Kiddo! is celebrating its 42nd Anniversary as the primary fundraising organizati on for the Mill Valley School Distric. Kiddo! provides 100% of the funding for district-wide art, music, dance, drama, and poetry programs.” Students say, KIDDO! makes it possible for us to have opportunities to explore our creati vity.”
“Art can say more than words ever could.” — Elle
“When I make art, I feel like I’m in my own world and there are no rules to follow.” — Alexandra
“To me art is creati vity, fun and inspiration.” — Anders
“Art means fun where you can use all types of materials to create something amazing.” — Brodie
“Art is a safe space to be myself and be free of judgment and criticism.” — Brynn
“Art is something I can go to. It’s always there. Art is a form of meditation for me.” — Cora
“Art is a form of freedom and creati vity. Art is a peaceful, calm place where you can express yourself.” — Ella
CONTENTS
“Crafting the Future: Students, Festivals, and the Voices of Change” Changemaker Alicia Garza from Black Futures Lab told us to create the change we want to see, inspiring our cover story. We honed our journalism and photography skills, gaining press passes to Outside Lands, Bottlerock Napa, and the Mill Valley Music Festival. San Rafael High School students showcase their art, while Kent Middle School students share their hopes and passions.
Send 3 images — high res jpegs or PDF’s Deadline: November 8th, 2024 winifred@fastforwardweb.com
ALICIA GARZA: YOU’VE GOT SOMETHING
OPINIONS: THE POWER OF PERSPECTIVE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING & MORE
THE ART GALLERY — SAN RAFAEL HIGH SCHOOL
ENVIRONMENTAL PAGE — OUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET
GARDEN PAGE — DAVIDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL GARDEN
MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL
KENT MIDDLE SCHOOL ART PAGE
OUTSIDE LANDS — GETTING THE STORY AS PRESS MILL VALLEY MUSIC FEST
OUR PASSIONS — KENT MIDDLE SCHOOL
BOTTLEROCK — GETTING THE STORY AS PRESS MARIN SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
ADVERTISERS/SUPPORTERS
Amici’s Pizza
Branson School
FrameCrafters Gallery
Headlands Preparatory School
La Ginestra
Marin Academy
Marin Catholic High
Marin Horizon School
Marin Humane Society
Marin Primary & Middle School
Marin Waves & Track Club
Montecito Plaza
Mount Tamalpais School
Mill Valley Film Festival
Mill Valley Market
Ongaro & Sons
PAAM-Performing Arts of Marin
San Domenico School
Sloat Garden Center
St. Isabella School
The Good Earth United Markets
FEATURED REPORTERS
Winifred MacLeod
ADDRESS: FastForward 775 E.Blithedale Ave #388 Mill Valley, CA 94941
STUDENT EDITOR: Semira Robinson
CONTRIBUTING REPORTERS/WRITERS: Ava Alereza, Ann Burlingame, Josienne Campo, Tessa Delay, Callie Egan, Shayla Estes , Eloise Eymann, Stella Fago, Charlotte Fishbourne , Peyton Forster, Daisy Forster, Cameron Gregiore, Jack Hamm, Josie Hayden-Smith, Quinn Hartman, Annika Hatch, Eleanor Hershman, Maximo Hilson, J.D. Horn, Alex Kidd, Drayson Jaffe, Joseph Joost, Mirabelle Lee , Jane Levin, Audrey Lowell, Charlotte Martin, Edgar McConnell, Lauren Olsen, Christian Pappas, Sophie Pastel , Trevor Pierce , Lulu Poser, Semira Robinson, Gavin Roldan, Kayvon Sadat, Finn Snekkevik, Ezra Trost-Goldhammer, James Zeno and Callie Zimmerman. CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS: Haley Brownridge, Sherwood Crichfield, Lisette Dauphin, Jack Glander, Isabella De Iongh, Blaze Fiandaca-Olsen, Audrey ItoSimmons, Drayson Jaffe, Aster Keller, Sydney Lewis, Avani Mahyavanshi, Lucy Sauber, Ella Snyder, TJ Tenorio and Tammy Tenorio
PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL & TAM HIGH’s WISE MENTORING PROGRAM
Park School is partnering with Tam High’s WISE Mentoring Program to provide weekly 1-on-1 mentoring between a group of Park School students. The group meets once a week in Park School’s library and the partnerships focus on a targeted skills - academic skills, conversational skills, etc. - depending on each student’s individual need. In addition to the skill-based work that the Park students’ teachers provide for the partnerships to work on, the Tam High 11th and 12th graders aim to build a positive relationship with their Park mentee, one that builds confidence, community, and connection... all pieces that are key to the success of students.
Check out our Shop & Give Donations Program — Select your favorite charity and we’ll donate 2% of your total grocery receipts.
Ezra TrostGoldhammer Josie Hayden-Smith
Josiennne Campo
Aanika Sawhney Christian Pappas
Charlotte Martin
James Zeno Cameron Gregiore Penelope Carroll
Emerson Swift
Ann Burlingame
Finn Snekkevik Lauren Olsen
Callie Zimmerman Audrey Lowell
Photo byVictoria Jarmicki
YOU’VE GOT
SOMETHING
An Interview with Alicia Garza, Principal of Black Futures Lab
REPORTERS: ANN BURLINGAME, CHARLOTTE FISHBURNE, AANIKA SAWHNEY & TESSA DELAY REDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
When Alicia Garza was a student at Redwood High School, there weren’t a lot of kids around who matched her demographic.
“I think there were 1,200 students, and I knew all the Black people. Growing up in a place where most people don’t look like you can really impact your sense of self and your sense of what’s possible.” Today Garza is an internationally respected activist for civil rights, social justice and marginalized communities and is best known for co-founding the transformational Black Lives Matter movement. She joined us at FastForward to talk about her amazing journey from a suburban Marin upbringing to the cutting edge of African American advocacy.
Garza was born in Oakland, grew up in San Rafael and Tiburon and at the age of 12 became an activist for the first time when she led a protest against her middle school’s abstinence-only sex education program. Later, at UC San Diego, she supported the university’s janitors’ call for higher wages and helped organize the school’s first Women of Color Conference. After graduating with a degree in sociology and anthropology, Garza continued her activism in the Bay Area with the School of Unity and Liberation, People United for a Better Life in Oakland and the National Domestic Workers Alliance.
