Raven Report Issue 5 (2017)

Raven Report Sequoia High School

Volume X, Issue 5

1201 Brewster Ave. Redwood City, CA 94062

March 17, 2017

AVP departs to build brand-new TIDE Academy

said. “With fewer kids, you are able to design the program to fit the needs of the students.”

Kuliga, who has worked at Sequoia for 16 years, started as a teacher in the digital arts Administrative Vice Principal (AVP) Mike academy. While teaching there and serving as Kuliga has been named the first principal of a Vice Principal, Kuliga participated in many new, small, school in Menlo Park. Kuliga was programs that helped shape Sequoia into the appointed principal of Technology, Innovation, school it is today.

Design and Engineering (TIDE) Academy fol“When I started in 2001, Sequoia didn’t lowing a 5-0 vote from the Sequoia Union High have the best reputation. Now it’s earned a School District (SUHSD) Board of Trustees. great reputation where people are supported to The high school will offer a one-of-a-kind reach their full potential,” Kuliga said. technological learning exThough the TIDE Acadperience that will prepare “It’s a technology school with the emy will open their doors students to enter a STEM focus of linked learning through in 2019, Kuliga will begin career. Students from TIDE technology, innovation, engineering work as principal following will also receive support and and design. The school will be built the end of this school year. learning opportunities from around these key components.”

From then on, he will behigh-tech businesses based in gin recruiting students and surrounding Silicon Valley.

—Carrie Du Bois, drumming up interest for “It’s a technology school President of SUHSD Board the new school. with the focus of linked “The district decided to learning through technology, hire the principal early to innovation, engineering and design. The school help design the academic program. We are will be built around these key components,” said building the school from scratch [and] the Carrie Du Bois, President of the SUHSD Board. board wanted the leadership in place to help SUHSD purchased land along Jefferson Ave. with key decisions,” Du Bois said. “Kuliga will in Menlo Park in 2015 to serve as the two-acre be working very closely with our new superinhost of TIDE Academy. There will be ground- tendent to develop the curriculum and market breaking of the site in May and construction is the school to our community.” predicted to be complete by August 2019.

Current Sequoia Instructional Vice PrinciThe school will have an incoming freshman pal (IVP), Sophia Olliver, will reprise her role class in 2019 of about 100 students and will grow as AVP for the 2017-2018 school year. The to an incoming class of 400 students by 2022. school board and superintendent will now beSequoia Union High School has awhich strong initiative to deliver innovative “ItDistrict will be (SUHSD) a small school means smaller gin the process of finding a new IVP to replace and engaging student environments.

Located a quarter mile from the south end of the Building renderings courtesy of LPA Inc. classes, more attention for each student,” Du Bois the vacancy.

Sequoia Union High School District (SUHSD) has a strong initiative to deliver innovative

By ZACK ROSENBLATT Copy Editor

PROJECT DATA

PROJECT DATA

Sanengaging Franciscostudent Bay, environments.

Menlo Park Small High School’s location and Located a quarter mileunique from the south provides end of the opportunities to use community amenities near the site to augment health, fitnessprovides and San Francisco Bay, Menlo Park Small High School’s unique location wellness programs. An outward-focused campus invites community, business and opportunities to use community amenities near the site to augment health, fitness and institutional partnerships to drive technology-based education. In addition to program wellness programs. An outward-focused campus invites community, business and Menlo Park, CA innovation, it allows the school to become a member of the community using a variety of LOCATION: institutional partnerships to drive technology-based education. In addition to program places outside of the school campus.

Menlo Park, CA SERVICES: innovation, it allows the school to become a member of the community using a variety of Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape places outsideprovides of the school The building a safe,campus. enriching campus for students to learn and explore. With a SERVICES: Architecture, Structural Engineering, MEP team mentally and physically.

San Francisco, gave wayistoorganized to maximize exposure to work,” math teacher and sitesite of nearly 44,000 square feet, who the building Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape ByEngineering SIMON CLARKE

By RIO POPPER The building provides a safe, enriching campus for students to on learn andfloors explore.

With a In doing so, this year’s team a victory. daylight, as well as views to the bay. The program is stacked three allowing Architecture, Structural Engineering, MEP counsel member Beth Peters Staff Reporter site of nearly 44,000 square feet, building is organized maximize exposure Online to Editor MARKET SEGMENT: abundant space for outdoor learning, while theleague L-shape configuration allows direct access to Engineering dominated their league bringFinishing thethe season said. “In actuality, there are daylight, as well to the bay.

The program stacked threeminimizes floors allowing K-12 Schools to anofadjacent outdoor learning area from every interiorisspace.

Theon design the whether oras views champs, Sequoia faced their Varsity girls’ soccer became ing up questions no expectations.

Administration is considMARKET SEGMENT: abundant spacefootprint for outdoor conserving learning, while the L-shape configuration allows direct access reducing energy and water overqualified for first byopponent in natural CCS, resources, San league champions for the first not they wereenvironmental K-12 Schools ering changing the name of toconsumption an adjacentand outdoor learning fromand every interior space.

The design minimizes the We’ve been trying to, both generating lessarea pollution greenhouse gas emissions.

Benito, who they beat in a stuntime since 2013 and became their league opponents. with the survey and the dis“Dead Week,” energy the weekand pre-water environmental footprint by conserving natural resources, reducing “There is an issue with how ning penalty kick shootout.

Sethe first team in Sequoia history consumption and generating less pollution and greenhouse gasfinals emissions. ceding week, before the cussion, clarify those expecCLIENT: Menlo Park Small High School CLIENT: Menlo Park Small High School LOCATION:

Division One playoff berth caps ‘Dead week’ re-brand strong varsity girls’ soccer season pending approval

to qualify for California’s Central Coast Section (CCS). They still must face many challenging teams in the coming knockout stages.

Varsity Head Coach Melissa Schmidt purposely scheduled highly-ranked teams such as Sacred Heart Preparatory, Menlo and Notre Dame high schools in the pre-season in order to help players identify challenges early on. Varsity girls soccer’s only loss was to Notre Dame.

Sequoia was able to assert themselves in order to figure out where they were at as a

the league nior Maya end of the semester.

For more information, visit: is set up.... https://www.lpainc.com/work/menlo-park-small-high-school EbrahimIn many colleges and high There is an issue with how the [ w h e r e ] For more information, visit: pour played schools, students are theoretileague is set up...[where] there is a big there is a big https://www.lpainc.com/work/menlo-park-small-high-school in the game. cally given no new material discrepancy between the top of ocean discrepancy “ W e during Dead Week and are and the bottom of ocean.” between went to instead encouraged to study. the top of penalty At Sequoia, however, this isn’t —Melissa Schmidt, Ocean and kicks and always true.

