmont. Our Lady Panthers main- an away game against San Mateo at 5 p.m. their belt after three official games. PHOTO BY HUBERT CHEN
Girls golf rebuilds team despite lack of participants BY HUBERT CHEN
Staff Reporter Burlingame has undergone a drastic loss in members over the past year. Last year, the team kept 18 out of 36 athletes who tried out, while this year, they kept 15 out of 15. The team “lost a lot of good seniors” over the past year so they are “basically rebuilding [the team] this year,” coach Joe Dito said. With four losses at the beginning of this season against San Mateo, Hillsdale and Menlo-Atherton twice, the Panthers are “off to a bit of a rough start,” according to seniors Payton
Toomey and Karina Mori. The team did win one match against Mills at its home course at Poplar Creek. Despite these early setbacks, “the team does show some promise,” according to Dito. “I love the team spirit and camaraderie amongst these girls. They work hard everyday at practice. They’re really excited to come out onto the course and compete with students from the other schools,” Dito said. Burlingame’s next match is against Hillsdale on Oct. 2 at the Poplar Creek Golf Course in Burlingame.
Senior Karina Mori prepares to strike a golf ball at the Popular Creek Golf Course at Coyote Point. The Panthers are “off to a bit of a rough start,” according to Mori.
PHOTO BY CLAIRE HUNT
Cross country team fosters sense of familial community BY ANNIE SUN
Senior Reporter
Sophomore Chris Percia races up the infamous Cougar Hill during the first meet of the season, which was held on September 18 in a fogged-over Half Moon Bay.
Burlingame’s first meet of the season was held on Tuesday, Sept. 18, in Half Moon Bay. Although the scores have not officially been released yet, the Panthers have high hopes for a great score to start the season. “We are focusing on becoming a closer family and being a more closely knit group,” junior Olivia McCaa said. Additionally, cross country is a no-cut sport where everyone who is interested can join. Those in cross country are dedicated and hardworking. They are also
close with each other because they run after school in groups and get to know each other well. “We are a very open and welcoming group, and it is really easy to make friends with people at practice,” McCaa said. The cross country team has been training four days a week after school, plus Saturday mornings, in preparation for the meets. There are only four meets throughout the entire season and Burlingame hopes to go to the Central Coast Section championships this year. Their second meet is on Wednesday, Oct. 10, at Oceana High School at 4 p.m.
September 28, 2018
Sports
Football: Team looks to dominate PAL Ocean Division
11 PHOTO BY CLAIRE HUNT
BY MARK HABELT
Staff Reporter With a 3-2 record entering the bye week, the Panthers look confident and ready to make a statement in the local high school football scene. After a decisive opening night blowout win over Alvarez , the Panthers competed well against a tough Sacred Heart Prep (SHP) team in a tight Week two road contest. However, disappointing mental mistakes proved costly, as SHP squeaked out a victory despite a superb defensive performance headed by Dylan Neeley and Noah Lavulo. Facing a beatable Live Oak team on September 7, the offense looked sloppy, surrendering numerous turnovers from which they could not recover. Desperately needing a win to build momentum before league play begins on Oct. 5, the Panthers kicked it into high gear against Watsonville, crushing the Wildcatz 49-7. Last Friday, the Panthers showed toughness and poise by staving off a pesky Half Moon Bay team a year removed from a Division III CIF State title game appearance. Despite losing star running back Curtis Lauti to a knee injury, the Panthers rode three Luke Meredith touchdowns to a 27-26 victory. A talented senior class and strong front seven will hopefully help the Panthers contend for an Ocean Division title and provide plenty of entertainment for BHS football fans. Returning to the prominence of the 2004 CCS championship team or the 2013 CCS Division III No. 1 seeded team is a long shot, but an Ocean Division title will put Burlingame on everyone’s radar in the Peninsula. Junior Jordan Malashus pulls off a fake hand-off during the Sept. 21 game against Half Moon Bay
PHOTO BY MOYA LIU
Cheer prepares for LBG BY HANNA SATO
Chief Photographer
The Varsity Cheer Squad performs their halftime show at the BHS versus Half Moon Bay football game on September 21.
