A Northwood High School Publication Volume XXI, Issue VIII: April 15, 2020
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Coco Tsaur The Northwood Howler
TIMBERWOLF PRIDE: Northwood students express themselves through the wide variety of activities offered on campus, ranging from school dances to pep rallies.
A message of hope from NHS staff to the class of 2024 By Leslie Roach
Principal
Welcome to Northwood, future Timberwolves! In a few short months, you will walk onto our campus as members of the Class of 2024. While you may feel all sorts of ways about this, we want you to know just how excited we are to have you here. Northwood is a special place and we hope that as a member of the pack, you’ll see why. You are joining a community that tries hard to live out our core values of compassion, mutual respect, and integrity. They are important to us, and we hope they are important to you. On that note, here are just a few things to keep in mind on this subject of hope. Let’s call it, “We hope…” 1. You will find a place to belong. No matter where you find it, in
or out of the classroom, in the Arts, Athletics, clubs, student government or even at the Oak Tree, we hope you feel like you belong. Because you do.
2. You will discover your passions. Going to high school is an opportunity to realize what truly drives and motivates you. We are proud to say that NHS has a lot to offer, and we promise we’ll keep looking for ways to build on what we have in place, but it’s up to you to take us up on it. Don’t be afraid to take the risk. 3. You will not be afraid to fail. If we can guarantee one thing, it’s this: there will be struggles along the way. There will be moments you’ll forget your homework, perform poorly on an exam, lose a game you thought you’d win, forget a line in the play or play the wrong note in the musical, et cetera, et cetera. But don’t let these seeming failures keep
you from trying. We become better as a result of going through tough times. Besides, mistakes are wonderful opportunities to learn. So don’t be afraid to try new things or to get involved. Your school needs you!
4. You will communicate when you need help. The truth is we could all use a little help from our family members, our friends, our teachers, our counselors, and yes, even other students. The upperclassmen aren’t as scary as you think! So don’t be afraid to reach out for help and support when you need it. You never know: you may be helping someone else in the process. 5. You will be kind to your parents and your family. They, like you, are going through a lot of changes. And some of these changes are scary. This being-in-high-school thing will some-
times be difficult for you, but keep in mind: it’s probably not easy for your parents or your family to see you grow so quickly so fast. No matter how much you may want to argue or prove you’re right (or to beg to stay out with friends for just a little longer), try to understand where they’re coming from and choose kindness.
6. You will become good and responsible citizens. Erika Christakis, a person who writes for a living, believes that the goal of the public-education system “is about preparing people to work together to advance not just themselves but society.” We tend to agree with her. We hope that one day, the learning experiences we provide you not just in our classrooms but also in our school community will somehow translate to and prepare you for learning experiences in the real world.
Making a positive difference in our shared world would be nice, too.
7. You will be healthy. Practice healthy habits. Start by getting enough sleep. You’re better off waking up earlier than staying up later (and really, there’s no point in staying up late to finish an assignment only to fall asleep in class the next day in front of your teacher). Also, find (more) productive uses for social media. Don’t get too caught up in the number of “likes” you get or who is Snapping or DMing whom. Be yourself—it will always be the best version of you. 8. You will be happy here. This one is sort of obvious, but it’s important to mention nonetheless. And don’t forget: Have fun! We look forward to meeting you. We can’t wait for you to be here.
Introducing Link Crew: the link to success Welcome, future Timberwolves! By Nawal Abdul
By Rachel Gima and Hari Sreeramagiri
Staff Writer
As you embark on your first year of high school, Northwood’s upperclassmen have an on-campus support group to get you through all of the ups and downs: Link Crew. Link Crew is a student-based group of juniors and seniors on campus that introduces freshmen to Northwood and everything it has to offer. “Link Crew allows the freshmen to meet their Teacher Advisors (TA) and spend time with them, which is super important because they’ll be spending the next four years with them,” Link Crew member and senior Jaya Bhalla said. Link Crew organizes several activities that the incoming freshmen participate in. First, freshmen meet their Link Crew leaders during the summer at Link Crew orientation, which is on the Wednesday of orientation week. At orientation, you will also meet a
Staff Writers
Mitul Kalra The Northwood Howler
FORMING THE LINK: Link Crew prov ides a warm welcome to incoming students on Freshman Kick-Off day.
