Mills Voices Join Silicon Valley Youth Climate Event
Students speak out on local climate and taking action.
News on pg. 2-3
Senior Backpacks: A Trip Down Memory Lane
Seniors reminiscing their childhood by wearing kidthemed backpacks before graduation.
Features on pg. 4-5
Meet the 25-26 Thunderbolt Staff!
A team of writers, editors, and photographers who work behind the scenes to bring the newspaper to you!
Center Spread on pg. 6-7
KATSEYE vs. Sydney Sweeney: Battle of the Denim
How do the different campaign styles influence how the audience views denim?
Opinions on pg. 8-9
Mills Alumni Returns to Coach JV Football
This season starts with a familiar face to the football field, as the JV football coach is covered with school pride.
Sports on pg. 10-11
The Rise of Kpop Demon Hunters
From monster-fighting idols to record-breaking soundtracks, Netflix’s Kpop Demon Hunters is taking fans by storm.
fire evacuations has on her.
“It takes away a lot of time from learning, especially during class, and then that time has to be moved to after school, or at night to study, just go over the concepts that you learned,” Yang says.
The third evacuation occurred on Sep. 5 at 10:57 a.m. during FLEX period, which affected some students’ time management. Yang expressed her opinions on how this evacuation impacted her studying for her physics test and altered her day’s schedule.
“I lost a lot of time during FLEX to study,” Yang responded. “And I was a little bit frustrated because I do a lot of extracurriculars after school, so normally I have really little time to study, so I had to move my time and study at night instead of during FLEX.”
The second and fourth evacuations of this school year, which happened on Aug. 15 at 12:10 p.m. during fourth period and after school on Sept. 10 at 2:55 p.m., were both confirmed by Assistant Principal James Ortega to be caused by students vaping in the
Create. Narrate. Resonate.
Aug. 14 at 10:08 a.m., the second day of the 2025-2026 school year, the first of many fire alarms to come, went off. All Mills students and staff followed the standard fire evacuation protocol and filed out to the designated baseball field, awaiting the announcement to go back to class.
In December 2020, the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) Board passed a district-wide decision to replace the outdated fire systems. Mills executed this plan four years later, and updated the school’s fire systems in the 2024-2025 school year. The fire systems at Mills consist of heat sensors and smoke sensors. When these sensors detect heat or smoke, they trigger an automated voice system, flashing lights, and sends an automatic message to the fire department. Each time the fire department is notified because of a false alarm, there is a fine for their services to come check and to provide emergency aid.
Safety or Distraction? Mills Repeated Fire Alarms
The first evacuation, which happened during second period, was the result of an equipment malfunction. When a student accidentally bumped into a red postindicator-valve (PIV) post, which is a visual indicator to show if a control valve is open or shut and allows access to the water supply for fire protection, they set off the fire alarm system.
During many of the evacuations, the bell schedule has been revised with shortened periods to give students enough time for break. Karen Yang (10) speaks about the impact that the revised schedules due to
bathrooms.
The Mills administration addresses the consequences for students who are responsible for causing school-wide fire evacuations. AP Ortega explained the possible repercussions for student-caused fire alarms.
“Students that are causing it due to something else that they’re doing, like vaping or smoking or something like that,” Ortega said. “Well, there’s consequences in the sense that we call home. We follow the discipline matrix for the district appropriately if they cause loss of instructional time.” Ortega continued, stating additional consequences, which include suspensions, IRCs (intervention resource classrooms), and etc., “We recommend them to support programs like nicotine addiction or substance dependence, to just try to support anything that they’re having trouble with, because ultimately, we’re trying to support the student as a whole, and not just trying to get them into trouble.”
AP Ortega further elaborates on what the school is doing to respond to and prevent further class interruptions due to fire
evacuations.
“We’re addressing it with the students,” Ortega replied. “We’re addressing it with the families of the students that have caused the incidents. And we are just trying to make sure that our campus security team is also aware of what has happened, so then they can make sure to stay in areas where that might happen more frequently, so that it doesn’t happen again.” The administrative staff also has access to security cameras on campus. Ortega added, “I have some of the cameras running on my computer all the time, to keep an eye out, just so this doesn’t happen again.” With the fire alarms going off very often, AP Ortega stated the significance of treating all fire alarms with the same attitude.
“If something is frequently happening, you don’t take it as seriously as you should,” Ortega emphasized. “But you know, definitely it’s important for us to take everything seriously, like, if we ever have an evacuation, like, we should treat it as if it’s, like, seriously happening.”
Olivia Ma,StaffWriter
EVACUATION: Students and staff evacuating to the field after the fire alarm rang on September 5. MIKAYLA HO / The Thunderbolt
Mabel Kaufman Staff Writer it’s going to be, is increasing for our district, like 25% which is a lot of money, equates to millions of dollars.”
The teachers union of SMUHSD is working with the school district to find a more affordable healthcare plan due to the rising healthcare costs. While they are working on this currently, nothing is permanent and the whole discussion is still ongoing.
Because of the rising healthcare costs, the district may not be able to cover the employees’ full healthcare, leaving the union and the district to work together to either cut costs from other departments or find a different healthcare option. A projected 30% cost increase for a staff of over 1,000 employees would present a significant budget challenge.
As Steven Wang, co-building president for the Mills High School teachers union, stated, “Starting 2026 the quotes, or the prices that we’re being told
According to Wang, the past and current healthcare contracts between the district and union covered all premiums and helped to maintain co-pays, or out of pocket fees, at a “low and affordable” rate. However, this will not be the case in 2026.
The effects of rising healthcare will not just affect the district. If the union and SMUHSD are unable to find a solution to this, it will negatively impact the teachers. Wang expressed a potential scenario: “Since premiums are increasing, as much as thousands of dollars per family per month, the potential impact on teachers would be having to pay out of pocket each month to subsidize the new higher premiums, and/or having much higher co-pays when they actually go in to get medical care.”
When talking to Mrs. Kovacs, a Mills High School math
teacher, she expressed her opinion on the situation by saying, “If I can’t afford to comfortably live here, then I might seek a different lo cation to live where I could, like actually, start a family and have a house and do that kind of thing. And so I do think it is a pretty seri ous consideration, and it could have a big impact on teacher retention and who’s able to stay in the area and continue to teach here.”
Mills Embraces Solar Energy
Over the summer, construction began on the southern and western edges of the school for new installations that appear to be a rectangular assembly layered with silicone, covered by white lines resembling boxes in rows. Solar panels, which aren’t solely a spot to hide from the sun, could be the beginning of green energy being introduced to schools all across SMUHSD, with Mills being one of the schools to begin its reusable energy journey.
Senai Rivas Staff Writer to address climate change … Some of the more local benefits for our school in particular is that it provides more shade for our students around the campus,” she emphasized. “The
something that’s already taking part in their daily lives. “In the very front, there’s a whole bunch of shade now because of them, so I hang out there when it’s really sunny,” said Branda
“It has a lot of benefits,”
Principal Duszynski said. “First of all, it’s solar energy, and we know as we face climate change that we have to do more green energy in order to lower our emissions and try
third benefit that I’ve noticed is that it provides more lighting for our campus.” For students, it seems to be
Chavez (12). She mentioned it seems to be benefiting her on the days when she just wants to relax.
Most construction is finished, but there are still a few things that aren’t done. As Duszynski said, “I just really wanna thank our staff and our students for being flexible with that. And at this time, I think they’re pretty much complete. They still have a little cleanup to do with some of the storage that they’re keeping in the west parking lot and the porta-potties in the front lot.”
This project, which took place from the start of summer, is finally coming to an end and will soon mark the beginning of something new from the school district, with Duszynski involved, to help Mills start its journey with renewable energy. This initiative could eventually serve as a model for other schools in the Bay Area.
This initiative could eventually serve as a model for other schools in the Bay Area .