Black Lives Matter began as a Facebook post Garza wrote after George Zimmerman was acquitted of the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an African American teenager. (“I continue to be surprised at how little Black lives matter…Our lives matter.”) Fellow activist Patrisse Cullors shared the post with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter and the movement spread around the world, especially after the 2014 police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown and George Floyd’s murder in 2020. According to the Pew Research Center, the hashtag has appeared in 44 million tweets to date. Garza has also written articles for national magazines like The Nation, The Guardian and Rolling Stone as well as a book, The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart. In 2018 she launched the Black Futures Lab to empower Black communities, traveling to the deep South to increase voter turnout and working to change how local, state and national power operate in underserved areas.
How do you view power as it’s distributed in our government today?
Garza: When I think about power in government, I think about elections, and I also think about governing, which is coming to an agreement about how you’re going to be led. Okay, who gets to participate? Who doesn’t? And why? And right now, we’re in quite a bit of a crisis in this country around power in government because often we don’t really see power being used for the good of people. And that’s why I’ve spent a lot of my life doing community organizing, because it’s bringing people together to reimagine what our society can look like, what our government can look like, what our communities can look like. Power doesn’t have to be corrupt, and each of us can make an impact on how power operates at any given time. It’s the ability to make the rules and change the rules, and it exists in a lot of different places.
How can the empowering mission of the Black Futures Lab be centered in American politics?
Grapple with our history and not treat it like it’s a thing that happened one time and it’s now in a museum and everything’s fine. Black people do not want revenge [for centuries of enslavement]. We want to be included. And we want to be seen as human beings. Racism is a made-up set of systems and rules, policies and behaviors that treat Black people as less than human. If we continue to deny the history of this country, we can’t hope to impact the future of it, or even the present. That doesn’t have to mean the United States is the most terrible place on Earth, it means we have work to do. Number one, we can change laws that discriminate against people, and we can change laws that make it harder for some people to achieve than others. But to do that, we must acknowledge that those things still exist. And one of the great magic
tricks of this nation is amnesia. The way that we can continue to push some people forward and keep some people back while we say everybody has the same chances and opportunities. If that was true, you would have more Black people in your class, and you’d have more Black people in your school. And there’d be more Black people in Marin County.
How does your team put your goals into reality?
We know we can’t do everything. We have 20 people on our team, we’ll be 40-something by the end of the year and we can’t hit every Black person in every state. So, we’re focusing on Black voters 35 to 55 who predominantly live in rural areas, places that don’t get touched by a lot of voter programs. And we organize year-round, so we’re talking to voters whether there’s an election or not. We’re also trying to find out what they need. A lot of people
aren’t thinking about voting because they’re trying to figure out how to patch the roof and they lost their job this year, or they just found out that their kid has autism and they have to figure out how to get them the appropriate kind of support so they can get an education, or their mom or dad had a heart attack and now they need full-time care. By helping people access the things they need, you create more of a condition for them to be able to participate. When we do that, we win.
Activism and organizing is obviously very intense work. How do you manage the pressure?
I have to make it fun. I want to laugh, and I want to talk about pop culture and Real Housewives of Atlanta and how that relates to United States politics. And I like my art on my nails to look amazing. I’m obsessed with them. I take my work seriously, but I try not to take myself too seriously.
How did going to Redwood and growing up in Marin influence you and inform your experience as an activist?
I grew up mostly in an environment that was predominantly white and then went to universities that were predominantly white. When I was at Redwood, we didn’t even have very many Black administrators. And you got a whole bunch of stuff put on top of you. People expect you to be edgy, people expect you not to speak so well, they expect you to look a certain way, do certain things and not do certain things. Everybody loved Black culture, but they couldn’t take me out of what they saw on MTV and all the other things. And so, I guess what that allowed me to do was form my own identity on my own terms. Today I can tell you my experience and what is legible to me. But just
because I’m talking to you today as a Black person, I do not speak for all Black people. Now, in a changing world, what does it mean to be white? I’m going to say whiteness is not a culture. Whiteness is a category that was designed to set people apart from others and give it a rationale. Black is not a culture. Black is diaspora. But that was something created by people other than Black people to describe why some people belonged and some didn’t. Acknowledging that this exists and moving people forward is what we think is going to work, and in doing so, we really defang the people who benefit from our separation. We’ve got to think about what we want our legacy to be. “Where are we going?” is my question.
Your social justice initiatives gained traction with our generation through its presence on social media. Can you share some insights on leading the movement to reach audiences across generations?
Lots of people think about this last decade as a decade of young people and movements, BLM, Occupy, the Women’s March, et cetera. But it wasn’t just young people. I saw people from all over the place, people who were active in their youth and then they built families and got a job and built a career and thought things had progressed enough. And then stuff started happening. The number one thing the older white ladies said to me at the Women’s March was, “I never thought I would have to fight for my rights again, but that’s why I’m here.” These are people who are able to reflect on where they started in the fight, like against literal segregation. Ruby Bridges, the little girl who integrated Frantz Elementary School, is alive and well and only in her 60s. This was not, like, 100 million years ago. I really hope we keep that at the forefront and don’t throw older people away. There’s lots and lots to learn from them. And these days I spend more of my time with the old folk because it gives me perspective on how much things have changed. My mentor, Linda, her mom just turned 108 this year. She’s going to
be 109 in March. She still travels. She does yoga, she plays Scrabble, and she’ll tell you at Scrabble. And then I think to myself, okay, I feel like there’s not enough change being made. But think about it. She’s 108 years old. Lots has changed in 108 years, so it gives me hope.
Black Lives Matter became a global movement based off an essay you wrote, and writing is the core of our work. How do you see rhetoric as a change-maker?
The way we make people feel matters. The way we allow people to see themselves in our work matters, and the way we create the conditions for people to understand the world better matters. And one of the things I take super seriously as a writer, as a media maker, as a strategist and a change-maker, is how we tell stories. How we frame stories, the tone, the pacing, the words we use — it all matters. The nerd in me would tell you to read W.E.B. DuBois’s stuff from Black Reconstruction, and then read Malcolm X and Ida B. Wells. And you’ll see exactly how they use rhetoric to help people not just understand themselves and the world better, but to actually question what their place and their role is in it.
What advice would you give to young people who want to make an impact?
