The Falcon's Quill; Volume 4, Issue 3

The Falcon's Quill

Mr. Land moving on

The current prinal of Blach ermediate School, . Greg Land, is nning to transfer to rlingame Interdiate as principal the 23-24 school r. s the Blach principal two years and rking in the Los os School District a total of twelve rs, Mr. Land is quite experienced ncipal. is latest job transfer used the whole Santa ra County school tricts to make ulty adjustments ordingly, including anges in the vington Elementary ncipal and the Los os High principal.

While the sudden nsfer might seem conceivable” due to nd’s thriving perience at Blach, t e principal provided

a few reasons in his defense. As a totally devoted and committed principal in the education field, Mr Land is choosing to work towards further opportunities and accumulate his work experience instead of staying at Blach until retirement.

Switching between schools is a way for him to “get more familiar” with the whole Santa Clara County school district while building his resume.

“I do have a goal of transferring to the school district and becoming a superintendent in the future,” Mr Land reveals. “I look forward to moving to a higher position and experiencing something totally new.”

Mr. Land has spent an eventful two years at

Photo by Sydney Nachman

News

Editor-in-Chief

News Editor

Editorial Editor

Feature Editor

Sports Editor

Entertainment

Editor

Photographers

Graphics

Copy Editor

Staff Writers

Layout & Design

Adviser

Mr. Land

Brooke Cullinane

Arjun Shankar

Eliana Tekie

Jisoo Hur

Colby Liu

Jennifer Liu

Amiya Garg

Sidney Nachman

Chloe Outten

Alisha Ramani

Kjartan Arnarsson Colin Yang

Lara Leon Ellie Katz

Diane Shepherd

Mission Statement

“The Falcon’s Quill” is a forum where Blach students in the journalism class can exercise their right to express their thoughts and opinions.

“The Falcon’s Quill” strives to report news accurately and objectively, clearly distinguishing fact from opinion.

Editorials do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism class, Blach School, or the Los Altos School District.

We vow to cover stories without discrimination toward any group.

From page 1

Blach, and he described every single teacher and student here to be open, inclusive, and willing to let people do whatever they want and support each other’s dreams.

The LASD community has had a huge impact on him too, teaching him to think innovatively and outside-ofthe-box. On top of that, through the arduous Covid period, he learned from the hardships that came with masks, online learning, and more.

“If you have a caring, connected group of teachers and students, it’s a great experience.” This is Mr. Land’s biggest takeaway from Blach. “I still remember getting first place in one of the bowling games the faculty group held [It’s] forever a cherished memory.”

Mr. Land is widely acknowledged by students as a friendly and easy-going person during his time at Blach. He smiles and chats with a wide variety of students, not only the ones he knows well

In fact, the close interactions with his students is one of the things that he will “definitely miss the most ” Whether it's his D&D club that meets once

a week in the library, his constant visits to the Majangplaying table, or his “interruptions” in history classes to talk about recent issues, Mr. Land appreciates all of these small interactions.

Apart from looking back at his journey at Blach, he is yet to start his voyage at Burlingame Intermediate. The school is much closer to his house, finally giving him the chance to ride his bike to work and enjoy the fresh California air.

He also knows the Burlingame community inside out, and the transfer will bring him closer to long-term friends.

Also, Burlingame holds memories of his daughter’s childhood. “She played soccer, and I would attend her soccer and softball tournaments, cooking sausages at the snack shacks… It was a great time.”

Mr. Land is truly in love with our school. As he emphasizes the pride and fulfillment he gained as the Blach principal and chants “Go Falcons!”, he wholeheartedly wishes all Blach Falcons to thrive in their upcoming years of life.

In return, let us all wish Mr. Land a great and successful time in his future community and career.

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4. Blach Intermediate School 1120 Covington Road Los Altos, CA 94024

Courtesy of Los Altos Town Crier

Mrs. Surber's move to Canada

Jisoo Hur

Mrs. Surber will retire from the Los Altos School District as a special education teacher to move to Canada by the next school year.

Mrs. Surber has been serving in this field as a teacher since 2016, starting at Covington Elementary School for a year and moving to Blach the next. I’ve only taught in this district,” Mrs. Surber says.

“I was very intimidated [at first]…I kind of jumped right in and definitely got overwhelmed [But I am] very grateful, it was a fun year. It’s been really special.”

Originally from Orange County, Mrs Surber attended Catholic schools, which typically do not have any special education programs. Without any formal experience, Mrs. Surber applied to help at a camp for those with disabilities. She “went to volunteer, and fell in love with it.”

“[I] tried a bunch of different fields at first, because I saw how burnt out special education teachers were I was scared of being burnt out. It's a beautiful field but it is

overwhelming,” Mrs. Surber says However, Mrs Surber enjoys the experience and has gained a lot from the years.

“I went into my teaching program feeling that I probably knew everything I was supposed to know,” She remembers. After all, Mrs. Surber had been volunteering within the field for around a decade. “I learned that there is always something to learn.”

Through teaching special education students, Mrs Surber experienced "just a lot of perspective, empathy, and new understandings. For me, the students all really stand out as unique people; they're all special.

right now, [which is] both exciting and scary Change is okay.”

I’ve gained appreciation for human life, for parents, families…I have the pleasure to keep in touch with graduated students. It's really special to me ”

Mrs. Surber’s jump to Canada will not be an easy ride. While her husband has Canadian citizenship, and they have “alway wanted to go,” the school year will be already underway by the time they move.

The first year, she plans to learn about Canadian school systems and see if they are similar to the Californian system If she feels “ready to change things up,” Mrs. Surber is considering working in other communities for people with disabilities, or doing mental health counseling.

“I really don't know the future

Although Mrs. Surber will be leaving, her time at Blach will never be forgotten. “My experience of teaching has influenced so many things about life…[I appreciate] how generous and open and close knit this community is I feel that I've been welcomed since day one.”

The relationships between staff members are a gift from being a teacher. She appreciates that her fellow co-workers “have been very kind and open to trying new things and learning to ignore the less pretty part” of her job. In addition, experiencing first hand her students’ growth and progress is one of her favorite parts as well.

“Blach has been such a wonderful place to work at,” Mrs Surber added as a final thought. “I’m really going to miss everyone.”

I’ve gained appreciation for human life, for parents, families

Photo by Sidney Nachman

Mrs. Surber’s jump to Canada will not be an easy ride

I really don't know the future right now, [which is] both exciting and scary

Tucker Carlson, longtime Fox Show host, is fired

Arjun Shankar

Tucker Carlson, longtime news anchor at Fox News, was fired on April 21 over charges of racism and sexism

networks.

There were some problems, though. The show was regarded as “the most racist show in the history of cable news,” according to The New York Times. His shows promoted white supremacy and neo-Nazi ideals Despite that, his show was considered the best cable Primetime program. The producers at Fox thought that his ideals were all just for show, but it turns out it might have rubbed off on him.

on to his audiences.

For these reasons, Fox chose to fire him from his position

the best cable Primetime program

and his longtime shows.

