U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Bay Area
How the school districts are providing support and security to their students.
Month
Honoring the diversity and history of the Black community.
Read about how couples in our community, both students and staff, met for the first time.
A look into the lovely night that was this year’s annual formal dance.
Honoring the diversity and history of the Black community.
Area
How the school districts are providing support and security to their students.
All about the recently fnished season, including the ups and downs that the team persevered through.
An inside look into one of Mills’ most beloved VAPA courses: Ceramics.
The skyrocketing popularity of blind boxes, from Smiskis to Sonny Angels.
Read about how couples in our community, both students and staf, met for the frst time.
Fun and creative ways to celebrate this day of love with the girls.
Clocking the new standard for relationships and dating culture.
Knock, Knock.
Why Are the School Doors Always Locked?
The inconvenient campus door policy and why it should remain.
The Construction’s Completed, and it’s… Fine?
An update on the construction in the front of the school— was the long-awaited result worth it?
Week
Hear from our very own Abigael Zennadi on her impressive nomination.
Why fans have so many superstitions and traditions.
Featuring the winter sports and the seniors’ fnal goodbyes.
Entertainment “Hurry Up Tomorrow”
A review of The Weeknd’s fnal album of his career.
Grammy’s 2025
Snubs, wins, and losses: Were the awards well-deserved?
Happy Valentine’s from your Editors-in-Chief at The Thunderbolt, Phoebe Piserchio and Elaine Chan! During this month of February, the campus is alight with activities such as Winter formal! Pinstripes at Hillsdale was an amazing host and venue and it was truly a lovely night. In this magazine, you will fnd some amazing pictures of everyone having a good time at formal (Shoutout to Yearbook Class!). We were also Struck by Cupid at our winter rally, which featured performances from the Korean Culture Club, Dance Team, Cheer Team, and more! Our spirit week was full of tutus, tiaras, and pink pink pink; it was lovely to see everyone take part in these February festivities. February celebrates Black History Month, and The Thunderbolt honors the contributions that the African American community has made in shaping our history. This month observes distinguished and admirable fgures, including Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver, and Rosa Parks. You can read more on page 6.
Happy Valentine’s and Galentine’s (and Broentine’s…?)! From meet-cutes to the nature of situationships, the February magazine covers all aspects of this month of love. Whether it be hanging withthegirlsorfndingafavoritedatespotwithyour signifcantother,wehopewesparksomeinspiration. Everyone watched the Grammys and subsequently the snubs as well. The 2024 nomination pool was overfowingwithcrazytalent,whichcanonlymakefor aninteresting,albeittension-flled,awardsshow!And justaweeklater,wetunedintowatchtheChiefsand Eaglesgohead-to-headatTheCaesarsSuperdome. With spring around the corner, we strive to continue bringing relevant and entertaining stories to our communityinthesefnalmonths.
Best,Elaine Chan & Phoebe Piserchio Editors-in-Chief
pages 3-13
Bianca Pando entertainment editor
On January 20th of 2025, the 47th president of the United States, President Trump, was inaugurated into offce. Seven days later, Trump launched nationwide immigration raids organized by the Immigrant and Customs Enforcement (ICE), creating huge amounts of raids, which now has been granted access to schools.
Reported in January 21, 2025, Trump’s new policy allows ICE authority to go into vulnerable places such as schools, churches, playgrounds, and daycare centers, which used to be off limits prior to this. Why does this have a huge impact? It takes away places that are supposed to be helpful to communities, bringing fear into these places of comfort. Now, people are worried to seek any medical help at hospitals, and the families of children have fear sending their kids off to schools or daycares.
With these places now being open to ICE, many people have stopped going out in fear: churches now have decreased attendance, and it made a huge change in how many students are coming to school.
As Trump’s immigration plan continues on, there has been an increase in the amount of spotting of ICE offcers in the Bay Area. So far, they have been seen in San Francisco, San Jose, San
Mateo and Burlingame. ICE will often be wearing plain-clothes, similar to the local police of the area, with a POLICE vest in the front. They can intentionally lie or mislead people into thinking they are something else, not revealing their real intentions while identifying someone, commonly referred to as a ruse.
These plans have been in the works since the year 2011, when the Trump administration announced they would give permission for federal immigration offcers to make arrests at schools, churches and hospitals. It was allowed, but the policy ended in 2011, starting again in the year 2025.
Immigrants make up 31% of San Francisco's population, with around 1,500 students from immigrant families.
35.8% of San Mateo are migrants, and within our country, 56.1% of students have parents that are foreign-born. With that being said, that would be a lot of our community that would be affected. And that’s only in two counties. California as a whole has 10.6 million immigrants that make up its population. Around 1.8 million people live undocumented in California, with the range of 86,800 to 133,000 undocumented students in either a public high school or college.
However, it’s important to understand that our schools have done their own preparations for how they will handle any ICE raid that may or may not happen in the future.
Mills High School’s Principal,
Pamela Duszynski, provided her own input on the topic: “Our superintendent has put some protocols into place and trained all the administers with in the direct. They have trained our front offce staff and security teams around those protocols and our teachers as well.”
She held a meeting with a group of Mills parents a few weeks prior discussing their protocols that are now in place. But, there has been a misconception on how these ICE raids will go, because there are many legal things that have to happen before.
“Any law enforcement or immigration offcer cannot just come into the school and go into a classroom. They have to see me in the main offce and I have to see what their request is,” stated Duszynski. “In all situations, I will be referring them to the district offce and they will look at all the paperwork they have; if they are looking for a student or family’s information, that must be a legitimate signed judicial warrant or capias.” Schools do not collect those types of informations on any students, as there policies in place that protect students, regardless of legal status. “Our students have a right to their education and a safe environment no matter their immigration status,” emphasized Duszynski.
As some of Mills’ students go to Middle College in the San Mateo Community College, it’s crucial to know that they also have a plan that is very similar to the San Mateo High School District. “If they [ICE offcers] were to
come into the hallways, the frst thing we would do is to call campus security, and they’ll escort them to the president’s [of the College] offce,” provided Middle College English teacher, Allison Block.
“I had some students come and tell me that they started to see less people coming to their church,” added Block. “They’re places that are supposed to bring comfort and the idea they are being taken away from that is really sad.” A lot of families are now in fear of whether they should continue to send their kids to school, as now they are avoiding certain areas.
“I’m hoping that our students’ families will trust us and continue to see this as a safe place,” comforted Duszynski.
Although seeing how these new policies are being carried out, we must remain calm and know our own rights. We must trust our districts, as they are doing everything they can to protect us, and continue to be aware of what is happening to our own communities. We must be understanding and supporting towards each other, as many are going through moments of fear or stress because of this. But, there are things we can do to make a change. Right now, a lot of social media has been putting out warnings of places where ICE has been spotted, and there are protests and strikes happening as well. Just because we are young, doesn’t mean we cannot make a change. We, students, all have a right to an education and a safe environment, regardless of our immigration status.