Don’t abstain because you think you can’t change anything. “I’m not political, I just want to go to college, make my money and raise my family.” This world comes for all of us, nobody gets left out of this world, and it’s important to not let your muscles atrophy. We’re all responsible for what happens here. And abstaining is a choice. But it’s one that will kill us. It’ll kill the people you love. It’ll kill the people you’re rooting for. When I was 16, 17, 18, I thought it didn’t matter, as long as I was about my people it was all good. Now it touches everybody. Be an architect, be a builder, be a shaper. And you can do that in a bunch of ways. You don’t have to be a protester. You don’t have to be an activist. But you’ve got to do something.
The Power of Perspective
To be told to look at a situation through someone else’s perspective is a common lesson, learned when we are raised and throughout our lives.
Yet, the way it is often overlooked suggests the need for humanity to strive for better understanding and harmony. One’s perspective is shaped by how someone is raised — their personality traits, morals and values, experiences, emotions, and surroundings. These elements collectively shape our perceptions and how we handle them. The way we perceive the world influences our perspective, and our perspective, in turn, influences our perceptions.
explanation, or why he thinks the way he does. I knew it was important to consider him in order for him to consider others. His perspective was driven by the same elements: his upbringing, personality traits, values, and how he has perceived his life. This translated to his specific experience: conservative parents, a need for dominance, a value for comfort, a fear of the unknown, and all of the influential perspectives of those he shares his life with. Taking the time to hear his story opened up the opportunity for growth; an experience that effectively lands when new ideas are only added to already existing perceptions.
When looking beyond the surface meaning of perspective, it calls us to look beyond the surface of one another, fostering acceptance of both others and ourselves.
I met a mutual friend with tendencies toward subtle homophobia. With an inclination to call him out, I came to discover his habitual experience of this interaction, only with a lack of sharing perspective on either side.
It is critical to ask seemingly prejudiced people to consider the perspectives of those they don’t understand. But I knew it would be a challenge to grasp unless someone understood his own. Following my intervention of his comment was a request for an
The concept of perspective and its connection with one’s perceptions is crucial to acknowledge in understanding yourself and relationships with others. A healthy relationship is driven by the effort put in to hear someone’s story, or why they are the way they are. This effort can manifest into an open mind, and it manifests into trust in one another. To know someone’s perspective is to know their emotional needs, their triggers, what helps them, and how to approach a conversation with them. To know someone’s perspective is to value individuality, and the unavoidable truth of a diverse humanity. To know someone’s perspective is the approach to harmony, and it is to accept our differences with an open mind.
How can people afford houses in Marin? One builder has a plan
Have you ever thought about buying a house? Or looked at the average home price in Marin County?
According to Zillow, the average home price in Marin County is close to $1.5 million. Chances are most people don’t have $1.5 million laying around, and buying a home at that price seems unrealistic. Luckily, there are plans in place to increase the number of affordable houses in Marin. Northgate Mall is getting redeveloped into a mixed-use town square. The current plan is to keep 29% of the current retail and convert the rest into townhome and apartment units. This plan will allow for close to 1,500 new residents with lots of new affordable housing options for people to choose.
To qualify for affordable housing you need to meet a certain requirement for household income. The number changes depending on where you live and the number of people living in your house.
Charlotte Martin Redwood High School, Senior
James Zeno
Christian Pappas Marin School of Environmental Leadership, Sophomores
The average home price in Marin County is close
to
$1.5 million, Zillow says
The median household income for a four-person household is around $175,000, according to the federal Housing Urban and Development Department.
If a four-person household brings in less, it qualifies for affordable housing that is deed-restricted or available with a Section 8 voucher. If you make the median income of $175,000, you qualify for the Below Market Rate Home Ownership Program. (Check your eligibility on the Marin Housing Authority website.)
This spring, the private contractor behind the plan submitted an alternative design so that the affordable housing is dispersed throughout the town center. The current plan is to finish by 2040.
The redevelopment will support a lot of families looking for affordable housing and a new place to live.
If something is harder to achieve, is it more valuable?
As humans, we often find ourselves attracted to opportunities that are prestigious and hard to attain: the most selective friend group, a competitive college, the most impressive job.
We tend to subconsciously believe that people, experiences, or opportunities that are hard to get are highly valuable. Is this an illusion, or does something harder to get inherently hold greater value?
When people or experiences are challenging to acquire, we elevate them in our minds. Seeing them as superior, we are prone to desiring them more intensely.
to people or experiences that are difficult to attain.
Psych Central explains: “We want what we can’t have because we unconsciously placed superhuman characteristics on our object of desire and believe if by being accepted by the individual we desire, it will add value to us.”
Being chosen by one who’s hard to get gives a feeling of validation and boosts our ego. Thus, someone who has low self-esteem might subconsciously seek out greater forms of validation in order to feel secure.
The website Explore Psychology calls this phenomenon the “Scarcity Principle” and says it plays a significant role in why humans are attracted to opportunities that are seen as hard to get. This principle suggests that people perceive exclusive things as more valuable.
I’ve noticed this phenomena’s role in my personal life and others’. Throughout high school, for example, I’ve noticed how many people desire to be a part of a popular and exclusive friend group. Getting into a selective friend group is perceived as a rare opportunity.
Because it feels scarce, we hold the uncharted experience at a high value.
“There are different pathways in the brain’s reward circuitry for wanting something and finding the motivation to obtain it, versus liking it,” as an article in Discover Magazine put it, revealing that we can have a strong desire to obtain something without actually enjoying it.
This jibes with my observations — specifically with the infatuation with exclusive friend groups or romantic partners and the desire to be accepted.
Someone with low self-esteem or feeling insecure might be more drawn
I recall the times in my life when I lacked self-confidence and sought out people or experiences that I thought would make me worthy.
Throughout middle school, when I was self-conscious and unsure of who I was, I looked for my value in material or shallow things: how many instagram followers I had, how many expensive clothes I owned, how popular I was. These things filled my every waking thought.
I desired these experiences for the wrong reasons: I wanted an external factor to validate me. I learned once I got there they were not glamorous. I might’ve gotten a momentary self-esteem boost, but it wasn’t memorable.
Diving into the psychology behind the attraction to the exclusive, reveals that what we perceive as valuable can be influenced by factors such as the scarcity principle and self-esteem. Becoming aware of this, I now reconsider the root of my aspirations and analyze whether it is a good decision to pursue them.
I now value friends based on who they are and how we connect — not as objects of social validation.