Tucker Carlson is 54-yearsold and a popular talk show host He has hosted many shows, such as Crossfire and Tucker Carlson Tonight, which were wildly successful. He started his journey as a writer for The Weekly Standard and

charges of racism and sexism

other small papers. Over the years, his popularity grew, along with his position. In 2016, he started Tucker Carlson Tonight, and it was wildly popular. An average of four and a half million people watched the show, and it became the highest-rated show across all of the country’s cable news

All of this was blown out of the water when Tucker Carlson was fired from Fox News. He casually made deeply racist comments to his coworkers, preying on things like their religion, gender, and race He believes in harmful stereotypes, along with passing them

Carlson has been a longtime host at Fox, so it is a period of great change for him. He aims to relaunch his program on Twitter to recapture his wide audience. While he has made mistakes, he doesn’t seem to feel any remorse and will go on to spread his propaganda.

Failed negotiation results in writers strike

The Writers Guild of America, including 11,500 screenwriters, has unionized The Guild announced on May 2, 2023 that they are going on strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

They hope to increase screenwriters' wages and royalties and to get rid of minirooms along with other demands.

Vulture magazine describes mini-rooms as “employing two to three writers to work with a showrunner on a short-term basis in advance of the production of a TV series.”

Writers want to make sure that a writers’ room is a writers’ room, not a mimiroom They want heir pay to reflect that idea.

Now that streaming services are so popular,

companies like Amazon and Netflix hesitate to license their shows, losing money for the writers.

Until that changes, the strike is expected to go on for at least three months, which may affect the Emmy season. Since many companies have a stockpile of TV shows, the effect may not grow severe for several months.

However, the strike will affect several dayto-day TV shows, such as late night shows which almost immediately went dark after the strike started. Since they require new scripts constantly, there is no way for them to continue airing.

So far, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live and other talk shows have gone dark.

Saturday Night Live additionally halted its 48th season, along with the shows Hacks, Stranger Things, Yellowjackets, Abbott Elementary and Cobra Kai. Those shows and more have all postponed production.

“Writing does not stop when filming begins,” tweeted the Duffer Brothers, who have halted production of the Netflix show Stranger Things in support of the strike. “While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work.”

Along with the writers, many celebrities have spoken out. Drew Barrymore opted out of hosting the MTV Movie and TV

Awards, Jay Leno brought donuts to the protesters, and Seth Myers announced his support on the last night of his talk show.

“I feel very strongly that what the writers are asking for is not unreasonable,” he said. The last writers’ strike took place from 2007 to 2008, a time in which many shows and movies were affected. Overall, it cost the California economy around two billion dollars due to the loss of production.

Although streaming services don’t want to lose money, many have stockpiled months of content. They likely plan to use that for as long as possible to avoid dealing with the strike. For now, nobody is sure what the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers will do.

Courtesy of MATTHEW SIMMONS/WIREIMAGE

Gingerism: The harmful effects of discrimination based on hair color

Kjartan Arnarsson

Carrot top, Fire-Monkey, Ginger, Ice Spice, Mrs. Frizzle and Doritio head. These are all names that red-headed people are faced with.

Gingerism is a form of prejudice and discrimination based on an individual's natural hair color, in this case,

Carrot top

red hair. While gingerism may seem insignificant to some, the effects of gingerism can be serious and long-lasting.

The roots of gingerism can be traced back centuries. Red hair was often associated with negative stereotypes and superstitions. In some cultures, red hair was seen as a sign of witchcraft or demonic possession. This led to discrimination, or even persecution of those with red hair.

While these beliefs may seem archaic, they have persisted in

teasing, bullying, and even violence because of their hair color. This type of discrimination can start as early as childhood, with redheaded children being teased and ostracized by their peers. Discrimination based on hair color, or any other physical trait, is unjust and perpetuates harmful stereotypes. It is important to recognize and challenge gingerism whenever it occurs or consider how you would feel if you were picked on for a trait you were born with.

promote positive representation of people with red hair in the media and popular culture. By showcasing the beauty and diversity of all hair colors, we can help combat harmful stereotypes and promote a more inclusive and compassionate society.

We need to eliminate the idea that red hair is something to be mocked or ridiculed and instead celebrate it as part of human diversity

We need to celebrate the unique beauty of every individual.

some form to the present day, with redheads often being the subject of jokes and ridicule. Also, people with red hair have been the target of

We need to educate others on the harmful effects of discrimination and support individuals who have experienced this type of prejudice.

Furthermore, we need to

Gingerism is a serious issue that deserves our attention and action. Let’s work towards creating a world where everyone is valued for who they are, regardless of their physical appearance.

Everyone is valued for who they are

Photo by Sidney Nachman

The realities of cancel culture

Lara Leon

It starts with a girl weeping Tears rush down her face as she looks into the mirror. No longer can she run away from her problems. Now, it seems, every mistake is held accountable.

Kelly

The term "cancel culture," as defined by Miriam Webster, refers to "the practice or tendency of engaging in mass canceling as a way of expressing disapproval and exerting social pressure."

Over the past decade, this concept has gained momentum, casting a wide net that ensnares individuals. Ranging from comedians like Kevin Hart, to notorious figures such as R. Kelly, this begs the question: who truly deserves to be subjected to the consequences of cancel culture?

In 2022, singer R Kelly, known for his hit song "I Believe I Can

Fly," was convicted as a sex offender for numerous allegations involving girls aged 13 to 16 The public expressed their disapproval by boycotting his music and canceling his concerts.

R.

He lost everything; his family, fame and money. Kelly faced repercussions, losing support and faith from his fans due to his unacceptable behavior.

On the other hand, let's consider the case of Kevin Hart, whose cancellation unfolded in the late 2000s to the 2010s. After it was announced that he was hosting the Oscars, he became embroiled in controversy due to

tweets considered homophobic from his past. The past that was more than 10 years ago. These tweets, written over a decade ago, resurfaced, leading to widespread condemnation

Kevin Hart apologized, emphasizing that the tweets were wrong and he was truly sorry to those who felt offended, yet nothing worked.

People kept attacking and using the motives that he was homophobic despite the countless apologizing he has recovered

He was sought out to be canceled and to diminish for just one mistake from the past. While it is important to address and scrutinize harmful actions, it is equally crucial to distinguish the appropriate response and consider the potential for growth and redemption

Cancel culture has crossed the line, allowing social media users to bully content creators for simple mistakes. As young people are exposed to social media, they witness and engage in foul actions on dealing with mistakes, perpetuating a negative culture.

Cancel culture has

Courtesy of Chelsea Stahl / NBC News; Getty Images; AP

faced repercussions, losing support and faith from his fans

People kept attacking ... despite the countless apologizing he has recovered

Kelly... a sex offender for numerous allegations involving girls aged 13 to 16

Cancel culture has gotten out of hand

He was sought out to be canceled ... diminish for just one mistake

He was sought out to be canceled ... diminish for just one mistake

TikTok vs Youtube Shorts

Sidney Nachman

Cancel Culture

From page 7

Have you ever been scrolling through your phone and looking at memes and short videos? You have nothing to do, besides sitting with your phone Well you can do that two ways. One way is by going on your phone and downloading TikTok, and the other way is by googling and looking at Youtube Shorts.

Although they have similar content, Youtube Shorts is more unknown. Youtube Shorts, according to Webwise.com, only has 1.5 billion followers, whereas TikTok has 1.6 billion.

But the real question is, what is the difference between TikTok and Youtube Shorts?

According to National Position, “YouTube Shorts allows creators to earn money through ads and

sponsorships, whereas TikTok does not have a built-in monetization system.”