Elizabeth Paniagua staff writer
very February, we have the opportunity to celebrate Black History Month (BHM), a time where we honor the diversity and history of the Black community. This month is a reminder of all of the things that the Black community has done for us and this country. It also serves as a time to celebrate all of the accomplishments of Black individuals, ranging from brilliant scientists like Katherine Johnson to powerful civil rights heroes such as Martin Luther King Jr.
"Black History Month is every month"
Taking a deeper dive into the origin of Black History Month, we meet two African American men, Carter G. Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland who founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life (ASNLH). The ASNLH was an organization dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by Black Americans, and they sponsored a “National Negro History Week” in 1926. This was celebrated the second week of February and it inspired schools and communities nationwide to celebrate, make history clubs, and even host performances. Fortunately, the civil rights movement and the growing awareness of Black identity turned “Negro History Week” into Black
History Month in many college campuses. In 1976, President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month and said it was a time to honor and celebrate the neglected accomplishments of Black Americans.
“Black History Month is every month,” is one of the things that Lauryn Lige (9) wants us to acknowledge about Black history.
When asked who she looks up to in the Black Community, Lige answered that she looks up to her grandparents. Throughout the years, her grandparents have given her a great example of courage and have taught her how to focus on the most important things in life. She believes that Black History Month is important because it represents the whole community and all of the sacrifces that African Ameicans made so that they can reach a point of equality, even if they haven't fully reached that mark yet. Lige thinks that African Americans shouldn’t be cared about or honored for only one month, but every month. Black history is represented in our generation today, and we should show that it matters.
Bella Kerri (9) looks up to Martin Luther King Jr. in the Black community. Kerri believes that he got his call for racial equality across peacefully. His actions affected all Black Americans today for good. Black History Month is important to Kerri because it spreads word of what Black Americans have gone through in the past, including all of the ways they were wronged. It also gives them an opportunity to move forward as a community. One thing Kerri wants us all to know about Black history is the civil rights movement and to recognize how hard Black Americans had to fght for their rights. People such as Malcolm X and MLK fought for the freedoms Black Americans now have.
Kerri shared, “Black history means a lot to me.It means that I too, as a Black American, can do anything I want to do now, which is what our brothers and sisters in the past fought for.”
In the classes of Mills High School, students are seen blankly staring at their screens, waiting for their chromebooks to load. With the time for assignments ticking away in the classroom, students are complaining about the Wi-Fi being too slow to work effectively in the classroom.
The school Wi-Fi has been a constant problem for students and teachers working with digital assignments, causing the students to wait and taking up the time that teachers could have used for lessons and assignments in the class.
For this reason many students are fed up with the school Wi-Fi. Mika Khan, a senior at Mills, explains, “If I’m trying to connect to the Wi-Fi in my Chromebook, because in some of my classes, we’ll have an activity in class on our Chromebook, and it takes me an extra 5, 10, maybe 15 minutes to just connect to the WiFi and load everything up, which by that time I’m already behind.”
The chromebooks add an additional element that takes up the time in class given the fact that chromebooks require for you to sign in. However the Wi-Fi takes up far more time loading the sign in than what the sign in takes.
And then after that students will still have to wait longer for their assignment to load. Ziao Liang, a junior at Mills, said “it would take me, like, 10 minutes sometimes, like, like, get open a document for the assignment. That’s just, like, a pretty big waste of time. And I’m just sitting there staring at a loading spinning circle, and I’m like, wow, what could I be doing?”
The effects of the Wi-Fi aren’t small, isolated events either. Their effects reach across multiple students in the class and wasting the time allowed in it.
Having trouble with dealing with the Wi-Fi, Isabel Grech, an English teacher at Mills, comments “Frequently my students are asking, Can I go to my phone? Can I use my hotspot? And of course, I allow them to, but it’s also a distraction, right? Because then it gives them an excuse or an out. It
allows them that out to go use their phone, and then it takes away from class time.”
Teachers now have to take into consideration whether having digital assignments will help and the additional class time needed to load. For example, the AP Language and Composition course at Mills practices one way by taking practice MCQs which are taken most effectively under similar conditions to the AP exam. Quiet, timed, and in a productive environment, like in a classroom.
However the Wi-Fi speed cancels the benefts that come with a classroom environment. Khan further explains, “In AP lang, we had this assignment. It was an MCQ assignment, and I forgot how long it took me. It was like, 30 minutes or something like that. But like, the Wi-Fi was so bad that I and multiple other people weren’t able to connect for the whole period.” Continuereading on the
Eduardo Galindo copyeditor
Tutus and Tiaras
Tuesday
OnTuesday,Vikings showed their spiritby crowning themselves with tiaraspairedwith tutusinyellow,white, gray,andred.From lefttoright:Carmel Fleifel(12), KayleeHuynh (11),and Sofa Kwan (12).
Famous
Couples
Thursday
On Thursday, dynamicduos collaborated to dressupas their favorite famous couples.
MillsStruckby CupidRally
OnFriday,the students loved the CupidRally,which was flled with excitement, energetic performances,and competitive games.
Izzy Yang sportseditor
Mills Cheer @Struckby CupidRally Mills Cheer performeda routine at the rallyonFriday
Comfy CozyCupid
Monday OnMonday, students wore comfyclothes andspentthe schooldaywith their treasured stuffed animals. Fromlefttoright: JaydenChan (12),Nathan Vasquez(12)and TylerNgo(12).
OnWednesdays
We Wear Pink
OnWednesday, varyingshadesof pinkpoppedallover campus. RachelJiron(10).
Despite students’ begrudged return to school every year following a two-week break from the many assignments and tests of the fall, there is one occasion that most students can anticipate upon coming back: the winter formal! Typically accompanied by a week of themed spirit days and a school-wide rally, the formal is often one of the most anticipated events of the year.
Held on February 8, Mills lit up the night at Hillsdale Mall’s Pinstripes with over 400 attendees present. Unlike the previous year when the formal was held at San Mateo’s community college, students could do more than just dance the night away with their friends. A popular venue for exuberant parties and gatherings alike, Pinstripes offered a variety of activities for partygoers to partake in. If students preferred to shy away from the aggressive–but nonetheless fun–dancefoor, they could play a quick game of bocce ball, sit and chat with friends, or most notably, bowl! With 12 lanes to play from, bowling was a unique highlight of the venue which many expressed particular fondness for. In its own separate space from the booming ballroom, it was one of many features at Pinstripes that made this year’s dance just a bit more special.
Abby Chai Center Spread Editor
Starting mid-January, you may start noticing small, fold-up tables in front of your favorite grocery store throughout the week, each of them ofering a variety of sweet and tasty cookies. However, these aren’t just any types of cookies; they’re Girl Scout cookies! Sold exclusively from winter to spring, the Girl Scouts sell a wide range of cookies that can be purchased at a local booth or even online! With a diverse assortment of 12 cookies, I’ve come to fnd a special place in my heart for just three of them.