group of other freshmen that will be in the same TA with you throughout high school, making it an even better chance to make some life-long friends. Throughout the school year, freshmen continue to meet with Link Crew to gain student perspectives about events at school. More than that, Link Crew members are avail-
able year-round to offer advice, introduce freshmen to the lesser-known clubs and classes and be a friendly face on a big campus. “Having a guide to help me understand and navigate my first year on campus really helped me get started in high school,” senior Isabel Munoz said. “It definitely made me feel more comfortable going to school events.”
The worst part about a rollercoaster is the wait. Anticipation increases as you inch closer to the top, trying to overcome your mounting nerves. It’s about to start. Buckle up, 8th graders, because you’re about to embark on the best rollercoaster yet: high school. Luckily, Northwood provides plenty of opportunities for students to express themselves, from deafening cheers during Pep Rallies to the buzz and bustle of club meetings. This vibrant environment contributes to Northwood’s reputation of successful students. Whether it’s in the arts, academics or sports, NHS faculty works with each
student to provide challenges that foster growth and create a healthy learning environment. At Northwood, help is available anytime you need it. Tutorial, a 35-minute period held twice a week, is the perfect time for students to catch up on homework and review material with their teachers. Furthermore, peer tutoring is offered after school Monday through Thursday from 2-3 p.m. Your Link Crew leaders, counselors and teachers will also always be there to discuss any questions and concerns you might have. As the first day of high school approaches and your rollercoaster sets off on its course, remember that through the ups, downs, twists and turns, we’re all in this together. Because here at Northwood, we rally together for the good of the pack. Daniel Dai and Victoria Ta The Northwood Howler
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ACCENT/A&E Finding passion in high school The Northwood Howler
Coco Tsaur The Northwood Howler
Photo provided by Benjamin Liu
TWO WALKS OF LIFE: Senior Paige Mortensen enjoys her time in high school by attending the Back to School Dance while junior Benjamin Liu prepares to get into the pool before swim practice. By Helena Zhou Staff Writer
Rachel Gunawan The Northwood Howler
Northwood harbors a pool of resources, support and motivation that drives its students to success. As a freshman, the large waves of people and information encountered upon entering high school can feel overwhelming without guidance. Here are the stories of upperclassmen who tested the waters and found their passions along the way. Junior Benjamin Liu streamlines his focus on STEM, participating in clubs like Math Olympiad, Sports Analytics and Physics Olympiad on campus and Orange County Math Circle off campus. Over his years of experience, he found a valuable resource to be the people around him, whether it be his teachers, counselors or peers. “If you’re unsure about some-
thing, ask others,” Liu said. “All of us know the feeling of being a freshman and are happy to help.” Liu has taken many unprecedented routes to further his passion for mathematics. During his sophomore year, Liu was Northwood’s only USA Junior Mathematical Olympiad qualifier. He also competed in the 2019 and 2020 Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournaments. Outside of academics, Liu finds comfort in Northwood’s varsity swim team. “Focus on what you enjoy, and make sure your activities have a good balance. For me, joining swim and making friends there takes my mind off things and helps me live in the moment,” Liu said. “Northwood has a lot of activities that can give you that sense of community and purpose.” Senior Paige Mortensen is the vice president of ASB, planning
school events and voicing student opinions. She is also the founder and president of the Stop Drowning Now Club, where members spread awareness about water safety. “I found my passions by trying a lot of different activities such as soccer, piano, dance and track,” Mortensen said. “It’s a lot of trial and error and requires you to get outside of your comfort zone. But in the end, it’s all worth it.” Beyond maintaining a productive routine, Mortensen finds success in helping others build important life skills and lasting connections as a swim coach and member of her church’s youth group. “To all the freshmen, you have so much to offer,” Mortensen said. “Try a sport or instrument. Become a TA representative. Join a club. Run for president. High school is the time to explore, experience and grow.”