StarVista Closes its Doors for Good
Adrian Lopez Staff Writer
StarVista was a mental health resource that many teens attended to when they needed help. Without it, there’s a chance that some teens will struggle in silence. Recently on August 1, 2025, this resource was permanently closed in San Mateo, CA.
For many teens, StarVista was an important place to get help. It offered a safe space where young people could talk about mental health without feeling judged. Programs like suicide prevention and counseling were designed specifically for teens, helping them deal with stress, anxiety, and other difficult issues. It was a place where teens could speak openly about their struggles without feeling misunderstood by adults.
“When cuts are made
to programs…I think a lot of people don’t take the time to think of the impact it has on because, because people either don’t care or they just don’t understand what kind of service that provides to, you know, the community,” said Justin Cottrell, Mills Health Education teacher.
The closing of StarVista means that teens will lose a place where they could talk to people who really understood them. The staff there were trained to help young people in a way that felt comfortable and familiar. Teens could get help with difficult topics, like suicide
prevention, in a way that made sense to them, something many people struggle to do.
“I feel like StarVista was one of those groups that responded, you know, kids were able to respond to the way they presented things[…] I feel like that’s a big loss. When we lose a group like that, it’s never good, you know. And I’m hoping that people who are responsible, when they think about these cuts, like our lawmakers, that they understand the impact it has on young people,” Cottrell added.
Now that StarVista is gone, many teens will have a harder time finding
the support that they need. For some, StarVista was the only place they felt comfortable reaching out for help. Without this resource, there’s a chance teens will struggle alone.
Losing a service like StarVista is especially difficult because there aren’t many places for teens to get mental health help in a way that makes sense to them. It’s not just about closing one program, it’s about taking away a lifeline for many young people who need it.
The closure of StarVista is a reminder of how important it is to have services that help teens with mental health in ways that they can relate to. As more and more young people struggle with mental health, losing a place like StarVista makes things even harder for them. The hope is that the community will find ways to fill the gap and continue supporting teens who need it most.
SENAI RIVAS / The Thunderbolt
SOLAR PANELS: Providing shade and energy above the front parking lot
STEVEN WANG: Co-building president for the Mills High teachers’ union
MABEL KAUFMAN / The Thunderbolt
Mills Admin Enforces Stricter Campus Policy
Rufella Roldan Staff Writer
On August 20th, the school administrators sent out an email announcing a stricter enforcement of the school’s closed campus policy. With these new rules, students are no longer allowed to leave school campus during lunch without explicit permission from staff. Off campus visits for personal errands or conveniences are also prohibited. It has been noted by staff that students who voluntarily leave during free periods either return tardy or leave completely which raises safety and security concerns for staff. Due to
this, administration works on enforcing a stricter closed policy rule to ensure student safety in case of emergencies. Failure to comply will also result in punishments such as students being “subject to disciplinary consequences, including losing school privileges (dances, rallies, athletics, prom).” as stated from an email sent by administrators. However, this decision has sparked many mixed feelings amongst students. Many feel restricted and frustrated that administrators have limited their personal freedom.
Tania Wain (12) shared her perspective and states: “I’ve heard from Mr. Lira that students wouldn’t come back after lunch, and since we’re pretty close to El Camino–that’s
a busy road, you never know what could happen,” exhibiting one of the main safety concerns staff have for students. “I think what my friends have been saying, everyone wishes it wasn’t a closed campus because a lot of schools have an open campus for lunch, and I think it’s just the idea of being able to go somewhere.” Wain added, referencing the freedom students missed with having a more lenient closed campus policy.
Another senior, Leona Sin, also had a similar but different approach: “I don’t really care because I don’t leave anyway but for those who do, should be allowed to because what if we want food? I mean as long as we come back in time, it should be fine.” Indicating students want some time off campus for personal necessities despite staff concerns about attendance and security.
Teachers have also weighed with Don Burdette, U.S. History and psychology teacher, being an advocate for the students. “The main reason is really a surprise. You would think it’s because of tardies and students abusing the policy. And even though that was a problem, it wasn’t enough of a problem to end the program. The issue was surprisingly from the Millbrae businesses. A lot of customers at various businesses had a problem with students
descending on Millbrae. Apparently the businesses cared more about those older regular customers than they did from the profit from the students that would come to lunch.”
With his remarks, they suggest that although local businesses have been concerned with handfuls of students resorting to businesses for lunches and overwhelming business owners, Burdette’s comments lean towards supporting the students’ side and showing that they play a role in Millbrae’s business activity and should not be disregarded in conversation about the new policy.
The stricter closed campus policy has brought up much feedback from staff and students. Some staff say it’s about keeping students safe, while many students feel like it takes away their freedom. Teachers such as Burdette, pointed out that businesses in the Millbrae area were a huge part of the reason why the policy has been reinforced. Whether or not the policy stays this way, it has definitely started a bigger conversation about how much freedom students should really have during school hours.
Mills Speaks at Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action
Tiffany Pham Staff Writer
Taking action locally can lead to big changes. That was the focus of “Mastering Local Climate Advocacy,” a recent event hosted by Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action (SVYCA) in collaboration with 350 Silicon Valley. The event helped students learn how to speak up for the environment and become strong climate advocates in their communities.
SVYCA is a youth-led organization with members across the Bay Area, including students from Mills. SVYCA gives students opportunities to fight climate change through education, leadership, and policy. At
the event, attendees learned how to prepare public comments, write effective letters, and make their voices heard by local city councils and commissions.
Two Mills High School students, Aisha Afaf (11) and Charlotte Liang (11), were invited to speak at the event alongside San Mateo Deputy Mayor Adam Loraine, energy consultant Joseph Chen, and other community leaders.
Liang, who serves as SVYCA’s Education Officer, explained that her part of the presentation was about giving people the tools to speak up.
“My part focused on why local action is so powerful, plus tips for giving a public comment, how to prepare one, how to write letters and sign-on let-
ters, and really make our voices heard with city councils and commissions,” Liang said.
Although technical issues reduced the live audience, she said the smaller group stayed engaged and motivated.
“What stood out was how much people truly cared,” she said. “Seeing both adults and youth leaning in and asking questions gave me so much hope. It reminded me how powerful community can be when people come together for climate action.”
Aisha Afaf, who has been involved in advocacy work since middle school, brought her own perspective to the event. She spoke about the importance of youth voices in climate action.
“During the event I spoke on the importance of local advocacy and how people should always advocate and speak for their needs,” she said. “When I heard of this opportunity I was really excited to combine my passion for both advocacy and public speaking and teach people about something I love.”
She added that she especially enjoyed the audience’s curiosity.
“I really loved the interactions between the speakers and the audience as we had a lot of people ask questions and be readily involved,” Afaf Aisha said.
The event also highlighted why local climate action is so important. Unlike national
projects, local initiatives can often be completed in one to two years, creating clearer results more quickly and inspiring others to join in.
Both students agreed that youth leadership has the power to drive real change. Events like these show that even small, lo cal actions can spread widely and make a last ing difference in the fight against climate change. With events like this, students are showing that the next generation is ready to lead the way toward a more sustainable future.
RUFELLA ROLDAN / The Thunderbolt
MATH HALL:
CHARLOTTE LIANG / Mills High School
PRESENTATION: Slide showing useful communication strategies and tips
CHARLOTTE LIANG / Mills High School
ADVOCACY LETTER: Demonstrating how messages amplify youth voices
RUFELLA ROLDAN / The Thunderbolt
CENTER COURT: Where students are required to stay during lunch time
Life after high school does not always follow a straight path. Mills alumna Kaela Stonebarger (class of 2019) discovered this herself. Now working as an administrative assistant alongside the assistant coach for the Mills girls varsity basketball team, she describes her journey as a “roller coaster” filled with challenges, transfers, and growth.
After graduating, Stonebarger first committed to Pacific University to play basketball. She later realized the program wasn’t the right fit.
“I wasn’t happy there basketball wise. I felt like my talents could be used more elsewhere,” she explained. She moved back home and transferred to City College of San Francisco, where COVID and eligibility rules kept her off the court for some time. Still, she earned her associate’s degree in business administration.