And while school dances are often hit or miss with students, winter formal seems to have hit the mark for most. For instance, senior Jonah Zilberter (12) described the occasion as an “upgraded homecoming”,
which he largely credited due to the venue itself. Despite its pricey entry ticket of $50, Zilberter overall found the price well worth it.
Some students though, such as senior Jimmy Guan (12), found the dance just “alright”. While not having any disdain for a particular feature of the event, he expressed a subtle distaste for numerous factors such as the music and environment of the dance circle.
With prom just around the corner though, upperclassmen can expect a lot more exciting news in the coming months. Taking place on a cruise this year, those who attend prom will get to enjoy the glamorous night on the San Francisco bay, watching the city’s bright lights from afar.
As many would probably agree with, “Thin Mints” are one of the best favors ofered each year. Aside from its beloved chocolatey-mint favor, I especially love the crispy texture of these cookies. And when popped in the fridge for a few hours, they make for an oddly refreshing dessert! However, since it leans on the richer side of cookies, they can get to be a lot after a while. Nonetheless though, “Thin Mints” aren’t a fan favorite for nothing and have rightfully deserved their spot as arguably the most popular Girl Scout cookies. (8/10)
While I didn’t enjoy “Samoas” growing up, they have since become a true favorite of mine. Coated in a layer of chocolate and caramel coconut, the favors are nothing short of amazing. Defnitely an acquired taste in comparison to the other Girl Scout cookies, they’re a unique ofering that is hard to fnd from other cookie brands. But like “Thin Mints” the mixture of caramel and chocolate can become overwhelming after just a few cookies, which I don’t particularly enjoy. (7/10)
Probably the most controversial take of mine, but I hold a special place in my heart for these tangy, yet sweet treats. A seemingly shortbread to the blind eye, these cookies are topped with a thin layer of lemon favored icing that is bursting with favor. They’re reminiscent of the discontinued “Savannah Smile” cookies- lemon wedge cookies generously adorned with powdered sugarwhich were a favorite of mine growing up. On the lighter and more delicate side of the Girl Scout cookie favors, “Lemon-Ups” will always be a cookie to turn to no matter the occasion. (7.5/10)
OnSaturday, February 15, 2025, the SF Lunar New Year Parade took place. Te parade began at 2nd and Market Streets and ended at Kerny Street and Columbus Avenue. Tis was the Mills Dragon Dance Team’s frst time performing in the SF Lunar New Year Parade since prepandemic times.
By: Meagan So, Staff Writer
The popularity of Smiskis, Sonny Angels, Labubu, Mofusand and blind boxes are rocketing, with everyone raving about these trending hippers, (phone accessories), and mystery fgures hidden inside of eye-catching boxes. These blind boxes live up to their name, being literal boxes that you open “blindly”. There is a list of possible collectibles on the outside of each box, showing what could be hidden within. However, you play a game of chance, never knowing what you’re going to get. In addition, the cost of branded blind boxes are pretty hefty, typically costing around 15-45 dollars each. So why are people willing to spend so much money on these, and gamble with the possibility of not getting a specifc reward?
Tatiana Becerra (9) explained her reasons behind the purchases of these blind boxes. She shared, “When I see the blind box, and I [look at] the variety of [fgurines and] what they have to ofer.” Becerra continued, “I look at the ones I like. Let’s say I like seven out of the ten possible. I’m gonna buy it because what are the possibilities of me getting the one I might not like as much out of those ten?” She continued listing of the statistics and logical thinking she takes into consideration when deciding whether or not to buy a box. Becerra talked about how when she does end up purchasing a one, factors like anticipation and excitement of seeing what she got that makes the experience much more thrilling. As for the appeal of the mystery trinkets inside, Becerra enthusiastically explained her fascination around the mini fgurines by referring to her past blind box purchases, one being the strawberry Sonny Angel currently attached to her phone. She commented, ”For me, I fnd them adorable, like the little eyelashes, little smile, and the way that they are just designed to be on your phone”, adding, “It’s [also] the cuteness they provide that make your day the more you look at them [that makes them so likeable].”
Grace Choy (9), had similar opinions on the appeal of blind boxes. She explained, “There’s something about opening them and seeing what you’ll get that makes them so exciting [instead of just buying the object inside]. There’s a thrill to seeing what character you get.” She added, “The fgures inside are similar to toys but are also pieces of art. You can play with them, use them for decoration, and collect diferent characters.” Additionally, Choy shared her reasons as to why she is willing to spend so much on these boxes of chance. She said, “I usually make sure I like most of the possible characters before buying. That way, there is a low chance of me getting the one I don’t want.” She also broke down her backup strategy, sharing, “If I don’t like the one I get, I trade it.”
Senior Ahn Nguyen (12), expressed her thoughts on the matter as well. She stated, “My favorite thing about blind boxes is that they’re a surprise and that you don’t know what you’re really gonna get but you know that the fgurine would be good regardless…” Her opinions matched Becerra’s and Choy’s, who both mentioned how the surprise element has a relatively big efect on the likability of these novelties. However, her reasons behind purchases are slightly diferent from the previous interviewees. She explained, “I’m willing to spend a relatively big amount of money on the possibility of getting a certain fgurine because I’m a big collector…” Nguyen said that if she “wanted to get a certain fgurine”, she’d agree to pay quite a bit for it.
So it seems like the adrenaline, anticipation, excitement, and surprise that come with opening blind boxes are a common reason among all three interviewees and others of what makes these blind boxes so appealing, along with how the hype surrounding them is likely tied to their general popularity among society. Moreover, diferent people have diferent motivations for their purchases and the fgurines that excite them.
By: Noah Ung, Staff Writer
The Mills High School Mock Trial team recently fnished their season, experiencing their fair share of ups and downs along the way. Despite some initial struggles– especially in terms of gathering enough team members– the team made great progress through dedication and teamwork.
Co-captain and lawyer Abby Chai refected on the tough start, saying, “The season was pretty tough, especially in the beginning since we almost didn’t have enough for a team, but I’m proud of the progress we made and our overall performance.” As the season progressed, team members commitment began to pick up, and their hard work payed of in competitions.
Defence attorney and Closer Jonah Zilberter highlighted the difculty of staying consistent, especially during the three day stretch of consecutive competitions.”The most challenging part of the season was defnitely trying to stay consistent,” he said. “Having everyone stick together was very important.”
quite literally EVERYTHING,” Chai shared. “They went to every practice, met with us on weekends, and even hosted one-on-one Zoom calls if we needed help.” Individual preparation also played a big role, with members memorizing lines, practicing arguments in their free time, and strategizing responses to anticipated objections.
Even though the team placed somewhat lower in their division, they showed clear improvement from last year. “I’m pretty sure we came last in the division, but it was an improvement. We had a lot more team collaboration,” Zilberter noted. While judges praised their performances, their scores highlighted areas for growth.
Preparation was key to the team’s success. Weekly practices, additional weekend meetings, and one-onone coaching sessions helped members refne their legal arguments and courtroom techniques. “We had two lawyers working with us this year, and I owe them
Refecting on the scoring process, Chai remarked, “Some judges defnitely judge harder than others, so I don’t take scores to heart all the time.”
