Blurred Realities

ht high tide

PHOTO BY SAYAT BROOK

4 features

10 opinion

13 entertainment

Benjamin Arfin runs a barbering business, cutting hair for competitive prices and gaining experience in the field

Entertainment Editor Fi Borgese and Opinion Editor Jayla Dorbor debate the question, "Should history be offered as an online course?"

Despite stellar performances, cinematography and styling, "The Drama" dissappoints in its lack of depth

April 23, 2026 Vol. CVIII Edition 8 Redondo Union High School Redondo Beach, CA

BLURRED REALITIES

Students face challenges navigating online spaces with the prevalence of hackers, AI misinformation and threats to cybersecurity www.ruhsmedia.com

@ruhshightide

news

Seasonal send-off

The 44th annual Springfest brought the community together with events, activities and performances

by Connor Brodeur

T

his past weekend, the North Redondo Beach Business Association (NRBBA) put on the 44th annual Springfest at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center. Every year since 1982, the NRBBA has put on this signature event featuring live performances, carnival rides, games and several local businesses from the South Bay. “It started from a group of citizens who wanted to do something great for the business community,” NRBBA Vice President Robin Garfield said. “They started Springfest shortly after as a way to celebrate [that] community.”

Since its inception, Springfest has featured carnival rides and some performances, but the focus on community-based attractions began recently. Within the last three years Springfest has begun to offer more events that integrate community members, such as the inclusion of local vendors and teenage performers, according to Garfield.

“This year, for the first time, I involved

1

the [RUHS] Business and Entrepreneurship class, which was really, really exciting to do,” Garfield said. “I think that the high school students are the future of our community, and [getting] them involved in learning about business is really exciting.”

During the first semester of the school year, students brainstormed ideas relating to how they could promote the event with a focus on a general increase in attendance and revenue.

“In the past Thursday night was what we call the soft launch of the event,” Garfield said. “[Thursday nights] aren’t really publicized well.”

At the beginning of the second semester, NRBBA judges selected 18 marketing ideas for the class to put into effect. Following this, business students organized into multiple groups to work on their respective advertisement methods such as hanging up posters and raffling tickets.

“We [have] kids planting seeds for Earth Day.” Garfield said. “A lot of the things that [the business class] implemented aren't necessarily money makers, they make the event more interesting and attractive to people, and the more fun people have, the more they'll come

back.”

The opportunity to work on a real-world marketing project was a “great help” in understanding the business world, according to freshman Marios Richmond, who was assigned to recruit RUHS clubs to attend Springfest with their own booths.

“You need to really know how to get yourself out there and know how to talk to a lot more people,” Richmond said. “You really gotta be the one to step up and actually go out [...] because most of [the clubs] don't actually respond back after you [ask] the first time.”

According to Richmond, clubs had the opportunity to earn money by selling club products at the event, as well as individual club members receiving volunteer hours for attending. Freshman Marine Schott, another business student, expressed a changed understanding of how specific demographics are targeted in marketing.

“It depends on what you're doing,” Schott said. “Beach Life is a concert for people who like music, so probably teens, and [people] like that. If you're working on [the] beer and wine garden, you're probably focusing more on 21 and above, the people that can drink.”

Garfield has said the investment in the RUHS business class has been fruitful for NRBBA, but it has also been important for students like Richmond in advancing their business careers.

“Springfest has definitely shown that I want to help out more, Richmond said. "[Specifically] marketing for a business more than anything else."

The Pageant of the Arts provided students with a creative, competitive outlet

by Oliver Cody

E

very year, Redondo students are given the opportunity to do just that through the Pageant of the Arts, an annual arts competition in which students submit art across five categories, ranging from visual arts such as paintings and drawings to vocal and instrumental music. The winner of the contest is awarded $500, with second and third place winning $250 and $125, respectively. The winner of last year’s visual art category, junior Eli Kano, returned this year and placed second out of 10 submissions.

2 “I have really enjoyed art since I could first draw,” Kano said. “[The contest] seemed like a really good opportunity to look good for colleges, and the money is a really nice bonus. If I were to win, it would make me feel good to have my art recognized.”

The Rotary District organized this year's contest, and the theme each year is ‘Doing Good in the World,' the guiding principle of the Rotary Club. Beyond adhering to the general ethos of this statement, students are free to interpret the theme in any way they want, according to art teacher Michelle Andrade, who is in charge of encouraging students to submit art and then later sending the finished pieces, whether in the form of physical drawings or videos, to the Rotary Club.

“I matte [the art], label it, [and] get the written forms filled out by the students,” Andrade said. “I am in contact with the person in charge of the Rotary Club, [so] then they collect it for us and bring it back

for us.”

While not many students submit art to the contest, Kano praises the contest’s atmosphere and the shared support and sportsmanship between students who compete.

“Everybody that enters is always very gracious,” Kano said. “Even if you don’t win and somebody else does, everybody’s very happy for them.”

According to Andrade, even winning the

RUHS competition is not the end of some students’ time participating in the Pageant of the Arts. After the schoolwide contest is over, winning students are additionally rewarded with opportunities to win even more money in larger competitions.

“There’s two different categories for winning. The first category is art students from just RUHS, and we don’t compete

against anybody else,” Andrade said. “The first place winners [from each contest] then go on to the district contest, where they can win up to $1,000.”

Andrade encourages students passionate about art to submit to the contest, whether simply for the chance to win some money or as a means of expressing themselves through their work and sharing it with the world.

“If you don’t submit, you have no chance of winning, but if you submit, you do have a chance, and it looks good on resumes and college applications, especially if you’re a winner,” Andrade said.

While Kano admits that they mainly entered last year’s contest for a chance at the cash prize, they advise others to try using the Pageant of the Arts as a way of showing their work to others, no matter the outcome of the contest.

“Even if you don’t win, the experience is really good, and being able to submit is a really good step to put your art out there. It can be super nerve-wracking to have the confidence to think [that] maybe you can enter this contest and even have a shot at winning,” Kano said. “Having the bravery to even enter in the first place is a huge step in itself.”

high tide

2

staff editors-in-chief Daniella Gross Claudia Turner Ava Anzivino Priya Ramcharan

digital director Valentina Masoni news editors Leyla Evenson Carly Jacecko features editors Aashka Bhuptani Sanaya Bhatt opinion editors Payton Rothluebbers Jayla Dorbor entertainment editors Fi Borgese Emery Min sports editors Sophie Rebbeck Sam Schwartz writing & copy editors Emery Min Deeksha Prasad Samantha Kim online editors Hayden McMahon Isabella Nguyen Kayli Mai Kate Lanzdorf Allison Sutton Francisco Villegas Marlena Lipan Kate Brucia Kaitlyn Chang adviser Kerri Eastham staff writers Violette Alshin Declan Williams Coco Yamane Willamena Hodson Amelie Kircher Ryan Chamides Martina ParraMalandrino Mahro Siddiqi Reya Conte Landen Gould Madelyn Bain Brooklyn Hesse Katelyn Min Adelyne Cai Stella Sato Gala DeSanto

Oliver Cody Rowyn Salazar Andrew Diette Sophie Farias Mishka Shibata Connor Brodeur Issey Kubota Kacie Brincat Ayla Rodgers Safi Hamilton-Torres Haruto Kuroda Eliza Prangnell Julia Bradin Baran Taghvaei Francesca Masoni Sophia Riddle

photographers Robert Packard Grace Tayag Kevin Phung Finn Williams Amanda Harrison Lorelai Land Ignacio Perez Martina Parra- Malandrino Sayat Brook illustrators Claudia Turner 1. The business students pose with Springfest judges.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE SOOHOO 2. Junior Eli Kano poses with their award winning art after the Pageant of the Arts competition.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELI KANO

news 3

high tide april 23, 2026

Collecting for a cause

Feminism Club helped facilitate a feminine hygiene product drive

by Mahro Siddiqi

“

One in three adults in the United States struggles to afford menstrual products,” according to a 2019 UN Women study, with “64% of low-income women reporting they could not afford menstrual products at least once in the past year." The increased cost of feminine hygiene products raises many ethical issues for people, including the members of the Feminism Club. During International Women’s Week, the club wanted to combat this problem and took initiative to help provide and support women in need. Vice President Ella Rasser and Public Relations Coordinator Sophia Perez helped organize and run a feminine products drive to aid

those in need.

“I reached out to a collection of different clubs, Latino and Spanish Heritage Club, Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica Club, Filipino Culture Club, and then the Feminism Club,” Perez said.

Clubs and classrooms helped advertise the drive and the club by handing out flyers and making posters during the upcoming and continuous "Women's Week” in order to recognize Women’s history month. The club also used promotion methods to engage students in their club during the week.

“Women's week is [about] recognizing Women's History Month since we are the Feminism Club. We discussed a bunch

of different important women, all of them focusing on their jobs and careers,” Perez said.

The informational presentation included discussions about women including but not limited to Mary Wollstonecraft, Malala Yousafzai, Ida B. Wells, Sonia Sotomayor and Ruby Bridges. “[The underlying theme is to] celebrate women [during this week] and advertise the club as well. Informing people that these were very impactful women, and still we have many very impactful women today. Overall, just maybe even empowering women to want to have a voice and share with others,” Rasser said.

As of time of publication, the hygiene drive is still collecting donations of tampons and pads, with all donations being given to the Women Living With a Purpose Foun-

dation.

“The organization helps women in need that are displaced. Any way to help those that can't afford or have access to those feminine products; because, it's very important to have them” Rasser said.

In order to continue to commemorate women during this month, the club has decided to bring in Congresswoman Nanette Barragan, a U.S. House of Representative and the first Latina ever to represent California’s 44th Congressional district.

“We're just looking forward to doing more things like the drive. We're trying to arrange a date for her to come and speak, which we will open up to anyone that would want to come with the projected date for her to come talk, April 24,” Perez said.

In addition to supporting women’s week, promotion of the club, offering cookies to people stopping by their table and encouraging collaboration with oth-

“

Lack of access to menstrual hygiene products meant that 36 percent of the surveyed women who reported being employed part or fulltime had missed one or more days of work per month due to their periods.

SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY

er clubs on campus, the Feminism Club’s efforts connected with other clubs such as the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica Club on recognizing farm workers within the school board. While the Feminism Club organized the drive, it also aligned with other student led clubs focused on social justice and awareness.

“It’s independent from the Feminism Club, but since this was a collaborative effort, we included it as part of Women’s Week,” Rasser said.

The Feminism Club has had a series of events combining advocacy and education into women’s history. From donation drives to combined campus appeals, the club’s efforts highlight a continued commitment in raising awareness and supporting women in need beyond a simple single week of recognition.

“At the end of the day, women worldwide are always going to experience adversity, since they’re often viewed as second class citizens,” Rasser explains. “This club will work as an outlet to explain the issues that women are placed under, and we will continue to work on outreach, events, and informational meetings to do what we can.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAYLI MAI

Around Redondo Students discuss privacy and protecting themselves online

by Reya Conte

“When it comes to relationships with friends, parents, a partner or something, I'm more private, especially when it comes to things like classes or family events. But if it's what I'm doing day-to-day, like maybe what I'm eating or if I'm working out, where I am, I feel like I'll share that a lot more. If I'm visiting somewhere, I'll only post pictures maybe a couple days later, once I'm already away.”

-Leah Sutton, freshman

“Generally, I try to avoid actually interacting with people [online] because sometimes interacting with these people can lead to threats, and so I generally limit myself to just observing conversations rather than actually engaging in them. I also avoid using my real name, or my address, or birthday to avoid things like blackmail, and just in case security breaches happen."

-Yusuke Hikihara, sophomore

"I like to be pretty private. I don't love the idea of a college potentially seeing things that I post, and other people from my school knowing things about me when I might not like them, or might not know them myself. I keep my account private on most social media accounts, and I don't reach out to people that look suspicious. I don't accept suspicious messages."

-Tinsley Arizmendez, junior

“I protect myself by not interacting with people I don't know because it's just safer that way. I don't really keep my account private, but if people follow me, I'll check their account to see if I have mutuals with them. If I don't have any mutuals, then I probably won't talk to them, but if I have mutuals, then maybe I'll talk to them if they talk to me."

