February 2025

February

Larkspur, CA

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Marin schools prepare for potential ICE raids under new president

By Ben Mueller

During his presidential campaign, President Donald J. Trump promised to launch the “largest deportation program of criminals in American history.” On his first day in office, Trump stayed true to his word, signing an executive order pledging the “efficient removals of recent entrants and other aliens” from the United States. Trump also rescinded laws shielding “protected areas” such as schools and places of worship from immigration protection; this has caused many schools nationwide to begin preparing for potential raids from the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Redwood has prepared for the scenario through meetings and outreach to undocumented families.

According to Vice Principal Lisa Kemp, the Tam District is prepared for any scenario.

“[A sheriff] said that [ICE] is targeting specific people who are either here illegally or are convicted of crimes. Anybody who wants to come onto campus and talk to [students] needs a warrant,” Kemp said. “If ICE comes onto campus, we will let the district office know, and they

will take the situation from there. ”

Even if ICE raids are unlikely, there is still significant fear and anxiety within the undocumented community. According to Assistant Superintendent of the Marin County Office of Education (MCOE) Lisa Miller, school wellness coordinators and staff are already starting to see an uneasiness over ICE.

“[MCOE] is in touch daily with school site level staff [who are reporting that] students and families have been expressing fear and concern about rumors that they hear and [asking] if it is safe to come to school. [The students are saying] ‘I’m scared about my brother, I’m scared about my family,’” Miller said.

According to “Sylvia,” a teacher of newcomers to the United States at a local elementary school who has chosen to remain anonymous to protect her students, the anxiety surrounding ICE, also known as “la migra,” has permeated her classroom.

Continue article on pg. 2...

TUHSD settles for $17.5 million in sexual abuse trials

By Evan Wang

In December 2024, The Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) settled their most recent of four sexual abuse cases. As a result of the past few trials, TUHSD paid four former Tamalpais High School (Tam) students $17.5 million dollars. Normandie Burgos, a former Tam teacher and tennis coach was convicted on 60 counts of child molestation for sexually abusing students nearly two decades ago. He received a sentence of 255 years in prison for his crimes, which have had lasting impacts on the victims and the community.

The legal battle is not over, however, as a court date is scheduled for a fifth plaintiff in February. Slater Slater Schulman — a law firm with offices all over the U.S. — is representing the fifth plaintiff John Doe, whose identity is not available to the public, and filed a complaint against TUHSD. It stated that there were numerous reports filed about Burgos sexually harassing minors, yet the district failed to act quickly enough, emphasizing a pattern of negligence that allowed the abuse to continue.

“Despite these complaints about Burgos, his employment at Tam was only terminated in 2008. Burgos’s teaching credentials were revoked in 2006 for molesting students,” Slater Slater Schulman said in their complaint.

One plaintiff claimed that Burgos sodomized and assaulted them numerous times in the Tam locker room, highlighting the severity of the abuse that occurred under the district’s watch.

“[TUHSD administration or teachers] should have known that [Burgos] engaged in other misconduct prior to, and during, his abuse of [the] plaintiff,” Slater Slater Schulman wrote in their complaint. “Had [the] defendant [TUHSD]... adequately supervised [the] plaintiff and [Burgos], the plaintiff would not have been abused [to] the extent that he was abused.”

According to the complaint, Burgos would lure John Doe to meet with him under false pretenses such as “body tests” and “checking his pulse.” They also alleged that TUHSD failed to investigate the complaints at all which potentially would have prevented some of the sexual abuse.

Following Burgos’s conviction in 2019, multiple complaints from students surfaced, but it wasn’t until 2023 that the district faced legal action from the victims. TUHSD initially denied liability but later opted to appeal after a judge ruled against them, leading to the eventual settlement in late 2024.

... However, the district must provide adequate training for teachers, create a coherent privacy policy on its website and only surveil students in class.

Continue on pg. 8...

Executive orders passed by Trump

By Hilah Brekhus-Lavinsky

After being sworn into the presidential office on Jan. 20, 2025, Donald Trump wasted no time, signed 26 executive orders and rescinded 78 executive orders approved by former President Joe Biden on his first day of presidency.

Gender Order

Trump signed an executive order stating that there are only two genders, male and female, which will be implemented in prisons, immigration shelters and rape shelters. The order attempts to end “radical and wasteful” diversity, equity and inclusion programs inside federal agencies.

Name Changes

One of the more controversial orders signed by Trump on his first day changed the name of the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America.” Similarly, he changed the name of the Alaskan mountain, Mount Denali, back to Mount McKinley.

Immigration Policies

Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border, deploying members of armed forces at the border. Trump also ended the “catch and release” of Mexican immigrants, meaning that people wanting to immigrate to America cannot come to America before they have a visa. Mexican immigrants who are in America illegally are being deported. Trump changed the definition of birthright citizenship, meaning even natural citizens may be deported.

Technology

Trump extended the TikTok ban by 75 days, leaving TikTok users very happy.

Climate and Health

Trump has pulled the USA out of the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization and rescinded one of Biden’s 2022 orders that lowered the cost of prescription drugs.

Pardons

In one of Trump’s first executive actions, he pardond around 1,500 of his supporters involved in the attacks and riots in the capital of the USA on Jan. 6, 2021.

hbrekhuslavinsky@redwoodbark.org

twenty years ago and fortunately for all, we as a society and district have learned a lot in those years about how to recognize grooming behavior, how to destigmatize abuse and make it easier for victims to report,” Taupier said in her email.

We have updated policies and practices for both staff and students over the twenty years [since the abuse took place].

Tara Taupier, superintendent

In response to the settlement and ongoing litigation, TUHSD Superintendent Tara Taupier expressed a commitment to learn from the past. In an email, she stated that the horrific incidents have prompted the district to adopt more rigorous measures to prevent sexual abuse within its schools.

She also pointed to policies like the professional boundaries policy that have been updated prior to the legal case but after Burgos’s arrest. Modules on affirmative consent, healthy relationships and human trafficking have also been mandated for each student to complete while on campus at Redwood.

“We have updated policies and practices for both staff and students over the twenty years [since the abuse took place]. All staff undergo mandatory training yearly, students are also provided learning modules on consent and appropriate boundaries and we have implemented confidential reporting systems and wellness and counseling programs,” Taupier said. “We hope this brings closure to all those involved.”

“The events that led to the recent settlement happened ewang@redwoodbark.org

NORMANDIE BURGOS, A former Tam physical education teacher, was tried and convicted for 60 counts of child molestation.

Photo courtesy of Robert Tong

NORMANDIE BURGOS SEXUALLY assaulted and harrassed many victims on the Tam campus.

Photo by Evan Wang

TUHSD’s implementation of GoGuardian.

“Someone from maintenance who doesn’t normally come in just walked into the classroom and [a student] said, ‘Is that la migra?’ Somebody in my class was definitely nervous when a person they didn’t know came into class,” Sylvia said. “The maintenance people don’t come around very often, so [the students] didn’t know him. And I was speaking English to him, so the kids didn’t know what I was saying, and they were like, ‘What were you saying? Is he la migra?’”

It’s not just undocumented students who are feeling anxious about ICE. Many members of the Latinx community, like Latinos Unidos Club Vice President Melanie Canul, have become worried and angry about the impact that ICE raids may have on the structure of their diasporic community.

“We’ve been engaging with our educators and families over the last few months [to tell them] ‘know what your rights are, know what languages you’re going to need support in, potentially from a lawyer, make sure your family has identified who the emergency contacts are in case anyone gets deported,’” Miller said.

School staff have not only begun preparing for the physical realities of ICE deportations but the mental realities too.

Many educators predict that attendance among undocumented students may fall and students may be in distress due to panic about ICE raids or the loss of a family or community member. Redwood recently held a meeting to prepare staff for the reality of the raids and their potential mental effects on students.

It’s sad to think of losing community members [because] we are a really strong community.

“I guess you could say I’m scared. It makes me a little nervous that people within my community are going through tough times with ICE raids. We haven’t had this issue in a while, so seeing us take five steps backward is disappointing,” Canul said.

“Sylvia,” anonymous source

Immediately following Trump’s election, local organizations like the MCOE began preparing for the potential removal of students from schools. This included partnering with local organizations like the Canal Alliance and preparing “red cards,” small cards that state undocumented peoples’ rights and words to say if they come into contact with ICE.

“Part of our [staff] meeting was to make teachers hyper-sensitive and aware that kids might be changing their behavior as a result of feeling unsafe at home or feeling worried about their family.

[Undocumented students’] attendance might change because they are afraid to leave [their homes] and never see their parents again,” Kemp said.

“I know that some students are pretty distraught. Teachers have reported that they have some students who have been in tears since Monday.”

But one word remains in the mind of many of Marin County’s educators and residents: uncertainty.

“I think right now everybody is just unsure. It’s just the uncertainty [that is scary]. What’s going to happen is making everyone nervous,” Sylvia said.

MEMBERS OF THE Latinx community throughout the United States have expressed fear about the resurgence of ICE in their communities.

The MCOE was shocked by the speed at which Trump rescinded laws protecting schools and believes the scale of deportations may be more severe than they had predicted.

“[MCOE] is trying to address that we will likely see deportations, and we are trying to address that your classmate might not be there, [or] a family in the community might not be there anymore,” Miller said. [The MCOE is] preparing for the worst and what I mean when I say worst is that we are removing youth from being able to access their education and creating additional harm in their life. I’m anticipating that that is what’s going to happen over the next few months and next several years unless other people step up and start confronting this push [for deportations] in the administration,” Miller said.

Latinx students have become a large part of the community, with 19.6 percent

of Marin residents identifying as Hispanic or Latinx. Sylvia and many other educators believe the loss of such a diverse population would devastate the school community.

“It’s sad to think of losing community members [because] we are a really strong community, and if you lose somebody that has a huge impact, it would be so sad because the newcomers bring so much joy to our school. [The Latinx community] brings diversity of language and culture,” Sylvia said. “We need to protect these amazing children. I know some of our [students] are asylum seekers and they deserve to be treated with respect and with dignity.”

The ICE San Francisco Community Relations officer did not respond to a request to comment.

bmueller@redwoodbark.org

Rise in bird flu raises concern for Marin residents

By Elsa Sherman

Avian influenza, commonly referred to as bird flu, has infected 67 people across the United States and one suspected case in Marin County, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Lisa Santora, the Public Health Officer for Marin County Public Health, stated that there have been two poultry outbreaks in the county in the last year.

“The risk to the general public remains low. The need for enhanced surveillance has increased as we’re seeing these sporadic cases,” Santora said. “For the majority of individuals who have become ill with bird flu, we call it a self-limited disease. Basically, it’s a mild cold or conjunctivitis.”

Bird flu is most commonly spread to humans through close contact with livestock. This means that farmworkers are

at a greater risk of contracting the disease than the general public. Santora has several recommendations for individuals who fear the contraction of bird flu.

and longtime poultry owner, is concerned about the rise in bird flu for her flock.

The risk to the general public remains low.

“Avoid raw milk products, especially when we know that there is an outbreak among a lot of the dairy producers in the state. [People who have backyard flocks should] make sure that they are observant of the health and well-being of their animals and that they’re engaging in hand washing,” Santora said.

The need for enhanced surveillance has increased as we’re seeing these sporadic cases

Lisa Santora, public health officer

Hilary Culhane, a Redwood parent

“Now I have to worry about separating my chickens from wild birds. We have crows and other birds that come and they’ll land in the yard. I can’t have the exposure so I’ve been talking about putting fencing around and wire netting over the top. I [may] have to reconfigure my entire setup,” Culhane said.

While bird flu may not seriously threaten the average community member, some are still wary about bird flu’s potential growth,

including junior Charlotte Waldinger.

“I’m definitely more cautious about coming into contact with birds. But given that [this] is not something that I do often, I don’t really need to do anything else [to protect myself],” Waldinger said.

At Redwood, no livestock are present on campus, though many different birds, such as geese and seagulls, are often seen. However, students may own backyard flocks or live with animals and the risk of bird flu is not zero, as Culhane described.

“Having my kids grow up with chickens, they understand the cycle of life because of the chickens we’ve lost over the years… I’m going to work to keep my [chickens] safe,” Culhane said.

Photo courtesy of NARA & DVIDS Public Domain Archive

HILARY CULHANE’S CHICKENS, Iris and Blue, bask together in the warm light.

Photo by Elsa Sherman

LISA SANTORA STARTED as the Public Health officer only a few months ago, with her first day being Sept. 3, 2024.

Photo courtesy of Lisa Santora

WOMEN STANDS over an empty egg shelf, a sight becoming more common.

Photo by Owen McDaniels esherman@redwoodbark.org

Anti-Racism course faces declining enrollment

By Morgan Sicklick

The different elective class options for students are both a blessing and a curse for smaller, grassroots courses, including the Student Led Anti-Racist Movement (SLAM) class. Due to the nation’s declining enrollment in schools, small electives at Redwood are feeling the blow. The SLAM class, which has functioned as both a club and a class in recent years, saw only 18 students enroll this year — falling short of the minimum 25 students required to remain as a course for the 2025-26 school year.

SLAM teacher David Minhondo has been the club advisor and teacher, growing with the program as the students cycle through school.

“[The original purpose of SLAM] was to help make [anti-racism] a conversation at Redwood, to help spread awareness of the inequities both past and present, what it was like to be a student of color at Redwood and to offer a safe place where students could learn about history that wasn't being taught in mainstream history classes,” Minhondo said.

The summer after George Floyd’s death in May 2020 marked a turning point for awareness and education around systemic racism. Across the country, protests erupted, and conversations about social justice took center stage in communities and institutions. This surge of activism was reflected in SLAM’s enrollment numbers. The class, which had previously attracted a modest number of students, saw an unprecedented spike in

THE STUDENT-LED ANTI-RACISM Movement creates an informational poster to entice students to join the club and class.

demand as students sought to understand better racism and their role in combating it.

SLAM filled two full sections of the course, as curiosity and a sense of responsibility motivated many to learn more about how to be anti-racist. As the years passed and public focus on racial justice has waned, the class has struggled to sustain that same level of interest. However, since the large influx of students, there has been a notable difference between how the SLAM class started and how it looks today.

“Since 2020, the notable difference has been fewer students of color in the class and more white students seeking

understanding about race,” Minhondo said. Two-year SLAM student and junior Siena Ledesma has been working tirelessly to keep the program going. Along with the other members of the course, she aims to help others at the school understand the importance of SLAM and how the class teaches students to effectively be antiracist.