Stonebarger then transferred to Multnomah University in Portland, Oregon, where she finished her basketball career and earned her bachelor’s.
“Going through adversity I guess and just kinda like being able to adapt wherever I was kind of made me who I am today and where I am work wise, so I’m very grateful,” she said.
KAELA STONEBARGER
Her four years at Mills left a lasting impact on her motivation and character. She credited longtime girls varsity basketball coach Dave Matsu for teaching her many life lessons. One in particular was “[put] 110% into everything that you do,” she recalled. She continued, “I believe if you like really work hard and you really pursue something that you wanna do you’ll be able to achieve that goal.” Her effort showed during her time in high school, as she was named to the Mills Hall of Fame twice – once as a junior and again as a senior.
When asked what advice she’d give students, Stonebarger didn’t hesitate to say, “You don’t want to be doing things all by yourself or alone.” She continued, “You wanna have people who support you so that’s why I would say not [to] burn bridges and just always [put] 110% into everything that you do.”
Her impact on Mills goes far beyond her time as a student-athlete. Stonebarger has shown what it means to be a true Viking. Hopefully, her legacy inspires and reminds current students that hard work, perseverance, and community can leave a lasting mark.
Amelia Percy-Wong Staff Writer
Do you ever find yourself bored with the limited selection of restaurants in Millbrae?
We have a plethora of Chinese restaurants, boba shops, fast food chains, Mexican food locations, and the rare Indian restaurants. But is it enough?
The importance of trying new things and exploring outside of your comfort zone is crucial. The restaurants in Millbrae should embrace the entirety of vibrant cultures of the Bay Area. So join me in this breakdown of one of Millbrae’s new and more unique restaurants, Momo & Curry Nepal.
Momo & Curry Nepal is a restaurant located at 435 Broadway in Millbrae. This local restaurant serves authentic Nepalese cuisine, momo and curry being their specialties. When you enter the restaurant you are met with friendly faces, calming music, and a large wall size painting of the Himalayan ridge located in Nepal. “Do not make it private. Leave this point for everyone,” Manager Agni Rai encouraged. The restaurant’s goal is to make an open, welcoming place where people can try new foods and create a sense of community. They hope to motivate people to see each other’s food and want to try or order that dish. This restaurant establishes the perfect environment for people to explore new delicious foods with complex flavour profiles.
This restaurant has an expansive menu with plenty of variety. For their star dish, momo, they provide multiple cooking options such as steamed, tandoori, jhoul, and
AND INTERIOR: Photosfeaturingtherestaurantanditsfoodoptions
more. For filling options they have chicken, lamb, paneer and veggie, all seasoned to perfection, hidden inside a thin sheet of dough. Their momo, while simple and similar in appearance to a Chinese dumpling, is unlike anything in Millbrae.
”We do not have so many things, but we are trying lim-
ited spices, with unlimited flavours,” Rai stated. Even with limited ingredients, they execute a variety of delicious food, all special in their own way.
A similar theme throughout their menu is their selection of meat options but also vegetarian food items. Their curries are mainly composed
of tomato, meat and other ingredients that pair well with their naan. However, for a more healthy choice, roti made of whole wheat is a better alternative, and is just as appetizing. This restaurant prioritizes taste and customer satisfaction. To ensure great flavours every time, they use organic ingredients and make everything fresh. ”I want to provide fresh food to customers. We care about safety, the taste and consistency,” Rai explained. This taste emulates elements from Indian cuisine but is completely its own, reflecting the beautiful cuisine from Nepal as well.
Beyond the spices and delicious flavours, the restaurant is much more than just another food spot; it brings food and culture from around the Himalayan ridge to more secluded areas like Millbrae. ”Most of the ingredients come from Nepal and some of it from here, so we bring those things together and we mix it up in our way,” Rai said. When asked about his favorite part about working at Momo & Curry Nepal, Rai responded that he wanted “to bring something new from the Mount Everest range [to where] these kinds of cuisines are not available.”
Although this establishment, like any other place, wishes to make business, they prioritize service, taste, and authenticity. ”We are not only here to make business. We are here to serve this community as well,” Rai shared. He said, “So if the communities are really happy or we can make them satisfied with our service, with our food taste, with a small smile, [then] it means we have succeeded.”
Milli Cafe Food and Drink Review
Hayden Bunce Staff Writer
Recently, a new cafe in the Mills area has taken the community by storm. Milli Cafe is a new cafe that opened recently on Broadway. With a variety of boba shops around Mills, it helps mix up what one might want. There are numerous drinks and a variety of pastry items, however, the prices are standard and comparable to those you might find at a cafe. The interior design of the restaurant was enough to remind me of a picture from 2016 on Tumblr. The different varieties of drinks and pastries are enough to make one spend all their money.
To wash the various food items down, I of course had to have a matcha. Personally, it was the best matcha I’ve ever had, and this is despite my terrible luck with the drink in the past. It was this perfect blend of bitter but sweet, and it had this smooth texture that was just satisfying to drink. The only bummer was the size, or the lack thereof. The small size left me pining for more, however, the food was enough to satisfy my hunger for a week.
The apple strudel was the first item I ate, and it made me feel like Snow White if she were not poisoned by the
evil queen. The crust had the perfect texture that made me feel like I was eating a pie from a Michelin-starred chef. The crust mixed with the apples ended up being this amazing handheld pie, perfect for those aesthetic fall pictures. Unfortunately, you can’t love everything on a menu.
The next item I ate was their leek and parmesan breakfast croissant, which was only a miss because I’m not a fan of leeks. However, I did love the egg and cheese part because you can’t go wrong with that. If you are adventurous and not as picky as I am, this could be something that is up your alley.
The next thing is an item that is more my speed, as I have a huge sweet tooth.
Not to be dramatic, but as someone who eats a lot of chocolate croissants, this was probably the best one I have eaten. The crust was flaky and buttery, but it wasn’t too much; it was the perfect amount. The chocolate used wasn’t too sweet or bitter, which was great, and it was delicious. The final thing I ate was a snickerdoodle cookie. These cookies are freshly made daily, so this adds character to a cafe some might consider sterile. It tasted like a standard cookie, but unfortunately, it was chewy because I came near closing time so it was kind of hard to eat. If you are really craving a cookie and you buy from here, I would recommend getting it, but other than that, I’d recommend one of their other pastries. Ultimately, the food that the cafe sold was incredibly satisfying. If you were to get anything from there, I would recommend the apple strudel. It was a magical experience that I still dream about. As much as I would have loved to buy and try every drink on the menu, that would break my bank account, and I unfortunately do not have YouTuber funds. If you want to taste the 2016 joys of Milli Cafe, it’s open until 4 p.m. every day.
MENU
AMELIA PERCY-WONG / The Thunderbolt
TWO MENU ITEMS: A photo of Milli Cafe’s matcha drink and apple strudel
HAYDEN BUNCE / The Thunderbolt
Senior Backpacks: A Trip Down Memory Lane
DanicaVazquez Staff Writer
A new trend has taken over the Mills High School senior class of 2026: kid-themed backpacks! Taking inspiration from TikTok, seniors have started wearing backpacks featuring childhood characters from cartoons, shows, movies, and games.
The backpack themes range from characters such as “Barbie” and “Hello Kitty” to shows such as “My Little Pony”, “SpongeBob”, “Pokémon”, and “Transformers”, showing just how many different childhood favorites seniors are bringing back. This tradition is both playful and nostalgic, giving seniors a chance to express themselves during what can be a particularly stressful final year of high school.
“I was excited to get a school backpack because I think it’s cute and a fun way to express yourself,” Olivia Arcelona (12) said, “I knew I wanted Hello Kitty because growing up, I always liked Hello Kitty.” She also mentioned that she enjoys seeing the variety of different backpacks on campus. She added, “I think all of the backpacks are creative [and] I do think it’s a fun trend for se-
niors because it allows them to feel nostalgia and express themselves.”