Electives offered at Northwood A summer bucket list By Jahnvi Mehta Staff Writer
Northwood offers students a myriad of opportunities to explore and develop their interests into passions. Here are just a few of the many elective classes an incoming freshman has available to them at Northwood along with remarks from students who have taken these electives. Over 80% of the student body at Northwood is a part of the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) program. Out of the various options available, an example VAPA class is Visual Imagery, a year-long introductory class for students interested in exploring the techniques of photography and its art form. Students learn and engage with basic and advanced camera functions, the rules of composition and digital image editing. “I chose to take Visual Imagery freshman year because I was interested in the idea of capturing a moment and saving it forever,” senior Andrew Seidler said. “As I learned more about photography, it quickly turned into a passion of mine that I’ve chosen to pursue as a career.” Also included in the VAPA Program are the year-long vocal music courses that guide students in learning the language of music, developing performance abilities and discovering history, culture, language and fitness through the lens of music. Although most freshmen begin in Treble Clef and Bass Clef, open enrollment classes, auditioned choirs, including Bel Canto, Concert Chorale, Viva Cantar and Chamber Singers are also offered. “I took choir because I’ve been singing as a kid and Northwood’s choral program allowed me to im-
prove my skills and share that experience with other singers,” junior Krish Mehta said. Additionally, Northwood offers a Career Technical Education program that allows students to explore careers they are interested in pursuing by taking courses during high school. A class under this program offered to freshmen is Foods, a semester course that provides students with foundational nutrition and wellness knowledge, basic food preparation skills and information about the relationship of diet to health. Some of the other food-based courses students can take after freshman year are Introduction to Culinary Arts and Advanced Culinary Arts. “I took Introduction to Culinary Arts because you can learn everything about the food you create, including the science behind it at a molecular level,” senior Adam Fujiwara said. “My favorite dish was making tomato soup from scratch, which I still cook for my family today.”
Lastly, there are a variety of world language classes of different levels including Spanish, French, American Sign Language and Korean. In each language class, students are given the opportunity to learn and improve their speaking, pronunciation, listening and writing skills that are applicable beyond a classroom setting. “I like taking Spanish because I get to learn new songs in Spanish and it is very different in high school than in middle school,” freshman Jonathan Kang said. “There are a lot more learning opportunities and exciting ways to absorb the culture along with the language.” Further information on the elective courses in terms of prerequisites and curriculum can be found in the Program of Studies on the Northwood website under the Academics tab. We hope that you’ll be able to find your passions and interests through Northwood’s electives.
By Ally Chao and Zaina Shaik Staff Writers
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before - Jenny Han Yes, the book (not the movie). The story centers around the love letters that protagonist Lara Jean pours out her heart in--and never sends. The first of its trilogy, Han’s novel is a well-crafted high school romance. It’s a little bit funny, a little bit heartwarming, and a whole lot charming-and might very well inspire you to do some soul searching of your own. The Perks of Being a Wallflower Stephen Chbosky The book you’ve probably heard of but might not have read. To call it an emotional rollercoaster would be an understatement, what with its pageturning drama and inevitable angst. A bestseller with a cult following, Chbosky’s iconic coming-of-age novel highlights the one-of-a-kind experience that is high school. The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas So much more than a powerful statement on self-identity and societal injustice, the fictional story of 16-yearold Starr Carter is a necessity for those faced with the challenging task of pre-adulthood. It’s raw, it’s honest, it’s real. “Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.”
Mitul Kalra The Northwood Howler
MAKING DREAMS CRUMB TRUE: Senior Alina Catiller finds her passion in culinary arts and works hard to bake a perfect batch of cookies.
Victoria Ta The Northwood Howler
Little Women (PG) 2019 This heartwarming film follows a family of four sisters during the early 1860s as they challenge patriarchal norms. They each have different dreams; Meg prioritizes having a family, the wild and spirited Jo wants to be independent and publish her writing, Beth loves playing the piano, while Amy idealizes living a wealthy life. Although it is important to be confident in your own ambitions, the film reveals the significance of also supporting those of others. Inception (PG-13) 2010 Thief Don Cobb can travel through dreams to steal people’s secrets, but is offered a chance for redemption by planting an idea in someone’s mind. As Cobb and his team venture between different levels of dreams, scenes are constantly changing, and they have to adapt to new obstacles. Life often presents you with unexpected changes, just like this quarantine, so it’s important to be resilient. Hairspray (PG) 2007 After trying out for a segregated dance show in the 1960s, high schooler Tracy Turnblad faces challenges due to her weight and realizes the detrimental effects of segregation; she has to choose if she wants to stand up to societal norms in this comedic musical. If you ever witness an injustice, whether it’s at school or outside, take action instead of just being a bystander.