“Marin is such a predominantly white area and while many people here claim to be anti-racist, there are definitely questionable moments. SLAM has been an opportunity to highlight those issues, and hopefully it will help students like me feel more comfortable while giving us a platform to voice our perspectives,” Ledesma said.

Minhondo stresses the importance of uncomfortable conversations, such as those involving race. Especially because of the recent racist incidents in the Tamalpais Union High School District, SLAM allows students to create a community of uncomfortable conversationalists, antiracists and change-makers overall to make more of a positive, well-rounded society.

“People learn by making mistakes and being uncomfortable,” Minhondo said. “SLAM has a community that will catch you when you fall, as opposed to one that shames you for falling in the first place. That is just the environment the class and I aim to create for all students to be able to make positive change.”

msicklick@redwoodbark.org

TUHSD Superintendent Dr. Tara Taupier announces retirement

By Ellie Braggs

After serving 30 years in education, on Dec. 20, 2024, Superintendent of the Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD), Dr. Tara Taupier, announced her retirement, effective June 30, 2025. The district will begin the search for her successor in the coming months.

“A lot [of thought] went into the decision to retire, most specifically, conversations with my family. I’ve spent 30 years in education, and I felt like it was a good time [to step away],” Taupier said.

Taupier has been the Superintendent since 2018, balancing challenges and community discourse. She emphasized that while community members may disagree with various resolutions, the goal

is to make the best decision for the broader community.

“[The district] serves over 4,000 students. [There are] 9,000 parents. There are various perspectives and sometimes people will give input, but there’s a difference between being heard and being agreed with. We can’t necessarily implement everyone’s input, so balancing what is right for the greater good [of the school] can be challenging,” Taupier said.

Ultimately, though, Taupier’s main focus is on student equity. Corbett Elsen, the Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations who worked with Taupier for over 20 years, highlights her commitment to creating opportunities for all students, especially those from underserved communities.

“There are [many programs dedicated to student equity]: the Student Led Anti Racist Movement (SLAM), Racial Equity Task Force and more. The common thread with all of them is a superintendent who is the advocate, driving all of them, supporting them and reinforcing them. [Taupier’s] greatest strength is being laserfocused on students of need,” Elsen said.

Before stepping into district leadership, Taupier was a social studies teacher and later an assistant

principal, bringing a deep understanding of classroom and administrative needs.

“[Taupier] is a teacher at heart and she knows that our teachers are the ones that drive [equity] work. It is the relationship of the teacher and the student that is where the action is,” Elsen said.

After many years serving the district, Taupier now prepares for this transition, expressing gratitude for her time there and confidence in a smooth leadership handover.

“I think any successful system should be based on the system and not a person. My hope is that I have led in a way that will be a seamless transition for [a new superintendent] to pick up the reins and grow it with their own vision. There’s so much support and I trust that this board and community will select someone who will best serve the community,” Taupier said.

As the district moves forward with the search for a new superintendent, TUHSD is seeking community input in the selection process. A discussion session will be held on Feb. 5, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Kreps Conference Room for the public to share thoughts on the district’s next leader.

For further information on the selection of the new superintendent, visit the TUHSD district website.

ebraggs@redwoodbark.org

Photo Survey

“How aware are you of the school’s policies regarding student data, privacy and security?”

“I do know what GoGuardian is but I am not aware what the privacy policies are.”

“I’m not fully aware. I feel that the school doesn’t tell us a lot about how our data is managed.”

“I’m very aware. My teachers tell me when they’re going to use things like GoGuardian.”

“I’ve never really heard [of] those guidelines but I do know teachers are permitted to watch what we do on our screens.”

Photo courtesy of SLAM Instagram

Inforgraphic by Linnea Koblik

Miles Harrison Senior

Georgia McComish Junior

Maddox McClellan Sophomore

Colette Reidy Freshman

Scan this QR code to read about the Redwood EPiC Drama performance Micetro.

Photo by Ellie Braggs

Micetro student comedy article:

Belvedere Tiburon Library supports emerging high school artists through art gallery

By Vivi Endler

From Jan. 13 to March 12, the Belvedere Tiburon Library is hosting an art exhibit, “A High School Perspective,” to support emerging artists in local high schools. The art gallery aims to showcase the youth’s artistic talents and capabilities, highlighting community members’ passion and perspective.

Co-chairs for the event, Rekha Dutt and Lucy Churchton, decided to organize this event after visiting local art galleries, including Redwood’s.

“We went to see [Redwood’s art gallery], and we were wowed. The seniors and juniors were brilliant. We saw a lot of good artwork, and the teachers there said that the kids would love to submit their work,” Churchton said. “The Book Passage [art gallery], which had a bunch of high school artwork, had spectacular artwork so we kind of just glanced at what was out there and were so impressed that we wanted to bring this to our gallery.”

Community members instantly showed

THE ART GALLERY is open on Monday - Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday - Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

their support and appreciation for the high school artists, purchasing two pieces of artwork in the first seven days of the showcase.

“The community loves seeing art from high school students. Not to mention, some

of the [community members] coming in are parents of the artists, and they have so much pride in their kids,” Churchton said.

A total of 21 artists from high schools like Marin Academy, Redwood, San Domenico, Tamalpais, and the Art

School of SF Bay were selected to be showcased in the library. For junior Zoë Wells, encouragement from her Advanced Placement 2D art and design teacher inspired her to submit her work.“It's the first gallery I've ever done, it just looked like a cool opportunity and was pretty low stakes,” Wells said.

The gallery required up to three artwork submissions ranging from paintings, drawings and mixed media to photographs. In total, 58 art pieces were submitted to the show, ranked by a jury system and selected by the wwsix jurors.

“[The art gallery] really puts your art out there. The Belvedere Tiburon Library has a lot of traction from what I've heard and it's also a good way to link up young artists with other people — that similar age group — who might do the same mediums or have a similar experience,” Wells said.

vendler@redwoodbark.org

Students face a lack of gender-neutral locker rooms

By Mariel Goodhart

When the need for gender-neutral locker rooms was brought to the Physical Education (PE) teachers five years ago, the teachers took the issue to the administration. The administration agreed that there must be a place for nonbinary and transgender students to change, but the process always seemed to stagnate before it ever was completed.

Nicole Graydon has been a PE teacher at Redwood since 2018 and has been working on implementing gender-neutral locker rooms.

“[Not having gender-neutral locker rooms is] just a mental health disaster.

[Non-gender-conforming students] are already dealing with something that sort [excludes them]. [The teachers] want to level the playing field, [but gender-nonconforming students] can’t even have a locker,” Graydon said.

Around two years ago, six lockers were installed in one of the non-binary bathrooms located at the back of the small gym. The lockers are small, without enough room for a backpack. Currently, there are 18 students enrolled in PE who need to use a genderneutral locker room.

Although better than nothing, these lockers are, at most, a band-aid solution.

experienced difficulty as they did not have access to a gender-neutral space.

“In the two years that I had PE, I never had a chance to have one of the lockers, so [I had] to change in wellness every single day, [causing me] to be an additional two to three minutes late to class,” Niemi said. Niemi had gone to Graydon about the issue they were experiencing and learned that the admin was aware of it, but no progress was being made.

We don’t have something for you, even though it’s desperately needed for comfortability and safety.

Gunnar Niemi, junior

Students who have to use a non-binary bathroom but don't have lockers must find alternatives like changing in the Wellness Office. During the swim unit, these students can sometimes shower in the staff showers or the ones located by the pool, but at other times, they do not have access to any shower.

“Anytime this project hits a hiccup, I have to start over and we're just not getting anywhere,” Graydon said.

Junior Gunnar Niemi is a non-binary student. In their junior year, Niemi no longer needed a locker room but previously

“The [teachers] agree with the issues of gender neutral locker rooms. It's horrible because as a teacher, you don't want to tell your kids, ‘We don't have something for you, even though it's desperately needed for comfortability and safety,’” Niemi said.

There have been a few proposed solutions, but these solutions must pass the regulations set for by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which would require the locker rooms to be wheelchair accessible.

One of the proposed solutions was adding more and larger lockers to the bathrooms in the small gyms, but this was given up because the admin thought it might not meet ADA requirements.

“Tam District really wants to be

equitable. [They have] all these good intentions, yet they're dropping the ball majorly on [the lockers], which is really the bare minimum,” Graydon said.

Niemi has faced the struggles of not having the same amenities as other students during his two years in PE and believes that no more students should have to go without access to a locker room.

“It's needed now, and it's been needed; students shouldn't have to feel disregarded. It's not just a want, it's a necessity,” Niemi said.

mgoodhart@redwoodbark.org

Photo by Elle Wilson

THERE ARE SIX lockers located in the gender-neutral bathroom in the small gym.

Photo by Ellie Braggs

STUDENTS AND PARENTS who are hoping for a change can fill out a Williams Complaint.

Photo by Ofelia Huneeus

opinion opinion

Published literature does not imply quality

Anyone who hates on fanfiction hasn’t read classics

By Grace Gehrman

It’s a balmy summer day –– you're comfortably hanging on a hammock outside, and you want to do some light reading, so you open up your phone and peruse through Wattpad when you read this: “A lecherous sunrise flaunted itself over a flatulent sea, ripping the obsidian bodice of night asunder with its rapacious fingers of gold, thus exposing her dusky bosom to the dawn’s ogling stare.”

Except you’re not on Wattpad. And that’s not fanfiction. Those are the words of Stu Duval, which the New Zealand Herald regarded as a “triumph.”

This is not to suggest, implicitly or otherwise, that there is not an ample supply of unintelligible fanfiction written by 13-year-olds that exists on the internet. If anything, the supply is superfluous. However, those who criticize the genre categorized by unoriginality and erotica are clearly not reading some of the most commended published literature.

Even classics that are posthumously defined as having “a certain level of complexity and depth, which enables them to transcend the time in which it was written,” according to the UK publishing house Pan Mcmillan, are sometimes undecipherable trash. William Faulkner, who won a Pulitzer Prize for fiction, is a primary example. His book “As I Lay Dying” was entirely unedited and written in six weeks while Faulkner was inebriated. In his nineteenth chapter, there are only five words: “My mother is a fish.”

That’s it. And no, there is no mention of fish anywhere else in the book; it’s not an allegory.

Unbelievably, that was one of the sentences that led Faulkner to reap a Nobel Prize for Literature.

Similarly, in her novel “November 9,” Colleen Hoover writes, “It’s the first thing he’s said to me all day that’s made me feel like I was being spoken to by my father. I’m not gonna lie. It hurts.”

deterioration of the literary world — they simply prove that bad writing exists, not just exclusively from the laptops of fanfiction writers, but also in the books of Nobel Prize winners, New York Times bestsellers, Pulitzer Prize winners and book sale chart-toppers.

Moreover, the bad reputation that orbits fanfiction is antithetical to a species whose lives are wholeheartedly characterized by innovation. Our world, fundamentally, would not be the same without smartphones, lightbulbs or even the wheel. Technologically, innovation is crucial. Why is cultural innovation not the same?

The short answer is people can. They just don’t comprehend how often they consume fanfiction. Fanfiction, loosely or explicitly defined as such, comprises an ample amount of cultural keystones. For example, “Bridget Jones’ Diary,” which grossed nearly $290 million according to Box Office Mojo, is a fanfiction version of “Pride and Prejudice.” So are “Clueless,” “10 Things I Hate About You” and “Sherlock.”

Even “Wicked,” which was the fourth longest-running musical on Broadway and its second-highest grossing, is hardcore fanfiction; its film adaptation has also been tremendously successful, ranking as the highest-grossing musical-film adaptation of all time. No one who has seen “Wicked” — the movie, musical or book — can argue that it is not a tremendous work of creative ingenuity, fanfiction or not.

This is not to say that fanfiction should not face a healthy level of criticism; it should. But so should classics, romance, science-fiction, fantasy, historical fiction and every other major fictional subgenre.

If anything, people should be more critical of everything they’re reading — the books that are on Advanced Placement English courses’ reading lists, that win awards and best-sell. They should be critical of the words of low-quality literature sold in Barnes & Noble and available on the shelves of the Redwood library — not exclusively those that exist on fanfiction sites.

Somehow, “November 9” alone sold nearly one million copies. Colleen Hoover’s other books — 26 of a similar caliber quality — sold more copies than the Bible in 2022, according to News24. These examples, all evocative(ly terrible), are not a testament to the ggehrman@redwoodbark.org

The tragedy of tariffs: America’s future bears expensive fruit

Story and Illustration by Beckett Tudor

The American economy is set to undergo massive changes under the new presidential administration. Donald Trump and his staff have proposed an economic plan that promises to “put America first,” meaning prioritizing the development of American production, manufacturing and exports, over cheaper imports and industry from abroad. His main economic weapon of choice? Tariffs. Trump signed executive orders within his first week in office that placed a 25 percent tax on both Mexican and Canadian goods (our second and third largest import partners, respectively), and a 10 percent tariff on all Chinese goods (our largest import partner). Not only are these planned taxes directly contradictory to his anti-inflationary campaign promises, but they will also most heavily harm America’s youth and middle class. Despite hopes of reviving American industry and protecting America’s financial priorities, Trump’s proposed tariffs and executive orders threaten to choke the youth out of a stable future through drastically increased inflation and relative costs of common goods.

For any of those unaware, a tariff is essentially a tax on goods imported from a foreign country. According to general economic theory, that duty is not paid by the exporter of the goods from the

foreign country, but rather by the domestic corporation importing said goods. This means that the bulk of whatever the tax is falls directly on the domestic consumer. It is important to note the demographic that most often gets swept up in these rather xenophobic economic principles. Young men in general are typically more convinced by a pro-tariff argument. Specifically, 49 percent of men under 30 voted for Trump in this election, as opposed to only 38 percent of women. Young men are typically the demographic swayed most easily by patriotic promises of an Americacentric economy. They make up the bulk of the overall workforce, and unlike women in recent elections, have not had the threat of reproductive rights being stripped from them. Thus, their votes often lie directly with the party and candidate that they view most directly supports an American economy of limitless growth and domestic fortitude. Such promises are often made by both parties, but in recent years, they have been associated with the Trump campaign. Unfortunately for even the most selfish of young male voters, this recent Republican promise cannot possibly come to fruition if Trump continues with his planned route of tariffs and deportations.

Continue article on pg. 6...