Another senior, Ytzel Ramirez, explained the significance behind her backpack choice. “I decided to choose Tinker Bell for my backpack because growing up, I loved the
Tinker Bell movies,” Ramirez said. “I think it just makes me really nostalgic and kind of miss my childhood, but I think that it’s also a really good connection to remembering the way I grew up and how much fun my entire childhood was.” She continued, “I think it’s kind of a cute way to connect to other people, like I like your backpack because I watched that growing up too or something like that.”
Overall, students feel the senior backpack trend has brought additional fun and enjoyment to their school days. With fun, eye-catching backpacks filling the halls, the senior backpack trend is leaving a significant mark on the class of 2026. As students prepare for graduation and life after high school, their backpacks serve as a reminder of the childhood memories that shaped them.
Brown Bag Lunch Concerts and Performances
Samantha Liew Staff Writer
During a typical day, whether you are a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior, the day is usually busy full of work for classes or extracurricular activities after school. During lunch and brunch are the times where you are able to relax and take a break. For many years, the Mills Music Department has put on lunch performances called Brown Bags. These informal concerts held during lunch are a casual and cozy thing. Whether you are having a good or bad day, it’s always nice to listen to some music. Whether it is a jazzy tune or an upbeat song, it can make your day. What exactly are Brown
They encourage the community to come together and it’s not a serious event where you have to dress up or buy a ticket to attend. Zaina Baluom (11) has taken up a new role that was recently added in the Mills Music Department. She oversees the logistics and ensures that performers are well prepared for the Brown Bags. Not only does she lead these projects, she performs in many of them as well. When asked what the goal was for these Brown Bag concerts, she responded, “They’re so important for our community at Mills, it’s just like providing the students something to connect over and giving everyone in the music department a chance to, you know, really express themselves and get creative.” There are many ways that you can express yourself at Mills or be creative, whether it is what you wear or what you do. But these concerts aren’t just meant to be seen, they also inspire those who are willing to jump into a new creative
zone of musical making. Daniel Grimkov (11) plays the guitar for the Mills Jazz Band and for these Brown Bags. Some of the thoughts that he shared about practices for the Brown Bags give us a little insight on how they really work. He talked about how they usually practice during Flex, lunch, or after school. They also transcribe charts, which is reformatting original pieces into a detailed reference that others are able to read and play. When asked what it was like practicing with his bandmates, he said, “[It’s] amazing because it’s a good
community and it’s a lot of fun, [and] because we all share a good passion for music.” It is marvelous to see a group of people work together to create something so wonderful to listen to. The community that these Brown Bags build is also seen through the companionship of these bands. Not only do the performers love to play and jam out, but the listeners find it entertaining and lively as well. Justin Evanchik (11) has said that he enjoys having the music there, sharing, “It’s a fun thing to sit there with your friends and lis-
ten to the music.” Many come and gather to hear the performance and even if you sit far away you are still able to hear all the songs playing.
Ultimately, these performances have been a great success in this school for the bands that have performed for these concerts. Whether it is for the crowds they bring in or the lively environment they create, these performances and performers are greatly appreciated. Whether you are reading this as a listener or as a performer, you should be inspired to expand on your creativity.
SENIOR KID BAGS: A group of senior girls show off their backpacks and the fun cartoon character designs they chose that represent their childhood
AISLINN XIAO / Mills High School
MEAGAN SO / The Thunderbolt
BROWN BAG SHOW PREPARATION: Mills jazz band members set up for the lunch performance on Sept. 18, 2025
the staff behind the school newspaper :)
Back Row: Anthony Pretto (Advisor), Adrian Lopez (11), Samantha Liew (11), Sofia Madrigal (12), Danica Vazquez (12), Muunee ShineOd (9), Erick Pena (9), Michael Pacheco (12)
Second Row: Neola Lo (9), Mabel Kaufman (9), Ellie Kang (9), Rufella Roldan (12), Isabella Morales (11), Anne Silveira (11), Senai Rivas (11)
Third Row: Madison Sneed (9), Amelia Percy-Wong (10), Hayden Bunce (12), Olivia Ma (9), Iris Lee Chou (9), Tiffany Pham (9), Natalie Tam (9)
Editor Row: Elijah Cabatic (12), Meagan So (10), Madyson Tang (10), Amelia Naughten (12), Emily Wu (10), Mikayla Ho (10), Matthew Du (10)
Hey Vikings!
Letter from the EditorIn-Chief
Welcome to The Thunderbolt’s first issue of the year! I’m super proud of all the hard work that the staff, editors, and our advisor, Mr. Pretto, have put into the September edition. From fire alarms to Kpop Demon Hunters, we’re excited to share the unique stories that shape Mills.
For this volume, we’ll be introducing two new columns: Thunderboxd and Hot Takes. We’re also excited to be featuring student work from our new club: the Thunderbolt Creative Committee (TCC). Led by Center Spread Editor Mikayla and News Editor Emily, the TCC aims to give creative students outside of the journalism class an opportunity to contribute to our monthly publications and learn more about the newspaper’s inner workings.
This will also be my fourth and final year on the Thunderbolt team, and now as your Editor-in-Chief, I look forward to serving the Mills community with honest and relevant news one last time. I hope that the paper continues to be a place where every group at Mills feels visible, and above all, I hope our staff and other students at Mills find their voice here just as I did.
Thank you for supporting student journalism and stay tuned
Introducing New Faculty
Ellie Kang Staff Writer
eatrice Tesorero is currently an English teacher, teaching 10th and 12th graders. Before coming to Mills, Tesorero taught at Abraham Lincoln High School for nine years and during her 10th year, she was a teacher that supported all middle school and high school English teachers. Outside of teaching, she likes cooking for others, supporting her son, and watching K-dramas. She hopes to build relationships with her co-workers and students here. Lastly, she shares her words of motivation for students, “The only person who gets to determine whether or not you can or can’t do something is you.”
Elizabeth Kendall has been a teacher for five years and is now a science teacher for 10th to 12th graders. Besides teaching, Dr. Kendall is in a choir and enjoys singing. This year, she hopes to make physics enjoyable to her students. She offers a piece of advice by saying, “Keep asking questions, everyone probably has the same question.”
lexis Castaneda is a new ninth grade biology and biotechnology teacher this year. She taught at San Francisco International High School for four years before Mills. Some of her hobbies include running, playing Pokémon, playing video games, and dancing to zumba. Her goal for the academic year is to increase hands-on learning in biotech, hoping to have at least one experiment every two weeks. Some words of advice Alexis shares are, “Invest in your sleep; it’s worth it,” she says. “One hour of sleep is better than one hour of study.”
Last
year, Shannon Lane was an assistant principal but returned as an English teacher for ninth and 10th graders this year. Over the last 23 years of being in the education department, she has been an administrator for 12 years and a teacher for 11. Her hobbies include going to the theater, watch- ing movies, reading, and game nights with her family. Since it’s her first year back in the classroom, she looks forward to get- ting back into the groove of teaching. Lane finishes off by saying, “We as the adults in this space are here to help you prep you for whatever your future is.”
JamesOrtega is the new assistant principal for the ninth and 10th graders. He was initially at Skyline High School for four years as an assistant principal. His hobbies outside of school include crafts like 3D printing, embroidery, sewing, and screen printing. He wishes to give extra support to the multi language learners. To end, Ortega tells us, “High school takes perseverance and not everything is going to, you know, go right the first time but you just gotta keep trying.”
PamelaLuna has been teaching for 14 years and is currently in the math department. She is a first-generation student that attended Stanford and No- tre Dame. Since Luna moved a lot growing up, she was surrounded by many new languages. Despite it, she has always felt a connection with math because it is a universal language. In her free time, she likes going hiking, camping, spending time with her family, painting, drawing, and listening to music. Since she is new at Mills, she hopes to get to know ev- eryone and help students prog- ress as they learn. She fin- ishes off by sharing her words of wisdom, “Life like a song. The you dance is the way you are.”