Beyond competition, Mock Trial gained other rewards. “The most rewarding part was getting to see everyone perform and really get into their roles,” Chai said. “The witnesses became really comfortable with their characters, and it was funny seeing them bring a diferent take to it.” The team grew closer, strengthening friendships along the way.
Considering the season as a whole, both Chai and Zilberter thought about what they would change if given the chance. Zilberter wished he had joined earlier to gain more experience, while Chai saw room for improvement in teamwork throughout the season.
For students thinking about joining Mock Trial next year, Zilberter had some simple yet powerful advice: “Stay committed. Even if things seem slow, it will pay of in the end.” While the Mills Mock Trial team didn’t take home a trophy, their growth, resilience, and camaraderie made this season a valuable experience for everyone involved.
Meag So Sta Writer
Remi Palomo, 2023 Mills graduate and current student at Sacramento State University, shared his experiences, memories, and the adventures he’s had so far as a recent college student. During our interview , Palomo talked about some of the changes in his life from a couple years ago compared to now, such as diferences within his schedules and daily routine. Palomo shared about his graduation, what he misses most about high school and reminisced about the memories he made at MIlls. Here are his responses:
“The most drastic change [for me] is living by yourself,” Palomo said. He explained how going of to college independently changed diferent aspects in his life, giving him more control over things including eating schedules, going out, and decision making. He continued, “...it also comes with a lot of responsibility. There’s no one to tell you to do homework and to tell you to go to class”, explaining how these small reminders that he no longer gets can sometimes be demotivating. “It’s just something [where] you have to fgure out what works for you.” he fnished.
Palomo shared how his most memorable moment from his high school years was the day before graduation. He continued, “My
friends and I went to the beach and had a bonfre to celebrate one of the last big memories of high school.” He explained what made it so sentimental and signifcant, saying, “I remember feeling excited to graduate but also sad that this would be one of the last times we would be together as high schoolers, and not as full blown adults.”
Going down memory lane, Palomo shared that what he misses most from his time at Mills is some of his social connections he had, and how things likeA seeing his friends daily and being a part of the cross country team are no longer available in college. He reminisced about how supportive and helpful they were to him during high school and how these connections “fe[lt] like a family” to him.
“My advice would be to put yourself out there and try something new.” Palomo suggested. “Join that club or sports team you were thinking about. Run for class president or join the school band.” He fnished, “Do something that will surround yourself with people that[’ll] have a positive impact on you. [I]t will make your high school and college experience something you will always remember.”
By: Janelle Pantilon, Features Editor
Ceramics is a booming class at Mills. From projects year around to learning the ins and outs of pottery with muddy clay under your fngernails, it is a highly anticipated course. Ceramics is one of the various Visual and Performing Art (VAPA) electives Mills ofers.
This class is full of productivity, fun, and projects. Students have the opportunity to get in touch with their creativity and mold pottery with their hands while experimenting with intricate color and design.
Many of the students currently taking the course enjoy the positive and artistic atmosphere brought in the classroom. They added how they had heard a lot of good things from past students.
This all starts with their teacher, Mr. Christenson who has been teaching for 19 years. He’s always had an interest in art and a passion for educating others on it. However, he actually never taught ceramics leading up to taking the position at Mills.
Christenson explained the foundation for his role as an art educator, “I have always been an artist,” adding, “I frst realized that I wanted to teach the arts when in college. One of my peers took me to participate in a group called “Drawbridge” that combined art making with children who had little access to artistic experiences. Once I combined making art with youth it all clicked and I knew I wanted to be an art teacher.”
An average day in the class consists of a daily check in, followed by a lesson on a new technique or style to practice. The remainder of the class “becomes a community studio experience” where students are encouraged to collaborate, interact, and build of one another’s ideas.
Afterwards, clean up is a key part to each day through organizing supplies or cleaning them and the surfaces used. When dried, the ceramic clay becomes dust that those in the room could inhale which isn’t quite healthy for one’s lungs, so wiping down all the equipment is highly emphasized.
Throughout the school year, students immerse themselves in new projects, molding new objects: such as mugs, plates, masks, cups, sculptures of their choice, and far more. While students in the beginner class do not get to use the pottery wheel, those in advanced ceramics begin utilizing it. Everyone’s projects get glazed after constructing and painting.
As projects are fundamental to express these creative concepts, there are some fan favorites highlighted each year. For Mr. Christenson, he “enjoy[s] the Monster Vessel project. Students create a “monster” out of clay (which has a very loose defnition) and the variety and creativity in each piece is truly inspiring.”
Students agreed that the “monster” project was interesting while also adding how they enjoyed their individual projects, where they made an object of their choice. It allowed them to challenge their creativity and capabilities, tying everything they’ve learned throughout the semester.
So, even if you don’t think ceramics or art is something you’re good at or a passion of yours, you should step outside your comfort zone and try it out. “My classes have nothing to do with your previous experiences in the arts. You can be someone who has never touched clay or never drawn a stick fgure before and still fnd massive success, joy, challenge, and fun in arts classes,” Mr. Christenson explains.
By: Kalyssa Chu, Staf Writer
For the many Mills seniors going on to pursue a college education, selecting a major may feel like one of the toughest decisions one must make. Some have a clear vision of their future, driven by lifelong interests or concrete career aspirations. Others feel lost, unsure of how to make such a pivotal choice before haven even walked the graduation stage. At Mills, many seniors are grappling with these choices in diferent ways— balancing passion, practicality and the pressures that come with deciding their futures.
For Nathaniel Lafon (12), deciding his major was a breeze. In the fall, Lafon will join Menlo College as a student-athlete, playing baseball while majoring in business with a sports management emphasis. As a lifelong athlete and sports-enthusiast, Lafon stated, “I’ve always wanted to go into sports management…[the major] was the perfect match for me.” Because of his passion for the feld, Lafon is confdent in his decision: “I think [sports management] will end up being what I do [in the future].... working for a professional sports organization would be pretty cool.”
Others may struggle in fnding such a natural inclination toward one specifc major. However, some seniors were able to fnd interest in certain majors through exploration done throughout high school. Inspired by a positive experience taking AP Physics C at Mills, Ray He (12) hopes to study astrophysics at a four-year university. “I chose [my major] because I like math, and then I took [AP Physics C] at Mills, which I thought was really fun,” He added, “My parents wanted me to do engineering because of external pressures, but I think I chose astrophysics more because of passion.” However, He notes he’s always open to switching majors later on. “If things don’t work out, I’m probably going to transfer to engineering just because it makes more money,” He said.
Similar to He, personal experience inspired Carmel Fleifel (12) to pick her major. As an experienced dancer and dance teacher for young students, Fleifel said, “I like teaching kids, and I’ve always wanted to be a teacher…I once had a teacher who really inspired me, so I want to inspire kids in the way my teacher inspired me.” With these aspirations, Fleifel decided to major in early childhood education. “My family was against me being a teacher, but I chose to go into early childhood education because I knew it would make me happy,” she said.