The TikTok ban is a political ticking time bomb

By Tallulah Knill Allen

On Jan. 18, 2025, after months of speculation, the suspected TikTok ban became a reality as the Supreme Court agreed to uphold a law restricting Americans’ access to the app. Users around the internet flocked to the Chinese app Xiaohongshu, commonly referred to as RedNote, and the much-maligned Instagram Reels as they attempted to get their short-form content fix. After TikTok shut down, a message appeared for the app’s 173 million American users, citing then-President-elect Donald Trump as the app’s savior: “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office.” After TikTok returned to the airwaves, Americans received a new message: “As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”

It is clear that Trump has weaponized the ban as a source of political capital.

behind Trump’s shift in policy, it is clear that Trump has weaponized the ban as a source of political capital. As American TikTok users scrambled for alternatives to the app that has become a crucial part of their daily lives, the President swept in to save the very app that he had once attempted to ban during his first presidency. Trump’s opinion on the company shifted last year as his campaign rose in popularity on the app during the election. But this is only the most recent instance of the increasing entanglement between the government and the tech industry — an association we should be concerned about.

The president’s support of TikTok marks a stark departure from his previous stance when he tried to block the app in the United States and force its sale to American companies in 2020. While we may not know the exact machinations

Take, for instance, a photo circulated throughout the internet from Trump’s inauguration of tech CEO Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg sitting alongside Trump’s family members and in front of his own Cabinet picks. This was widely criticized as reflective of the rising influence of oligarchs in our political system.

Continue article on pg. 6...

Illustration by Nadia Massoumi

Tariffs, from page 5

While it is impossible to calculate the exact expected inflation from such far-reaching tariffs as those currently underway, rough estimates can give a good indication of the breadth of the problem the nation will be facing. Outside of housing (which would also be , the largest expenses for the average American household are transportation, utilities and food. All three of these categories will be dramatically impacted by the new tariffs. Chinese manufacturers are the largest suppliers of the technological components of cars, which make up a large portion of the vehicle’s price. A flat 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods could see a massive increase in the average price of an automobile. The U.S. imports over 99 percent of its natural gas from Canada. Consequently, a tariff on imported gas will be the direct catalyst to rapidly rising fuel and energy prices for American consumers. (Admittedly, the tariff on imported Canadian gas is only 10 percent as opposed to the 25 percent on the rest of the country’s goods, but the effect remains nonetheless.) As for food, a large percentage of American produce such as staple grains and beans find their origin in Mexico, and a 25 percent tariff on imported food could exacerbate preexisting food shortages and insecurity for millions of Americans.

In addition to the juvenile calculations that demonstrate the enormity of the issue at hand, professional economists are also firmly on the anti-tariff side of the board. A large portion of Trump’s claims about the benefits of tariffs are justified by the belief that they will bring the US back to the golden ages of industry and production that it enjoyed in the late 1940s and 1950s. However, as a study from NielsenIQ notes, this strategy is incredibly outside of the norm for any country: “Ever since World

spats among major trading partners.”

The authors continued by stating that “the largest economy in the world is slated to start imposing large tariffs on its most important trading partners, a policy decision that will almost certainly lead to reprisals and may drive a surge in trade protectionism around the world.” Even if by some miracle the desire for a new age of American manufacturing is realized, our ability to export will still decrease substantially due to reflective trade regulations from our foreign partners.

But what can we do to help resolve this seemingly insurmountable issue in American politics? Realistically, not much right now. As much as our middle school selves would have liked to delude themselves, no amount of letters to members of Congress or local litigation will solve these national issues. The honest and time-tested answer to creating change is to remain vigilant. Vigilant in your self-education. Vigilant in your moral considerations before taking to the voting booths. Vigilant in your considerations of the future before you make economic decisions for the present.

And this serves to be exceptionally relevant for graduating seniors in the Redwood community. While I could bore you with a litany of statistics to show that Marin is wealthy, I do believe that most of us recognize the wealth of our local area. And this final message is directed at the particularly well-off within our community. That degree of wealth can lead us to often feel a sense of subconscious invulnerability to the lunacy that surrounds the Marin bubble. Many of us might be tempted to think, “Maybe the economy is in a downward spiral. That sucks, at least I have ski week to look forward to.” Outside of the obvious moral shortcomings this mindset forms, this also proves to be a

TikTok, from page 5

Musk, who owns the social media platform X, donated over $200 million in assistance to Trump’s presidential campaign, according to AP News. Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post, one of the largest media outlets in the world, which came under fire in November for its refusal to endorse a presidential candidate in a break with 36 years of tradition. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is preparing to end its fact-checking program — a response, partly, to the 2024 presidential election, which Zuckerberg cited as a “cultural tipping point towards, once again, prioritizing speech.” This announcement came only a day after Meta said that Dana White, one of Trump’s close allies, would join its board. These examples point towards an increasingly close relationship between these tech companies, the government and the news and entertainment we consume.

Reposting isn’t activism The empty gesture of social media advocacy

By Emily Garcia

There are many prevalent issues in our world today, including climate change, war, inequality and countless others. Around a month ago, the city of Los Angeles battled fires that destroyed the homes of thousands, of both celebrities and the general public. Yet despite this, many people choose to stay at home and “make a change” by simply reposting something on their Instagram stories. Social media has changed activism for the worse. Because of the distance social media creates, there is a lack of real dedication to important issues and a decreased ability to empathize with others. Many people’s “eat the rich”-esque reaction to celebrities who have lost their homes in the recent Los Angeles fires has revealed how desensitized to tragedy and disconnected from humanity we've become.

friends and loved ones have lost everything too,” Moore said.

However, the same people bashing others like Moore still participated in the new trend of performative activism, reposting stories and posts that depicted the destruction the fires caused all while undermining others’ feelings.

As more aspects of life shift to an online form, there are fewer opportunities to interact and develop meaningful connections with others. This shift has decreased face-to-face interactions, overall reducing the empathy we have for others.

“Too much screen time and not enough face-to-face communication gives us fewer chances to practice empathy. As a result, people get worse at ‘reading’ each other’s emotional expressions. When we can’t read each other, to begin with, we erode our ability to connect, and our overall health and well-being,” Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas, Science Director at the University of California Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center said.

btudor@redwoodbark.org

concern; according to a January Bark survey, 73 percent of Redwood students use TikTok. The apps we use are more heavily influenced than ever by the prerogatives and the priorities of those in power. While the immediate effects of the Trump administration on the app’s content may not yet be apparent, it is important to monitor the algorithm, which could be

To many of us, it seems celebrities are in another world, making it even more difficult to feel a connection in the first place, but this shouldn’t mean that their feelings are invalid. Celebrities, such as Mandy Moore, were among the many who also lost their homes, yet were attacked online for expressing their grief or asking for support for other non-immediate family members.

“Honestly, I’m in shock and feeling numb for all so many have lost, including my family. My children’s school is gone. Our favorite restaurants: leveled. So many

“Many observers have noted that communication has become coarser in the social media era and that some platforms, Twitter, encourage a kind of snarkiness and combativeness that’s at odds with the way most strangers interact in-person and offline,” Katie Day Good said, Associate Professor of Media, Journalism and Film at Miami University. Social media often provides the illusion and confidence of having a positive impact on the world through their social media activism, despite users contradicting online actions. According to a Pew Research survey from 2023, 76 percent of people believe that social media “makes [others] think they’re making a difference when they really aren’t.” As activism continues to move to social media, minor gestures as a form of activism have become normalized and celebrated. Pew Research found that 46 percent of social media users say they have encouraged others to take action on social media, changed their profile picture to support a cause or used hashtags related to a political or social issue in the past year.

While social media has the power to bring awareness to important issues and allows people to find others with similar beliefs or opinions, it actually tends to cause more harm than good. Especially today, it is crucial to prioritize making a real difference through direct involvement and engagement instead of simply clicking a repost button. As Boston Medical Center defined it, “a person who is taking part in performative activism would rather let it be known that they are not racist (sexist, homophobic, etc.) rather than actually seeking to change the structures within our country.” Real activism is needed to create real change.

egarcia@redwoodbark.org

affected in the future. There are legitimate concerns with TikTok: how it has monopolized our attention spans and our minds, and how the app has become second nature for so many. (Incidentally, many of the TikToks posted after the ban featured people talking about how they clicked on the app repeatedly, knowing that it wouldn’t open but trying regardless.)

However, we should be dealing with

those concerns as individuals. More importantly, though, we should make informed decisions on the information we consume. As the influence of the tech industry on the government is only increasing, so should our vigilance regarding the platforms we depend on and the information we accept be true.

tknillallen@redwoodbark.org

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Illustration by Nadia Massoumi

Illustration by Nadia Massoumi

Point-Counterpoint: Valentine’s Day

By Evelyn Spiegel

The celebration of Valentine’s Day dates back to the Middle Ages, though written Valentine’s cards did not begin making an appearance until much later, when Charles, Duke of Orleans, wrote a poem to his wife in 1415. Dedicated to sharing gratitude and love, the holiday has far more positives than negatives. This loving day sets a specific date in the calendar for couples, family and friends to spread their affection with one another.

According to a blog from the Rosetta Stone, “Today, many people across the globe give small Valentine’s Day gifts like cards or candies to friends and family. Chocolate and flowers, including the ever-iconic red roses, are popular with couples who may choose to go out for a romantic dinner.” Gift givers and receivers across the globe are given an excuse to celebrate each other. While some may argue that Valentine's Day is solely a day for significant others, Drive Research reported that up to 52 percent of consumers celebrate Valentine’s Day, showing how Valentine's Day is celebrated beyond couples, including family and friends. Often, friends find ways to share their love for each other around this time of year, sometimes known as “Galentines.”

While critics of Valentine’s Day point out the commercialization, there’s no denying the major economic benefits that come with the holiday. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce cited from the National Confectioners Association that “92 percent of Americans plan to purchase candy for Valentine’s Day this year, including 58 million pounds of chocolate — one of the holiday’s most popular candies.” The surge in purchases around the candy not only feeds the industries but also helps uplift small businesses and family boutiques that sell similar items.

By Kate Harrison

Usually, when you think of Valentine’s Day, it’s all about big gestures, heart chocolates and all of the pink and red associated with the holiday. While the holiday can represent love and gratitude, it can also exacerbate feelings of loneliness and isolation during a time when everything is about love. Not only does it heighten feelings of loneliness, but it also turns love into a seemingly commercialized transaction.

As corporations and businesses get larger and larger, so does their effort to commercialize holidays, including Valentine’s Day. According to the NRF’s annual survey, consumers are expected to spend a record $27.5 billion on Valentine’s Day in 2025. The holiday brings mountains of pressure for significant others who feel they need to get the best gift or experience for their partner. The pressure can cause unwarranted stress and anxiety for what is supposed to be a carefree holiday celebrating love.

Moreover, this celebration can worsen people's loneliness and depression, as Valentine’s Day gestures like piles of gifts and expensive dates can be on social media platforms. In a survey conducted by BetterHelp, 15 million American adults said the day impacts their mental health for the worse, with the majority of this number being young adults. The study reveals that with lovers experience surrounding their love lives. Valentine’s Day affects people even in the “perfect” relationships we see on social media. It amplifies feelings of inequity in their love lives in both singles and people with partners.

Satire: End Punxsutawney

Phil’s tyrannical reign over our weather

By Wyatt Levine

Now that it's finally spring, it's time to address the elephant — or groundhog — in the room. For those who need a recap on the ridiculous holiday known as Groundhog Day, here it is: if the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, does not see his shadow, spring comes early; if Phil sees his shadow, we have six more weeks of winter. The whole concept of Groundhog Day is ridiculous and it’s time we strip Phil of his tyrannical power over our weather forecast.

Sleepy Phil was again woken up this year and expected to predict our weather. Apparently, he saw his shadow. First of all, making a sleepy groundhog predict our weather without an espresso is ridiculous. How should we humans expect a groundhog to decide our weather without some coffee when the majority of us can barely function without caffeine? At the very least, he should be given extra time to snooze in preparation for him declaring when my spring can start.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) estimates that $27.5 billion will be spent on gifts for the holiday, averaging about $185.81 per household. The rise in sales of candy, jewelry and flowers allows for a boost in the economy from these simple gifts.

However, despite the option to express affection through gifts, Valentine’s Day doesn’t always have to break the bank. Valentine's Day has the potential to be costly, but gestures like priceless letters, a picked flower or words of affirmation can be enough to acknowledge appreciation for others on the holiday.

Overall, Valentine’s Day fosters ideas of kindness, positivity and creativity. Regardless of a person’s relationship status, the day can be an excuse to treat oneself and express gratitude for family and friends. For people with significant others, the day puts a date in place to treat each other, with options of going on fun dates and expressing words of love.

espiegel@redwoodbark.org

This holiday isn’t demonstrating what it is supposed to be and can lead to more relationship problems for couples in the future. Morse and Neuberg (2004), a wellcited study examining how Valentine’s Day affects dating relationships, found that unstable romantic relationships leading into the holiday were nearly five times more likely to break up in the two weeks surrounding Valentine’s Day than at other times during the year. This is because Valentine’s Day brings out feelings of hopelessness and isolation.

While Valentine’s Day may offer an opportunity for people to express their love for one another, it should also reflect singles and focus on not just people in relationships but also loving yourself, even if you're single. The commercialized aspect pushes expectations onto couples, overshadowing the actual meaning of the so-called holiday of love. Rather than fostering a genuine connection, Valentine’s Day perpetuates feelings of inadequacy and depression for those who are especially vulnerable to loneliness because of their lack of relationship.

kharrison@redwoodbark.org

All college education is valuable

By Angelina Purvey

The summer before and the first semester of senior year are arguably the most stressful times in a student’s life. Most students are figuring out what next steps to take in life and whether or not they are applying to college. If a student decides to go down the path of college, there is often a highly competitive spirit between students as to which colleges they will be applying to. Many students feel pressured to attend selective universities with low acceptance rates. The academic environment at Redwood further raises the bar for college admissions, making students feel even more pressured to attend top-tier universities.

The entire situation around college can evoke many emotions: it can be overwhelming and raise a sense of isolation, as well as causing feelings of stress that everyone else is a step ahead. Instead of believing that other colleges are not as prestigious based on acceptance rate or brand recognition, students need to foster the overall importance and power of a college education. Students should remind themselves that they are there for a valuable education, not for a university’s name. One can receive a quality education at any college they attend, meaning students should not

feel pressured to attend a top school. Receiving a college degree from any university is useful. Having a college degree leads to increased job opportunities, preparation for a specialized career, economic stability, learning how to communicate with others and much more. According to the Georgetown Center in Education and the Workforce, college graduates have 58 percent more job opportunities than non-graduates. When choosing to attend college, you can receive all of these benefits, regardless of the university you attend.