-Aden Falanai, senior

From left to right: PHOTOS 1-3 BY ROBERT PACKARD AND PHOTO 4 BY SAYAT BROOK

features

4

SNIP, SNIP, SNIP

Benjamin Arfin runs a barber business, cutting hair for lower prices and gaining experience in the field that he may pursue professionally

by Madelyn Bain

T

he familiar, comforting hum of electric clippers buzzes in junior Benjamin Arfin’s ears as he cuts the hair of one of his clients. Ever since he began his journey to master the art of barbering around three years ago, his goal has been to create an accessible, community-focused business to hone his skills and serve his peers.

“I have a little setup in my garage, and [my clients] come to me, but I am looking into being able to go to people and cut them,” Arfin said. “I got all my tools through Amazon or local barber suppliers, and I’m fortunate enough that my parents allowed me to use a section of the garage.”

From this garage setup, Arfin is building a business one haircut at a time. His social media handle, @bablendz, features some of his most recent cuts and offers a behind-the-scenes look at his daily life as a 17-year-old barber. He began with very few supplies and zero experience, but was able to work towards kickstarting his business by creating a workspace for him to practice, experiment and seat clients while he worked on their hair.

“A couple of years ago, I was on TikTok, and I saw a few tutorial videos. It interested me,” Arfin said. “I went to my barber at the time, and I basically asked him, ‘How would I go about getting started?’ I watched a bunch of tutorials, and then I started cutting my friends.”

At first, he cut his friends’ hair for free to develop his skills and gain more experience before creating a real business. After six months, Arfin started charging $5 per cut,

and then increased his base rate in increments of $5-$10 as months passed and his skills advanced.

Junior Bailey Hand, a friend and one of Arfin’s first clients, emphasized the accessibility of the haircuts.

“The results are amazing every time I go to him,” Hand said. “Also, the price is pretty low.

Twenty bucks is the same or a little cheaper than traditional haircut places.

So that's good for high school students."

In addition to its affordability, Hand valued the personalized touch of a barber who 1 was building his business on trust, consistency and making sure his clients are comfortable at all times.

“His environment surprised me because it wasn't a traditional barbershop where it's a lot of chairs and you sometimes don't

get [the same] person; the environment is very welcoming,” Hand said. “I like it a lot more because I feel like I have a connection to my barber [more] than traditional barbershops.”

Even if a business finds success, many entrepreneurs face hurdles, and Arfin was no stranger to this — he had to overcome several personal and financial challenges to advance his business and grow as both a barber and an individual.

“I learned how to be smarter with my money because anytime I got any payment, I would go straight to spending it. But throughout the process, I've learned where to put my money and how to use it,” Arfin said. “[How much I charge] is dependent on my skill and how many clients I have. If I don't

have as many, I might lower my prices just because I want to cut more.”

Balancing school with a growing client base, Arfin plans to continue his business and potentially transform it into a sustainable career after high school by mastering his craft and investing in more high-quality tools.

“It's both a hobby and my job, but I'm planning on doing it at least until college.

I feel like until I have to get a full-time career, I should [continue] it, unless it really takes off, and then I would try to take the next step,” Arfin said. “Currently, I would like to keep getting better and keep building connections with more people, to be able to do it more.”

Arfin reiterates that starting a business from scratch takes a lot of work, but building one’s network rigorously and following through are essential to success.

By practicing for months, he was able to get his business off the ground and create a reliable platform to cut hair consistently, while seeing significant improvement in his skills.

“It's gonna be extremely difficult at the start, and it might not be very profitable, but for me, at least through my experience, each day, each week, if I just keep working at it, I see improvement. I see more money,” Arfin said. “I see the overall business have a better name.”

Mateo Salazar participates in high-stakes racing competitions

P

by Francesca Masoni

ushing his car down the track, junior Mateo Salazar speeds at over 60 miles an hour. He’s never felt so alive. Salazar does motorsports, more specifically, competitive advanced go-karting. He participates in about three races each month and recently had one on Mar. 16. Salazar’s results can vary between every race, but because of his experience in the sport, he usually gets on the podiums, which are the top three finishers.

“Right now, I race at places where they provide the cars, so it's a cheap way to start [racing]. A lot of people get their starts there in rental carting, and from there, you build your skills and speed, move on to eventually get your own car and compete in higher competitions,” Salazar said.

Salazar does not yet have his own car as he races at rental facilities, such as K1 speed and K1 circuit. At rental facilities, there is a variety in the quality of carts, which can impact racing and results. The athletes do not get to choose what cart they receive but make do with what they get, according to Salazar. Rental carting is a starting point for many racers and helps with learning fundamentals.

“The nature of rental carting usually has some problems. In the qualifying that chooses where you start for the race, I got a bad cart, so I started really low. I just had to recover as best I could. I finished fourth out of twelve,” Salazar said.

Even though he is a junior now, and has begun racing more seriously, cars have fascinated him since early childhood. Because of his interest, he decided to pursue competitive carting about two years ago, after wanting to do it for a long time.

“When I was a kid is when I really started being into cars, and I started to watch some grids. Especially as of recently I've been

watching and racing, more and more, and I really like it. Overall, I’ve always loved cars and racing. Racing has always been like a fun sport to me, and it’s also just something people could gain real skills in,” Salazar said.

W h i l e Salazar trains hard and dedicates time into his sport, he has a flexible schedule, which allows him to have free time outside of racing while still getting better at it. Because he does rental carting, he can go to thetrack whenever he has free time, as there are no harsh or required practice times.

2 “I mostly just go when I'm available.

I have races normally twice or maybe three times in a month so usually I practice the weekend of the race, the weekend before, or even the day before,” Salazar said. “Essentially, I go whenever I'm available, and at practice I just run a lot of laps to try and see where I could go faster." While being competitive and striving to win, Salazar

maintains many friendships at the racing circuit and is always there for others. His fellow racer and friend, sophomore Kero

each other overcome challenges, especially when racing,” Habib said.

Mateo’s next step after rental carting will be to reach the World Endurance Championship, which is a series of races done all over the world. To reach this championship, he has to finish top three in many races, in order to then get scouted by an official team. Many of his friends, such as Habib, who know him well, believe that he will achieve his goal soon because of his speed and skill.

“He has a lot of potential because he's really fast. We use rentals, so you don't know what cart you're getting, but he always manages to make it work. I've seen him with the best cart, and I've seen him with the worst cart, and he does better than most people either way,” Habib said.

Salazar is committed to fulfilling his goal of making it to the World Endurance Championship, and he works hard to do the things he wishes to do. Salazar mentions that because he wants to reach this event, he practices more often and more intensely, striving to get his talent to its maximum potential.

“I just keep trying, keep pushing and keep getting better every race, just to build more skills,” Salazar said. “It's an expensive sport, but I’m going to find ways to make it work and do my best to move up.

That's how I will achieve my goals and get to higher levels faster.”

Habib describes Salazar as a kind, helpful person and shares that he is glad he has a friendship with Salazar, who is there for him both outside and inside of the sport.

“My friendship with him is not the traditional, spilling secrets kind, but it is still a 1. Haircut done by Arfin. great one. We don’t know everything about PHOTO COURTESY OF BENJAMIN ARFIN each other, but we still get along great. It’s 2. Racing photo of Salazar PHOTO COURESTY OF MATEO ZALAZAR the type of friendship where we can help

features 5

high tide april 23, 2026

English opportunities Ziva Chabot teaches English to students living in rural Taiwan

by Amelie Kircher

E

very Sunday, sophomore Ziva evenings Chabot now spends teaching Chabot spends her evenings gives these children the opportunity to teaching English from her com- learn English with someone who has grown puter, with a handful of eager Taiwanese up in the United States and understands students on the other end of their own natural English dialogue. screens, thousands of miles away. With the “[Amber] told me about it. I thought, help of Chabot and other tutors in her pro- ‘that's actually really interesting. I want to gram, these Chinese teach English, that sounds speaking elementary fun," Chabot said. school students have After creating a resume the opportunity to After the first lesson, and sending it to MGO refine their English Yale Huang, Chabot Ziva was really excit- founder skills and have fun was accepted into the proed to teach. She has gram and began teaching while doing so.

“We do a mix of alongside her cousin in their built a connection phonics, grammar, online video calls. After only and vocabulary of with her students, and a couple of classes, Chabot different words,” was able to begin teachChabot said. “We they get along well ing on her own. With each practice their read- and have improved a Sunday class that went by, ing, writing, and lisChabot also became more tening and talking.” lot. It brings her joy to familiar with the group of Chabot has been see them suceed." students, as well as the stuteaching through dent she teaches individualMGO, or “My Gily. Lee, who watched Chabot AMBER LEE raffe Organization” during her first weeks, can since her freshman see how much she enjoys year of high school. MGO is a non-profit teaching. organization created to provide education“After the first lesson, Ziva was really al resources to underprivileged students, excited to teach. She has built a connection while also offering volunteering oppor- with her students, and they get along well tunities to young adults like Chabot. The and have improved a lot. It brings her joy students she teaches are from a rural area to see them suceed." Lee said. of Taiwan where educational resources Lee and Chabot are both native Chinese are limited. Chabot’s cousin, Amber Lee, speakers, so Lee has noticed that her cousoffered her a spot in the program, which in’s bilinguality gives her students the best Chabot "happily accepted." The Sunday chance at a well-rounded opportunity to

“

learn English with someone who can see learning curves from both a Chinese and English perspective. "[The students] benefit from being able to practice English with a native speaker like Ziva, so their grades improve quite a bit. We feel very happy that they’re doing well and that we’re helping. It’s a sense of accomplishment for both them and us,” Lee said.

Although Chabot’s main goal as a teacher is to help the children improve their English skills, she has found herself benefiting from the experience as well.

“First of all, you get to help people. I also get to practice my Chinese because you have to speak Chinese to explain stuff. It also helps me get more connected [with my culture] because my dad is white, but my mom is Taiwanese. I’ve lived in America my entire life, so it helps to have

immersion,” Chabot said.

That sense of fulfillment also shapes the kind of impact Chabot hopes to make through her teaching.

“I think immersion is the main issue if you are in rural Taiwan. I don't really think there are as many opportunities to speak English because I don't think the tourists really go there,” Chabot said. “I am glad the option for teaching underprivileged kids is open.

If I did have the choice, I think I would rather teach the underprivileged students because they need more help.”

1

Hannah Cachola participated in the musical "In the Heights" as part of Musical Theatre West

I

by Stella Sato n seventh grade, junior Hannah Cachola was exposed to the world of dancing for the first time. Since then, when she moved from the Bay Area to Southern California, 2 she has been closely involved with theater and performing.

“When I moved, there was a larger culture of performing arts, and it seemed like something fun. I tried a little bit of it when I was younger, but then I really got into it more heavily when I moved here,” Cachola said Cachola describes herself as always having been a “very active person who is always up and moving.” Because of this, dancing was a perfect activity for her to spend time doing. In school, Cachola often participates in the shows or musicals, and currently, her involvement in theatre extends outside of school with “Broadway level production company,” Musical Theatre West’s production of “In the Heights,” according to Cachola. Cachola and her close friend sophomore Noah Peralta met in the

summer after her eighth grade while performing the musical “Chicago” with the Encore South Bay Theatre Group and worked

the decision to either stay and live there or start a new life,” Peralta said. “[Hannah and I] became really close, and ever since

together on “In the Heights,” as well.

“The premise [of the show] is that it takes place in Washington Heights, New York. There's the main character Usnabi, who runs a bodega in the town, and he has

we've been trying to perform in every show as much as possible. She's a truly talented dancer and performer, and I hope to proceed to do more shows with her,” Peralta said.

In addition to her connection with Peralta, Cachola has connected with others in the production who have given her advice and direction.

“The main guy, his name's Reuben, and [he] plays Usnavi in the show,” Cachola said. “He has been on Broadway and he has a very notable career in musical theater, so it's very nice to get to know people who are in the more professional aspect of theater, being someone who wants to go into that in the future,” Cachola said.

Cachola is in the Studio Ensemble, which represents teenagers in Washington Heights. Despite its large time commitment, the show provided Cachola with experience and professional connections.

“I found a love for dancing because I was able to communicate feelings physically instead of just talking about them,” Cachola said. “I am able to tell stories through my body and through my actions as opposed to speaking and singing.”

