CASTILLEJACOUNTERPOINT.COM
12/01/23: VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
Uniform overhaul makes way for student expression NEWS
Castilleja students express their thoughts on uniform transformation and self-expression
From devoted performances from underclassmen to shaken up lineages, this year’s ringing has no doubt been one to remember. [PAGE 3]
ARTS “Applying for performing arts is just a trip,” said Carolinda Silva ’24, who intends to study musical theater. [PAGE 4]
FEATURES We’ve all faced a similar situation at least once — where a friend asks for feedback, or you find yourself bracing for a confrontation. We are all unique in our responses, actions and preferences. [PAGE 5]
ILLUSTRATION BY NOLA DOORLEY ‘26
By Deeksha Venkat ‘27
OPINIONS At its core, Mean Girls allowed for an incredibly important message to be delivered in a palatable way. The clichéd line that still remains true: be yourself. [PAGE 7]
With all the new changes to Castilleja this year, one of the most significant is in the uniform updates. The school previously followed a stricter set of uniform guidelines, in which students constantly tried to find loopholes, but typically ended up with dress code violations. One of the biggest changes to the uniform this year is how modern it is. The previous uniform guidelines drew from more traditional aspects, with students donning the classic skirt and polo pairing almost every day.
“I feel like people were wearing spandex and shorts with skirts, nowadays people are wearing more pants,” Danielle Molotsi ’24 said. In fact, arguably the biggest change to the uniform is that Casti removed the requirement of the skirt altogether - a change some students have welcomed. “I haven’t worn the skirt in weeks by now. I just have a lot more options,” Reagan Raphael ’25 said. Molotsi described the alternative of pants as “more freedom,” and said it makes her “actually like the uniform.” Other big changes noted by students are the resurgence of pants, which some students prefer to the skirt. This noticeable difference comes with
CASTILLEJA SCHOOL: 1310 BRYANT ST, PALO ALTO, CA 95070
the change in tops students are allowed to wear. Students are now allowed to wear any Casti spirit gear (anybody else digging out their What’s Possible t-shirts?). “The polos are super uncomfortable. I haven’t worn one in so long,” Corinne Chang ’27 said. Paired with the lack of skirts, the Casti uniform has certainly gone through some big changes. Any day in 2022, a visitor to the campus could walk outside and see a sea of students dressed in a navy blue sweater, a polo, and a light blue skirt. Now, almost no student is wearing the same thing: students are dressing in jeans, sweatpants and many students have chosen to give up the polo entirely. [CONTINUED ON PAGE 5]