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By Ellen Wang
Staff Writer
High school is a lot. These are the times that try men (and women)’s souls. You will be challenged in more ways you can imagine, for better or for worse. Take it from me, a secondsemester senior, if not your parents and teachers. I’m not here to cite why it’s unhealthy to engage in the rabid comparison culture you’ll all encounter in some shape or form in high school— a number of studies have found an association between academic competition and higher risks of depression and anxiety. Perhaps you’ve already felt the pervasive effects of a destructive system that dominates the classes at Irvine Unified and beyond. It’s almost dismissable; a sinking feeling of quiet shame when your score didn’t measure up in the asking frenzy of “What’d you get?” after a test is returned; a guilty rush of comfort when someone else performed just as badly. However, there are a variety of ways to avoid falling down this hole of toxicity. Let us backtrack a bit. What is the point of high school? Of taking these classes, satisfying graduation requirements, getting A’s? Ask different people from different places, and you’ll get a pretty wide spectrum of answers. From discovering potential career paths to getting into college, gaining social capital to developing work habits, high school is a melting pot of hormonal kids trying to make sense of themselves and their place in the world. It is all very daunting. But there are some essential things to guide the
VIEWPOINT/SPORTS academic competition in
journey you are about to embark on so you don’t lose sight of what you’re here to do. High school is ultimately a time for exploration, learning and immense growth. Being vulnerable is incredibly difficult, but having the strength to do so will carry you much further than hiding behind a wall of comfort. One cannot grow when stagnating behind this wall. More on this later. Take opportunities—or create your own—regardless of what you think others will judge. Take risks (but safety first), because you’ll never be at this precious, vivacious cusp of adulthood again. Try new things, because the worst that can happen is learning it’s not your cup of tea and moving on. Everything is a learning opportunity if you reflect and adjust your perspective accordingly. Do not engage in an activity because it’s what you think is expected of you or because your peers are doing it. Do not do something because you like the idea of doing it, rather than actually doing it. You will never be content if you live a life that isn’t yours. High school will fly by, and it is not a time for regrets. Education is a privilege. Having choices in class selection is a privilege, so use it. This will be one of innumerable times you’ll hear someone warn against overburdening yourself with a workload you can’t manage healthily—that is, while balancing your physical, mental and social health. Yes, you like the idea of stacking on honors classes and extracurriculars—“my resume will be popping!”— but extreme sleep deprivation and three mental breakdowns in one day, feeling trapped in the
nightmare you’ve created for yourself, will not be pretty. Nothing should ever come at the expense of your health; grades and glittering clubs aren’t worth putting your well-being on the line. There is no shame in realizing you cannot handle everything you are signing up for and wisely dropping a few commitments. There are people who can effectively juggle a number of these kinds of commitments, but it is not a lifestyle for everyone. That being said, a college-prep course is in no way “less than” an honors class. There are haughty honors students out there flaunting their crippling course load, attempting to soothe their own insecurities about their choices as a cry for help. Comparing yourself to someone with completely different experiences, aspirations, values and perspectives does neither of you justice. None of us have the right to judge others, and the only comparison you need is with previous versions of yourself. Focus inward on self-improvement, but let yourself live. Growth is not a linear process, but a wacky series of dips and tumbles. One of the most important things one must become comfortable with is seeking help. I struggled (and still do— thanks anxiety) with asking for assistance on things from a concept in class to overwhelming pressure and work crashing down on me, but gradually opening up to aid can be a literal life-saver. Being vulnerable enough to do so takes courage and comes more easily to some than others, but the support systems will always be there for you when you are ready. Teach-
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Rachel Kang The Northwood Howler
STAYING FOCUSED: Seniors Megan Lui (left) and Allison Huang (right) study for a classs together. ers are understanding and care more about your mental state than a missed assignment deadline, so reach out if you need the help they are willing to provide. Professionals are always a good choice, especially when situations become too severe for just peer support, and can help you ground yourself on what really matters. Learn for the sake of learning, to understand the world around you and what you can do to be a responsible and contributing citizen. That’s what school is for. Life is not a zero-sum game. School most certainly isn’t. Like Lizzo put eloquently: “If I’m shinin’, everybody gonna shine.” Support each other, share notes and hold study groups. Two minds are most definitely better than one, and teaching is one of the best ways to master a topic.