According to Webwise.com, a teaching source for online transactions, 60% of TikTok users feel addicted to TikTok, 40% of which are girls and 20% are boys. Whereas on Youtube Shorts, according to GameQuiter.com, only 40% of users get addicted, 20% of which are girls and 20% are boys TikTok was created in 2016 but started being a hit during 2020-2021, when people were bored because of the pandemic. According to Obrelo.com, most kids over the age of 13 spend at least two hours of TikTok a day.

On Youtube Shorts, also according to Obrelo com, kids over the age of 13 spend about half an hour on Youtube Shorts per day, which is a lot less than TikTok

TikTok and Youtube Shorts both have a negative impact on you. Parents and students have to take into account that they are both equally harmful and not great sights.

gotten out of hand where many teens don’t feel comfortable to speak out on their beliefs and inner thinking It creates an atmosphere where many teens and students feel uncomfortable expressing their beliefs and thoughts, living in fear of being called out or canceled when others disagree.

No student should learn to cancel and shouldn’t live in fear just for having different ideas.

In conclusion, cancel culture has had significant societal impacts. While addressing harmful actions is necessary, it is crucial to foster understanding, forgiveness, and empathy.

We should encourage an environment where open dialogue and respectful discussions are valued. By embracing a culture of growth and learning, we can create a society where different ideas are respected, and individuals are given the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.

What is the difference between TikTok and Youtube Shorts?

Photo courtesy of Flixier com

No student should learn to cancel and shouldn’t live in fear

Courtesy of Getty Images

Detroit Pistons: A smack in the face

They

(Pistons)

concluded the eason with only 17 wins and osing a whopping 65 games

with only 17 wins and osing a whopping 65 ames. They had one of he worst seasons in BA history and the econd worst season in he franchise’s history. Of their final 25 games, hey lost 23 of them.

So the real question is, why are the Pistons still n the NBA?

The Detroit Pistons. Probably the most unknown team in NBA history, the franchise often is found towards the bottom of the NBA due to their lack of defense and low offensive capabilities, as well as a multitude of other qualities

has not been relevant for over a decade. Pistons score a pathetic 91.4 points per game. That’s the seventh worst rate in the NBA. The GoldenState Warrior score an average of 118 points per game, almost 30 points per game morethan the Pistons!

Pistons

The Detroit Pistons are currently getting a lot of hate from Franchise Sports, saying, “As far

league. In addition, the Pimost seasons and

Piston's existence has fallen on its face

Their star player, Cade Cunningham, has been injured for most of the season, not helping the Pistons at all. Even with, though, they lost a lot of games.

On top of that, this year’s season was one of the worst for the Pistons They concluded the season

The Pistons have certainly had their ups and downs, and their future in the NBA is uncertain. Their existence has fallen on its face, and they should try to restart with a clean slate team. Restarting may change the team and maybe then will their bad reputation be lifted.

Arjun Shankar & Kjartan Arnarsson

Courtesy by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

The most unknown team in NBA history

score a pathetic 91.4 points per game

As far as worst NBA fanbases, the Detroit Pistons lead the way

Reflecting on standout Features

a) Mountain View High School

a) Mountain View

b) “Pick an elective that really interests you and don't worry about your grades.”

c) “Yosemite was a really fun time to bond with friends and without a phone.”

d) Mrs Hickman - ”Mrs. Hickman adapts to students style of learning.”

e) “Really quickly. I can’t believe we’re already graduating.”

f) “I’m as prepared as I can be.”

a) Castilleja High School

b) “Not to procrastinate. Also, try not to spend all your time studying Find a good balance; otherwise you might get burnt out.”

c) “My first dance It was a really new experience.”

d) “Mrs. Tsang. She taught us to make study guides and I feel like that’ll be really useful in high school.”

e) “Quickly I feel like 6th grade graduation was yesterday ”

f) “Yes and no. The fact I’m going to a new high school is kind of scary. But yes, I feel like our teachers did do a good job of building up homework gradually until it reached a high school level.”

b) “Definitely be more open to new pe reinvent yourself in the new school”

c) “Getting to hang out with the people out who you are.”

d) Mr. Maye puts excitement into his l his students excited, and Mrs. Mather relatable teacher. She’s a great teache

e) “Pretty quickly I would sa the year [ I was] looking forw already adjusted to Blach in grade is establishing who ar what you want to be.``

f) “I'm gonna try.”

a) Los Altos High School

b) “Don’t get into too much trouble.”

c) “Being on the basketball team in

d) “Mr. Land and Mr. Ward. They’re understand us [students] ”

e) "Quickly."

f) “No ”

Ben Vo

Emmy Su

All photos by Amiya Garg and Sidney Nachman

Ace Penn

Divya Banthia

mom i 8th grade

Chase Nakayama

a) MVHS

b) “It seems scary, but you’ll ease into it.”

c) “We [my friends and I] poured a bunch of ketchup into a cardboard box, and I sat on it by accident. I had to go to the bathroom to wash it off, but it was really funny.”

d) “Mrs. Mather. She’s really funny and she just makes life easier ”

e) “Quickly. It was a lot of fun.”

y. At the beginning of ward to it since I had the 7th grade. 7th e. 8th grade is about

ople. [It’s ] A way to e you like and finding essons which makes because she is a very r to talk to” . ” general.”

funny and they

f) “Yes and no. I have good connections, like friends, but I’m worried about the level of work.”

a) What high school are you going to?

b) What advice would you give an oncoming 7th grader for middle school?

c) What’s been your favorite middle school memory?

d) What teachers have made the biggest difference in your Blach experience?

e) Has middle school passed by quickly or slowly for you?

f) Are you feeling prepared and ready to go to high school?

Hope Stenfort

a) Kings Academy

b) “Don’t procrastinate. It [schoolwork} gets worse in 8th grade.”

c) “The movie nights. It was so nice to sit on the grass and just watch a movie.”

d) Both Mrs Hamson and Mrs Shepherd “They both really helped me grow as a student and helped me overcome difficulties.”

e) “It's so funny, because the middle and beginning began so slowly. Now the days and hours just fly by ”

f) “Yes. Mrs. Shepherd’s English class helped me. I know what to expect, but you never know what might happen.”

Vincent Lewis: Th f d i

A prelude to the symphony awaiting his cue “It is now or never,” he silently mouthed to the tense orchestra, their anticipation hanging in the air. Wandering eyes turn to stares, while time come to a stop as the music begins

Beads of sweat trickle down the conductor’s forehead as eyes pierce through his shield of dignity. As fear gnaws at his esteem, the conductor remains resolute. Grasping his baton, a delicate murmur of melody whispers into his ears.

An exceptional orchestra is built upon the collective efforts of its diverse members. The violins, violas, and cellos work together to create stunning masterpieces. Yet, it is often the conductor who serves as the unifying force, the glue that binds together a vibrant array of musical talents.

For the past 15 years, Blach Junior High has been blessed to have Mr. Vincent Lewis conduct and orchestrate Blach's

m

Over the course of these 15 years, Lewis has poured his heart and soul into nurturing the potential of students From weekend practices, constant communication via email, to ensuring families stay connected, Lewis has tirelessly dedicated himself to his job.

Under his guidance, this year's Honors Orchestra secured second place at the national competition in Chicago, with an average score of 93/100 from their remarkable performance.