An essential benefit of a college degree is economic stability. According to the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, people with a bachelor’s degree earn 68 percent more than someone with a high school diploma. A college degree allows you to get a higher position at a job and gives the potential for one to make a higher salary than non-graduates.When choosing to attend college, you can receive all of these benefits, regardless of the university you attend.

To continue reading this piece about education visit the Opinion section of our website: www.redwoodbark.org

apurvey@redwoodbark.org

Groundhogs also sleep for most of the winter, so they’ve been deprived of sun for a while. Imagine sleeping for a whole month, waking up and opening your eyes, only to have sunlight blast you in the face. Of course, Phil saw his shadow! If the sun was blinding him, he would turn away and see his shadow. There are too many external factors in his weather decision dilemma. The brightness should have made it obvious that he should wear sunglasses to work shift this year. Phil doesn't even have good enough judgment to decide when he needs to put on sunglasses. Therefore, we should dethrone him and put someone with better judgment — preferably someone who can read data and weather charts — in charge of Groundhog Day predictions.

As Americans, democracy is something we pride ourselves on, but every year when Groundhog Day arrives, we congregate to worship Phil and listen to his opinions about our weather with no objections. Phil is corrupting American democracy and it’s been going on for far too long.

Additionally, according to groundhogfunfacts. com, a groundhog can live up to 14 years in captivity. Bill Murray’s “Groundhog Day” was released in 1993. So, this means we’ve had Groundhog Day since at least 1993. If my calculations are correct, Phil is at least 31 years old, which leads me to conclude that he has been replaced at least three times! Maybe, back when Groundhog Day was created, the original Phil had magical weather-telling powers, but the Phil we worship today is a fraud.

Every year, there is one day nobody tunes in to hear the weatherman: that day is Groundhog Day. Phil is taking the attention away from our trusty Redwood TV weatherman, who opted for an anonymous interview.

“I don't appreciate Punxsutawney Phil taking my business,” said Timothy Finklestein. “What makes him qualified to decide the weather?”

This is not okay. As active enjoyers of Redwood TV, we need to stop taking business away from our trusty news company. Down with the groundhog!

wlevine@redwoodbark.org

Illustration by Lucy Jeffers

Illustration by Nadia Massoumi

editorial

“Outsideof-class surveillance feels unethical to us.”

GoGuardian crosses the line on privacy

To promote academic integrity and support teachers, school districts nationwide have begun outfitting their IT departments with GoGuardian, a software tool designed to help educators monitor students’ online activity. The Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) is among the more than 14,000 schools and districts nationwide implementing this system. In addition to allowing teachers to monitor students’ screens in real-time, the software filters content and keeps detailed summaries of students’ activities. However, when policies are vague and training is inconsistent, it can infringe on students’ right to privacy.

In a controlled classroom environment, GoGuardian has its benefits. Throughout the class period or during tests, teachers can ensure students are staying focused and using their devices properly.

Yet as of January 2025, while signed into a TUHSD account, students’ browsers are open for surveillance around the clock, even if on a personal computer, on their home WiFi, after school hours. According to a January Bark survey, 53 percent of students have “experienced or heard about GoGuardian being used outside of school hours or off-campus.” Junior Gia Meyers is one of the many who have witnessed this phenomenon, having her tab closed by a teacher despite being in another state.

“I was in [Las] Vegas for a softball tournament and doing my homework because I had free time. I was watching Netflix on the side after I finished my homework, and [my teacher] closed my tab. I was all the way in [Las] Vegas,” Meyers said.

Many others shared similar accounts of their screens being monitored at home, with teachers closing tabs or locking browsers. Stories like these highlight a severe infringement on the rights of students, and it must come to an end.

According to their website, GoGuardian has a setting that easily allows IT departments to restrict supervision after school hours. “GoGuardian administrators can decide whether to filter and monitor students differently after school hours and on the weekends.” Kent Middle School currently uses this exact setting, keeping teachers or administrators from watching students’ screens once the school day ends.

are being unfairly watched and restricted. The GoGuardian website states that “students who are absent can be excluded from your classroom session with the ‘Exclude’ command;” however, the district does not enable this feature.

Currently, TUHSD has no published policy on its website addressing online screen monitoring software, setting no limits on when teachers and administrators can track students’ devices. When venturing to the “Privacy Policy” tab on their website, it comes up blank. If GoGuardian continues to be used in our district, TUHSD must create a clear policy. Deploying surveillance software on students without posting a policy setting guidelines and regulations is unethical.

Teachers must receive thorough training on the software, including when and how to use it. While TUHSD Senior Director of IT Rose Chavira claims teachers have been trained on the software, every teacher the Bark talked to stated that they had received no such instruction. The district has deployed this powerful technology without informing the community, listing a clear policy or training its staff on proper usage.

While using a school-issued Chromebook, students are notified when a teacher enables GoGuardian to surveil their screen. However, this feature does not work on personal computers, leaving many unaware that teachers are monitoring their screens. This is another crucial violation of privacy; teachers should inform the class when their browser is being surveilled, which could easily be put into place through teacher training. During training, teachers should also be mandated to use the “Exclude” command to protect the privacy of absent students.

The Bark agrees that GoGuardian has a place within the classroom, helping teachers keep students on task and engaged. However, the district must provide adequate training for teachers, create a coherent privacy policy on its website and only surveil students in class. If you want more information on the topic, view our feature on pages 12 and 13.

POLICY: All editorials are unsigned and have been approved by the majority of The Bark staff.

After an interview with Bark, it seems as though TUHSD may have realized their previous mistake and enabled this setting so teachers can no longer monitor students after school hours. Yet, they are still able to monitor students at home, on personal computers, during school hours; students with excused absences

A BARK to the TikTok ban only lasting 15 hours; we were actually about to start our homework.

A BITE to senioritis, turning “due tomorrow” into “do tomorrow.”

A BARK to Zendaya and Tom Holland moving to Marin. They’re not too Far from Home.

A BITE to Trump’s presidency. So far its going tarriff-ic!

Have an opinion regarding anything that appears in The Bark or in general? We encourage our readers to submit letters to the editor. Letters to The Bark should be 500 words or fewer, typed if possible and signed. They must emailed to bark@ redwoodbark.org.

A BARK to Canada. How lucky that you aren’t US.

A BITE to the winner of Best Country Album. Thank you, Beyonce?

A BARK to the Oscar nominations. We are WICKEDly excited to see who wins.

A BITE to accepted students pages. We also love music, sunsets and our friends!

A BARK to our new president. We weren’t the only ones getting tan over the holidays!

A BITE to January. We didn’t know a month could be 365 days.

BARKS and BITES are the collective opinions of the BARK staff concerning relevant issues. BARKS are in praise of accomplishments, while BITES criticize decisions or events.

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California’s new reality is year-round wildfires

By Cora Champommier and Charlotte Lacy

“Everything that I'd grown up with and taken for granted burned to a crisp. I should have appreciated it more while I was there. It's just a lesson, a lesson in gratitude, more than anything,” sophomore Cole Sandrich said, who lost his childhood home in the Palisades fire.

Growing up in Marin, wildfires are often seen as a part of the landscape — a distant threat, more of an inconvenience than a personal tragedy. We never truly believe it could happen to us. But families in the Palisades of Los Angeles can no longer say the same.

Five days into 2025, California's second most destructive fire year ignited a scene no one could have anticipated. Over 16,000 homes were reduced to ashes. The recent fires are a wake-up call, demonstrating that it could have been anyone living in California who lost their homes and their community.

“I personally didn't think an urban fire like that could ever really affect [any] community like the Pacific Palisades or Marin or Pasadena, but it's eye-opening. It's not just a forest fire or big open fields; it's urban [areas], too. Suburban fires can affect everybody, and we should all be vigilant and have plans,” Sandrich said.

Marin’s history with wildfire safety is commendable, beginning preparations for wildfires in the 1860s, years before any other county in the country. In 1917, the first forest fire-specific fire department was created, and in 2020, the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority was established, the first known government agency made with the intent to prevent wildfires and mitigate their effects. Todd Lando, the wildfire hazard mitigation specialist and battalion chief for the Central Marin Fire Department, is working to learn from the mistakes that took place in the Los Angeles fires and apply them to Marin County.

“We realize that an ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure when it comes to wildfires,” Lando said.

While everyone is in charge of their homes, certain community members, known as Community Leaders and Block Captains, are in charge of specific neighborhoods and streets. Tim Mossteller is the Community Leader of members living on Palm Hill in Larkspur, and has seen the preparation against fire in Marin increase.

“To be real honest, the Los Angeles fires reinforced what we've been trying to do for the last five years. Palm Hill has been a firewise community for five years, and we're trying to ensure people are prepared to evacuate. Los Angeles wasn't [prepared for the fires] and that just caused chaos.” Mossteller said.

Fires are costly to control, and the recent disasters point towards a dim future if people do not learn to live with the changing climate that now affects the future of wildfires. Lando emphasized the importance of focusing on oneself and one’s own home when preparing for wildfires.

“We need people to stop worrying in many ways about what their neighbors are doing and focus on their own homes. We're all in control of whether or not our home burns. I want to give people hope that they can do things to protect their own home,” Lando said.

The first five feet within a home is called “zone zero,” where it is vital to clear anything ignitable from the area, such as dying plants, weeds or debris. Doing this can save residents time and provide additional safety in an emergency evacuation, as 60 to 90 percent of homes that burn in wildfires are due to embers landing within the first five feet of a home.

Preparing a “go-kit” filled with essentials like important documents ensures that people will have what is truly needed to move forward after the devastation. In the frenzy of a quick evacuation, having a pre-practiced plan for every family member, including special cases with the elderly and pets, is critical.

about being trapped in their cars while they're evacuating; people are afraid that they're going to burn up inside their car. That's just not true. That's a myth. The car is the safest place for people to evacuate,” Lando said.

As Lando described, nobody has died in their car because they got stuck in a traffic jam. While being faced with the conflict of evacuation can be difficult, the most important thing to do during a wildfire is to remain calm.

People never know when a fire is coming, so they must be ready to go in any situation, including in the middle of the night — like what happened during the Santa Rosa Fire in Coffey Park, as Mossteller described.

I want to give people hope that they can do things to protect their own home.

Todd Lando, Central Marin Fire Dept.

“Pets are often overlooked until it's too late, and we know of lots of people who have died during wildfires because they couldn't find their pets [or] weren't prepared to take their pets,” Lando said. “People will take huge risks to try to save their cat or dog, and with a little bit of preparation in advance, there's a lot you can do to protect your animals.”

If people refuse to comply with safety officials and evacuate promptly, they put themselves, their families and the broader community at risk by delaying fire control and forcing first responders to attempt rescue later on.

“Once you're in this panic mode, your thinking ability is reduced, and unless you've planned it out well, you run around, and you take too much time getting out of the house. That happened in Los Angeles. People died in their homes in Palisades because they didn't make it out in time. The key is to leave early,” Mosetller said. There can be many false truths regarding the safety of evacuation during an emergency, but separating fact from fiction is crucial.

“We know that there's a lot of fear [in people]

“I talked to a person who was there. He said he left so fast that he realized he had forgotten his wallet, and so he turned around to get his wallet, and the back end of his house was on fire. He turned around and ran,” Mossteller said.

One crucial step anyone can take is to confirm the connection to alert systems. Jessamine Heist, who works with Fire Safe Marin, is signed up for multiple alerts. She finds comfort in knowing she will receive additional safety information in an emergency.

“It's called No Emergency Management (NEM) and it has the most direct information, especially if you are getting that evacuation order. There's going to be followup information about where you should go to shelter in place and which streets specifically are under evacuation order. There is always going to be more information if you're under an evacuation order, so it's important for people to sign up for that and have that awareness,” Heist said.

Above all, Lando wants residents to have hope and optimism even in light of devastating recent events. An overlooked reminder regarding fire safety in Marin is to remain confident.

“You need to be prepared to live with fires. They're a part of our landscape. You need to build your home so that it will survive a wildfire. You need to prepare your family so your family can survive a wildfire, and when and if we ever get to that point, that's part of our ethic of living here in Marin and California,” Lando said.

bark@redwoodbark.org

MARIN’S HISTORY WITH wildfire safety is commendable, beginning preparations for wildfires in the 1860s, years before any other county in the country. In 1917, the first forest fire-specific department was created.

Photo courtesy of Elle Wilson

Illustration by Nadia Massoumi

Edibles reshape Marin’s weed culture

By Nina Howard and Matthew Knauer

Pot. Marijuana. Weed. Za. Regardless of its ever-evolving name, cannabis is not new to Marin County. The infamous holiday April 20, or 4/20, began at San Rafael High School in the 1970s, when a group of five students nicknamed “The Waldos” would meet every day after school at 4:20 to smoke. As 4/20 was popularized by the Grateful Dead and the hippie movement of the 70s, its national impact can be traced back to our home. Although weed has been a prominent part of the culture in Marin for over 50 years, the way we perceive and interact with this drug is changing, due to an uptick in usage and acceptance.

Generation Z — those born between 1997 to 2010 — is drinking noticeably less than previous generations, with alcohol consumption falling by eight percent among college-aged kids. According to Oregon Health and Science University, teen cannabis usage has risen by 245 percent over the past 20 years, with 52.9 percent claiming they use it to ease anxiety.

In all demographics — not just teenagers — the number of weed users in the United States is skyrocketing; data from the US National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that daily and near-daily weed usage in the US has risen by nearly 225 percent from 2015 to 2022. Daily weed usage has even surpassed that of alcohol. In 2022, 17.7 million Americans reported using cannabis daily, compared to the 14.4 million who admitted to drinking alcohol daily. Just 30 years prior, the number of alcohol users outpaced weed users tenfold.

Many experts are attributing this rise to easy access to edibles. Over 60 percent of Redwood students who use marijuana ingest it through edible treats made with

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). According to the Colorado Cannabis Chamber of Commerce, edible sales make up nearly half of legal marijuana sales.

This shift to edibles could be motivated by several reasons, whether it's chasing a more intense high, easier accessibility or perceived health benefits. People are often led to believe that edibles are safer than smoking because they don’t damage lung tissue and blood vessels. Edible users don’t have to worry about the particulate matter from inhaling bits of rolled paper and the plant itself. They are also assumed to be less addictive than smoking because they take longer to “kick in”; users feel the effect of smoking marijuana almost instantly, while an edible can take 30 minutes to multiple hours to kick in.

rate and blood pressure, severe nausea, vomiting and delusions. Even small doses can be too strong for many people because edibles have much stronger effects.

“Smoking is more immediate and goes straight to your head. With edibles, it's delayed and more of a body feel [or] a body high,” Lucas said.