Listen and learn from each other, and you’ll all come out stronger. With change and growth, you’ll inevitably outgrow hobbies, commitments and people. Handle such developments with maturity, understanding there was a point in your life where something seemed suitable for you, and you’ve simply moved into a new era that will bring new interests, friends, and experiences. As you all take on the confusing, awe-inspiring, frustrating and incredible time that is high school, be present for one another. There will be extreme highs and extreme lows and everything in between, and the people who stick out with you for both are ones you’ll want to keep around. You won’t remember a trivial exam grade ten years from now, but the meaningful connections you cultivate are long-lasting.
Balancing books for rookies Freshman conquers high school sports By Rachel Gima
Staff Writer
High school is, inevitably, busy. Courtesy of The Howler, here are some tips to stay on top of your work. Write it all down In the midst of it all, keeping track of varying practice times and competition dates can be overwhelming. To counter this, write all of your tasks in a planner to help you visualize what needs to get done, and watch your organization skills and productivity rise. Allocate your time It’s a trap that we know all too well: you convince yourself “it’s just 10 minutes of relaxing!” and it turns into hours of lying on the couch on your phone. To avoid this, create a schedule around your practices and competitions and allot a certain amount of time each week for assignments and activities. Make sure to include time to relax (but not too much)! Use your weekends wisely You’ll know when you have major exams and assignments coming up, so plan ahead to study and work over the weekend! It’s tempting to put it all off (“I have the whole
weekend to work!”), but time really does fly, and working when you have the time will really help you out, especially after a high-intensity practice or a long competition. Take advantage of tutorial It can be an extremely productive 35 minutes - if you want it to be. It’s tempting to put it all off until after school, but athletes know that after practice, it’s even more tempting to just eat dinner and sleep. By intentionally working on completing your assignments during tutorial, you can drastically reduce the amount of time you spend working at home and give yourself more time to recuperate postworkout. Do not stress - Have fun! Before you scoff (“easier said than done!”), take this one to heart. SeYenna Kim The Northwood Howler riously. The friendships you’ll make, the skills you’ll learn and the sheer amount of fun you’ll have makes playing a sport at Northwood an incredible experience. Immerse yourself in that experience, not letting any opportunities thrown at yougo to waste. Do not stress about schoolwork during sports practice. Enjoy both athletics and academics to make the most of your time.