Lewis's own musical journey was influenced by his parents, both of whom pursued music as their career

Growing up, his father was a musician and music teacher, while

herself in high school choirs and became a lifelong opera scholar. They encouraged Lewis to explore music, urging him to experiment with various instruments. At the tender age of three, he began taking piano lessons. As he grew older, he delved into

Lara Leon

Photo courtesy of Mr. Lewis

Photo courtesy of Mr Yishu Peng

Photo courtesy of Mr Yishu Peng

instruments, mas tering the clarinet and trumpet

Despite being surrounded by music throughout his upbringing, it was not until high school that Lewis seriously considered teaching and pursuing a career in music

cal achievements

national-level performers, while instilling in them a love and dedication for music

When asked about his favorite memory with Blach students, Lewis's eyes light up as he recalls this year's Honors Orchestra. Overwhelmed with pride, he praises their relentless hard work

journey, Lewis reminisces of the fond memories when his parents introduced him to the piano. He describes his parents as loving and supportive figures throughout his musical development.

“It was only during my time in high school track,” Mr. Lewis explains, “that realized my affinity fo teaching and m potential as a mus educator.” True to h realization, he did no disappoint Having taught over 2 years at LASD, M Lewis has played significant role i shaping the music landscape. Leading h students to qualify fo Nationals three time he has transforme beginners into

“The Honors Orchestra was a group I was very proud of for their hard work and dedication. They were focused and disciplined the whole time It showed in the performance with scores I never thought I’d see a group get. Three judges gave them 98/100 and a standing ovation. I have never seen judges stand and applaud anyone in my 25 years of music education,” said Mr. Lewis. Success doesn’t come naturally and takes a lot of hard work. Lewis emphasizes for aspiring musicians to work hard and practice

in order to get better. “Practice,” Mr Lewis says. “Practice with patience and a clean mind. Always put the music above your own ego. Think in terms of serving the music.”

Despite the many hours and dedication Mr. Lewis commits, the end result is always worth it. “There is the whole reason I do it. I like to teach and coach to see the smile on the

Photo courtesy of Mr Yishu Peng

Photo courtesy of Mrs Jennie Blake

Photo courtesy of Ms Pam Rothstien Mr. Lewis>> Page 15

Ms. Lauritzen: Blach Falcon from the start

“The most important thing, as a teacher, is building the relationships with your students, with your staff, [and] with your parents,” says Ms. Lauritzen, special education and English teacher here at Blach. From attending Blach as a student, to finally becoming a teacher here, Ms Lauritzen’s career is certainly a full-circle accomplishment. But how did she get here?

The most important thing, as a teacher, is building the relationships with your students, with your staff, [and] with your parents

Ms. Lauritzen was surrounded by teachers at a very young

age. “My mother was a teacher,” she says. “She used to tell me stories about her classes ” Ms Lauritzen also spent time with her sister and pretended to create a classroom for her dolls.

“[My sister] and I used to play ‘school all the time.” Her dad would make desks for her Barbies, while Ms. Lauritzen and her sister made miniature worksheets.

However, her biggest reason for becoming a teacher was because she “wanted to work in

a profession that connected with people ”

Ms. Lauritzen moved to this neighborhood in 6th grade, attending Loyola during her last year of elementary school She went to Blach for junior high and St. Francis for high school.

“Growing up in Los Altos was probably the best thing that ever happened to me,” she says. Los Altos, in the 1970’s, was brimming with apricot orchards. “We rode our bikes everywhere...there’s lots of similarities between then and now, but we didn’t have technology,” she says.

Ms Lauritzen teaches both special education and English. The special education program “is phenomenal. The students, the teachers, the community, the staff all come together to support one another.” She loves seeing how the “Blach Way" surrounds students in the program with love and support. "We all have our strengths and challenges…it’s ok [for special education students] to make a mistake, [They] learn from it.”

She also appreciates how students get to be part of the school’s elective classes. “We’re inclusive All students feel like

Photo by Amiya Garg

Wanted to work in a profession that connected with people

We all have our strengths and challenges…it’s ok to make a mistake and learn from it.

Growing up in Los Altos was probably the best thing that ever happened to me

they’re proud to be Blach Falcons.”

One way she supports her special education students is by reading aloud to them everyday. “The students have time where they can relax and listen to a great story we can have a great discussion after.”

As far as English, Ms. Lauritzen is the ideal teacher. “I love writing I love to teach writing,” she says. “I love to take an assignment and break it down.” She also enjoys editing and revising work “It’s a strength of mine.” She adores finding workarounds to make students’ writing more precise and teaching students to improve word choice and vocabulary to improve their writing.

particularly Kauai.”

In her free time, Ms. Lauritzen loves watching reality TV and reading. Her favorite shows include Top Chef and House Hunters.

“One of my favorite books of all time is Charlotte’s Web,” she says. “My father read us Charlotte's Web as a child… [There is] so much to be learned from that friendship between Charlotte and Wilbur.” Her former 3rd graders even did a play of the book at the end of the year

Mr. Lewis

Being a teacher has helped her, too. “When I was a student here at Blach, I struggled with reading comprehension.” She became a stronger reader by teaching reading and practicing on a daily basis. Ms Lauritzen’s other hobbies include baking, gardening, and traveling. “I love to bake,” she says. Currently looking to perfect her chocolate chip cookies, she enjoys searching for new recipes. She is also keen on gardening whether it’s working around in the yard or collecting houseplants. She spends time walking her golden retriever, Willow Rose, everyday

Ms. Lauritzen is an avid traveler, having been to Japan, France, and England. “I’d love to, in my retirement, go to some other places [like] Costa Rica.” She wishes to visit places with beaches. “I love Hawaii,

One of Ms. Lauritzen’s favorite movies is Top Gun as she believes the original is far superior to the remake She also enjoys going to concerts, whether it be smooth jazz or R&B.

After 40 years of teaching grades 2 through 8, Ms. Lauritzen is retiring this year.

“I have [mentored] new teachers, [but] my favorite place is to be in the classroom with the students.” She still has students who come see her or write her a note years after graduating Some of her former students are even teachers now.

It’s extremely rewarding “working with students that I hope will carry on the profession.” It’s all very fullcircle. “Once a Blach Falcon, always a Blach Falcon.”

kids' faces after their performances. I enjoy seeing the progression of kids who almost know nothing about music, to going more in-depth to different and more difficult pieces.

So in an orchestra, when the arrays of musicality come together like the stars and the moon in the sky, yes the string instruments produce the sounds, but it is the conductor who brings everything together.

The crowd erupts into cheers as the judges silently sing their praises from afar. Fear scurries away, hiding in the shadows for its next prey The conductor takes a bow as the sparks of dread melt away to the roaring applause. It is in that specific moment that his contentment radiates against the dimly lit horde of faces from around. Hours of sweat. Hours of burden weighing him down. Hours of time taken away All lead to this moment, a moment of pride.

We’re inclusive…

All students feel like they’re proud to be Blach Falcons

I love writing. I love to teach writing... I love to take an assignment and break it down.

It’s all very fullcircle. Once a Blach Falcon, always a Blach Falcon.

Yes, the string instruments produce the sounds, but it is the conductor who brings everything together

Photo courtesy of Mr Lewis

Blach's Clubs: where

Eliana Tekie

Painting a more inclusive present

now. However, this year’s piece had a new vision After realizing that Blach’s mural collection consisted mainly of Western artists, she decided to diversify the school’s collection, stating that she wanted, “Our art to represent our school.”