Varsity Head Coach the bottom my teamThe site-counsel, a counsel of Ocean. mate [sethat recommends changes to It’s actually changing for next nior] Maddie Fitzgerald hit that the administration, conductyear, which I’ve been pushing last one in, everyone knew we ed a survey and held discusfor about a year,” Schmidt said. won and our team rushed the sions on the subject of Dead The only two teams that field. There [is just] no better Week’s name. could compete with Sequoia instance in time to explain how “A lot of students think were San Mateo, who gave Se- amazing that moment felt,” that they won’t have homequoia their only loss, and South Ebrahimpour said.

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Safety not assured— especially on the internet

Page 4-5

tations.”

Currently up for consideration are several alternatives, including “review week,” “prep week,” no change or getting rid of the name altogether. Students’ reactions to the potential change were mixed.

“We should continue to have a week called Dead Week, but we should alter what we actually do during that week,” junior Clara MacAvoy said. “Classes should focus on studying.”

Feature: The strangest books in the library

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Feature

Dance team leaps to new horizons so there’s a little less creativity there, but it’s still really accessible to everyone,” said senior and Dance Team co-captain Dance Team and Advanced Maddy Redlawsk.

Dance Team practices twice Dance are in constant comparison since Dance Team was cre- a week with an extra pre-perated by Joy Robinson roughly formance practice if they have a game they are dancing at that six years ago.

Dance Team, an Af- week. Advanced Dance practicter-school Focused Enrichment es every weekday morning.

“Dance Team requires just as (SAFE) program, practices for much physical activity as Ad2 hours and 15 minutes on Mondays, and exactly 2 hours vanced Dance, if [not] more,” on Wednesdays. Advanced said junior and Dance Team Dance, however, is a 0 period co-captain Lauren Lynam.

Even though Dance Team class with Taylor White, equal to a PE class and included in has most to all of the elements required to become a sport, Tiyour GPA. “Advanced Dance is a lot tle IX, states that “no person in more focused on [sched- the United States shall, on the uled] dance performances and basis of sex, be excluded from Homecoming, whereas Dance participation in, be denied the Team is a lot more focused on benefits of, or be subjected to games,” said senior and Dance discrimination under any proTeam co- captain Claudia Bor- gram or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” ton.

W h e n Every asked if the Spring, “Advanced Dance is a lot more Advanced focused on [scheduled] dance perfor- captain and Dance per- mances and Homecoming whereas co captains forms at Dance Team is a lot more focused on w a n t e d dance team the Dance games,” S h o w , —senior Claudia Borton, to be considwhich disco-captain of the Dance Team ered a sport, Borton statplays over ed, “Yes and 30 studentchoreographed performances. no. Yes because we work just as Dance Team and Advanced hard, [and] just because it’s an Dance both have opportunities art form, [that] doesn’t mean to perform at Sequoia sporting it’s not also athletic. No because events but Dance Team is more if it is a sport it counts towards focused on pumping up the our overall GPA, and for somecrowd and getting them excited one taking all IB classes, that brings your GPA down”. for the game.

Both programs put in an “It’s really different in that we perform a lot more, at the equal amount of effort, deterfootball and basketball games, mination, and hard work into and the style is really differ- dancing and both believe that ent. They are similar in that Dance Team should become a they both are student-cho- sport. For over six years, one reographed, but Dance Team has been considered a sport, but dances are [choreographed by] with the requirements down, the captains and the coach, Dance Team could as well.

By SAM BROOK and KRISTA WEAVER Staff Reporters

March 17, 2017

The Drought Dries Up: An updated Report

Abnormally Dry Moderate Drought Severe Drought Extreme Drought Exceptional Drought

Some parts of California suffered severe or extreme drought until early January.

Unexpected rains, however, relieved the six-year drought, which had prompted a declaration of a state of emergency just three years ago.

March 2017

September 2016

—compiled by MADDIE PEI

Images courtesy of the US Drought Monitor

Raven Report 2016-2017

Staff Reporters Sam Brook, Simon Clarke, Shannon Coan, Darien Daly, Tyson Fraley, Dario McCarty, Liam Menendez-Brennan, Carolina Michel, Isabel Sanchez-Foster, Lauren Stevens, Krista Weaver

Managing Editors Trevor Crowell Maddie Pei News Editor Opinion Editor Mackenzie Clarke Mars Svec-Burdick Sports Editor Brighid Bugos Copy Editor Feature Editors Zack Rosenblatt Beatrice Bugos Online Editors Rio Popper Photo Editor Benjy Jude Maddie Reynolds Aviva Futornick Entertainment Page Editor Editor Matthew Eisenberg Nicholas Abraham Editor-in-Chief Xavi Boluña

Mid-year IB changes met with mixed reactions

By LIAM MENENDEZ-BRENNAN Staff Reporter As the semester unfolds, some IB classes have changed their grading policies. Teachers in IB History Year 2 and IB Business and Management enacted changes in the process of the EKs (essential knowledge quizzes) in their classes.

Now, in IB Business and Management, EKs are graded “A-F” instead of “Pass/Fail,” and students must display proof of completing notes and all assignments in order to retake these quizzes.

In IB History Y2, students must now display proof of completing the homework and notes in order to retake their EKs. IB Psychology and IB Business and

Management teacher David Weyant no- mixed feelings regarding the shifts and ticed many students were not held ac- disliked the timing. countable by the old system.

“The [old system] gave me more mo“One of the issues is that students tivation because it was pass or fail,” King [see] the retake as a ‘get out of jail free’ said. “I feel like teachers should wait uncard. This causes teachers to re-evaluate til next year to make changes.” the effectiveness [of Despite some the EK quiz pro“The ultimate goal is for students complaints, Weycess],” Weyant said. to show mastery, and we need to come ant believes it was “The ultimate goal up with a way to implement the retake a necessary change is for students to process.” that needed to be show mastery, and —David Weyant, enacted for the benwe need to come up IB Psychology and efit of the students. with a way to im“The teachers Business and Management teacher plement the retake in our department process.” want to do what’s The process is also simple beacuse it best for the students,” Weyant said. does not require approval from adminisSenior Matt Bolanos, another IB tration or department heads.