Ultimately, only goals rooted in authenticity and personal significance lead to fundamental happiness.
Josie HaydenSmith Redwood High School, Senior
Art Gallery
Sydney Lewis, Junior
Annie Yi’s art students at San Rafael High School
Isabella De Iongh, Senior
Aster Keller, Sophomore
Ella Snyder, Junior
Avani Mahyavanshi Junior
Lucy Sauber, Sophomore
Sherwood Crichfield, Junior
Blaze Fiandaca-Olsen, Sophomore
Our most important asset: the environment
By Finn Snekkevik, Sophomore, Marin School of Environmental Leadership
We use its resources and enjoy its beauty. Yet too many of us take our environment for granted. We aren’t always best at preserving it.
I am part of an environmental program at Marin School of Environmental Leadership (MarinSEL) at Terra Linda High School. The mission: to build leaders for a just and sustainable world.
Marin County is more environmentally conscious than other parts of the world. But there is certainly more we can do.
At MarinSEL, I worked on group projects focused on water conservation and food waste, collaborating with my peers and the local community. Together, our goal was to make our towns and cities more environmentally conscious.
Most damage done to the environment is
unintentional: mindless mistakes such as littering, not properly sorting waste, leaving water running.
Traveling to a new place in a different country introduced me to new ideas for building sustainability.
On a family vacation in summer in Whistler, British Columbia, near the west coast of Canada, we saw mountains, lakes and rivers that rival the most beautiful scenery in the world.
Equally as impressive: how the local community and regional government prioritize preserving their natural surroundings. During a zipline eco-tour of Whistler’s scenic mountains, guides shared how the region’s efforts are designed to be as sustainable as possible.
Nothing on the tour — aside from one gate powered by solar panels — uses electricity. A hydro-plant capable of running Whistler’s
PROUD TO SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Being a member of MarinSEL has afforded me opportunities to improve my skills and become a better version of myself. In my two years in the program, I’ve gotten to tackle challenges in the community and work on sustainable solutions.
My peers and I have adjusted campus watering plans at Terra Linda High School to improve efficiency and spread information about the importance of recycling. We have visited schools and educated students on the importance of taking care of our planet.
MarinSEL emphasizes giving back to the community. I’ve volunteered many hours, helping run various school and community events. I’m looking forward to helping my local Marinwood community by volunteering as a coach, teaching young people how to play water polo.
Next year, I’ll create a sustainable business and learn what it takes to make a business plan. As a senior, I’ll intern with companies in our community, working to make them more eco-friendly.
I’m thankful for this ever-growing, caring community that has become my home.
Blackcomb resort for a year draws its power from renewable energy from the Fitzsimmons River. The guides also explained their core beliefs — Take, Make, Break, and Cake — each a different part of their sustainability goals:
TAKE: Use only what the environment can replenish in a timely manner — no excessive fossil fuels; switch to more renewable ways of using resources
MAKE: Reduce dependence on things that cannot break down and could be harmful for the surrounding ecosystems; rely less on plastics and chemicals, and turn to more sustainable options.
BREAK: Take only what is necessary, and get away from the bad habits of polluting and degrading.
CAKE: Nobody is going to care about saving the environment if we don’t address basic needs like food, water, shelter and healthcare. We need our basics for survival — and our beautiful places
I thought of my classmates back home. Did these ideas originate from a group of teenagers passionate about building and maintaining a sustainable world? Could the next big ideas?
These core beliefs reminded me of what I am learning in MarinSEL. Knowing that other towns in other countries are doing what they can to help the environment brings me hope for the sustainable future of our planet.
Leilani Siri’s students share
“Why we love the garden”...
I love the garden because I see the progress of my plants grow. When we started, the garden beds were full of weeds. We cleaned it up and our hard work shows.— Riley
The garden makes me feel happy because I see beautiful plants growing — Ashley
The garden is a beautiful environment to be in. — Brizeida
I feel good when I’m in the garden.
—
Justin
I like the garden because we get to dig and plant, and it’s fun to look at animals.
—Jeferson
I like the garden because we make food with the plants we plant. —Christian
It’s fun to see the garden grow and see our hard work pay off. — Fabian
I love being outside in the garden. — Alexa
I love the tasty food from the garden.
— Tessa
I love the garden because we get to eat our own food that we grow. — Scarlett
Lisette Dauphin, 6th Grade
ART TEACHER Lisa Moretti
Haley Brownridge, 7th Grade
Audrey Ito-Simmons, 6th Grade
TJ Tenorio, 7th Grade
Jack Glander, 6th Grade
Tammy Tenorio, 6th Grade
By Callie Zimmerman, Marin Academy, Senior
The Foggy City certainly lived up to its name at the annual Outside Lands Music Festival (OSL). Despite the signature fog surrounding Golden Gate Park, festival goers went all out in varying costumes and outfits. When it comes to the fashion at OSL, anything goes. From groups dressed like Waldo in Where’s Waldo to superheroes to animal onesies, the opportunity for an extra Halloween in the summer is met with enthusiasm from the festival’s attendees.
With diverse headliners like The Killers, Sabrina Carpenter, and Sturgill Simpson, and rising stars like Chappell Roan and Teddy Swims, the creative outfits are inspired by the wide variety of music genres, where anyone can find an artist to get excited for. Aside from these main stage attractions, the six other stages allow for constant musical enjoyment, especially with the three DJ-only stages having round the clock performances during festival hours.
A new DJ-only stage this year features Latin music, beachy drinks and two-story
viewing opportunities. Labeled Casa BacardÃ, this addition is most likely here to stay, as the unique stage was crowded with a steady stream of viewers throughout the Festival. This new stage is just a quick walk away from the redesigned Sutro stage. After issues with the covered stage last year, it was redesigned as an outdoor stage with great success, displaying artists like Daniel Caesar, Chris Lake, TV Girl, and many more successful shows.
Another exciting new addition to the Outside Lands world was OSL’s very own City Hall, creating a place for anyone to get married, created in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Winter of Love. Many joined in on these celebrations of love, the City Hall conveniently placed between the Lands End and Twin Peaks stages. The Twin Peaks stage is definitely worth the 10+ minute walk from Polo Field in order to see bands like Kaytranada, The Postal Service, Men I Trust and more. The Sunday night crowd at Twin Peaks was bigger than ever as Kaytranada brought the Festival to a close.