Girls tennis team chemistry jump starts season
This year, cheer is continuing to work hard to boost spirit and morale at BHS. The junior varsity and varsity teams are also working together to prepare for the Little Big Game (LBG) on Nov. 3 in addition to all of their weekly football games. “I’m excited for learning more complex stunting and choreography. I’m also excited about getting closer with cheer friends and having fun again this year,” junior Julia Doherty said. The cheerleading squad makes new routines every 2 weeks and change stunting continuously in preparation for the football games. Cheer recruited several new members this year, making the cheer squad one of the largest in years, at more than 45 cheerleaders. Junior varsity is also now a co-ed team for the first time in more than 10 years, led by Katlyn Tran and Esha. The varsity squad is led by Ella Escobar and Pia Esguerra. In addition to football games, the team is working to prepare for and plan the annual homecoming dance following the LBG.
Boys’ Water Polo: hit hard by renovation at home pool
BY AMELIA HARRIS ALLISON SETZU
Staff Reporters Burlingame’s season kicked off with a scrimmage against Sacred Heart Cathedral on Aug. 28, which the Panthers won 7-0. They have played six matches since then and won three of them. The team is hoping to win future games through hard work and dedication. Coach Bill Smith has confidence in the team and is hopeful about the upcoming season. Smith described the team dynamic as “very sociable with each other on and off the courts.” “We obviously want to win but I think it’s more about working hard and working together to play the best tennis that we can, while still having fun,” sophomore Olina Du said. The team’s phenomenal chemistry has lended a sense of confidence to the players. The girls are willing to work together to strengthen their bond throughout the year. Though one would expect that varsity and junior varsity play seperately, freshmen Mary Xia and Emily Pham can confidently counter this claim. “You’d think that on the first day of school everyone will be by themselves, but you automatically make friends,” Pham said, and Xia concured by saying, “Everyone bonds, it’s exciting.” The team’s record as of Sept. 24 is 4-3, and their next game is an away game versus Menlo-Atherton on Tuesday, Oct. 2.
PHOTO BY VISHU PRATHIKANTI
PHOTO BY AMELIA HARRIS
Number two varsity singles player sophomore Vedika Bhaumik returns a serve in the September 5 game against Menlo Atherton.
Senior Luca Aliaga prepares to pass in the game against Menlo on September 5. BY VISHU PRATHIKANTI
Editor-in-Chief Recent pool construction has hit the Panthers hard, effectively removing their summer pre-season practice and significantly cutting their weekly practice schedule. Before the season starts, Burlingame usually takes two weeks to practice. However, due to late planning, the team only received the two days before school started for practice. Additionally, without a home pool to practice in, the Panthers have relied on various schools in the district to lend their pools for daily practices. Not only are the Panthers hurt by the commute, but their time allotment has gotten shorter since last year. “This year we have an hour and a half practices at various high schools,” senior Jason Shevach said. “This includes the transportation time to get there, so students are spending more time getting to and from the practices than they are actually practicing in the pool.” But the team’s troubles don’t stop there. Due to junior varsity coach John Dhyne’s commute from BHS to various pools, the varsity and jv team must share practices as well as coaches. “As a varsity team we should be practicing with people of our own skill level,” senior Davor Koprivic said. “When we bring in jv… we have to teach them and it’s kind of annoying with some of those players.” However, despite these setbacks, morale is high on the team. “I feel pretty David-esque,” Shevach said, in reference to the biblical tale of David and Goliath. The Panthers’ record as of Sept. 24 is 2-1, and they will face Hillsdale on Oct. 3.
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Student Life
September 28, 2018
Buddies Day
Freshman Olga Iarmolenko shows off her flexibility during the buddies festivies.
Burlingame High School’s annual Buddies day turned out to be a huge success. (Above) Students play patty-cake with each other as an icebreaker in the front of the school. (Right) Students make a conga line in which they give each other back and shoulder massages. Photo credits to Claire Hunt.
BY LILY PAGE Managing Editor
BY MOYA LIU Business Manager Every year, a new drum major is selected to lead the BHS marching band. Seniors Maddison Kong and Katrina Lee talked about their experiences in the band and what they love about it. Q: What do you enjoy the most about being drum major this year? Katrina: I love teaching people how to march and conducting during band events. I love conducting because there’s something great about 100plus people watching you lead a song where the whole school gets to hear what we are like.
program. It’s a very tedious job. So, my main goal is to make it a great show and be able to teach everyone their part in this show. Q:When did you start playing in band? What/Who inspired you? Madison: I’ve always had music in my life. My mom has spent her life singing, dancing, and acting throughout high school and college. My dad can literally play any instrument he wants— guitar, piano, drum set, ukulele, bass, electric guitar, trombone. I played piano for nine years and started playing flute in fourth grade for band. I would say my parents inspired me to stay with music and I’ve always been passionate about it.