Business and Management student, However, Senior Leah King has believes that the new system eliminates

the pressure to comprehend every topic perfectly.

“It doesn’t put as much stress on passing or failing. It’s good to have an area in between [to] strive for,” Bolanos said. “It’s a good way to hold students accountable, so they can’t just continue retaking assessments without putting in any time studying,” Bolanos said.

These changes have caused a mix of emotions among students, yet teachers are doing their best to continually improve their classes in order to create a more successful learning environment.

As Mr. Weyant put it, the teachers want students to be prepared for life after high school.

“In college, you don’t get retakes,” Weyant said. “Like in athletics, you can’t just show up and perform [well].”

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March 17, 2017

Opportunity abound in available student resources

By TYSON FRALEY Staff Reporter It is hard to believe that you could learn to code, use the free open gym, get a physical, and fix a broken phone case without even leaving Sequoia. The fact is, Sequoia has many services to offer to help you grow as a student and a person.

The options are endless—if you know where to find them.

Media Center

For as long as Sequoia has stood, the library has been one of the most utilized resources on campus, with an extensive archive system and hundreds of books.

However, with the retirement of long time librarian Florian Shasky, the library underwent some rebranding. Under the leadership of Media Specialist Betsy Snow, the library transformed into Sequoia’s new Media Center. Students now have a new chrome cart, new iMac desktops, and access to premium sites such as Lynda.com and Adobe Sparc.

Memberships at these websites aren’t cheap. Snow estimates spending at about $250 per every student membership.

“While the costs are high, [the payoff] is worth it. Any [student can] come into [the Media Center] and learn anything from monthly budgeting to taking a good headshot, which is a really good [resource] to have,” Snow said.

In addition to online resources, the Media Center offers speakers, tutoring through SAFE, essay revisions, and a new movie checkout system.

Teen Resource Center

One very recognizable place on campus is the Teen Resource Center (TRC).

“We like to say that here is where you take care of your mental health and

nextdoor [at the nurse’s office] is where you take care of your physical health,” said Youth Development Coordinator Whitney Fitzgerald said.

The maintenance of mental health is the foundation of the TRC’s mission.

The TRC provides counselors, sponsors for numerous events including the recent health fair, hosts a peer mediation training program and a youth advisory board that meets weekly to address topics that students feel affect Sequoia greatly.

“Mental health is a priority,” Fitzgerald said. “If you’re dealing with an extended conflict or if you received bad news, come to the TRC, we can help you out and work with your teacher.”

In addition to mental health services, the TRC acts as a de facto middleman to social services throughout the county.

“If someone is dealing with any type crisis we can find someone to help, from getting food, employment, or legal troubles,” Fitzgerald said.

The TRC is open Monday through Friday from 9-5:30.

College and Career Center

College Career counselor Teresa Ignaitis assists students in a multitude of ways, from test prep to college apps.

“The College and Career Center can help students find the right path for them. We have information on colleges, financial aid, majors, and test prep books for students,” Ignaitis said.

The core to Sequoia’s application process is Naviance, a website to simplify the college search. Naviance provides a resume maker, letter of reccomendation requester, progress tracker and an upcoming college visit schedule.

“The [application process] can be tricky. Naviance helps both counselors

Photos by Tyson Fraley

Author Lauren Bird Horowitz addresses students about her new novel in an installment of the Media Center’s ongoing Speaker Series and students have a simple and smooth transition process,” Ignaitis said.

However, navigating Naviance and writing resumes can be difficult for some students. Ignaitis teaches many classes that explain the system.

With Ignaitis at the helm, Sequoia’s graduation rate and subsequent college placement rate have skyrocketed, helping both the school and community immensely.

Outside the bubble: education around the world Education is an essential function of society, regardless of culture, language or location. The below descriptions are just a snapshot of the education systems in these countries around the world.

—compiled by MADDIE PEI

Mexico Only 20 percent of enrolled children graduate high school; 2 percent become graduate students. President Enrique Pena Nieto introduced reforms to federalize education and to improve teachers. Some teachers in Oaxaca, a southern Mexican state, protested the reforms for years, however. Elisa Guerra, awarded best teacher in Latin America in 2015, may work on the Prospera program, an initiative to help poorer students.

Estonia

Brazil Brazil education expansion and reforms are partly due to increased demand from the economy, which is one of the largest in the world. From 2003 to 2010, Brazil added 180 vocational schools where 140 schools were added 93 years before that. Brazil may also ease immigration restrictions for highly-educated professionals to work in booming industries, such as the petrochemical industry. However, many teachers do not receive sufficient training. Though they learn about the philosophy of education, they do not receive instruction on the course or on teaching skills.

South Africa

Although apartheid ended 20 years ago, the racial disparity still exists. According to a 2017 Economist article, funding for black students was one-fifth of white students. Problems with funding extends to teachers’ salaries.

Though South Africa spends more in education than the average country in the European Union, corruption perpetuates high salaries for inadequate teachers. Private, independent schools may be a solution.

The country’s SPARK schools are an example of an inexpensive but high quality private school, the curriculum drawing from Singapore’s and England’s.

Estonia spends half as much as the U.S., but has much higher test scores. Estonia’s policies focus on students who are not excelling.

New education laws in 2010 aims to curtail dropout rates with early detection programs and increased support services. Their national plan in 2007-13 also included special education diagnosis early on. Estonia pays attention to lowperforming schools to institute reforms.

Turkey Following the failed coup, a military takeover, in July 2016, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan fired 21,000 teachers with alleged ties to the coup and 11,000 teachers 2 months later with suspected relation to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party. Furthermore, a 2017 United Nations (UN) statement puts Syrian refugee school enrollment in Turkey at 40 percent, with 380,000 school-age children without schooling.

Japan

Unlike in the U.S., Japanese students, not janitors, clean their school and learn how to ride unicycles at a young age to promote balance and core strength. Even with a five-week summer vacation, Japanese schools had six-day weeks until 1992. “The pursuit of education becomes sort of the defining characteristic of a child’s life. The time for play is limited,” Harvard professor Theodore Bestor said.

Saudi Arabia Only 10 percent of women over 15 are employed. More postsecondary degrees belong to women than men, however, according to a 2009 Bloomberg article. Although women are not allowed to drive and most schools are single-sex, the landscape of the country is changing, partly propelled by the Arab Spring. The number of employed is rising women steadily, and in 2009, the first mixed-gender university opened.