Between the Twin Peaks sets, viewers could discover some lesser-known bands at Panhandle. This smaller stage creates a more intimate viewing experience and allows the many impressive up and coming artists to shine, some of which include indie pop artist Chance Peña and R&B singer Allen Stone.
While discovering the next biggest stars at Panhandle, the wide variety of food and drink options right next door and throughout the Festival make it easy to find almost any cuisine one could think of, featuring many local sellers. If the perfect drink wasn’t being sold at one of these vendors, Festival goers could also refuel at the many Outside Lands themed tents.
With 7 stages and many different genres of music, the 75,000+ attendees are able to spread out easily throughout the Festival, allowing for big artists and impressive performances as well as opportunities for smaller artists and up close and
Photo Credits: Alive Coverage
personal music viewing. That being said, when attending the big name performances, there is no avoiding the massive crowds. Chappell Roan was a standout, pulling crowds bigger than the headliners despite performing at 4:00 on Sunday.
Kaytranada also took much of the attention upon closing the Sunday night music, pulling the majority of fans from the Lands End performer, Sturgill Simpson. However, this allowed those at the alternative country singer’s performance to be freed from the overwhelming crowds that come with the headlining acts. After the set, many seemed to remark it was the best performance of the Festival, despite the bigger, and younger, crowd attending the Kaytranada performance.
Among this amazing music and exciting weekend, Outside Lands made an effort to share this year’s mission: voting. Registration, awareness and participation are listed as the Festival’s goals for this mission. In their mission, Outside Lands states, “we want our community members to recognize their individual and collective power, to see that participation in the democratic process is an essential way to engage with the causes they care about.”
Tents in Hellman Hollow filled with nonprofits served to promote the mission. HeadCount uses music and digital media to encourage participation in our democracy, working with famous artists and Festivals like Outside Lands. #iVoted Concerts also focuses on the youth attending
events and music venues, using their team that is 92% BIPOC, women, non-binary or LGBTQ+ to relate to youth throughout the U.S. Power to the Polls also focuses on the next generation and those who will be working in the polls, educating them on how to help others vote, creating a safe and helpful environment for any and all voters. Music Declares Emergency is members of the music industry fighting to enact change regarding climate change and climate laws using the power of music and how it affects our culture. Planned Parenthood fights to provide safe and accessible access to health care, especially regarding reproductive rights. Support+Feed aims to educate and expand the accessibility of plant-based food as a solution for the effects of climate change, specifically the increasing food insecurity. Sunset Youth Services provides support and resources to at-risk youth, in doing so proving these young people can help their communities when provided with fair and equal resources. Youth Art Exchange creates connections between professional artists and local public school students through art. San Francisco Parks Alliance partners with different groups to advocate for parks and public spaces in the city. San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department aims to create and preserve the environment for the enjoyment and well-being of the community. Gardens of Golden Gate Park connects people to nature around them. For more info, visit: sfoutsidelands.com
Shaboozey
Lael Neale
Chappell Roan
Photo Credit: Sandra Jamaleddine
Young the Giant
Allen Stone
Sabrina Carpenter
The Last Dinner Party
Photo credits: Callie Zimmerman
Channel Tres
Outside Lands Fans
Teddy Swims
By
The Third Annual Mill Valley Music Festival, brought by the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce and Noise Pop Industries, couldn’t have been planned on a better weekend. Over ten thousand fans showed
up for perfect Marin weather to see some of the music industries’ biggest acts. Two days of festivities gave ticket holders the opportunity to socialize, shop at the stalls of over 50 local businesses, and, of course, listen to eighteen bands play.
Large bands like Margo Price and Greensky Bluegrass performed on the Main Stage, while the smaller Sweetwater Stage gave local bands a moment in the spotlight. Sweetwater Stage’s unconventional setup and laid-back vibe drew a more intimate setting, as bands would play out of a trailer with a wall cut out,
posing them in front of a picturesque backdrop of fog rolling over the hills.
Saturday, the Festival was opened by Meels, whose lead singer was a Mill Valley local singing at her first festival. Although they’re a smaller band, the crowd was already moving. Later in the day, Danielle Ponder, Fruit Bats, and Thee Sacred Souls brought high energy sets. Fleet Foxes, an indie folk band from Seattle, closed with slow tunes that prompted slow dancing among the crowd, playing their hits including “Mykonos” and “White Winter Hymnal.” For the latter, a woman shouted from the crowd to play guitar with the band and was invited up on stage, the frontman dropping down to one knee to hand her a guitar.
Sunday was even more packed than the day before. Eric Lindell opened with his red, white, and blue Flying V guitar. A pair of bands came straight from Jazz Fest in New Orleans. The Rebirth Brass Band were one of the most unique sets since they played brass instruments, including a tuba. However, St. Paul and the Broken Bones played arguably the most
exciting set of the night, with a giant stage presence. At one point, the lead singer got so passionate he started drooling, when he, still singing into the mic, decided to wipe the drool on the bassist’s shoulder. The jamgrass band Greensky Bluegrass was the headliner for Sunday. They brought the energy and closed out the weekend perfectly, concluding with “Grow Together,” a slower, more intimate melody appropriate for the golden light of the sun setting behind the mountains.
While most were local, some ticket holders came internationally from thousands of miles away. One man was visiting California from New Castle, England, but decided to stop by the Festival. He was certainly not disappointed.
Giant bubbles kept the younger crowd occupied, and every-so-often a slight breeze would blow them over to the Main Stage before popping on the raised and outstretched hands of the cheering crowd. Attendees varied, ranging from the stereotypical festival goers rocking out in the front row to families lounging on blankets with their kids.
Despite attracting bigger names and larger crowds each year, Mill Valley Music Festival retains its traditional feel and local roots, creating an unforgettable experience for families and frequent festival goers alike.
Drayson Jaffe and Callie Zimmerman Senior, Marin Academy
ST PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES
MARGO PRICE
Kent Middle School
FastForward visited Myra Anderson’s students to conduct a writing workshop
Sailing by Jane Levin
Roaring wind crashing waves sailing. I smell the salt in my nose and the wind in my hair. I’m set free, as free as the sail in the wind. Waves, turn, flip… but I don’t give up. I pull myself up on the board and I stand, I stand above the water, the wind, and the earth. It’s just me and my sail gliding along the surface. When the sky gets dark and the dock is near, then I’m here; here to stay… everyday sailing.