By Abby Fang
Staff Writer
Some start high school with a slow steady jog; others hit the ground running. Triple threat freshman Andrew Penrod kicked off freshman year in the best way possible, tackling three different sports to become a master of all. As a freshman, Penrod was already a linebacker for the Northwood Varsity Football team and a quarterback for the Freshman Football team, while also playing for Boys Junior Varsity Volleyball and Boys Frosh Basketball. He ended this year with an undefeated freshman season in football, just one of his many accomplishments. His involvement in sports has meant a lot to him even off the field. “Honestly, I just love playing sports and winning. It’s one of the best feelings,” Penrod said. “Getting to know all of the upperclassmen has been one of my favorite moments as well.” Penrod’s interest and love for the sport was first sparked nine years ago after watching the New England Patriots play on television. Following this, he began playing football in the Matt Leinart Flag Football League. He won his first football championship in second grade and went undefeated from fourth to eighth grade. Last year, Penrod and his flag football team were selected to represent a professional football team at a national football tournament in Florida. Along with the opportunity to meet premier football players in the National Football League (NFL) at the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl such as Demarcus Ware, Penrod and his team placed among the top eight teams in the nation. At Northwood, Penrod’s
Rachel Kang The Northwood Howler
DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES: Freshman Andrew Penrod secures a tackle to avoid a big gain on the ground. skill and experience in football continues to be reflected in the contributions and dedication he brings to the Northwood team. “Andrew was at every practice and game, not only helping his teammates by cheering them on, but also helping out the coaches,” Football Head Coach Paige Nobles said. “You rarely find someone with the right attitude, the knowledge and the love for the game. Andrew is a diamond in the rough.” Behind his stellar accomplishments is also the story of an athlete who persevered through physical injuries and many other barriers. During the football season, Penrod broke his thumb twice and broke his toe at the last tackle practice of the season. The latter injury required toe surgery
and took two months of recovery in order to be back at full strength. Penrod continues to juggle all three sports with school classes, a task that he tries to stay on top of despite its difficulty. He’s designed strategies to help alleviate this burden, such as making sure to do homework the day it’s assigned and optimizing his freetime. Looking ahead to the future, Penrod’s dream has always been to play college football and eventually professional football. The road to professional football is difficult, but Penrod is ready to invest time and effort, a testament to his determined nature. “Get ready for a lot of hard work and work through the pain,” Penrod said.
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Top 11 hide-and-seek spots at Northwood The legend of The Oak BY SARIKA RAU AND MICHAEL SHI Staff Writers
In high schools across the country, hide and seek is a fierce, roundthe-clock competition that defines the success of everyone’s high school career. To help turn Northwood into a school known for both its amazing academics and prestigious hide-andseek program, The Howler asked 14-year-old hide-and-seek Grand Champion Hai Dango Sik for assistance. Whether you’re an amateur playing your first round in the Bronze league or already near the top of the Champion league, here are Sik’s top 11 ideas to help you boost your ranking at Northwood. 1. Make your schedule unpredictable: Why talk to friends outside and risk getting found when you can stay in the comfort of your teachers’ classes? Go to every class extra early and join a new club every day so that no one will be able to follow your tracks.
SONDOS ELBERSHAWI The Northwood Howler
2. At the Media Center’s quiet study desks: Feel free to kill two birds with one stone and study while staying hidden from any Northwood faculty that might peek in (surely no self-respecting Northwood student would be studying in their free time, right?). 3. Take shelter in the science teachers’ prep rooms: No one knows what they do in there anyway. We’ve never seen a kid go in there and come back out alive, but you might be the first! 4. Curl up really tight and pretend to be a computer in the Howler pod: You’ll never be discovered. It’s not like we get any real work done in there anyway. 5. Crawl into an instrument locker in Room 501: If you scoot far enough back, maybe your pursuers won’t be able to see through the grates, or perhaps they’ll just mistake you for a rather unusually-shaped tuba. 6. Perch yourself in the uppermost branches of the Oak: Get up close and personal with some of the very large, very intimidating ravens that hang out around Northwood, and be sure to perfect your raven caw imitation beforehand so you can really blend in. You might even find yourself accompanied by a distraught junior j u s t looking to hide from their AP classes.
7. Lurk in the shadows backstage in the theater: Just don’t stay there too long, or you might run into (or possibly through) Dimitri, Northwood’s very own theater ghost. 8. Conceal yourself in the special stairwell: We won’t tell you where this is, but you’ll know it once you see it. The working theory is that if you use a timberwolf hat to knock on the part of the wall three feet up and two feet to the right of the second step, an entrance will open to a randomly selected location in the midst of the avocado groves surrounding Northwood—explains why some students who go up this dark and shadowy stairwell are never seen again. 9. Grab a friend and dress up as English teacher Cameron Wroe: You’ll have to stand one on top of the other to successfully mimic his prodigious height, but no one will be able to find you as you enjoy your cup(s) of coffee in the teacher’s lounge. 10. Blend in with a crowd of seniors: Roll straight out of bed, grab your favorite college merch and ditch your textbooks before coming to school, and with any luck maybe other freshmen will be asking you for help finding their classes. 11. Become Dr. Roach: If blending in with seniors isn’t your thing and you want to take it a tier higher, dress up as principal Leslie Roach and go into the office to instigate some rules making hide-andseek against the Timberwolf Code of Conduct, thus ending the game and ensuring your victory. The key to this one is confidence—walk in there like you know what you’re doing, say “Don’t do it, people!” whenever hide and seek is mentioned, and no one will dare question you.