Myanmar After 70 years into civil war, Myanmar signed the Paris Principles guidelines in order to prevent child soldier recruitment. Political unrest decimated the education system.

Nobel Peace Prize winner and Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi advocates for academic freedom and campus life that encourages the exchange of ideas at universities although some regimes see academics as a threat.

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Fifteen minutes of fame earns fifteen days of that,” Youth Development Coordinator Whitney Fitzgerald said. “We always consistently see bullying as one of the top four things when we ask people what the TRC and the YAC should deal with.

Eight words and 52 keystrokes is all it took one However, when we we look at the actual number evening for sophomore Jayce to spend part of the of people who report having been bullied, we see next morning under protection in the Principal’s that’s really low.”

Office. After commenting on an Instagram post at In the same survey, just 28 percent of students 9:28 p.m., it took two minutes for the first response who reported being bullied said they had reported to come, but by midnight, he’d been caught in a the incident to an adult. Of those that reported the hurricane of hundreds of messages from friends, cases however, they largely said that speaking with schoolmates and strangers. an adult improved the situation.

“I was just kind of making a joke cause I was According to section 48900 of the California wondering what his situation was and... wasn’t re- Education Code (Ed Code), the ultimate punishally thinking much,” he said. “A lot of people got ments for “severe or pervasive... verbal act or contriggered and I just kept posting ‘cause it was funny duct” are suspension or expulsion; though, the to me—sort of trolling people—[but] then it got practical punishment varies on a case-by-case basis. out of hand and I just stopped.”

“We like to use the lowest level of intervention The post in concern dealt with the success of possible to remediate the situation,” Administrative a Sequoia alumnus who had dropped out before Vice-Principal Mike Kuliga said. “A lot of times, it’s graduating. Jayce, in response to the post, insinu- some kind of community service -- and more than ated that the alumnus’ success was incredible, given just scraping up gum. Something that’s actually of his race. value. But sometimes that does look like suspension Students from both Sequoia and other Bay Area when the bullying is harassment [or] hate speech or high schools commented on the post throughout the bullying involves violence.” the night, which eventually accumulated hundreds As sparse as these cases come, however, cyberbulof comments before the post was deleted the fol- lying can have a profound effects on students’ lives. lowing day. The morning offered little respite—nei- Through 2016, a series of Instagram accounts with ther for Jayce nor senior Layla, the moderator of titles ranging from “sequoiaexposed” to “exposingthe Instagram page on which Jayce had comment- sequoiahoes” publicly humiliated Sequoia students ed. An out-of-district transfer from Concord, Layla by posting embarrassing photos captioned with was concerned that she might be removed from the their “secrets.” While the posts and accounts were district entirely. She was the first one to respond reported and promptly taken down, the damage to to the comment, kicking off the post’s explosion in the victims was almost always permanent. Screenpopularity. shots taken by those who saw the posts were later “I was really scared. I was ready to cry,” Layla said. redistributed or reposted privately.

“I remember [I was once] “The night I found out the sent a paper saying that page ‘exposed’ me, my friends The night I found out the in order to stay in the Sehad FaceTimed me and were page ‘exposed’ me, my friends quoia Union High School telling me all about this post had FaceTimed me and were District, I needed to have [revealing] how I had tried to telling me all about this post good grades, good behavcommit suicide three times,” [revealing] how I had tried to ior and perfect attendance.

Sequoia alumni Roel said. “I commit suicide three times...

I was like, ‘This could litactually was in a [stage of deerally get me kicked out of pression] at the time and… I —Martyn, the district in the middle didn’t understand why someSequoia alumni of the year.’ That’s one would take the time to post what I thought was something so personal about [going to] happen.” someone’s life.”

What had begun as an errant comment on a soParis wasn’t the only student affected by the cial media post had evolved, for both, into some- page, the first of which debuted sometime during thing very real. Senior and Jayce’s friend, Burt, was the spring semester of 2016. In a false story posted asked by Jayce’s brother to ‘guard’ him throughout last fall, a “sequoiaexposed” account alleged that sethe next day. nior Roel, was responsible for the disappearances of “I wasn’t sure of anyone actually trying to physi- several students. cally attack him,” Burt said. “He kind of tried to “It said something about killing someone... play it off like he didn’t care—like, ‘Oh, I don’t see about people missing,” he said. “I remember openthe big deal,’ but… I think he realized he messed ing it and laughing because it was so stupid.” up. That’s what I hope, at least.”

However ridiculous students may perceive inIn the digital realm of the 21st century, occur- ternet rumors and allegations to be, they have the rences of cyberbullying and conflicts on the inter- potential to affect students’ sense of emotional senet have emerged as a serious concern for almost all curity. According to the same TRC survey, 71 perthose concerned with education—from students to cent of students reported feeling emotionally safe parents to administrators. Students’ ever-increasing at Sequoia, whilst 23 percent felt unsure, 5 percent fixation with their phones and the prevalence of disagreed and 1.5 percent strongly disagreed. social media has spurred a transformation in the “Especially when it’s anonymous, I think it way peers interact and an uptick of cyberbullying makes it so much easier for people to talk badly of instances. According to a survey administered by other people,” Martyn said. the Teen Resource Center (TRC) to Sequoia stuWhile school administration is typically called in dents in 2016, nearly 8 percent have reported that to deal with cases of cyberbullying as they happen, they had been cyberbullied. Even still, this statistic the TRC’s team of counselors gears itself towards could be underreported. tackling the emotional and psychological results of “There are some worries about accurate num- cyberbullying. bers for fear of retaliation... not wanting to rock “We deal with [these cases] often. [Not ]every the boat, or getting anyone in trouble—things like day, [but] we receive several cases within the school

By XAVIER BOLUNA Editor-in-Chief

year,” Teen Resource Center Director Judy Romero fects their g This was said. “The majority of the time, [we deal] with the aftermath...it’s what brings in the student. They’re dealing Sometimes, when a stu with the stress. They’re dealisn’t showing up to school ing with the embarrassment realize that it might be and the humiliation and the cause they’re embarrass anger.” it affects their attenda Emotional and psychowhich, in turn, affects logical stability are the most grades [and] participatio important goals in resolving class. cases of cyberbullying, but the impact on a student’s academ—Judy Rom ic capacity can’t be ignored.

Teen Resource Ce “Sometimes, when a stuDire dent isn’t showing up to school, we realize that it might be because they’re embarrassed to be coming back to school or they’re upset about coming back to school,” Romero said. p “It affects their attendance which then, in turn, af-

How does Sequoia handle cy

“I think it’s important to take a step back and look at how these things come to our attention. They break down into a [few] buc

“...Somebody comes in and reports they’re being bullied.