Teens who use cannabis regularly are more likely to have absences and drop out of school.

Dr. Christina Borbely, Marin County drug prevention advisor

One anonymous student, who will be referred to as Charlie, uses cannabis weekly and takes edibles often; he spoke about his experience with that form of weed.

“ I like the high. It's a different high than smoking. I'd rather take an edible and be by myself and play Fortnite or something with my friends,” Charlie said. “When I get bored, I like to do [edibles] specifically because I just have nothing better to do. I have hours to burn and I'm bored.”

An anonymous parent, who will be referred to as Lucas, said that not only kids have hopped on the edible trend, but adults as well. His family has a history of weed usage, but the majority have switched from smoking to edibles due to health concerns.

“ Especially with my family, we've all been smokers and they've mostly gone to edibles,” Lucas said. “ At our age, smoking's just not a good alternative. So I think edibles offer something else that doesn't kill your lungs.”

In many cases, parents in Marin using edibles has led to a more permissive attitude towards cannabis use. With parents replacing nightly glasses of wine with an edible or giving their kids access to their stash, many families are under the impression that weed is a safer alternative to other options.

“ My dad uses weed, and both of my parents know I use weed,” Charlie said.

Lucas is among some parents in Marin who would prefer their child to take an edible rather than smoke weed or drink alcohol. With a history of addiction in his family, he prefers his child to ask him for an edible rather than experiment on her own or damage her lungs by smoking.

“ That's kind of why I have [edibles] these days… I'd rather [my kid] ask for an edible than ask for me to roll her a joint,” Lucas said.

Despite the somewhat relaxed attitude towards weed in Marin, there are still many dangers and risks that teens and adults often overlook.

One danger can be accidentally miscalculated doses. Users will often eat an edible and not feel immediate effects, so they take more and end up with an extremely high dosage in their system. A study done by the American College of Physicians found that people who took edibles over smoking were more likely to end up in the emergency room. Too much THC in your system can lead to extreme paranoia or panic attacks, increased heart

According to the Canadian Center on Substance Use and Addiction, edible cannabis travels to the liver and stomach before reaching the bloodstream.

In the liver, the THC is turned into a metabolite that induces more, psychoactive effects. Weed inhalation never reaches the liver, so the effects are less strong.

Dr. Christina Borbely, a senior advisor on youth drug prevention for the county of Marin, warns against the use of any form of weed, including edibles, citing loss of brain function as a major reason.

“Cannabis causes cognitive impairment, especially in the frontal lobe of the brain, which gives you good things like the ability to anticipate consequences, the ability to plan, the ability to process information and to evaluate risk and reward. That’s a really good part that you don’t want to impair,” Borbely said.

Some weed users describe what can be called a “weed hangover” or “brain fog,” as an anonymous smoker, who will go by Aiden, described.

“[There is] definitely brain fog after you use [weed]. The next day, you're a lot slower. I found one way to get rid of it; just exercising or sweating it out helps a lot,” Aiden said.

A study conducted by the University of Colorado School of Medicine found that 63 percent of lifetime users had reduced brain activity when asked to perform memory and cognition tests in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine. According to the scans, the areas of the brain that differed the most between smokers and non-smokers were the regions responsible for decision-making and short-term memory.

Not only does weed affect the ability to think and process information, but it also has been proven to cause a lack of motivation.

“The data shows that teens who use cannabis regularly are more likely to have absences and drop out [of] school,” Borbely said. “It can also affect their motivation in school. Cannabis users are more likely to experience a motivational disorder, meaning they lack the will to participate in

activities that benefit them in life.”

The trend is clear; weed usage is spiking nationwide and Marin County is no exception. With the dangers of smoking becoming ever-apparent, many have shifted to edibles as their primary source of cannabis. Parents make up a large faction of this group, and many even provide their own children with edibles, hoping they steer clear of smoking or taking other illicit drugs. Yet, weed usage comes with a litany of health complications, especially for those with brains that are still developing.

“Young people may want to pause and reflect on their motivation when considering or trying something new like cannabis,” Borbely said. “If a person feels overwhelmed, a need to numb or check out, or a loss of control over the urge to try or use, they can get relief without risking the harm of substances. Seek healthy adventures and stuff to do that strengthens you, your wellness and your body.”

bark@redwoodbark.org

Infographic by Linnea Koblik

Illustrationby

Nadia Massoumi

By

GoGuardian was first adopted by the Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) in the 2017-18 school year, allowing teachers to monitor students' devices, close out tabs and lock computer screens through district-provided accounts during class time. This online educational service has helped maintain focused classrooms and academic honesty. However, despite its various proven benefits, some students and teachers have voiced concerns about its limitations and scope of surveillance.

The TUHSD Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Kelly Lara, who has over 20 years of educational experience, is responsible for managing and supporting students and their education.

“Our GoGuardian system allows a teacher to monitor when students are in class. They can monitor what website [the students are] looking at, provide support and redirect [them],” Lara said.

Skyla Thomas and Isabelle Davis

Illustrations by Zach Dinowitz

their training, they know how to use the

However, according to Fay and Kornfeld, Redwood teachers have not received formal training or guidelines. Kornfeld reflected that teachers are expected to know how to utilize this monitoring service, despite not receiving instruction on proper use of the software.

“It comes to us as mandatory reporters and public educators to use technology the way that it's designed to be used, which is in class,” Kornfeld said.

GoGuardian has proven to be successful for a variety of reasons. However, the

security and privacy regarding its setting and features have made students and teachers uncomfortable. Any student or parent concerned about their online privacy regarding GoGuardian cannot access the general TUHSD privacy policy because it comes up blank online.

In terms of the legality behind the use of monitoring services, the TUHSD Student Use of Technology Acceptable Use Agreement states that “the district reserves the right to monitor and record all use of district technology.” However, it is not clarified that your home device, but logged onto a school Chrome account qualifies as “district technology.” It states that students “should not have any expectation of privacy.” However, there is little information that educates students,

parents and teachers specifically about how GoGuardian is utilized at Redwood.

The TUHSD website only states, "GoGuardian software helps schools easily manage their devices, better understand their students and keep them safer online.”

Despite GoGuardian’s benefits to learning at TUHSD, concerns from many Redwood students suggest the need for change — such as a setting preventing it from operating for off-campus devices during excused absences — so that it still serves its purpose without prompting any privacy or safety concerns.

bark@redwoodbark.org

Infographic by Larkin Moffett

review review

Crafted with love

DIY gifts that are sure to impress

By Natalie Vinogradsky

Valentine’s Day is approaching and many are wondering what to get for their loved ones. Whether you need a gift for your best friend, partner or even a crush, why not show your love by creating a charming Do-ItYourself (DIY) gift? These gifts prove that you don’t need to spend much to give something meaningful. Here are the top four easiest DIY projects to gift this Valentine’s Day season.

#1: “100 Reasons Why I Love You” jar

This simple and easy craft can take you just five minutes to create. Start by selecting a jar or any container you like. Next, write 100 reasons why you love this person on 100 small slips of paper. Afterward, roll the paper and tie it with a piece of yarn or ribbon. To finish, decorate the outside of your jar as much as you desire, and don’t be afraid to get artistic with it: use some glitter, ribbons or paint.

memories with someone is through photos. For this craft, you need an empty book or album, pictures, stickers, markers and glue. First, lay out everything you will be gluing on a page until you like how it looks. Then, glue the photos onto the page. Finally, you can decorate it with stickers or add personal notes to the book for a more creative appeal.

#3: Valentine’s Day bracelets

An easy DIY gift for a friend or partner can be as simple as a bracelet. Gather any kind of bead you like, such as an elastic beading cord or string and scissors. Start by measuring the string and cutting it to the desired length. Then, tie a knot on one end and add the beads through the string. Once you reach the middle of the bracelet, add a charm bead or letter beads spelling out a message like “BFF” or “XOXO.” Continue adding beads until you reach the end and tie another knot to complete the bracelet.

#4: Love coupon book

A personalized gift is an excellent way of showing how much you care about them. That’s why making these easy custom coupons for your loved ones shows how unique your relationship with them is. Start by brainstorming some ideas, showing off how you can easily spread a little joy to someone. Then, print out a template or create your coupons, then write them on paper. Some examples of what the coupons could say are; “Breakfast in Bed,” “Movie Night” or “A Homemade Dinner.” This gift is perfect if you are on a budget or want to share memorable experiences with the people you love most.

Overall, these DIY crafts are an easy way to show how much you care for a person. Take ten minutes out of your day to make an easy gift with a deep meaning that will be much appreciated by your loved ones, and allow you to show your creative side.

nvinogradsky@redwoodbark.org

3 Weeks of Crumbl cookies

By Alana Leifer

Week of January 14th — 3.5/5

After trying all six cookies this week, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a tiny bit disappointed. Although the name “Spiced Apple White Chip” is a mouthful, nothing was more of a mouthful than the S’mores Cake. A double-layered golden cake layered in marshmallow buttercream, this cookie was practically double the size of any other cookie this week –– but not double as delicious. With a dry, flavorless texture, this cookie was one of the thorns of this week. However, the Peanut Butter Brownie cookie lived up to its expectations, producing a warm, peanut butter aftertaste.

Week of January 21st — 3/5

Although this week was full of ups and downs, the Brookie was right in between. Half cookie, half brownie, the only thing that this lived up to was half of my expectations. I’d give this cookie a solid 3/5 stars. On the up-side, the Triple Berry Cobbler was the perfect sweet treat for any fruit lover, covered in cinnamon strudel, berry jam and vanilla bean mousse. On the lower end of this week, watch out for Rob’s Backstage Caramel Popcorn cookie ft. The Jonas Brothers. With a caramel base and caramel popcorn, this cookie may be too much for those who don’t enjoy sweetness.

Week of January 28th — 4.5/5

This week was full of amazing flavors, with only one preventing me from giving it a 5/5. One of the best flavors of the week was Macadamia Nut. You also can’t go wrong with the Confetti Cake cookie, with a similar flavor to the Starbucks Birthday cake pop. How can I forget about the Cookies and Cream ft. Oreo cookie? Although I know not everyone is fond of Crumbl’s cookie cakes, go and give this cookie a try –– it might just Crumbl your doubts. However, I was disappointed by the Lemon Poppy Seed cookie and its bland aftertaste. I’d give this week a 4.5/5.

aleifer@redwoodbark.org

Infographic by Natalie Vinogradsky

Infographic by Mason Garbo

Photo by Anna Ostanina

The 2025 Oscars’ best picture nominees

By Larkin Moffett and Lily Skinner

Ten films have been nominated for Best Picture at the upcoming Academy Awards on Sunday, March 10. The genres of these films vary, providing options that cater to a diverse range of audiences. Before the event, here are our thoughts on which nominations are worth watching and which you can skip.

While missing deliberate humor written in the script, “The Substance” makes up for it with its grotesquely hilarious body horror and inconceivable plot. This gruesome comment on society did a perfect job of encapsulating the costs of being a Hollywood star. This may not be considered anyone’s “comfort” movie, but its thought-provoking impact makes it worth the watch before this year’s Oscars.

Conclave

Bark beats

By Brooklyn Saputo

LANA (SOS Deluxe): SZA

aging celebrity as she navigates through the struggles of accepting her age, ultimately forcing her to fall back on “the substance.”

American singer-songwriter Solána Imani Rowe, famously named SZA, is known for her blending of R&B, hip hop and soul. She gained widespread recognition with her debut album “Ctrl” in 2017, and second album, SOS, released in 2022. SZA’s SOS Deluxe album, “LANA,” which came out on Dec. 20, exceeded my expectations. If your favorite song from the original SOS album was “Blind,” then you're going to find your second love in the song “Cry Baby" which has a gorgeous chorus with SZA’s soaring soprano. “What Do I Do” and "Another Life" have harmonies and layered vocals that bring them to life in coherence with the upbeats and ethereal sound they both contain. If you love SZA, or even if you don't, I definitely recommend giving “LANA” a listen.

Hurry Up Tomorrow: The Weeknd Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, known professionally as The Weeknd, is a Canadian R&B singer and songwriter known for his smooth and haunting vocals. The Weeknd's 22-song album “Hurry up Tomorrow,” released on Jan. 31 shows his ability to produce a song for any genre. The opening song, “Wake Me Up,” begins with a slow beat that then drops into a catchy 80’s vibe synth. As it ends, there is a seamless transition into “Cry For Me" which explores all the post-breakup emotions. House music fans will find a newfound love in “São Paulo” which was a favorite of mine. The Weeknd ends this album with the song “Hurry Up Tomorrow" which I must mention because it showcases his vocal range and talent.

Balloonerism: Mac Miller

Mac Miller was a talented rapper, singer and songwriter, known for his

While Moore and Margaret Qualley do an excellent job portraying the leads, the film lacks a supporting cast as they are the only two characters you get to know.

emotional depth and abstract musical compilations. Unfortunately, Miller passed away in 2018 at the age of 26. Yet, his legacy continues as his record label and family agreed to still release some of his pre-recorded songs before his death, 14 of which were just released on the Jan. 17, album “Balloonerism.” Most of the album has a slow tempo, with harmonies and voice overlays that create an out-ofbody listening experience. My favorite song from the album was “Funny Papers” because it was very upbeat and sounded similar to Miller's other songs like “The Spins.” However, one song that I wasn't too fond of was “Transformations.” This was sung in an auto-tuned baby high-pitched voice for three minutes straight, which was not a great listening experience. Although abstract, if you were a fan of Miller when he was alive, then this is definitely something to listen to.

WHAM: Lil Baby

Dominique Armani Jones, known professionally as Lil Baby, is an American rapper. He released “WHAM,” on Jan. 3, was his fourth studio album. My favorite song was “F U 2x,” which had a super catchy chorus and an upbeat rhythm. This is along with my second favorite song, “Redbone," a fun, high-energy song featuring the female rap artist GloRilla. In the track “By Myself”, although the chorus was pretty, some of the verses were hard to understand because of the way the rappers were singing. They often slurred their words and were rapping so fast that I didn't even get the message of the song. However, other honorable mentions were the song “Stuff" featuring Travis Scott, which was wildly creative and the song "Say Twin," which had a repeating phrase that will definitely get stuck in your head.

bsaputo@redwoodbark.org

Illustration by Lucy Jeffers

Help rebuild LA by donating to these fire relief efforts

By Lucy Miller

Last month, fires erupted across Los Angeles due to dry conditions and high winds, resulting in the destruction of around 16,000 structures and the loss of at least 29 lives. Families that have been displaced due to the Los Angeles fires need financial support urgently. While basic necessities are beneficial, Californians lack homes to store these donated items. Additionally, it can get very overwhelming for volunteers trying to manage and sort donated items such as clothes and blankets. If you are looking for a place to donate, below are four researched and reliable places that are providing urgent assistance as well as long-term help while Los Angeles rebuilds.

Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation

The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation provides essential equipment and funds that help the Los Angeles Fire

Department (LAFD) protect its community. At the top of the website, there is a dropdown tap that says “Donate.” Click on the second option “Donate: General,” and from there you can choose to donate to the LAFD Wildfire Relief Fund. These funds go directly to the fire department and help cover the costs of necessary tools and safety equipment for the firefighters on the front lines.

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross is working to provide urgent necessities to people affected by the Los Angeles fires. The Red Cross is working closely with local officials to coordinate a recovery plan. Over 580 Red Cross responders and 8,000 local volunteers have been working day and night to help those affected. So far, they have provided over 90,000 meals and 9,400 overnight stays. Donating is easy and the Red Cross is a

very reliable organization, so you know your money will be going to help those who need it. To donate specifically to help the Los Angeles fires, scroll past where you select your size of the donation, where there is a drop-down that says “Disaster Relief.” From there click “California Wildfires 2025.”

211LA

American Red Cross has provided over 90,000 meals and 9,400 overnight stays.

211LA, a nonprofit organization, provides housing help for individuals and families affected by the Los Angeles fires. So far, they have provided temporary residence to over 33,000 individuals by working with Airbnb, Hilton and American Express. All donated funds go directly to helping evacuees find hotel accommodations, transportation and meals. They have been working overtime to help with immediate needs, but are asking for continued support as they enter the recovery phase of the aftermath of these devastating fires. You can donate

by clicking on the link at the top of their website. Located inside the red box, the link is easy to find. From there, you can simply choose the amount you want to donate.

California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund

The California Community Foundations (CCF) Wildfire Relief Fund is focused on long-term rebuilding for communities in Los Angeles after media attention shifts away in the upcoming months. The CCF has donated over $15 million to non-profit organizations that are helping individuals and families, but their main efforts are to ensure long-term recovery. CCF provides mental and physical care for displaced residents, helping those in need with case management and assisting with housing. When you go to the website, click “Donate Now” in the middle of the screen. From there, you can easily donate using your card, Paypal or Venmo.

Though the fires are done burning, the effects of them are long-lasting. In the end, they burned 40,000 acres of land in the Los Angeles area, with insured losses expected to reach around $20 billion and total economic losses potentially reaching $50 billion. Any size of donation is helpful; just make sure to know where your money is going.

lmiller@redwoodbark.org

Book a cheaper ‘senior trip’ to celebrate graduation

By Jace Harms

Every year, seniors embark on trips across the country — or even the world — to celebrate the beginning of the next chapter of their lives. Trips to many popular destinations like Hawaii, Mexico and Europe can be costly, and many seniors spend a lot of their second semester saving money. However, there are plenty of other trips you can take with friends that don't cost quite as much and will undoubtedly make memories you will never forget. Here are the top three best getaway trips for new graduates.

Highway 1 California Trip

An excellent trip for those leaving California to commemorate the state is the road trip down the famous Highway 1. With breathtaking coastal views, iconic stops like Bixby Bridge and McWay Falls and opportunities for camping under the

stars in Big Sur, this trip is bound to be unforgettable. Stops can also be made in Santa Cruz, Monterrey or many other towns on the coast. For a three-night trip, taking the Highway 1 trip could cost anywhere from $140 to $200 per person when considering gas, campsite fees, food and activities. This trip is perfect for those who want to hike, lay on the beach or explore.

Backpacking in the Sierra Nevadas

Going away for a few peaceful yet exciting days with friends in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is an excellent plan for the end of finals week. The area is filled with beautiful alpine lakes, expansive forests and some of the most picturesque mountains you have ever seen. It also offers hike trails like Desolation Wilderness near Lake Tahoe or the John Muir Wilderness. After paying for gas, a wilderness permit, food and supplies, the trip could cost only $80 to $120 per person for about three days. If you love to be with nature, this is a great option.

Road Trip To Montana

A Montana road trip is perfect for those looking to explore outside of California. I recommend planning an extended trip of at least a week, starting with a visit to Glacier National Park, where you can enjoy hiking, stunning mountain views and clear turquoise lakes. You can also stop at beautiful locations like Yellowstone National Park or Bend, Oregon, on your way back, depending on your route. For a week-long trip, expect to spend between $210 to $300, covering gas, campsite fees, food and the National Park entry fee. This is an excellent and affordable way to experience the Rocky Mountains and the great outdoors.

As the senior class approaches graduation, it's important to remember

that many affordable trips are available to celebrate this significant achievement. These trips can be a lot of fun and provide the perfect opportunity to create new

jharms@redwoodbark.org

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, located in Montana, features beautiful river streams.

Illustrations by Lucy Jeffers

Infographic by Larkin Moffett

memories with old friends.

Photo courtesy of Hendrik Cornelissan

español español

‘DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS’ es más de música

Por Tessa DeLay

El cinco de enero de 2025, el artista puertorriqueño Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, conocido como Bad Bunny, publicó su sexto álbum, “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.” El álbum inmediatamente ganó popularidad y es el número uno en los mejores 200 de Billboard. Mezclando música tradicional de Puerto Rico como jibara, pena y salsa con reggaeton, el álbum es una hermosa celebración de la cultura puertorriqueña y también un comentario política poderoso sobre los injustos a la isla.

Pista uno es “NUEVAYoL.” La canción empieza con una porción de “Un Verano en Nueva York” de El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, conectando generaciones de música y gente. Es imposible no bailar a esta canción hablando de las experiencias de la diáspora puertorriqueña en Nueva York.

En “BAILE INoLVIDABLE,” Bad Bunny llora de un amor del pasado. Letras poderosas como “en otra vida, en otro mundo podrá ser” y “no te puedo borrar/tu me enseñaste a querer/me enseñaste a bailar” son sus reflexiones de una relación que impactó mucho su vida. La canción de salsa tiene muchos paralelismos a “Ensename a Bailar,” una celebración de un amor de su álbum “Un Verano Sin Tí.” “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” demuestra la conexión de Bad Bunny a su herencia puertorriqueño y presenta una combinación de baterías, trompetas y piano perfecta.

“TURiSTA,” la canción once, tiene una definición doble. Letras incluyendo “en mi vida fuistes turista/tú

solo vistes lo mejor de mi/y no lo que yo sufría” conversan en una persona que entró a su vida por poco tiempo, sin entender a Bad Bunny profundamente. También es una crítica a los turistas que vienen a Puerto Rico sin entender la cultura y sufrimientos de la isla. Ese sentimiento también está en la canción “LO QUE PASÓ A HAWAii” que habla sobre la gentrificación en Hawaii que él no quiere que pase en su hogar. Bad Bunny expresa que los mismos problemas ocurren en Puerto Rico, diciendo “quieren quitarme el río y también la playa/quieren al barrio mío y que abuelita se vaya.” Esas dos canciones más lentas y sombrías son expresiones hermosas y poderosas de los desafíos de Puerto Rico. La pista título “DtMF” tiene más de doscientos millones de escuchas en Spotify. En la canción, Bad Bunny refleja el paso del tiempo y sus remordimientos por no dar fotos ni apreciar a las personas que quiere y como Puerto Rico fue antes de la gentrificación. “Ojalá que lo’ mío’ nunca se muden” refleja su esperanza que la gente de Puerto Rico siempre pueda vivir acá. Vas a llorar y bailar a esta canción de dolor y nostalgia. “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” es el más profundo álbum de Bad Bunny. Las letras y música reflejan su orgullo y conexión a su herencia puertorriqueño y también pone atención a los desafíos de su gente. Es una mezcla creativa de diferentes ritmos y una letra de amor a Puerto Rico. “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” te hará bailar y llorar.

tdelay@redwoodbark.org

Por Hilah Brekhus-Lavinsky

Los dulces mexicanos ofrecen una variedad única de texturas y sabores mientras satisfacen ese antojo salado y dulce al mismo tiempo. Aquí hay algunos dulces mexicanos populares del mercado Cardenas en San Rafael.

Lucas Skwinkles Salsagheti

Este dulce era una gomita en forma de espagueti que sabe a sandía. Está preparado con jarabe, maíz, azúcar y ácido cítrico. Viene con dos pedacitos de chamoy para rociar sobre el dulce. La “salsagheti” combinada con el picante chamoy y la textura interesante hicieron de comer este dulce una experiencia única. Sin embargo, el saborizante artificial de la gomita no sabía bien, lo que le valió a este dulce un tres puntos de cinco.

Cucharas

UN VIDEO DE un sapo concho, una rana de Puerto Rico en peligro de extinción, se reproduce cuando escuchas al álbum en Spotify.

Los dulces populares mexicanos

Beny Locochas Mango

“Beny Locochas Mango” es desagradable. Tiene sabor a mango. Está hecho de azúcar, chile y sal. La textura es áspera y poco apetecible. No es muy bueno y no lo disfruté. Este dulce se sentía como piedra y era demasiado difícil de morder, pero no era bueno para lamer tampoco. Este dulce es uno de cinco. Los dulces mexicanos están llenos de sabor y variedad. Son una estupenda manera de probar un dulce y quedan muy ricas porque son saladas y dulces.

“Las cucharas” era un poco más suave y masticable que un chupete. Está hecha de azúcar, jarabe de maíz y saborizantes artificiales. Al principio de comer es sabroso, pero luego se vuelve picante. Es la combinación perfecta. Sabe a chamoy pero tiene una textura de arena mojada que es agradable. El dulce está dentro de una cuchara con la que es divertido comerlo. Puedes chupar este dulce o masticarlo. “Las cucharas” es un cinco de cinco.

Foto por Tessa DeLay

Infografia por Linnea Koblik

Arte por Nadia Massoumi

Arte por Cora Champommier

sports sports

Plan, prepare, prioritize: How to manage your time as an athlete

By Jack Block

Managing time can be difficult for high school athletes. With school, games, practices, other extracurricular activities and homework, it may seem impossible to do it all. This can create stress and anxiety that can lower academic and athletic performance. Time management is a crucial key to success to ensure results on the field and in the classroom. With just three steps, student-athletes can make sure to achieve their fitness and academic goals by managing their time wisely. Whether you play sports or not, these tips can help each student succeed academically.

Step number one: plan to keep track of school work by using a planner or calendar. In high school, most students have significant homework every single night, especially students that are enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) classes. According to a U.S. News report, 79 percent of Redwood students take AP courses. During weeks loaded with tests and projects, it can be especially hard to stay on top of both athletics and academics. However, by staying organized and on top of your work, you can manage your time successfully while focusing on school and sports. Junior and varsity soccer player James Mostafavi uses his planner to stay organized and on top of his work.

“I use a planner for my assignments, which I frequently check throughout the day. Personally, I’m a procrastinator, and using my planner keeps me as efficient as possible,” Mostafavi said. “In my planner, I label which classes I have homework assignments in, when they’re due, and when I need to complete them. It helps me have structure for my schoolwork and for the rest of my day.”

Step number two: prepare for upcoming events. If you know you have a game or test that week or practice along with homework each night, it can help to prepare ahead of time. By preparing for a rigorous schedule, you can balance each assignment one piece at a time. Creating consistent study habits despite hectic weeks can be extremely beneficial for student-athletes. To help build better study habits, try preparing for tests ahead of time and don’t wait until the last minute to study. Additionally, in many cases, athletes are excused from class on game

out to your teachers and notify them of your upcoming absence. This way, you can stay on the same page as your teachers, and you can work to organize an extension for the assignments in the classes you miss.

“If I have a game, I’ll ask for an extension a day in advance for the classwork I’m missing for soccer,” Mostafavi said.

Junior and mountain biker Aidan Ring finds that preparing for his week ahead of time can help him get his work done while also succeeding in his races.

“There’s a direct correlation between biking, my

grades and time for assignments. Sometimes, I look at my schedule and see I have a test here and there and I prepare for those ahead of time, not last minute, so I have time for biking as well,” Ring said.

Students often have to travel for certain tournaments or athletic events. In Ring’s case, the mountain biking team often schedules meets that are far away from home, making it difficult to manage school work.

“With races, it takes up the whole weekend as most of the meets aren’t local. It’s a long way anywhere we go, we only get one race per season where we get to spend Friday nights at home,” Ring said. “This season, we have races in Modesto, Granite Bay and Monterey, so I prepare for those and try to get my work done before the weekend, so I have no worries while I’m out there racing.”

Finally, step three: prioritization. An easy way to finish work efficiently and manage your time around sports is to prioritize the relative importance of each task you have to complete.

“What I’ll try and do is be my most efficient before practice so I get as much stuff done [as I can] and then afterward, I do my less urgent work,” Mostafavi said.

One strategy is to space out your work by difficulty. Prioritizing your harder assignments can help you manage your time and your stress levels so that you have the time to play at your best ability while also maintaining your grades.

“You’ve got to prioritize. Tests are first [and] projects are next. Unfortunately there are some assignments that get pushed off until the last minute, but make sure that those are my easier assignments so that I can get them done quickly if I’m crunched for time,” Ring said.

There may be days when it feels impossible to manage sports and schoolwork. Although it may be hard to perfect, good time management can go a long way for athletes trying to excel in not just their sport, but in their classes as well. Remembering these three steps — planning, preparing and prioritizing — can benefit athletes and keep their stress levels at a minimum.

jblock@redwoodbark.org

The effect of college sports on university admissions

By Lily Bell

As college acceptance letters begin to arrive, students face the decision of where to attend for the next four years. Due to increased media attention and school pride, colleges with popular sports teams tend to attract more applicants every year. Many question whether they want an academic-focused school, a sports-oriented school or one that offers a balance of both.

The effect of college sports on applications is often called the Flutie Effect, named after former Boston College student and pro football player Doug Flutie. His performance on the football field increased the popularity of the school and boosted the number of applications by 30 percent. Other schools similarly experience a rise in applications after having successful sports teams.

Junior Charlie Dickerson is passionate about college sports and believes they will be a key role in the decisionmaking process while he is applying to college next year.

“I want the experience that comes with college sports, whether that be baseball, basketball or football. I want something [such as sports] that I can bond about with other people,” Dickerson said.

Many students find comfort in being able to connect with peers through watching sports. Big schools attract applicants every year due to their showcase of leading athletes; some idealize college athletes, seeing the life they created around their school.