Mountain Biking by Kayvon Sadat
The pedals start moving, wheels begin turning as I start to roll down the hill. I feel the little rocks in the ground as I go over them, I hear the spokes turning and the rush of the wind as I pass by the giant redwood trees. I taste and smell the dust as it comes off the trail. On the other side I feel every bump in the ground as I go up the hill, like they are trying to stop me. I feel the heat of the sun beating down on me, pressuring me to stop. I taste how thirsty I am. I lower the gear so I can keep going. I see the top of the trail as I come to the peak of the hill, and with one last push forward I make it. I love mountain biking.
Skiing By Mirabelle Lee
I strap on my boots, tucking my jacket in to keep me warm. The cold wind blows by pulling a cold blanket over me. As soon as I
click into my skis, I know I’m ready. On the lift, the cold blanket comes back, my gator and goggles go on to protect my face. I get off and stop, looking down at the mountain. It’s covered to the bone in snow, the trees around it are silver instead of green. My goggles make the snow look orange and pink. I drop in. The wind blows in my face as I fly down the mountain, stomping my poles in front of me to turn. As soon as I make it down, I pull up my goggles, the snow turns back to white and the sun beams down on me. I take a breath and head back to the lift to go again.
Photography By Lulu Poser
I focus the lens. Snap. A moment of time caught. The camera went blank as I lowered it. The light hit the mountain perfectly and the trees swayed. The flowers were in bloom, and the tall grass tickled my ankles. Fresh air filled my lungs as my family came into view, but it was just me — for a moment. A moment caught forever in the lens of a camera.
Breakaway By Daisy Forster
I smell the fresh grass from the field. I take deep breaths of the fresh air, in and
out, catching my breath. It’s refreshing and has the taste of victory. I’m feeling like we will win. Running on the soccer field, I see my team. My friends are on the bench cheering for me when I breakaway. I hear my teammates, cheering me along as I take the ball up to the goal, swoosh! My ball made it, everyone was cheering and clapping. Our teams shake hands. I have a feeling of accomplishment as the other team congratulates us on our win. I feel proud and happy. I smile to think that my goal was the game-winning goal.
Just Ball by Joseph Joost Basketball. As old as time, a sport that inspires me to be great. Stepping onto that court makes my body jittery with excitement. Once the ref throws up the ball, game on! That first dribble brings the crowd into it, I take a jump shot that makes me feel good. Intercepting and diving on that floor, opposing parents yell at the referee for a foul. Parents rooting for you and against you, but you block the noise and just ball. Once the buzzer sounds, a warm feeling is taking off those basketball shoes and slipping into your slides to go home.
Summer by Addison Shulman
I can hear my bare feet padding across the hot concrete. Just as it starts to sting, I run along the smooth blue tile, soothing the burn. I bend my knees and clasp my arms over my head. In one smooth motion, I am in the water, barely making a splash. I kick off the bottom of the pool. I gasp, taking in the warm July air. The sun is setting, making the sky look like pink lemonade. I submerge myself back into the water. I glide through the blue water, legs pumping, arms moving until they ache. I climb over the edge of the pool, grabbing my iced tea. My top half dries in seconds, even though it is dinnertime. My legs dangle in the pool as I slowly drain my drink and watch the sky go from pink to navy.
Swimming by Quinn Hartman
With my head hurting and my heart
Ronan Krogh-Jespersen, 6th Grade
Trisha Shah, 6th Grade
pounding I dive into the pool. My first swim meet was always a terrifying thought, but here I was standing before a huge pool with a hundred or more people watching me. Waiting, I hear the music start. I begin counting 1,2,3,4…left foot forward and then back, leaning in, holding my swim partner’s hands. Our walk off is done, and it is time to start the routine. Sweat on my head, I put on my nose clip and dive in, breathe, stroke, three-time tower, spin, arm up, scissor kick. My routine is done; it was a blur, and I was forcing myself to smile. Then I heard it, something I was wishing for, people cheered loudly. My two swim partners and I look at each other. Happiness comes over us as we realize we have done well. We win second place. I love swimming.
The Big Game by Gavin Roldan
The doors of the gym fly open, the sounds of the basketball and the players yelling fill the gym. I see the players soaring down the court to get back on defense. My team and I go outside to warm up. The cold weather hits my skin, but my adrenaline keeps me motivated. We go back in to finish, watching the other team’s game. We go down for our first lay-up lines. My heart races for the game to start. The timer goes off and the referee calls us to shake hands before tipoff. He blows his whistle and throws the ball up in the air…we begin.
Gymnastics by Eloise Eymann
“You can do this, don’t be afraid” is what you need to tell yourself before you go. It’s the only way to survive. The green flag goes up. Jump, stick, all the adrenaline goes to the brain. Stick, stick, I hear music going on. So much happens at once. Pounding on the floor, the world spins around, but I stay in one place. I look at the blue floor and see a metal pillar sideways wrapped in tan leather, four feet up and four feet wide. The clap
of chalky hands clapping makes a white cloud. The crack of the bars, ping stick. The perfect 10.00. The crowd goes wild. I’m flipping mid-air and seeing the world from a different height. This sport is 90% mental and 10% physical. Your head must be in the right place to do gymnastics.
It’s Go Time by J.D. Horn 5,4,3,2,1. It’s “go time.” I break our team, and everybody sprints onto the field. Artificial turf and broken-down tires bounce up and down on my way to the mound. It’s the championship game and my team has put their trust in me to get us the win. I grab my baseball off the ground and brush my fingers across the seams, all 218 of them. Then I feel each scuff on the leather part of the ball. My breath goes in and out at a steady pace, now I’m ready.
The Art of Soccer by Trevor Pierce I step onto the soccer field, fresh mowed grass and loud parents roaring. The whistle blows, letting everyone know the game has started. Teams fight for the ball, kicking and shoving. The other team scores, celebrating as parents scream with joy and pride. My team heads are down and then I hear “Let’s go FC”; within seconds I am motivated. The other team fears us now that we look like hungry sharks, looking for a goal. I score a banger— this is what soccer people call it. I go to the corner to celebrate and see envy in the other team’s eyes.
Things We Know to be True
Ms. Myra Anderson’s students
Doing something you like makes you happy.
Time goes by fast when you’re having fun.
The happiest people are the ones who can be themselves.