“Another bucket -- and this one is more common -- is that other people are aware of the bullying and start forwarding it to us.

1.

“The fir intellig ful if yo screen

2.

3.

“[Next], determining how serious it is. There’s a big difference between ‘you suck’ or ‘you’re ugly’ and ‘I’m gonna kill you.’

4.

“[Fin send syste the s

“That these sorts of things do damage not just involved, but to the community as a whole.

“...And then figuring out how we’re going to

A

Feature

f regret

grades…[and] participation in class.” the case for both Layla and Jayce, on the day following their online altercation. Though they udent each came to school and, ull, we timately, received no official bepunishment, they each felt sed... their share of social pressure. ance “I didn’t want to go to their school on at all,” Layla said. on in “You know in the movies where the pregnant girl walks down the hallway and everymero, body stares? That’s exactly enter how I felt. I remember ector I walked by [a] class... and everybody’s heads just turned.”

Some names were replaced with pseudonyms to preserve anonymity.

yberbullying?

e ckets.

“...And the last bucket is that there’s something going on and boils over to an overt conflict at school.

rst step is to gather as much hard gence as possible. The most helpou’re experiencing cyberbullying is nshots.

“The next step [is] identifying all the parties involved.

nally], intervening in a way that ds a clear message that there’s a em in place to deal with it and system is effective.

t to the people

o make that right.”

—Mike Kuliga, Administrative Vice-Principal

I N T E R N E T S A F E T Y

5 “What’s on your mind?:” it should be common sense

THINK While we are the generation ductive discussion. the internet a much better place. that has been around the interWhile not everything posted However, this goes both ways. net for the entirety of our lives, on the internet need be serious, If you are upset by something it seems that we still have much the same general rules of consci- you see on the internet, do yourto learn about using it. As the entiousness apply. Aspire to post self a favor by logging off. If you presence of the online world in things that make people think see someone’s opinion that you our everyday lives and become bet- don’t like, try engaging in an edubecomes more ter informed or cational conversation, but avoid and more promi- “If your goal when postjust enjoy and wasting energy on unproductive ing is to stir up controversy nent, we must ullaugh, but not conflict. timately recognize or share your insensitive cringe.

Arguing on the internet more the many flaws in opinions don’t waste your A little com- often than not leads to no other our current online time.” mon sense and end than trading insults. If you etiquette and regeneral courtesy don’t feel able to conduct a worththink the way we will go a long while, civil debate, ignore the post conduct ourselves on the internet. way in the online world. No one and move on with your life. Don’t The internet is not just a plat- is asking you to “just be nice” on be afraid to disagree, but do it in form for new, fun content, but the internet. Instead, we simply a way that actually contributes to also a potentially destructive tool ask that you “just use common the conversation, and does not that has the power to positively sense.” just worsen the conflict. or negatively influence our lives.

Understand that, while you Take the first step by simply While the internet provides us may see what you are posting as thinking and re-thinking whether with an opportunity to learn and completely fine, others may be or not something should posted. study new topics extensively, it greatly affected You might be suralso gives certain individuals the by it, positively “No one is asking you to prised how often platform to attack or discriminate or negatively. ‘just be nice’ on the interyou realize that against others as easily as pressing Don’t anticipate you regret that net. Instead, we simply ask a few buttons. For that reason, we that everyone post you made must take the internet, and espe- will take what that you ‘just use common on Facebook last cially what we post, seriously. you say on the sense.” night.

I get it, you have a lot to say internet lightly, Use the interand you want the whole world because they won’t. The racist net as the tool it was intended to to hear you. Whether it’s com- or sexist joke that you thought be: a way of communicating and plaining about breakups, drama was totally fine may come off as sharing content, both serious and or your teacher that you just can’t extremely insensitive or even in- enjoyable. The internet may curstand, we’ve all been in situations sulting to others. rently seem like an abyss, but it where all we want to do is use Express yourself, but do it in a doesn’t have to be one. With the the internet and social media to way that viewers will find infor- right mindset and conscientiousvent out our unfiltered words and mative, or at least amusing, with- ness, the internet can become a emotions. out being delib- positive and productive environHowever, the “As cliche as it sounds, if erately offensive. ment where serious, sensitive topthought process you wouldn’t want to see it If your goal ics can be debated (or memes can that you have on a billboard overlooking when posting is be shared). when deciding to stir up conAbove all, the golden rule of highway 101, don’t post it troversy or share being apart of internet communiwhether or not to post should be online!” your insensitive ty should be to understand what more than what opinions don’t you’re getting into. As cliche as it you want to share on a whim. If waste your time. No one wants sounds, if you wouldn’t want to your post has some weight to it, or needs to see your disrespect- see it on a billboard overlooking make sure your message is signifi- ful, racially charged comments highway 101, don’t post it online! cant, original and leads to educa- on Instagram, and your under—opinion by TREVOR CROWELL, tional or in some other way pro- standing of that fact would make Managing Editor

29.1% percent of Sequoia students who report feeling emotionally unsafe on campus

10%

percent of Sequoia students who have spoken to an adult about being bullied, either in person or online

9.8% percent of Sequoia students who reported being bullied online

6

opinion

march 17, 2017

Get the word out: bemusing books buried in library People throughout history have written all sorts of brilliant, ridiculous and brilliantly ridiculous things—and if you’re willing to search, there are some crazy things behind dusty spines of the Sequoia Media Center.

The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Rating: 8/10 “The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be” is surprisingly heartwarming. A tale of a dog who is so fiercely independent that he develops a reputation. Mutt is an abnormal dog and his owner tells of his various adventures and misadventures, from his experiments with skunk chasing to his fierce determination to succeed at bird hunting against all logic.

me, an enigma. After reading it, I have come to realize that what this dog wouldn’t be was anything resembling what people expect of him.

A List of Things That Didn’t Kill Me Rating: 7/10 Jason Schmidt has had a very difficult life, and he wrote it down so the rest of the world could learn from all of the horrible things he went through so that, hopefully, we don’t have to experience them ourselves.