1. Chabot video chats one of her tutoring students PHOTO BY SAYAT BROOK 2. The Musical Theatre West "In the Heights" cast PHOTO COURTESY OF HANNAH CACHOLA

6

features Making futures BRIGHT

6

features Making futures BRIGHT

The Bright Future Mentors Club works with Washington Elementary School to provide phone-free, fun activities for younger students

The Bright Future Mentors Club works with Washington Elementary School to provide phone-free, fun activities for younger students

by Mishka Shibata

by Mishka Shibata

W

ith kids averaging screentime over 21 hours weekly, according to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, screen use has become a more prevalent problem among youth. To combat this at a local level, sophomore Jolene Nguyen founded the Bright Future Mentors club with the intention of helping younger students at Washington Elementary School in screen-free activities.

“Our goal at the club is to give them the opportunity to participate in crafts and games that we did when we were younger.

We realized that this generation is very focused on material objects and the internet more. So we're trying to find crafts that they can use that are similar to how we grew up and steer them away from materialistic things like iPhones,” Nguyen said.

Going to an elementary school, Nguyen works with a variety of ages ranging from kindergarten to third grade. Working with younger students can be challenging because everyone learns differently, but Nguyen is able to adjust the curriculum when needed.

“We have five year olds, six year olds who are barely learning how to read and write and aren't really as cognitive, skill-level wise. Then we have almost eight to nine year olds also participating, and they're also separated in different classrooms,” Nguyen said. “We really try to tell mentors who are with older kids to add a different element to the crafts. If they're playing a game, we ask them a question or make an aspect of the game harder for them to help them learn more. If we're working with younger kids, we adapt to their level so the games make it easier for them to understand.”

Along with having to adapt to the levels

of the kids' way of thinking, due to being the president of the club, Nguyen also had to learn to go out of her comfort zone and speak up.

“You always have to be louder and take authority more, which is something that I'm not used to that much, because whenever we're in club meetings, it's a really big room of people. I can establish that kind of trust with the members in my club and then with kids, it's pretty much the same thing,” Nguyen said.

In addition to learning how to speak louder in more crowded settings and change the plans for kids so they’re all able to learn, Nguyen is rewarded by seeing the kids’ responses to the tasks they create.

“I really enjoy seeing how the kids react to the activities we do. I love seeing their enthusiasm about something that we've worked really hard to put together. When parents come to pick them up, it's really fulfilling to see them want to show their parents or talk to their parents about how our program helps them or how our program has made them happier as well. It really boosts morale,” Nguyen said.

Alongside Nguyen, sophomore Ariya Mallya is the co-president of the club. The club goes to elementary schools once a week, for an hour long and does different crafts with the kids.

“We build relationships with the little kids. We do different games, like heads up, seven up and red light, green light. We made name tags, and the week before, because of St. Patrick's Day, we made St. Patrick's Day little pictures with rainbows and stickers,” Mallya said.

While doing projects like drawing pictures and decorating it with stickers, it is not always easy when it comes to games as they are often taken competitively, or when

the game does not go one way, it can seem unfair and become overwhelming.

“We were playing four corners, and everyone was yelling at me.

They're like, ‘Can I be the person? Can I be the person? I want to be the person. You just told me I was going to be that person.’ So we did it till everyone got a turn because that was the only way to resolve it, and then they calmed down,” Mallya said.

Being surrounded by peers at schools and being surrounded by kids has taught Mallya how to be more understanding and listen to people. In addition, it also honed her problem solving skills and her collaboration skills which allows her to talk to a range of different ages.

“We have to talk to younger kids and older kids. To recruit members, it's a lot of rejection, but you have to put yourself out there if you want people to join the club.”

With the goal of getting kids off screens, both Nguyen’s and Mallya’s vision for the club is to expand it.

W

“We want to impact many kids. This is something that I really enjoy doing, and I know a lot of people in our club do too,” Nguyen said. “Hopefully, if we get more people in the school on board with it, we can expand to more elementary schools and create more and give more students the chance to be mentored by others.”

Mallya gives a temporary tattoo to a Washington Elementary Student PHOTO BY MISHKA SHIBATA

Crossword No.3: Byte-sized puzzles

1. Speak to 8. Argues 15. Check again, as the company 16. Your friend (two words) 17. Deceive by using a false social media profile 18. On the way 19. "Get ____!"

20. Clean Air Act org.

22. "____ fade" 23. Software creators, for short 24. Shuts with a bang 26. Hawaii's state bird 27. Wrath 28. Source of running water 30. UFO occupants 31. Confirming 33. Oxygen and nitrogen 35. A person who redeems, rescues or pays a price to free someone held captive 37. Words mouthed while holding an imaginary phone to one's ear 40. Reason for a pass 44. Manga artist and creator of "One Piece" 45. Clad 47. Obtain 48. High speed event involving cars 50. "Jazz in Silhouette" 51. F.D.R.'s mother 52. Power-saving mode 54. Government issued aid 55. Hay compressing farm machine 56. Tire problem 58. Delta, for one

of the kids' way of thinking, due to being the president of the club, Nguyen also had to learn to go out of her comfort zone and speak up.

“You always have to be louder and take authority more, which is something that I'm not used to that much, because whenever we're in club meetings, it's a really big room of people. I can establish that kind of trust with the members in my club and then with kids, it's pretty much the same thing,” Nguyen said.

In addition to learning how to speak louder in more crowded settings and change the plans for kids so they’re all able to learn, Nguyen is rewarded by seeing the kids’ responses to the tasks they create.

“I really enjoy seeing how the kids react to the activities we do. I love seeing their enthusiasm about something that we've worked really hard to put together. When parents come to pick them up, it's really fulfilling to see them want to show their parents or talk to their parents about how our program helps them or how our program has made them happier as well. It really boosts morale,” Nguyen said.

Alongside Nguyen, sophomore Ariya Mallya is the co-president of the club. The club goes to elementary schools once a week, for an hour long and does different crafts with the kids.

“We build relationships with the little kids. We do different games, like heads up, seven up and red light, green light. We made name tags, and the week before, because of St. Patrick's Day, we made St. Patrick's Day little pictures with rainbows and stickers,” Mallya said.

While doing projects like drawing pictures and decorating it with stickers, it is not always easy when it comes to games as they are often taken competitively, or when

the game does not go one way, it can seem unfair and become overwhelming.

“We were playing four corners, and everyone was yelling at me.

They're like, ‘Can I be the person? Can I be the person? I want to be the person. You just told me I was going to be that person.’ So we did it till everyone got a turn because that was the only way to resolve it, and then they calmed down,” Mallya said.

Being surrounded by peers at schools and being surrounded by kids has taught Mallya how to be more understanding and listen to people. In addition, it also honed her problem solving skills and her collaboration skills which allows her to talk to a range of different ages.

“We have to talk to younger kids and older kids. To recruit members, it's a lot of rejection, but you have to put yourself out there if you want people to join the club.”

With the goal of getting kids off screens, both Nguyen’s and Mallya’s vision for the club is to expand it.

“We want to impact many kids. This is something that I really enjoy doing, and I know a lot of people in our club do too,” Nguyen said. “Hopefully, if we get more people in the school on board with it, we can expand to more elementary schools and create more and give more students the chance to be mentored by others.”

Mallya gives a temporary tattoo to a Washington Elementary Student PHOTO BY MISHKA SHIBATA

Crossword No.3: Byte-sized puzzles

by Marlena Lipan

Across

ith kids averaging screentime over 21 hours weekly, according to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, screen use has become a more prevalent problem among youth. To combat this at a local level, sophomore Jolene Nguyen founded the Bright Future Mentors club with the intention of helping younger students at Washington Elementary School in screen-free activities.

“Our goal at the club is to give them the opportunity to participate in crafts and games that we did when we were younger.

We realized that this generation is very focused on material objects and the internet more. So we're trying to find crafts that they can use that are similar to how we grew up and steer them away from materialistic things like iPhones,” Nguyen said.

Going to an elementary school, Nguyen works with a variety of ages ranging from kindergarten to third grade. Working with younger students can be challenging because everyone learns differently, but Nguyen is able to adjust the curriculum when needed.

“We have five year olds, six year olds who are barely learning how to read and write and aren't really as cognitive, skill-level wise. Then we have almost eight to nine year olds also participating, and they're also separated in different classrooms,” Nguyen said. “We really try to tell mentors who are with older kids to add a different element to the crafts. If they're playing a game, we ask them a question or make an aspect of the game harder for them to help them learn more. If we're working with younger kids, we adapt to their level so the games make it easier for them to understand.”

Along with having to adapt to the levels

by Marlena Lipan 60. ER trainee (var.)

61. Welcoming presence 62. Furnished with additional weapons 63. Pencil ends

Down

1. Santa Anita race track site 2. They'll give you a hand 3. Indirect objects, grammatically speaking 4. Showy collars 5. "The Sopranos" star Falco 6. Bro's counterpart 7. Washington newsmaker of 1980 8. Imagined 9. Poetic contraction 10. Homer's son 11. Take out ____ (borrow money) 12. False hairpiece for men 13. Understanding 14. Norse 21. Scaly anteater 24. Upright pianos 25. Herbal beverage 28. "Di____" - elementary school project 29. Trimmed 32. Web address 34. Tax form ID 36. "'Til death do us part" 37. Pirate 38. 2015 romantic fantasy role for Blake Lively 39. The Lizard constellation 41. One-third of France's motto 42. More tranquil 43. They don't blink 46. Like warthogs and walruses

Key at RUHSMEDIA.COM under Games 1

2 #

3 #

4 #

5 #

6 #

7 #

#

8 #

9 #

10 #

11 #

12 #

13 #

14 #

15 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

16 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

17 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

18 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

19 #

#

#

#

#

#

20 #

21 #

#

#

22 #

#

#

#

#

23 #

#

#

#

#

24 #

#

#

#

25 #

#

26 #

#

#

#

27 #

#

#

#

28 #

#

#

#

#

#

29 #

#

30 #

#

#

31 #

#

#

32 #

#

#

#

#

#

33 #

#

34 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

35 #

#

#

#

#

36 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

37 #

38 #

39 #

#

#

#

#

40 #

#

#

#

#

41 #

42 #

43 #

44 #

#

#

#

45 #

#

46 #

#

#

#

#

#

47 #

#

#

48 #

#

#

49 #

#

50 #

#

#

#

#

#

51 #

#

#

#

52 #

#

#

#

53 #

#

54 #

#

#

#

55 #

#

#

#

#

56 #

#

#

#

#

57 #

#

#

58 #

59 #

#

#

#

#

#

60 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

61 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

62 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

63 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

49. Moray catcher 51. Black Friday events 53. Salon treatment

55. La ____ Tar Pits 57. Hydrocarbon suffix 59. Discount rack abbr.

Across

1. Speak to 8. Argues 15. Check again, as the company 16. Your friend (two words) 17. Deceive by using a false social media profile 18. On the way 19. "Get ____!"