Yet, even Fleifel is uncertain of her major choice. “I’m super open to changing paths,” Fleifel said, “Honestly, I decided [my major] like a few days before the submission deadline, so I probably will end up changing.”
Continue reading on millsthunderbolt.com
By Staf Write Mikayla Ho
magine wandering down halls, seeing couples embracing and looking at each other with googly eyes, yuck how boring! Who needs a Valentine when you can celebrate with your girl(friends).
As Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation once said, “What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh, it’s only the
Galentine’s Day is an uno!cial holiday held on February 13th to celebrate being single with your gals. is special day is all about girlhood, positivity, and empowerment. ough it was originally meant to celebrate being single, it is an all-inclusive day no matter the status of one’s relationship.
Treat yourself! Designating a day to splurge with your friends is a perfect way to celebrate. Going to a mall or outlet with your girlies to spend endlessly gives you a chance to socialize and an upgrade to your
Bige
Break out in your fuzzy socks and pjs, and spend the night snacking, having deep conversations, and possibly a little harmless gossip.
watch a show or have a movie maathon
Whether it’s watching the entire Harry Potter series or streaming all four seasons of Stranger ings, it is always enjoyable to do it with your friends. Grab the popcorn and settle in for a cinematic night.
night
Have a cok or bake
Channel your inner chef and whip up a culinary adventure with your friends! Compete to see who can create the tastiest dish, or just enjoy the chaos. Just make sure to clean up the
Sing your favorite tunes and unleash your inner pop star. Whether you rock out your solo or sing o -key, karaoke is the best way to let loose
By Opiions Editor Julia Xia
what they mean to the other
person. is usually happens because nowadays, many people don’t want the stress and expectations of an o!cial relationship, but still want to enjoy the company of the other person.
“I wanted to experience the fun aspects of dating someone without risking getting attached. Once you put a label on it, it’s di!cult to leave.” is is a sentiment
shared by many young people these days. Unlike in the past, there isn’t much pressure to quickly nd the right person for you to spend the rest of your life with. Since many are no longer dating to marry, especially if they are young, there is more time to experiment and gure out what you want in a relationship. Because of this, people don’t want to commit to another person as fast. ere are many di erent opinions when it comes to situationships. Generally, you either don’t mind being in them or you don’t like them. Some people take the stance that they are just another way for people to gain dating experience while others believe that they are a waste of time.
“At rst I didn’t think they [situationships]
were a real thing; but a er having been in one, I wouldn’t want to do it again. I just put o leaving because I wanted either closure or con rmation.”
rom heart-shaped boxes of chocolates to homemade chocolates on Valentine’s Day, chocolate and the day of love go hand-in-hand as a symbol of love and ection. is “chocolate délice” takes the tradition further, a classic French dessert made of decadent ganache, airy crème chantilly, and layers of crisp almond dacquoise. Despite its elegant look, it is quite easy to make from
1 qt (1 L) Heavy cream
peaks.
Gradually add the remaining sugar and whip until smooth
Sprinkle the almond sugar mixture over the meringue and
Using a pastry bag with a plain tip, pipe the meringue into 3
rm and crisp but not brown, about 60-75 minutes. Cool
3 oz (90 g) Sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) Vanilla extract
Whip the ingredients together until so peaks form.
4 oz (120 g) Semisweet chocolate
3 oz (90 g) Heavy cream
Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl. Heat the cream just to boiling. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until the mixture is glossy and smooth. Allow it to cool slightly before using.
Spread an even layer of ganache over two of the dacquoise disks.
Top one disk with about ¾ cup (170-ml) of crème Chantilly. Place the second disk on top, chocolate side up. Top o with another ¾ cup (170-ml) of crème Chantilly. Position the third disk on top, at side up.
Spread the remaining crème Chantilly over the top and sides. Freeze to rm the cream, about 1 hour. Remove from freezer and refrigerate until ready to serve.
This Valentine’s Day, rather than store-bought gi s, add a homemade touch and celebrate with a rich chocolate délice. Enjoy every bite of the sweet yet slightly bitter taste of chocolate ganache re ecting the many feelings on the day of love, while the sweet cream and crunch of the dacquoise balance all its avors and textures. And of course, food is always more delicious with others, so share this dessert with friends and family for sweet moments together. I hope that you enjoy the day of love just as you’ll enjoy this chocolate délice.
ByStafWriteMadysonTag
he month of February the season of love has arrived. As love is in the air, many of our fellow vikings have found their match. With memories and memories between the two, let’s take a look into how di erent generations have found their love.
Mr. Cottrell has been a teacher here at Mills for about four and a half years. Mr. Cottrell met the love of his life in 1992 saying, “I had basically come back to visit my aunt and uncle who lived in Hawaii. I had really long hair, and I went to this record store that I used to work at in Colma. I used to work there but she was working there at the time so when I went back to work there years later, she had taken an interest in me and was talking to me about di erent stu like music and then we grew kind of close. First we were kind of close, and then she came over to my house and at that time my hair was cut so the whole idea is that I had met her like months before that, but then she looked at an old picture that my mom had of like, photo albums, and she was like wait, you were that guy, like you had long hair and a beard and all that, like you were that guy that I met.”
Following that two sophomores had their love story unfold through instagram. Not knowing of each other before, she told the story of how they met saying, “He replied to one of my Instagram stories and then we didn’t necessarily meet like that, but that’s how we started becoming friends.”
He added on saying, “ I was in her bio class but then I transferred out but she thought I was cute.” Now they have been together for three months this being their rst valentines day spent together.
Ms. Zink is a beloved teacher at Mills having her own way she met partner. She’s been with her partner for nine years. ey met in college and have many memories together. Ms. Zink added, mentioning, “Well, we met in college from student teaching. Funny connection though his mom and my aunt were roommates a er high school.”
Lastly, two freshmen had a cute story that unfolds. “I rst noticed him in my PE class. He was really cute and immediately caught my attention.” Continuing on, she added, “I became friends with him and then his friends and my friends became a friend group. During that time I told him my true feelings and now we have been together since that day.”
ese pairs have found their love through many ways. Each and everyone of them had their own unique story to how they found the one for them.
Staf Writer
One in four Americans believe in their zodiac sign. An estimated 50 million people have taken the MyersBrigg Types Indicator test worldwide. Yet both astrology and MBTI types are widely regarded as pseudoscience by professionals, having little to no scientifc basis and often producing inaccurate results.
So why do zodiac signs and unreliable personality tests still maintain widespread popularity? Undoubtedly, what they tell you should be taken with a grain of salt. But for many people, horoscopes and MBTI types are accessible start towards deeper selfanalysis — and just plain fun.