“People see these big [players] going far and associate the school with being good at that [sport],” Dickerson said. With the rise of social media, broadcasting college sports has never been easier. TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat all have created a platform for players and students to display what their life is like at certain colleges. Olivia Dunne, a gymnast at Louisiana State University (LSU), has gained recent media attention with millions of followers across social media platforms. Since gaining followers, she has shared her life at LSU as a studentathlete. The school has experienced a 17 percent increase in enrollments since 2023.

High school students being able to get an inside to life at America’s universities has been eye-opening, and brought many students to new schools they never could see themselves at before.

“When I saw Ohio State [University] win the national championship [for football], I thought maybe I should apply there,” Dickerson said.

For some students, college sports can be a deciding factor in which college they would like to attend. Schools with leading sports draw the attention of many. Winning championships and doing well in season catches the public eye, especially high school students watching college sports.

Junior Stella Belluomini and long-time San Francisco 49ers fan has had an eye for football and plans to go to a strong sports college.

“Having a good football school with a big sports environment is very important to me. I’m a huge 49ers fan; I love college football and watching college sports. That Southeastern College Football (SEC) college football energy is unmatched,” Belluomini said.

Similar to Dickerson, Belluomini believes that good sports programs draw in more applicants.

“Schools with more sports teams bring a lot of money to the school, as often times they have better resources and programs. In Indiana, for example, since their recent rise in football they have seen more applicants,” Belluomini said.

Many students, like Dickerson and Belluomini, consider a strong sports culture an essential factor in their college decision-making process. Social media platforms have further amplified the influence of college athletics, allowing student-athletes to showcase their experiences and attract more applicants. As schools with successful sports teams gain more visibility and prestige, they often experience the growing impact on college selection.

lbell@redwoodbark.org

CHARGING DOWN THE slope, junior Aidan Ring participates in a mountain biking meet.

Photo courtesy of Aidan Ring

Sports Spotlight: Carr shines as Redwood’s new star

By Henry Barker

After suffering a 27-point loss to their crosstown foes in the league championship last year and graduating all five starters, the Giants entered the season searching for answers. Then Semetri “TT” Carr, the No. 12 ranked senior in California according to ESPN, transferred in, instantly changing the trajectory of the Giants’ season.

Following three stellar seasons at Branson, in which he twice beat the Giants in the Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) championship, Carr unexpectedly joined the rival Giants. The University of California, Berkeley (Cal) commit intended to switch to Archbishop Riordan for his final year, but when California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) transfer rules prevented him from playing, he opted to finish his high school career at Redwood before heading to Cal in the fall.

Carr wasted no time making his presence felt on his new team. At the Classic at the Damien, recognized as the premier high school tournament on the West Coast, he erupted for 37 points in a win against Etiwanda and backed it up with a dominant 34-point performance in a victory over Prescott. Then came the moment many had been waiting for: Carr’s return to face Branson. In a packed gym, with heckles ringing from his former classmates, he delivered his best performance yet: 38 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, leading a thrilling comeback victory after being down double digits. Carr showcased his talents as a multifaceted scorer, finishing at the rim and knocking down shots from deep, but also as a great facilitator, penetrating the defense to create open looks for his teammates.

three-peat, but to make a run in the North Coast Section (NCS) and CIF.

“I would like to make a good state run,” Carr said. “That’s the one thing I haven’t done — I’ve gotten MCAL and gotten NCS. [States] is what I’m really hoping to accomplish.”

Varsity basketball coach Jay DeMaestri believes Carr has made a smooth transition onto the Giants roster, adjusting to his role as the season has progressed.

“We’re hitting a spot in our season where he’s really starting to figure it all out on offense. Everything is picking up now that we’ve been doing it for a couple months,”

DeMaestri has high praise for the Giants’ star. Watching him from the other team’s sideline for

likeness (NIL), getting an education at the next level for free,” Carr said.

With a championship mentality and a future at Cal on the horizon, the end of Carr’s final high school season promises to be an exciting one.

hbarker@redwoodbark.org

“Playing against my former team and performing how I wanted to was a special feeling and ultimately getting the win made it all the more special,” Carr said.

Carr is no stranger to big-stakes moments in high-level competition. The former MCAL player of the year won back-to-back league titles over the Giants, one of which was a 46-41 overtime win as a sophomore in 2023.

“I try to just breathe. Sometimes I feel pressure, but at the end of the day, [basketball] is what I love to do, so I remember that,” Carr said.

Now with Redwood, he hopes to go for not just the

enjoyed getting

to know Carr’s personality. As Carr’s growth as a player continues, his character and presence off the court have also become more evident.

“He’s a standup guy — he’s trustworthy, independent [and] he’s got a funny little sense of humor. The more I get to know him, the more [I realize] he’s just an unbelievable person,” DeMaestri said.

Coach DeMaestri emphasized Carr’s ability to elevate those around him, which will play a key factor in Redwood’s postseason success.

“Having the confidence in him to make the right decisions, whether that’s laying it up, shooting or passing, that’s going to be infectious for the entire team,” DeMaestri said.

Carr’s work ethic and dedication continue to push him toward success, as he remains motivated by the many opportunities basketball can offer — opportunities beyond the court and into his future education and career.

“Knowing there’s a lot of opportunity with the game, it can take you far with college and name, image and

TT CARR DELIVERED his best performance yet in the rivalry game against Branson, scoring 38 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

Scan the QR code to listen to Episode Four of Sports at Dawn, featuring an interview with soccer captain Masa Fujita and an in-depth recap of the boys’ varsity soccer and girls’ varsity basketball teams’ performances so far, as well as insights on their upcoming games and strategies.

Old episodes to catch up on:

Episode one - Sports at Dawn ft. Ella Moran

Episode two- Sports at Dawn ft. Julia Laury

Episode three- Sports at Dawn ft. Brennan Woodley

Visit redwoodbark.org to listen in.

Photo by Hilah Brekhus-Lavinsky

TT CARR IS the No. 12 ranked senior in California, according to ESPN.

Photo by Henry Barker

Photo by Graham Weir

Wellness craze in Marin creates a rise in pilates

By Lucy Miller

What could possibly drive students to wake up at 6 a.m. before a busy day at school? The answer is the promise of a stronger core, better posture and increased flexibility is Marin’s motivation. Whether students attend BODYROK, Mighty Pilates, Pro Pilates or Xcore, the low-impact workout Pilates is known for relieving stress, boosting energy and creating more versatile fitness regiments. Created in 1920 by Joseph Pilates as a way to build strength and become more flexible, Pilates has now become a $150 billion market. And that's no mistake; this form of strength training is perfect for people of all ages and skill levels. In the past 100 years, the movement has evolved by incorporating new techniques and research. Now, options for Pilates include reformer, mat and wall styles, each with its own benefits and routines.

According to a January Bark survey, 38 percent of Redwood students have taken Pilates classes. So what exactly prompts these students to spend upwards of $25 per class to leave the house before sunrise?

Senior Sadie Hann enjoys weekly Pilates classes as a way to strengthen her body before lacrosse season.

“I love doing [Pilates] on the reformer because of how difficult it is. Each class is hard but that's what makes it super motivating to come back,” Hann said.

There are many options for Pilates studios around Marin, including Internal Fire Pilates, Pilates Pro Works and The

Studio. Junior Jackie Tavernetti works at Mighty Pilates in Marin Country Mart and has recently seen a surge in members.

“In the past six months, I have seen an increase in people trying Pilates. Especially in the new year, there have been a lot of new people trying it out,” Tavernetti said.

Online options are ideal for those looking to save money or get an introduction before committing to a class. YouTube has tons of guided Pilates videos for people of all levels, and they can be a great way to fit in exercise during a busy day.

“If I don't have that much time and want to get in a quick workout at home, I will

just search up a 15-minute pilates routine. I like how easy they are to follow and how many options there are,” Hann said.

Those who have done Pilates know it is more than just a fitness craze. Joseph Pilates once said, “In ten sessions you feel the difference, in 20 [sessions] you will see the difference and in 30 [sessions] you will have a whole new body.” Those who have tried can attest to it. To say Pilates is a lifestyle might sound dramatic to some, but those who have done it know it's true.

lmiller@redwoodbark.org

Controversy created after new bill concerning transgender athletes is passed

By Lily Bell

The United States House of Representatives passed a bill on Jan. 14, banning transgender women from competing in girls’ sports. The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act would change the federal law banning sex discrimination in schools, which recognizes a person's “sex” as “based solely on a person's reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” If schools allow someone who is transgender to compete in a women’s league, they are at risk of losing federal funding. Some want to keep transgender females out of women’s sports, and others believe that this bill is

threatening transgender people’s rights. Because of this, many are worried about the health and well-being of transgender athletes.

The pool of transgender athletes is small, as only a small percentage of high school athletes are transgender. However, many are still angered by the fact their competitors may have a biological advantage. Junior Rebecca Duran competitively swims during the high school season and for the Tidalwaves competitive swim club. When asked about transgender athletes, she gave an insight into her research on the topic.

“Even though [transgender women athletes] are taking suppressants, they still

have slight advantages over [biological] women,” Duran said.

According to research done at Mayo Clinic, hormone suppressants will not reverse changes that have already happened. If you start taking them late in puberty, the earlier changes a transgender person will go through will not disappear.

Although Duran has yet to compete against a transgender athlete, junior Keira Sisuphan, a high-level volleyball player has experienced playing a competitive game versus a transgender female athlete.

“I have played against a transgender person, only once. It was a pretty close

birth] is definitely a little bit of an unfair advantage. It’s just a hard topic to choose which side is correct since people want to play the sport they like, but again, it could be unfair,” Sisuphan said.

As the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act goes to the Senate, the debate over transgender athletes in women's sports remains highly controversial. Some argue that the bill ensures fairness in competition, while others believe it unfairly targets transgender individuals and limits their opportunities. Regardless of the outcome, the conversation portrays the ongoing struggle to balance inclusivity and competitive integrity in sports, a topic that will likely remain at the head of athletic and political discourse.

JUST SHORT OF 12 million Americans did pilates in 2023, a 15 percent increase from 2022.

Photo by Elle Wilson

PROTESTERS GATHER IN front of the Supreme Court

bill to block

athletes

female teams at federally funded schools.

Photo courtesy of Will Oliver

How good coaches impact athlete development

By Jack Block

A good coach can make or break a season and a player. In a January Bark survey, 42 percent of student athletes answered that they felt that a coach has held them back as a player. Although that number is high, it highlights the importance of a good coach.

Junior Charlie Poser has been coached by his father Tom Poser for his entire basketball career. Tom Poser, now an assistant coach for the boys’ varsity basketball team, has helped head coach Jay DeMaestri guide Charlie Poser and teammates, developing them on and off the court.

“Since my dad has been my head coach my whole life up until the end of eighth grade and now [is] an assistant coach under [DeMaestri], it has helped me develop my play-style and made me who I am,” Charlie Poser said.

Junior Leo Centeno has also been coached by Tom Poser for the majority of his basketball career.

“I like a coach who knows what's best for me as a player and for the team. Both [DeMaestri] and Tom Poser, as well as the rest of my coaches, at Redwood do that,” Centeno said.

Coaching is a difficult craft to master. Not many coaches are capable of unlocking the potential within each member of the team. Some coaches unintentionally hinder player development, while others may do so deliberately. In many cases, a bad relationship or lack of effort between coaches and players can impact not just the outcome of games, but also the performance of the players and their mental fortitude. Luckily for the Giants, their basketball coaches are focused on winning and developing their players into better athletes and better people.

“What I’m focused on as an assistant

coach is to try and be a great assistant to the head coach and do my best. I try to help the kids take pride in their specific roles, understand where they add their value and how to [perform well] at their jobs,” Tom Poser said.

Apart from his coaching on the court, Tom Poser values the family that the basketball team has built largely due to the coaching and developmental atmosphere.

“Everyone supporting each other works really well in basketball, and it works really well for us,” Tom Poser said.

Coaches sometimes need to push their players to reach their potential, helping both the individual and the team. Centeno knows that DeMaestri does a good job of driving his players to get them where he wants them to be.

“I think he knows individually what each kid needs to get to the highest performance they can achieve. He reads his players and knows what they need

to do. He's not afraid to get in your face sometimes and motivate and help you,” Centeno said.

Charlie Poser finds that DeMaestri and Poser have similar coaching styles and care for each individual on the team.

“Both Jay and [Tom Poser] want us to move and pass the ball and work as a team. At times they can be assertive, they will yell and get on you if you mess up, but it's because they care and their coaching style is great,” Charlie Poser said.

Coaching is one of the most impactful ways a player can be affected. Although not every athlete has a positive coaching experience, for Centeno and Charlie Poser, their coaches have shaped them both as athletes and individuals.

jblock@redwoodbark.org

THE GIANTS’ HEAD coach Jay DeMaestri, who has coached the boys’ varsity basketball team for six years, processes his game plan as the team warms up.

Photo by Graham Weir

POWER FORWARD CHARLIE Poser has been coached by his father for his entire basketball career.

Photo by Mason Garbo

lifestyles lifestyles

Interact Club brings community service to campus

By Chloe Jennings

Oftentimes, finding outlets for community service can be difficult for students. The Interact Club remedies this by allowing all grade levels to give back to the community. Every Tuesday at lunch, club members meet and participate in miniprojects in and out of school. Partnered with Rotary of Marin, a community service organization, the club receives funds for each project.

Junior Ashley Ball, the Interact Club Co-President, is passionate about all the work that she does for the club.

“It makes me feel good to know that Redwood students want to help out in the community,” Ball said. “A lot of the time, students don’t know how to make a difference, and by giving them different projects each week, we’re able to give them that opportunity.”

Ball has an extensive background in volunteering, as she is also involved in the Marin chapter of the National Charity League (NCL), a charity organization for moms and daughters. Ball, the current council representative, was previously vice president of philanthropy during her sophomore year. She has connections with charities and organizations in the community that Interact Club can support.

“Last week, we [worked with] Pass The Bricks, an organization that builds Lego sets and uses donated Legos to build sets for underprivileged children. We [donated] two trash bags of Legos,” Ball said. “Next

week, we’re making origami hearts with little notes for The Cedars [of Marin organization for adults with developmental disabilities].”

The philanthropies exhibited during the club range wide. Providing aid to people of all ages and backgrounds, the Interact Club focuses on a diverse set of organizations.

“We [make cards] for The Redwoods’ [a non-profit senior living community located in Mill Valley, CA, since] they like to hear from younger people. We also plan on making kits for St. Vincent’s, the homeless shelter. The kits are goodie bags with [items] like toothbrushes and deodorant,” Ball said.