20. Clean Air Act org.

22. "____ fade" 23. Software creators, for short 24. Shuts with a bang 26. Hawaii's state bird 27. Wrath 28. Source of running water 30. UFO occupants 31. Confirming 33. Oxygen and nitrogen 35. A person who redeems, rescues or pays a price to free someone held captive 37. Words mouthed while holding an imaginary phone to one's ear 40. Reason for a pass 44. Manga artist and creator of "One Piece" 45. Clad 47. Obtain 48. High speed event involving cars 50. "Jazz in Silhouette" 51. F.D.R.'s mother 52. Power-saving mode 54. Government issued aid 55. Hay compressing farm machine 56. Tire problem 58. Delta, for one

60. ER trainee (var.)

61. Welcoming presence 62. Furnished with additional weapons 63. Pencil ends

Down

1. Santa Anita race track site 2. They'll give you a hand 3. Indirect objects, grammatically speaking 4. Showy collars 5. "The Sopranos" star Falco 6. Bro's counterpart 7. Washington newsmaker of 1980 8. Imagined 9. Poetic contraction 10. Homer's son 11. Take out ____ (borrow money) 12. False hairpiece for men 13. Understanding 14. Norse 21. Scaly anteater 24. Upright pianos 25. Herbal beverage 28. "Di____" - elementary school project 29. Trimmed 32. Web address 34. Tax form ID 36. "'Til death do us part" 37. Pirate 38. 2015 romantic fantasy role for Blake Lively 39. The Lizard constellation 41. One-third of France's motto 42. More tranquil 43. They don't blink 46. Like warthogs and walruses

Key at RUHSMEDIA.COM under Games 1

2 #

3 #

4 #

5 #

6 #

7 #

#

8 #

9 #

10 #

11 #

12 #

13 #

14 #

15 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

16 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

17 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

18 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

19 #

#

#

#

#

#

20 #

21 #

#

#

22 #

#

#

#

#

23 #

#

#

#

#

24 #

#

#

#

25 #

#

26 #

#

#

#

27 #

#

#

#

28 #

#

#

#

#

#

29 #

#

30 #

#

#

31 #

#

#

32 #

#

#

#

#

#

33 #

#

34 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

35 #

#

#

#

#

36 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

37 #

38 #

39 #

#

#

#

#

40 #

#

#

#

#

41 #

42 #

43 #

44 #

#

#

#

45 #

#

46 #

#

#

#

#

#

47 #

#

#

48 #

#

#

49 #

#

50 #

#

#

#

#

#

51 #

#

#

#

52 #

#

#

#

53 #

#

54 #

#

#

#

55 #

#

#

#

#

56 #

#

#

#

#

57 #

#

#

58 #

59 #

#

#

#

#

#

60 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

61 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

62 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

63 #

#

#

#

#

#

#

49. Moray catcher 51. Black Friday events 53. Salon treatment

55. La ____ Tar Pits 57. Hydrocarbon suffix 59. Discount rack abbr.

8 in-focus

april 23, 2026 high tide

CYBER INSECURITY

Teens risk long-term consequences by exposing their lives to strangers online by Carly Jacecko social media apps, a large gap still stands

reposts. Digital footprints are permanent,

a.m.: A new follower request

between knowing the risks and actually vet-

and no matter how hard social media us-

from an account with no profile

ting every follower. The line between being

ers try to erase their online personas, the

picture or mutual friends. For many teen-

active online while staying safe and pro-

persona created at 16, with the mind and

agers, the instinct is to hit "Accept,” letting

tecting a private life has become increas-

mental development of a teenager, can and

a stranger into their online world. On the

ingly blurred as teen social media use has

do follow a student into college, job appli-

hunt for more followers, likes and shares,

heightened. Sophomore Miller Ginsburgh

cations and even future careers.

teens leave digital doors wide open for

manages her social media accounts safely

“Sometimes photos or other posts get

whoever and whatever happens to stumble

and responsibly while also connecting with

shared about people who don’t want things

across their social media pages. According

her peers online, but she said it took some

on social media, but then they get shared

to recent polling of 51 females at RUHS,

time to reach online stability.

anyway, and it’s kind of there forever, and

over 60% of these students have experi-

“When I first started using social media,

everybody sees it. It’s just a risk that comes

enced feeling unsafe on apps like TikTok

I had TikTok on my iPad in fourth grade,

with not being able to control everything

and Instagram, due to online exploiters

and then I really got the app when I got a

that happens online. So if there is a priva-

and unknown followers. While the sudden

phone when I was going into sixth grade. At

cy breach in information or even in a login

increase in online connectivity that teens

first, I just watched TikToks and used the

or account information, that could lead to

across the world have experienced has

app for entertainment, but then a lot of my

other issues down the line,” Saldana said.

allowed for online friendships and other

friends started getting it, too, so we all start-

“We see clients all the time that have post-

opportunities to sprout, social media has

ed connecting online and posting videos for

ed things about themselves, their opin-

serious downsides. This drastic change in

each other to see. None of us really knew

ions, or things about their peers that they

teens’ use of apps, apps that are not de-

the risks of social media to mental health

do later end up regretting in the future. A

signed for their developing minds, has

and well-being, let alone the privacy risks

lot of times this happens around bullying

clashed with personal safety and maintain-

that come with posting publicly, which we

because teens will post things that at the

ing a healthy balance with the online world.

were all doing. Now that I’m older, I have a

time don’t seem offensive or problematic,

Attorney Peng Shao at R23 Law special-

better understanding of the risks of posting

but then they later realize how it negatively

izes in consumer protection and handles

for strangers to see, but I think there are

affected someone, and they regret posting.”

always steps that

Although managing social media ac-

can be taken to be

counts safely and responsibly can seem

safer

TikTok

daunting, there are roads that can be taken

and social media,”

to move toward a safer, healthier life. The

Ginsburgh said.

solution isn't necessarily to delete these

large-scale lawsuits to ensure his clients are treated fairly. Although Shao does not specialize in protecting his clients from social media corporations specifically, he advises all social media users to be cautious about what they post online to avoid online predators.

“Social media is a public forum, or in legal terms, a quasi-pub-

“

The social media platforms are not liable for what individual users post on them, so it really comes down to the individual user and what they post.

PENG SHAO CONSUMER PROTECTION ATTORNEY

on

The public set-

apps, but instead to begin using the "Fol-

tings on apps like

low" button only after having teens decide

Instagram and Tik-

whether the account looks safe or not.

Tok do more than

Many teens have begun to create "Close

just share a teen's

Friends" accounts or even "Finstas," which

post and pictures.

are places to post and share more person-

When a teen, or

al content with those who are trusted and

anyone

deserve this intimate window into the stu-

for

that

matter, decides to

Ages 8-12

Ages 13-14

Ages 15-17 0

Male 19%

dent’s life.

give strangers ac-

“Some things that have helped my

lic forum; it’s not the

cess to their online

friends, family and clients have been lim-

same as just being out

identity, they are

iting the content that they are exposed to,

on the street. The social media platforms

unknowingly providing unwanted oppor-

such as age-appropriate limits, and then

are not liable for what individual users post

tunities for an online predator. Although

also just limiting the time that they spend

on them, so it really comes down to the

online presence has many downsides, so-

on social media. Just having that conver-

individual user and what they post,” Peng

cial media stress does not end with the

sation about what [teens] are comfortable

said. “For an individual, say for instance

safety concerns it introduces. Not having

posting for a large audience to see, and

yourself or me, we post something out of

enough followers on social media can also

then making the ultimate decision to have

our own choice on social media, and it's

cause social discomfort, as it diminishes

a private account or start to limit the post-

the same way if we walk around and give

the self-esteem and confidence of its users

ing,” Saldana said.

people our social security number on the

whose profiles aren’t as popular as their

Ultimately, the power of safety lies in

street. It’s very, very important for the in-

peers. Marriage and family therapist Jack-

the settings of these apps. Choosing a pri-

dividual to make sure to not post public in-

ie Saldana at South Bay Attention Learning

vate account or simply deciding to only let

formation, and if they do, to be prepared.”

and Developmental Services focuses more

close friends follow social media accounts

While a high follower count can some-

on how follower counts are detrimental to

prioritizes safety. While this option might

times boost confidence, when teens let on-

mental health, while also acknowledging

lower the following and likes count, it in-

line strangers into their digital lives, they

the privacy risks that come with having too

creases the security of the teen behind the

grant people they don’t know unrestricted

many followers on social media. Through

screen. Staying protected, safe and main-

access to their personal lives, trading their

her practice, she helps teens navigate the

taining overall peace online is less about

safety for validation amongst their peers. A

waters of social media with the end goal of

numbers and more about who teens choose

study from Common Sense Media revealed

enjoying social media while staying men-

to let into their online circle.

that while 79% of teens have begun to take

tally and physically healthy. According to

steps to limit what they share with the

Saldana, the consequences of a public pro-

world by changing privacy settings within

file go far beyond just random likes and

10 2 Perc

Online Har Dem

Screen Time Hours of Screen Time Per Day

A

notification buzzes at 12:00

Social M Dem

10 8 6 4 2 0

8-10

in-focus 9

high tide april 23, 2026

A lack of content regulations online impacts teen mental health by Kayli Mai

Media Usage Age mographics

A

s Chromebooks replace notebooks, iPads are

content one will see within 5 minutes of scrolling. Any time

handed to toddlers, and virtually everyone has

she opens a social media app, the amount of information

access to the internet, students today are more

she receives is “overwhelming,” and although she agrees

connected than ever. We now have access to anything and

that connection is an amazing social advancement, every

everything someone could ever want to know. We store

narrative is consumed, and social media, at the end of the

our personal information on our phones, but that means

day, is parasocial.

hackers could access it too. In fact, this security issue has

“We are what we consume. You watch a really sad mov-

also affected national politics, as Pentagon officials are

ie, it makes you cry, and even though you are physically not

increasingly worried that hackers are using social media

going through these things, you experience them second

such as Facebook to break into the Defense Department's

hand. People use social media as a form of venting and val-

computer networks (US Cyber Security). Given this infor-

idation; however, when people consume negative content,

mation, a new question arises: how do teenagers ensure

they almost feel what the person feels. I would have never

their own mental and technical safety while browsing on-

developed an eating disorder if my feed and surroundings

line? How do we make sure we aren’t giving our informa-

weren't a ton of sick people,” Hattingh elaborates.

tion away to some strange man, or ensure online friends

Monica Chernoff, a licensed marriage and family ther-

are actually our age? As tactile information once stored

apist specializing in working with youth, uses her expe-

in personal accounting notebooks be-

20 30 40 50 cent of U.S. Teens

60

comes accessible on their personal devices, this makes teenagers vulnerable to hackers, potentially posing harm.

When up to 95% of teenagers in America, according to the National Institute of Health, from ages 13-17, report using at least one social media platform,

rassment Gender mographics

how do you ensure safe browsing?

Audrey Hunt, a sophomore, explains that although she did download social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, having TikTok since

“

rience to guide her clients through navigating their adolescence while

People use social media as a form of venting and validation; however, when people consume negative content, they almost feel what that person feels.

COVID and Instagram for about a NOVA HATTINGH year, she doesn’t use them for long pe- JUNIOR

relationship issues that can get really overwhelming and consuming for adults and teenagers alike. Everything is accessible online now, so it’s extremely easy to find someone, especially since whatever you post online is permanent,” Chernoff says.

Due to her work teenagers as a importance of internet safety and cau-

entime partly as a safety measure.” Hunt explains, “I have

tion. She uses an analogy that you shouldn’t text anything

to have a private account, and I have to know all the people

you would want published in a newspaper, which was a

who follow me.”

useful piece of advice that has stuck with her and that she restates to clients. But internet safety about strangers isn’t the only risk social media poses.

day because her dad “doesn’t like” her having unlimited ac-

“I've been a therapist for a couple of years now, and one

cess to social media. Although she thinks she would like to

major trend that I'm seeing is that many kids have been

have a little more daily screen time for creative purposes,

engaging in self-harm and cutting. The numbers have been

she understands that it works to promote healthier habits.

increasing like never before. It's happening at younger and

“If I had unlimited time, I would probably be scrolling

younger ages [due to] technology,” Chernoff explained.

for a while. Instead, I do healthier things that take up the

Science Direct supports Chernoff’s observations, as

same amount of time, like reading, watching shows, or

viewing self-harm images does mentally trigger tendencies

movies. I think it’s probably a very good thing that I’m not

to self-injure, especially for adolescents who are strug-

spending all my time online and doing things that enrich

gling with their mental health. In addition, social media

my life,” Hunt elaborated.

connects people going through the same struggles; it can

social media is “fine when there’s regulation,” and young

create an “immersive atmosphere” that normalizes and promotes self-harm and suicidal ideation.

kids [shouldn’t have phones[ until they reach a certain

“There are TikTokers and YouTubers talking about

maturity level, where their phone is still limited into teen

how to self-harm and ways to do it,” Chernoff said. “It's

years. She emphasizes the importance of setting limits

really sad because it is a really, really dangerous coping

on social media, as when people are constantly on their

mechanism that may sound appealing to teens, but causes

phone, it becomes a “problem because you’re unbalanced,

multiple long-term detrimental impacts for a kid’s mental

unaware, and wasting all your time,” which has negative

health.”

mental side effects.