Blach Gives Back’s contribution to

Blach’s mural club has left a strong footprint on our school this year. Blach owes its variety of artwork to its mural club, which meets every Friday after school in the art room. The club was first created by an art teacher in the 1980’s and was then passed down from art teacher to teacher The club is now considered a Blach tradition.

Mrs. Patricia Tsuan, Blach’s art and architecture/ interior design teacher, has run the club for ten years

Mrs. Tsuan compiled a list of different possible art pieces and then had the club vote. Snow in Toji Temple, first created by Japanese print artist Asano Takeji in 1953, was chosen Eigth grade member Alisha Ramani

Blach Gives Back, Blach’s volunteer club, was responsible for last November’s bake sale, which ended up raising over $600. Besides the bake sale, whose profits were donated to Make A Wish, a foundation dedicated to fulfilling the last wishes of children with cancer, the club has also worked on multiple other projects in the past year.

they would be interested. “I originally just did it because Emmy and Anoushka were,” Kim admits, “but then I realized that I had a passion for volunteering.”

states, “ It’s a pretty simplistic piece, but we chose it because we wanted an artist of color to add to the school’s collection.”

This piece, along with 2019’s Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali, are favorites of Mrs. Tsuan for their symbolism. “We had some really talented artists that stood out this year,” she nods.

The idea for a volunteering club at Blach started last year with 8th grader Emmy Su, who had always loved the idea of a volunteering club. “A lot of students like volunteering,” she explains “They just don’t have a place to do it. I wanted to do a toiletries drive, and the best way to do it was to start a volunteering club.”

Emmy then asked her friends Anoushka Dugar and Lydia Kim if

The trio decided to ask Mrs. Tiffany Hickman, their homeroom teacher at the time, to be club supervisor Mrs. Hickman consented. Since then, the club has accomplished a multitude of projects,

All photos by Eliana Tekie and Amiya Garg

students can belong

our community

including Emmy’s toiletries drive this March, which ended up donating two large Amazon boxes full of toiletries to a local RV community According to Emmy, the community often lacks basic necessities such as shampoo and soap

Stirring up Success: Mrs. Sasaki’s cooking club is a Blach club favorite

One of Blach’s most popular clubs is Cooking Club, with a range of 20-30 people attending each club meeting The club was originally founded last year by 8th grade student Weston Muscarella, with 8thgrade science teacher Mrs. Diane Sasaki acting as supervisor.

According to Mrs Sasaki, she and Weston used to chat after class about their hobbies, which led to the two of them finding a shared passion in cooking. They would both share recipes and ideas in between classes, and when Weston decided to start a cooking club, Mrs. Sasaki was happy to become supervisor Weston now attends Los Altos High School, but the club is still continued by Mrs Sasaki.

ments, and then you can change one ingredient at a time until you make something delicious.”

recipes they want to try from home or online.

Every other Thursday, the club helps pass out boxes to cars with families that can’t afford food. They have also hand made dog toys and donated them to Canine Companions, a nonprofit organization based in Santa Rosa that trains service dogs

All club leaders are moving on to Mountain View High School next year where Dugar looks forward to starting a similar club

Mrs. Sasaki has enjoyed cooking from an early age, with her mother and grandmother being her biggest cooking inspiration. Even though cooking was a required chore in her household, she expressed gratitude at having the opportunity to spend that time with her family.

She says, “For me, cooking is like a science, or a controlled experiment. You have to have exact measure-

This love of cooking eventually led her to work for three years as a chef in various kitchens in LA, including a WolfGang Puck and John Dominus Restaurant. She then worked multiple jobs in a restaurant intermittently for the next 15 years while she was a teacher

Her passion for cooking clearly influences the way she runs the club. “I want to make food that interests the kids,” she explains.

This is why students are responsible for bringing to the club

Then, while the rest of the club is eating lunch, the student who brought the recipe explains the food’s history and origins. “And then we cook like crazy!” Mrs Sasaki laughs.

This year, the club has made a variety of delicious foods from a range of countries, including Chinese egg tarts, stir fried broccoli with beef, El Salvadoran pupusas, pasta with marinara sauce, and chocolate butter mochi cakes with a mango drizzle. Mrs. Sasaki hopes that students who attend her club will get a love for food and broaden their taste.

Mr. Maye's fanatical

His love for the game remained persistent

combine his love for baseball and travel, Mr Maye set his sights on accomplishing this remarkable feat.

Reflecting on his earliest memories, Mr Maye recalls his first game at the Oakland Coliseum.

As a young enthusiast, Maye witnessed the magic of a live baseball game and immersed himself in the sights, sounds, and excitement of the sport. Unbeknownst to the fact that this experience would ignite a lifelong passion within himself, Maye was inspired by the match.

During his high school years in San Diego, Mr. Maye was drawn to the local team, the Padres. However, in 2009, after college, he truly became a devoted fan.

history teacher and dedicated fan and traveler, has turned his passion for the game into an incredible adventure.

From his first visit as a child to his ongoing quest to explore all 30 MLB stadiums, Mr Maye's journey has been filled with memorable experiences and a lasting love for baseball.

Mr. Maye's love for the sport

began during his childhood took root. With a passion to when he attended games and watched the great Ricky Henderson and the Oakland Athletics.

However, it was around 10-15 years ago that his dream of visiting every MLB stadium truly

Tony Gwynn, a legendary Padre and one of the greatest hitters ever captured Mr. Maye's admiration. Today, his favorite player is the 24-yearold Fernando Tatis, a rising star who embodies the spirit of the game

All photos courtesy of Mr. Maye

Mr. Maye has turned his passion for the game into an incredible adventure

l and gripping hobby

His love for the game remained persistent

themselves in the sights and sounds, while enjoying the company of fellow enthusiasts

Furthermore, this ambitious endeavor serves as an excellent excuse to explore cities and regions across the country that he may have never been to.

Mr. Maye s quest to visit every MLB stadium has taken him far and wide. While he has frequented California stadiums the most, some surprises stood out during his travels

The Pittsburgh Pirates' PNC Park and the Baltimore Orioles' Camden Yards exceeded his expectations, providing unique and enjoyable experiences. However, it is no surprise that his all-time favorite stadium is the San Diego Padres' Petco Park, where he has witnessed countless memorable moments. Following closely behind are the iconic Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, and the scenic Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.

players, the fear of getting hit with the ball hindered his batting skills. Nevertheless, his enthusiasm for the sport never waned.

Mr Maye's motivation for traveling to all MLB stadiums stems from his appreciation for the relaxed vibe of baseball games. The sport offers a

Mr. Maye's passion for baseball and desire to explore the nation have converged in his remarkable quest to visit all 30 MLB stadiums. From the earliest days of watching Ricky Henderson, to witnessing today's superstars like Fernando Tatis, his journey has been fueled by a relentless love for the game.

Each stadium holds its unique charm and memories, but it is the sense of companionship and the tranquil atmosphere of Petco Park that truly captures his heart.

As Mr. Maye continues his adventure, he reminds us that baseball not only unites fans but also offers an opportunity to explore and embrace the various landscapes of America.