Opinions
KATSEYE vs. Sydney Sweeney: Battle of the Denim
Popular actress Sydney Sweeney was recently featured in an American Eagle (a well-known American clothing line) advertisement promoting women’s jeans. The ad sparked controversy online due to its play on the word “genes” and “jeans.” Many people have criticized the campaign, accusing it of highlighting white supremacy. When I first came across this ad on my TikTok For You page, I noticed that it was receiving an immense amount of hate. Curious, I decided to look it up myself, only to find out they weren’t exaggerating.
I have several critiques I’d like to make regarding this ad and Sydney Sweeney’s role in it. I noticed that this ad was completely catered toward men, even though the jeans were made for women. Sweeney is being overly sexualized, which made me question who the target audience really was, considering most men don’t buy themselves women’s jeans. She also made an especially off-putting comment, “My eyes are up here,” while the camera zoomed down to her chest area. I thought, isn’t this ad supposed to be about your jeans? No, not genes —JEANS.
This part of the ad received the most backlash. The comments and references felt unnecessary and offensive to people of other races. It came
across as rubbing white supremacy in people’s faces, somewhat pushing the idea that being white is superior because of having “better GENES”. I, along with many others of different racial backgrounds, found it really unsettling — Sweeney didn’t need to play around with the word like that.
As Athena Casco (11) mentions, “Sydney Sweeney’s ad was basically a dialogue of herself and everything. And I think that’s when it became more controversial, especially about what she said, like genes, and that
her genes are better than anyone else’s.” Nothing about this ad made sense to me, and I’m confused on why the campaign thought it would be a good idea.
As a woman, who the ad was supposed to be directed toward, I found it to be super boring and slow paced. I don’t want to watch Sweeney talk seductively while a camera zooms up and down her body. Why would that make me want to buy the jeans? The production was very questionable to say the least. It was so awkward to
watch, and not to mention the dead silence in the background. Sweeney keeps featuring in these weird ads intended to capture male gaze. Either she’s making an insane amount of money off them, or she’s not much different from the character, Cassie, She played in “Euphoria.” Lately, that’s exactly who she’s been reminding me of due to her putting herself in these situations. Both of them seem to really care about male attention, rather than respecting themselves. In Sweeney’s own words: “Genes are passed
down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color.” I think that Sydney Sweeney is a beautiful girl, which is why she should stop trying to prove it to men. However, not all jean ads are bad. The American multinational clothing retailer Gap recently came out with an ad campaign titled “Better in Denim” featuring the popular girl band KATSEYE. In the ad, the girls are seen dancing to the singer Kelis’ song “Milkshake.” This ad has become an absolute hit with over 23 million plays on TikTok to date. The dance’s choreography is literally addictive, making it so trendy.
The variety of culture really stood out to me as powerful and beautiful. All the girls are so unique and diverse, with excellent dancing skills.
This ad was released not long after the infamous American Eagle ad, making it feel like a subtle response proving that all “genes” are equally gorgeous. KATSEYE didn’t hold back in showing us how it’s done. Now this is how you sell out. I mean, the dancing, the entertainment value, and the diversity were all so great to see in an ad. I always thought Gap was boring — but I guess I was wrong. I felt genuinely entertained after watching it.
I’m not someone who wears jeans often — or even at all — but I would definitely buy these. This ad really hit the nail on the head when it came to reaching its target audience. Maybe jeans are cool after all.
Mills Student Parking Lot: Seniority vs. Reality
Every morning, the student parking lot carries an uneasy energy, fueled by upperclassmen pride. Many of the students have been finding it difficult in the mornings to find parking, some coming 30-40 minutes early to secure their spot. The limited parking this school year has increased due to the installation of new solar panels, sparking tension between seniors and underclassmen who unknowingly park in “claimed” spots.
Just as upperclassmen often claim lunch tables as their own, this false superiority complex has taken over the student parking lot. Adriana
Issa, a junior who used to park in the fourth row, discovered that her car was getting frequently vandalized along with phrases “GTFO” and “Move Babe.” Even after the administration helped Issa by showing her the security cameras, she was left to confront the group alone. In such an extreme situation that put both sides in a weird and unsafe position, the administration chose to stand by and disregard the story as a whole. Her story highlights how the scarcity of parking has led to tense disputes between students. Even after confronting the seniors, Issa still feels unsettled and is no longer parking in that spot. “But now I park different places because I don’t want to deal with it,” Issa shared.
Surprisingly, most seniors aren’t aware of the tension faced in the parking lot. Some seniors seem to care more about it than others.
Senior Madison Wong, who normally parks in the first row shared, “It doesn’t really matter to me but personally for them, they have a different perspective of that.” Wong shared that some days are busier than others and she normally gets to Mills around 8:10 a.m. to secure parking. When I asked her how she felt about the seniors getting upset over someone taking their favorite spot, she argued, “First come first serve, it’s not like I’m gonna crash into someone’s car if they park in ‘my’ parking spot, cause I don’t have one.” After introducing the idea
of having an only senior lot, with designated spots for students, she shared, “I don’t think they should have their own parking space because I wouldn’t even be able to remember which one is my parking spot.”
It’s upsetting that the admin doesn’t see situations like Issa’s as a priority and are not doing more to prevent future situations. By not having incidents like this be managed properly, who is to say that the
math teachers who park in the same lot are not also at risk of being the next victim? Would the response be more serious if a faculty member’s car was targeted? When I asked Dean Tim Christian about this idea, he shared, “You can imagine that if a kid goes and messes with a teacher’s car, the repercussions would be pretty significant.”
Christian views the issue as a mix of entitlement and tradition.
“When you create scarcity, through scarcity, demand.” When I asked him for his thoughts on whether the actions by some of the seniors
crossed into entitlement he agreed, saying, “It’s entitlement. Yeah, it’s senior privilege.” It’s normal in high school for upperclassmen to feel entitled to get the best treatment including special seating at football games, best color for rallies, and best parking spots. But does this excuse ignorant behavior from seniors as well?
If serious incidents continue to erupt in the parking lot, Christian warns, “Instead of you guys [student drivers] finding your way, then adults will be out there, and you guys may not like decisions that adults make.” The good thing about Mills is the administration gives the student body leeway to make decisions and do what they want. But when problems begin to rise where students aren’t listening or are causing problems, it forces the admin to take control.
Personally, I support students arriving early to get their favorite spot; it demonstrates responsibility and thinking ahead. But no student, no matter their grade, should feel that just because they get here early to park in a specific spot that it belongs to them. If you roll around at 8:29 in the morning, don’t expect your perfect spot to still be available just for you. Christian’s advice for students so eager to get their favorite spot? “Get your butt to school before anybody else and you’ll get where you want.”
Administrators are looking into and discussing ideas in regards to permit parking. The
new solar panels that were installed this year took away an estimated ten parking spots. Furthermore, many math teachers park in that lot as well, making the available parking even less. In total, the students have 66 parking spots available in the lot. With the recent shift of parking availability, having parking permits or reserving a section of the lot for seniors could help create a less hostile environment.
Christian revealed that James Ortega, the new assistant principal, is “entertaining the idea” of assigning parking spaces. Christian believes that seniors should be given an area in the parking lot that is strictly for them, but he also said that “the principle doesn’t really roll like that though, like showing favoritism.” Personally I think having admin step in to create a system would better help the parking lot run safe and smooth in the mornings. As for now, I think if students care so much about a spot, it’s their responsibility to get here early. No matter what though, vandalism or harassment should never come from someone not getting their spot in the lot. Though the idea is still fresh, having that structure in regards to parking would help regulate the students throughout the year.
For seniors still clinging to unassigned spots, Christian advises, “Don’t show up at the witching hour and then start riding your broom around all pissed off because somebody’s in your spot.”