Not only this, but due to the information we may un-

Online content, although regulated, still poses content

consciously post, such as full names, schools attended, and

risks that include “seeing material that’s upsetting, dis-

place of residence, teens, especially those already strug-

gusting or otherwise uncomfortable,” and also requires a

gling with these mental health issues, are at increased risk

need for teens to be able to “identify acceptable and unac-

of sexual extortion, harassment and falling victim to online

ceptable online content independently.” This is all accord-

exploitation. Through calculated efforts such as systematic

ing to Raising Children Network, which offers multiple

isolation, praise, and normalizing inappropriate content,

ways to help teenagers learn how to navigate a relatively

a predator will work to groom an already mentally unwell

new domain of technology. Things such as open conversa-

teen, often through Snapchat, Instagram, and Discord, by

tions, boundaries, a balance between screens and activities

using these strategies dubbed “deceptive trust," according

that are enriching help to minimize any mental damage

to Our Direct.

that social media can pose to students.

13-18

“There’s so much content out there about mental health, self-harm and

therapist, Chernoff emphasizes the

Even with these restrictions set for Hunt, she believes

11-14 Age

health becomes draining.

“I think [my parents] limit my scre-

phone. She can use Instagram for a total of 10 minutes a

Age Demographics

online when content regarding mental

riods of time, due to personal reasons.

Hunt has screentime that her dad controls on her

Female 81%

explaining ways to protect themselves

“Social media can put teens and children in a dark place

For teenagers, mood can also adversely affect how

mentally and relationally. Lots of kids and teens are given

protected they are online. When you are upset or angry,

access without education and clear limits from parents,”

you also may lose complete control of yourself and experi-

Chernoff said. “Unfortunately, when dangerous situations

ence an absence of personal inhibition, which is when you

happen, it breaks families apart, resulting in shame and

shouldn’t be on social media, according to Nemours Teens

separation. It’s important for minors and parents to have a

Health.

strong relationship and clear limits.”

Junior Nova Hattingh views social media content as “incredibly toxic” for teenagers due to the sheer amount of

Information from the CDC National Center for Health Statistics.

Data infographic by Ava Anzivino.

opinion 10 In the room where it happens Should history be offered as an online course?

NO,

YES,

in-person learning is more effective

by Jayla Dorbor

A

s college admissions become more and more and use that knowledge to vote responsibly. competitive, high school students are taking I can admit that I am biased, since history is my famore online classes, whether it be to satisfy their vorite subject, but even if you think history is boring, the curiosity for subjects not taught at their school, or to free skills learnt in the class are undeniably very helpful and up room in their schedule. According to the Communi- applicable to other subjects. The main purpose of history ty College Research Center, dual enrollment increased is to analyze things like cause and effect and perspective, 12.7 percent from the 2022-23 school year to the 2023- which requires immense critical thinking skills. While oth24 school year. Oftentimes it’s the latter, and the subject er subjects like English or Math can work on those same chosen to take the boot is history. This could be because skills, it’s not the core skill or purpose of the class. Using history is sometimes deemed an easy subject that doesn’t the critical thinking skills developed in history could even require a lot of effort, or because students simply find it be utilized within other subjects, especially STEM classes. boring and don’t want to sit in a two hour block period of Taking a class is what you make of it, so if you decide to lecture on the 7 year’s war. Yet, neither of those reasons stay engaged and try to learn something, you may either justify the educational loss that comes from taking an on- find something you like, or a skill you could use in another line history course. class.

Unlike other subjects, one of the most important parts of a history class is the discussions that occur. Analyzing history can be very subjective, unlike math or science where there is one right answer.

Since it is subjective, it is very important that discussions about topics like government policy and the legacy of colonization occur in real-time, so students can see how those with different backgrounds or perspectives see and understand topics differently.

This is the baseline for developing empathy in our youth, which has been on the decline in recent years. Without in-person discussions about history, students don’t get the opportunity to hear and consider others’ perspectives, which is not only an important part of learning history INFORMATION FROM SAI but an essential life skill in genNT MARY'S UNIVERSITY eral.

Not only do students not gain the benefits of in-person discussions, but multiple studies have shown that students do not learn as thoroughly through online learning. A recent study published in the Journal of Educational Technology In a world where AP Afand Online Learning states that in-person learning engag- rican American Studies or critical race theory classes are es students at a much higher rate than online learning. So being banned in states like Florida, it is pertinent that we even if you think history is the most boring subject ever, as students take the opportunities we are granted to be fulat least taking it in person can help you stay engaged and ly immersed in our history education. It is the best way to actually learn the material. ensure that we truly learn and understand the country and When history is taken online, especially for students world we live in so we can continue being educated memwho already don’t enjoy it, it is very likely that almost none bers of society. of the information is retained. Many of my friends who have taken history online have admitted to me they learned nothing from the course. While I know that knowing every single U.S. president and the state they were born in is not essential, many other topics we learn in history are essential for becoming an engaged citizen.

In fact, the actual memorization of the topics is not the reason why history class is essential: if it was, I would have no problem with people taking it online. But real learning comes from the in-class discussions analyzing these facts and how they’ve brought us to the world we exist in today.

In a time where misinformation is constantly being spread online, it is increasingly important that we learn about this country's past mistakes and successes

1

letters to the

editor

The High Tide encourages greater input of perspectives from both students and staff. If you have an opinion about one of the articles, letters can be sent to the editor at hightideonline@gmail.com We reserve the right to edit for content, grammar and space constraints. Letters must be signed and are not guaranteed to be printed. Please keep letters to a maximum of 250 words. Longer guest opinions are also accepted.

NESOTA

SITY OF MIN

OM UNIVER RMATION FR

INFO

2

online learning offers more flexibility

“

by Fi Borgese

We the People.”

Most conversations surrounding a history class I hear consist of how bored people are in the class.

My fellow classmates have fallen asleep in the middle of class, and since some teachers lecture for nearly two whole hours, it’s easy to see why. Online classes don’t require as much dependence on teachers and lectures, and if you’re tired, your schedule is more flexible and you can take breaks whenever you feel the need to.

There are many advantages to taking online classes, the most commonly considered one being how it frees up time in your schedule. When I first entered high school, I was super excited to take every class I saw. Then, my schedule was taken up by my core classes, and I couldn’t take anything I wanted to. As a senior, though I’ve taken many different classes and loved nearly every single one of them, I still sometimes wish I could have taken electives like ceramics or culinary, which didn’t end up fitting into my schedule.

Not only are there so many classes I’ve wanted to take, but my free periods have also been the saviors of my high school career. Without my free fifth this year, I think I would have dropped out after the first day. Even though it’s just an extra two hours a day, nothing brings me more joy than being able to leave school at 1:00 rather than 3:30. Free periods are so refreshing, and being able to free up a class or two is life changing for a burnt out senior like me.

Back when COVID was at its peak and we were still doing online school, I was thriving all things considered. My mental state was better than it had ever been because I got to space out my work and tailor it to my personal learning style — sometimes I wish I could go back to having school completely online. At that time I was very introverted and that likely played a role in my love for online school.

Taking a single class like history online isn’t on the same level as full online school, but it still allows students to feel independent for a part of their education. Procrastination is an issue I and many others struggle with, and depending on the person, an online, autonomous class helps with that by taking some of the pressure off the student’s back and giving them more time to complete assignments.

A lot of my personal problems with schoolwork stem from the fact that there’s so much to do with such strict deadlines (yes, I know that’s how a job works too), yet I also can’t get ahead if I wanted to because lessons aren’t posted in advance.

It’s understandable for advanced placement (AP) classes to be taught in person since they require a lot of information to be taught in a little bit of time and physical help is extremely beneficial (I don’t know if I could have survived AP Euro without my teacher), but if somebody isn’t as interested and just wants to take a college preparatory history, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be able to get through that credit using an online program.

The fact that my learning isn’t on my timing takes away so much of my already nonexistent motivation. I finish in-class work quickly, and I get bored in a lot of classes because they move so slowly. I do tend to fall behind on schoolwork sometimes, but there are some days that I catch up with everything and I know I could get several weeks ahead if I just had all the work I could do immediately.

I agree that there are disadvantages to taking online classes, especially for history, and I can acknowledge that. There are definitely many students who don’t have the discipline to stay on track with self-paced classes, and history is a sensitive subject that I think is very helpful to be taught by an empathetic, living person.

But, if a student feels comfortable with online self-pacing, and they have no interest in history and just want to get that credit out of the way, there’s no good reason why they can’t simply take an adequate, school-approved online course over the summer.

For me personally, the pros outweigh the cons by a lot, and while I like being in classes with my friends in person, I do think online classes are more helpful for introverts who enjoy self pacing, and for people looking to free up their schedule for something they’d enjoy more than a year-long world history course.

1. White board representing in-person classes.

2. Computer representing online classes.

PHOTOS VIA FREEPIK

opinion 11

high tide april 23, 2026

Pressure project Instead of founding passionless nonprofits, students should focus on other passion projects

S

omewhere between freshman year and now, I started keeping a mental list of things I was supposed to have done before college. A nonprofit sat near the top for a while, though I never actually made one, and I don’t

by Aashka Bhuptani plan to. But I’ve watched so many people list and check off “founder,” students who I know haven’t actually put time and effort into their nonprofits.

College admissions influencers often coach teenagers on the precise formula for acceptance into the most competitive schools: grades, extracurriculars and something extra that they call a passion project. Students succumb easily to this and the result is a generation of 501(c)(3)s (a nonprofit that is exempt from federal income tax because it operates exclusively for charity) with mission statements that vow to “empower underserved communities through sustainable, intersectional initiatives" without specifying who they serve, where or how, and impact reports that measure success in the amount of Instagram followers the platform has.

A nonprofit should be more than an impressive addition to an application. It’s a full-time institution that deserves time, money, and connections that many high schoolers don’t have at such a young age. Effective nonprofits are typically rooted in persistent engagement with the communities they serve.

This is something that takes years to develop. A high school student, however driven, rarely has the time or access to build that understanding.

The National Center for Education Statistics notes that students in the “top income quartile” are far more

1

likely to hold leadership roles, like “Founder/CEO,” in extracurriculars than those in low-income groups. If colleges reward nonprofit founding as a marker of distinction between applicants, they’re mistaking privilege for merit.

Not everyone has the funds or parental support to found a 501(c)(3). I’ve noticed that most people who’ve founded nonprofits before they turn 18 have only been able to do so because their parents agree to pay for a majority of it: the website domain, the premium editing subscription, and the paid Canva plan that makes the logo look professional. Normally, the IRS alone charges a $275-$600 application fee for 501(c)(3) formal status, and total startup costs for a nonprofit—once you factor in incorporation fees (the state cost to legally create a corporation), legal paperwork, and basic operations—range from $1,000 to $5,000 or more.

The purpose of a nonprofit is to work towards a collective, public or social benefit, rather than to generate profit.

So therefore, if the organization disappears the week after decisions come out, what does that say about who it was actually built for?

The students who motivate the most change rarely do it by founding their own nonprofit or platform—they do it by embedding themselves in movements that already exist. They’re showing up every weekend to organizations that have been working for 30 years and learning from educated professionals who’ve dedicated their careers to understanding one specific community’s needs. According to Niche, 58% of U.S. admission officers said that community service organizations, like Surfrider, have a more positive impact on admissions. Niche also states that about 68% of admitted students at top schools report community service involvement.

The whole point of a college application is to demonstrate your passions, interests, and commitments. All three of these factors should merge to-

2 gether into one common theme that describes who you are as an individual. Though I do agree that it’s important to stand out in applications, doing so in a performative way ruins the integrity of the application. Every effort that you make up to your senior year of high school should be a true and honest representation of that theme, not a last-minute attempt at being better than your peers. If you haven’t made a real impact in your targeted community, it’ll look rushed and might actually hurt your application.

The nonprofit, at its best, is one of the most powerful structures humans have built for collective good. It deserves better than being a poor attempt at making your resume more impressive. It should be rooted in dedication, passion, and drive. And from what I’ve seen, most nonprofits founded in high school don’t meet these parameters.

However, I do understand that there are exceptions to this. Not every single nonprofit founded in high school is meant to be performative. Some students truly want to strengthen their experience in a certain field, and they believe that the way to do that is through a passion project; one that they will dedicate multiple years to, hoping to grow into something recognizable that makes a real impact. Therefore, if you’re going to create a nonprofit, make it about something that you’re interested in, don’t start it just to get into college. You’re going to enjoy it much more if you’re actually passionate about what you’re working on.

Much of that surge tracks directly with the rise of competitive college admission processes and stressed students who feel like they have to do more to keep up with it. The purpose of founding an organization should be leaving something behind when you’re gone. Therefore, a nonprofit founded in junior year and dissolved within the next year is not an impactful passion project that truly helps a targeted audience. The communities that these students claim to serve deserve more than to be someone’s extracurricular activity.