Although Mr. Maye did not pursue a baseball career beyond little league, his love for the game remains persistent. While he excelled in throwing, hitting proved to be a challenge. Like many young

Mr. Maye's quest to visit every MLB stadium has taken him far and wide

It is the sense of companionship and the tranquil atmosphere of Petco Park that truly captures his heart

Track & field ends season with

Jisoo Hur

“We demolished most of them,” shotput and 4-by-4 competitor Elsa Sapojnikoff laughed. Track and field functions in a unique system, where each event and division scores for the school. Blach athletes expressed great athleticism, teamwork, and performance and earned sufficient points to rank highly during the season.

Blach concluded its last 2022-2023 sports season of track and field by late May, finishing the year strong with a series of successful wins.

Previously, Blach had four regular meets, including a meet against Lawson, a meet against Columbia and Crittenden, a dual against Kennedy, and finally, a dramatic finish of regular meets with Egan.

The Blach track and field team has a famed history in defeating their rival, the Egan Vikings, for about 20 years straight. “We haven’t lost to them in about 20 years, I believe, and they are pretty strong this year, so I was worried. But it turned out that we did fine, so good job everyone,”said Mr. Kane, 8th grade PE teacher.

Blach Falcons proved to Mr Kane that he had nothing to be worried about. Faithful to this

4 Brynn Frei, the 100m hurdles champion and 8th grade girls 4 by 1 relay runner, says, “[The] meet with Egan [was memorable] I streak, the team did not disappoint on their

hurdles champion and 8th grade girls 4 by 1 relay runner, says, “[The] meet with Egan [was memorable] I knew a lot of people, and it was stressful because we knew we had to beat them out of rivalry.”

After their last meet with Egan, those who qualified for the league finals met up a few more times for practice and attended the finals on May 16th and 17th in Graham Middle School. Consisting of four school districts, a total of 11 different middle schools met up to compete.

“[The league finals] went well, a bunch of people got medals,”

Brynn says. “All the 4 by 1 relay teams of

All photos courtesy of Mr Kane

dramatic finish

qualified for the county finals. Some individual achievements include Martin Markauv’s first place score of 11.87 in the 7th grade boys

100m dash, Zander

Yocum’s 2nd place 8th grade boys shot put mark of 36’5”, Kyla Murphy’s 3rd place mark of 13’2'' in the 7th grade girls long jump, and Daphne Heatherly’s 3rd place mark of 29’10'' in the 8th grade girls triple jump.

In addition, all of Blach’s relay team performed well, most receiving scores within 6th place and some placing 1st Overall, Blach’s 8th grade boys were able to score 2nd place in league finals, with a total of 52 Blach

Sports

Blach's tennis team: Unexpected results

finishing the year strong with a series of successful wins.

Previously, Blach had four regular meets, including a meet against Lawson, a meet against Columbia and Crittenden, a dual against Kennedy, and finally, a dramatic finish of regular meets with Egan.

We struggled against Egan, but a few of my friends won their matches

Blach’s tennis team has had a difficult season. The match against Egan was especially hard “We struggled against Egan, but a few of my friends won their matches It was my first loss, and it was embarrassing because it was against Egan, our rival school,” says Michael Shukhman.

“It's been a challenging and frustrating season,” says Coach Peter. “We are 0 and 4. Our number 2 and 3 singles player decided not to return this season. That really hurt us A couple of matches we

defaulted because we did not have enough players.”

Even though a lot of the season was difficult for the team, they did beat Graham and Lawson in exhibition matches.

According to Michael, Graham was “too bad for us” and Lawson was “supposed to crush us, but we crushed them.” “I played their #3 seed, and she was really good, so I had to play defensive a lot. I won 8-1, but the score doesn’t reflect the actual match. I was really proud of the team,” says Michael

Colin Yang

It's been a challenging and frustrating season

Courtesy of Yearbook

Fall and Winter 8th grade

Blach 8th graders had an amazing fall and winter sports season. Many teams finished first place in their league and had a great season. Here’s a recap of these astonishing teams.

We shot We scored We won

The school year’s first season kicked off with cross country, which lasted from September to early October. The cross country team actively showed its supportive nature throughout the season. Divya Banthia, in cross country, said, “When someone was finishing a practice run, everyone would always cheer them on as they finished ” A couple of Blach 8th graders were able to proceed to the finals.

The 8th grade girls’ volleyball team soared to new heights, completing the season undefeated and winning the playoffs. Similarly, the boys’ team also had an amazing season, only losing to Miller in the finals. Both teams put in lots of hard work, which is shown by their amazing results.

The 8th grade girls’ soccer team dominated the season, finishing first place and winning the championship! Kirati Bollineni, an outside back, described the winning game “It was 0-0 and it was the last 15 minutes of the final,” she said. “We shot. We scored. We won.” She enjoyed playing future champions, Colombia, in the semifinals. Liam Abelson, left winger, said, “It was 0-0 until overtime. Then, the first half of overtime passed In the second half, the other team,

Jisoo Hur, Arjun Shankar, & Alisha Ramani

We were underdogs but managed to come out on top

Everyone would always cheer them [runners] on as they finished

We knew we had to bring our A-game

sports: An amazing season

gave it away in the second half. Against Miller, we knew we had to bring our A-game They had a better record than us and we knew it would be a challenge. I think that the underdog mentality helped us win that game.”

Columbia, got a break away and scored the winning goal.” Abelson said that their best game was probably “against Miller. We were underdogs but managed to come out on top. Before, we were starting games a little too arrogant…or got too arrogant as the game went on. One time, we had a 2-0 lead but

In girls’ basketball, the team finished in 5th place, losing to Kennedy in the semifinals Erin Huang, the point guard, said, “I had a really fun time playing basketball with all my friends and teammates ” Her favorite game was against Cupertino, where Blach finally beat their team, “since we lost to them in the playoffs last year I I remember everyone feeling so happy and pumped from the win.” About the team’s strengths, she said, “I loved how well everyone communicated in practices and games.”

on “getting off to better starts in the game. We would always let the other team hang around and in some cases that came back to hurt us.” His favorite games were the “nail biters” that were “always entertaining and nice to be a part of.” Though the team didn’t finish in the spot they wanted, they had a fun time and enjoyed their season.

The 8th grade boys’ basketball team finished 3rd place in the season, losing in the semifinals to the soon-to-be league champions, Egan. Deven Batra, one of the team’s point guards, said that they needed to work

I loved how well everyone communicated in practices and games

I had a really fun time playing basketball with all my friends and teammates

What ha d

April 16th, the squad traveled to the London Stadium, West Ham’s home field.

This was a very important game; they had a winning-streak of nine games, and losing this game would be detrimental to them. If they were to lose, a ton of pressure would be slapped onto their chests for the following games.

If you watch any sort of soccer, you would know about Arsenal losing their league title. This was the first time in eight years that Gunners had had a shot at winning the league.

Arsenal had been in almost perfect form for most of the league, but as it’s coming to an end, fans have been accusing them of “throwing the league away ”

Starting with the game against West Ham on

With Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard both scoring in the matter of just ten minutes, the game was 2-0 in favor for Arsenal. It was an incredible start that gave them a huge, yet important lead.

Arsenal was playing perfectly until one mistake, by Thomas Partey, made their lead smaller. He gave up a penalty, and the score was now, 1-2.