KATSEYE VS. SYDNEY SWEENEY: Current displays at American Eagle and Gap at Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo
ELIJAH CABATIC / The Thunderbolt
VANDALISM: Issa’s car with GTFO written on the window
ADRIANA ISSA / Mills High School
PARKING: Mills student parking lot
SOFIA MADRIGAL / The Thunderbolt
Anne Silveira Staff Writer
Sofia Madrigal Staff Writer
Are AI Bands and Art Ethical?
Muunee ShineOd Staff Writer
Artificial intelligence (AI) has gone beyond just controlling robots; it has found its way into our world of art and music. AI programs are now able to create artwork in seconds and make “bands” that release songs on Spotify. I don’t just find AI generated music and art unethical, I also think they are extremely detrimental to students’ creativity.
Music and art are more than just numbers and code, they have feelings, pain, and expressions AI is not able to convey. Student musician, Ann Zhou (12) says, “It [AI generated music] was just very generic, right? There wasn’t really anything that I could remember besides it sounded like that.” AI music doesn’t represent emotions or stand out the way real music from musicians do, generating sounds that replicate the sound of an instrument but are not real instrument sounds. The usage of AI in creating songs and art can be harmful to students who work hard to achieve the awards and recognition AI can obtain in just a day. While there are struggling artists and musicians trying to make it, there is a chance they
Is
have to compete against AI artworks. It’s ridiculous. Due to the rising popularity of AI, what will become of the future? AI could easily begin to replace musicians and artists in their field and even eventually take over other creative jobs. The popular Spotify band, The Velvet Sundown, makes rock music, which has reached over one million streams on Spotify in just weeks. The group denied AI accusations until backed into a corner, creating an official statement that the music and group was completely created by AI. This raised concerns over Spotify allowing the release of AI gen-
Roblox the
Madison Sneed Staff Writer
Roblox
is an online game that has captivated Gen Z and Gen Alpha by storm, with an average of 380 million users every month. If you don’t know what Roblox is, it’s an online platform that launched to the public on September 1, 2006, where users can engage in virtual experiences. These experiences are created by both the users and the developers of the game. However, Roblox is no longer just a game — it’s also a place where people can date and fall in love.
The concept of Roblox e-dating was announced at the Roblox Developers Conference by Roblox CEO David Baszucki. However, it is not yet available to the public, and there is no confirmed date for when it will be accessible to the public. The purpose of this feature is to address the loneliness epidemic in Gen Z. It will be available for ID-verified users aged 21 and older, allowing them to go on virtual dates that could potentially lead to real-life relationships. While this may protect minors, what about users who are older? Will this actually help with the loneliness epidemic, or could it bring more risks to the users of the platform?
73% of Gen Z report feeling alone and isolated. A study done by “The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community” in 2023 showed that loneliness can be as damaging to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. If the math is correct, if you smoke 15 cigarettes a day, you could lose 7 years of your life.
erated music on their app as people held concerns over the fairness to human artists.
Mills High School art teacher Matt Christenson believes AI generated art is not real art due to the lack of human elements.
“That is trash. I think that is just dehumanizing by definition, because it’s replacing humans and the human art form… it makes less artists, less real in the world,” Christenson said.
Numerous scientists and entrepreneurs believe that AI has been expected for future generations because that is how humanity is meant to evolve. I disagree with this. The idea of the future involving ro-
bots walking around, AI art being on display in museums, or AI generated music on the Billboard Top 100 in the future is not a future I want to be a part of. If AI continues to grow and is normalized in classrooms and even in workplaces, human roles will continue to shrink. Is AI ethical? In my opinion, AI should not be a part of our society where there are many hard workers trying to gain recognition for their work when AI has the ability to generate work for so much more recognition than it deserves. Giving art to machines removes all forms of what makes it human. AI cannot replace the authenticity of arts and music that humans are able to create. AI can create sounds. Humans create music.
Future of Dating?
The CEO of Roblox is hoping to solve the loneliness epidemic, but is also trying to make real-life connections. Using Roblox, a game that 48% of Gen Z play, where the loneliness epidemic hits the hardest, is an honest marketing genius. Will he actually be successful in his hopes to help with the loneliness epidemic?
I spoke to Don Burdette, who is one of our Social Science teachers, to get his opinion on it. For those who might not know what the loneliness epidemic is, here is a better definition from Burdette: “A lack of community and other issues that can exacerbate this loneliness and problems connecting with others, with peers.” Then I asked him if there were any potential mental health dangers. He responded, citing insight on what Roblox e-dating could do to harm mental health: “A video game system does not establish significant intimate relationships, kind of takes advantage of their loneliness.” To answer my question, no, Roblox could not establish a good lasting
relationship. Screens are a big reason that the loneliness epidemic is as big as it is, so they would still be communicating through a screen, so how could this even help?
Not only is mental health at risk with the potential dangers of Roblox e-dating, but physical abuse is also a risk. There are constant lawsuits against Roblox for incidents of sexual abuse, and this has become routine for news stations to report on. Unfortunately, this could turn into a paradise for predators, giving them access to millions of potential victims without requiring them to reveal much, if any, personal information. Catfishing is using fake information or photos of yourself to deceive others to get personal benefits for yourself. 27% of online daters are catfished often by people using photos of themselves. In the case of e-dating on Roblox, users will likely be using their avatars, which, unsurprisingly, do not show how they actually look in real life. This makes catfishing much easier, creat-
Almostevery high schooler uses YouTube in some way. It is part of many classes and it is ubiquitous among my entire generation. As the second largest social media platform in the world it obviously has a wide reach, but recently I
feel like the ads have been getting worse.
ing opportunities for predators to harm future victims. So why would Roblox make its users vulnerable to potential abuse? They would rather get a cash grab than protect future victims of abuse.
With all this information about potential harm, physically and emotionally, is this an actual good idea? No. You may like to play on Roblox, but finding love is a risk to your safety. As Burdette says, it takes advantage of your loneliness, making you hope you will find love when you could actually be putting yourself in danger. The company is truly trying to make a profit by giving you false hope and by putting its customers in danger. Burdette put it perfectly by saying, “It’s always done with profitability in mind and public relations in mind. And so corporations do a lot of beautiful, wonderful things, but I think what Roblox is doing is not a beautiful, wonderful thing.”
While videos always have had ads, recently I feel like there are more and more, especially on the TV version of YouTube. I have had 5 to 6 commercials back to back, all of which were unskippable while trying to watch a 5 minute music video on my TV. Some of these commercials are 20 seconds long. This severerly inhibits my ability to watch a video which may be shorter than the ads which I am forced to watch. There is also the fact that the same ads always show up. I have been berated by Prop 50 ads for the past month which has driven me crazy. When election season comes around I’m sure it will be multitudes worse. Anytime I want to watch a video about baseball stats I’m going to be forced to watch politcal candidates insulting each other. I’m sure it has increased profit, an inevitable side-effect of capitalism I suppose, but for me it has affected the experience of YouTube.
I guess this is their way of making you pay for YouTube Premium, but the whole point of YouTube is that it is free. Only a small fraction of the ad revenue actually goes to the creators so most of these extra ads are only made to stuff the pockets of Google. The one thing that has bothered me is that it is diffrent on TV as compared to all other versions as while there are more ads they are the old fashioned two ads which are sometimes skippable. I hope YouTube changes this, but in all likelyhood the smell of more profit is too enticing for them to turn back.
AI BANDS: An AI image representing the AI Band The Velvet Sundown
THE VELVET SUNDOWN / Instagram
ROBLOX OFFICES: The Headquarters of Roblox Corporation, the developer of Roblox in San Mateo, California
COOLCAESAR / CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Image courtesy of YouTube
SPOTIFY: The Velvet Sundown with almost 300,000 monthly listeners
Spotify
Mills Girls Volleyball Team is Serving Up Success
Neola Lo Staff Writer
From the start of the fall sports season, the Mills Girls Volleyball team has set the bar high for success. Throughout the preseason and first half of league play, all three teams, Freshman, JV and Varsity, have been working hard to bring home victory.