Astrology, or the practice of observing celestial bodies to predict human events, has a basis in Mesopotamia around the third millennium BCE, and its Western branch was developed in Ancient Greece
during the Hellenistic period. One of the most popular aspects of Western astrology is the zodiac, which divides individuals into 12 signs based on their birthdays. Diferent signs are associated with diferent personality traits: Leos (born between July 23 and Aug. 22) are characterized as confdent, warm, and creative, while Libras (born between Sept. 23 and Oct. 21) are well-balanced, compassionate, and charming.
Meanwhile, the MBTI test was created by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myer. They developed the assessment from the ideas of psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung and his book Psychological Types and frst published it in 1962. Through the test, takers answer questions to determine whether they’re inclined toward introversion or extraversion, sensing or intuition, thinking or feeling, and judging and perceiving. Based on what ends they land at from the four spectrums, there are 16 possible combinations of the traits, or 16 personality types. For example, if your results show you’re extraverted, observant,
feeling, and prospecting, you’d be an ESFP, someone who is spontaneous, bold, and social.
Both the zodiac and the MBTI assessment have maintained widespread popularity to this day. A 2022 YouGov survey of 3,472 American adults revealed that 27% of them believe in astrology. According to The Myer-Briggs Company’s website, 2 million people take their test every year.
Their prevalence, however, is not indicative of accuracy. Astrology is widely considered to be pseudoscience; no evidence shows that the position of celestial bodies afects events on Earth. There is no scientifc proof that the day you’re born on has any efect on your personality or future. One study included in the 2020 American Psychological Association paper “Disentangling Stereotypes From Social Reality: Astrological Stereotypes and Discrimination in China” made 173,709 Chinese participants take the Big Five personality test and “found that astrological sign did not signifcantly predict any of the personality traits” (15).
At frst glance, and especially in comparison to the zodiac, the MBTI test seems to be thorough and based on actual methodology. Yet the assessment has attracted controversy of its own. Critics point out that the two founders did not have degrees in psychology and that Jung’s work was mostly theoretical without experiments or data to back it up. Additionally, its binary nature is another source of contention: score 54% towards introversion, and the test will categorize you as a pure introvert. One professor and psychologist, Adam Grant, rejected the MBTI assessment for its lack of reliability in retakes and problems with its categories which fail to be mutually exclusive, as he writes in his 2013 Psychology Today article aptly named “Goodbye to MBTI, the Fad That Won’t Die.”
This evidence defnitely doesn’t paint a pretty picture for astrology and the MBTI test. It certainly discredits their usage in maybe more serious contexts, like choosing when or when not to hire someone based on their personality type.
However, on a more casual and individual basis, these methods of personality analysis may still lend well to further self-exploration — as long as one doesn’t take the results at face value. Zodiac signs and MBTI types can work as broad categories for individuals to scrutinize and refect on.
Mills psychology and history teacher Donald Burdette is one fan of the MBTI test and the zodiac. The students in his psychology class take the personality test, and the book The Secret Language of Birthdays by Gary Goldschneider, which is based in astrology, was propped on his whiteboard when I came into his classroom for an interview.
The most interesting thing he told me was his approach to viewing their results. “I don’t see them as determinist. I think they give us a snapshot into ourselves that provokes introspection,” he said.
Hayden Bunce Staff Writer
Grammys aired, with this, there were many performances and as much Benson Boone doing backfips on stage was camp there was a performance just tops that and that’s Charli XcX’s mashup of Von Dutch and Guess. If you’re a fan of Charli XcX or niche internet celebrities this was your Avengers Endgame. Charli’s performance started with Charli getting out of this BMW looking stunning and singing the Grammy-winning song Von Dutch. If you ever wanted to see a strut of just watch Charli XcX, Gabriette, and Alex Consani serving absolute face. If you didn’t think Charli XcX was a star I’d like to confess that this performance added 15 years to my life. From the battle of the strut to the gayest song of the summer Charli proves she knows her audience by playing Guess, sadly Billie Eillish didn’t sing with her the performance is still legendary. Charli XcX gags the award academy with the serve of a century. Despite the singer former substitute teacher, The Dare cheated on me by kissing another girl on national television it’s okay because he and I can work it out on the remix like Lorde and Charli did. If you wanted to guess the amount of underwear on the stage you probably wouldn’t be able to because of the sheer amount being thrown around and danced. However, we are lucky that Charli XcX didn’t let the underwear go to waste as she donated the underwear to victims of domestic violence. After this performance, it’s sheer proof we need to see more Charli XcX in our lives and that she needs to win more Grammys.
On February 2nd the 2025 Grammys aired, with this, there were many performances and as much Benson Boone doing backfips on stage was camp there was a performance just tops that and that’s Charli XcX’s mashup of Von Dutch and Guess. If you’re a fan of Charli XcX or niche internet celebrities this was your Avengers Endgame. Charli’s performance started with Charli getting out of this BMW looking stunning and singing the Grammy-winning song Von Dutch. If you ever wanted to see a strut of just watch Charli XcX, Gabriette, and Alex Consani serving absolute face. If you didn’t think Charli XcX was a star I’d like to confess that this performance added 15 years to my life. From the battle of the strut to the gayest song of the summer Charli proves she knows her audience by playing Guess, sadly Billie Eillish didn’t sing with her the performance is still legendary. Charli XcX gags the award academy with the serve of a century. Despite the singer former substitute teacher, The Dare cheated on me by kissing another girl on national television it’s okay because he and I can work it out on the remix like Lorde and Charli did. If you wanted to guess the amount of underwear on the stage you probably wouldn’t be able to because of the sheer amount being thrown around and danced. However, we are lucky that Charli XcX didn’t let the underwear go to waste as she donated the underwear to victims of domestic violence. After this performance, it’s sheer proof we need to see more Charli XcX in our lives and that she needs to win more Grammys.
*This article has been updated to refect corrections made after its initial publication.
As someone who spends a lot of time after school for extracurriculars, I’ve always thought of the campus door policy as an inconvenience. After 6 p.m., it’s a constant onslaught of “please open the door” messages from friends, forcing me to walk out even to just hallway doors to prop them back open. If only these doors were open for a little longer, our problems would be solved.
as one of those people locked out in the mornings when she’s late to class. Hu recounts, “When I had math in the morning, they would lock the math hall doors, so I had to take the walk of shame past the math windows to get to the back ones. Then they would lock the doors in the front, so I would have to take the walk of shame through the ofce.” While Hu understands the safety concerns that come with opening the school doors for longer, she feels that if the electronic system was extended to just halfway through frst or second period, it would make a big diference.
Students also fnd confict with the door schedule in the afternoons. As a middle college student with extracurriculars at Mills, Olive Galindo Aguilar (11) constantly struggles to fnd open doors during sixth and seventh period.
For many students at Mills, the door schedule feels a little overthe-top and counterintuitive at times. The school doors are on an automatic electronic locking system from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (school hours). Facilities personnel manage locking all of the non-electronic doors. The doors also alternate which sides are open, with it being very rare for both doors at a particular entrance to be open at the same time.
For Ronan Gensel (10), the door schedule feels a bit “arbitrary.” Gensel remarks, “Every day, like without fail, I see people get rejected by the door because they’ll [try to] open the one that’s locked.”