1. Road representing high school journey with admission to college as the finish line. The flag represents founding a nonprofit which is deemed as a necessary step in the process.

PHOTOS VIA FREEPIK 2. Graph showing increase in registered nonprofit organizations. Images of 501(c)(3) certifications are used to represent the data.

DATA FROM PHILANTHROPYMEDIA.ORG PHOTO VIA BRYTEBRIDGE.ORG

editorial: media literacy By: High Tide Editorial Staff

I

n the modern era, social media has revolutionized the way we consume information, offering what is often described as "instant news" and a "great wealth of information" at our fingertips. However, this accessibility is a double-edged sword. As the Sheridan Libraries at Johns Hopkins University highlight, the digital landscape is heavily populated with propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation. For students and researchers alike, the ability to distinguish between a verified report and a viral fabrication is no longer just an academic skill—it is a necessity for navigating the modern world.

The challenge begins with how our biology interacts with the digital interface. Research into "Fake News and Your Brain" suggests that false information is often specifically designed to "trick" the brain. These posts often bypass our critical thinking faculties by appealing to strong emotions or pre-existing biases. Because social media platforms prioritize engagement, sensationalized but inaccurate content can spread faster than the truth,

making it crucial to verify and determine the accuracy of every post before we accept it as fact.

To combat this, sources suggest a rigorous accuracy checklist for evaluating social media content. The first step in this process involves investigating the source's physical and digital footprint. People should ask: what is the location of the poster? If someone is reporting on a live event but their profile suggests they are in a different country, the post’s authenticity should be scrutinized.

Furthermore, examining the network of the account— who follows them and who they interact with—can provide clues about their legitimacy. A genuine source usually exists within a recognizable community, whereas suspicious accounts may have networks composed entirely of bots or recently created profiles.

The age of the account is a significant red flag; people should always be wary of accounts created only days or weeks before a major event. Beyond the account's history, the content itself requires scrutiny. A fundamental rule of information literacy is corroboration. Can the informa-

tion be found in other reliable news sources? If a "breaking" story exists only on one person's social media feed, it is likely unreliable. Additionally, readers should look for contextual updates. Reliable sources often provide follow-up posts that fill in details and offer more depth over time. If a poster's history reveals they do not usually tweet or post on a specific topic, their sudden "expertise" should be questioned.

Ultimately, the goal of evaluating information—from social media to scholarly articles—is to ensure our worldviews are built on a foundation of truth. For those who find this process overwhelming, librarians remain a vital resource.

Whether you need help determining the reliability of a source or need to know how to properly cite a blog, tweet, or social media post, professional guidance is available to help you maintain academic integrity. By applying a systematic evaluation process, we can protect our brains from being "tricked" and ensure we remain informed participants in the digital age.

12

entertainment

XO, Cringey

"XO, Kitty" season three is lackluster compared to its predecessors

I

by Baran Taghvaei

don’t know what was worse: Kitty’s dress glowing as “romantic” music started playing when she and Min-ho kissed in slow motion, or Minho’s dad’s tour being called the “Sugar Daddy Tour.” “XO Kitty,” the Netflix spinoff series to Jenny Han’s “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before,” follows main character Kitty Song-Covey (Anna Cathcart), who is the younger sister of the previous series’ main character, Lara Jean (Lana Condor), as she decides to enroll at KISS Academy in Seoul, Korea. Season three starts as Kitty enters her senior year. In this season, Kitty grapples with the pressure of school and college applications, relationship drama, and her senior sunset list of everything she wants to experience before she graduates. Season three of “XO Kitty” was enjoyable on a surface level, but a letdown compared to the past two seasons, which had consistent plotlines and coherent character development — something this season struggled to maintain.

The number of times I had to pause the show, get up, and take a lap around my room because I knew I was about to get second-hand embarrassment was uncountable. I thought I survived the worst in season two when Kitty’s openly gay friend Quincy, or “Q” (Anthony Keyvan) kept throwing around dated pop-culture references such as “queen” and “slay,” but this season was undoubtedly worse. Kitty’s clumsiness crossed the line from cute to flat-out embarrassing. The slow motion, replay moments, and mushy romance music that the writers applied to every Min-ho (Sang Heon Lee) and Kitty scene left me wanting to just skip forward.

Something else that really disappointed me this season was the soundtrack. This season’s soundtrack was disappointing

compared to all of the amazing songs we got in seasons one and two, which featured more mainstream K-pop artists. Season three’s problem wasn’t the unremarkable songs, but rather their placement. The songs felt very random, having an inconsistent tone throughout the entire season.

The use of over-the-top romantic tracks and music cues didn’t feel romantic; they felt cheesy.

Besides how cringey this season felt, the level of unrealism was on a whole new level.

At one point, Lara Jean comes to visit Kitty at KISS and learns that NYU’s early admissions application is due that night, and Kitty has not even started writing her common application essay. Kitty then spends the rest of the day showing Lara Jean the city, comes home at night, and writes her entire essay in one sitting. Now, one would think Kitty surely didn’t get in, right?

Wrong. Not only was this insanely unrealistic considering the fact that Kitty was failing her classes last semester and still doesn’t have all of her credits, but the fact that her ex-boyfriend Dae (Choi Min-yeong), who is top of their class, didn’t get into his dream college. Dae’s college had a 20% acceptance rate, while NYU only has a 7% acceptance rate, and you're telling me Kitty could get in with her half-done credits and Dae, number one in his class, couldn’t?

I was actually really excited to see where Kitty and Min-ho’s relationship would go after season two. Their enemies-to-lovers plotline was very promising, and they had so many cute moments due to the actors' great on-screen chemistry. Unfortunately, the writing this season did not serve them justice. What made their relationship so underwhelming was the amount of miscommunication these two had going on.

Every single time they faced any conflict

within their relationship, their resolution was one of them yelling at the other and the other staring there, confused, and then storming off.

The characters experienced a lot of regression from past character arcs that had already been played out. I know people say entering a relationship makes people change how they believe, but I didn’t expect Min-ho to lose all of his personality from the past seasons. Kitty and Min-ho’s relationship is rooted in honesty, balanced with their ability to tease one another and make each other laugh. However, this season, Min-ho traded his sharp, confident edge for a more passive role, losing his wittiness and openness. Not only that, but he lied to Kitty on several different accounts.

The worst character regression of this season had to be Q’s character. Q’s previous character arc of becoming loyal to his partner and not letting his insecurities get the better of him, which was previously explored in seasons one and two, was effectively dismantled this season.

Despite all of this, some parts of the season were enjoyable to watch. I’ve learned to think about this season on a surface level, thinking about the experience and not necessarily the quality. In general, I love all of the characters. They are all teenagers who make teenage mistakes, which is relatable to their target audience. And in doing so, watching their group scenes, such as the amusement

park trip and Kitty’s surprise birthday party, was really cute and entertaining. The group together provides a balance of one another's characters, making me wish that they included more of those kinds of scenes instead of acting out unnecessary side plots that didn’t add anything to the plot or, quite frankly, make sense.

“XO Kitty” was entertaining on the surface-level and semi-enjoyable—if you ignored all the cringiness and the bad writing— but the moment a viewer starts to pay attention to the actual writing quality, they’ll be in for a rude awakening.

1

Though "Forbidden Fruits" is a fun watch, it's unfit to be labeled a "horror" film

N

by Martina Parra Malandrino ever did I think there would be people just two rows down from me at the movie theatre laughing at the gore in a horror movie. After watching “Forbidden Fruits,” I understand why.

“Forbidden Fruits,” directed by Meredith Alloway, takes place in a mall in Dallas, Texas, in a store called Free Eden. Employees Apple (Lili Reinhart), Cherry (Victoria Pedretti) and Fig (Alexandria Shipp) are seen as “mall royalty” by day, but by night,

run a witchy cult in the basement of Free Eden. After they are approached by Pumpkin (Lola Tung), the girls are intrigued by the fact that she is also named after a fruit, and they eventually welcome her into their coven and hire her. Pumpkin is forced to drink a concoction of blood and juice out of a rhinestone cowboy boot on her first night with the girls, and she learns about the odd rules that the girls must follow. Unbeknownst to the witches, Pumpkin is spying on them, particularly Apple, in order to find out more about who she really is.

After catching Cherry and Fig breaking Apple’s rules behind her back, Pumpkin starts to get closer to them to discover the truth behind their coven.

The fruit based theme for the girls' names seems to be a nod to the biblical story of the forbidden fruit.

Though it is never specified what this forbidden fruit really is, the apple tends to be the most common interpretation. This fact didn’t really click to me until much later, but the symbolism of Apple being the character who tempts the girls to do evil is a really interesting touch.

The movie’s plot was based on the play “Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die” by Lily Houghton, who also took part in writing the screenplay for “Forbidden Fruits” alongside Alloway. The movie follows

2

a nearly identical storyline to the play, but adds a more violent, horror movie twist.

The name of the play is also a direct quote from the bible in reference to the action of Eve eating the “forbidden fruit,” and I found it added a whole new layer of symbolism throughout the story.

To be honest, my expectations for this movie were pretty low. I hadn’t seen a single advertisement on it, and researching the movie, I noticed the reviews were pretty low. Regardless, I still gave it a chance to impress me.

“Forbidden Fruits” is one of those horror movies that is so ironic, playful, and unrealistic, that the actual “scary” scenes lose their ability to evoke fear in the audience. There were definitely some really gory, disturbing parts, but overall, the story was so silly and bizarre that the movie wasn’t really a “horror” movie, more so a dark comedy.

The film honestly surprised me in terms of how interesting it was. Although the plot was fairly predictable, the movie itself was fun and the acting was decent. I noticed a “Mean Girls”-esque trope being used throughout the movie. Apple reminded me a lot of Regina George with her controlling attitude and her status as the “queen bee” of Free Eden. Cherry had a bimbo type vibe, much like Karen Smith, and she aimlessly lets Apple control her life. Fig was similar to Gretchen Wieners, wanting to be accepted by Apple, but still being more open and kindhearted than her. Finally, Pumpkin was like the Cady Heron of the group, suddenly being accepted as one of the girls and slowly resembling Apple's characteristics while trying to sabotage her.

There were a lot of very fun elements in the story that made it a lot more enjoyable for me, as someone who isn’t a big fan

of horror films. For example, during their coven sessions, the girls confess their sins inside a dressing room to the ghost of Marilyn Monroe through the mirror. When recounting the story of Pickle (Emma Chamberlein), a former employee and member of the witch cult, the girls said she showed signs of rebellion by wearing mini Ugg boots. Some parts of the story were just so ridiculous that it had me wondering whether the movie was supposed to be a satire all along.

The cinematography wasn’t anything out of this world. Regardless, I felt that this movie shined when it came to design choices and details. The outfits worn by the girls throughout the movie put an emphasis on their importance in each scene. The whole movie takes place in an ordinary mall, so the girls look a little out of place with their outfits. I personally think this made the film even cooler, since it shows how the girls aren’t the typical mall workers they seem to be. Overall, I found “Forbidden Fruits” to be a fairly decent, enjoyable film.

While many of the plot twists were quite predictable from the beginning, it was still a fun watch. I will say though that in typical horror movie fashion, all the important plot points are rushed in the last 15 minutes of the movie, which doesn’t really give the viewers time to proces. Although I wouldn’t typically go out of my way to watch a movie like this, I still think it was a great experience and I appreciate the creativity behind the story. Now I'm wondering whether there are secret femme witch cults held after hours at my local mall.

1. "XO, Kitty" official poster PHOTO VIA NETFLIX 2. "Forbidden Fruits" official poster PHOTO VIA MXN ENTERTAINMENT

entertainment 13

high tide april 23, 2026

SPOILERS AHEAD Despite stellar performances, cinematography and styling, "The Drama" disappoints in its discussion of deeper topics

by Payton Rothluebbers

W

hat’s the worst thing you’ve ever done? Mine is probably walking into a theater with the intention of watching “The Drama.”

Don’t ruin my wedding for saying that.

Having received generally low ratings from critics, with the Associated Press rating it a devastating one out of five even before its theater debut, I walked into the theater expecting an underdeveloped, surface-level love story with a few bad jokes.