For the freshman team, success is found through their perseverance as they continue to practice diligently. Despite the challenges they have faced, the young team looks forward to their season ahead.
One of the freshman’s liberos, Kaleigh Chin (9), states, “We’re all growing as a team and we’re getting better every time we play at practice and at games.” The team keeps their heads up after every game, no matter the outcome, and is actively finding new areas to improve in.
Chin emphasizes, “Overall, we work pretty well as a team on the court,” highlighting the freshman’s connection and unity with one another.
Teamwork has been especially important for the JV team, as they go on to face tough competition. JV’s team chemistry is already strong, but the team is working on strengthening that bond even more this season and working with all their teammates.
JV setter Alanna Germain (10) said, “I really like the team environment and working with each other, to hype each other up, build off each other, and not just like it’s all on you.”
The JV team got off to a rough start during the preseason, but gained strong momentum as the league season took off. They continue to perform well in league play, with their
record being on a three win streak. They stay hopeful as the season goes on and hope to continue growing as a team. With competitive spirit and unbeatable chemistry, the Varsity team continues to dominate the court. Through their highs and lows, one player has especially stuck out in their recent success: Varsity’s middle blocker, Abigail Purvey (11). Purvey was nominated for San Mateo Daily Journal’s Athlete of the Week, as she compiled an impressive 45 kills, only during the first week of the preseason. When first hearing about
the exciting news, she remembered, “My coach sent it in our group chat, and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, this is great!’” But this achievement did not come without its hard work, as Purvey explains,“Over the summer, I trained a lot more for this season, so I think that really paid off. And then also just putting in the work in general.”
Purvey also shares her goal of playing volleyball after high school, and how it has motivated her to work harder and play better this season. The Varsity team continues to play with resilience throughout the sea-
son, as they go on to reach new heights together.
Purvey adds, “I think we have a really good chance of winning a lot more games this year.”
As the Mills Girls Volleyball program carries on to secure victory, players stay optimistic about the other half of the season to come. Most importantly, teams forge new friendships and solidify old ones. When asked what they envision, Germain replies, “Well, hopefully winning. But besides that, I think that it’s gonna be a really fun season.”
GIRLS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL: Mills players in a huddle, arms locked together during game against Notre Dame
SHOTBYDAVIN_ / Instagram
SHOTBYDAVIN_ / Instagram
ABIGAIL PURVEY: Smiling on court
SHOTBYDAVIN_ / Instagram TIFFANY SIU: Ready to spike a ball
Mills Alumnus Back to Coach Football All-Star Athletes
Michael Pacheco Staff Writer
Fidel Moreno, a Mills alumni and a former player of the Mills football team is now back coaching for JV football. He’s excited to take on his new role and build a community with the players and the other coaching staff.
Football is a sport where people have a variety of opinions and personal experiences, good and bad. Coach Fidel has seen both the good and bad that come from football, but his love for the sport shows considering he played all four years of football and has now returned to coach this year. Moreno is currently a sophomore at the College of San Mateo (CSM). He’s a very young coach considering he graduated not too long ago back in 2024, but his passion for the sport is what brought him back to Mills.
Over the last few months, the players have welcomed him with open arms and have created a unique bond together.
Moreno said, ”I think it’s
good, it creates a stronger connection between all of us, and they definitely treat me pretty well and brought me in nicely.”
When asking Moreno what inspired him to start coaching so soon after high school, he said,”I always wanted to teach the youth so I think coming in this position, it really helps me to do that and especially since it’s football. That’s one of my passions.”
Moreno shared reflections from his high school football experience. “It was really great, you know. I had fun all four years and they were great. I met some new people and had different coaches, it was a really great experience”.
Messiah Lacsamana (10) is in his second year playing football for Mills. He recently had a position change on the offensive side of the ball from fullback to quarterback and he mentioned that Moreno being the offensive coordinator has helped him.
When asked what his first impressions of the new coach are, Lacsamana said, “My first impressions are he is an outgoing guy. He’s there for me when
I need him because I play quarterback and he’s the offensive coordinator. He really coordinates [with me]. He really helps me and he is willing to help in any way for the team.”
Without a doubt, this year’s JV football team seems to have a positive outlook on the season and look to be settling in very well with their new coach. As they go week by week battling on the field through ups
and downs, they strengthen and build that brotherhood-like bond through wins and losses. They’ll certainly be able to enjoy this season as a team. Moreno is more than prepared for what it takes to fulfill his role as a coach on the team.
“My goals are definitely to create a team that becomes a family and fight for each other and obviously get some wins,” Moreno said.
Girls Flag Football Dominating Season
Isabella Morales Staff Writer
Our Mills Flag Football team has been creating interesting and fun games to watch this season. On September 16, 2025, Mills flag football team played against South San Francisco, it was a good game because both teams JV and Varsity won, the final scores were 32-0 Varsity and 27-0 JV. And then again on September 17th, Varsity beat Half Moon Bay 55-12.
Wide receiver Lucy Esquivel (11), free safety Gabby Moreno (11), and wide receiver Amaya Moore (12) are on the Varsity team. “My goals for the season is to grow as a player with my team and my skills on the field and just have a fun season,” Lucy shared.
Elaborating on the need for both technical and soft skills, Moreno added, “My goals for the season is to have a strongest team bond because that’s really helpful on the field and just to have fun overall.” Amaya
commented, “My goals for the season are to win for the league and make it far in CCS [Central Coast Section].”
When I asked what they enjoy about playing flag football, Esquivel explained, “I like the team environment and just creating a bond with all my teammates, but also just experiencing flag football, because it’s such a new sport and it’s
something that girls nowadays can play and get recognition for it.” For context, flag football was recently added as a sport at Mills two seasons ago after the sport was officialized in California in the spring of 2023.
Moreno said, “In general I like football, so I think playing it is really fun and it’s just very intense, and the people are fun too,” with Moore expanding,
“It’s fun, there is a lot of energy around it, and it’s just fun overall playing with people.”
Lastly, when I asked why they chose to play the position they are currently playing, Esquivel started us off by saying, “I like to play wide receiver because I receive the deep throws and me and Alissa connect when she throws it deep, I also play defense, so I like grabbing the flags and just blocking and intercepting the ball.”
Amaya commented on the same question saying, “I play wide receiver because of my speed and my height, and being able to go deep and catch the ball no matter what circum stance.” Moreno also adding on to this question said, “I like to play free safety because it is very active on defense so I’m always in the plays and I also get a lot of interceptions.”
The Mills flag football team has a great season showing their sportsmanship and how they are always trying to im prove to become better as single players and as a team.
AsMa Staff Writer
we jump into a new school year at Mills, track star Alexis Ivankov (12) shares her story of how she jumped her way into the Houston 2025 Summer Junior Olympics. Competing in both long jump and triple jump, she trained tirelessly for long hours each day to prepare for her events. And her hard work paid off.
“It was very nerve wracking, seeing like all the really good competitors,” Ivankov recalls. “And then I jumped a pretty big PR [personal record] there, because it was really loud and really, it was just a supportive environment. It was definitely helpful to be in an environment like that.”
Not only is she an accomplished track athlete, but Ivankov is also a skilled gymnast and a flag football player. As a multi-sport athlete, Ivankov expressed that although all the practice is hard on her body, all the skills she has gained from each sport carried to the others.
“I don’t think I would be like the player that I am in any of those sports without the other sports,” Ivankov replies. “So I think just them building off of each other really helped me excel.”
To aspiring athletes, Ivankov advises to try to work hard to improve all the time, but not to be too hard on yourself. “Learn from your mistakes,” Ivankov said. “But if a meet doesn’t go your way, or a game doesn’t go your way, there’s always more. And it’ll just push you to work harder.”
Cross Country Persevering Through Every Race
Erick Pena Staff Writer
When most people think of cross country, they often picture just long, painful runs that students willingly put themselves through just for the challenge of it. At Mills High School, the sport is so much more than just running. This season of cross country, the team is looking forward to getting back to the PALs (Pacific Athletic League) Championship again and winning their league while also qualifying for CCS (Central Coast Section) State Championship.