The book begins with the auI liked this book because it thor describing coming home was easy to develop an attach- to find his AIDS-ridden, drug ment to the wacky personality addicted father attempting to clean up a of Mutt. He large puddle and the narThe dog and the narrator’s tales of his own rator’s tales were filled with whimsy and a kind blood with were filled of innocence that remains intact a very small with whimsy decades after the book was set and towel. From and a kind written. there, the of innocence story jumps that remains intact decades after the book back to Schmidt’s childhood, which has him bouncing from was set and written.

The title of this book was, to house to house with his drug

Time’s up: let’s reassess the integrity and team roles of group assessments pendently, as they can get the correct answers fastest. In a Raven Report survey, 45 percent of Sequoia students There are agree that only a few people actually only seven contribute during most group assessminutes left ments. Other group members are left before the to copy down the work at the end, bell, and your leading to the ever-to-common cycle group is still of cheating.

This form of cheating has become just finishing the second so common that many people don’t page of a Ge- even know that they are doing it. But, ometry test, still with one more page if you find yourself copying down anto go. You know that you’re not going swers to a problem that you have no to finish, so you and your group split idea how to solve, you are cheating. up the work and messily copy down Furthermore, you are cheating youreach other’s answers. After you scrib- self.

For all these reasons, I have learned ble down the last answer, you toss it not to take group into the bin, forgetseriously and ting everything you “...If you find yourself copying tests according to the just wrote down. down answers to a problem that Group assess- you have no idea how to solve, you data, so have many ments fail both are cheating. Furthermore, you are other Sequoia students. Over half students who un- cheating yourself.” of the students we derstand the matepolled said that rial and those that they do not study prior to group tests. don’t. In theory, working with others helps us improve our own ideas and What’s the point of studying when learn new points of view. However, by you can just rely on your group mates making assessments into group work, to do the work?

The best solution is to remove the valuable parts of collaboration are lost. The time constraints and stress of group assessments all together. Group exams make it much more difficult to work helps students learn very well hear out everyone’s ideas and be ac- and it builds teamwork and communication skills. But the moment it is cepting to other viewpoints.

In almost every group assessments put into the project/assessment catethat I’ve been a part of, the pressure gory, that is all lost. A student’s assessof getting a good grade drives students ment grade should be a reflection of that are comfortable with the materi- how much they know, not how good al to complete the work almost inde- they are at copying answers.

By ISABEL SANCHEZ-FOSTER Staff Reporter

dealer and addicted father who abuses him throughout his youth. The author describes his life trying to relate to the “straights,” as he calls normal people in this cynical and heart-wrenching memoir.

his wife move away, unable to make a living, and the girl learns to love herself.

Still, the character’s obsession makes this a vaguely disturbing read.

The Gay Academic Gently Touch the Milkweed Rating: 8/10 Rating: 5/10 This book is what the title The title and the gentle, suggests, a study of homosexualmost tie-dye colors draw the ality in academia, done by, you eyes to this small novel. Hon- guessed it, homosexuals in acaestly, the demia.

Honestly, the title [Gently Touch title made It goes me uncom- the Milkweed] made me uncom- over the hisfortable, a fortable, a theme which continued tory of hotheme which through the story. mosexuality That isn’t to say it wasn’t a good and how becontinued through the story, but it was weird. ing an open story. homosexual That isn’t to say it wasn’t a affects one’s academic career. good story, but it was weird.

This book was intended to be A girl falls in love with a a reference text and therefore is married man in her small town dense and somewhat dull, but because he is the first person to as a source of admittedly somepay any attention to her. She what dated information, it fits gets obsessive in the middle of perfectly. the book, even hoping that the —Compiled by man’s wife death during childLAUREN STEVENS birth. Eventually, the man and

Shame on you for slut shaming “Chill, it’s just a joke.”

I don’t dress to be inappropriate, I dress for comfort and confidence, and no one should be able to take that right away from me. Women’s bodies should not be sexualized; there is nothing unprofessional about my shoulders.

One girl that we spoke to told us about her sister’s extreme experience with slut shaming at Sequoia, after wearing the same dress she had gone to church in.

Girls are constantly called out for “She came to school with the dress being too prudish or too sexy. If a girl and she was called out. When she was wears a long dress she is conservative. If walking down the hall a couple of boys a girl is proud and confident of her body, were following her. When she went she’s considered a slut. She can never home one of the guys put it on his social win in male eyes, and quite frankly, she media,” said a senior who wished to be shouldn’t aspire to. anonymous.

In contrast, when word gets out that a The boys involved asked: “Why do boy has sex, he’s praised–even at Sequoia. girls wear short stuff like this?”

We’re not saying you should go out and We’re asking: Why do boys behave slut shame boys, but think twice before like this? After this whole ordeal, the girl you shame a girl. didn’t go to school for “I don’t dress to be inappropri- an entire month, and “I’ve seen it happen when guys sleep ate, I dress for comfort and confi- she stopped talking with someone or [do] dence, and no one should be able to her friends. Slut something with a girl to take that right away from me. shaming damaged and get high fives or Women’s bodies should not be sex- both her quality of a slap on the back,” ualized; there is nothing unprofes- life and her quality of senior Genesis Alejan- sional about my shoulders.” education. dres said.

To everyone who In a 2013 survey of 232 high school thinks it’s okay to call a girl an offenstudents in Ventura, CA , 73 percent sive word based on their body, undersaid they had been slut shamed. Of those stand that what you say only shows your polled, 38 percent said that being a slut own insecurity. To those who have been is defined by clothes, and 47 percent said shamed, take it from sophomore Sonja it is defined by acting promiscuously.

Frazer: I’ve seen girls use the phrases “slut” “There are always going to be people or “whore” as terms of endearment, but who hate you because you are you. Maywhat they may not be thinking about is be it’s just because you have good style calling each other those damaging words or you are confident with your body and gives some boys permission to do the you aren’t afraid to show that,” Frazer same. I try to stand up to the person said. “I would say don’t take it personalwhen it happens to me or a friend but ly, just be happy that you are confident most of the time the response is merely, and educated.”

By SAM BROOK and DARIEN DALY Staff Reporters

March 17,2017

7

Feature

Student publishing places pressure on Yearbook creators Yearbook, senior Theo Darma Yudha, said that keeps him driven to do so.

Staff Reporter “It’s just the little pieces of happiness Sequoia’s Yearbook is completely I get from capturing moments of people student-created. Yearbook meetings are smiling, and it actually gets me in a senThursdays and Fridays at lunch, and Se- timental way,” Darma Yudha said. “It’s quoia students have spent all year refin- just being able to capture people enjoying and perfecting. The extra challenge: ing life and just living.”