The club functions primarily during

lunch because being productive during school hours motivates members to participate. Junior Noa Berman is a club member and enjoys how she spends her Tuesday lunch period.

“What I love about the club is that we get an hour of community service for every activity that we do during the meeting. It’s really nice because I have a super busy schedule, like a lot of other students,” Berman said.“[Because of Interact,] I am able to give back to the community when I don’t have much time outside of school.”

The club’s convenience and community spirit are why it attracts so many students. Meeting every week, the turnout is large, ranging from 20 to 30 people. Students

appreciate the simplicity of having an extracurricular activity on campus during the school day.

“It’s amazing how much you can do for the community just in the classroom–without having to be a part of a huge charity organization,” Berman said.

Away from school, the club holds fundraising events to raise money for service organizations outside of the community. Expanding philanthropies from outside of Marin to international is a goal for the Interact Club. Ball has even dedicated part of the club routine to outside opportunities.

“We [host] bake sales to fundraise. Last year, we raised money for two international organizations that two of our club members were passionate about. It was Save the Children and Butterfly Space Malawi. We raised a little over $500 with a couple of bake sales,” Ball said.

Members of the club have a drive to show up at every meeting. Community service typically requires a lot of afterschool hours, oftentimes tedious for those with busy schedules. Fortunately, the Interact Club opens up opportunities for students to participate in volunteer work in manageable increments and feel good about helping others in need.

The Interact Club meets every Tuesday in room 258 with Mrs. Norwood!

cjennings@redwoodbark.org

Firefighting to substituting: Dan Dunnigan makes an impact

By Hilah Brekhus-Lavinsky

Substitute teacher Dan Dunnigan is a student favorite when filling in for absent teachers, bringing both a caring demeanor and a cheerful mood to every classroom he enters. He grew up in San Francisco and after graduating high school he attended the College of San Mateo (CSM), before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley where he graduated in 1992. When Dunnigan was still attending CSM, he began working for former San Francisco Board of Supervisors member and California Senator Quentin L. Kopp. Dunnigan described himself as a “troubled youth” until he met Kopp, who influenced his pursuit of a law career by giving him direction in life.

and was involved in various political campaigns. Still, after attending one year at the University of San Francisco Law School, Dunnigan chose a different path. In 2000, he took a courageous leap and joined the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) where he worked for 16 years as an engine operator, coordinator, lieutenant and first responder. Yet, after 13 years of service for the SFFD, Dunnigan’s life changed forever.

“[On] June 13, 2013, I was swimming at the College of Marin with North Bay Aquatics and I had a Grand Mal seizure in the swimming pool. Then I woke up in an ambulance on the way to the hospital,” Dunnigan said.

Dunnigan had a cancerous brain tumor which caused the seizure, and while the surgery to remove it was extremely risky, he survived. After a year of intense recovery, he returned to the SFFD but was not able to carry out the highintensity duties of being an engine operator.

“It took about a year to recover and then they put me on light duty so I went down to the chief’s office and I was like ‘I’m not here to make copies, give me some work’,” Dunnigan said.

No longer as excited with his work at the SFFD, he decided to start substitute teaching at Kent Middle School in 2016, later coming to Redwood High School in 2021. Dunnigan finds lots of joy in substitute teaching at Redwood, though it’s different from environments he’s worked

“In the past, I have gone into [jobs] where I put in the work, but I’d get zero back in return. [But] now I go where I’m of value. That’s why I’m here at Redwood,” Dunnigan said.

He is still able to apply his passions to everyday life and finds happiness in helping others, which is demonstrated by his extensive background in helping the community.

“I love English literature. I was a history major and I want to present [class material] in a certain way so [students] can show me what they’re doing and get something out of it,” Dunnigan said.

Junior William Damario has known Dunnigan since he was a substitute teacher at Kent and appreciates his kind attitude.

“[Dunnigan] is unique and energetic. He brightens my day and makes learning exciting. He is a teacher you want to show up for and do your best for,” Damario said.

Most students who have been taught by Dunnigan since middle school have a special appreciation for him because of his kindness and ability to make any class fun. One of the many students who is inspired by him is junior Elam Schiller.

“[Dunnigan’s] smile lights up the room and when I see him I want to try my best,” Schiller said.

Dunnigan has continued to act as a support system for people who have experienced similar obstacles to the ones he faced. He has now been the team captain of Swim Across America, a nonprofit organization that raises money for cancer research through swimming events, since 2011.

“I do a lot of work with [University of California San Francisco] hospital, SFFD and the International Association of Firefighters. I’m a mentor for a lot of folks who are going into surgery and then postsurgery,” Dunnigan said.

As a result of his traumatic experience almost resulting in death, his views on life have shifted. He is now more thankful and has realized what is important in his life.

“It changed how I appreciate things in life. Now sometimes I’ll just pause. I’ll look at the leaves falling and just kind of take it in. I’ve always been kind to others but now I’ll go out of my way more,” Dunnigan said. “Life is short and there are folks that have it much worse than me so I don’t take anything for granted and I just try to stay positive.”

Despite the struggles he endured, Dunnigan has made it a priority to ensure he maintains his adventurous spirit.

“I’m definitely going to be the first person off the diving board or the first person to repel [down a cliff]. I’m going to be the first person to raise my hand and say, ‘I’ll do it,’ because I have [the] mentality [that] life happens once, so let’s do this,” Dunnigan said.

hbrekhuslavinsky@redwoodbark.org

INTERACT CLUB MEMBERS busy themselves with constructing Valentine’s Day cards in a packed classroom. The cards were for The Cedars of Marin.

Photo courtesy of Ashley Ball

Photo by Hilah Brekhus-Lavinsky

DAN DUNNIGAN IS a spirited and prideful 49ers fan. As a young man, he and his friends used to sneak into games with their chests painted.

Photo courtesy of Dan Dunnigan

1986 alumnus Ken Royal offers advice for a fiery career

By Katherine Lim Cub Reporter

Whether it is a blaze in the kitchen, an oil slick in the bay or a lost person, firefighters and paramedics arrive at the scene equipped and ready to tackle the job. For two decades, 1986 Redwood alumnus Ken Royal served our community in this role.

Before joining the Tiburon Fire Protection District, Royal was a varsity swimmer and sailor at University of California, Berkeley. After graduating, he worked in finance in San Francisco, eventually earning his real estate license. Though rewarding in some respects, Royal ultimately felt finance was not his calling.

“I started taking Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) classes at San Francisco City College,” Royal said. “I was also volunteering at Southern Marin Fire District at the time, riding along on the ambulance at night, and then working finance during the day.”

Royal managed to balance this workload for a year and a half before finally being selected to be a trainee for the Mill Valley Fire Department. However, Royal recognizes it wasn’t easy. The tests to become a firefighter were strenuous, using sledgehammers and climbing ladders up to 110 feet, the equivalent of a 10-story building.

“ There [are] 400 people going after two jobs,” Royal said. “[So] you have to be competitive in those tests.”

In addition to the demanding physicality of the training, there are intellectual components that are equally important. Royal describes being verbally grilled by several intimidating chiefs questioning his knowledge, experience and determination for the job.

“[They] ask you a bunch of scenario questions,” Royal said. “What makes you think you would be confident and collected in an emergency scenario? Can you give us three examples of what kind of emergencies you’ve been in and how you handled yourself?”

After rigorous tests and interviews, Royal was offered a full-time position as a firefighter EMT at the Tiburon Fire Protection District in 2002. For the next 20 years, Royal dedicated himself to a life of service and passion to the Tiburon community.

Self-reflection was important to Royal’s career, whether it was processing his emotions after having three tough back-to-back calls or an interaction with a self-harming victim. Royal emphasized how important it is to take things one step at a time.

“ Someone who’s looking at the fire service as a possible career step, they need to look at it as such as that,” Royal said. “You need to take [steps] to see if you have naturally what it would take to do a job like this.”

Dalton Locke, a firefighter paramedic of the Tiburon fire district, advises those interested in this career path to start with taking classes on the basics of emergency medical and firefighter training.

“[Just] try to get pretty much those first three classes, EMT, paramedic and firefighter academy, done as fast as possible,” Locke said. “Always keep trying to learn and

Art Spotlight: Mika Ishiguro

By Grace Gehrman

Whether it’s painting detailed tropical fruit, throwing vases or constructing or an intricate sculpture, sophomore Mika Ishiguro integrates art in her life through many different mediums. Enrolled in intermediate ceramics, Ishiguro works primarily with clay.

She began painting and experimenting with art early in her childhood, largely due to her artistically-inclined parents and brother.

“When I was a kid, I did a lot of art because [of] my family. I have a very artistic family, so I would always draw or take art classes. There was a really good art program at my old school, so [art] was just incorporated into my life,” Ishiguro said.

progress, whether it be in your craft directly or trying to specialize in something like water rescue or fire mechanics.”

As someone who has also received a bachelor’s degree in communication and an associate’s degree in fire technology, and even plans on taking a fire mechanics class next spring, Locke advises future potential firefighters, EMTs and paramedics to continue with a lifetime of education.

“Just [keep] trying to have a wealth of knowledge to build upon and continue to grow,” Locke said.

Ryan Scott, a motivated senior at Redwood, is already taking some of these important steps Locke mentioned to become a firefighter just like Royal. Last semester, Ryan Scott received his EMT certification, and he is currently taking fire classes at Santa Rosa Junior College. Ryan began his training when he was only 16 years old.

“Because I started so early, it saved me two years when I’m out of high school,” Scott said. “All the classes that I took, you didn’t have to be 18 [years old].”

For Redwood students who are interested in a firefighting career, Scott suggests paying close attention to specific units offered in Physical Education (PE) class.

“In high school, pay attention in your PE class when you’re doing all the CPR stuff,” said Scott, who has served as a teacher’s assistant to the PE department, helping with the CPR training.

For more advanced training, Scott recommends taking classes at the College of Marin for students who want to get their career started.

By taking EMT, fire and paramedic classes offered by local colleges and programs, high school students can get a glimpse of the daily rewards and duties of this career path. For firefighters, their training not only marks the beginning of their career but builds their determination, resilience and passion for the job.

“ We’re here to make things better. Having that mental wherewithal is huge,” Royal said. “This is a sworn position. People are expecting you to be proper [and] to be caring.”

klim@redwoodbark.org

Her recent work synthesizes her skills as a talented painter and as a ceramics artist. When glazing her ceramics, a process that melts a layer of glossy coating that fuses with clay, she paints complex images onto the claybodies. An example of this was her fall project, for which she created different tiles brandishing tropical fruits. This project was born out of her physical limitations when she had an arm injury, but still wanted to continue her artistic work.

For her, the artistic process is one that is therapeutic and serves as a tangible way to express her ideas.

“I love the fact that I can express what’s in my mind onto paper through sculpting or through any of my artwork. I can use my creativity [to] put my brain out, basically onto paper [or] clay,” Ishiguro said.

ggehrman@redwoodbark.org

WHILE FIGHTING FIRES in the local community, Ken Royal helped develop the Marine division and brought on a firefighting boat.

Photo courtesy of Ken Royal

KEN ROYAL ATTENDED paramedic school after he was offered a job with the Tiburon Fire Department in 2002. It helped calm Ken Royal’s nerves when he became a father that same year.

Photo courtesy of Ken Royal

Amari Jones advocates for empowerment

By Matthew Milan

Amari Jones, a community activist, mentor and recording artist, is bringing his passion for empowering youth to Redwood as a Campus Staff Assistant.

Jones was born in Richmond, California, and attended Albany High School near Berkeley. Jones’s early years were marked by trouble and rebellion. At one point, he was at risk of not graduating. However, his high school Campus Supervisor, Josette Wheaton, provided the support he needed to turn things around.

“[Wheaton] helped me realize that I mattered – that I wasn’t alone,” Jones said.

After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a music career, signing with Warner Music Group. Jones wanted to make an impact on his community beyond music. He found inspiration in rapper Ermias Asghedom – better known as Nipsey Hussle – and his community-focused legacy.

“I was in such a dark place, in a dark time. I went from nothing to having hundreds of thousands of dollars in Hollywood to going back to nothing,” Jones said. “[Asghedom] was the one that motivated me to spread the word of peace.”

Before Asghedom’s tragic death, Jones connected with his brother, Samiel Asghedom, who encouraged him to return to the Bay Area to continue what Ermias Asghedom called “The Marathon.”

“[Samiel Asghedom] told me, ‘Go back to where you’re from and continue the marathon.’ Life is a marathon, not a sprint. I knew I had to make an impact back home,” Jones said.

Determined to help others avoid the struggles he faced, Jones returned to Albany High School to ask how he could support

students. His return was met with gratitude.

In 2023, Jones took time off from Dublin High School after a school stabbing at Santa Rosa’s Montgomery High School to support students there.

“Montgomery was right next to where I used to live, and I passed that school every day. When I heard what happened, it touched me differently,” Jones said.

The tragedy sparked student protests advocating for campus safety. Inspired by their activism, Jones founded the Voice of the Youth project, focusing on violence prevention, mentorship and mental health advocacy. Through this initiative, Jones has partnered with over 250 schools across Northern California, working with students, educators and policymakers to drive change.

“I didn’t want [Montgomery’s tragedy] to be a moment people forgot about. I wanted to keep what [the students] started alive and ensure students’ voices would continue to be heard,” Jones said.

Since then, Jones has collaborated with Santa Rosa’s Chief of Police, the Mayor of Santa Rosa, California State Senator Scott Wiener and U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell to bring students into conversations about safety and mental health. His hands-on approach and ability to connect with youth have become defining aspects of his work.

appreciates Jones’ presence on campus.

“He is super outgoing,” Holland said. “[Jones is] always doing his best to put smiles on kids’ faces and make them feel important.”

Jones uses his music career for advocacy, inspired by Ermias Asghedom’s commitment to uplifting communities.

“People look up to music artists, so I thought, ‘What if I followed [Ermias Asghedom’s] example [and] used that influence for good?’” Jones said.

Jones hopes to expand Voice of the Youth into Southern California, reaching as many schools as possible.

“There are 10,000 schools in California alone, and I want to make a difference at every single one,” Jones said.

mmilan@redwoodbark.org

At Redwood, Jones is using his role to continue his mission for change. He focuses on mentoring students who may be struggling and spreading a message of resilience.

“You never know what a kid could be going through.

Maybe they’re having the worst day of their life, and that’s why just going up to them and saying, ‘Have a great day,’ can make a huge difference,” Jones said.

Sophomore Brady Holland

Infographic by Larkin Moffett

Photo courtesy of Amari Jones