The team’s success comes
from the strategy and mental toughness that each runner brings to every race. It’s not just about pushing through the pain and discomfort, but also smartly pacing themselves, knowing when to surge, and supporting each other while racing.
Although the idea of running long distances might not sound fun at all to most of us, it has attracted a great number of Mills students that really do enjoy the sport of cross country.
For some, this is their first year at cross country while others are returning cross country runners. Many of them have developed a passion for running in cross country.
A sophomore who remains anonymous recalled that when he first joined the team, he didn’t like the idea of running, but over time, he has enjoyed running cross country more and more.
For Elijah Hermosillo (9), this is his first year in cross country and he said, “I do this for my main sport in baseball so I stay at least in shape in the fall.”
Like many sports, they have to train to improve their endurance and speed so they have to practice. Normally practices last about two hours long. The first 40 minutes, they spend warming-up to get their muscles ready and then they run two laps around the track to
build endurance. Towards the end, they do sprints to improve their speed and sometimes finish it off with a core workout, which helps improve their overall stability.
Many players like to eat a snack before and after their workouts on the track for practice to refuel and build stronger muscles.
For freshman Lukas Rockelman (9) he says, “Before practice, I like to eat a granola bar and after practice, I eat a Chipotle burrito bowl.”
For sophomore runner Max Voytovich (10), he likes to eat eggs for breakfast as his choice of meal for his morning routine.
While each runner has their own routines and meals they
like to eat, most cross country runners also have set goals for themselves for the season. These goals are set to build off of success
Sophomore runner Kristian Lopez (10) says, “My goal this year for cross country is to improve my personal times with each race and contribute to the team’s success.”
Lopez continues, “I’m focused on building endurance and pushing myself…keep working on being a stronger runner overall.”
MATTHEW DU / The Thunderbolt
FIDEL MORENO: Coaching first JV home game of the season vs. Burton
CHRIS KAMINSKI / Mills High School
GIRLS VARSITY FLAG FOOTBALL: Kaylee Huynh (12) sprinting with the ball
CHRIS KAMINSKI / Mills High School FLAG FOOTBALL: Moore (12) leaping
Olivia
The Debate of the Summer: Team Conrad or Jeremiah?
Natalie Tam Staff Writer
“The Summer I Turned Pretty” is a coming of age story about a girl entangled between two brothers she’s known for her whole life. Conrad is the moody, mysterious, emotionally unavailable, black cat older brother. While Jeremiah is the golden retriever, care-free, unserious little brother. The question of the summer? “Are you Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah?”
In Season 1, Isabelle Conklin (also known as Belly) is introduced and she is heading to Cousins to spend her summer
there. Conrad Fisher, the boy who she’s crushed on her whole life, was not who she thought he was after finding out heartbreaking news. His depressed attitude and dark presence caused Belly to have a turning perspective on him. As a realization of her growing up, she slowly starts to fall for the two brothers, Conrad and Jeremiah throughout the whole season. It starts as an emotional ragebait rollercoaster with the brothers and her new debutante friends.
Belly’s mother Laurel, has her best friend since college, Susannah, who also happens to be the loving mother of Conrad and Jeremiah. The Fisher family deals with their own struggles
as it is announced in the last episode that Susannah’s cancer has come back.
Nevertheless, in Season 2, Belly’s relationship with the brothers changes drastically. Belly is no longer the same little girl who was excited to go to the beach house every summer, all the house reminds her of are the flashbacks of Conrad.
Jeramiah is now the new guy in Belly’s eyes as she confronts her feelings of whether or not her heart desires Conrad or Jeremiah.
As a result, In Season 3, Belly goes off to college and gets accepted into an abroad program in Paris while Conrad’s at Stanford getting a degree. At
every turn, the new season has readers questioning where Belly’s true allegiance lies, with her final lover revealed at the end.
So…“Are you Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad?” Nasha Altermatt (12) stated, “I feel like I’m Team Conrad, because he’s more older, but also very sensible, more than Jeremiah. Jeremiah always acts on emotions and never on logic. I don’t think Belly deserves Conrad.” I relate to Belly in fact, I’ve grown up with childhood friends with these two guys. I liked them both in that sense I relate to Belly”...
The Rise Of
KpOp Demon HUnters
Iris Lee Chou Staff Writer
K-pop fans from all over the world rejoiced when Netflix announced its original film, “Kpop Demon Hunters,” which was released on June 20, 2025. However, it wasn’t just fans of Korean pop music who were watching. The movie’s popularity soared as more and more people viewed it, their interests piqued by clips on social media, the absolute banger of a soundtrack, or the multitude of positive feedback. The movie follows Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, members of the K-pop group HUNTR/X. They secretly hunt
moon with their music to prevent the demons from ever entering their world again. Suddenly, a K-pop band of demons, the Saja Boys, make their appearance, threatening to destroy the Honmoon. As the demons grow more powerful, Rumi has to face the fact that she is part demon herself, especially as she finds herself falling in love with one of the members of the Saja Boys. By late August, “Kpop Demon Hunters” had become Netflix’s most watched film of all time, with over 236 million views. But why was the movie such a hit?
“I really like the songs and I really like how it was animated.
explains.
“It’s just a great movie,” Jayde Rose Rivas (9) says. “It’s really heartwarming.”
The characters are also really loveable and relatable. “I think my favorite part would be the beginning when the girls are on the plane eating food, because it really makes them feel like actual people, not like just the perfect K-pop idols that you’ll usually see in the media,” Sonika Li (11) says.
In addition to being fun to watch, part of the appeal may be the K-pop aspect, which is central to the film.
“I think it became so popular because I feel like [high schoolers] also like K-pop, and since it had K-pop featured, I think [high schoolers] would watch it too,” Rae ulates. This is just one of the most recent examples of the global phenomenon known as hallyu.
Hayden Bunce, Staff Writer
It’s a love story, baby, just say yes. On August 26th, your English and Gym teacher announced their engagement on social media. The couple have been in a relationship since 2023 after Kelce attended The Eras Tour failing to give a friendship bracelet with his number to Swift. He then took to his brother’s podcast which ended up working as the pair have been inseparable ever since. Obviously, there are people hating on the engagement because when someone is as popular as Taylor Swift, there are bound to be people who don’t like you. Following that, Ariana Grande recently held her ticket sale for her Eternal Sunshine tour, and it is safe to say that it was a disaster. Loads of fans were unable to get tickets simply because the size of the venues and the lack of dates. The concert is being held in arenas when, ultimately, they should have been held in stadiums, and it’s unclear why her team made that decision. The ticket sale serves as a warning for big artists’ management teams on how to better manage an artist’s concert, because the tickets end up in resellers hands instead of the true fans.
Hallyu translates to “the Korean wave” and is the term for the rise in popularity of Korean culture and pop culture globally. For example, the K-pop group BTS is currently the most streamed group on Spotify, and in 2019, the Korean film Parasite was the first non-English language film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
The megahit of “Kpop Demon Hunters” is a testament to the effect of hallyu, showing how popular South Korean culture and media has become globally. On the flip side, more people are becoming interested in Korean culture after watching the movie. “Ever since I watched the movie, I’ve been listening to more K-pop and trying to watch more K-dramas,” Harper Franty (9) shares. “And also now when-
ever my parents don’t know what to get for dinner, I just make them order Korean [food].”
Another reason for the movie’s blockbuster hit is the theme of self-love and being proud of who you are. Throughout the movie, Rumi is told to cover up her demon patterns because her “faults and fears must never be seen”. Eventually, the shame of having to hide who she is begins to overwhelm her. “I like the story of how she learns to live with her demon marks, because I feel like that’s very inspiring,” Franty comments. The movie also highlights themes of love, compassion, and acceptance, especially for those who are different from you.
“I think I really like [HUNTR/X] because they all come from different backgrounds, and yet they still came together to do this thing that they all love,” Li says.