But all of the hard work is not withthere are only two students on staff this out its perks. year.

“On the plus side, I get free tickets “Anyone in Sequoia is not only welcome, but encouraged to contribute ma- to every sports game,” he said. “Oh, and terial to the book,” math teacher Eileen if someone messes with you, you can just spell their name Bray said, who is in charge of supervising “We have to really push our- wrong,.”

Darma Yhuda says the Yearbook. “We rely selves, because, really, there are that the pressure is on students and teach- only two of us.” ers to add to our image —Diane Zermeño, high to deliver.

The low number of library whenever they senior staff on Yearbook only have pictures to share compounds this issue. and students are invit“People just have really high standards ed to create pages on almost any topic as far as the layout and theme goes. Since that inspires them.”

Having the responsibility of chron- we’re lacking in staff, taking pictures for icling Sequoia’s school year in pictures everything is difficult, almost like I have entails trying to make it to almost ev- to be everywhere at once,” Darma Yudha ery Sequoia-related event, but it’s seeing said. “Basically the image of the school is people happy, one of the leaders of the in your hands.”

By DARIO McCARTY

Senior Diane Zermerño, another book into a class could help with turnYearbook leader, echoed this statement. out.

“We have to really push ourselves, be“[In] a class, you have to go there to cause, really, there are only two of us,” do your job,” Diane Zermeño said.

Zermerño said.

Many people say that this will lead to Regarding low staff turnout, Dar- students who don’t actually care about ma Yudha thinks people care about the the Yearbook ending up in the class.

Yearbook, just not However, Zermerño enough to actuallythinks the pros out“It’s just the little pieces of happijoin or do something weigh the cons. ness I get from capturing moments of about it.

“The book would people smiling, and it actually gets “People care about still get done,” Zerme in a sentimental way.” the finished project, merño said. “Even if —Theo Darma Yudha, they just don’t really it’s them just trying senior think about the fact to get a good grade that there’s someone or credits, it will still behind it who actually has to put some lead to them helping with the Yearbook.” effort behind it,” Darma Yudha said.

With the massive workload that On the other hand, Zermerño thinks Darma Yudha and Zermerño have unit is because of a lack of ability to un- dertaken for the Yearbook, many people derstand. question what the Yearbook will end up “People will come to Yearbook with doing without him next year. their ideas and say, ‘Yearbook should “I have no idea what the Yearbook do this and this,’ but don’t really come will do without [us] next year. I just to help out as much. I don’t think it’s hope someone will come along and carthat people don’t want to, they just don’t ry the burden next year,” Darma Yudha know how,” Zermerño said. said. “Join the Yearbook next year or Darma Yudha thinks making Year- there won’t be one.”

With dual nationality, multiple cultures collide

By SHANNON COAN

Staff Reporter

Attention: Sequoia Student Athletes!

Looking for a great summer job where you get to play sports and work with kids? Skyhawks is hiring outstanding student-athletes, 16 or older, to work at our summer sports camps on the Peninsula.

Camps take place in Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood City and Palo Alto and hourly rates range from $13-$18/hour depending on experience.

If you have experience in

Track & Field, Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Football, Volleyball or Cheer, we want to talk to you!

Summer camps are typically 9am-Noon or 9am-3pm Monday through Friday. Coaches will work 18 hours/week for half-day programs and 33 hours/week for full day camps.

To apply, please go to http://www.skyhawks.com/peninsula For more information. visit www.skyhawks.com

Two languages. Two sides of the world. Two nationalities.

Multicitizens aplenty study their own cultures here at Sequoia.

“I’m pretty proud to have these different aspects to my culture,” said junior Karen Dooley, a French, Swiss and Irish citizen with an American green card. “I really like speaking two languages and being able to affiliate with several different groups.”

Multicitizens benefit from easier travel due to having multiple passports, can own property in multiple countries and can vote in multiple elections.

“I can travel anywhere in Europe with the Irish passport, so that makes travel easy,” junior Cailey Horan, a dual American and Irish citizen, said. “If something were to happen, and I needed to go somewhere, I could just go and move to Ireland, it would be fairly simple.”

However, having multiple citizenships can cause multiplied taxation, and restrictions for certain government jobs and obligations, such as required military service. It can also create emotional strain.

“Sometimes I feel like I belong to both places and sometimes I feel like I’m misplaced.

When I’m here I have that feeling that I belong and that I don’t belong at the same time,” World Language Department Chair Belen Alvarez said, a dual Spanish and American citizen.

“It’s very weird, but normally being close to two cultures I

think is a very positive thing.

Even though, at one point I may have these feelings of where do I belong.”

For a multicitizen having multiple different coinciding cultures can cause some split feelings about which side they embrace for each aspect of life.

“My parents always taught me to not go too far into one so that you have a connection to both because it’s who you are. You can’t truly be just Mexican or American, you’re both, so you have to embrace both,” said sophomore Gerryk Madrigal Ayala, a Mexican and American citizen.

With having multiple cultures that one embraces comes the question of how one identifies themselves. A “hyphenated identity”, such as Irish-American, is often used; however, it suggests that one is only part of each culture and has been historically used as a derogatory term. Others pick one but ultimately it is up for each individ-

Cartoon courtesy of Leigh Alley

ual to decide how they identify themselves.

“I’d say I’m an American, but I like being Irish,” Horan said. “It goes back to how much time you’ve spent somewhere.

Yes, I’ve spent time in Ireland, but I’ve not grown up in their education system or spent a full year there and seen all of the seasons and all parts of life there. It’s more been vacation.”

Many governments dislike granting dual citizenships because of the problems and national security issues it creates.

Currently dual citizens are facing unusal levels of disdain because of aggravated international relations and terrorist threats.

However, multicitizens recognize the value in their unique position.

“If you have two cultures, embrace both.” Madrigal Ayala said. “You get more of the world. You get to enjoy more.

You have more stories to tell.

You have more things to express yourself with. ”

8

Sports

march 17, 2017

College sports pose as next hurdle for Sequoia athletes

By MATT EISENBERG Page Editor

Playing a sport in college is a dream that is achieved by only a select few.

However, a couple of talented Sequoia students will join the ranks of college athletes after they finish their illustrious careers at Sequoia.

Although all of these athletes did ultimately become successful enough to play college sports, they will also be the first to tell you that becoming good enough to play a sport in college is not an easy task. Unsurprisingly, there seems to be only one way to reach such a high level of athletic achievement, and it does not come easy.