Madison: I like that as drum major, I can represent the inQ: If there’s one thing you terests of the students and acwant the readers to know about tually make changes in policies. the band, what would it be? Q: What’s your yearlong goal as drum major? Katrina: My year-long goal as drum major is to have a great field show. We spend countless hours drafting the field show and putting it into the computer
Katrina: Band is literally such an amazing community. I’ve met some of my closest friends in band, and I have had the best experiences as well. People are just so amazing, and I am so glad I get to know a huge community that makes a part of our school.
COURTESY OF ALESSANDRO FRANCO
Franco first practiced in a Cessna 152, and, later, a Cessna 172. From the passenger seat, Franco ended up being so worth it.” Franco was only notified two transitioned into the pilot seat. He had been preparing for days before that Sept. 10 was the checkflight for about three to be the day of his check flight. “It was kind of an unreal months. Franco spent five days per week from 9-5 at San Carlos air- feeling knowing that it was acport, studying and adjusting to the tually happening,” Franco said. His supervisor, a pilot named steep learning curve of the intensive course. He practiced in a Cess- Vince Nastro, was talkative and na 152 and, later, a Cessna 172. fair. After Franco spent an hour “There was a book like this big,” and fifteen minutes successfully Franco said, holding up his pointer reviewing the protocols for engine finger three inches apart from his failure, engine fire, electrical fire thumb. He moved his pointer fin- and landings on different surfaces, ger lower by a single inch. “I prob- Nastro awarded Franco a challenge ably had to learn about this much.” coin. Challenge coins are medalThe check flight date was set for lions bearing the names of specifAug. 4, but was rescheduled twice ic organizations in the military. “It said ‘Jaws’ on it,” Frandue to weather and mechanical issues. For a month, Franco waited to co said. “He was like, ‘This is receive word of his assessment date. my military call-sign because “In that month,” he said, “I I talk a lot.’ I was like, ‘It fits.’ ” Challenge coin in hand and was really tempted to be like, ‘I’m so sick of this.’ But really pilot’s license under his belt, sticking with it, staying sharp, Franco flew back to San Carlos airport. He called his instructor, who congratulated him over the phone by shouting, “Dude, that’s f***ing awesome!” Back at the airport, Franco switched into his favorite plane (same model, but with a touch-screen GPS.) His father sat down in the co-pilot seat. Together, they flew for an hour above the San Francisco Bay. “He started trying to give me his little pointers,” Franco said. “I was like, ‘no, no, no, this is my flight now.’ ”
New drum majors discuss music experiences
PHOTO BY: MOYA LIU
Senior Alessandro Franco awoke in the early hours, gathered his paperwork, and drove to San Carlos airport at a time which he described as the “a**crack of dawn.” He checked the weather report for Tracy, a city approximately 60 miles southeast of the Bay Area. Then, he started up his Cessna 172, the plane he would be flying for the day, and took off from the runway. Franco was heading to Tracy to perform a check flight, in which an instructor would assess his ability to complete basic maneuvers. This assessment would ultimately decide whether he would receive a private pilot’s license. “[I was experiencing] a mix of nerves and relief, knowing that if this goes well, I can come back this afternoon officially a pilot, and if things don’t go well,” Franco said, “I have to wait for another long time.” Since his father is a pilot, sitting in the cockpit was not a new experience for Franco. While his father steered the plane, it was always Franco’s job to speak with air-traffic control over the radio and set GPS coordinates for their destination. Through the Upwind Scholarship program, a free intensive aviation course for rising seniors, Franco pursued an interest that had always been a part of the background noise in his life.
COURTESY OF ALESSANDRO FRANCO
The passenger becomes the pilot
Franco grins at the camera before his first practice flight.
Seniors Katrina Lee and Madison Kong conduct the marching band at a football game against Half Moon Bay High School on September 21.