Indeed, I didn’t laugh a single time throughout the entire film, but it wasn’t for the reason I initially expected.

Written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli, “The Drama” details the approaching wedding of couple Charlie Thompson (Robert Pattinson) and Emma Harwood (Zendaya) as it quickly crashes and burns, triggered firstly by Emma drunkenly revealing her long-kept secret, the worst thing she’d ever done: as a teen, she planned and nearly followed through with a school shooting. The discovery of this secret shatters trust not only between the couple, but also within their friendships, sparking a series of disastrous events. As a seemingly happy and healthy relationship takes a brutal nosedive, questions persist: how far should two people go for love?

The acting and character design is phenomenal. Zendaya’s acting choices were perfectly subtle and guilty, garnering sympathy from the audience. Her innocent demeanor and cute, simplistic styling — bright blush shades rounding out her face and earthy, simple and flowy clothing choices — contrasted the audience’s perception of the villainous young Emma (Jordyn Curet), who is depicted with wide and smokily eerie eyes, ill-fitting and dark baggy clothing and

a never-ending pout. I loved Pattinson’s portrayal of Charlie, an awkwardly odd guy with creepy undertones, his messy hair and careless style signaling an overactive mind.

The most outstanding performance was by Alana Haim, who plays Rachel, Emma’s bitterly insecure best friend whose victim complex flourishes. Her snarky and egotistical behavior seemed truly authentic and was perfectly easy to hate.

On top of the successful acting and character design, the cinematography was beautiful. The film really did feel like an art piece. At the beginning of the movie, before the audience is even aware of Emma’s secret or the eventual state of Emma and Charlie’s relationships, the camera work foreshadows the approaching mess.

The film circles through anxiety-inducing close-up shots in quick succession before the audience can even focus, creating confusion. Rather than including multiple characters in one shot, the camera typically chooses to focus solely on one character, symbolizing their moral differences and pushing the audience into the room with the characters rather than feeling like they’re watching from their seats. The coloring starts off bright and airy, slowly fading with the relationship. Artistically, there is so much to analyze and appreciate.

My biggest — and honestly only — issue with this film is that it attempts to act as if it is making some sort of sophisticated social commentary, yet in reality, it is not. Those interesting questions posed throughout the movie? Unanswered. Interpretive analysis of the movie’s ultimate message by people on TikTok was more insightful than the movie itself, and anybody who tells me, “It was supposed to be that way! That’s an

artistic choice!” is no better than a Swiftie making excuses for Taylor Swift’s nothing-burger lyrics.

Satire is incredibly hard to pull off, especially when discussing such serious topics.

It is simultaneously funny and important.

It sends a message to the audience, and it makes at least a little bit of social commentary.

But this movie was not satire; it plainly made fun of serious topics with immature and underdeveloped jokes. For example, after Charlie had discovered Emma’s secret and was actively questioning his trust in her and fearing what she was capable of, trying his hardest to irrationally rationalize her actions, they went to an appointment with their wedding photographer, who detailed how she was going to “shoot” the wedding guests.

What is this joke supposed to say about gun violence? To me, it only makes it seem unserious in front of an audience who has most likely feared for their safety at least once due to the prevalence of gun violence in America.

This movie didn’t have to be a comedy.

Who in their right mind witnesses countless traumatic moments and mourning families plastered on the news and decides that it’s a perfect opportunity to make a joke out of the situation? Borgli had it all: the budget, the artistic vision, the talent, the actors. He had the potential, and he threw it all out the window to paint an edgy picture.

If you’re looking for a movie that will interest you in a confusing and almost disgusting way, “The Drama” is a good pick.

However, if you’re not a fan of underdeveloped writing, don’t waste your time.

1

2

3

4

Season three of "Euphoria" ditches its iconic style and is missing key elements of the show's identity

by Andrew Diette

A

fter over four years of anticipation, After over four years of anticipation, the long-awaited third season of “Euphoria” has arrived. And somehow, it feels anything but euphoric.

Since the series’ lauded debut in 2019, “Euphoria” has forged a clear identity for itself in just two seasons as both a glittery, dazed portrayal of the high school experience and the feelings of using drugs, as well as depicting the realities and hardship of social and romantic life. The story follows 17-year-old Rue Bennett (Zendaya), living with her mom and sister Gia (Storm Reid), navigating through her drug addiction and meeting her close friend Jules (Hunter Schafer) in the process.

The third season takes a new approach and departs from its usual style. Instead, we’re shown the continuation of the characters’ lives about five years out of high school. In the midst of the second season, Rue is fronted a monumental amount of drugs, temporarily free from payment, by the former teacher turned deadpan drug-dealer Laurie (Martha Kelly).

Now, Rue is told she owes Laurie more than 43 million dollars. She doesn’t have to actually pay such an absurd amount, as Laurie settles for 100k— it's still 10 times what she initially owed, however, and Rue has therefore become a drug mule for Laurie.

The first truly shocking plotline of the series occurs when Rue and her friend Faye (Chloe Cherry) have to swallow enormous balls of fentanyl, hold them in their stomach, and smuggle them across the U.S.- Mexico border. On her way back to California, Rue stops to see Lexi Howard

(Maude Apatow) where she’s now working at a film studio and working her way up to become a writer and director. Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie) is working in a similar space, managing influencers and actors whilst also hoping to advance in her designated workspace. Nate Jacobs and Cassie Howard are engaged; an absurd jump from the state of their toxic relationship at the end of the second season and makes almost zero sense. How’d we even get here?

While this opening was at the very least entertaining, the show seems to be having an identity crisis. I didn't feel like I was watching a continuation of Euphoria, but rather a spinoff of the series focused on Rue’s life. Euphoria has been previously praised for its realistic depictions of teenage depravity through a dreamy, visceral and extremely neon-like artistic direction, and that aesthetic is completely absent in the season three pilot. The continuation of a show ABOUT high school taking place years after doesn’t make much sense to me.

Though exploring what happens after the characters graduate makes sense in theory, the time jump is several years long as opposed to the few weeks between seasons one and two, which makes season three feel even more disconnected from the ongoing storyline that never quite received a fleshed-out ending.

Another part of “Euphoria's” failure stems from outside circumstances leading up to its production and rollout. The absence of Barbie Ferreira, the actress of Kat, is glaring. Press interviews claim she felt her character’s arc was “complete” and therefore she didn’t need to return, and yet the continuation of the story without her

character present feels unusual given that everyone else gets a new chapter. Along with Ferreira, Angus Cloud — who plays Fez, Rue’s drug dealer and friend — passed away in July of 2023 and his character has essentially been sidelined. He’s barely addressed in the first episode and was supposedly sent to prison. While this makes theoretical sense given the climactic ending of season two, it still feels unusual not to see his face despite the real world circumstances.

These outside aspects of discontinuity extend into the score and musical composition of “Euphoria,” that had previously been the work of the recording artist Labrinth. He made the soundtrack used for the first two seasons, and it was another central and distinctive component of the series.

Wherever you saw a video or trailer or teaser about “Euphoria,” Labrinth’s music more than likely accompanied the visual. His omission from the new season’s soundtrack is greatly noticed and contributes to Euphoria’s lack of the personality it once had.

There’s no doubt that the return of Euphoria Sundays will re-stir public excitement for the series, and those who tuned in before will tune in again. You really can’t start the season watching an adult Rue Bennett nearly get killed and not be drawn back to Euphoria, or watch Cassie Howard try to “grow her TikTok following” and see just how far down the rabbit hole she’ll go in the next seven episodes. But "Euphoria" is having an identity crisis, and for longtime fans, season three definitely won't be feeling like a homecoming.

5

6

7

1.-2 Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as Emma and Charlie in "The Drama."

PHOTOS VIA A24 3 Martha Kelly and James Landry Hebert as Laurie and Harley.

4-7 Zendaya and Hunter Schafer as Rue and Jules in season three of "Euphoria."

PHOTOS VIA HBO

14

sports Senior SWEEP

Boys volleyball handles South, earning a 3-0 victory on Senior Night

A

by Declan Williams senior-only squad had no trouble with the Spartans, winning in three sets, empahasizing the strength of their nine man graduating class. Boys volleyball played South Torrance on Tuesday, April 14, for their Senior Night game, and took down the Spartans with ease. The Sea Hawks continued their win streak, bringing their league record to 7-0 and securing their spot at the top of the Bay League leaderboards.

The boys won set one with a score of 25-15, setting the tone for the rest of the game. Despite making changes to the line-up, the Sea Hawks remained coordinated, with seniors Charlie Hagemeister and Gabe Krikelas Simon coming off the bench and adding to the team’s cohesion.

“Charlie and Gabe [had a good game]. I [fed] them the ball, because they don't get too many touches throughout the year, and they really stepped up, hitting probably at 500 for both of them. [They] did a great job,” senior Tommy Spalding said.

The second and third sets were more of the same, with

11

the line-up changing even more. The boys had players in different positions than usual, and they still trounced the Spartans, 25-18 and 25-20.

“We were switching in and out front [and] back row. And then the second set got a little weirder, where Carter played [opposite], and then eventually switched to setter, and then I switched to [opposite]. We had Charlie outside. And then in the third set, Cash played middle, which he really doesn't normally. Vaughan played [opposite]. And, we got [in] guys who normally don't play,” Spalding said.

The game ended with a strong swing from senior Vaughan Flaherty, which was part of a trick play that Redondo was employing during the game.

“My favorite thing we did was running plays. We ran a couple of two balls, and finished the game with a nice lob,” Spalding said.

The team seems to have a laid-back approach to the game. They seem to live by the phrase “work hard, play hard.”

This was evident due to their unorthodox pre-game ritual.

“We were down at 2nd Street [Hermosa Beach], catching some rays, going in the water, just trying to stay loose and relax before a match. I think that's pretty important,” Spalding said.

This game was particularly important for this year’s seniors, as they reflected on their years in the boys volleyball program under head coach Kevin Norman.

“The volleyball program has been great to me. It’s been the best couple of years of my life. I started playing with my friends when I was in eighth grade, and I don't re-

2

gret a thing. It’s been awesome,” senior Charlie Hagemeister said.

The seniors were not just leading this game, but throughout the whole season. They have made up most of the starting lineup this year, and they also lead the team through experience, with decades of volleyball under their combined belt.

“The seniors contribute a lot with leadership. I think we have a lot of older guys who hold the team together, and without them, a lot of the stuff that you don't see won't happen. A lot of the effort we bring in practice, [bringing] the nets up and down fast, so we can get more time in practice. I think all that is really reliant on the upperclassmen, especially seniors, as well as leading the rest of the team,” Spalding said.

The Sea Hawks have a very hopeful season ahead, as they rank at the top of the national leaderboards. They are currently undefeated in their league, and the boys play Mira Costa again on Monday after beating them previously.

“I feel great. I'm really stoked. It's a great group, and I think not only are we skillful, but I think we have a lot of guys who want to try their best and show off every single time. I think this year, more than ever, I think we have a chance at winning CIF State Division 1,” Spalding said. “We’re ranked third in the nation right now, but I can see us going higher. We have another matchup against Costa on Monday, which I'm looking forward to.”

1. Senior Tommy Spalding sets ball. PHOTO BY FINN WILLIAMS 2. Senior Cash Essert spikes ball. PHOTO BY LORELAI LAND

Softball beats Peninsula in five innings, winning 24-0

C

by Allison Sutton oming back from spring break focused and ready for a win, girls softball took to the field at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School on April 15, ready to defeat the team they had lost to last year. Their determination resulted in a dominant win for Redondo, 24-0.

During the first inning of the game, Redondo was immediately able to secure a strong lead against the rivaling team. After hitting two home runs, Redondo came out of the first inning already victorious, surpassing Penn by nine runs. Hitting the ground running, literally, offered the girls a “cushion” throughout the game, according to senior Abby Luis.

“We came out [of the first inning] very strong. We scored nine runs, and I feel like that really brought the momentum into the whole entire game.

Just knowing that we had a lead the whole time, it really made our confidence go up, and we knew that we were going to win,” Luis said.

Throughout the second inning, the girls continued to perform well, despite no changes in the scoreboard. Although they maintained their lead, the girls remained locked in defensively, allowing no runs.

“Defensively, since we had such a big lead, we knew that all we had to do was control the controllables, so making the plays that are easy and, if we made an error, not making more errors after that one,” Luis said.