Jade Hu (12) often fnds herself
“Either like two experiences happen where I go to the front and they don’t let me go through. Then I have to go around, and they have to ask me a bunch of questions, and you’re just like, ‘I go to school here,’” Aguilar says. At the same time, staf at Mills highlight a diferent, overarching concern: school safety. As threats of U.S. school shootings have proliferated in the past several years, it’s more important than ever to have a secure campus, and locking the doors is one way to ensure this.
Continue reading on the website millsthunderbolt.com
About four months ago, I wrote an article about the then ongoing construction in front of the school. I was provided with renderings, and while I didn’t say it in the article, I wasn’t particularly impressed because it looked kind of bland. It had the look of something you would see in an average city park. I thought it might look better in person, but it doesn’t. I decided to reinterview all of those whom I interviewed in my frst article and see what they think of the fnished product.
Principal Duszynski, when interviewed in September, said the construction would be fnished in November, which it wasn’t. Duszynski’s reasoning was, “I think there werewas some delays around getting some of the material for it.” She also said that many students “like seeing more plants than they do concrete” and that “things that are living are nicer to look at and be around.” She also said that the extra shade was something some students enjoyed about
it. To wrap up our interview, she said, “We had a committee who designed the plans and I would like to thank the committee/”
Jayvis Choy (11), who was optimistic about the rendering when I frst interviewed him in September said, “It’s pretty good. There is defnitely less room than there was before to just sit down, with all of the dust trails.’ He also thought it was an improvement over the previous iteration as it said it was “better than before” and “and more spacious” though he repeated his gripe about the removal of seating that happened during the renovation. Overall he had a positive view of the construction as he believes it improved the look of the school.
Someone who had a less positive review was Valerie Or (11), who said, “It’s certainly new. I don’t think it’s good or bad; it’s just diferent.” Her apathy towards the fnished product shows in what she thought of it as compared to the original. She said, “Maybe it’s worse because they spent a lot of money on it, and I feel the money could’ve been saved”. I can’t help but agree.
An article in response.
I wouldn’t say it’s bad per se, but rather nothing. The big ‘Mills High School’ sign is kind of gaudy, but besides that it’s just generic. It doesn’t distinguish the school from any other, and it removed the wings from the facade which I thought was a fun bit of fair which tied into the building’s general architectural vision. The aggressively gray structure sticks out and blocks the colorful red and yellow buildings. That isn’t even to say anything about the structures themselves which have a slatted roof that is a semiefective shade for most of the day, but is inefectual during high noon when the sun just cuts through the slats, and when it rains it acts like a tree gathering water into bigger drops. In general, you’re better of just getting shade from the trees.
Overall, it’s not terrible, or anything really. It’s just nothing. For some like Jayvis Choy and some of the students who talked to Principal Duszynski, it is an improvement and they like the aesthetic value it adds and the extra shade which is great. I tend to side more with Valerie Or and have a general apathy towards it. It’s fne, but it also could have been better.
When the big game is and the stage for the Super Bowl is set, many people crazy superstitions –wearing a lucky or unlucky jersey to eating a specifc food they believe can dictate the outcome of the game.
They believe their actions can infuence the outcome of the game or whether favorite team wins or loses.
They do this because the last time they wore jersey, it helped their win or the last time they a jersey, their team lost. Since one jersey made their lose, they would most likely avoid wearing that jersey.
Some people have a routine to do something after team scores or their opponent is kicking a feld goal. makes them believe superstitions may be true.
here Super have from unlucky specifc dictate game. actions outcome their loses. because that team wore Since team likely jersey. routine their opponent goal. It that true. psychologist, PhD in psychology, spoke in an interview on the Speaking on Psychology podcast. “Superstition is a belief or practice that is inconsistent with our understanding of science. And what they have in common of course is the need to control, an attempt to bring about the good thing or avoid the bad thing. As a result, they tend to emerge in circumstances when we have less than perfect control, where—two of the conditions that mean that we’re going to, or more likely to be superstitious, are ones where we don’t have control and yet we do care very much about what happens, about the outcome,” said Vyse.
unique superstition where he would not talk to their wife or children when their team was playing.
I walked around Mills campus and spoke with many students asking them about their sports superstitions.
There were quite a few students that believe that either the NFL is rigged or the colors of the Super Bowl logo corresponds to the two teams that are going to play in the Super Bowl.
Another senior Nathan Vasquez stated, “Every time the Niners play, I watch the game with my friend, Gavin, over there, the Niners win most of the time.” He adds, “I feel like it’s worked two out of three times.”
According to Redditors online, a person switched jerseys every single game and one person would put pictures of players on a Barbie doll and burn them on a grill. One person had a
Charlotte Leung (12) believes that Patrick Mahomes played poorly because of a video that went viral across social media platforms showing a female fan using needles, punching them into a Patrick Mahomes vudu doll.
One senior student who wishes to remain anonymous stated that he would eat Wing Stop chicken wings and the Niners win most of the time when he eats the wings.
One of the crazy superstitions I have heard while going around interviewing students was when Spencer Louie (12) said, “So when the Niners are playing, I wear my Henry Ruggs jersey and every time I wear that jersey, they win.”
Simon Carcar (11) says, “You don’t talk about it so you don’t jinx it.” Carcar believes that if you talk about the team, that team would lose.
While students at Mills have superstitions, teachers at Mills High School have superstitions, too.
Nils Headley, an Algebra 1 and AP stats teacher who is a Chiefs fan at Mills said,
“Superstitions from now on, I plan to not be on an airplane when my team is playing in the Super Bowl,” after the Chiefs’ loss to the Eagles in the Super Bowl and he was on a fight from San Francisco to Dallas. Headley noted, “For sports, yes. I always try to wear some clothing of mine during the game. I never bet on sports because I feel like if I bet what I want to happen, I will lose.”
Kaminski recalls, “I’ve heard some crazy ones though that I’ve had teammates when I’ve played before. They wore the same socks for the whole season and never watched them. The locker room didn’t smell too great.”
My prediction on the Super Bowl is the Eagles are going to win, shattering the Chiefs’ dreams and hopes of being the frst team to threepeat Super Bowls. I predict that the Eagles will win in a close game and a head-tohead battle. A lot of scoring and crazy plays capped with great defense. The Eagles are ultimately going to win this one with three Saquon Barkley touchdowns. The fnal score will be 34-27 Eagles.
*(This prediction was made before the Super Bowl commenced)*
Christopher Kaminski, the counseling student services assistant and football coach commented, “My superstition is that I watch football games alone. I like to think that I’m in the game and I’m physically there. I feel that if anybody else is in the room that we will lose. I isolate and I am just there, I feel that win. My second one superstition is I will always, always, always wear green on a day the Eagles play. So when Eagles play, you have to wear green. They were pretty much set zone, they are even solid.”
“It was surreal to play my fnal game, and so much fun having all the seniors on the court together.”
-
Chloe Lee (12)
“It was great because we won, and it felt amazing to demolish the competition 15-0 in our fnal home game.”