Books teleport you to a new world. Hard work and practice truly will pay off.
I know you will always be enough. Friends can be found anywhere. Sometimes it’s okay to be alone. Money can’t buy happiness. All people deserve equality. Focusing on the good not the bad helps me be happy.
Family is not always blood-related. Someone will always be there. There is always a friend somewhere. Don’t hold onto someone who doesn’t want you or isn’t nice to you. Sometimes you don’t appreciate something until it’s gone There will always be ups and downs in your life.
Exercise is good. It’s good to step out of your comfort zone.
Love is real.
You learn from your mistakes. We are lucky to be alive. I would be lost without books. When you’re younger, you try to be older but when you’re older, you try to be younger. So don’t rush your life, enjoy it.
The right thing to do is to always be kind.
True friends will stick by you and will always be there for you.
Blake Snyder, 7th Grade
Dylan Oronzi, 7th Grade
Lila Bonney, 7th Grade
Good weather, delicious food, a variety of fantastic musicians, and superb Napa Valley vibes made for a fantastic BottleRock weekend.
There was a common theme: If you could dream it, BottleRock had it. Steph Curry shooting Philly cheese steaks into the crowd? Check. Ed Sheeran revealing his love for The Offspring by performing a surprise song during their set? You got it. Bradley Cooper on stage with Pearl Jam to perform “Maybe It’s Time”? Yep. BottleRock’s endless surprises and incredible coordination wooed fans for three full days.
Friday started off strong with dual-teenage acts.Naima, a 14-year- old singer/songwriter from Oakland got the day started by performing multiple original songs on the Prudential stage. Grace Bowers, a 17-year- old
girl who grew up in the Bay Area as well soon followed, shredding on the guitar, accompanied by The Hodge Podge. Later, Boywithuke performed, cracking jokes and singing some of his recent hits. Of many fantastic performances Friday afternoon, All Time Low absolutely killed it, displaying their incredible energy both on the stage, as well as in the crowd. The day ended with St. Vincent, Stevie Nicks, and Megan Thee Stallion, an incredible start to a long weekend, and a fantastic precedent for the days to come.
Following Friday’s electrifying start, Saturday kept the momentum pumping. The afternoon buzzed with crowd favorites like the Australian rapper The Kid Laroi. Meanwhile, the legendary My Morning Jacket brought their rock to the stage, captivating the audience. As the sun began to set, anticipation built for the evening headliners. Pearl Jam delivered a powerful performance packed with classics, while the energetic rock band Maná had the entire audience moving. The night concluded with Kali Uchis, who serenaded the crowd with her signature hits, ending day two with a bang.
Finishing off an incredible weekend, Sunday sent festival-goers home happy. The afternoon showcased the talents of singer-songwriter Dominic Fike, many of his die-hard fans in front-row attendance. The legendary rock band Queens of the Stone Age brought their signature riffs to the stage
(and the crowd), keeping the energy high. As dusk approached, excitement grew for the closing act. Ed Sheeran, fresh off his surprise performance earlier in the evening, returned for a solo set. Sheeran ensured Sunday wouldn’t be overshadowed, but instead provided a truly unique and memorable conclusion to BottleRock 2024.
When your favorite artist wasn’t playing, there was plenty to keep you busy. Many people made pit-stops to the “Silent Disco” where you could throw on headphones and dance to the DJ’s house hits with everyone else. Near the “Truly” stage, there was food galore. My favorites from the weekend were ice-cream sandwiches, mac n cheese, and chicken tikka masala burritos. If you wanted a break from the music, you could attend the heavily trafficked William Sonoma Culinary stage. There you could find all sorts of events ranging from Cameron Diaz to Stephen Curry. Other highlights of the weekend were The Club, the building on-site where all the time was night-time, and the spa, where you could take a moment to relax and unwind.
Once again, BottleRock knocked it out of the park with a killer lineup and an incredible array of foods and activities for Festival-goers. Boasting so much action in so little space, there’s hardly a reason not to attend. See you in the Spring — May 23-25, 2025!
Info: www.bottlerocknapavalley.com
By Ezra Trost-Goldhammer Marin Academy, Senior
Norah Jones
Queens of the Stone Age
Dominic Fike
Kent Middle School
Continued from Page 27...
Music by Eleanor Hershman
To some, it may seem like cowardice. Hiding away, tuning out the world, allowing reality to slip away for just a moment. I prefer not to think of it as cowardice, I like to think of it as an escape. When the baritone and soprano of my parent’s raised voices pound through the walls, or the voices in my head begin to yell at me, overpowering me, in go my air pods and on goes Spotify. Tipping my head back, I allow the music to wash over me, quieting my senses. The voices in my head fall to a rushed shipper, and my parent’s talking feel so far away. Sometimes the music calms me, Doja Cat or 24KGoldn vibing in my ears. Sometimes it fuels my anger with Eminem or Guns and Roses. Sometimes it brings me sadness, Adele or Olivia Rodrigo singing softly through my air pods. Sometimes though, it’s not enough. When nothing can drown out my head’s pounding, I take to my piano playing whatever comes to my mind for as long as I need too. But everything is temporary and, like always, I will repeat this process.
A World of Wishes by Stella Fago Escaping is all we want to do, isn’t it? We want to drown in it and never resurface. A rush of excitement sparks through me as the quiet whisk of a page flipping pulls my full attention to the book’s captivating story. The ink pressed into the soft, crisp pages dances in my mind as I’m pulled deeper into a world, I wish was mine. I lounge in the soft covers of my bed, listening to the pitter-patter of rain over my head. The silent crackle of the flame, lighting the wick of my candle burns a door into the magical worlds I read about only in books.
Reading by Shayla Estes
I open the book. The hard cover fits perfectly in my hands. I read word for word, page by page, as I let the open pages fill my imagination. My fingers chase the words, following my eyes. Dragons fly around my imagination. Romance, wonder, and curiosity fill my head. My heart pounds wondering what will come next. I steal my character’s identity, stepping into her footsteps as if they are my own. I feel the summer sun beaming down on me. I hear the summer birds chirping at each other. I smell the summer breeze fill my lungs. The grass I lay on itches at my skin, but nothing could ruin this perfect moment. I fall in love with the story letting it take over me as I escape the harsh realities of the world.