Senior McKenzie Jamrog also describes how essential focus was to the team’s performance, especially going into the third inning when a new pitcher was

3

introduced on the opposing team.

“Especially for the second pitcher, we had to learn to wait on the ball. Swing at strikes only and be disciplined in the box,” Jamrog said. “Sometimes you can make a mistake, and it leads to more mistakes. If we just limit the mistakes, then we will play cleanly.”

Scoping out the opposing team allowed the girls to adjust their hitting tactics accordingly in order to maintain their lead, simultaneously preventing Penn from scoring any runs. They ended the third inning with an even larger lead, 18-0, after scoring nine more runs on nine hits.

“We were good offensively. We had great approaches.

The [opposing] pitcher was throwing slower than we were expecting, so we had to make sure that everyone knew what we had to do to win the game; we knew [that] since she was throwing slower, we had to stay back on the ball and go towards right field and not pull the ball and go to left field,” Luis said.

The fourth inning proved to be uneventful in terms of scoring for both teams, but camaraderie and team spirit remained high. Encourag-

ing words and shouts of support could be heard from Redondo’s dugout as the girls continued to pitch and hit.

“We usually communicate [well] as a team. On the field, when you're pitching and hearing your teammates cheer for you, it's always nice,” Jamrog said. “All of us on our team have a pretty good connection, especially when you're cheering for other people, and you feel supported by your teammates. All together on one team, we have each other's backs.”

The game ended early after the fifth inning, Redondo run-ruling Penn and concluded the afternoon on a high note. During the fifth, Redondo scored six more runs on six hits, with Luis doubling and scoring two of them and Jamrog singling and scoring another.

“Moving forward, [we] just need to keep a positive attitude and to continue winning,” Luis said. “[We’re] making sure that we don't let the pedal go down on the gas, and every single league game is our full effort.”

4

3. Senior Abby Luis waits for ball.

4. Luis aims ball towards infield.

PHOTOS BY IAN GUERRERO ESTRADA

sports 15

high tide april 23, 2026

Beyond the scoreboard Boys lacrosse goes to overtime against Mira Costa in tight game, losing 10-9

by Francisco Villegas

A

fter eclipsing their win total for poles, so our coach had to have a talk with all of last season with the first 6-0 me. He told me that I had to pick up a pole start to a year in program history, and play defense, and I had to just go with a 1-2 skid at the start of league play served it.” as a test of Redondo’s resolve. Still, boys laEven with multiple core pieces out, the crosse traveled across town with renewed Sea Hawks were able to keep pace throughvigor to face Mira Cosout the game, with ta in what became an strong team play on overtime thriller, as the both sides of the ball boys came up short in a to compensate for 10-9 loss. the individual lossWith 30 seconds left, Entering the game es, aided by senior against the highly I had the ball, and Jacob Sanchez’s foranked Mustangs, the cus on communicamemory of both of last we kept on passing it tion defensively and year’s nine point loss- around, and I kept lookstrong play from jues hung in the team’s nior August Haynes mind, but the boys ing for Jake Leone at the offensively.

After maintained some con- bottom. Eventually the Costa got out to a 2-0 fidence due to their lead, despite limited success so far in the look was there. I threw it warmups on their season, as well as the senior night, the through the entire deMustang’s recent loss boys responded and to Palos Verdes, show- fense, and he caught it showed sustained reing they're beatable. silience, and always The Sea Hawks faced and put it perfectly to tie kept right behind major losses going into the game. the Mustangs as the this game as multiple game dragged on. starting players, includ“We were missing ing lead-scorer senior AUGUST HAYNES two very good defenDominic Amici, were JUNIOR sive players, as well out. Senior Nathan Inn as Dominic on atwas one of the players tack, who was a hard who had to step up in light of these losses. role to fill. It was hard on both sides be“Our starting pole, [senior] Joseph Ven- cause we had to put in a sophomore who's tura, had dislocated a shoulder against not very familiar with playing on attack, Newport Harbor about a month earlier, so and if a new person isn't on the same page then one of our backup poles had to go in as the rest of the defense, it messes the enuntil he ended up breaking his arm against tire thing up. Thankfully we adapted very Palos Verdes two games before this Costa well,” Sanchez said. “Our coach definitely matchup,” Inn said. “I don't really play de- dialed up a game plan for us to succeed, fense, but after that we had no more long which was just playing within the hashes

“

in order to let Costa take bad shots and let Lucas make saves and letting our guys beat their defenders one on one on a dodge.”

Five minutes were left when Costa scored what seemed like a dagger, bringing the lead up to three, until Redondo once again battled back in the clutch with strong flow offensively.

“With 30 seconds left [down one,] I had the ball, and we kept on passing it around, and I kept on looking for [Freshman] Jake Leone at the bottom. Eventually the look was there. I threw it through the entire defense and he caught it and put it perfectly to tie the game,” Haynes said. “We've been doing the same man up play the whole year, but then literally the day before Coach Jewett drew up that new play and we just executed it perfectly.”

In overtime, the Sea Hawks won the faceoff and called a timeout.

Coming out of that, the Costa defense trapped the Redondo ball carrier and forced a turnover before going on to score and win.

“Coach Jewett really thought that we had what it took to win that game, and I think he kept in mind that we were going into spring break, so in our postgame huddle he made clear there's no moral victories. He's done with that,” Haynes said.

“He wants us to be the best program we could possibly be and to have that passion to win. It just sucked for him that we lost, and sucked for the team as a whole, but he knew we’re going to play Costa again, so he gave [a nice speech] to boost our mentality

coming into the next few games.”

Junior August Haynes looks down the field for a pass during game on 3/25 against SAMO. PHOTO BY IGNACIO PEREZ

Girls lacrosse dominates against Peninsula, with a score of 19-1

by Kacie Brincat

A

s they faced their cross town rivals peninsula, girls varsity lacrosse crushed the Panthers with a final score of 19-1. This year the team is

undefeated in the Bay League series with three wins and zero losses.

The girls started the game off strong with junior Erabella Eastwood scoring the first goal of the game followed by juniors Sora Robison and Grace Walker scoring the most goals of the game. The Sea Hawks kept ahead of the score the whole game and never let Peninsula get ahead, working together to defend and score points while also playing with a lot of their non varsity starters.

“Miller Ginsburgh always gets the draw for us, so she does the ball, and then she scores for us. She had like a little trick shot goal [in the game],” Eastwood said.“I'd say Sora is also a key player. She takes the draw for us, and she also got a behind the back goal in that game and she had four goals that game. She was

pretty dominant. Honestly, everyone was ing, the game really tested what the team involved. I would say those two people are is capable of and allowed some of the girls really the key people because they were to demonstrate really good plays. It gave playing dominant, but everyone went in everybody an opportunity to play and get a the game.” taste of a big game.

Since the beginning of the Bay League “One thing that I think it revealed the season, our girls have been in control of depth of our team [and that it's really the field and playing hard. They have been good.] Some people that don't normally using the momentum from their first few start were able to keep up with everyone games to dominate on Friday against Pen- who normally starts and they were able to insula and are hopput up just as an amazing game ing to keep it up as our starters. Leah doesn't for their upcoming normally start, but she played game against Mira defense for most of the game [This] game revealed Costa in their effort and she did amazing. She's one to win the 2026 Bay the depth of our team. of our sophomores on the team.

League Champions Some people that So she's very new, but nobody title. They've been don't normally start scored on her. So she had an following certain amazing game,” Olinger said. game plans and were able to keep up Throughout the game the have been specifi- with everyone who sidelines and stands were hyped cally training hard normally starts and with people cheering with exfor these games for citement. So many people were they were able to put making outstanding plays and a long time.

“Our coach actu- up just as amazing a some of them helped win the ally told us a clear game as out starters. game. play that we should “As the game progressed, we run, and that was just kept getting more and more LILY OLINGER working as well, SENIOR hyped, especially for all those during the week, players who don't normally play. practice during the I feel like just the momentum week and everything we do in practice defi- just kept increasing the entire game and nitely shows. We always do dodging and the energy was great,” Olinger said. “Grace shuffles and those show, so our prepara- Walker had a lot of goals in that game and tion is always good. Our coach does a really a lot of assists. One of our defenders, Abby, good job of doing that,” Eastwood said normally doesn't get to score, but she was The girls were able to pull off a lot of put on attack in this game and her goal was plays without some of their key varsity very impressive.” starters. According to senior Lily Olinger, Sophomore Mayella Kumprey jumps to get the bll even though some of these girls were miss- during 3/31 game against Peninsula. PHOTO BY

“

AMANDA HARRISON

in-focus 16

high tide april 23, 2026

Answer: Third Image

Digital Deception With the rise of AI generated content, many social media users, including teens, risk falling for misinformation

by Kate Lanzdorf

“

Wait, is this even real?” For the sec- ernment teacher who covers ond time this week, my friend asked media literacy in her class, Victoria me to check if a video she came Vasquez notes that a common mistake across online was artificial intelligence (AI) that her students make when finding inor not. As entertaining and convenient AI formation is to take the AI Overview answer has become for social media users, it is also that immediately is revealed upon a Goostarting to damage young teens’ ability to gle search at face value. Though most studifferentiate reality from dents know it’s generated content for those encouraged to who do not fact-check the look deeper in media that they consume one’s research online. to get a better A study done at the Uni- When I see something understanding versity of Leiden stated that surprising or shocking of a topic, payteenagers often rely on intuwalls and time ition and familiarity when online, my first instinct consumption deciphering if something is is to check the reliabilhold a lot of real or fake on social media. students back Young people will feel es- ity of the source. But from furthering pecially disinclined to facttheir research. if a close friend sends check something if a peer But while the they deem trustworthy as a me something, I’m AI Overview friend sends it to them. answers more likely to believe it are easier that “When I see something to surprising or shocking on- without checking if it is access, they are line, my first instinct is to also often less check the reliability of the reliable." reliable. source,” sophomore Kian “Getting inTsao said. “I want to make KIAN TSAO formation off sure that if I send it to my SOPHOMORE of social media friends that it is not fake. makes knowing But if a close friend sends if information me something, I’m more likely to believe is real or fake a lot harder. A lot of situait without checking if it is reliable. I would tions are blown out of proportion to get assume that they would have checked it be- better views,” freshman Scarlett Williams fore sending it to me.” said.

Finding credible information is an imA study done by Massachusetts Institute portant aspect to many high school cours- of Technology found that misinformation es. As an Advanced Placement (AP) Gov- spreads much faster through social media

“

than word of mouth or traditional news.

Using a person’s preexisting beliefs, social media promotes opinions that have already been established and does not allow for other beliefs to be widely seen.

“Social media content is not designed for acquisition of truth and information,” AP Government teacher Michael Henges said. “It is designed to be addictive or to be sticky in some way to keep users on the platforms.”

While media literacy is already covered in many intro high school courses, some teachers think it should continue to be covered throughout a student’s academic career.

“The idea of media literacy and battling misinformation is emphasized as a skill to build,” Henges said. “I think a lot of it has to do with learning knowledge and understanding history, and understanding political science and how things actually work. A lot of misinformation can be mitigated by having factual information.”

According to junior Noah Kisiler, many students use AI and social media to access information due to its convenience. He thinks that though most teens are aware of the risks of AI, they choose to use it anyway

because of the perceived benefits of saving time.

“It takes time to do research,” Vasquez said. “It takes effort, and sometimes people don’t want to put in the effort, and it’s much easier to just say, ‘I believe in most of what this person believes.’”

The normalization of AI and shortened attention allows for faster spreading of misinformation. With the help of teachers and the acknowledgement of the growing issue, students can learn how to check reliability on their own.

“Lacking media literacy is an ongoing issue that we’re going to see in the future as AI continues to be a source of information for people to blindly trust,” Vasquez said.

“While a lot of sources are easily accessible, [such as] social media, that does not mean it is accurate. That’s very problematic. We’re going to continue to see it and teachers are going to have to find ways to challenge their students.”

Senior Fi Borgese takes in information from a AI creature labeled with the ChatGPT logo PHOTO BY ROBERT PACKARD ILLUSTRATION BY CLAUDIA TURNER

Can you spot the real image?

To find out the answer, look at the top right corner of this page.

PHOTOS VIA BRITANNICA EDUCATION