-
Alexis Franco (12)
“The crowd’s energy motivated us to play our best, and the juniors did an amazing job with the decor and gifts.”
- Jefriel Baracco (12)
“I thought about all the games leading up to this moment and felt so appreciative of the memories we made.” - Ethan Lau (12)
Hayden Bunce Staff Writer
Have you ever wanted to be so good at what you love the most that you get an award for your performance? Well, on February 3rd, our very own Abigael Zennadi was nominated for Athlete of the Week. This nomination has caused a rollercoaster of emotions that feels like a game-winning goal.
Not only did we learn about this nomination from Instagram but so did the nominee herself. “I’m more surprised than anything. But this nomination reminds me that everything is paying of,” Zennadi states. This hard work ultimately isn’t just showing up to practice. Zennadi focuses on health such as dieting.
This hard work isn’t limited to focusing on health; she also has to keep up with her schoolwork so she can participate in the sport she loves. With this love and skill for soccer, Zennadi sees her future as the next step.
What comes after high school? College! Zennadi ultimately hopes to pursue socer as long as she can. As we grow older and closer to adulthood we ultimately are expected to know what we want to pursue in the future. While some may struggle with what they want to pursue for others such as Zennadi there is a clear-cut path. However, this love and skill of soccer didn’t appear out of thin air her senior year.
With Zennadi wanting to pursue soccer in the future, where did the love for the sport come from? Zennadi states, “I think I’ve been playing since I was 3 or 4, starting of in AYSO then moving to club when I was 7.” Zennadi ultimately has an incredible love for soccer and is dedicated to achieving great things. If you don’t give up and persist you have the ability to clichely reach for the stars.
Like Zennadi, if you are actively doing something you love and are passionate about, keep doing it. As we never know but might be the next star of the week.
As captain of the girls varsity soccer team, senior Abigael Zennadi led her team through an amazing year—going undefeated in league and qualifying for CCS playo s. Zennadi had many notable accomplishments this season, including being nominated for the Bay Area News Group Girls Athlete of the Week and named to the San Mateo Daily Journal’s Athletic Honor Roll for her pivotal performance as a scoring forward. She also hopes to take her talents to the next level by playing collegiate soccer.
Yet, Zennadi’s biggest athletic accomplishment goes beyond the scoreboard. “I feel like my greatest accomplishment [as a soccer player] has been growing as a person,” she stated. As a freshman, Zennadi struggled to open up socially. “When I was younger, I didn’t really interact with people,” she continued, “but playing soccer forced me to talk to others and really get along with them.” Zennadi believes this development has also pushed her to be more social and engage with others beyond just soccer. For students who relate to her journey, Zennadi encourages, “Put yourself out there, and meet new people. [High school] is four years, and it’s going to be gone in a ash… make the most of it.”
says that the incident partially influenced the decision to hang it up.
After 15 years of a long and storied musical career, Abel Tesfaye, popularly known as The Weeknd, is retiring the alias after releasing his long-awaited album ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’. The decision comes from a multitude of factors, ranging from burnout to complete mental exhaustion. In an interview with the trade magazine Variety, Tesfaye states that it’s “a headspace I’ve gotta
get into that I just don’t have any more desire for.” He continues, “I feel like it comes with so much.” The wear and tear it caused his voice didn’t help either; as in 2022, he unexpectedly lost his voice while performing at a concert in SoFi Stadium.
Just four songs in, Tesfaye’s voice started fzzling out to the point where he had to cancel the remainder of the gig in concerns for his health, and not to disappoint the audience with a sub-par performance. In the same interview with Variety, Tesfaye
“Part of me was actually thinking, ‘You lost your voice because it’s done; you said what you had to say. Don’t overstay at the party – you can end it now and live a happy life.’ You know?”
He also feels that everything should feel like a challenge and that for him, the Weeknd, whatever it is, has been mastered. “No one’s gonna do the Weeknd better than me,” he explains, “and I’m not gonna do it better than what it is right now.”
The album itself is not something to be glossed over either: 22 songs with a runtime of eighty-four minutes with each song bringing a unique style not always staying within
the R&B/Soul label the album originally came with. Currently, its most played song is Timeless, which features Atlantabased rapper Playboi Carti. Its second mostplayed song is São Paolo, a Brazilian funkstyle song featuring Brazilian singer Anitta. On a more personal note, my favorite song from the album is Open Hearts. Its Electropop style just hits the right bells in my head, and the themes of struggle and self-confrontation the song brings give it weight bigger than the high-octane club beat it comes with. So, what’s next for Tesfaye? A movie, that’s what. On May 16th of this year, a movie of the same name as the album is slated to be released. A musical psychological
thriller with Tesfaye as the leading star, with Barry Keoghan and Jenna Ortega starring. It serves as something of an extension for the album, tackling the same issues and expanding more on the story of the album itself.
Tesfaye is very excited about the flm, because as previously mentioned, he feels like he has overcome every challenge as the Weeknd, and that’s why he feels excited about it. It’s a new challenge that promises a new beginning as the life of the alter-ego known as the Weeknd comes to a close.
The Grammys 2025, hosted by Trevor Noah, have caused a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the States with its announcements of winners. The award show was started to congratulate the
music feld throughout the year. There are over 90 awards that are given out to artists but only a few of those have the public’s biggest interest. With so many viewers of the Grammys, there are always some people who disagree with the winners.
Known as The Big Award, the Album of the Year is awarded to the singer, featured artist, songwriter(s), and production team for their full album. This year, Beyoncã has been given this honor, making it her 35th Grammy, causing some controversy in the process. The media has been saying that Beyonce ‘rigged’ the Grammys to win Best Record of the Year and how Billie Eilish should’ve gotten the award.
saying that the album was her proudest work yet.
Billie Eilish came out with her album Hit Me Hard and Soft earlier in 2024 and was nominated for seven awards. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to become the winner for any of those awards, even
Being one of the most awarded rappers, Kendrick Lamar has been awarded for 7 nominations and 5 Grammys. His wins were a revolutionary moment in Grammy history because he was able to be awarded many categories from a diss track. He won the awards Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video.
Making her breakthrough album during the summer, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, Chappell Roan took the spot of Best New Artist.
Also becoming a summer hit, Charli XCX won Best Dance/Electronic Album for her track Brat.
In the pop category, Sabrina Carpenter took home two awards, Best Pop Vocal Album for her summer album Short n’ Sweet and Best Pop Solo Performance for Espresso.
Coming out with an alternative R&B and hip-hop album back in August, Doechii won Best Rap Album with Alligator Bites
Never Heal. Though the mixtape was re leased a couple months ago, it gained pop ularity on TikTok with its catchy flow and rhythm.
Coming out with multiple collabs during 2024, Bruno Mars won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with Lady Gaga in their single, Die With A Smile.
The Grammys are a way to introduce new artists to the public while also awarding current and popular singers with their talents. With so many artists bringing out new songs, who will become the next big hit this year?