tears streaming from her face as she buried the paper was enough to give life to a small acorn buried in the soil. Surrounded by orange stucco As the sapling sprouted, its roots walls and turquoise tinted glass twisted and twirled around the paper, stands The Oak, a towering tree that embedding Ann Core’s words and holds a commanding presence over knowledge into the tree. It seems that the school quad. It’s said that those this paper became the source of the who bow down before the tree for tree’s wisdom. five minutes and thirty five seconds Ann Core refused to tell others every day during break will be en- about the secret power of The Oak. dowed with previously unobtainable She feared that it could be falsely wisdom - the perfect thematic state- interpreted as academic dishonesty, ment for every essay. However, which is a taboo for any stueven after almost two dedent of Northwood High cades, the origin of School. But over a The Oak remains long period of time, clouded in mysthe power of this tery, a mystery majestic tree that remained was rediscovunsolved unered by more til now. and more After a students, deep search and the rest in the annals is history. of Mr. Banks’ filing Thus concludes the cabinet, I discovered an legend of The Oak. It’s old Humanities 9 World a heart-wrenching tale War I journal project. indeed. If Between the t h e r e ’s overly anything dramaI have t i z e d learned soldier f r o m diaries history and a class, I very suhave no perfluous death ANNA MA The Northwood Howler reason to believe that this stomonologue was another story - the ry is made up. After all, it is a primary legend of The Oak. source from the journal of a World According to the journal, a stu- War I soldier. Thus, with all considdent named Ann Core tried to hide erations of corroborating evidence the shame of an A- paper from her and proper historian practices, the parents by burying it in the center of legend of The Oak is real and should the quad. Little did she know, the raw be treated as official Northwood high emotional power of her fall freshman school canon. BY GABRIEL DIMAANDAL Staff Writer
Bucket list to do b4 ur 2 cool BY ANNA LIM Staff Writer
There’s no bigger milestone than growing from an immature preteen to an even less mature teen. And with high school just around the corner, there’s only a few weeks left to savor to savor your precious middle school shenanigans. So, The Howler has devised some inspirational goals you can add and cross off your bucket list before high school makes you too cool to do any of them. 1. Fall madly in love with the first person that texts you “hai watchu up to.” 2. Create a scrapbook of your favorite memories. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what better way to relive the nostalgia of your pent-up angsty emo phase? 3. Really solidify your Tik Tok career. You’re going to need SOME kind of Plan B. 4. Spice up your fashion with scrunchies. The more the better! Always experiment with new ways to wear them, on your wrist, your waist, on your thighs, even around your ears! (Your friends will be so jealous.) MAIZAH ALI The Northwood Howler MAIZAH ALI The Northwood Howler
5. Recreate your middle school campus in Minecraft. If you’re a real
pro, do the same thing but on three times scale on Pocket Edition. And then after nine hours of playing and googling redstone engineering tutorials, realize that you need to get off of Minecraft.
6. Take personality quizzes and over-identify with them. Make sure to rig your answers to get the one you want (hint: the one you want will probably have the same letter answers). I recommend Buzzfeed’s “Which pair of Timothee Chalamet’s trousers are you?” or “What species of gopher are you?” 7. Get into K-pop. Once you’re in highschool, you can kiss your favorite fandom goodbye (or the oversized poster of a pop star you have on your bedroom wall). HEATHER KIM The Northwood Howler
8. Sleep at 10 pm. Do it while you are still physically and mentally capable. Trust me, it won’t be the homework that’s keeping you up late as you scroll through Tik Tok’s “For You” page. 9. Take as many mirror selfies as you want with your hand just barely covering half your face. Try every angle to get that perfect lighting. 10. Adopt a pet whale. Most highschoolers generally do not have a pet whale.