“It’s been my goal since middle school to play in college, so I kind of just stuck to it,” said senior Matthew Smith, who received an athletic scholarship to play baseball for the Indiana University South Bend. “I’ve been playing for 12 years, and I’ve always practiced a lot. I play year-round and I practice six days a week at the cage.”

Working and training hard enough to make it professionally is very difficult. Those who have this endurance, have learned to use internal motivation to continue.

“It makes it a lot easier to work hard

at something if you love what you are doing. So I think that the fact that I’ve always loved it is very important,” said senior Kierstin Ikeda, who will be swimming for UCSD next year. “It’s interesting because no one in my family has ever swam, so it wasn’t like a natural kind of pass-on gift. It’s something I had to work towards, but it’s definitely the love and the passion that made me able to do what I’ve been doing.”

It can be hard for these athletes to resist the urge to give up when faced with such daunting odds.

“I’ve been swimming since I was about 8 years old and I’ve had this goal of playing for a college since I’ve started swimming. I think that having this long term goal definitely pushed me to keep swimming. It’s a year around sport, so it can definitely become hard to stay motivated,” Ikeda said. “Having this goal definitely pushed me to train harder and go to the early morning practices that I didn’t want to go to.”

Most students can agree that college is both an exciting and a stressful thing to which to look forward. However, many find that playing a sport for a college only compounds upon that stress and excitement.

“I’m very excited about being able to play in college. Most people don’t get

Conditioning is crucial training for success

Photo By LAUREN STEVENS

After enjoying a successful varsity career at Sequoia, senior Matthew Smith will play baseball for Indiana University - South Bend next year. that opportunity, so I’m excited to be able to keep playing at a higher level,” Smith said. “I’m nervous about playing college baseball because I know how competitive it is compared to high school baseball. It’s like your life in college is baseball. [But], I’m definitely more excited.”

When one thinks of a person who has a scholarship to play a sport at an intercollegiate level, most people think that they were heavily recruited and received offers from colleges based off of their talent alone. However, many find that

New concussion testing enforces awareness of injury risks

By BRIGHID BUGOS Sports Editor

Photo By ISABEL SANCHEZ-FOSTER

The Sequoia swim team runs ‘dryland’ during Wednesday and Friday practices as a form of conditioning.

By KRISTA WEAVER Staff Reporter Every sport requires different skills and preparation in their own ways, but does conditioning help to emphasize these techniques for games later on in the season?

According to website Stop Sports Injuries, physical conditioning in sports helps build on the skill sets of power, strength, speed, balance, agility, coordination, and endurance. In turn, this later helps prevent injury, because after awhile of conditioning, muscles become stronger.

During conditioning, sports train differently and strengthen other skills.

“Conditioning [for Badminton] takes 10-15 minutes or less, and right after

that we get into games. We mostly do the stuff on the wall like liners, side steps, [and] lunges,” junior Gracie Hanson said.

Coaches tend to focus on the physical aspect of the sport instead of the mentality. “[To further improve practice/conditioning], I think there should be more reinforcements from mentality during races. I think your mentality when doing a sport is really crucial, so I think it could be interesting to incorporate more mental exercises,” sophomore Mary Grace Mylod-Vargas said.

Mentality, whether realized or not, can have a huge impact during a race, game, or match.

For example, during long distance events in swimming such as the 500 (20 laps) freestyle, or the two mile in track, it pays off to have a strong mentality to finish.

another key to reaching such an illustrious level of competition is to be more proactive.

“It’s important for people to reach out to coaches. A lot of people think that if you reach out first, than the college does not want you, but there are just so many athletes in this country that you need to stand out,” Ikeda said. “Don’t think that you’re not good enough if you have to reach out first, because I reached out to my college first and I ended up going there. It’s really important to do that, and to just not give up.”

You are playing lacrosse, it’s the final minutes and you see someone approaching the goal.

Suddenly they pass the ball at the last second and an opponent runs into you. As you fall to the ground, your head smacks the hard turf, becoming concussed.

“The brain is something you just don’t want to mess around with,” Corey Uhalde, Student Activity Director and varsity Baseball coach said.

This is an ongoing problem for high schoolers as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that “an estimated 1.6 and 3.8 million sports-related concussions [occur] in the United States every year.” Sequoia’s attempt in decreasing this number is by instigating ImPACT testing and Barrow Brainbook course, which were both put into effect this spring.

Athletic Trainer, Jeff Wilson believes that concussion courses and testing are important in high schools, “because that’s where developmentally, everyone’s brain is still taking shape.

We got to protect everyone at the high school level even more than college or pros.”

Barrow Brainbook is an online, mandatory course for all spring athletes, that teaches athletes about the effects of concus-

sions and how to prevent them. something together and then When the Sequoia Union have to take some sort of quiz High School District was cho- to show that you know about sen to pilot this program, Ath- [concussions] rather than doing letic Director Melissa Schmidt it on your own time, it would took interest in the course, ow- be more effective.” ing to her previous knowledge ImPACT testing uses a baseon the subject. line test that is referred to when “It’s really important to iden- an athlete retakes the test to tify that you have had one so determine whether or not they that you can take the proper have a concussion. The test is precautions and not get an- part of the return to play proother one really quickly. And tocol, first instated on high then also we can teach kids how impact sports this spring with to recover better from them,” baseball, softball, and lacrosse.

Schmidt said.

“I’m optimistic about it. I However athlete Emma Tay- think I need to sort of see it in lor, a dual action a little concussed bit to make a sophomore, determination “An ounce of prevention is worth believes the whether it’s a pound of cure.” course is not really valuable very helpful, or not” said —Jeff Wilson, as do many Uhalde.

Athletic Trainer other athletes.

Wilson beWilson lieves that the agrees it’s problem with flawed but still argues “it’s a the test is it’s the same every really good educational tool if time so it’s easy to cheat and kids take it seriously.” hard to make sure athletes aren’t Additionally, Wilson feels answering off of memory. that it is even more important “The ImPACT test [also] for athletes’ parents to take the doesn’t work with people with course. learning disabilities,” said Wil“The parents not having as son. “So [for] people with learnmuch education is the key role ing disabilities, our ImPACT in all of this,” Wilson said. “It’s test doesn’t help them because more important that the parents they’re not good test takers.” are educated than the kids.”

Even though some problems To improve this course, Tay- need ironing out, Wilson arlor suggests “that if you just had gues that “an ounce of prevenyour whole team go through tion is worth a pound of cure.”