The second half

chance by Bukayo Saka having a penalty kick, not having missed any other penalties this season. Everyone expected him to slot it into the back of the net, but he missed the whole goal and sent it wide off the goal post.

later, Jarrod Bowen received a beautiful pass all the way from the defense and put it into the upper left corner of the goal Though it didn’t end in a loss, they still tied, putting them in a dangerous position. Where almost all hope was lost was against Manchester City; Arsenal lost a shocking 4-1 All hope was lost because Manchester City was in second place at the time Losing this game was very costly for them, almost guaranteeing second place after Manchester City.

With Kevin De Bruyne scoring in the 7th minute and the 54th minute, John Stones in the 45th

Courtesy of Man's World India

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Colby Liu

t th Arsenal?

chance even slimmer for Arsenal claiming the glory was the game against Brighton, an infamous team for their playstyle and their underdog story. Already losing against City was not great, but losing to Brighton 3-0 was absurd! Every single Arsenal fan was not happy with their performance for many reasons. It was a home game at their stadium It wasn’t the best team; they were good, but they shouldn’t have lost to them.

lose 3-0!

Haaland scoring in the 90th minute, fans were already leaving the stadium at the 3-0 mark. The one goal Arsenal scored, by Rob Holding in the 86th minute, practically gave no hope to Arsenal

The game quickly came to a close the moment City scored their third goal Fans weren’t happy with Arsenal’s performance, especially because this was one of the most important games of the whole season. This game automatically had fans thinking Arsenal’s already flopped the league title. The only way Arsenal had a small chance was if they won all their games, and City lost

then, there was an incredibly low chance of this happening because City weren't playing the best teams Again, another blowout that made the

The whole squad practically wasn’t even present during the game. Brighton constantly was able to connect 10-20 passes consecutively every single play. I get that most of Arsenal’s midfield wasn’t at the game, but that isn’t a good enough excuse to

At that point everyone already knew Arsenal wasn’t claiming the title, and just to make it worse, Arsenal lost to Nottingham Forest 1-0 Forest just got promoted from the second division to the Premier League (the highest league in England). They literally just avoided relegation from winning that game. That means that they were in 18th place or lower. A team that placed top two should never ever lose to a team in 18th place out of 20 teams.

Even though Arsenal did throw the league in the garbage, they still had an excellent run for the title. Last season they placed 9th, and the last time they placed top two was way back in the 15/16 season. Although I’m not happy about Arsenal’s performance recently, I’m still glad they’re starting to do well again In the past seasons, they’ve placed 5th place to 10th place.

Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Courtesy of The Atlantic

Met Gala: Dresses, rhinestones,

The Met Gala was quite fascinating this year. From fashionistas to furries, everybody was serving something unforgettable. Some looks were almost as bad as the toothpaste colored carpet, but some attendees pulled off their best looks yet.

We’re all wondering: What exactly was the theme? Past Met Gala themes are “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” “Gilded Glamour,” and the beloved “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.” This year's theme was “Karl Lagerfeld: a Line of Beauty,” which is based off of a German fashion designer known for his alternate looks and controversial personality "I've always known that I was made to live this way,” he once said. “That I would be this sort of legend." So, who honored that legacy? Everybody noticed the lack of Met Gala icons such as Blake Lively and Zendaya. With a new cast of invitees, we were all waiting to see who would step up. The results? More surprising than you might think

To start, Anne Hathaway was a shining light in the dark Her Versace, white-tweed dress with a dazzling cutout was held together by gold pins and pearls a Chanel reference that was perfectly on theme and stunning all together. Paired with her tweed gloves and jacket, diamond choker, and white platform pumps, Anne Hathaway wholeheartedly deserves her spot on top of the best-dressed list

Olivia Rodrigo, on the other hand, left much to be desired. In her black-and-white Thom Browne dress with cloth flower appliques on top and black-andwhite fringe cascading down, the gown was not innovative nor elegant. Coupled with

the tacky micro-fringe and minimal jewelry, the look is a boring nod to Audrey Hepburn and a complete disregard to Karl Lagerfeld. Emmy winner, model, and actor Sydney Sweeny has “never, ever been happier,” as stated at the 2022 MTV awards. She dazzled in a beaded, pink Miu Miu dress with a sheer black bow tied in her hair. The bow was designed by Glen Coco as a reference to his collaborations with Karl Lagerfeld. Her 60s, girly ensemble embodied the femininity that was so prominent in Lagerfeld’s work Paired with a pink lip and shimmery eyeshadow, she came dressed to kill.

Chloe Outten & Alisha Ramani

Courtesy by Christian Högstedt

and how to pull off a cat suit

to reveal a white, drop waist dress that highlighted her baby bump. The camellia flowers were a reference to Chanel, known for its perfect symmetry and feeling of everlasting beauty. While Rihanna doesn’t deserve best dressed, she certainly was worth the wait.

Paris Hilton needed no introduction. Known for her pink Barbie glow, fans were wondering how she would handle the famously anti-pink theme To the surprise of critics, she opted for an all-black, leather, mermaid gown, with elbow gloves and a

flower choker. In classic Paris fashion, the bodice was paired with rhinestones. The look was paired with a hard black eyeliner, outlining her iconic face in hard black lines "I thought, maybe it would be interesting and exciting to see her in a black gown 'cause it's not typical for Paris," she said in an interview with Vogue. When Rihanna didn’t come to the Met Gala on time, the only thought running through our minds was, Will she show up? When she arrived an hour and a half later, her look was certainly not anticlimactic The custom Valentino egglike cape made of 500 camellia petal appliques was unveiled

Maya Hawke was the median. On one hand, she wore a gorgeous, all-white floral cape, which swept around her torso and dragged out behind her The bridal theme paired well with her casual, wavy hair and bangs, which framed her red lipstick and Thurmanequse features. The wedding themed look was in fact inspired by the outfit her mother wore at the 1995 Oscar’s. However, without her coat the dress itself greatly resembled a flower girl with its stitched flowers and dragging strands of cloth Overall, not bad for her second Met Gala attendance, but certainly didn't meet the audience’s highest expectations.

Jenna Ortega, on the other hand, showed us all how to pull off the theme with her own Wednesday twist. In a black, corseted dress by Thome Browne that cascaded into ruffles, she dazzled the carpet. The preppy-Victorian chic look was paired with sheer black socks, heeled black-andwhite shoes, diamond earrings, and a flawless black bow, proving that she is truly the queen of goth.

Doja Cat left the “doja” at home and really tried to focus on

Courtesy of Getty Images

Courtesy from The New York Times

Gilmore Girls: The

Ellie Katz

Pregnant at 16. Homeless at 17. Running her own inn at 34. Lorelai Gilmore has gone through it all. With a child at age 16, she ran away from her toxic household and started a job as a maid in the Independence Inn. Eighteen years

later, Lorelai and her best friend buy their own inn, and her daughter starts her first semester at Yale.

Throughout Gilmore Girls, we watch both Lorelai and Rory face challenges, embrace changes, grow as people, and fall in love.

“I’m fine. I’m just

being dramatic. It's what I do.” Lorelai Gilmore, the main character of her story, brings a new definition to dramatic.

She makes rash decisions, does what she wants, and is nowhere near your

Pregnant at 16. Homeless at 17

typical mother

Lorelai’s daughter, Rory, whose name is also Lorelai, was named after her mother, by her mother because if men can name their children after themselves, why can’t women?

Gilmore Girls is a seven season show that follows Lorelai’s and Rory’s lives starting in Rory’s last year of high school.