Ukulele by Sophie Pastel
I grab my ukulele and start tuning. I pull the lyrics up and start to play. I strum to the rhythm and feel the vibrations move
through my fingertips to my feet. All I can focus on is the cords matching the lyrics, as I sing my heart out. I’m so in the moment. When I start, I can’t stop, not until I finish the song. I close my eyes as the ukulele plays through my mind, controlling my every move. This is my passion, and it’s so enjoyable.
Volleyball by Annika Hatch
“It’s your turn now, you’ve got it.” My heart races but I take a deep breath. This is what I love, I tell myself. I envision getting a great play, as I know mindset matters. I hear the whistle blow; it’s my time now. My team can do it, just one pass to a set that I can hit. I feel the soft leather of the ball go off my hand, then over the net. “That’s a great hit,” my teammate yells. Point. I see the cheering, but the best I can do is be happy and ready for the next play to happen. Breath and replay! I’m in the moment and this is my time to show what I’ve got.
The Buzzer Beater by Ava Alereza
The ball pounding on the floor with intensity, while running up the court, whistles blowing, all around me from different courts. I look in front of me, I see the court with all the defenders and my teammates, moving around to get open. My heart starts to pound, thinking of what to do with the ball. I hear the clock ticking, as time is running out. Ten seconds left. Three more quick dribbles to the left wing; my braids waving around, I’m about to take the shot. 3,2,1… I let go of the ball, I see it arc all the way up. It feels as though time is frozen. Swish. That’s all everyone hears. The buzzer rings. The three- pointer got my team and me a victory, as we walked away with big smiles on our faces.
Horseback Riding by Maximo Hilson
Clop, clop, clop, clop, clop. The wind is blowing in my face. “Hold.” The horse slows down while I daydream. I take in the beautiful scenery of hills with cattle, horses, and sometimes birds. Other kids are riding just as fast as me. I signal to my dad a drink with my hands. I stop at the shady tree to get off the horse after my instructor tells me I did very well. The water is refreshing. As I hop in the car, I wonder what I will do next time. Clop, clop, clop, clop, clop.
Lacrosse by Callie Egan “3,2,1 half time!” My heart is racing from running back and forth. I jog off the field and collapse on the sideline, gulping my icecold water. The wind is blowing my ponytail from side to side. The sun is beaming down on my face, and I am dripping with sweat. “Come on ladies, back to the field.” The referee says. I stand up, slide my goggles on, and put my mouthguard in. My teammate comes up to me and says, “four to seven, we got this, just keep going!” As we take our positions, I think of the words “play hard and
have fun” repeat in my head. I realize how much I love playing lacrosse. I love the way you can keep playing and never get sick of it, the way I break a sweat but have the best time, and the way my friends and I love to laugh at every mistake or celebrate every goal. I swing back into reality, the whistle blows, and the draw begins. I get the ball from my teammate, we run the play. I drive in toward the goal. I score! My teammates run and hug me. The game is over, and we just won.
The Art of Music by Edgar McConnell
The pulsing vibrations liberating a room of thousands. This is what it means to sing in an opera. The art of music is fascinating to me, the freedom of the art is what makes me like music even more. When I sing, I feel adrenaline rush through me and even when my heart reaches insane heights, I use it all and let it run through my mouth. Singing with my friends in the San Francisco Boys Chorus gives me a strong sense of friendship. When we sing, I don’t just hear my friends; I feel the impact of the vibrations and of the song.
Lacrosse by
Peyton Forster
My hand grips the stick. I feel the breeze as I run across the field. I hear people talking and cars driving. I see the goal; I swing my arm and the ball hits the net. I run over to my water bottle, sweating a lot. I feel the cold metal water bottle as I put it to my lips and drink. The freshness makes me feel alive. When I play lacrosse, I feel in the moment.
The Breakaway by Alex Kidd
Bzzzz! The buzzer rang, it was time to start. The coach is selecting the starting five. I look around and see the spectators, the court floor, and all the unnecessary lines. I’m in the starting five. The ball gets tipped, adrenaline rushing through my veins. I sprint back to my spot in the 2-3 zone. Deflected! The ball smacked on my hand, I got a breakaway and sealed the layup. The crowd cheers, and I get hyped to do another play.
The Final Shot by Jack Hamm
The screech of rubber below my shoes, the thump of my heart, and the clock ticking down. It feels like the world slowed down. I jump and the ball exits my fingertips and rolls off. “Boink, thump.” The ball rolls around the rim, and I hear the swoosh of the net and then cheering. I feel the cold beads of sweat running down my face. I hear the referee’s whistle and the play starts. I roll off the screen set for me — I am wide open in the corner. I get the ball with a defender charging at me. I jump and see the defender not slowing down. BOOM! The world goes black as I hit the ground, everything goes silent until I am jolted back into the moment by my friend helping me up. One more chance…
Marin Shakespeare Company
United Markets congratulates all the actors, teaching artists, and parents who make it possible for students to grow their confidence and creativity through performing Shakespeare. Year-round classes for youth, teenagers, and adults at local schools and at Marin Shakespeare Company’s new theatre at 514 Fourth Street in San Rafael provide instruction in a variety of performing arts skills. Camps and classes are taught by professional actors and directors, often seen in our professional productions.
At Marin Shakespeare Company, our students make theatre and make friends.
We make Shakespeare FUN!
Marin Shakespeare students share:
“My favorite part of camp was meeting new people, playing games and performing. I played the Chorus (in Henry V) and I liked how I got to interact with the audience. — Charlotte Cobacho, 12
“My favorite part of camp was meeting new people, playing games and getting to experience being in a play.
Shakespeare Camp is special because the staff is very kind.” — Isabelle Martinez, 12
“At Shakespeare Camp, I learned that I really like acting and I can memorize lines (I used to forget).
I liked having a lot of lines as Williams and the Archbishop, and wearing a pretty dress as Princess Katherine.” — Sage Sinclair, 9
“The special thing about Shakespeare camp is I acted for the first time here.
I liked playing the King of France because his outfit was awesome! ” — Joseph Phaneuf, 11
Young Company: Front, left to right: Oslo Pickert, Leo George, Luca George, Lucas Wong, Matthew Sbrocco and Sage Sinclair. 2nd row, l to r: Joseph Phaneuf, Nico Beattie, Isabelle Martinex, Charlotte Cobacho, Max McArdell, Silas Rivera, Sofia Aspinwall and Oliver Rafipour.