Rory gets accepted into a prestigious private school called Chilton, but it’s expensive and Lorelai's

An incredible show

job as a manager of an inn doesn't nearly make her enough money to pay the tuition. For the sake of her daughter, Lorelai is forced to return to the parents she ran away from 18

years ago and ask for money to support Rory. Her parents happily agree to pay for their granddaughter's education, under the condition that Lorelai and Rory come to their house every Friday for

Source

dinner.

Lorelai agrees to the condition, but as more Fridays pass, she is reminded why she left in the first place. Her parents are not happy with her decision to not get married when she

Source: Pinterest

I’m fine. I’m just being dramatic. It’s what I do

Source: Pinterest

must-watch show

Met Gala

got pregnant, and never fail to bring it up.

Nevertheless, they love their granddaughter with all their heart The Friday-night dinners show Lorelai the bond Rory was never able to have with

her parents. However, Girls isn’t jus family bonds. starts dating h boyfriend, she a

A lifelong dream

m start to ar the sam lai starts to of Rory's t has taken a liking er as well. Along that, Lorelai and best friend, Sookie, chef at the pendence Inn, are g to figure out how uy their own inn, ething that has

mother-daughter bond.

Once you start watching, you won’t be able to stop, and the show will fly by in no time. Gilmore Girls is an incredible show that everyone should watch at least once in their life.

ge 27

the cat. She wore facial prosthetics to morph her features into a far more feline look. She combined this with a cat-eared hood and a fluffy train. The look was tribute to Lagerfeld's cat, Choupette, and took over 5,000 overs to create.

In an interview with Emma Chamberlain about the look, she simply said, “Meow meow meow ”Although on theme, fans found the look to be rather disturbing.

On the subject of cats, Jared Leto was one. Literally. He also came dressed as Choupette in head to toe fur, complete with eyes, ears, and whiskers. Avant-garde, but surprisingly on theme. He finished the look with ice blue eye-shadow and black eyeliner.

a lifelong dream oth of them.

Gilmore Girls isn’t a show to miss out on. It’s comforting, sweet, and never fails to put a smile on everyone's face. It’s genuine and shows an adorable

All in all, the 2023 Met Gala looks ranged from fabulous to utterly flagrant. Celebrities paid $50,000 to flaunt looks (or Halloween costumes) inspired by Karl Langerfeld; some hitting bullseyes and others missing the target completely For better or worse, the red carpet was truly memorable. Now the real question is, how can celebrities screw up the theme next year?

If men can name their children after themselves, why can’t women?

Source: Pinterest

Courtesy of Gilmoregirls fandom com

It’s comforting, sweet and never fails to put a smile on everyone's faces.

Taylor Swift’s re-records are

artists for generations to come.

Living in the 21st century, not knowing of singer-songwriter Taylor Swift is a crime in itself. From “Love Story” from Fearless to “Lavender Haze” from Midnights, the pop star has dazzled the world with her relatable lyricism and constant reinvention. If you’ve been following the news, you might have heard how the singer is re-recording her first six of ten albums. But why? The reason involves a public feud, copyrights, and a legal battle that will impact

Imagine this: you’re a 15-year-old country singer who writes all of your music. Ideally, you would be able to upload your music on Spotify or Apple Music yourself, and make 100% of the profits of every stream you get.But how would you promote your music? How would you get your songs played in tv shows and movies? How would you tour? This is where Big Machine Records came in for Taylor Swift.

incessant, manipulative bullying

There are six different copyrights in music publication, but only two are in play for Swift’s catalog; musical work and sound recording. The musical work copyright is the idea of the song; the song hypothetically, in simple words. And

since Swift writes all of her music, she owns this copyright. But the sound recording copyright is different; it’s the copyright that protects the actual recording of the work. So in essence, it is the “cover” of the idea of the song.

This copyright of Swift’s music is owned by Big Machine Records, which means that her record label doesn’t need permission to use the master recordings in entertainment, advertisement or sell them without the artist’s permission. The music industry has always operated in this tradition; musical group TLC made only 20 cents off of every album after paying the

record label, despite their estimated worth of $175 million dollars.

In 2019, music executive Scooter Braun purchased Swift’s entire catalog, whom Taylor accused of “incessant, manipulative bullying”. After her contract was over, Swift didn’t want to resign with Big Machine Records Her catalog was worth around $140,000,000 at the time, almost half of the company’s whole value. Big Machine Records retaliated against Swift, not allowing her

Artists should own their own work for so many reasons

Alisha Ramani

changing the music industry

to perform her own songs at her AMA performance and not agreeing to “issue licenses… in connection with [her upcoming] Netflix documentary.”

According to Swift, Braun refused to sell Swift her masters for any amount of money, even asking her to sign an NDA which stated that she “would never say another word about Scooter Braun unless it was positive.”

her to own her masters going forward. However, her first six albums were still out of her hands. take the narrative into her own hands by rerecording her previous work. Calling the new

albums the “Taylor’s Version” of the original, Swift has slowly been working her way through her catalog, recording “copycat” versions of first six albums Her re-records have amassed worldwide success. Both Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version) landed at the #1 spot on the Billboard Top 200. The announcement for Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), which comes out in July, surpassed 10 million likes on Instagram, Taylor’s only post to do so. As she wrote in March of 2021, “Artists should own their own work for so many reasons. But the most screamingly obvious one is that the artist is the only one who really knows that body of work.”

Re-recording her catalog gives her control of her music; after remaking a song, she can decide the way

Get

a good lawyer

that song is used. It also dilutes the value of the original records; fans will choose to stream the “Taylor’s Versions'” and radio stations, such as iHeartRadio, are pledging to only play the re-records She is also changing the way artists can monetize the art that they create; the music industry has so long operated in a fashion that demonetised artists.

In that same year, she signed with Republic Records, which allows

Taylor Swift is changing the music industry

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Outer Banks: The best modern show today

Brooke Cullinane

The Outer Banks, more commonly referred to as OBX, is a realistic fiction show that first aired on April 15th, 2020, and has only gained more popularity with its third season that aired only a few months ago.

The show features a group of five who embark on a massive treasure hunt to find John B’s missing dad and lost gold John

one of the most intriguing series

B, played by Chase Stokes, is the protagonist of the show. His father disappeared a few months before season 1 took place, and he is still mourning.

Sarah Cameron is the princess of what is referred to as “the Kooks,” the wealthier families on a separate side of the Outer Banks She is kind and freespirited, though, and soon finds a connection with the “Pogues”, or the working class, of OBX.

JJ is John B’s best friend and is struggling with the pressures that his abusive dad places on him, proving time and time again to be a loyal friend to the group. Kiana, or Kie, grew up wealthy but found her true place among the collection of Pogues and desires a life of freedom. Finally, Pope (the youngest of the group) has

dreams of college and received a merit scholarship. Sweet and tender, he always knows how to help the group.

Together, these five create an unlikely combination and friendship that may just be perfect in order to find the lost treasure of the Royal Merchant.

The Outer Banks is actually a real place located off the coast of North Carolina and was home to some of the first European settlers in America Roanoke Island is part of the Outer Banks, an island famous for the mystery of the missing Roanoke colonists

Outer Banks is one of the most popular TV shows amongst teens today and can be found on Netflix. Many consider it one of the most intriguing series of the past few years and its popularity is only increasing. Is it the best modern show today? You’ll have to find out for yourself!

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